Berserker Battleaxe
D&D 5e · 2024·Weapons·Rare·Requires attunement
Base weapon damage before your ability modifier. Use the calculator to include hit chance and critical hits.
Damage calculator
Hit chance
60%
Expected damage / attack
5.33
Attack bonus
+6
Average normal hit: 8.5 · Average critical hit: 13 · Critical chance: 5%.
- Category
- Martial weapon
- Damage type
- Slashing
- Reach
- 5 ft.
- Magic attack bonus
- +1
- Weight
- 4 lb
- Attunement
- Required
- Rarity
- Rare
- Price
- Not specified
Magic: Displayed damage is before applicable ability modifiers. Conditional extra damage applies only when its trigger and target requirements are met.
Calculator assumptions & rules
One attack against a creature. Natural 1 misses; natural 20 hits and doubles damage dice, not flat modifiers. Expected damage includes misses and critical hits. Advantage uses the higher of two d20s; Disadvantage uses the lower. Magic bonuses shown on the item are counted once.
Uses only the weapon’s ordinary hit and the listed on-hit extra dice, when enabled. Class features, Sneak Attack, fighting styles, mastery effects, damage on a miss, special critical-hit effects, ongoing damage, resistance and immunity are excluded. Check the full rules below for additional effects.
Changing calculator inputs does not change the item’s rules or create a new page URL.
What Berserker Battleaxe does
- Strength can drive this martial weapon’s attack and damage rolls. Add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll only if you are proficient.
- The base 1d8 +1 weapon damage averages 5.5 before your ability modifier and extra effects. Hit chance matters too: compare expected damage per attack rather than the die alone.
- Using two hands changes the weapon die from 1d8 to 1d10. Compare that damage gain with keeping a hand available for a shield or another task.
- This item uses one of your attunement slots. Compare its benefit with the other items you want to keep attuned.
You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, while you are attuned to this weapon, your Hit Point maximum increases by 1 for each level you have attained. Curse. This weapon is cursed, and becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed, you are unwilling to part with the weapon, keeping it within reach at all times. You also have Disadvantage on attack rolls with weapons other than this one. Whenever another creature damages you while the weapon is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. This berserk state ends when you start your turn and there are no creatures within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear. While berserk, you regard the creature nearest to you that you can see or hear as your enemy. If there are multiple possible creatures, choose one at random. On each of your turns, you must move as close to the creature as possible and take the Attack action, targeting the creature. If you're unable to get close enough to the creature to attack it with the weapon, your turn ends after you've used up all your available movement. If the creature dies or can no longer be seen or heard by you, the next nearest creature that you can see or hear becomes your new target. This is the Battleaxe variant.
Full item details & properties
Magic properties
- Activation
- Attack with the weapon; attunement grants the Hit Point maximum increase and extends the curse.
- Consumable
- No
- Attack Rolls
- +1. Attacks made with this weapon
- Damage Rolls
- +1. Included in displayed damage; add the applicable ability modifier separately.
- Conditions & limits
- Displayed damage is before applicable ability modifiers. Conditional extra damage applies only when its trigger and target requirements are met.
- Hit Point maximum
- While attuned: +1 to Hit Point maximum per level attained.
- Berserker curse
- Attunement curses you: unwilling to part with the weapon, keep it within reach, and Disadvantage with other weapons. When another creature damages you while it is in your possession: DC 15 Wisdom save or berserk.
- Berserk behavior
- Attack the nearest creature you can see or hear, random among ties. Move as close as possible and take the Attack action; if unreachable, turn ends after all available movement. Change target if it dies or cannot be seen/heard. Ends when you start your turn with no creature you can see or hear within 60 ft.
Weapon details
- Damage
- 1d8 + 1 slashing
- Weapon class
- Martial Melee
- Two-handed damage
- 1d10 + 1
Properties
Versatile(1d10)
A Versatile weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property. The weapon deals that damage when used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Weapon mastery
Topple
If you hit a creature with this weapon, you can force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 plus the ability modifier used to make the attack roll and your Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, the creature has the Prone condition.
You need a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks this property for you.
Tags & related references
Compare alternatives
Same edition, using your calculator inputs above. Special properties and character features can change the choice.
Same base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Giant Slayer (Battleaxe)5.33 expected damage / attack60% hit chance1d8 +1 slashing · +1 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 4 lbSame base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Berserker Greataxe6.63 expected damage / attack60% hit chance1d12 +1 slashing · +1 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 7 lbUses the same attack ability; compare handling and damage
Berserker Halberd5.98 expected damage / attack60% hit chance1d10 +1 slashing · +1 magic attack · 10 ft. reachNot specified · 6 lbUses the same attack ability; compare handling and damage
Ordinary attacks only. Matching extra-damage conditions follow your input; alternatives keep their default bonus allocation.
Berserker Battleaxe FAQ
Does Berserker Battleaxe require attunement?
Yes. You need to attune to this item to use the properties that require attunement.
Is the listed price a guaranteed purchase price?
The source does not specify a price for this entry. Ask your GM about availability and cost.