Holy Avenger (Dagger)
D&D 5e · 2024·Weapons·Legendary·Requires attunement
Base weapon damage before your ability modifier. Use the calculator to include hit chance and critical hits.
Damage calculator
Hit chance
70%
Expected damage / attack
6.08
Attack bonus
+8
Average normal hit: 8.5 · Average critical hit: 11 · Critical chance: 5%.
- Category
- Simple weapon
- Damage type
- Piercing
- Reach
- 5 ft.
- Magic attack bonus
- +3
- Weight
- 1 lb
- Attunement
- Required
- Rarity
- Legendary
- Price
- Not specified
Magic: Displayed damage includes the default magic bonus, before applicable ability modifiers.
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 Holy Avenger does
- 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 +3 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.
- 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.
- The extra damage is conditional: Target is fiend or undead. Enable it only when that condition is met; otherwise compare the weapon’s ordinary hit.
- This item uses one of your attunement slots. Compare its benefit with the other items you want to keep attuned.
You gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit a Fiend or an Undead with it, that creature takes an extra 2d10 Radiant damage. While you hold the drawn weapon, it creates a 10-foot Emanation originating from you. You and all creatures Friendly to you in the Emanation have Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. If you have 17 or more levels in the Paladin class, the size of the Emanation increases to 30 feet. This is the Dagger variant.
Full item details & properties
Magic properties
- Activation
- Make attacks using this weapon.
- Consumable
- No
- Attack Rolls
- +3. With attacks made using this weapon
- Damage Rolls
- +3. Included once in the displayed default damage; add applicable ability modifiers separately.
- Saving throw aura
- 10 ft.; you and creatures Friendly to you have Advantage against spells and other magical effects while you hold the drawn weapon.
- Enhanced aura
- 30 ft. with at least 17 Paladin class levels; total character level does not qualify.
- Conditions & limits
- Displayed damage includes the default magic bonus, before applicable ability modifiers. The extra 2d10 Radiant damage applies only when this weapon hits a Fiend or an Undead. It is separate from the weapon's normal damage type. While holding the drawn weapon, you and Friendly creatures in its 10-foot Emanation have Advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects. The range becomes 30 feet only if you have at least 17 Paladin class levels. This is not based on total character level.
Weapon details
- Damage
- 1d4 + 3 piercing
- Weapon class
- Simple Melee
- Damage vs. Fiends or Undead
- 1d4 + 3 piercing + 2d10 radiant
- 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
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
Dagger (+3)6.08 expected damage / attack70% hit chance1d4 +3 piercing · +3 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 1 lbSame base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Holy Avenger (Whip)6.08 expected damage / attack70% hit chance1d4 +3 slashing · +3 magic attack · 10 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot specified · 3 lbBoth use Finesse; compare reach and damage
Holy Avenger (Rapier)7.58 expected damage / attack70% hit chance1d8 +3 piercing · +3 magic attack · 5 ft. reach · Conditional extra damage; see rulesNot 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.
Holy Avenger FAQ
Does Holy Avenger 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.