Read the Weapon's Requirements on Your Current Character
Underkeep weapon stat requirements can prevent a character from using an otherwise appealing drop. Check the weapon's displayed Strength or Dexterity requirement against the intended wielder before equipping it. Then check the selected skill separately, because a usable weapon does not automatically satisfy every ability's weapon-type restriction.
This is especially important when assigning a ranged backup weapon to a caster or changing a front-row character's main weapon. A character's class name alone does not tell you whether they can use the item you found.
The official Underkeep Steam page emphasizes building a party around complementary abilities and equipment.
Separate Three Different Restrictions
The developer's demo weapons discussion confirms stat requirements, possible class restrictions, and skills that require particular weapon types. It also explains that weapons can use Strength or Dexterity for damage calculations. A damage-scaling attribute and an equipment requirement are related considerations, but they are not interchangeable labels.
| What you are checking | What to inspect |
|---|---|
| Can the character use this item? | Its stat requirements and applicable equipment restrictions |
| Can the chosen skill use this weapon? | The skill's required weapon type |
| Can the character perform the action now? | Available resources, action status, and other displayed conditions |
If an ability calls for a sword, replacing that sword with an axe can block the ability even when the axe is usable. A narrated demo playthrough includes exactly this kind of confusion: the player considered stamina recovery before noticing the sword requirement.
Use Demo Item Examples as Examples, Not a Complete Table
In February demo feedback, a player reported that a Scimitar needed 5 Dexterity and that some Dwarf and Stoneborn characters could not use a sling because their Dexterity was too low. That is a useful illustration of why you should inspect the tooltip before assigning loot; it is not a verified requirement table for every item or the unreleased full game.
The same developer discussion distinguishes swords from daggers, noting that many Thief skills use daggers and some also use swords. Read the actual ability rather than treating those weapon categories as identical.
Avoid building an equipment plan from early race-roll formulas alone. In another developer reply to community stat testing, the rolling system was described as bugged in some cases, with important demo systems unfinished. Those limitations make a player's early numerical ranking a poor substitute for checking your current character and item.
FAQ
Why can one party member use a weapon while another cannot?
Compare their attributes with the item's requirements and check applicable equipment restrictions. A weapon may be valid for one character and unusable for another.
Will restoring stamina fix an incompatible weapon?
No. Resource recovery does not satisfy a missing stat requirement or change the weapon type required by a skill.
Does every sword have the same Dexterity requirement?
The available example does not establish that. The reported Scimitar requirement belongs to a dated demo observation; read each current item's tooltip.