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| Source | Player’s Handbook 🛒 |
|---|---|
| Cost | 5 gp |
| Weight | 18 lb. |
| Damage | 1d10 Piercing |
| Weapon Category | Martial |
| Range | Melee |
| Category | Weapon |
| Full rules | open5e.com ↗ |
The Pike belongs to the classic martial weapons in D&D and perfectly embodies the role of a heavy polearm on the battlefield. With its impressive length of several meters, it keeps enemies at a distance and offers tactical advantages that especially experienced fighters appreciate.
Properties and Usage
As a martial weapon, the Pike requires proficiency with martial weapons – it’s nothing for beginners. The three properties Heavy, Reach, and Two-Handed define its character: It is a powerful but unwieldy weapon that occupies both hands and provides a reach advantage of 10 feet instead of the usual 5 feet through its length.
The 1d10 piercing damage makes the Pike one of the strongest one-handed melee weapons – even though it paradoxically requires two hands to wield. Especially Fighters, Paladins, and other frontline-oriented classes benefit from its striking power. The Player’s Handbook 🛒 lists it as a standard martial weapon for exactly these character types.
Important Changes in the 2024 Version
The revision of the Pike for D&D 2024 brings a significant innovation: the Weapon Mastery property “Push”. Characters with the corresponding mastery can now push enemies 10 feet away on a successful attack – a perfect complement to the already existing reach.
Additionally, the weight was drastically reduced from 18 to 6 pounds. This change makes the Pike significantly more practical for adventurers who must watch their carrying capacity, without impairing its tactical advantages.
Tactical Tips for Players
The true strength of the Pike lies in its tactical versatility. With the Reach property, fighters can attack enemies before they come within melee range – ideal for chokepoints or when spellcasters need protection. The new Push property amplifies this effect even more: pushing enemies away and then keeping them outside their melee range opens up powerful control possibilities.
The Pike is particularly effective in combination with the Great Weapon Fighting fighting style, which allows rerolling 1s and 2s on damage rolls. Fighters with the Polearm Master feat from the expanded ruleset can additionally make a bonus attack with the butt end of the Pike.
The only disadvantage: The Pike blocks both hands, making shields impossible. Fighters must choose between defense and reach – but for the right tactical situation, the Pike is an invaluable choice.
This article was created using AI, based on data from the 5e-database project (D&D 5e System Reference Document, licensed under CC BY 4.0).
