Weaponminor

Scimitar

The Scimitar is a light, finesse martial melee weapon in Baldur's Gate 3 that deals slashing damage and suits Dexterity-focused characters who want an agile one-handed weapon.

Importance

minor

Damage

1d6 slashing

Range

Melee

Baldur's Gate 3 · weapon

Key Takeaways

Finesse and light weapon

The Scimitar is a martial melee weapon with a 1d6 slashing die, the Finesse property, and the Light property. Finesse supports Strength- or Dexterity-based use according to the applicable ability score, while Light makes it suitable for dual-wielding.

Martial proficiency matters

Characters without martial weapon proficiency can still face restrictions when using the Scimitar effectively, including loss of proficiency benefits and access to relevant weapon actions. Check the wielder’s class, race, or other proficiency source before treating it as a complete weapon choice.

Flexible but modest base damage

Its Finesse and Light properties make the Scimitar useful for agile melee and off-hand setups, but its 1d6 base die is lower than the 1d8 die of a typical longsword. Its value therefore depends on properties and special effects as well as the damage die.

Variants can change its role

A Scimitar +1 retains the weapon’s core identity while improving its enchantment, and named scimitar variants can add effects that matter more than the base weapon alone. Compare each variant’s properties and special features rather than treating every scimitar as interchangeable.

Overview

Scimitar is a standard martial melee weapon in Baldur's Gate 3, built for mobile characters who value a light, finesse-friendly slashing weapon.

Its defining role is as a compact one-handed blade: it can suit characters who rely on Dexterity and leaves room for a shield or another off-hand choice. Its Light and Finesse properties make it more flexible than heavier martial weapons.

The scimitar is a conventional equipment option rather than a named, unique, legendary, or story-exclusive weapon. Its significance comes from its weapon properties and damage type, not from a special identity or fixed narrative association.

Compared with similar light blades, it deals slashing rather than piercing damage. That distinction can matter when a target's resistances or vulnerabilities make one damage type preferable, although the scimitar does not by itself define a complete build.

This page covers the ordinary Scimitar item in the base game context, not a named variant or a special story weapon. Its practical value is therefore determined mainly by character proficiency, ability scores, and any effects granted by the individual item version.

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
1d8
Damage Type
Slashing
Rarity
Common
Weight
1.35 kg
Value
30 gp
Entry Type
Named / special

Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.

Compared to similar slashing weapons

Weapon	Base Damage	Damage Type	Enchantment	Weight	Value
Scimitar	1d8	Slashing	—	1.35 kg	30 gp
Phalar Aluve	1d8+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	250 gp
Adamantine Longsword	1d8+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	100 gp
Adamantine Scimitar	1d6+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	190 gp
Duke Ravengard's Longsword	1d8+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	250 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

Reach Druid Grove during Act 1 and retain access to the Hollow; no DLC, NG+, or special proficiency prerequisite is required.

01During Act 1, reach the Hollow in Druid Grove and speak with Arron, the halfling trader. His merchant inventory includes the ordinary Scimitar; purchase it directly. It is a standard shop item, not a quest reward or boss drop, and is not limited to one per playthrough.

Mechanics and Handling

The Scimitar’s handling is defined by its Finesse and Light properties rather than by a complex passive. Finesse lets the game use Dexterity instead of Strength when Dexterity is the better applicable ability modifier, while Light makes the weapon suitable for dual-wielding with another Light weapon. It is a one-handed melee weapon, so it can also be used alongside a shield. Its normal attacks deal slashing damage and do not include a built-in elemental, poison, or other status rider.

Flourish weapon action

Scimitar proficiency grants Flourish, a weapon action that makes an attack and can apply the Off Balance condition to its target. This gives the weapon a control-oriented option in addition to its ordinary attacks, but the result is conditional rather than guaranteed. Flourish does not replace the Scimitar’s normal damage profile with a separate damage type or resource system; its value comes from the possible condition and the opening that creates for follow-up attacks.

Commitment and limitations

The Scimitar has no charge-up, ammunition, reload, durability, or return mechanic. Its short melee reach requires normal close-range positioning, and the weapon has no built-in parry or blocking behavior beyond the actions available through the character’s wider equipment and combat rules. Compared with a heavier one-handed weapon, its Light and Finesse properties support more Dexterity-focused and dual-wielding setups, while its Flourish action supplies a situational control tool rather than a permanent damage bonus.

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

Finesse lets a proficient wielder use Dexterity or Strength, making the scimitar a practical melee option for Dexterity-focused characters and a valid weapon for Sneak Attack.
Its Light property supports dual-wielding with another compatible weapon, giving builds that can spare a Bonus Action an additional attack option.
It deals slashing damage and uses a compact one-handed moveset, leaving the other hand available for a shield when dual-wielding is not the priority.

Weaknesses

Its 1d6 base damage die is lower than the 1d8 commonly found on several other one-handed martial weapons, before enchantments and other effects are considered.
The scimitar is not Versatile or Reach, so it cannot switch to a stronger two-handed damage profile or attack from extended melee distance.
Martial Weapon proficiency is required; Finesse does not grant proficiency by itself, so some Dexterity-based characters need a class, race, or other source of proficiency.

Best uses

A Dexterity-based melee weapon when the character already has martial proficiency and wants a Finesse weapon for Sneak Attack-compatible attacks.
A dual-wielding setup where the Light property and an available Bonus Action matter more than the higher base die of a comparable one-handed weapon.
A shield-equipped Dexterity melee setup when the character wants a one-handed Finesse weapon without committing to dual-wielding.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
Weapon	Base damage	Damage type	Key properties	Best comparison use
Scimitar	Slashing	Finesse; Light	Dexterity-based dual-wielding with slashing damage	—
Shortsword	Piercing	Finesse; Light	Closest sidegrade for dual-wielding; differs mainly by damage type	—
Rapier	Piercing	Finesse	Higher weapon die, but not Light; better suited to a single-weapon finesse setup	—
Sickle	Slashing	Light	Simple-weapon alternative with the same damage type, but a smaller damage die	—