What is the ruling for TWF?

[Teapot Salty]

Hey guys. I traditionally make a TWF ranger whenever I start a new system, so I wonder, how does two weapon fighting work in 5E? Thanks, and as always, go nuts.

[Kittenhugs]

PHB page 195. When you take the Attack action and you attack with a light weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with another light weapon that's in your off-hand, but you don't get your attribute bonus to damage by default. You can also throw thrown weapons if they have that property and are light.

It's pretty good at low levels but starts lagging a bit for characters who get extra attacks. It remains pretty good for characters who nova on a single attack, like rogues (another chance to get sneak attack if the first misses!) and paladins with smite spells in case they miss. There's also a feat that lets you wield two non-light one-handed weapons for this, and Fighter fighting style can let you add damage to the off-and attack, so it's okay-ish. Viable but not optimal, like many 5e builds.

[Rowan Wolf]

PHB page 195. When you take the Attack action and you attack with a light weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with another light weapon that's in your off-hand, but you don't get your attribute bonus to damage by default. You can also throw thrown weapons if they have that property and are light.

It's pretty good at low levels but starts lagging a bit for characters who get extra attacks. It remains pretty good for characters who nova on a single attack, like rogues (another chance to get sneak attack if the first misses!) and paladins with smite spells in case they miss. There's also a feat that lets you wield two non-light one-handed weapons for this, and Fighter fighting style can let you add damage to the off-and attack, so it's okay-ish. Viable but not optimal, like many 5e builds.

Rangers also get the as to the choice of that fighting style at 2nd level.

[Teapot Salty]

Rangers also get the as to the choice of that fighting style at 2nd level.

is it any good for ranger?

[Ashrym]

is it any good for ranger?

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?391858-How-to-5e-ranger has some information.


It really depends on your playstyle, but with the fighting style at 2nd level, hunter's mark, and colossus slayer it's more focused damage than dueling or archery, and allows for both melee and range off of DEX. You can make a STR build instead and ignore a lot of the ranged stuff, but I think DEX works better.

I will say that most rangers are looking at picking up sharpshooter anyway, and this can be done regardless of fighting style. A STR based melee will do more damage, and a dueling style will have better armor for a bit lower damage, and an archer will have a bit less ranged damage than going archery. TWF is not good for fighters and great for rogues, but rangers are more of a gray area that works. The class has a built in focus on archery already so archery, sharpshooter, and volley are the common choices.