Dagger

D&D 5e · 2024·Weapons·No attunement

Weapon damage

1d4 piercing

Base weapon damage before your ability modifier. Use the calculator to include hit chance and critical hits.

Damage calculator

Hit chance

55%

Expected damage / attack

3.15

Attack bonus

Average normal hit: 5.5 · Average critical hit: 8 · Critical chance: 5%.

Category: Simple weapon
Damage type: Piercing
Reach: 5 ft.
Magic attack bonus: +0
Weight: 1 lb
Attunement: Not required
Rarity: Nonmagical
Price: 2 GP

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.

Using Dagger

Strength or Dexterity can drive this simple weapon’s attack and damage rolls. Add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll only if you are proficient.
The base 1d4 weapon damage averages 2.5 before your ability modifier and extra effects. Hit chance matters too: compare expected damage per attack rather than the die alone.
The normal range is 20 feet and the maximum is 60 feet; attacks beyond normal range have Disadvantage. The calculator lets you model the attack mode separately.

Simple melee weapon dealing 1d4 piercing damage. Properties: Finesse, Light, Thrown (Range 20/60). Mastery: Nick; using it requires a feature that unlocks this mastery property.

Full item details & properties

Weapon details

Damage: 1d4 piercing
Weapon class: Simple Melee
Range: 20 / 60 ft. (normal / long)

Properties

Finesse

When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

Light

When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless that modifier is negative.

Thrown(Range 20/60)

If a weapon has the Thrown property, you can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack, and you can draw that weapon as part of the attack. If the weapon is a Melee weapon, use the same ability modifier for the attack and damage rolls that you use for a melee attack with that weapon.

Weapon mastery

Nick

When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.

You need a feature, such as Weapon Mastery, that unlocks this property for you.

Tags & related references

PiercingNickMelee WeaponNo AttunementNonmagicalSimple WeaponFinesse →Light →Thrown →Weapon →

Compare alternatives

Same edition, using your calculator inputs above. Special properties and character features can change the choice.

Dagger · current3.15 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d4 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach2 GP · 1 lb Flame Tongue Dagger3.15 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d4 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 1 lb

Same base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity

Vicious Dagger7.35 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d4 piercing + 2d6 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 1 lb

Same base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity

Whip3.15 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d4 slashing · +0 magic attack · 10 ft. reach2 GP · 3 lb

Both use Finesse; compare reach and damage

Rapier4.35 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d8 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach25 GP · 2 lb

Both use Finesse; compare reach and damage

Ordinary attacks only. Matching extra-damage conditions follow your input; alternatives keep their default bonus allocation.

Dagger FAQ

Does Dagger require attunement?

No. This entry does not require attunement; follow its activation and use rules.

Is the listed price a guaranteed purchase price?

The listed price is a reference from this catalogue entry. Availability and the final price depend on your game and GM.