Dungeons & Dragons: How Regular Items Can Be Turned Into Weapons
Weapons are a key piece of gear that players should always have ready in Dungeons & Dragons, especially if they are a martial class that relies on them to fight. Outside of spells, using weapons is the best way to deal damage to monsters, and without them most characters aren't much help in combat. Luckily for players who find themselves without a weapon, D&D has a set of rules for making due with everyday objects during a fight
Improvised weapons are everyday objects that a player character can use as a weapon. Some examples of improvised weapons include a table leg or a broken bottle, but the possibilities are nearly endless as long as the DM allows it. If the improvised weapon is similar to an actual D&D weapon, such as a table leg that is roughly the size of a club, the object simply takes on the qualities of the weapon. For less obvious improvised weapons, such as a chair, the object deals 1d4 damage and the type of damage remains up to the DM. If a player chooses to make a melee attack with a ranged weapon or throw weapon without the thrown property, these also count as improvised weapon attacks.
Although 1d4 may not seem like much, using an improvised weapon in Dungeons & Dragons can be a matter of life and death. Physical attacks such as punches and kicks deal a base damage of just 1 point in D&D, and so the improved damage from using improvised weapons is well worth it. Although most players expect their characters to be fully armed and prepared at all times, there are plenty of scenarios where their gear could be lost. If their weapon breaks, or if the Dungeons & Dragons party is captured and all their gear is taken, using improvised weapons is likely the best choice a character has until they can find something better.
Although improvised weapons are mostly meant as a last resort for players, there is a way to build a character that takes full advantage of them. The Tavern Brawler feat in D&D gives a character proficiency with all improvised weapons, making it much easier to hit enemies with them. The feat also allows the player to attempt to grapple their enemies as a bonus action after hitting them, meaning that the character can prevent an enemy from moving even after dealing out respectable damage. This feat isn't necessarily the strongest in D&D, but could be great for roleplay heavy builds and still allows the character to add a point to their Strength or Constitution.
Ideally, every Dungeons & Dragons character has all of the equipment they need before heading into a fight. Since this isn't always the case, improvised weapons are a solid option that can keep characters such as a Fighter or Barbarian useful during combat. For players that love the idea of playing an angry bar patron who loves smashing bottles over their enemies head, improvised weapons are as important as any others in Dungeons & Dragons.