Greatsword +1
Greatsword +1 is a generic magical greatsword in Baldur's Gate 3 that improves Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls by 1 without adding a named special effect.
Key Takeaways
Greatsword +1 is the enchanted version of a standard two-handed greatsword: a straightforward martial weapon that improves its attack and damage rolls without adding a named ability.
Straightforward enchantment
The +1 enchantment increases both attack rolls and damage rolls; it does not replace the weapon’s ordinary greatsword damage profile.
Martial proficiency matters
A wielder needs martial-weapon proficiency to use it effectively. The item does not impose an ordinary Strength or Dexterity minimum.
No unique weapon action
Unlike named or specialized weapons, Greatsword +1 is defined by its enchantment rather than a distinctive passive, spell, or weapon action.
Usually found through general loot channels
It is associated with merchants and random loot rather than a dedicated character or exclusive quest reward, with availability depending on the relevant Act and inventory context.
A finished variant, not an upgrade track
The +1 designation identifies the weapon’s enchantment; it is not presented as a player-applied reinforcement path for an ordinary greatsword.
Less specialized than named alternatives
Its dependable attack and damage bonus can be useful when a character wants a conventional greatsword, but a named weapon with a stronger passive may offer more build-specific value.
Overview
Greatsword +1 is a standard magical greatsword in Baldur’s Gate 3, offering a straightforward upgrade over an ordinary greatsword without introducing a unique weapon ability.
As a two-handed martial weapon, it serves the conventional greatsword role: a direct melee option for characters proficient with martial weapons who want heavy weapon damage without relying on a special item-specific mechanic. Its identity comes from the combination of the greatsword weapon type and the +1 enchantment, rather than from a named passive or granted spell.
The +1 enchantment improves both attack rolls and damage rolls. It also makes the weapon magical, which matters when dealing with enemies that resist or ignore damage from nonmagical weapons. These benefits are broadly useful, but they do not change the weapon’s basic attacks, action economy, or role in a party.
Greatsword +1 is best understood as progression gear rather than a destination weapon. It can provide a meaningful upgrade during the early and middle portions of a playthrough, while later named, rare, or otherwise specialized weapons may offer stronger build interactions through additional effects. The choice is therefore mainly about dependable baseline performance.
Unlike a named quest reward, Greatsword +1 is not defined by a particular character, story branch, or exclusive ability. Its availability can vary through ordinary loot and merchant inventories, so the exact acquisition context should be checked separately rather than treated as a single fixed route. It is part of the base game’s general equipment progression, not a DLC-specific variant.
Statistics
This game publishes dice damage rather than 0–100 bars, so the verified damage, enchantment, weight and value are listed instead. Taken from the project's verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- Base Damage2d6
- Damage TypeSlashing
- Enchantment+1
- RarityCommon
- Weight2.7 kg
- Value65 gp
- Entry TypeStandard / enhancement variant
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar slashing weapons
| Weapon | Base Damage | Damage Type | Enchantment | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greatsword +1 | 2d6 | Slashing | +1 | 2.7 kg | 65 gp |
| Everburn Blade | 2d6 | Slashing | — | 2.7 kg | 130 gp |
| Sorrow | 1d10+1 | Slashing | +1 | 2.7 kg | 380 gp |
| Balduran's Giantslayer | 2d6+3 | Slashing | +3 | 2.7 kg | 1300 gp |
| Silver Sword of the Astral Plane | 2d6+3 | Slashing | +3 | 2.7 kg | 1300 gp |
Damage is the dice expression; weight and value are the game’s own figures. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- No weapon-specific quest, boss, character, DLC, or NG+ prerequisite is established.
- Availability is tied to ordinary merchant and loot generation rather than a confirmed fixed Act or location.
- 01Greatsword +1 has no single fixed acquisition location, quest, boss, or named vendor. Check weapon merchants and ordinary loot throughout the game for this generic magical greatsword; merchant inventories and loot are context-dependent, so no particular seller can be treated as a guaranteed source.
- 02When a merchant offers it, purchase it directly; otherwise continue checking later merchant inventories and loot containers. The item is not documented as an exclusive quest reward or a guaranteed enemy drop.
- 03No alternate recovery route, fixed missable event, or one-per-playthrough acquisition is established for the generic Greatsword +1. If it does not appear in one inventory or loot source, continue through the game rather than treating that source as required.
Availability
Requires No weapon-specific ability-score, DLC, difficulty, or New Game Plus requirement; weapon proficiency still affects effective use.
A generic +1 greatsword can appear through ordinary loot and merchant inventories rather than a single fixed availability point. Merchant stock, loot placement, and purchase price vary by vendor and progression. No separate Online or alternate-mode availability applies.
Mechanics and Handling
What the +1 enchantment changes
Greatsword +1 follows the ordinary greatsword attack pattern rather than adding a separate weapon-specific mechanic. Its +1 enchantment is applied to attack rolls and damage rolls; it does not change the weapon's damage die or turn its slashing damage into an elemental type. As a magical weapon, it can also address situations where nonmagical physical damage is resisted, subject to the target's other resistances and immunities.
Two-handed handling and spacing
The weapon is Heavy and Two-Handed. It therefore occupies both hands while equipped, preventing simultaneous use of a shield or off-hand weapon. Its attacks are close-range melee attacks with the committed swings expected from a greatsword; the weapon has no Reach property that extends its normal melee distance. The Heavy property is also relevant to smaller characters, for whom heavy-weapon attacks can be less practical under the game's size-related rules.
Weapon actions
A proficient wielder can use the standard greatsword weapon actions associated with this weapon type. Pommel Strike provides a close-range control option, Lacerate adds a bleeding-focused attack, and Cleave can attack multiple nearby targets when enemies are positioned for it. These actions use the weapon's normal attack framework and do not represent unique powers of the +1 variant. They are most useful when positioning creates a clear target for Cleave or when a control or damage-over-time attempt is preferable to a basic swing. Greatsword +1 has no named passive, elemental rider, status buildup, charge mechanic, ammunition, reload, durability system, or special resource of its own.
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- The +1 enchantment improves both attack rolls and damage rolls, making the weapon more reliable than a nonmagical greatsword without requiring a special activation.
- As a magical greatsword, it helps a front-line martial character deal with enemies that resist or ignore nonmagical weapon attacks.
- Its standard greatsword profile suits characters who already have Martial Weapon proficiency and want a straightforward two-handed melee option without managing a unique effect.
Weaknesses
- The weapon offers no named passive, spell, or special action to create additional tactics; its value is concentrated in the enchantment bonus.
- Its two-handed greatsword format is a poor fit for characters who need a shield, dual-wielding, or a one-handed weapon for an off-hand setup.
- Because it is generic magical equipment, it can be displaced by named weapons that provide stronger conditional effects, utility, or build-specific synergies.
Best uses
- Use it as a dependable early- or mid-game upgrade for a Martial Weapon-proficient front-line character who wants consistent weapon attacks rather than a specialized item effect.
- It is most useful when a character is still relying on nonmagical greatswords or when magical weapon damage matters against resistant enemies.
- Choose it for a simple two-handed damage setup; replace it when a later weapon's unique passive or spell better supports the character's class, subclass, or item combination.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Class and role | Enchantment | Distinctive effect | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | +0 | No named effect; otherwise the standard greatsword profile | A nonmagical baseline or a temporary weapon before finding an enchanted upgrade | — |
| Everburn Blade | +0 | Adds a fire-damage rider to its attacks | Early-game offense when extra elemental damage is more valuable than the +1 attack and damage bonus | — |
| Sword of Justice | +1 | Grants access to Tyr's Protection, a defensive magical effect | Characters that want a comparable enchanted greatsword with utility beyond its attack and damage bonuses | — |
| Greatsword +1 | +1 | Provides a +1 bonus to Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls without a named weapon ability | Strength-based martial characters seeking a dependable enchanted greatsword rather than a specialized effect | — |