Valkyrie

The Valkyrie is a player role. They are based upon the valkyries of norse legend, who would carry the spirits of fallen warriors to the afterlife. NetHack says of them:

       The Valkyries were the thirteen choosers of the slain, the
       beautiful warrior-maids of Odin who rode through the air and
       over the sea.  They watched the progress of the battle and
       selected the heroes who were to fall fighting.  After they
       were dead, the maidens rewarded the heroes by kissing them
       and then led their souls to Valhalla, where the warriors
       lived happily in an ideal existence, drinking and eating
       without restraint and fighting over again the battles in
       which they died and in which they had won their deathless
       fame.
       [ The Encyclopaedia of Myths and Legends of All
               Nations, by Herbert Robinson and Knox
               Wilson ]

All valkyries are female, except when polymorph or an amulet of change becomes involved. Females can lay eggs when polymorphed into another creature. Other than that they have no advantages or disadvantages over males.

Strategy

• Valkyries are powerful melee fighters and have substantially high HP growth. Under normal circumstances, the only strategy needed is to attack enemies directly.
• Because valkyries start with long swords, if one is Lawful, it is exceptionally easy to get Excalibur from a fountain once the character is level 5.
• Sacrificing is more beneficial to valkyries than for other classes, because their first artifact gift is guaranteed to be Mjollnir. This is a useful weapon against major demons. But some consider it nearly useless in the end-game.
• Valkyries with strength of 25 can throw Mjollnir, and have it return to them immediately. The thrown Mjollnir is one of the most powerful projectile attacks, and works well all the way to the end-game. Because of this, gauntlets of power are a high-priority item for wishing, perhaps even above SDSM.
• Some consider Mjollnir to be a trap, since when thrown they have a 99% chance of being caught, but not 100%. Since Mjollnir strikes with lightning and lightning explodes rings and wands, it is an extremely dangerous weapon. But if you don't have anything that can be destroyed, and you have lightning resistance then you can throw it, but the monster equipment may be destroyed, which is not a good thing.
• Valkyries also get expert at daggers. This fact should not be neglected. Actually enhancing daggers before long sword is actually recommended by many experienced players. Daggers become extremely powerful because they double all damages on an average as you can throw upto 3 at once at expert level. Expert thown daggers is better than two weaponing, unless one is a double damage artifact.
• The Valkyrie's Quest is fairly easy, with one exception: the first level is mostly ice, and has randomly-placed fire traps. As a result, do NOT walk on the ice. You may trigger a fire trap, which will melt the ice, and you will fall in the water. If you're burdened or surrounded, you'll drown; either way, scrolls and spellbooks not in a bag will be blanked. You'll likely see several quest friendlies die to this.

Starting Equipment

• an Uncursed +0 long sword
• an Uncursed +0 dagger
• an Uncursed +3 small shield
• 1-3 Uncursed food rations

(Results compiled from:

• 3 Human Lawful Valkyrie

(more appreciated!))

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