WeaponminorC

Sickle

The Sickle is a simple melee weapon in Baldur's Gate 3 that deals slashing damage and uses the Light weapon property.

Importance

minor

Baldur's Gate 3 · weapon

Key Takeaways

Light simple weapon

The Sickle is a simple melee weapon that deals 1d4 slashing damage and has the Light property, making it usable for dual-wielding without requiring Martial Weapon proficiency.

Low base damage

Its small damage die is the main limitation: the Sickle offers less base damage than many other one-handed weapons, so its value depends more on access and weapon-property interactions than raw damage.

No ordinary ability-score gate

The Sickle does not impose a Strength or Dexterity minimum. Characters still need proficiency with simple weapons to use it effectively in Baldur's Gate 3.

Slashing rather than finesse utility

Unlike a Dagger, the Sickle is not a finesse weapon and does not provide the Dagger's piercing damage or standard thrown-weapon utility. That makes it a narrower choice for dual-wielding and close-range use.

Overview

Sickle is a standard simple melee weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3: a light, one-handed option suited to early equipment, dual-wielding, or characters who need a basic backup weapon rather than a named reward.

The Sickle has no unique identity, story association, or signature effect in its ordinary form. Its role comes from the Light property: a character meeting the relevant combat requirements can use it as part of a dual-wielding setup, although the weapon itself does not provide the special effects that make named alternatives valuable later in the game.

As a simple melee weapon, it is accessible to more characters than martial weapons. It is not a Finesse weapon, so it does not naturally turn into a Dexterity-based choice merely because it is small; the character’s other features and build rules still determine how it performs. This makes it a more natural fit for basic Strength-oriented equipment than for a dedicated finesse loadout.

The Sickle is therefore mainly a progression or utility choice. It can fill an empty weapon slot, support an early dual-wielding setup, or serve as an inexpensive replacement while a character searches for equipment with stronger enchantments, weapon actions, or passive effects. Its modest role also means that replacing it is usually a straightforward upgrade rather than a major build decision.

This page covers the ordinary Sickle in the standard playable game context. It should not be confused with a named legendary weapon, a quest-specific reward, or a special variant whose properties would need to be assessed separately. For most characters, the important distinction is its simple proficiency category and light handling, not a weapon-specific mechanic.

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
1d4
Damage Type
Slashing
Rarity
Common
Weight
0.9 kg
Value
10 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
Sickle	1d4	Slashing	—	0.9 kg	10 gp
Dragon's Grasp	1d6	Slashing	—	0.9 kg	65 gp
Handaxe	1d6	Slashing	—	0.9 kg	16 gp
Phalar Aluve	1d8+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	250 gp
Adamantine Longsword	1d8+1	Slashing	+1	1.35 kg	100 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 the Emerald Grove in Act 1; no DLC, New Game Plus, or special class prerequisite is required.

01In Act 1, reach the Hollow in the Emerald Grove and speak with Arron, the halfling trader. Check his trade inventory for Sickle and buy it if available; this is a vendor acquisition rather than a quest, boss, or guaranteed world-drop route.

Mechanics and Handling

The Sickle is a compact one-handed slashing weapon whose handling is defined more by its Light property than by a unique weapon system. It can be used in the off hand alongside another eligible one-handed weapon, making it useful for characters that want an additional attack option without committing to a two-handed weapon. Its short melee reach also requires closer positioning than weapons with Reach.

The Sickle is not a Finesse weapon, so it does not gain the Finesse rule’s Dexterity-based weapon attacks. A character using it normally relies on Strength for the weapon’s attack and damage calculations unless another feature changes that interaction.

Lacerate and ordinary attacks

A standard Sickle provides the Lacerate weapon action rather than a bespoke named skill or passive. Lacerate is a close-range slashing attack that can inflict Bleeding, giving the weapon a limited condition-oriented option in addition to its normal attack sequence. The weapon has no ammunition, reload, charge, durability, or resource-management behaviour to track.

Light-weapon handling

The Sickle’s Light property supports dual-wielding and makes it a natural off-hand choice when a build values an extra weapon attack over reach or heavier damage dice. Its small damage die and short reach make spacing and attack frequency more important than treating it as a primary heavy weapon.

Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses

Strengths

Light property supports dual wielding with another Light weapon, making the Sickle a workable off-hand option when a character wants two melee weapons.
Simple weapon proficiency makes it accessible to more classes and characters than Martial weapons.
Its compact weapon profile can suit a character who needs a basic melee option without committing to a heavier two-handed weapon.

Weaknesses

The Sickle lacks Finesse, so Dexterity-focused characters cannot normally use Dexterity for its attack and damage rolls.
It has no distinctive passive, spell, or weapon action to compensate for its ordinary baseline performance.
Using it occupies an equipment slot that could instead provide a stronger unique effect or a more suitable weapon for the character’s ability scores.

Best uses

Use it as an accessible dual-wielding or off-hand choice for a Strength-oriented character with simple weapon proficiency.
Keep it as a straightforward backup weapon when a character does not need a named weapon’s special effect.
Choose it mainly for availability, Light-property utility, or theme rather than as a centerpiece for a specialized build.

Compared With Similar Weapons

Compared With Similar Weapons
	Base damage	Properties	Practical distinction
Handaxe	1d6 slashing	Light; Thrown; Simple weapon	A close simple-weapon alternative with a larger damage die and a thrown option, but it does not preserve the Sickle’s specific weapon identity.
Dagger	1d4 piercing	Finesse; Light; Thrown; Simple weapon	Matches the Sickle’s damage-die size while adding Finesse and Thrown, making it the more flexible choice for Dexterity-based or ranged thrown use.
Scimitar	1d6 slashing	Finesse; Light; Martial weapon	Provides the Sickle’s slashing damage type with a larger die and Finesse, but requires Martial weapon proficiency rather than Simple weapon proficiency.

Trivia

Baldur’s Gate 3 includes the named Sickle of BOOOAL as a distinct sickle variant, separate from the ordinary Sickle. Its acquisition is tied to the Festering Cove and the BOOOAL-related encounter rather than normal weapon availability.