In order for a character to gain proficiency with an exotic weapon you must take the Exotic Weapon Master Feat. None of the core classes within D&D begin play with proficiency in any exotic weapons. If a homebrewed class provides proficiency with any of these weapons, it will specifically state which ones within it’s class features.
These weapons are balanced to be better than martial weapons, much like martial weapons tend to be better than simple ones. Because of this proficiency should not be given freely to any characters.
Many warriors can pick up a longsword and use it with proficiency, while a special few are able to pick up complicated, specialized weapons and wield them with deadly force. These weapons are exotic weapons, and they are elusive to all but the most dedicated of combatants.
Table: Exotic Weapons
The below table shows you all of the exotic weapons that are available to train with. The table will detail the exotic weapons price, weight, damage done on a successful hit, and any special properties that exists for the weapon. Most exotic weapons have a special property affixed to them, these properties are details after the table. In addition, you can click on a weapon’s name to jump right to the special property.
For the sake of organization, weapons are presented in alphabetical order.
| Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties |
| Exotic Melee Weapons | ||||
| Bladestaff | 30 gp | 1d4 slashing | 4 lbs | Special, two-handed |
| Cat o’Nine Tails | 25 gp | 3d4 slashing | 1 lb | Finesse, reach, special |
| Flying Claws | 75 gp | 1d6 slashing | 10 lbs | Light, reach, special |
| Greatmaul | 40 gp | 2d8 bludgeoning | 30 lbs | Heavy, two-handed, special |
| Gun, Staff | 8 gp | 1d6 bludgeoning | 4 lbs | Special, versatile (1d10) |
| Katana | 150 gp | 1d8 slashing | 3 lbs | Finesse, versatile (1d10) |
| Khopesh | 40 gp | 1d8 Slashing | 2 lbs | Special |
| Man Catcher | 15 gp | 1d8 Piercing | 7 lbs | Reach, special, two-handed |
| Meteor Hammer | 90 gp | 1d10 bludgeoning | 20 lbs | Heavy, reach, special, two-handed |
| Naginata | 130 gp | 1d8 slashing | 15 lbs | Heavy, finesse, reach, two-handed |
| Nodachi | 175 gp | 1d12 slashing | 6 lbs | Heavy, special, two-handed |
| Qiang | 25 gp | 1d6 piercing | 5 lbs | Special, versatile (1d10) |
| Sai | 100 gp | 1d4 Piercing | 2 lbs | Finesse, light, special |
| Sword Gauntlet | 75 gp | 1d10 slashing | 2 lbs | Special |
| Wrist Blade | 75 gp | 1d6 Slashing | 1 lb | Finesse, light, special |
| Yari | 65 gp | 2d6 piercing | 20 lbs | Heavy, special, two-handed |
| Zhanmadao | 80 gp | 1d8 slashing | 4 lbs | Special, versatile (1d10) |
| Exotic Ranged Weapons | ||||
| Chakram | 2 gp | 1d8 slashing | 1/2 lb | Thrown (40/120) |
| Crossbow, Repeating | 275 gp | 1d4 piercing | 16 lbs | Ammunition (range 50/200), special, two-handed |
| Greatbow | 110 gp | 2d4 piercing | 12 lbs | Ammunition (range 200/800), heavy, special, two-handed |
| Pistol | 200 gp | 1d6 piercing | 7 lbs | Ammunition (range 75/300), loading, special |
| Recurve Bow | 75 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 lbs | Ammunition (range 250/1000), special, two-handed |
| Rifle | 325 gp | 1d8 piercing | 12 lbs | Ammunition (range 100/400), loading, special, two-handed |
| Shuriken | 6 sp | 1d4 slashing | 1/4 lb | Finesse, special, thrown (range 5/15) |
Bladestaff
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make 1 additional attack with this weapon if all other attacks performed as part of the attack action was made with this weapon.
Cat o’Nine Tails
When you hit with his weapon, you do not add any statistic modifiers to the damage roll.
Crossbow, Repeating
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make 1 additional attack with this weapon if all other attacks performed as part of the attack action was made with this weapon.
Flying Claws
Whenever you hit a creature with this weapon you may choose to do no damage and instead grapple the creature with this weapon. If you choose to do so, this weapon can not be used for attack rolls until the grapple effect ends. The effect instantly ends if you are disarmed of this weapon, or you otherwise drop it from your hold.
A creature attempting to break out of a grapple caused by this weapon must succeed a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Greatbow
Whenever you hit with this weapon you add half your Strength modifier to the damage roll (maximum of 2) in addition to your dexterity modifier.
Greatmaul
While wielding this weapon you are unable to make any opportunity attacks.
Gun, Staff
This weapon is a Monk Weapon if the monk has proficiency with this weapon.
While wielding this weapon, you increase your save DC for any actions or abilities performed with this weapon by 1.
This bonus applies to things such as your Ki save DC, Maneuver save DC, or even saving throws caused from paladin smites. As long as the saving throw is prompted from a creature being hit by this weapon, the save DC is increased by 1. Dual wielding gun staves does not increase the save DC by 2, as you do not hit with both when performing the action.
Khopesh
When you critically hit with this weapon, you deal an additional weapon damage die in damage.
Man Catcher
The first time you hit a mounted creature with this weapon on a turn the mounted creature must succeed a Strength saving throw or becomes knocked off of its mount. The mounted creature becomes dismounted and falls prone in the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of itself. If there is no unoccupied space within 5 feet of the mounted creature, it automatically succeeds this saving throw.
Man Catcher save DC = 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency modifier*
Meteor Hammer
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with this weapon if your target has a shield equipped.
Nodachi
Whenever you hit with this weapon you add half your Dexterity modifier to the damage roll (maximum of 2) in addition to your strength modifier.
Pistol
Creatures can not take reactions in response to a damage roll made by this weapon.
Qiang
This weapon is a Monk Weapon if the monk has proficiency with this weapon.
This weapon gains the reach property when you use it to make attacks as part of the attack action on your turn.
Recurve Bow
You are not disadvantaged to use this weapon when a hostile creature is within 5 feet of you while you are mounted.
Rifle
Creatures can not take reactions in response to a damage roll made by this weapon.
Sai
While wielding this weapon, your Armor Class is increased by 1 against melee weapon attacks.
Shuriken
Whenever you make an attack roll against a creature on your turn, you can use a bonus action to make an attack with a shuriken you are wielding against the same target of your attack. When you attack with a shuriken in this way, you have advantage on the attack roll if the creature is within 5 feet of you instead of disadvantage.
Sword Gauntlet
A creature wielding this weapon requires an additional 5 feet of movement to get up from prone.
Wrist Blade
This weapon can not be disarmed, and does not require the use of your hand, only the wrists. This allows you to use additional weapons, items, or perform grapples while wielding this weapon. You can not use any shields on the same arm that a wrist blade is on.
Yari
The first time you hit a creature with this weapon on a turn, you can choose to knock the target backwards 5 feet.
Zhanmadao
When you hit a mounted creature mount with this weapon, you deal an additional 1d6 damage.