Yes. In D&D 5e, you can use the Dueling fighting style while wielding a shield in your other hand. Dueling requires you to use a melee weapon in one hand and wield no other weapons; a shield is not a weapon under the official clarification.
What Dueling requires
The Dueling feature gives you a +2 bonus to damage rolls when you wield a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons. The relevant wording is “no other weapons,” not “an empty hand.” You can read the feature on the official Fighter class rules page.
Can you hold a shield in your other hand?
Yes. The Sage Advice Compendium answers this directly: “Yes. A character with the Dueling feat can equip a Shield or hold a Spellcasting Focus or another object that isn’t a weapon in their other hand.” In other words, your off hand does not have to be empty; the restriction is against wielding another weapon.
How the rule applies at the table
With a one-handed melee weapon in one hand and a shield in the other, Dueling’s +2 damage bonus applies under that official clarification. If you wield another weapon, you no longer meet the feature’s “no other weapons” condition.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION—Get all three 2024 Core Rulebooks and discover new character options you’ll love, creative world-building inspiration, stunning artwork, and monsters galore
- STUNNING ARTWORK—Delight in spectacular new artwork for character classes, subclasses, weapons, armor, legendary D&D figures, almost every monster, and so much more
- FRESH & ENGAGING GAMEPLAY—Change up your combat style with fascinating new Weapon Masteries for your character class. Our new Tools and Crafting system lets you use your tools to craft items and impact travel and exploration
- NEW CHARACTER OPTIONS YOU’LL LOVE—Create unforgettable characters with 12 core classes, 48 intriguing subclasses, and 10 distinctive species. Buff up your character’s backstory with 16 compelling backgrounds and 75 fantastic feats
Sage Advice provides interpretations of fifth-edition rules, but the Dungeon Master adjudicates rules questions and decides whether to use an official ruling in play. The compendium states: “A Dungeon Master adjudicates the game and determines whether to use an official ruling in play.”
Which rules version are you using?
D&D’s Sage Advice and errata resource has been updated to include material from the new core rulebooks. If your group is using a particular printing or rules edition, check that text and establish which version your table follows; the update is described in D&D Beyond’s Sage Advice and errata announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 50 redesigned double-sided character sheets that are easier to reference and play with
- A lavishly illustrated folder to store all your character sheets and D&D notes
- Works with the character-creation rules of the Player’s Handbook
- Enough character sheets to cover the next 50 years of your D&D adventures
Rank #4
- NIFTY RESOURCES FOR DUNGEON MASTERS—We've packed this book with incredibly useful tools and advice for Dungeon Masters of all levels. Make your game sessions special with over 400 total and 18 new magic items, practical solutions for common Dungeon Master pitfalls, and Greyhawk, a customizable premade campaign setting.
- WONDERFUL WORLDBUILDING INSPIRATION—Introduce inspiring new mechanics into your game! Tinker away with revised rules for crafting magic items, creating NPCs, and more. Excite your party and keep them engaged between sessions with the new system for bastions, which are strongholds built and controlled by players.
- STUNNING ARTWORK—Delight in spectacular artwork featuring new magic items, legendary D&D figures, cinematic fantasy landscapes, a double-sided poster map of the Greyhawk setting, and more!
- LEVEL UP YOUR DUNGEON MASTER EXPERIENCE—We’ve built useful handouts and resources to help you keep track of your campaigns and added a Lore Glossary that helps you easily find information about key D&D characters and locations.
- PART OF THE 2024 CORE COLLECTION—1 of 3 revised Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is designed for use with the fifth edition 2024 Player’s Handbook and 2024 Monster Manual
Rank #3
- MONSTERS GALORE—Venture into the mightiest Monster Manual yet! In addition to iconic D&D favorites like dragons and mind flayers, this monstrous menagerie introduces over 75 brand-new monsters and contains over 500 unique creatures in total.
- INTRIGUING NEW ENCOUNTERS—Inject more variety into your games with unique encounters! Raise the stakes with terrifying new monsters for higher level play, such as the arch-hag and blob of annihilation. Craft unusual and memorable NPC encounters by using over 40 humanoid stat blocks as inspiration.
- STUNNING ARTWORK—Gaze upon the legendary D&D dragons in all their splendor. In this book of majestic beasts, we’ve created stunning redesigns of the chromatic and metallic dragons, and over 300 pieces of breathtaking new artwork for almost every monster.
- DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU—Easily locate whatever monster you’re looking for and save prep time with revised, easy-to-use stat blocks. We’ve categorized all monsters by creature type and have redesigned their stat blocks to be easier to use and understand. Running encounters has never been easier!
- PART OF THE 2024 CORE COLLECTION—1 of 3 revised Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks, the 2024 Monster Manual is designed for use with the fifth edition 2024 Player’s Handbook and 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide
Rank #2
- UNLEASH NEW POSSIBILITIES—Introducing the 2024 Player’s Handbook, the new and improved guide for fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons. Redesigned with 10 years of feedback from the D and D community, the essential Dungeons and Dragons rulebook is bigger and better than ever before
- NEW CHARACTER OPTIONS YOU’LL LOVE—Create unforgettable characters with 12 core classes, 48 intriguing subclasses, and 10 distinctive species. Buff up your character’s backstory with 16 compelling backgrounds and 75 fantastic feats.
- STUNNING ARTWORK—With vibrant new illustrations of every single character class, subclass, background, species, weapon, and armor, our thrilling artwork also features new and familiar spells, brought to life for the first time ever.
- FRESH and ENGAGING GAMEPLAY—Change up your combat style with fascinating new Weapon Masteries for your character class. Our new Tools and Crafting system lets you use your tools to craft items and impact travel and exploration.
- DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU—We’ve thoughtfully redesigned this book with an improved layout, better organization, and an alphabetized Rules Glossary. Find whatever you’re looking for with ease
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
