Weaponminor

Halberd

The Halberd is a martial two-handed polearm in Baldur's Gate 3 that combines heavy weapon damage with the Reach property, allowing attacks against targets farther away than standard melee weapons.

Importance

minor

Baldur's Gate 3 · weapon

Key Takeaways

Reach-focused polearm

The Halberd is a two-handed martial melee weapon built around polearm reach and slashing attacks, making spacing part of its value rather than a secondary detail.

Martial proficiency matters

Characters need martial-weapon proficiency to use it effectively; Baldur’s Gate 3 does not impose an ordinary Strength or Dexterity requirement on the weapon itself.

Weapon actions support control

Its polearm moveset includes close-range attack options such as Cleave and Rush Attack, giving it broader engagement tools than a basic single-target swing.

Two-handed commitment

The Halberd occupies both hands, so it cannot be paired with a shield or off-hand weapon; that commitment is its clearest practical limitation.

Enchanted variants change the comparison

Halberd variants with an enchantment bonus improve attack and damage rolls, but a lower-bonus named weapon can still be preferable when its unique effect better supports a build.

Close to the glaive’s role

The glaive is its most direct comparison: both are two-handed reach polearms, so the deciding factors are their available variants, weapon effects, and the character’s preferred attack options.

Overview

Halberd is a standard martial melee weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3, built around reach and committed two-handed attacks rather than a unique item effect.

The Halberd uses the polearm weapon profile: it is Heavy, Reach, and Two-Handed. These properties let a proficient wielder attack from farther away than most ordinary melee weapons while preventing shield use and making it less suitable for characters who need a light, flexible weapon.

It is a conventional equipment option rather than a named, legendary, or quest-exclusive weapon. Its role is therefore defined by its weapon properties and available martial weapon actions, not by a unique passive, spell, or story association.

Compared with a spear or other versatile polearm, the Halberd emphasizes reach and two-handed commitment. Compared with a shorter one-handed weapon, it offers more spacing but gives up the defensive and equipment flexibility provided by a shield.

The Halberd is part of Baldur’s Gate 3’s standard base-game weapon roster and is not a DLC-specific variant. It can serve as a straightforward polearm choice when a character already has martial proficiency and intends to fight primarily with a two-handed melee weapon.

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 Damage
1d10
Damage Type
Slashing
Rarity
Common
Weight
2.7 kg
Value
65 gp
Entry Type
Standard / enhancement variant

Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

Compared to similar slashing weapons

Weapon	Base Damage	Damage Type	Enchantment	Weight	Value
Halberd	1d10	Slashing	—	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

Before you start

Access to Act 1 merchants; no DLC, New Game Plus, special quest, or character-specific proficiency is required.

01Check the weapon inventories of merchants in Act 1, including Arron in the Druid Grove; the ordinary Halberd is a standard martial weapon rather than a quest or boss reward. Merchant stock can vary, so its appearance is not guaranteed. It may also be found as ordinary loot from appropriately equipped enemies.

Availability

Base-game campaignAvailable

Halberds are ordinary martial weapons in Baldur's Gate 3 and are not restricted to a DLC, New Game Plus, or special difficulty. Their presence can vary with campaign progression and individual vendor inventories; no single universal price is stated.

Mechanics and Handling

The Halberd’s handling is defined by extended melee reach and two-handed use rather than by a special resource or a complex weapon-specific stance. Its reach lets the wielder threaten targets beyond the distance of ordinary melee weapons, which can create better attack angles and more opportunities to control approaches. The trade-off is that it occupies both hands, so it cannot be combined with a shield or another held weapon. The Heavy property also makes it a poor fit for Small characters because attacks with Heavy weapons are made less reliably for them.

Reach and positioning

Keep the Halberd user slightly behind a front-line ally when possible. The extra reach allows attacks over a broader space and can help the wielder engage enemies without standing directly beside them, but it does not remove the need to manage line of sight, elevation, or movement. Its longer threat area is especially useful for holding a doorway, stairway, or narrow approach.

Weapon actions and two-handed commitment

As a martial polearm, the Halberd can provide the weapon actions associated with its weapon group when the wielder is proficient; these actions are separate from its ordinary attack sequence and should be checked in the action bar for the current character. The weapon itself does not require ammunition, reloading, or a durability resource. Choosing it is therefore mainly a commitment to reach, Heavy weapon handling, and two-handed melee combat rather than to a conditional passive or consumable mechanic.

Upgrades and Variants

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

Reach lets a wielder threaten targets from farther away than ordinary one-handed melee weapons, helping maintain spacing and cover nearby allies.
Its two-handed martial profile combines a large slashing damage die with the reach property, making it a straightforward Strength-oriented frontline option.
The polearm category supports reach-focused tactics and can complement Polearm Master when that feat's mechanics suit the character.

Weaknesses

Two-handed use prevents carrying a shield or another off-hand item, reducing its appeal for shield-based defensive builds.
It requires martial weapon proficiency and is not Finesse, so it is a poor fit for characters relying on Dexterity-based weapon attacks.
As a standard halberd without a distinctive passive or spell, it can be displaced by named polearms that add stronger utility.

Best uses

Frontline Strength characters that want to attack while standing outside ordinary melee reach.
Defensive formations where extended reach helps protect adjacent allies and create opportunity-attack zones.
Polearm-focused setups that value reach interactions more than shield use, one-handed flexibility, or weapon-specific magical effects.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
Weapon	Base damage dice	Damage type	Properties	Role distinction	Context
Glaive	Slashing	Heavy; Reach; Two-Handed	Closest same-role alternative; broadly comparable polearm handling	Base weapon, Patch 8 ruleset; no enchantment included	—
Pike	Piercing	Heavy; Reach; Two-Handed	Same reach-oriented role with piercing damage	Base weapon, Patch 8 ruleset; no enchantment included	—
Greataxe	Slashing	Heavy; Two-Handed	Higher base die, but lacks the halberd's polearm reach property	Base weapon, Patch 8 ruleset; no enchantment included	—