D&D General When is a weapon, a Light weapon?

[Corinnguard]

In 5e, a Light Weapon is a weapon that is small and easy to handle. But how small a weapon does have to be earn that particular weapon property? curious

 

[Voadam]

"A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons."

Club
Dagger
Handaxe
Light Hammer
Sickle
Scimitar
Shortsword

The heaviest (and generally longest) is the scimitar at 3 lbs.

 

[Corinnguard]

I don't think weight determines whether or not a weapon is a Light Weapon. The Longsword in D&D weighs just as much as a Scimitar. It could be a size issue, but then we might wind up bantering about whose weapon is bigger and whether or not we know how to use them.

 

[Voadam]

I don't think weight determines whether or not a weapon is a Light Weapon. The Longsword in D&D weighs just as much as a Scimitar. It could be a size issue, but then we might wind up bantering about whose weapon is bigger and whether or not we know how to use them.

No, whether it is small and easy to wield in an off hand defines a light weapon. Weight is the closest 5e measure we have as to how small though.

We get light scimitars thanks to dual wielding Drizzt.

I'd say scimitars are the top end of size for light weapons.

Also the stats are a little weird. A 2 lb. light hammer is light and thrown d4 simple weapon. A 2 lb. Warhammer is a versatile d8 martial weapon. That is a lot of variation for different types of 2 lb. hammers. Upgrading from the warhammer to the two-handed heavy martial 2d6 maul takes it up to 10 lbs.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I doubt there are any reliable conclusions you can draw from the largely non-mechanical information (weight and size) about these weapons.

Light weapons are what they are for a variety of reasons--"tradition" (meaning, they were light in a previous edition), flavor, balance--and most of them aren't particularly related to whether the weapon IRL meets any specific set of physical requirements.

 

[LordEntrails]

Clubs as a light weapon... well something the size of belaying pin is certainly small and easy to wield in an off hand. But a club like Bam Bam from the Flintstones or Billy from the AD&D cartoon. Yea, not really. And then of course you have great clubs that require two hands...

Yea, as @EzekielRaiden says, they are light because of mechanics and flavor. By themselves they should mechanically be inferior to non-light weapons and fit in a mechanically balanced option for off-hand use.

 

[Umbran]

Clubs as a light weapon... well something the size of belaying pin is certainly small and easy to wield in an off hand. But a club like Bam Bam from the Flintstones or Billy from the AD&D cartoon. Yea, not really. And then of course you have great clubs that require two hands...

I'd say that BamBam's and Billy's weapons are both greatclubs, really. One is wielded by someone with excessive strength, the other is a magic item.

 

[aco175]

Smaller than a breadbox.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Given the qualities "light" and "finesse", I think the weapon that 5E calls a scimitar is more likely a parang or machete.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Given the qualities "light" and "finesse", I think the weapon that 5E calls a scimitar is more likely a parang or machete.

More like a fencing saber, I think. A machete is too end-heavy to be right. The parang may well have never actually even been a combat weapon, but the thinner examples might do.

The D&D saber makes the most sense IMO as something with a handle like a parang, and then a thin, lightly curved blade about 2-3 feet total length, 2lbs at most, balance as near to the guard as possible.

But really, it’s just a fantasy weapon.