nethack spoiler site http://www.nethack.de/ Maintainer: Sascha Wostmann (sascha@nethack.de) ----------------------------------------------------------- weap-322.txt Final version 2 for NetHack 3.2.2 Compiled by Kevin Hugo . WEAPON (Table 1) COST WGT PROB MATL APPEARANCE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ : ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Dagger : : orcish dagger : $ 4 10 10 : IRON crude dagger dagger : 4 10 25 : IRON -- athame : 4 10 0 : IRON -- elven dagger : 4 10 8 : IRON runed dagger Knife : : worm tooth : 2 20 0 : NONE -- knife (shito) : 4 5 20 : IRON -- stiletto : 4 5 5 : IRON -- scalpel : 4 5 0 : IRON -- crysknife : 100 20 0 : MINL -- Axe : : axe : 8 60 40 : IRON -- battle-axe : 40 120 10 : IRON double-headed axe Pick-axe : : pick-axe : 50 100 tool : IRON -- dwarvish mattock : 50 120 13 : IRON broad pick Short sword : : orcish short sword : 10 30 3 : IRON crude short sword short sword (wakizashi) : 10 30 8 : IRON -- dwarvish short sword : 10 30 2 : IRON broad short sword elven short sword : 10 30 2 : IRON runed short sword Broadsword : : broadsword (ninja-to) : 10 70 8 : IRON -- runesword : 300 40 0 : IRON runed broadsword elven broadsword : 10 70 4 : IRON runed broadsword Long sword : : long sword : 15 40 50 : IRON -- katana : 80 40 4 : IRON samurai sword Two-handed sword : : two-handed sword : 50 150 22 : IRON -- tsurugi : 500 60 0 : METL long samurai sword Scimitar : : scimitar : 15 40 15 : IRON curved sword Saber : : silver saber : 75 40 6 : SILV -- Club : : club : 3 30 12 : WOOD -- aklys : 4 15 8 : IRON thonged club Mace : : mace : 5 30 40 : IRON -- Morning star : : morning star : 10 120 12 : IRON -- Flail : : flail (nunchaku) : 4 15 40 : IRON -- Hammer : : war hammer : 5 50 15 : IRON -- Quarterstaff : : quarterstaff : 5 40 11 : WOOD staff Polearm : : partisan : 10 80 10 : IRON vulgar polearm fauchard : 5 60 11 : IRON pole sickle glaive (naginata) : 6 75 15 : IRON single-edged polearm bec-de-corbin : 8 100 8 : IRON beaked polearm spetum : 5 50 10 : IRON forked polearm lucern hammer : 7 150 10 : IRON pronged polearm guisarme : 5 80 11 : IRON pruning hook ranseur : 6 50 10 : IRON hilted polearm voulge : 5 125 8 : IRON pole cleaver bill-guisarme : 7 120 8 : IRON hooked polearm bardiche : 7 120 8 : IRON long poleaxe halberd : 10 150 16 : IRON angled poleaxe Spear : : orcish spear : 3 30 13 : IRON crude spear spear : 3 30 50 : IRON -- elven spear : 3 30 10 : IRON runed spear dwarvish spear : 3 35 12 : IRON stout spear Javelin : : javelin : 3 20 10 : IRON throwing spear Trident : : trident : 5 25 8 : IRON -- Lance : : lance : 10 180 8 : IRON -- Bow : : orcish bow : 60 30 12 : WOOD crude bow bow : 60 30 24 : WOOD -- elven bow : 60 30 12 : WOOD runed bow yumi : 60 30 0 : WOOD long bow orcish arrow : 2 1 11 : IRON crude arrow arrow : 2 1 42 : IRON -- silver arrow : 2 1 8 : SILV -- elven arrow : 2 1 10 : IRON runed arrow ya : 4 1 5 : METL bamboo arrow Sling : : sling : 20 3 40 : WOOD -- flintstone : 1 10 gems : MINL -- other rocks/gems/glass : vary vary gems : vary -- Crossbow : : crossbow : 40 50 45 : WOOD -- crossbow bolt : 2 1 50 : IRON -- Dart : : dart : 2 1 60 : IRON -- Shuriken : : shuriken : 5 1 35 : IRON throwing star Boomerang : : boomerang : 20 5 15 : WOOD -- Whip : : bullwhip : 4 20 2 : LEAT -- rubber hose : 3 20 0 : PLAS -- Unicorn horn : : unicorn horn : 100 20 tool : BONE -- Two weapon combat : -- -- none : NONE -- Bare-handed combat : -- -- hand : NONE -- Martial arts : -- -- hand : NONE -- WEAPON (Table 2) ABCE HKPR STVW +HIT SDAM SAVG LDAM LAVG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~ Dagger : bbbE sb-E bEEE orcish dagger : +2 d3 2.0 d3 2.0 dagger : +2 d4 2.5 d3 2.0 athame : +2 d4 2.5 d3 2.0 elven dagger : +2 d5 3.0 d3 2.0 Knife : b-ss Eb-E ss-s worm tooth : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 knife (shito) : d3 2.0 d2 1.5 stiletto : d3 2.0 d2 1.5 scalpel : +2 d3 2.0 d3 2.0 crysknife : +3 d10 5.5 d10 5.5 Axe : -Es- -s-- -bEs axe : d6 3.5 d4 2.5 battle-axe : d8+d4 7.0 d6+2d4 8.5 Pick-axe : EEb- -b-- -bs- pick-axe : d6 3.5 d3 2.0 dwarvish mattock : -1 d12 6.5 d8+2d6 11.5 Short sword : bb-E ss-E EEsb orcish short sword : d5 3.0 d8 4.5 short sword (wakizashi) : d6 3.5 d8 4.5 dwarvish short sword : d7 4.0 d8 4.5 elven short sword : d8 4.5 d8 4.5 Broadsword : -s-E -s-s sbs- broadsword (ninja-to) : 2d4 5.0 d6+1 4.5 runesword : 2d4 5.0 d6+1 4.5 elven broadsword : d6+d4 6.0 d6+1 4.5 Long sword : -s-s -E-s EbE- long sword : d8 4.5 d12 6.5 katana : +1 d10 5.5 d12 6.5 Two-handed sword : -E-b -s-b EbE- two-handed sword : d12 6.5 3d6 10.5 tsurugi : +2 d16 8.5 d8+2d6 11.5 Scimitar : ss-s bb-s bsb- scimitar : d8 4.5 d8 4.5 Saber : Eb-s bs-s bsb- silver saber : d8 4.5 d8 4.5 Club : ssE- sbEs ---s club : d6 3.5 d3 2.0 aklys : d6 3.5 d3 2.0 Mace : -sE- bsEs -b-b mace : d6+1 4.5 d6 3.5 Morning star : -sb- -sEb -b-- morning star : 2d4 5.0 d6+1 4.5 Flail : -bs- -bEb sb-- flail (nunchaku) : d6+1 4.5 2d4 5.0 Hammer : -Es- -bEb -bE- war hammer : d4+1 3.5 d4 2.5 Quarterstaff : sbE- E-E- bbbE quarterstaff : d6 3.5 d6 3.5 Polearm : --s- bssb sbss partisan : d6 3.5 d6+1 4.5 fauchard : d6 3.5 d8 4.5 glaive (naginata) : d6 3.5 d10 5.5 bec-de-corbin : d8 4.5 d6 3.5 spetum : d6+1 4.5 2d6 7.0 lucern hammer : 2d4 5.0 d6 3.5 guisarme : 2d4 5.0 d8 4.5 ranseur : 2d4 5.0 2d4 5.0 voulge : 2d4 5.0 2d4 5.0 bill-guisarme : 2d4 5.0 d10 5.5 bardiche : 2d4 5.0 3d4 7.5 halberd : d10 5.5 2d6 7.0 Spear : -sEE bssb bbsb orcish spear : d5 3.0 d8 4.5 spear : d6 3.5 d8 4.5 elven spear : d7 4.0 d8 4.5 dwarvish spear : d8 4.5 d8 4.5 Javelin : --sb bss- bbbb javelin : d6 3.5 d6 3.5 Trident : -ss- bbs- -bbb trident : d6+1 4.5 3d4 7.5 Lance : ---- -Eb- sbs- lance : d6 3.5 d8 4.5 Bow : -bEE -bb- Eb-- orcish bow : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 bow : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 elven bow : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 yumi : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 orcish arrow : d5 3.0 d6 3.5 arrow : d6 3.5 d6 3.5 silver arrow : d6 3.5 d6 3.5 elven arrow : d7 4.0 d6 3.5 ya : +1 d7 4.0 d7 4.0 Sling : s-sb s-b- -bbs sling : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 flintstone : d6 3.5 d6 3.5 other rocks/gems/glass : d3 2.0 d3 2.0 Crossbow : ---b -sbE -b-- crossbow : d2 1.5 d2 1.5 crossbow bolt : d4+1 3.5 d6+1 4.5 Dart : b--- E-bE -E-E dart : d3 2.0 d2 1.5 Shuriken : ---b s-bs Eb-b shuriken : +2 d8 4.5 d6 3.5 Boomerang : E-E- --b- -b-- boomerang : d9 5.0 d9 5.0 Whip : E--- ---- -b-- bullwhip : d2 1.5 1 1.0 rubber hose : d4 2.5 d3 2.0 Unicorn horn : s-b- E-s- -s-- unicorn horn : d12 6.5 d12 6.5 Two weapon combat : bb-E -s-E Ess- Bare-handed combat : EGG- bE-b -EEb d2 1.5 d2 1.5 Martial arts : ---b ---- G--- d4 2.5 d4 2.5 Weapons are listed above first by skill class, then by increasing damage. Alternative Japanese names are listed in parenthesis (). The COST field denotes the base price of each weapon. WGT specifies the weight (100 zorkmids weighs 1). Weapons comprise 10% of all randomly-generated items in the main dungeon, 0% in containers, 12% in Roguelike bones piles, and 20% in hell. PROB is the relative probability of each subtype. If an object is mergable, then 6d6 (6 to 36) quantity is generated. Weapons have a roughly 10% chance of being blessed, roughly 10% of being cursed, and roughly 10% chance of a non-zero enchantment (exponentially distributed). Pick axes, unicorn horns, gems, glass, rocks, bare-handed combat, and martial arts are also listed here for their weapon skills and damage, even though they are not technically weapons. Two-weapon combat is not completely implemented. The MATL column describes the material of the weapon. This affects whether the weapon can be damaged (eroded); see the section below to find out how to repair and prevent damage. MATL DESCRIPTION ERODES? ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ BONE Horn or bone No IRON Iron Rusts LEAT Leather Burns/Rots METL Other metal No MINL Mineral No NONE Not an item or unusual material No PLAS Plastic or rubber No SILV Silver No WOOD Wood Burns/Rots Some character classes know the true identity of some or all weapons at the start of the game. Weapons whose identity has not yet been established will have the APPEARANCE listed. Each character class has a limit to the amount of skill that can be obtained in each weapon class. The maximum skill level is noted under the ABCE HKPR STVW columns: - for restricted (cannot advance beyond unskilled), b for basic skill, s for skilled, E for expert, M for master, and G for grand master. Weapon skills are explained further below. Finally, information about each weapon's ability to hit and cause damage is listed. A few weapons have an additional bonus to hit, listed in the +HIT column. The base amount of damage to small and large monsters is given in the SDAM and LDAM fields, and is expressed in terms of die rolls. For example, 2d6 means 2 dice which can each range from 1 to 6, for a total from 2 to 12. The average amount of damage (useful for comparing weapons) against small and large monsters is given under SAVG and LAVG. Weapon skills ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The table of weapons above is organized by "skill classes". Continued use of a weapon gives you practice in its skill class. With enough practice in a skill class and experience levels, you may have the opportunity to advance your skill level in that skill class. This will in turn lead to an improvement in your chance to hit and the damage produced by weapons in that class. NEEDED WEAPON 2-WEAP BARE-HAND MARTIAL SKILL LEVEL HITS EXP +HIT +DAM +HIT +HIT +DAM +HIT +DAM ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ Unskilled 0 0 -4 -2 -9 0 0 0 0 Basic 20 1 0 0 -7 +1 +1 +3 +2 Skilled 80 2* +2 +1 -5 +2 +1 +4 +3 Expert 180 3* +3 +2 -3 +2 +2 +5 +4 Master 320 1 -- -- -- +3 +2 +6 +5 Grand master 500 1 -- -- -- +3 +3 +7 +6 There are specifically two requirements needed to advance a skill class: a number of successful hits by any weapon in the skill class and a number of experience levels. A hit is considered successful if it causes more than one point of damage to a monster, regardless if the weapon is wielded or thrown. The particular damage value used for this determination is decribed in "Calculating damage" below. The number of HITS needed to advance to a particular SKILL LEVEL is shown in the table above; this is the number accumulated since the beginning of the game. Thus, if you start unskilled in a weapon, it takes 20 hits to become basic and 60 more hits to become skilled; but if you start with basic skill, you will need a full 80 hits to advance from basic to skilled. The other criterion used to advance skill levels is experience levels. Each time you gain an experience level, you earn a "skill slot" that is used up when you an advance a skill. Thus you can earn a maximum of 29 skill slots, by advancing from level 1 to level 30. If you lose an experience level, you lose the associated skill slot; if that skill slot was used to enhance a skill, you will lose the most recently earned skill and are refunded the remaining skill slots from that skill level. The table above also lists the number of additional EXPerience levels (skill slots) needed to advance to that skill level. Bare-handed combat and martial arts need only 1 additional skill slot to advance to each skill level (noted by *). Unlike the number of hits, this number is not cumulative. Thus, it takes 2 skill slots to advance a weapon from basic to skilled, no matter if you started with it as basic or unskilled. When you start the game, you will have basic skill for the weapons and weapon-tools in your initial inventory, have basic skill in bare-handed combat if you can advance it beyond expert, and will be unskilled in all other weapon categories. When you reach the point when you can advance a skill category, you will see the message, "You feel more confident in your fighting skills." You can then advance the skill using the #enhance command (alt-e on some systems). You may choose to not advance a skill level if you want to reserve the skill slots for a better weapon class. After advancing a skill, if you are ready to advance another skill (possibly the same one), you will get the message "You feel you could be more dangerous!" The #enhance command can also be used at any time to check your current skill levels. Of course, there are limits to how much you can advance a particular skill category. Each character class has different maximum levels for each skill category, as can be seen in weapons table 2 above. These differences help to distinguish the various character classes late in the game. For example, note that many of the fighter classes have skill with swords, whereas priests are restricted from edged weapons but are good with bludgeons and missiles. Note that you can usually advance your starting weapons and your quest artifact (if it is a weapon) to expert skill. The term "restricted" is used to describe skill categories that are permanently unskilled. They do not appear in the #enhance menu, although you will see skills that are unskilled and can be advanced. If you receive an artifact weapon from crowning or sacrificing, and the artifact's skill category is restricted, then the restriction will be removed and you will be able to advance that skill to basic level. Weapon skills affect your game by adding a bonus to your chance to hit and your damage. The WEAPON +HIT and +DAM columns in the table above shows the amount of this bonus for each skill level. The to-hit bonus for 2-WEAPon combat is also shown, although this type of combat is not fully implemented in NetHack 3.2.2. If you attack a monster while not wielding any weapon, you will cause either bare-handed damage (d2) or martial arts (d4) damage. You only cause one or the other, depending on your character class. These skills can be enhanced just like weapon skills -- even to levels beyond those of weapons (master and grand master) and have their own bonuses to-hit (+HIT) and +DAMage. The martial arts bonus also applies when attacking a monster by kicking it. Calculating the chance to hit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Adapted from the spoiler "weapons", by Robert DeLoura and Boudewijn Wayers .) There are three ways to attack a monster with a weapon. You can hit the monster directly by wielding the weapon and stepping into that monster's square. If no weapon is wielded, you use your bare-handed or martial arts skill. Second, you can use the throw command to throw a weapon or any other object (just type the object's inventory letter). Missiles (such as arrows) are fired from launchers (such as bows) by wielding the launcher and throwing the missile. Finally, you can kick an object at a monster, or just kick a monster in an adjacent square. Your chance to hit is based on the sum of the following items. The larger the number, the better your chance to hit. + The target monster's armor class. + Your experience level, or your hit dice if you are polymorphed. + Your total numerical luck, which can range from -13 to +13. + A bonus based on your dexterity (see DEXT +HIT in the table below). + 1 if you are in elven form and are attacking an orc (any o). + 2 if the target monster was asleep. It will awaken, whether you hit or miss it. + 4 if the target monster was paralyzed. There is a 10% chance that the monster will be unfrozen. The following are added only when attacking a monster directly (i.e., not throwing or kicking): + 1 bonus for attacking directly. + A bonus based on your strength (see STRENGTH +HIT in the table below). + -1 if you are burdened, -3 if stressed, -5 if strained. You cannot attack in any way if you are overtaxed or overloaded. + -3 if you are trapped. + 2 if the target monster was stunned. + 2 if the target monster was fleeing. The following are added only when attacking by throwing or kicking a weapon (i.e., not wielding): + -1 penalty for attacking from a distance. + +2 to -4, depending on your distance to the target monster. + -2 to +5, depending on the size of the target monster. + 2 with a heavy iron ball. + 4 with a boomerang. + 6 with a boulder. + 1 if you are an Elf or Samurai wielding any bow and shooting any arrow. This bonus is 2 when an Elf uses an elven bow or a Samurai uses a yumi. + Some gloves are a hindrance if you wield any bow class. Gauntlets of power are -2, and gauntlets of fumbling are -3. + -4 if you throw or kick a missile without wielding a matching launcher: LAUNCHER(S) MISSILE(S) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ orcish bow, bow, elven bow, orcish arrow, arrow, silver arrow, yumi elven arrow, ya sling gems and stones crossbow crossbow bolt + Enchantment of the launcher you are wielding, if you threw or kicked a matching missile. + -1 if your launcher is damaged, -2 if it is very damaged, or -3 if it is thouroughly damaged. This only applies when you kick or throw a matching missile. If the target monster is hit by a weapon or weapon-tool -- your wielded one when attacking directly, or the missile if thrown or kicked -- there are additional bonuses based on that object: + The object's enchantment. + The object type's to-hit bonus. See +HIT in weapons table 2. + A weapon skill +HIT bonus; see WEAPON +HIT in the weapon skills table above, for the current skill level of that weapon. + 2 for blessed weapon(-tool) against a demon or undead monster. + 2 for weapons in spear class against X, D, J, N, or H. + 2 for a trident against snakes or eels out of water. + 4 for a trident against any swimmer in water. + 2 for weapons in pick-axe class against xorns and earth elementals. + An artifact +HIT bonus, if any applies. A die from 1 to 20 is rolled and compared to the to-hit total. If the die roll is less than the to-hit total (or equal when throwing or kicking), you hit the monster and inflict damage as described below; otherwise, you miss the monster. The die roll is also used in determining if certain "chance" artifact effects occur (e.g., beheading or Magicbane's special attacks). There are also some special cases. If you are swallowed or engulfed by a monster, then direct or thrown attacks always succeed, although you will be unable to kick. Unicorns will always catch gems and glass that is thrown or kicked at them, causing no damage. Here is the table of attribute adjustments: STRENGTH DEXT : STRENGTH DEXT ATTRIBUTE +HIT +DAM +HIT : ATTRIBUTE +HIT +DAM +HIT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ 3 -2 -1 -3 : 18/76 - 18/89 +2 +4 -- 4 to 5 -2 -1 -2 : 18/90 - 18/99 +2 +5 -- 6 to 7 -1 0 -1 : 18/** +3 +6 -- 8 to 14 0 0 0 : 19 +3 +6 +5 15 0 0 +1 : 20 +3 +6 +6 16 0 0 +2 : 21 +3 +6 +7 17 +1 +1 +3 : 22 +3 +6 +8 18 +1 +2 +4 : 23 +3 +6 +9 18/01 - 18/50 +1 +3 -- : 24 +3 +6 +10 18/51 - 18/75 +2 +3 -- : 25 +3 +6 +11 Calculating damage ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Adapted from the spoiler "weapons", by Robert DeLoura and Boudewijn Wayers .) If you hit directly without wielding anything, you inflict either bare- handed base damage (d2) or martial arts base damage (d4). No base damage occurs against shades. If the base damage is more than one point, you exercise that weapon skill. There is also a small chance of stunning your opponent. Damage from weapons, weapon-tools, gems, stones, ball, or chain is the total of the following: + Wielded object's base damage (SDAM or LDAM above, accordingly) + Wielded object's enchantment (weapon and weapon-tool only) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ = Subtotal A # Subtotal A is set to zero if attacking thick-skinned creature with item made of venom, wax, food, paper, cloth, or leather (namely, a bullwhip). Thick-skinned creatures include: gargoyle, winged gargoyle, all mimics, mumak, titanothere, baluchitherium, all baby and adult dragons (D), earth elemental, all baby and adult nagas (N), xorn, skeleton, wood golem, clay golem, stone golem, iron golem, horned devil, barbed devil, crocodile, salamander, Chromatic Dragon, and Ixoth. # Subtotal A is set to zero if attacking a shade without silver. # Heavy iron ball sets subtotal A to 1-25, depending on weight. + d4 if using a blessed item against undead or demon. Undead include all liches (L), all mummies (M), all vampires (V) and vampire bats, all wraiths/wights (W), all zombies (Z), ghosts, and shades. Demons are all & except Death, Pestilence, Famine, the mail daemon, and djinni. This bonus can't be doubled. + d4 if using an axe or battle axe against wooden creature (namely, wood golems). This bonus can't be doubled. + d20 if silver weapon against silver-hating creature. These include all were-creatures (in both human and creature form); all vampires (V); all demons (&) except Death, Pestilence, Famine, the mail daemon, and djinni; shades; and all imps (i) except tengu. This bonus can't be doubled. + erosion penalty (-1 = rusty, -2 = very rusty, -3 = thoroughly rusty). This won't reduce subtotal B beyond 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ = Subtotal B. This is the value that must be greater than one for the hit to be counted toward a weapon skill. + If you are a Rogue in human form hitting a fleeing monster, aren't stuck, and subtotal B is more than one point, you strike from behind with an additional random damage from 1 to your experience level. + If you attack directly with a boomerang, there's approximately 1/3 chance (depending on luck) that the boomerang breaks, causing another 1 point of damage (no damage to shades). + 1 if you're a Samurai using ya with a yumi, or are an Elf using elven arrows with an elven bow. Your role (not your polymorph form) is what matters. + Artifact damage bonus, doubling, and/or special attacks. This may apply only against certain creatures. See arti-322.txt. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ = Total damage Hitting directly with a launcher, hitting directly with a missile, or using the wrong missile with a launcher causes only d2 damage (zero against shades) and does not exercise your weapon skill. Damage from other objects are as follows. No weapon skills are exercised. OBJECT DAMAGE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ corpses 2 to 8, depending on size. Cockatrice corpses (nicknamed "rubber chickens") turn monsters to stone, or do no damage if monster is stoning-resistant. eggs 1, penalize luck if you laid it, and no increase damage bonus. Cockatrice eggs (nicknamed "stoning grenades") turn monsters to stone, or do no damage if monster is stoning-resistant. clove of garlic 1, makes undead (but NOT demons) flee for 2d4 (more) turns. cream pie, 0, blinds target; no increase damage bonus. blinding venom acid venom 2d6 to monsters not acid resistant; no increase damage bonus. potions See pot1-322.txt. expensive camera 0, breaks camera. mirror 1, with a -2 penalty to your luck. boulder d20. heavy iron ball 1 to 25, depending on weight and subject to rusting. iron chain d4+1, subject to rusting. other objects 1 to 6, depending on weight. Additional damage can occur to all of the above attacks (even against shades): + Your increase damage bonus (such as from rings), unless if noted above. + The STRENGTH +DAM bonus from the attributes adjustment table above. This won't occur if you aren't allowed the increase damage bonus, or if you're throwing/kicking a missile without a matching launcher. + If you scored a hit that exercises a weapon skill, the +DAM bonus for that weapon skill. + If you attack a non-poison-resistant monster with a poisoned missile, there's a 10% chance of an instant kill, else you inflict d6 more damage. Your total damage is limited from being negative. If you are allowed an increase damage bonus, you will score at least 1 point of damage. When you attack a monster and are polymorphed into a creature, you usually use the attacks of your polymorphed form. However, if you are in a form that can use a weapon, are wielding something, and attempt a weapon, claw, kick, bite, sting, touch, butt, or tentacle attack, then you will attack with the wielded object instead. You may sometimes shatter your opponent's weapon if you are wielding a two-handed weapon, or are a Samurai wielding a katana with no shield. Your skill with your weapon must be skilled or better. The chance depends upon your weapon's erosion and the ability of your opponent's weapon to resist; it is about 2.5% under the best circumstances. This attack also causes the monster to flee for 2d3 (more) turns. Some monsters fight back passively when attacked. Also, when black or brown puddings are hit directly with an iron weapon, it will be cloned after taking damage. Choosing an early weapon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Most players know that the best weapons in NetHack are artifacts (see arti-322.txt). However, you usually won't find a good artifact weapon until you are well into a game. Which weapons should you use until then? The best general advice is to use the same weapon preferences that monsters use. Their choices of wielded weapons for hand-to-hand combat, from most to least preferred, are as follows: cockatrice corpse, tsurugi, runesword, dwarvish mattock, two-handed sword, battle-axe, katana, unicorn horn, crysknife, trident, long sword, elven broadsword, broadsword, lucern hammer, scimitar, silver saber, halberd, partisan, lance, fauchard, bill-guisarme, bec-de-corbin, guisarme, ranseur, spetum, voulge, bardiche, morning star, glaive, elven short sword, dwarvish short sword, short sword, orcish short sword, mace, axe, dwarvish spear, elven spear, spear, orcish spear, flail, bullwhip, quarterstaff, javelin, aklys, club, pick-axe, rubber hose, war hammer, elven dagger, dagger, orcish dagger, athame, scalpel, knife, worm tooth. If monsters can attack you from a distance with a ranged weapon, they will use them in the following order: dwarvish spear, elven spear, spear, orcish spear, javelin, shuriken, ya, silver arrow, elven arrow, arrow, orcish arrow, crossbow bolt, elven dagger, dagger, orcish dagger, knife, rock, loadstone, luckstone, dart, boomerang (not yet implemented), cream pie. Classes that are good fighters usually start with good weapons (for example, BEKRSV), but other classes may want to switch to a different type of weapon as soon as possible. During the first few levels of the game, you can #untrap dart and arrow traps to get some ranged weapons to throw. Daggers (especially elven) are often left by monsters in the first few levels and in the mines, and have a +2 to-hit bonus. Pick-axes (good to practice skill for dwarvish mattock), unicorn horns, and quarterstaffs (from wood golems) appear somewhat later in the game and are good choices for certain classes. Note that you will start out unskilled in weapon categories other than your starting weapons, which makes fighting with other weapons difficult until you can advance them to basic. Using cockatrice corpses requires gloves and has other risks. Naturally, there are other ways to fight and defend yourself as well. Weapon enchantment and erosion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Adapted from the spoiler "enchant.lim" by Peter Snelling and Boudewijn Wayers .) Your weapon's enchantment (e.g., -1, +0, +2) affects both your chance to hit monsters and the amount of damage produced. However, damage is reduced if your weapon has been eroded by rust, fire, or rotting. Some weapons are made of materials that do not erode (see weapons table 1), but others must be specially protected to prevent erosion. This section explains how to enchant your weapon and protect it from erosion. All of the weapons and tools listed above can only be enchanted by reading scrolls of enchant weapon. You must wield the weapon first. The effect is dependent upon the blessed status of the scroll and the weapon's enchantment before reading the scroll. A blessed scroll adds 1 or more enchantments, based on the current enchantment (see table below). An uncursed scroll adds only one enchantment. Cursed scrolls remove one enchantment; however, artifacts other than Sting or Orcrist are not affected by cursed scrolls of enchant weapon in any way. Current enchantment -3 to -1 +0 to +2 +3 to +5 +6 to +8 +9 or more ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Additional possible 1 to 4 1 to 3 1 to 2 1 0 to 1 A blessed or uncursed scroll will further make a cursed weapon uncursed, and will convert a worm tooth into a crysknife. Cursed scrolls will convert a crysknife into a worm tooth. There is also a 2/3 chance of your weapon being destroyed if it was more than +5 (less than -5) before reading a nonncursed (cursed) scroll. Thus, the maximum safe enchantment for a weapon is +7. This is obtained by reading uncursed or blessed scrolls until +5 is reached, and then reading a blessed scroll. If by chance this results in +6, you should bring the enchantment back down to +5 -- by engraving one letter with the weapon or by reading a cursed scroll of enchant weapon -- before trying again. Note: Engraving works only for weapons with edges, and for athames only when they are cursed. The artifact Magicbane has special attack effects that decrease in frequency as the enchantment is increased. See arti-322.txt for a discussion on why it works best when enchanted at +2. A special case occurs if you are confused while reading a scroll of enchant weapon. Blessed or uncursed scrolls of enchant weapon while confused will remove any rust, fire, or rot damage and rustproof/fireproof your weapon. The weapon's current enchantment does not matter. Reading a cursed scroll of enchant weapon while confused removes any rustproofing or fireproofing, but will not otherwise damage your weapon. You can also choose a weapon that doesn't damage (such as one made of silver), temporarily protect your weapon by applying a layer of grease from a can of grease, or #dip a damaged weapon into a non-cursed potion of oil to remove one level of damage. Acknowledgements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David Richerby , David Grabiner , and Dylan O'Donnell provided many corrections. Spelling corrections by Aaron Bell and Ivan .