Why does handhaxe work with weapon finesse?

[Baldurs_Gate_2]

It's a martial weapon and should not be working with it or? But it does.

[Cutlass Jack]

Hand axe is a 'light' weapon. Light weapons work with weapon finesse.

[DarkFenix]

Weapon finesse has nothing to with with simple/martial/exotic, it's only to do with whether the weapon is light or not (plus a few exceptions).

[kannibal25]

Rapiers are also Martial and are classified as a Light Blade with Finesse.

That said, in the SRD, while the Handaxe is considered Light, it does not have the Finesse property.

Link: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons/weapon-descriptions/handaxe/

I never use them so haven't really looked into it much.

[Zuloph]

Originally posted by kannibal25:

Rapiers are also Martial and are classified as a Light Blade with Finesse.

That said, in the SRD, while the Handaxe is considered Light, it does not have the Finesse property.

Link: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons/weapon-descriptions/handaxe/

I never use them so haven't really looked into it much.

Finesse being a property is a 2e thing, any light weapon in 1e can be weapon finessed. You can actually melee with a hand axe in pen and paper which is why that would matter