Best Swords In D&D

Key Takeaways

• The journey to acquire powerful swords in
  Dungeons and Dragons
  is long and arduous but worth it.
• Players should carefully consider which sword fits their character best and consult with the Dungeon Master.
• There are several legendary swords with unique abilities, such as cutting through enemies and traveling between planes.

Dungeons & Dragons is a gaming universe with a vast library of powerful weapons, including a large selection of swords. Some are the subject of quests, appearing as either rewards or treasure, and the journey from a slightly rusty piece of metal to a reality-altering, legendary artifact is usually long and arduous but worth it.

The best weapon for a character will often depend on many factors, from class, to build, to play style. Players should carefully consider which aspects of a sword fit their unique build. On top of preexisting choices, the Dungeon Master might introduce a homebrewed weapon with some creative and overpowered skills.

Updated December 1, 2024 by Kristy Ambrose: It might be difficult to keep track of smaller accessories, like gear and weapons, with all the recent additions and changes to the D&D universe. Skills, training, ability scores, and the choice of class and race determine what kind of sword the character can wield. These selections include the mightiest greatsword to even a humble shortsword, the family of finesse weapons like rapiers, or some with rare or even legendary, game-changing abilities.

14 Scimitar Of Speed

The Player’s Handbook

• Stats: +2 Light Finesse weapon that grants an additional attack

The Scimitar of Speed is a great and versatile weapon and is somewhat easier to acquire than others on the list. It is a +2 Finesse weapon, meaning players can choose to use either Strength or Dexterity as their modifiers.

It is also Light, allowing players to wield up to two such weapons at the same time. The special feature of the sword is that it allows an additional attack using a bonus action. Many characters can utilize the sword to great effect, dishing out significant damage every turn.

13 Dawnbringer

Forgotten Realms: Out of the Abyss

• Stats: Emits bright sunlight for 15 feet and dim light for another 15 feet, allows the ability to cast Lesser Restoration once per day

The legendary Dawnbringer is one of the few sunblades that appears in the D&D universe. These are weapons with blades made of pure light as opposed to a physical blade made of steel, bone, or some other material. They do bonus damage against any undead targets, can be used as a torch in a dark place, and can only be used by characters of a Good moral alignment.

Paladins are often the ones that wield this sword, not only because it fits so perfectly with the aesthetic of the class but also because of the moral alignment. It’s also a longsword, so it can be a one or two-handed weapon depending on the character’s proficiencies and their Strength score.

12 Sword Of The Planes

The Book of Many Things

• Stats: +3 attack bonus and the ability to travel to other planes of reality

This sword has recently been introduced in the Book of Many Things official supplement, which houses several new player options, items, and rules. Among them is this plane-tearing weapon, which can cut through enemies as easily as through the fabric of reality.

Aside from a nice +3 bonus, the Sword of the Planes allows the caster to freely travel to any plane. As an action, characters can open rifts to other planes, and even specify exactly where on that plane they would wish to go.

11 Sword Of Answering

Dungeon Master’s Guide

• +3 attack bonus, plus a special Reaction chosen by the character’s Moral Alignment

In the Greyhawk setting, there are only 9 such swords, each with a different look and personality. Every sword is connected to a particular D&D alignment, although there are no requirements when it comes to attunement to the weapon.

The Sword of Answering provides a +3 bonus to attacks and also comes with a special Reaction. Characters can immediately attack anyone that damages them, and they make that attack with advantage. On top of that, any damage dealt this way completely ignores any resistance or immunities.

10 The Dancing Sword

Player’s Handbook

• Stats: Use a Bonus Action to make this sword hover, fly up to 30 feet in the air, and attack the target

It’s not exactly a dance, but more like a dramatic finishing move that the player can activate using a couple of Bonus Actions. The player can make this special attack four times before the sword automatically returns to their hand.

The sword comes in five different forms, so no matter the class, virtually any character can equip this sword. The Dungeon Master can introduce the Dancing Sword as a shortsword, greatsword, longsword, rapier, or scimitar.

9 Luck Blade

The Player’s Handbook

• Stats: +1 bonus to all saving throws, allows the use of the Luck Feat once a day.

The Luck Blade is in a league of its own, as it has one of the most powerful effects in the entire game attached to it. This sword gives the wielder a flat +1 bonus to any saving throws and allows them the use of the Luck feat once per day.

But the sword’s greatest feature is the ability to use Wish. The sword can hold up to 5 charges and loses this property once the charges are spent, but even a single Wish can send the entire campaign in a completely new direction.

8 Nine Lives Stealer

Player’s Handbook

• +2 attack bonus and a “one hit” ability that has limited charges

This sword with a chilling name can be incredibly powerful, especially given its lower rarity compared to other weapons. The Nine Lives Stealer gives the wielder a +2 bonus to their attacks, but the most devastating part is closely related to the name of the weapon.

The sword has up to 9 charges of a special and devastating ability. Whenever the wielder lands a critical hit on a creature with 100 health or lower, the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If they fail, the creature is immediately slain, and a single charge of the weapon is lost.

7 Blackrazor

Dungeon Master’s Guide

• +3 bonus to all attacks, cannot be Charmed or Frightened, senses other living creatures in a 60ft radius, can Devour Souls when the target reaches 0 hit points, and returns temporary HP to the wielder

This sentient Greatsword is an absolute menace on the battlefield and comes with hefty bonuses and special effects. Starting with a +3 bonus to attacks, this chaotic neutral weapon gives the wielder great power and often insists that they use it.

Blackrazor can Devour Souls whenever it reduces a creature to 0 hitpoints. Upon doing so, the wielder also gains temporary hitpoints, equal to the slain creature’s max HP. On top of that, the wielder can also sense living creatures within 60 feet around them, and cannot be charmed or frightened.

6 Moonblade

Dungeon Master’s Guide

• Stats: Roll a d100 to determine the sword’s special ability, such as gaining the Finesse property or extra spell slots

The Moonblade is one of the Elves’ most treasured possessions. Such a sword would only be passed down within a family, growing stronger with every new user. This longsword can evolve in such a way up to 7 times, gaining a new feature every time.

From attack bonuses, to spell storing, and even Vorpal properties, every version of this sword is unique but absolutely incredible. The sword refuses to serve anyone but its rightful master, and will actively hinder any evil wielder until they return it.

5 Vorpal Sword

Dungeon Master’s Guide

• Stats: Roll a natural 20 with this sword and instantly behead the target

The Vorpal Sword has always been the stuff of legend in D&D, and most who know what it does actively want to try it at least once. The sword is capable of immediately beheading almost any enemy and is feared by many characters and villains alike.

Whenever the wielder rolls a 20 for an attack, they immediately cut off one of the enemy’s heads. Not even saving rolls, unless the DM decides that certain circumstances would not allow it, such as size or Legendary Resistances.

4 Sword Of Zariel

Baldur’s Gate – Descent Into Avernus

• The wielder is literate in Celestial, has resistance to radiant and necrotic damage, Charisma is raised to 20, has feathered wings, the power of Truesight, and a whole new personality depending on the d8 dice rolls.

This incredible longsword once belonged to Zariel herself before her ultimate fall from grace. This angelic weapon is loaded with incredible properties, but that power does come with a price. The wielder of the Sword of Zariel is forever changed, and their personality, after attuning to it, might look nothing like themselves.

From angelic wings to Truesight to extra Radiant damage, the sword truly blesses the wielder. Acquiring and wielding it is no small feat, but it is fitting for a radiant champion of the Gods.

3 Sunsword

Curse Of Strahd

• Stats: A sentient weapon driven to destroy Strahd that has a moral alignment of Chaotic Good, an Intelligence of 11, a Wisdom of 17, and a Charisma of 16

A sword that was once the property of Strahd’s brother, Sergei von Zarovich, and it was so powerful that the Count hired a powerful wizard named Khazan to destroy it when Sergei died. The first step in destroying the sword was to break it into different pieces, but as soon as Khazan took the hilt and blade apart, his apprentice stole the hilt and fled into the Svalich Woods.

The wizard pursued his student but only found his mutilated body and no sword hilt. The wizard destroyed the original blade but told Strahd the entire weapon had been destroyed. If a player has the hilt, they can use a bonus action to summon a blade of light in place of the lost crystal one.

2 Frost Brand

Free Basic Rules (2014)

• Stats: Extra 1d6 cold damage in addition to physical damage, grants the wielder resistance to Fire damage, emits bright and dim light, and extinguishes all nearby flames.

Frost Brand has several interesting properties in addition to basic weapon damage, and it can be any type of sword depending on the DM’s discretion and the nature of the campaign. It would be especially helpful in a campaign where most of the enemies or environment are fire-based.

When a character wielding this sword attacks, they do an extra 1d6 cold damage, and if they’re carrying this sword in freezing temperatures it emits bright light for 10 feet and dim light for an additional 10 feet. It also extinguishes any natural fire within a 30-foot radius, but this can only be used once per day as opposed to being a passive ability.

1 Blade Of Avernus

Baldur’s Gate – Descent Into Avernus

• Stats: Can behead an enemy with a d20 roll, the wielder can travel between planes and has authority over certain kinds of devils and demons

The weapon could be considered the opposite of the Sword of Zariel, but it is in a league of its own. Interestingly enough, for all the power it provides, the Blade of Avernus requires no actual personality change to wield it, though it does come with the responsibility of looking over Avernus itself.

The sword is Vorpal, meaning it can also immediately behead an enemy. On top of that, the wielder has incredible power over other devils, and can freely travel between planes. It would take a very particular character to wield it, but who’s to say that Avernus wouldn’t be better off under new management?