Perhaps you’ve been reading some homebrews by monks or have looked through the player handbooks, and came across the Yklwa.
This Yklwa 5e Guide will tell you a bit more about this unusual and not so commonly used weapon.
The Yklwa is very little known in 5e or any other edition. There are also not many details in official rules or stories from Wizards of the Coast.
You are probably familiar with my guides. I tend to write primarily from the Dungeon Master’s perspective.
This is because I am primarily a Dungeon Master and because I must also deal with all the shenanigans being thrown at me by players.
I know what goes where and how to make life difficult for both a player and a DM.
This Guide will tell you more about the weapon’s history, how it is used, and answer common questions.
Ykl..what? The lore and stats of the Yklwa from Dungeons and Dragons
Your first question as a Dungeon Master is likely to be, “How do you pronounce this weapon?” It is pronounced YICK – Uhl – wah The better your throat, the more you should use.
Legend has it that the sound comes from the sound you make when you take the Yklwa from the heart of a dinosaur.
What is the Yklwa exactly? It is a simple, but powerful melee weapon that the Chultan warriors have in their arsenal.
It is one of their most traditional weapons. You can also use it as a throwing tool, but it’s not very efficient.
The yklwa’s design is simple. The yklwa has a wooden shaft measuring approximately 3 feet in length and a steel or stone blade measuring between 12 and 18 inches.
It weighs in at 2 lbs. The average yklwa measures approximately 4 feet in length, with 40% of this being the blade-like end.
These weapons are used primarily as short-thrusting spears in melee fighting. It can be thrown, but it lacks the balance necessary to throw it at a long range.
The weapon’s range is limited to 30 feet. If it hits within a range of about half the length of a short spear, it does more damage than a regular short spear.
The Yklwas can also be held in one hand, but the tabaxi tribe fighters hold them together with a large long sword.
This weapon should be set at 1 gold piece. This is a fair price compared to the 15th Century DR Port Nyanzaru economy, since Akene-afe, a merchant prince, drove up the price by controlling the yklwa at the port.
The weapon’s damage is quite basic but should be used in the right hands. The weapon has 1d8 piercing, which is insane for a weapon that you can throw with one hand. We’ll get to this in a moment.
Why a Yklwa should be used as a player/dungeon master for a campaign?
You are probably interested in this weapon or want to learn how to use it. I’m pretty certain that you have read this guide.
This guide will give you some convincing reasons to convince a friend or yourself to use this unique weapon.
It’s a simple weapon
The Yklwa will help you to frustrate your Dungeon Master, or to make him laugh if he includes a simple weapons-only clause at the beginning of the game.
This simple weapon category is something that I and most other DnD players don’t understand.
Let me explain why you might find this so bizarre. The weapon is single-handed and throwable, with a devastating damage output of 1d8. This damage output is incredible.
You can see the link between this weapon and weapons like the great clubs by looking at the weapon list. However, the great club is a weapon that you can only use with one hand.
The Yklwa allows you to wield a shield, increasing your AC and making you more resilient. The weapon works in the same way as a Morningstar weapon. You can throw the weapon, but not with the Morningstar, which is considered a martial weapon.
This is a very special weapon
Another reason I love my Yklwa is the fact that it is seldom used. Everybody knows all about Warhammer and the sword.
The Warhammer isn’t used very often, and it has some cool mechanics that can provide you with the pace change you need. Spears are rarely used in Dungeon and Dragons campaigns.
Therefore, a niche short spear will be something that most DM’s don’t know much about. This allows you to surprise your DM which can be fun if you’re a player.
The yklwa can be described as broken
The yklwa can be either banned from DnD campaigns for life or kind of good, depending on who you ask.
The main problem with balance is the yklwa’s simplicity. Two-handed large and heavy weapons are the only simple weapons that have damage output equal to this short spear.
The fact that it can be thrown is another advantage. The weapon’s range is terrible, admit it. The weapon has the worst range among all throwing weapons in D&D 5th Edition. It does the most damage, however, compared to any other throwing weapon in D&D 5th edition.
This would have been 100% a Martial Weapon if Dungeons, Dragons, and Wizards of the Coast were consistent.
My research has shown that there isn’t a simple one-handed weapon that does as much damage and as many uses as the yklwa. It is simply the most simple weapon in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition.
It is, however, not overwhelming in my view. In most cases, anyway. This is because the weapon’s average damage is one less than the next-best simple weapon.
This makes me believe that those who ban weapons are too strict. It is unlikely that many players will give up the classics and use a spear 4 feet in length.
Other unusual weapons such as the Yklwa from 5e DnD
You are reading a guide about a weapon such as the Yklwa. I will guess that you are interested in rare and uncommon weapons.
These are two that I’ve seen in action and deserve more attention.
Keep in mind that these weapons are rarely used in Dungeons and Dragons campaigns because they are either very bad or extremely niche.
These weapons can be introduced to your Dungeon Master game by either increasing their damage or giving them magical properties.
Whip
A whip is a great tool. The whip is a difficult weapon to use in combat to kill monsters. Although it only deals 1d4 in slashing damage, there are many fun ways to use it.
It’s the only weapon with a reach that can be used one-handed. A whip can be used to keep your enemies away.
You can also give your opponent the chance to disarm your whip by lightly buffing it.
Trident
Another weapon that isn’t often used is the trident. It is not as powerful as its rivals. It can do a fair amount of damage, with a 1d6 damage output. It can be thrown for 20/60 feet. This is just average, as you can see.
It is a poor spear, and I would go further. To make it more exciting, you could give it an extra magical bonus. You could give it the chance to drown your opponent in water, which can make them more tired due to lack of breath.
Flail- The flail is an interesting weapon, which I think is underutilized. The flail can be used one-handed by small characters, or two-handed to do more damage. It is heavy and costly and not worth the extra cost if you are, e.g. It is better if you are a barbarian or a fighter, than any other option. It should be given more play as the damage isn’t too bad.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Yklwa In DnD
What is the Yklwa for Warning?
The Yklwa of Warning, a magical item found in the Tomb of Annihilation, is a magic item. It can warn you of danger. It can give you an advantage when you need to take initiative. It can also make you and your companions within 30 feet of each other immune to surprise.
All other stats are the same as the regular Yklwa. This is a very cool weapon. You can find out more in the DMG Book on page 213.
Does the Yklwa possess the finesse ability?
The Yklwa can be used as a melee weapon without other abilities such as martial. It can be thrown, but it is primarily used as a melee weapon.
It doesn’t have any finesse ability or any other property. It is a melee weapon so its default ability is the strongest.
Many dungeon masters that I know make this weapon a martial weapon with finesse abilities.
While this fixes many issues with the weapon, it can also make the weapon too powerful for certain builds. You might consider reducing the damage to 1d6+1 or 1d6.
Can you throw a Yklwa? If so, how far?
This weapon can be used to throw one-handed weapons, but it is designed primarily as a melee weapon. Is it worth the effort? There are many better-throwing weapons.
My view is that the main purpose of a throwing weapon is to damage your enemy at a long range where they cannot hit you. This will allow you to wear them down before they get too close.
The throwing damage is quite strong at a 1d8, which makes it the strongest one-handed throwing weapon. However, the range is just too short. Your enemies will be severely damaged by your 30-foot range.
Final Words
The Yklwa, a simple weapon, is one of the most powerful in Dungeons and Dragons. It doesn’t seem to get much play. Perhaps this is because few people are familiar with the weapon or don’t see its value.
It’s worth a shot. It also provides a great 1d8 damage output, which you can always count on. It also has the highest throwing damage of any simple weapon you can use with one hand.
The Yklwa is not all positive news. Although the weapon’s melee damage is quite impressive, especially at the beginning of a game it is not as effective after a while.
It is easily beaten by weapons with more common builds and better durability. It won’t go very far if you plan on throwing it. You will have very limited opportunities to use the weapon at its best. The weapon’s range is only 30 feet.
