Dancing Shortsword
D&D 5e · 2024·Weapons·Very Rare·Requires attunement
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
3.75
Attack bonus
+5
Average normal hit: 6.5 · Average critical hit: 10 · Critical chance: 5%.
- Category
- Martial weapon
- Damage type
- Piercing
- Reach
- 5 ft.
- Magic attack bonus
- +0
- Weight
- 2 lb
- Attunement
- Required
- Rarity
- Very 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 Dancing Shortsword does
- Strength or Dexterity 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 1d6 weapon damage averages 3.5 before your ability modifier and extra effects. Hit chance matters too: compare expected damage per attack rather than the die alone.
- This item uses one of your attunement slots. Compare its benefit with the other items you want to keep attuned.
You can take a Bonus Action to toss this magic weapon into the air. When you do so, the weapon begins to hover, flies up to 30 feet, and attacks one creature of your choice within 5 feet of itself. The weapon uses your attack roll and adds your ability modifier to damage rolls. While the weapon hovers, you can take a Bonus Action to cause it to fly up to 30 feet to another spot within 30 feet of you. As part of the same Bonus Action, you can cause the weapon to attack one creature within 5 feet of the weapon. After the hovering weapon attacks for the fourth time, it flies back to you and tries to return to your hand. If you have no hand free, the weapon falls to the ground in your space. If the weapon has no unobstructed path to you, it moves as close to you as it can and then falls to the ground. It also ceases to hover if you grasp it or are more than 30 feet away from it. This is the Shortsword variant.
Full item details & properties
Magic properties
- Activation
- Bonus Action to toss and command; Bonus Actions for subsequent movement and attacks.
- Consumable
- No
- Conditions & limits
- Displayed damage is before applicable ability modifiers. Conditional extra damage applies only when its trigger and target requirements are met.
- Dancing attacks
- Bonus Action: fly up to 30 ft. and attack one creature within 5 ft.; uses your attack roll and adds your ability modifier to damage.
- Movement & return
- Subsequent Bonus Actions move it up to 30 ft. to a spot within 30 ft. of you and can include an attack. After the fourth attack it returns; if no hand or path is available it falls as described. Grasping it or exceeding 30 ft. ends hovering.
Weapon details
- Damage
- 1d6 piercing
- Weapon class
- Martial Melee
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.
Weapon mastery
Vex
If you hit a creature with this weapon and deal damage to the creature, you have Advantage on your next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn.
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
Flame Tongue Shortsword3.75 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d6 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 2 lbSame base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Dancing Rapier4.35 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d8 piercing · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 2 lbBoth use Finesse; compare reach and damage
Frost Brand (Rapier)6.45 expected damage / attack55% hit chance1d8 piercing + 1d6 cold · +0 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 2 lbBoth use Finesse; compare reach and damage
Ordinary attacks only. Matching extra-damage conditions follow your input; alternatives keep their default bonus allocation.
Dancing Shortsword FAQ
Does Dancing Shortsword 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.