Is dueling sword finesse?

Is Duelling Sword Finesse?

In this article, we will dive into the concept of fineness and examine whether a duelling sword can indeed be considered as a finessed weapon.

A Quick Recap

For the uninformed, dueling sword refers to the French épee de combat used throughout the 19th century for settling personal disputes. Its design makes it a weapon tailored for precision and fineness.

What does "finesse" mean in D&D 5E?

According to the rules of D&D 5E, finess requires using Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls. To put this in perspective:

• Weapon Type – The weapon category defined by the rules (Melee, Ranged, etc.)
• Uses Strength? – Does the weapon rely on Strength for attacks and damage
• Uses Dexterity? – Does the weapon allow using Dexterity instead of Strength

Comparison: Weapons and Finesse

We can make a preliminary conclusion by reviewing the D&D 5E Weapon list:

• Sword:

• duelling – No Strength bonus yes finesseDexterity instead
  • Rapier: – No Strength bonusyes finesseDexterity instead)
  • Dagger: – Yes/Nono
  • Whip: – yes** Finesse, Dexterity instead of Strength

Note: Finesse means weapons which use Dexterity instead of Strength; Light Melee doesn’t indicate Finesse per se. Finesse-specific weapons are exceptions. Sword is not strictly finesse. Rapier, indeed, is.
As illustrated in the comparison, sword does not fall under a light melee group that guarantees finesse.
It must rely on finess features.

Further Clarifications

1. How about the original design focus on precision?
   A dueling sword doesn’t inherently define finesse, but D&D considers it
2. Is that true when examining the Finesse mechanic?

For simplicity, let us recheck some key sentences:
"You can use the Light Melee rule if both ends of an improvised weapon that consists primarily of fabric and also has at least one
metal strip (like chain or tape)".

Given these findings:

1. Not exclusively a melee weapon since D&D emphasizes it

   Fabric with at least 1 strip (chain/ tape, or metal fabric), making a whip.

1 Use a Str/Deity check based solely on the presence of Metal.
1 Use Finess if the Fabric component holds.