Sun Blade
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
65%
Expected damage / attack
6.4
Attack bonus
+7
Average normal hit: 9.5 · Average critical hit: 14 · Critical chance: 5%.
- Category
- Martial weapon
- Damage type
- Radiant
- Reach
- 5 ft.
- Magic attack bonus
- +2
- Weight
- 3 lb
- Attunement
- Required
- Rarity
- Rare
- Price
- Not specified
Magic: Weapon damage is before applicable ability modifiers; extra effects require the stated conditions.
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 Sun Blade 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 1d8 +2 weapon damage averages 6.5 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.
This item appears to be a sword hilt. Blade of Radiance. While grasping the hilt, you can take a Bonus Action to cause a blade of pure radiance to spring into existence or make the blade disappear. While the blade exists, this magic weapon functions as a Longsword with the Finesse property. If you are proficient with Longswords or Shortswords, you are proficient with the Sun Blade. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon, which deals Radiant damage instead of Slashing damage. When you hit an Undead with it, that target takes an extra 1d8 Radiant damage. Sunlight. The sword's luminous blade emits Bright Light in a 15-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 15 feet. The light is sunlight. While the blade persists, you can take a Magic action to expand or reduce its radius of Bright Light and Dim Light by 5 feet each, to a maximum of 30 feet each or a minimum of 10 feet each.
Full item details & properties
Magic properties
- Activation
- Bonus Action while grasping hilt to create/remove the blade.
- Consumable
- No
- Attack Rolls
- +2. Default with this weapon; obey any stated target-dependent replacement.
- Damage Rolls
- +2. Included in displayed default damage; add the applicable ability modifier separately.
- Conditions & limits
- Weapon damage is before applicable ability modifiers; extra effects require the stated conditions.
- Radiant blade
- While blade exists: Longsword with Finesse, +2 attack/damage, Radiant instead of Slashing. Proficiency with either Longswords or Shortswords qualifies. Undead hit takes +1d8 Radiant.
- Sunlight control
- Bright 15 ft. and additional Dim 15 ft., sunlight. Magic action adjusts each radius by 5 ft., minimum 10 and maximum 30 ft. each.
Weapon details
- Damage
- 1d8 + 2 radiant
- Weapon class
- Martial Melee
- Two-handed damage
- 1d10 + 2
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.
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.
Weapon mastery
Sap
If you hit a creature with this weapon, that creature has Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start 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
Nine Lives Stealer (Longsword)6.4 expected damage / attack65% hit chance1d8 +2 slashing · +2 magic attack · 5 ft. reachNot specified · 3 lbSame base weapon; compare its bonuses and rarity
Whip (+2)5 expected damage / attack65% hit chance1d4 +2 slashing · +2 magic attack · 10 ft. reachNot specified · 3 lbBoth use Finesse; compare reach and damage
Rapier (+2)6.4 expected damage / attack65% hit chance1d8 +2 piercing · +2 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.
Sun Blade FAQ
Does Sun Blade 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.