[RPG] Can you benefit from the Dueling fighting style for one weapon, then draw a second weapon as part of Extra Attack to qualify for Two-Weapon Fighting

dnd-5efighterfighting-styletwo-weapon-fighting

Say a Champion fighter has the "Two-Weapon Fighting" fighting style and the "Dual Wielder" feat. At 10th level, they pick up "Dueling" (+2 to damage rolls when wielding a single one-handed melee weapon) for their 2nd fighting style. Since they're 10th-level, their Extra Attack feature lets them make 2 attacks as part of the Attack action.

Can they have one weapon drawn for their first attack, to benefit from Dueling – and only then draw another weapon for their second attack in the Attack action, in order to meet the requirement for Two-Weapon Fighting (and thus deliver another attack with their bonus action)?

Best Answer

No, you can't combine them in this way.

The key point is in the description of the Two-Weapon Fighting rule (PHB, p. 195):

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.

The relevant issue is this: when you take the Attack action, is there a weapon in your other hand? If there is, you can't get the benefit of Dueling. If there is not, you can't make an off-hand attack using Two-Weapon Fighting.

(Note the present tense "that you're holding in the other hand", not "that you will be holding later in the turn" or "that you were holding earlier".)