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Nerdarchy > Dungeons & Dragons  > D&D Skills 101  > Axe-Wielding Awesomeness: Mastering D&D’s Weapon Mastery System
D&D Barbarian 5E

Axe-Wielding Awesomeness: Mastering D&D’s Weapon Mastery System

Play This NEW D&D 5E Subclass Just in Time for Your Holiday Games!
Speak With Dead #33: Garden Variety Toes

Axes have always been a staple in Dungeons & Dragons, embodying strength, grit, and raw power. With the new Weapon Mastery system in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, axes now come with Hero Forge customized miniature dwarven butterfly axeexciting tactical options that pair beautifully with certain Feats. Let’s dive into some top-tier combinations to turn your axe-wielding character into a battlefield legend.


1. Cleaving Through the Horde: Greataxe + Great Weapon Master

  • Weapon Mastery: Cleave: After hitting a creature, deal your weapon’s damage to another creature within reach.
  • Feat: Great Weapon Master: Trade -5 to your attack roll for +10 damage.

Why It’s Awesome: The Greataxe is a heavy hitter, and Cleave allows you to spread that massive damage across multiple foes. Pair this with Great Weapon Master for devastating strikes, particularly against groups of weaker enemies. Visualize a barbarian wading into combat, carving through a horde with reckless abandon. Add Rage into the mix, and you’re an unstoppable force of destruction.


2. Tactical Powerhouse: Battleaxe + Sentinel + Push

  • Weapon Mastery: Push: On a hit, shove the target 10 feet back.
  • Feat: Sentinel: Stop enemies in their tracks when you hit with an opportunity attack.

Why It’s Awesome: The Battleaxe’s versatility shines here, particularly for fighters or paladins looking to control the battlefield. Use Push to shove enemies away from vulnerable allies, then lock them down with Sentinel when they try to escape. This combination makes you a tactical wall, protecting your party while forcing foes to stay exactly where you want them.


3. The Agile Warrior: Handaxe + Nick + Dual Wielder

  • Weapon Mastery: Nick: Deal 1 extra damage on your first attack each turn.
  • Feat: Dual Wielder: Gain +1 AC and wield non-light weapons in each hand.

Why It’s Awesome: Dual-wielding Handaxes gives you a fast, agile combat style that pairs perfectly with the Nick Weapon Mastery. The bonus damage on your first attack each turn ensures you’re maximizing output, and Dual Wielder boosts your defense while enabling you to unleash a flurry of strikes. This build works wonderfully for rangers or rogues who want to add a bit of edge—literally—to their combat style.


4. Brutal Momentum: Greataxe + Savage Attacker + Graze

  • Weapon Mastery: Graze: Missed attacks deal damage equal to your ability modifier.
  • Feat: Savage Attacker: Re-roll weapon damage once per turn and take the better result.

Why It’s Awesome: Even the mightiest warriors miss sometimes, but Graze ensures you’re still chipping away at your foes. Combine this with Savage Attacker to maximize the damage of your hits. This build is perfect for barbarians or fighters who want to keep their momentum going, ensuring every swing of their axe counts—whether it lands or not.


Final Thoughts: Why Axes Rule

Axes in D&D have always been iconic, but the new Weapon Mastery rules elevate them to a whole new level. Whether you’re cleaving through enemies, shoving foes into traps, or slicing with dual handaxes, these builds ensure your axe-wielding hero feels both thematic and powerful.

Which axe build speaks to your adventuring soul? Share your thoughts in the comments and let’s discuss how to bring these combinations to life in your next campaign!

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!

 

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table top role player for over 30 years. I have played several iterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness as well as mnay others since starting Nerdarchy. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite board game is Betrayal at House on the Hill.

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