Difference between revisions of "War hammer"

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{{wikipedia|War hammer}}
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{{languages}}
 
{{weapon
 
{{weapon
 
  |name=war hammer
 
  |name=war hammer
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  |smalldmg=1d4+1
 
  |smalldmg=1d4+1
 
  |largedmg=1d4
 
  |largedmg=1d4
  |tohit=<nowiki>+0</nowiki>
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  |tohit=0
  |skillraw=[[war hammer|hammer]]
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  |skillraw=hammer
 
  |cost=5
 
  |cost=5
 
  |weight=50
 
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}}
 
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The '''war hammer''' is a [[weapon]] in [[NetHack]], perhaps best known as the [[base item]] for the [[artifact weapon]] [[Mjollnir]].
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A '''war hammer''' is a type of one-handed [[weapon]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is the [[base item]] for the [[artifact weapon]]s [[Mjollnir]] and [[Ogresmasher]].
  
== Hammer skill ==
+
==Generation==
 +
War hammers make up ~1.5% of randomly generated weapons (on the floor, as [[death drop]]s, or in [[shop]]s).
  
 +
[[Player monster]]s, including those on the [[Astral Plane]], have a ~1.3% chance of generating with a war hammer as their initial weapon before role-based replacements{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|155|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment={{frac|2}} to get a random weapon - the designated range of objects covers weapons from the spear to the bullwhip inclusively in objects.c, and uses normal generation odds}} - as with other player monster weapons on the Astral Plane, the hammer has a {{frac|2}} chance of being made into either Mjollnir or Ogresmasher if neither weapon has been generated.{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|270|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} [[Valkyrie (player monster)|Valkyrie]]s have a {{frac|2}} chance of forcing a war hammer as their weapon.{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|239|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 +
 +
==Hammer skill==
 
{{hammer skill table}}
 
{{hammer skill table}}
  
The war hammer is the only kind of hammer in the game. ('''Note:''' A [[Polearm#Lucern_hammer|lucern hammer]] is a type of [[polearm]].) [[Artifact weapon|Artifact]] hammers are [[Mjollnir]] and [[Ogresmasher]].
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The war hammer is the only weapon to use the '''hammer''' [[skill]] in vanilla ''[[NetHack]]''. The [[lucern hammer]] is a type of [[polearm]] and uses this skill instead.
  
== Generation ==
+
==Strategy==
War hammers make up about 1.5% of randomly generated weapons (on the floor, as [[death drop]]s, or in [[shop]]s).
+
The war hammer is generally an unremarkable weapon, with lower damage than the [[mace]] and the [[long sword]]. As a weapon skill, it is most relevant for those who find or receive Ogresmasher or Mjollnir.
 
 
[[Player monster]] [[Valkyrie (player monster)|valkyrie]]s are often generated with a war hammer,{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|240|version=NetHack 3.6.0}} which has a chance of being Mjollnir or Ogresmasher, if either weapon has not yet been generated.
 
 
 
== Strategy ==
 
 
 
Due to its low damage in all cases, lower than the [[mace]] (a good option for [[priest]]s), and the [[long sword]] (a good option for [[barbarian]]s), a war hammer is generally a useless weapon, and usually only good for training the hammer skill in preparation for Mjollnir.
 
  
 
===Average damage calculation===
 
===Average damage calculation===
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from [[Skill|weapon skills]], [[strength]], or from using a [[blessed]] weapon against [[undead]] or [[demon]]s.
+
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from weapon skills, [[strength]], or from using a [[blessed]] weapon against [[undead]] or [[M2_DEMON|demons]].
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
!Weapon
 
!Weapon
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|}
 
|}
  
== History ==
+
==History==
The war hammer first appeared in [[NetHack 3.0.3]]. The [[lucern hammer]], which existed since [[NetHack 1.3d]], was erroneously classified as using the hammer skill rather than [[polearm]] skill. This mistake was carried over from canonical [[D&D]], where clerics, who were restricted in most weapon classes except blunt weapons, would happily spend their entire player's career not knowing that they were thwacking away with a polearm. This led to [[Thunderfist]], the predecessor of [[Mjollnir]], having the base item of a lucern hammer.
+
The war hammer first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.3]].
  
Correcting this mistake, unfortunately, also greatly restricted the effectiveness of the hammer skill, as well as making Mjollnir a less effective weapon choice.
+
The lucern hammer, which first appeas in [[NetHack 1.3d]], was erroneously classified as using the hammer skill rather than [[polearm]] skill - this mistake was carried over from early editions of ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''. In [[NetHack 3.0.0]], this led to [[Thunderfist]] (the predecessor of Mjollnir) and Ogresmasher having the base item of a lucern hammer instead; the war hammer was introduced in part to correct this mistake.
  
== Variants ==
+
==Origin==
[[SLASH'EM]] adds a [[heavy hammer]], a new weapon that uses the hammer skill, and is the new base item for Mjollnir.
+
{{wikipedia|War hammer}}
 +
[[File:Polish_Horseman's_picks_from_XVII_century.jpg|150px|thumb|A horseman's pick, an example of a real-world type of war hammer]]
 +
The war hammer is a weapon that was formerly used in warfare, dating back to as far as the 2nd century BCE. Real-world war hammers were quite versatile weapons and were important for facing heavily-armored opponents much like [[mace]]s. The blunt hammerhead would deliver concussive force through thick armor - including most chain mail and even plate mail - and the pick end on the opposite face could be used to punch holes, whether through a piece of armor or the odd skull. They could also be used in grappling.
 +
 
 +
The war hammer's hit die are derived from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons|Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]''.
 +
 
 +
==Variants==
 +
===SLASH'EM===
 +
[[SLASH'EM]] adds a new type of hammer in the [[heavy hammer]], which is stronger than the war hammer and acts as the new base item for Mjollnir.
  
== Origin ==
+
===dNetHack===
[[File:Polish_Horseman's_picks_from_XVII_century.jpg|150px|thumb|A Horseman's pick, an example of a real-world type of war hammer]]The damage of the war hammer in ''NetHack'' is most likely based on the damage it dealt in Advanced [[Dungeons and Dragons]], which is to say, ''1d4''. Unlike in ''NetHack'', or its predecessor, [[D&D]], war hammers certainly were not puny by any account, and in fact, a quite versatile weapon; ''NetHack'' does not give them enough credit.
+
In [[dNetHack]], the war hammer deals 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage to small monsters and 1d8 bludgeoning damage to large ones, and can be thrown with no to-hit penalty.
  
In the real world, war hammers, much like [[mace]]s, were important for facing heavily armored opponents. The blunt hammerhead would deliver concussive force through the thickest armor, and the pick end on the opposite face could be used to punch holes, whether through a piece of armor or the odd skull. They could also be used in grappling.
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===xNetHack===
 +
In [[xNetHack]], war hammers are made into a two-handed weapon that deals 2d6 damage to small creatures and 2d8 to large creatures.
  
[[Chain mail]], or a chain [[wikipedia:Coif|coif]], in particular, was designed as special protection against the slash of the sword<ref>[[wikipedia:Mail_(armor)]]</ref>&mdash;an armor type that would have no particular benefit against a war hammer wielding opponent. [[Plate mail]] rendered sword strikes mostly harmless, making most blows ricochet; the war hammer addressed this protection, being able to cause great damage even without ripping through the armor.
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===EvilHack===
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[[EvilHack]] adds the [[heavy war hammer]], a stronger type of hammer that acts as the new base item for Mjollnir and Ogresmasher. Hammers of any kind can also be wielded while standing on a square with a [[Forge (dungeon feature)|forge]] to create new weapons, armor and other objects, including even [[artifact]]s.
  
Unfortunately, none of these realistic mechanics are preserved in ''NetHack'', where war hammers cannot be used to grapple in any way, nor are they any more effective against an armored opponent.
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A war hammer can be created at a forge by combining a [[flail]] and a [[mace]]. War hammers can be used to create a few other items:
  
== Encyclopedia entry ==
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* Two war hammers can be combined to create a heavy war hammer.
 +
* A war hammer can be combined with a [[spear]] to create a [[bec de corbin]].
 +
* A war hammer can be combined with a [[knife]] to create a [[dented pot]].
  
 +
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
{{encyclopedia|
They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the
+
They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in black.  On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the sunlight.  The waters of the Trident ran red around the hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert's hammer stove in the dragon and the chest behind it.  When Ned had finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrambled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor.
battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his
 
great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in
 
black.  On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his
 
House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the
 
sunlight.  The waters of the Trident ran red around the
 
hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again
 
and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert's hammer
 
stove in the dragon and the chest behind it.  When Ned had
 
finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream,
 
while men of both armies scrambled in the swirling waters for
 
rubies knocked free of his armor.
 
 
|[ A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin ]
 
|[ A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin ]
 
}}
 
}}
  
== References ==
+
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
+
{{nethack-367}}
{{nethack-360}}
 
 
[[Category:Weapons]]
 
[[Category:Weapons]]

Latest revision as of 12:59, 10 March 2024

) War hammer.png
Name war hammer
Appearance war hammer
Damage vs. small 1d4+1
Damage vs. large 1d4
To-hit bonus 0
Weapon skill hammer
Size one-handed
Base price 5 zm
(+10/positive
enchant)
Weight 50
Material iron

A war hammer is a type of one-handed weapon that appears in NetHack. It is the base item for the artifact weapons Mjollnir and Ogresmasher.

Generation

War hammers make up ~1.5% of randomly generated weapons (on the floor, as death drops, or in shops).

Player monsters, including those on the Astral Plane, have a ~1.3% chance of generating with a war hammer as their initial weapon before role-based replacements[1] - as with other player monster weapons on the Astral Plane, the hammer has a 12 chance of being made into either Mjollnir or Ogresmasher if neither weapon has been generated.[2] Valkyries have a 12 chance of forcing a war hammer as their weapon.[3]

Hammer skill

Hammer
Max Role
Basic
Skilled
Expert

The war hammer is the only weapon to use the hammer skill in vanilla NetHack. The lucern hammer is a type of polearm and uses this skill instead.

Strategy

The war hammer is generally an unremarkable weapon, with lower damage than the mace and the long sword. As a weapon skill, it is most relevant for those who find or receive Ogresmasher or Mjollnir.

Average damage calculation

The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from weapon skills, strength, or from using a blessed weapon against undead or demons.

Weapon Small monsters Large monsters
+0 war hammer \frac{1+4}{2}+1=\bold{3.5} \frac{1+4}{2}=\bold{2.5}
+7 war hammer \frac{1+4}{2}+1+7=\bold{10.5} \frac{1+4}{2}+7=\bold{9.5}

History

The war hammer first appears in NetHack 3.0.3.

The lucern hammer, which first appeas in NetHack 1.3d, was erroneously classified as using the hammer skill rather than polearm skill - this mistake was carried over from early editions of Dungeons & Dragons. In NetHack 3.0.0, this led to Thunderfist (the predecessor of Mjollnir) and Ogresmasher having the base item of a lucern hammer instead; the war hammer was introduced in part to correct this mistake.

Origin

A horseman's pick, an example of a real-world type of war hammer

The war hammer is a weapon that was formerly used in warfare, dating back to as far as the 2nd century BCE. Real-world war hammers were quite versatile weapons and were important for facing heavily-armored opponents much like maces. The blunt hammerhead would deliver concussive force through thick armor - including most chain mail and even plate mail - and the pick end on the opposite face could be used to punch holes, whether through a piece of armor or the odd skull. They could also be used in grappling.

The war hammer's hit die are derived from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Variants

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM adds a new type of hammer in the heavy hammer, which is stronger than the war hammer and acts as the new base item for Mjollnir.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, the war hammer deals 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage to small monsters and 1d8 bludgeoning damage to large ones, and can be thrown with no to-hit penalty.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, war hammers are made into a two-handed weapon that deals 2d6 damage to small creatures and 2d8 to large creatures.

EvilHack

EvilHack adds the heavy war hammer, a stronger type of hammer that acts as the new base item for Mjollnir and Ogresmasher. Hammers of any kind can also be wielded while standing on a square with a forge to create new weapons, armor and other objects, including even artifacts.

A war hammer can be created at a forge by combining a flail and a mace. War hammers can be used to create a few other items:

  • Two war hammers can be combined to create a heavy war hammer.
  • A war hammer can be combined with a spear to create a bec de corbin.
  • A war hammer can be combined with a knife to create a dented pot.

Encyclopedia entry

They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in black. On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the sunlight. The waters of the Trident ran red around the hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert's hammer stove in the dragon and the chest behind it. When Ned had finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrambled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor.

[ A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin ]

References

  1. src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 155: 12 to get a random weapon - the designated range of objects covers weapons from the spear to the bullwhip inclusively in objects.c, and uses normal generation odds
  2. src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 270
  3. src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 239