The rules text from Making an Attack in the SRD 5.1 (the 2014 rules), with the rules around it and the 2024 (SRD 5.2) text that goes with it.
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.
If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it.
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows a rogue to take a bonus action. You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so you must choose which bonus action to use when you have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action's timing is specified, and anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions also prevents you from taking a bonus action.
The weapons that qualify, from the 2014 weapons table:
| Weapon | Damage | Average | Other properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2.5 | — |
| Dagger | 1d4 piercing | 2.5 | Finesse, Thrown |
| Handaxe | 1d6 slashing | 3.5 | Thrown |
| Light Hammer | 1d4 bludgeoning | 2.5 | Thrown |
| Sickle | 1d4 slashing | 2.5 | — |
| Scimitar | 1d6 slashing | 3.5 | Finesse |
| Shortsword | 1d6 piercing | 3.5 | Finesse |
The 2024 rules fold two-weapon fighting into the Light property (SRD 5.2): “When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless that modifier is negative. For example, you can attack with a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other using the Attack action and a Bonus Action, but you don't add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action unless that modifier is negative.”
The Nick mastery moves that extra attack into the Attack action, and the Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style adds your ability modifier to its damage.
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon held in one hand, you can use your bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon held in the other hand. Daggers, shortswords, scimitars, handaxes, light hammers and sickles are all light. If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw it instead.
The bonus attack doesn’t add your ability modifier to its damage, unless the modifier is negative. The Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style, which fighters and rangers can choose, fixes that and adds the modifier.
You get one extra attack however many attacks the Attack action gives you. A 5th-level fighter with Extra Attack makes two attacks, plus one with the off-hand weapon.
In the 2024 rules the extra attack comes from the Light weapon property: after attacking with a Light weapon in the Attack action, you can make one extra attack as a bonus action later that turn with a different Light weapon, still without your ability modifier unless it’s negative. The rule no longer says melee.
Weapon Mastery changes the math for classes that have it. A weapon with the Nick mastery property, such as a dagger, scimitar, sickle or light hammer, lets you make that extra attack as part of the Attack action instead of as a bonus action, once per turn, so your bonus action stays free. The 2024 Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style still adds your modifier to the extra attack’s damage.
No, unless the modifier is negative. The Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style lets you add it.
Yes. You have to take the Attack action first, then the off-hand attack uses your bonus action. In the 2024 rules, a Light weapon with the Nick mastery makes it part of the Attack action instead.
Not with the basic rule, which needs two light weapons. The Dual Wielder feat in the Player’s Handbook lets you use one-handed weapons that aren’t light, and gives +1 AC while you wield a melee weapon in each hand.
No. You always get one bonus-action attack, however many attacks the Attack action gives you.
Yes. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can throw it for either attack. Drawing a second one to throw is its own object interaction, so most dagger throwers keep one in each hand to start.
At levels 1 to 4 it matches a two-handed weapon for damage, and beats it with the fighting style. Once Extra Attack arrives it falls behind even with the style, and it’s best for rogues, who need just one hit a turn for Sneak Attack.
| Rule | How it compares |
|---|---|
| Hunter’s Mark | A d6 on every weapon hit, but it costs a bonus action to cast and move, the same bonus action the off-hand attack needs. |
| Haste | An extra action each turn that can make one weapon attack, and it doesn’t use your bonus action. The two stack. |
| Scimitar of Speed | A +2 scimitar that attacks as a bonus action every turn, with the modifier. What two-weapon fighting wants to be. |
| Spiritual Weapon | A cleric’s bonus-action attack each turn, 1d8 + modifier force damage from 60 feet. |
| Opportunity attacks | The other free attack: one melee attack with your reaction when an enemy leaves your reach. |