Legendary Fighter Weapon Groups

A weapon group is a category of related weapons that are wielded utilizing similar mechanical techniques.

Weapon groups are defined as follows:

Axes: bardiche, battleaxe, boarding axe, butchering axe, collapsible kumade, dwarven double waraxe, dwarven longaxe, dwarven maulaxe, dwarven waraxe, gandasa, greataxe, handaxe, heavy pick, hooked axe, hurlbat, knuckle axe, kumade, light pick, mattock, orc double axe, pata, throwing axe, tongi.

Blades, Heavy: ankus, bastard sword, chainsaw, cutlass, double chicken saber, double walking stick katana, dueling sword*, elven curve blade, elven thornblade, estoc, falcata, falchion, flambard, great terbutje, greatsword, katana, khopesh, longsword, nine-ring broadsword, nodachi, null blade, plasma blade, rhoka sword, rhomphaia, sawtooth sabre, scimitar, scythe, seven-branched sword, sharpened combat scabbard, shotel, sicklesword, spinal sword*, switchscythe, temple sword, terbutje, two-bladed sword.

Blades, Light: bayonet, blade boot, brass knife, butterfly knife, butterfly sword, chakram, dagger, deer horn knife, dogslicer, drow razor, dueling dagger, elven leafblade, gladius, hunga munga, kama, kerambit, kukri, kunai, laser torch, machete, manople, pata, quadrens, rapier, sanpkhang, scizore, seaknife, short sword, sica, sickle, spider-leg sickle, spiral rapier, spring blade, starknife, switchblade knife, sword cane, swordbreaker dagger, tailblade, wakizashi, war razor.

Close: barbazu beard, bayonet, belaying pin, blade boot, brass knuckles, cestus, claw blades, dan bong, dwarven boulder helm, dwarven war-shield, emei piercer, fighting fan, garrote, gauntlet, heavy shield, heavy spiked shield, hook hand, iron brush, klar, knuckle axe, light shield, light spiked shield, madu, mere club, punching dagger, rope gauntlet, sap, scizore, spiked armor, spiked gauntlet, tekko-kagi, thorn bracer, tonfa, tri-bladed katar, unarmed strike, waveblade, wooden stake, wushu dart.

Crossbows: double crossbow, gastraphetes, hand crossbow, heavy crank crossbow, heavy crossbow, heavy slaver’s crossbow, heavy underwater crossbow, heavy wrist launcher, launching crossbow, light crank crossbow, light crossbow, light slaver’s crossbow, light underwater crossbow, repeating hand crossbow, repeating heavy crossbow, repeating light crossbow, stonebow, tube arrow shooter, wrist launcher.

Double: bo staff, boarding gaff, chain spear, chain-hammer, dire flail, double walking stick katana, double-chained kama, dwarven urgrosh, gnome battle ladder, gnome hooked hammer, halfling double sling, kusarigama, monk’s spade, orc double axe, quarterstaff, starfall spade, taiaha, two-bladed sword, weighted spear.

Firearms: all one-handed firearms, two-handed firearms, heavy weaponry, and siege firearms.

Flails: battle poi, bladed scarf, cato’-nine-tails, chain spear, dire flail, dwarven dorn-dergar, flail, flailpole, flickmace, flindbar, flying blade, flying talon, gnome pincher, halfling rope-shot, heavy flail, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, meteor hammer, monowhip, nine-section whip, nunchaku, sansetsukon, scorpion whip, spiked chain, urumi, whip.

Hammers: aklys, battle aspergillum, chainhammer, club, combat scabbard, dwarven longhammer, dwarven maulaxe, earth breaker, gnome piston maul, greatclub, hanbo, heavy mace, knobkerrie, lantern staff, light hammer, light mace, mere club, morningstar, neural inhibitor, pickaxe, planson, stun baton, taiaha, tetsubo, wahaika, warhammer.

Monk: bo staff, brass knuckles, butterfly sword, cestus, dan bong, deer horn knife, double chicken saber, emei piercer, fighting fan, hanbo, jutte, kama, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, lungchuan tamo, monk’s spade, nine-ring broadsword, ninesection whip, nunchaku, quarterstaff, rope dart, sai, sanpkhang, sansetsukon, seven-branched sword, shang gou, shuriken, siangham, starfall spade, temple sword, tiger fork, tonfa, tri-point double-edged sword, unarmed strike, urumi, wushu dart.

Natural: unarmed strike, tailblade, and all natural weapons (such as bite, claw, gore, tail, and wing).

Polearms: bardiche, bec de corbin, bill, boarding gaff, crook, fauchard, flailpole, glaive, glaive-guisarme, gnome ripsaw glaive, guisarme, halberd, hooked lance, horsechopper, lucerne hammer, mancatcher, monk’s spade, naginata, nodachi, ogre hook, ranseur, rhomphaia, starfall spade, tepoztopilli, tiger fork.

Siege Weapons: ballista, bombard, catapult, corvus, firedrake, firewyrm, gallery, ram, siege tower, springal, trebuchet, and all other siege engines.

Spears: amentum, barbed spear, boar spear, boarding pike, chain spear, doru, elven branched spear, flask pike, harpoon, injection spear, javelin, lance, longspear, orc skull ram, pilum, planson, sarissa, shortspear, sibat, spear, spear-sling, stormshaft javelin, syringe spear, tiger fork, totem spear, trident, weighted spear.

Tail Attachments: long lash tail attachment, pounder tail attachment, razored tail attachment, spiked tail attachment, sweeper tail attachment, tailblade.

Thrown: aklys, amentum, atlatl, belaying pin, blowgun, bolas, boomerang, brass knife, brutal bolas*, chain-hammer, chakram, club, crystal chakram, dagger, dart, deer horn knife, dire bolas, doru, dueling dagger, dwarven maulaxe, flask thrower, grappling hook, halfling double sling, halfling sling staff, harpoon, hunga munga, hurlbat, javelin, jolting dart, kestros, knobkerrie, kunai, lasso, light hammer, net, phaleros, poisoned sand tube, rope dart, shortspear, shrillshaft javelin, shuriken, sibat, sling, sling glove, snag net, spear, starknife, stingchuck, stormshaft javelin, syringe spear, throwing arrow cord, throwing axe, throwing shields, trident, wahaika, wushu dart.

GMs may add other weapons to these groups. For example, there is a case for the dwarven longaxe and dwarven longhammer to be in the polearms weapons group. Given that the bardiche is in the polearms weapon group and it is an axe-like weapon without reach, it might seem reasonable that a longer axe-like weapon with reach (the dwarven longaxe) should also be in the polearms group. Also consider the axe musket, warhammer musket, dagger pistol, and sword cane pistol. A GM could easily rule that a fighter with the axes, hammers, or light blades weapons group should gain bonuses when using these as melee weapons but not when shooting them as firearms.

GMs can also add entirely new groups. These new groups could be racial or cultural in nature and should have roughly the same amount of weapons as the weapon groups listed above. For example: Pirate: belaying pin, boarding axe, boarding gaff, boarding pike, brass knife, cutlass, dagger, hook hand, rapier, all onehanded crossbows, and all one-handed firearms.

Tribal: atlatl, boomerang, club, dagger, dart, greatclub, harpoon*, heavy shield, light shield, mere club*, quarterstaff, shortspear, sling, spear, taiaha, throwing axe, unarmed strike, wahaika.

Here is the source list for all weapons categorized above: At the time of writing, there are 4 main listing of weapons in weapon groups.

Most of the time these sources agree on which weapon groups a specific weapon belongs to. In some cases, later listings added a weapon to additional weapon groups. For example, the Paizo blog added the bo staff, double walking stick katana, kusarigama, monk’s spade, and taiaha to the double weapons group.

This made sense, given these are all double weapons, so we included them as such here.

In many cases when one listing missed putting a weapon in a weapon group, such as Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Ultimate Equipment not putting the cestus into the close weapon group, we chose an inclusive approach, listing the weapon in all the weapon groups that any source had it categorized as. When several sources differed, we made a logical choice as to which groups a weapon fell into, such as the chakram (a sharp metal disk weighing only 1 lb. with a diameter of around 1 foot) belonging in the light blades group, not the heavy blades group as some sources had it. In a few cases, we corrected errors, such as putting the morningstar (a ‘spiked heavy club’) into the hammers group, not the flails group.

Table: Weapons and Weapon Groups

Name	Groups	Notes
Aklys	Hammers, thrown	M
Amentum	Spears, thrown	M
Ankus	Heavy blades	1
Atlatl	Thrown	M
Barbazu beard	Close	1
Barbed spear	Spears	1
Bardiche	Axes, polearms	M
Bastard sword	Heavy blades	M
Battle aspergillum	Hammers	M
Battle poi	Flails	1
Battleaxe	Axes	M
Bayonet	Light blades, close	M
Bec de corbin	Polearms	M
Belaying pin	Close, thrown	N
Bill	Polearms	M
Blade boot	Light blades, close	1
Bladed scarf	Flails	1
Blowgun	Thrown	M
Bo staff	Double weapons, monk	DA
Boar spear	Spears	M
Boarding axe	Axes	M
Boarding gaff	Double, polearms	M
Boarding pike	Spears	1
Bolas	Thrown	M
Boomerang	Thrown	M
Brass knife	Light blades, thrown	1C
Brass knuckles	Close, monk	M
Brutal bolas*	Thrown	1
Butchering axe	Axes	1
Butterfly knife	Light blades	1
Butterfly sword	Light blades, monk	M
Cat-o’-nine-tails	Flails	M
Cestus	Close, monk	DA
Chain spear	Double weapons, flails,1 spears	DA
Chain-hammer	Double, hammers, thrown	1
Chainsaw	Heavy blades	N
Chakram	Light blades, thrown	DC
Claw blades	Close	N
Club	Hammers, thrown	M
Collapsible kumade	Axes	1
Combat scabbard	Hammers	1
Composite longbow	Bows	M
Composite shortbow	Bows	M
Crook	Polearms	1
Crystal chakram	Thrown	1
Cutlass	Heavy blades	M
Dagger	Light blades, thrown	M
Dan bong	Close, monk	M
Dart	Thrown	M
Deer horn knife	Light blades, monk, thrown	1
Dire bolas	Thrown	1
Dire flail	Double weapons, flails	M
Dogslicer	Light blades	M
Doru	Spears, thrown	1
Double chicken saber	Heavy blades, monk	M
Double crossbow	Crossbows	M
Double walking stick katana	Heavy blades, double weapons	DA
Double-chained kama	Double weapons	M
Drow razor	Light blades	1
Dueling dagger	Light blades, thrown	1
Dueling sword*	Heavy blades	1
Dwarven boulder helm	Close	1
Dwarven dorn-dergar	Flails	M
Dwarven double waraxe	Axes	DC
Dwarven longaxe	Axes	MC
Dwarven longhammer	Hammers	MC
Dwarven maulaxe	Axes, hammers, thrown	1C
Dwarven urgrosh	Double weapons	M
Dwarven waraxe	Axes	M
Dwarven war-shield	Close	1
Earth breaker	Hammers	M
Elven branched spear	Spears	1
Elven curve blade	Heavy blades	M
Elven leafblade	Light blades	N
Elven thornblade	Heavy blades	N
Emei piercer	Close, monk	M
Estoc	Heavy blades	1
Falcata	Heavy blades	M
Falchion	Heavy blades	M
Fauchard	Polearms	M
Fighting fan	Close, monk	M
Flail	Flails	M
Flailpole	Flails, polearms	1
Flambard	Heavy blades	1
Flask pike	Spears	1
Flask thrower	Thrown	M
Flickmace	Flails	1
Flindbar	Flails	1
Flying blade	Flails	M
Flying talon	Flails	M
Gandasa	Axes	1
Garrote	Close	1
Gastraphetes	Crossbows	1
Gauntlet	Close	M
Gladius	Light blades	M
Glaive	Polearms	M
Glaive-guisarme	Polearms	M
Gnome battle ladder	Double	M
Gnome hooked hammer	Double weapons	M
Gnome pincher	Flails	1
Gnome piston maul	Hammers	M
Gnome ripsaw glaive	Polearms	M
Grappling hook	Thrown	1
Great terbutje	Heavy blades	M
Greataxe	Axes	M
Greatclub	Hammers	M
Greatsword	Heavy blades	M
Guisarme	Polearms	M
Halberd	Polearms	M
Halfling double sling	Double weapons, thrown	1
Halfling rope-shot	Flails	1
Halfling sling staff	Thrown	M
Hanbo	Hammers, monk	1
Hand crossbow	Crossbows	M
Handaxe	Axes	M
Harpoon	Spears, thrown	M
Heavy crank crossbow	Crossbows	1
Heavy crossbow	Crossbows	M
Heavy flail	Flails	M
Heavy mace	Hammers	M
Heavy pick	Axes	M
Heavy shield	Close	M
Heavy slaver’s crossbow	Crossbows	1
Heavy spiked shield	Close	M
Heavy underwater crossbow	Crossbows	M
Heavy wrist launcher	Crossbows	N
Hook hand	Close	1
Hooked axe	Axes	M
Hooked lance	Polearms	M
Horsechopper	Polearms	M
Hunga munga	Light blades, thrown	M
Hurlbat	Axes, thrown	1
Injection spear	Spears	1
Iron brush	Close	M
Javelin	Spears, thrown	M
Jolting dart	Thrown	1
Jutte	Monk	M
Kama	Light blades, monk	M
Katana	Heavy blades	M
Kerambit	Light blades	M
Kestros	Thrown	M
Khopesh	Heavy blades	M
Klar	Close	DC
Knobkerrie	Hammers, thrown	1
Knuckle axe	Close, axes	MC
Kukri	Light blades	M
Kumade	Axes	1
Kunai	Light blades, thrown	1
Kusarigama	Double weapons, flails, monk	DA
Kyoketsu shoge	Flails, monk	M
Lance	Spears	M
Lantern staff	Hammers	1
Laser torch	Light blades	N
Lasso	Thrown	M
Launching crossbow	Crossbows	1
Light crank crossbow	Crossbows	1
Light crossbow	Crossbows	M
Light hammer	Hammers, thrown	M
Light mace	Hammers	M
Light pick	Axes	M
Light shield	Close	M
Light slaver’s crossbow	Crossbows	1
Light spiked shield	Close	M
Light underwater crossbow	Crossbows	M
Long lash tail attachment	Tail attachments	1
Longbow	Bows	M
Longspear	Spears	M
Longsword	Heavy blades	M
Lucerne hammer	Polearms	M
Lungchuan tamo	Monk	M
Machete	Light blades	1
Madu	Close	DC
Mancatcher	Polearms	M
Manople	Light blades	1
Mattock	Axes	M
Mere club	Close, hammers	DA
Meteor hammer	Flails	M
Monk’s spade	Double weapons, monk, polearms	DA
Monowhip	Flails	N
Morningstar	Hammers	MC
Musket – axe	Firearms	1C
Musket – warhammer	Firearms	1C
Naginata	Polearms	M
Net	Thrown	M
Neural inhibitor	Hammers	N
Nine-ring broadsword	Heavy blades, monk	M
Nine-section whip	Flails, monk	M
Nodachi	Heavy blades, polearms	M
Null blade	Heavy blades	N
Nunchaku	Flails, monk	M
Ogre hook	Polearms	M
Orc double axe	Axes, double weapons	M
Orc hornbow	Bows	1
Orc skull ram	Spears	1
Pata	Axes, light blades	DA
Phaleros	Thrown	1
Pickaxe	Hammers	N
Pilum	Spears	M
Pistol – dagger	Firearms	1
Pistol – sword cane	Firearms	1
Planson	Hammers, spears	1
Plasma blade	Heavy blades	N
Poisoned sand tube	Thrown	M
Pounder tail attachment	Tail attachments	1
Punching dagger	Close	M
Quadrens	Light blades	M
Quarterstaff	Double weapons, monk	M
Ranseur	Polearms	M
Rapier	Light blades	M
Razored tail attachment	Tail attachments	1
Repeating hand crossbow	Crossbows	M
Repeating heavy crossbow	Crossbows	M
Repeating light crossbow	Crossbows	M
Rhoka sword	Heavy blades	M
Rhomphaia	Heavy blades, polearms	N
Rope dart monk, thrown	M
Rope gauntlet	Close	1
Sai	Monk	M
Sanpkhang	Light blades, monk	1
Sansetsukon	Flails, monk	M
Sap	Close	M
Sarissa	Spears	1
Sawtooth sabre	Heavy blades	DC
Scimitar	Heavy blades	M
Scizore	Close, light blades	DA
Scorpion whip	Flails	M
Scythe	Heavy blades	M
Sea-knife	Light blades	M
Seven-branched sword	Heavy blades, monk	M
Shang gou	Monk	M
Sharpened combat scabbard	Heavy blades	1
Short sword	Light blades	M
Shortbow	Bows	M
Shortspear	Spears, thrown	M
Shotel	Heavy blades	M
Shrillshaft javelin	Thrown	1
Shuriken	Monk, thrown	M
Siangham	Monk	M
Sibat	Spears, thrown	M
Sica	Light blades	M
Sickle	Light blades	M
Sickle-sword	Heavy blades	1
Sling	Thrown	M
Sling glove thrown	1
Snag net thrown	M
Spear	Spears, thrown	M
Spear-sling	Spears	1
Spider-leg sickle	Light blades	N
Spiked armor	Close	M
Spiked chain	Flails	M
Spiked gauntlet	Close	M
Spiked tail attachment	Tail attachments	1
Spinal sword*	Heavy blades	1
Spiral rapier	Light blades	1
Spring blade	Light blades	N
Starfall spade	Double weapons, monk, polearms	N
Starknife	Light blades, thrown	M
Stingchuck thrown	1
Stonebow	Crossbows	1
Stormshaft javelin	Spears, thrown	1
Stun baton	Hammers	N
Sweeper tail attachment	Tail attachments	1
Switchblade knife	Light blades	1
Switchscythe	Heavy blades	M
Sword cane	Light blades	M
Swordbreaker dagger	Light blades	M
Syringe spear	Spears, thrown	1
Taiaha	Double weapons, hammers	DA
Tailblade	Natural, light blade, tail attachments	1C
Tekko-kagi	Close	M
Temple sword	Heavy blades, monk	DA
Tepoztopilli	Polearms	N
Terbutje	Heavy blades	M
Tetsubo	Hammers	M
Thorn bow bows	1
Thorn bracer	Close	N
Throwing arrow cord thrown	1
Throwing axe	Axes, thrown	M
Throwing shields thrown	M
Tiger fork monk, polearms, spears	M
Tonfa	Close, monk	M
Tongi	Axes	1
Totem spear	Spears	1
Tri-bladed katar	Close	1
Trident	Spears, thrown	M
Tri-point double-edged sword	Monk	M
Tube arrow shooter	Crossbows	M
Two-bladed sword	Heavy blades, double weapons	M
Unarmed strike	Close, monk, natural	M
Urumi	Flails, monk	DA
Wahaika	Hammers, thrown	DA
Wakizashi	Light blades	M
War razor	Light blades	1
Warhammer	Hammers	M
Waveblade	Close	1
Weighted spear	Double weapons, spears	1
Whip	Flails	M
Wooden stake	Close	M
Wrist launcher	Crossbows	N
Wushu dart	Close, monk, thrown	M

N: New, no previous weapon group listing

1: A single weapon group listing

M: Multiple weapon group listings, all agree

D: Multiple weapon group listings, with differences

A: All groups from all listings

C: Changed weapon group(s)