Two-handed magical weapons are fun to use in D&D because they are categorized as rare, very rare, or legendary, meaning that they are hard to find and powerful to use. Depending on an encounter, a mighty two-handed weapon is advantageous due to the strength and additional damage they can cause.
Magical weapons are also good storytelling tools, as behind a strong weapon there is usually an interesting legend, lore, or story. Although using a two-handed weapon leaves the player without a shield, they tend to be used by players with a higher Strength score and a decent armor class.
This article examines the coolest two-handed weapons, from good to best, to hopefully find and use in your next campaign. These weapons will be ranked by rarity and uniqueness, and the ability to cause damage or death.
10. Hammer of Thunderbolts (Best for Half-Orcs, Fighters)
It’s Hammer time! (Couldn’t resist.) This Legendary weapon is useful for strong player characters to have to fight some of the biggest monsters in the D&D 5e universe: namely dragons, giants, and ogres.
The Hammer comes with a catch… well, two. The Hammer, which has five charges, needs to be attuned. The Hammer can only be attuned if the wielder is wearing both the Belt of Giant Strength and Gauntlets of Ogre Power, so it’s a triad. When all three items are accrued, the Hammer of Thunderbolt becomes a powerful weapon.
What Hammer of Thunderbolts Excels In
- The Hammer can literally stun creatures.
- Whoever has the hammer gets +1 advantage on attack and damage.
- The wielder’s Strength score automatically increases by +4 and cannot exceed a score of 30.
Hammer of Thunderbolts Stats
- The damage from this weapon is 2d6.
- Giants beware: if the wielder rolls a 20 when attacking a giant, the giant must make a Constitution saving throw of 17 or higher or be killed.
9. Sword of Zariel (Best for Paladins)
Before the angel Zariel fell from the good plane to you-know-where, this glowing, humming magical weapon was literally sent from the heavens. Constructed out of celestial steel, the sword is Lawful Good in alignment, and quite particular who it chooses to attune and wield it.
The chosen being to use this weapon enjoys several benefits, such as becoming the best version of themselves. This benefit is permanent, and the wielder automatically becomes Lawful Good in alignment. The Sword of Zariel is a weapon with benefits! Here are some of the highlights.
What Sword of Zariel Excels In- No rest is required for attunement, and the wielder can read, speak, and write Celestial.
- The owner of the sword grows feathered wings that can fly 90 feet.
- Through Divine Presence, Charisma score automatically ascends to 20.
- Resistance to both necrotic and radiant damage.
- Gains Truesight, which means that the owner can see within 60 feet all types of darkness, illusions, invisible creatures, and into the Ethereal Plane.
Sword of Zariel Stats
- Gains new personality traits determined by rolling for traits on tables, or by the DM.
- Opponents with evil alignments need to make a DC 17 Constitution Save or be blinded for one turn.
- If used as a two-handed sword, it will deal an extra 16 (3d10) radiant damage. (One-handed swords deal an extra 9 (2d8) radiant damage.
8. Blackrazor (Best for Fighters)
Blackrazor is a Legendary Greatsword that exists in the White Plume Mountain. This magical weapon is rather high maintenance, entitled, and requires feasting on souls (charming). Blackrazor doesn’t care who the soul is. Much like the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, Blackrazor must be fed every few days or it becomes hangry. If Blackrazor is not given souls to feed every few days, it will attack its wielder.
Blackrazor is also chaotic neutral, highly intelligent (17), charismatic (19), but not very wise (10). It can read, speak, and understand Common and when attuned, other languages that the wielder understands. Also, Blackrazor requires attunements by those with non-lawful alignments. It’s not specified if the wielder needs to be lawful good, neutral, or evil, but given this weapon’s overall demeanor, I don’t think it cares.
What Blackrazor Excels In
- Blackrazor can hear and see (darkvision) up to 120 feet.
- Devours souls. If the wielder or a target is reduced to 0 hit points, they are slain and devoured. (A Wish spell can restore a devoured soul.)
Blackrazor Stats
- This weapon will inflict 1d8+3 damage.
- The wielder gains +3 for attacks and damage.
7. Gurt’s Greataxe (Best for Fighters)
Gurt’s Greataxe is a Legendary weapon designed for giants. (Seriously. This ax weighs 325 pounds.) Like many magical weapons, Gurt’s Greataxe needs to be attuned and works well against creatures big and small.
To acquire this Legendary weapon, you would have to pry it out of the cold, dead hands of Harshnag, a frost giant with wanderlust. He currently owns the ax and probably would not be happy to part with it. If you do get your paws on this weapon, it will work well in combat.
What Gurt’s Greataxe Excels In
- While using this weapon, you will have +1 for attack and damage.
- In freezing temperatures (0 degrees Fahrenheit), the ax acts as a light source.
Item Stats
- This weapon causes 3d12 slashing damage. If the target happens to be human, add in an extra 2d12. (A human-hating ax? Yikes!)
- This ax can also be used as a spell that deals cold instead of fire damage. (The target must make a DC 13 save.)
6. Greater Silver Sword (Best for Githyanki Fighters)
This Legendary Greatsword was designed for Githyanki, who are a lawful evil humanoid race that dwells on the Astral Plane. The Greater Silver Sword is used by Githyanki to fight against the control of their enemies, the Mind Flayers.
This is an awesome weapon to have but take note that if the Greater Silver Swords ends up in the hands of a non-Githyanki, the angered Lich Queen would send Githyanki to fight the wielder of the sword. (Just a heads-up if your character ever casually finds one laying around.) Also, whoever attunes this sword must have psionic ability. It must be an Astral Plane thing.
What Greater Silver Sword Excels In
- The wielder of the sword has psychic resistance and is immune to charm spells.
- This sword can cut silver ethereal cords.
Item Stats
- The Greater Silver Sword Deals 2d6+3 damage.
- This sword is +3 and grants an advantage to the wielder’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
5. Moonblade (Best for Elves, Half-Elves, Fighters)
A moonblade is a magic Legendary longsword coveted by elves. Traditionally, a moonblade is passed down from parent to child. The sword is overconfident in personality and will bond to a wielder for life. That wielder becomes the moonsword’s master.
A moonblade will need to be attuned by an elf or a half-elf of neutral good alignment, and the sword is picky concerning the wielder. If a player character is not accepted by the moonblade, they will make ability checks, attacks, and saving throws at a disadvantage for 24 hours. If accepted, the Moonblade gains a new rune.
What Moonblade Excels In
- The weapon has both hearing and darkvision up to 120 feet.
- The Moonblade has elven ideology and embraces beauty, courage, life, loyalty, and music.
Moonblade Stats
- A critical hit for a moonblade is a 19 or 20. Then, there is an additional 1d6 slashing damage.
- There are runes on the blade representing each master. The first rune gives the wielder a +1 to attack and cause damage. Depending on how many runes, the DM will choose the property based on a Moonblade Properties table.
4. Hazirawn (Best for Fighters)
This Legendary Greatsword is perfect for those PCs playing neutral evil alignments since the sword itself is neutral evil. The character wielding the sword or someone in the party will need to attune Hazirawn.
Hazirawn holds a lot of cool features in one Greatsword, such as inflicting necrotic damage, increased potency, spell casting, and wounding. Read on to find out more interesting information and stats about this famous weapon!
What Hazirawn Excels In
- This weapon speaks and understands (through telepathy) both Common and Netherese.
- The spellcasting aspect of Hazirawn is great, as there are four charges that can be used to cast the following spells while wielding this weapon: Detect Evil and Good (one charge) , Detect Magic (one charge) or Detect Thoughts (two charges). Every night, Hazirawn will regain 1d4 charges.
- When the wielder of Hazirawn is attuned, any creature struck cannot regain hit points for one minute. This ends when the creature makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.
Hazirawn Stats
- Unattuned wielders of this weapon will gain +1 on attacks and damage, and deal 1d6 necrotic damage.
- If the wielder of Hazirawn is attuned, there is a +2 gain on attacks and damage, and deals 2d6 necrotic damage. So, in this case, alignment and attunement matters!
3. Vorpal Sword (Best for Fighters)
If you’ve read previous articles, then you’ll note that a variation of the Vorpal weapon (Greatsword, Longsword, or Scimitar) has a secure spot on the list. These Legendary weapons are great because they cause a lot of damage and possibly instant death.
This Greatsword is magical and will need an attunement by a spellcaster. Also, the Vorpal Greatsword is resistant to slashing damage.
What Vorpal Greatsword Excels In
- If the player rolls a 20, the targeted creature is decapitated.
- If the creature is too large to be beheaded or does not have a head, the sword will instead inflict 6d8 slashing damage.
- If the wielder of this weapon has proficiency to Greatswords, that can be added as an attack bonus.
Vorpal Greatsword Stats
- The Greatsword deals 2d6+3 slashing damage.
- Whoever has this weapon has a +3 to attack and for damage.
2. Nine Lives Stealer Greatsword (Best for Fighters)
Like the Vorpal Sword, there are variations of the Nine Lives Stealer. As a life-stealer, the weapon would not be the cat’s meow (sorry, couldn’t resist). I consider the Nine Lives Stealer Greatsword as one of the best weapons on this list because the sword could potentially take out an opponent with one critical hit.
As a very rare item, the Nine Lives Stealer Greatsword requires an attunement. The only disadvantage to this powerful weapon is that it has no effect against a construct or undead creatures. (I would leave this weapon out of Dracula’s castle.)
What Nine Lives Stealer Greatsword Excels In
- The sword can cause death with a single blow. If the wielder scores a critical hit against a being that has under 100 hit points, they must make a Constitution save of 15 or higher or be instantly killed. In fact, the sword instantly rips the life force out of the body (ouch).
- This weapon has 1d8+ 1 charges. When scoring a critical hit, the sword loses a charge. If all the charges are used up, the ability to cause instant death is gone.
Nine Lives Stealer Greatsword Stats
- This weapon deals 2d6 slashing damage.
- The wielder of this item has a +2 bonus on both attack and damage rolls.
1. Sword of Kas (Best for Fighters)
“The Lich Must Die.” If you have heard this phrase, most likely you will be able to reference the Sword of Kas. This evil artifact and magical longsword literally absorbs blood. An equal-opportunity destroyer, the Sword of Kas has its own alignment (chaotic evil) and can harm both the wielder and the target.
Once owned by a character named Kas the Bloody Handed, the Sword of Kas is intelligent, communicates telepathically, and understands, reads, and writes Common. and has a hatred for an archlich named Vecna and any of their followers. This weapon is now in the hands of Grog Strongjaw.
What Sword of Kas Excels In
- This sword excels in blood. Lots of it. In fact, when the sword is drawn, it must be bathed in blood in a minute, or the wielder must make a Charisma saving throw of 15 or be dominated by the sword (like Dominate Monster). The spell is broken when the Sword of Kas is bathed in blood. If the wielder makes the save, they suffer 3d6 psychic damage.
- Whoever has the sword will add d10 to initiative when starting an encounter and can use an attack bonus to add to Armor Class.
- The Sword of Kas has an Intelligence of 15, Wisdom of 13, and Charisma of 16. It also has Darkvision and Hearing.
- Another bonus is that the sword can cast spells. The wielder can use an action (once a day) to cast the following spells: Call Lightning, Divine Word, or Finger of Death.
Item Stats
- The Sword of Kas scores a critical hit roll on a 19 or 20.
- Has a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
- Because this sword despises the undead, it deals an additional 2d10 slashing damage to undead creatures.
