One of the major strengths of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition lies in its powerful class identities. Wizards are the go-to class for versatile spellcasters, rogues with Sneak Attack can one-shot enemies, and fighters... Well, fighters hit things hard. But there's a little more to it than that.
Fighters roll a lot of dice. They have the most attacks out of any class in the 5th Edition Player's Handbook and their Action Surge lets them double the number of attacks they make in a turn. Naturally, a powerful weapon in the hands of a fighter can dish out incredible amounts of damage. With that said, here's a look at some of the most potent weapons a fighter can get, from the overlooked to the overpowered. Most of these weapons can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide, but there are quite a few that can be found elsewhere in D&D manuals.
Updated on August 24th, 1984 by Hodey Johns: At this point, scoring a copy of every book hardcover is going to cost players well of one-thousand dollars unless they manage to find some ridiculous discounts. This makes it hard to know which sources are the most important for players interested in the Fighter class unless they're prepared to completely break the bank. Even then, going through every single one of these books isn't exactly realistic. So as somebody that owns every sourcebook, loves the fighter class, and does a ton of research, this list has been updated with the latest information on what weapons are the best for fighters and how to score them.
10 Whelm
As a +3 warhammer, this weapon is a cinch for fighters. The real trick is making it through White Plume Mountain in the Dungeon Master's Guide, where many of the best weapons are located.
Along with two spells to cast, Whelm sends out a shockwave that stuns foes. Stun is perhaps the most disastrous debuff for anybody, friend or foe, and being able to dish this out against a group provides an incredible level of group control.
9 Greater Silver Sword
Rogues have access to some amazing archetypes, but fighters can still match their damage output by wielding two-handed weapons like the greatsword. And the +3 Greater Silver Sword is among the best in the business for chopping up enemies with that 2d6 base damage.
However, the main feature of this weapon is that it gives fighters advantage on intelligence, wisdom, and charisma saving throws, three categories they usually are weak against. It also adds immunity to being charmed and resistance to psychic attacks. Find it in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.
8 Ephixis, Bow of Nylea
Fighters that invest in their ranged attacks may feel like a strange idea, but due to their extra attacks feature, they actually outdo rangers in total damage. The biggest drawback to a ranged attack is that magic arrows are usually destroyed or lost. And it's expensive to replace them.
The Ephyxis puts the arrows used back into the quiver of the shooter and each one has a different, useful magical effect. One of them even charms creatures, so running into one of the game's deadliest monsters can actually be a good thing. It will require taking a trip through the Mythic Odysseys of Theros to get access to it.
7 Defender
It's time to stop pretending that all fighters are supposed to be on the top of the damage charts. The number one most important thing they can do is protect the party. Of course, it helps if they don't die in the process of executing their protection duties.
The Defender is in the Basic Rules book and it's simple to use. At the player's discretion, the sword (any sword) can go from +3 attack to +3 AC every turn, changing as the fighter needs to in order to best protect their friends who are still learning the ropes at wizardry.
6 Azuredge
Sometimes it feels like necromancers get all the most powerful abilities in the game, but the radiant side of things is equally strong, even if it is rarer. Better still, most monsters don't have resistance against radiant damage (and some actually take more damage from this source!).
When hitting a field or undead, the two most common types of monsters, the blade deals an extra 2d6 damage. Even against normal units, Azuredge is a +3 battleaxe that returns to hand when thrown. It's found in the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist sourcebook.
5 Sword of Kas
Speaking of evil weapons, the Sword of Kas is wonderfully broken. This whole list could be comprised of artifacts, but the Sword of Kas from the Dungeon Master's Guide would still deserve a special mention. For starters, it's a +3 sword that deals a whopping 2d10 extra damage to undead.
It also gives an initiative boost, a situational defense boost, and the ability to cast Call Lightning, Divine Word, and Finger of Death. The Sword of Kas is a stupidly over-the-top weapon. It's a lot of fun to use, and it tends to create chaos wherever it goes. As a bonus, it was also featured in Critical Role, meaning if you use Matt Mercer's worlds, your party could still come across it.
4 Wave
Wave debuted in the 5th edition in the Dungeon Master's Guide, but it's shown up more recently in the Tales of the Yawning Portal, where it can be found in White Plume Mountain. It's also the first and only trident on this list, which means it comes with the "thrown" and "versatile" properties.
Additionally, it's a +3 weapon that deals damage equal to half a creature's maximum hit points on a crit. If that wasn't enough, it has the added effects of four other magic items: the Trident of Fish Command, Weapon of Warning, Cap of Water Breathing, and Cube of Force.
3 Axe of the Dwarvish Lords
When facing off against enemies that can literally end the entire world, it's important to come with the best equipment possible. Unfortunately, since players can only attune themselves to three magic items, battling against these forces can feel like a lost cause.
This +3 axe has all the benefits of three items, two spells, three blessings, and three random beneficial properties. The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords is just too good of a value to pass up. And best of all, it's not hiding out in some impossible to reach plane of existence, it's right there in the Dungeon Master's Guide!
2 Wand of Orcus
A wand might sound like something a sorcerer should use or perhaps like a weapon a specially trained monk might be able to use. But no, it's technically a +3 mace from the Dungeon Master's Guide. And its intention, both in practice and in description, is to destroy the universe.
Aside from gaining the ability to create a 500 HP army with ease, it also has access to an arsenal of instant death spells.
1 Vorpal Sword
Vorpal Swords are legendary, both in their reputation in the Dungeons and Dragons community and in a very literal sense in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Right off the bat, they function as +3 swords, so they're good. What makes them exceptional is their ability to instantly kill enemies on an attack roll of 20.
It might not kill a boss outright, but a Vorpal Sword will deal a ton of damage. By the time a fighter comes across one of these, they're likely closing in on their final extra attack, so they can dish out 8 attacks in a single round. Suffice it to say, a fighter with a Vorpal Sword is decently likely to kill anything standing in their way.