Barrow wight - Revision history

Ray Chason: Update difficulty and attacks

2026-05-14T04:20:07Z

Update difficulty and attacks

Ray Chason: Include the female tile

2026-05-11T23:09:16Z

Include the female tile

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2026-04-29T09:48:54Z

pothole

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ detail

2025-12-04T00:53:56Z

‎dNetHack: detail

Umbire the Phantom: /* Origin */ word choice

2025-12-03T07:52:39Z

‎Origin: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ word choice

2025-12-03T07:47:03Z

‎dNetHack: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ typo

2025-12-03T07:46:16Z

‎dNetHack: typo

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit + update

2025-12-03T07:45:57Z

copyedit + update

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ still wordsmithing...

2024-07-12T06:26:01Z

‎dNetHack: still wordsmithing...

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ detail dnh

2024-07-12T06:17:47Z

‎Variants: detail dnh

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{monster
   |tile=[[File:Barrow_wight.png]] [[File:Barrow_wight_female.png]]
-  |difficulty=7
+  |difficulty=8
   |level=3
   |experience=90
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   |frequency=1
   |genocidable=Yes
-  |attacks=[[Weapon]] 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, [[Claw attack|claw]] 1d4 [[Physical damage|physical]]
+  |attacks=[[Weapon]] 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, [[Claw attack|claw]] 1d4 [[Physical damage|physical]], [[Touch]] 1d4 [[cold]]
   |weight=1200
   |nutr=0

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{monster
   |difficulty=7
   |level=3

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
   |frequency=1
   |genocidable=Yes
-  |attacks=[[Weapon]] 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, [[Claw attack|claw]] 1d4 [[Physical attack|physical]]
+  |attacks=[[Weapon]] 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, [[Claw attack|claw]] 1d4 [[Physical damage|physical]]
   |weight=1200
   |nutr=0

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 Barrow wights are generated with a [[stiletto]] instead of a knife&mdash;both the stiletto and their long sword each have a {{frac|5}} chance of generating with an [[Object materials (dNetHack)|object material]] of [[silver]] and a {{frac|5}} chance of generating as [[Gold (material)|gold]], and they also each have an independent {{frac|20}} chance of generating with the "lesser holy" [[object property]].
-Barrow wights generated in the future (i.e. the [[Anachrononaut quest]] and [[Android quest]]) are created with a [[Erosion|thoroughly tattered]] [[mummy wrapping]] that has an [[enchantment]] ranging from +1 to +7, as well as a [[mineral]] stiletto that has an enchantment ranging from +1 to +3&mdash;the stiletto has three independent chances of being given the [[misty]] property ({{frac|5}} chance), the [[Faded (object property)|faded]] property ({{frac|2}} chance), and the unholy property ({{frac|2}} chance and will cause the weapon to be cursed), and gains 1-3 more points of enchantment for each property that is applied. They will also have an item equipped to their head slot that has a {{frac|10}} chance of being a [[statue]] of a [[parasitic mind flayer]], and will otherwise be a [[Mask (dNetHack)|mask]] of a [[mind flayer]].
+Barrow wights generated in the future (i.e. the [[Anachrononaut quest]] and [[Android quest]]) are created with a [[Erosion|thoroughly tattered]] [[mummy wrapping]] that has an [[enchantment]] ranging from +1 to +7, as well as a [[mineral]] stiletto that has an enchantment ranging from +1 to +3&mdash;the stiletto has three independent chances of being given the [[misty]] property ({{frac|5}} chance), the [[Faded (object property)|faded]] property ({{frac|2}} chance), and the unholy property ({{frac|2}} chance and will cause the weapon to be cursed), and gains 1-3 more points of enchantment for each property that is applied. They will also have an item equipped to their head slot that has a {{frac|10}} chance of being a [[statue]] of a [[parasitic mind flayer]] embedded in their face, and will otherwise be a [[Mask (dNetHack)|mask]] of a [[mind flayer]].
 Barrow wights are a tempting source of long swords for lawful heroes to dip and turn into Excalibur, since creating Excalibur this way retains any object properties and [[Object materials (dNetHack)|object materials]]: silver weapons naturally deal +1d20 silver damage, while gold weapons raise a blessed weapon's holy bonus damage to +1d20 and raise a cursed weapon's unholy bonus damage to +4d9; the lesser holy property adds +1d8 holy damage for blessed weapons with the property that is separate from the normal +1d4 damage bonus.

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 A "barrow" is a burial mound, such as the ones used in Neolithic times, while the word "wight" generally refers to a form of undead; the latter word describes a living human being in its original Old English usage, and has since come to be used within fantasy works such as ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' and ''Vampire: The Masquerade'' to describe immortal ghost-like beings. The earliest example of the modern wight is in [[wikipedia:William Morris|William Morris's]] 1869 translation of the ''[[wikipedia:Grettis saga|Grettis saga]]'', a work of Icelandic family prose; here, ''haugbui'' (referring to undead monsters Glámr and Kárr) is translated as "barrow-wight".
-''NetHack'' derives barrow wights from [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s world of Middle-earth, which in turn bases them on Nordic folklores such as the ones translated by Morris, and they are typically depicted as wraith-like evil spirits; in ''The Lord of the Rings'', the [[hobbit]] Frodo and his company narrowly escape a barrow-wight with the aid of Tom Bombadil, who then arms the group using "barrow-blades" and ancient swords from the wight's treasure-hoard (the basis for the barrow wight's ''NetHack'' starting inventory).
+''NetHack'' derives barrow wights from [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s world of Middle-earth, which in turn bases them on Nordic folklores such as the ones translated by Morris, and they are typically depicted as wraith-like evil spirits&mdash;in ''The Lord of the Rings'', the [[hobbit]] Frodo and his company narrowly escape a barrow-wight with the aid of Tom Bombadil, who then arms the group using "barrow-blades" and ancient swords from the wight's treasure-hoard. These blades are the basis for the barrow wight's ''NetHack'' starting inventory.
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
   |frequency=1
   |genocidable=Yes
-  |attacks=Weapon 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, claw 1d4 physical
+  |attacks=[[Weapon]] 0d0 [[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]], [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 0d0 mage, [[Claw attack|claw]] 1d4 [[Physical attack|physical]]
   |weight=1200
   |nutr=0
   |size=Medium
-  |resistances=Cold, sleep, poison
+  |resistances=[[Cold resistance]], [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]]
   |resistances conveyed=None
   |attributes={{attributes|A barrow wight|nocorpse=1|breathless=1|humanoid=1|undead=1|stalk=1|hostile=1|collect=1}}
   |reference=[[monst.c#line1881]]
 }}
-A '''barrow wight''', {{monsym|barrow wight}}, is a [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. Barrow wights are [[Wraith (monster class)|wraith-like]] [[undead]] that will seek out items such as weapons and armor to pick up, and will [[follow]] [[you]] to other levels if they are adjacent to you.
+Barrow wights have a [[weapon]] attack that can [[drain life]], the ability to cast one mage [[monster spell]] during each of their turns, and a [[claw attack]] that deals [[physical damage]]. Like other undead, they possess [[poison resistance]], [[sleep resistance]], [[cold resistance]], [[drain resistance]], and [[death resistance]].
-A barrow wight has a weapon attack with the ability to [[drain life]], the ability to cast one mage [[monster spell]] during each of its turns, and a claw attack. They possess [[poison resistance]], [[sleep resistance]] and [[cold resistance]].
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|e41c029262b0812a2381ef376e3d74bc3eddb3da}}, barrow wights also have a 1d4 [[cold]] [[touch attack]].}}
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 28: / Line 29: @@
 Barrow wights appear among the random {{white|W}} that are part of the second [[quest]] [[monster class]] for [[Wizard]]s and make up {{frac|6|175}} of the monsters randomly generated on the [[Wizard quest]].
-Barrow wights are [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] a [[long sword]] and a [[knife]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|472|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+Barrow wights are [[always generated with]] a [[long sword]] and a [[knife]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|472|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-A barrow wight [[corpseless|does not leave a corpse]] upon death.
+A barrow wight [[Corpseless|does not leave a corpse]] upon death.
-Characters that die at the hands of a barrow wight and leave a [[bones]] file will arise as a named [[wraith]] instead of a [[ghost]].
+Heroes that die at the hands of a barrow wight and leave a [[bones]] file will arise as a [[named]] [[wraith]] instead of a [[ghost]].
 ==Strategy==
-Barrow wights move at the same [[speed]] as an unhasted, unburdened hero, and can be more troublesome than expected: their monster spells typically include [[Stun (monster spell)|stun]], [[Haste self (monster spell)|haste self]], [[cure self]], and [[psi bolt]]. They will often throw their knife (and any other projectiles they comes across) upon spotting you. Though their [[melee]] attacks are not particularly strong, they can drain levels and still cause significant damage using their long sword; their spellcasting can also potentially prolong a fight, and may be even more trouble when fighting multiple foes. Alert players, especially ones that can stay out of melee range, can handle them fairly quickly and without too much trouble.
+Barrow wights move at the same base [[speed]] as an unburdened hero, and will often throw their knife (and any other projectiles they comes across) upon spotting you. A barrow wight can be more troublesome than expected to deal with: though their [[melee]] attacks are not particularly strong, they can drain levels and still cause significant damage using their long sword; their monster spells typically include [[Stun (monster spell)|stun]], [[Haste self (monster spell)|haste self]], [[cure self]], and [[psi bolt]], which can potentially prolong a fight and may become deadly when fighting multiple hostiles. Alert players, especially ones that can stay out of melee range, can handle them fairly quickly and without too much trouble.
-Once a barrow wight is destroyed, the long sword may be of interest to [[lawful]] characters looking to dip for [[Excalibur]]. Barrow wights are also a source of knives for characters that seek to utilize them as projectiles, e.g. [[Healer]]s and [[Rogue]]s.
+Once a barrow wight is destroyed, the long sword may be of interest to a hero looking for a solid melee weapon, including [[lawful]] heroes looking to dip for [[Excalibur]]. Barrow wights are also a source of knives for heroes planning to use a stack of them as projectiles (e.g. some [[Healer]]s and [[Rogue]]s).
 ==History==
@@ Line 50: / Line 53: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===UnNetHack===
-In [[UnNetHack]], barrow wights are slightly more common.
+In [[UnNetHack]], barrow wights have an additional 1d4 [[cold]] [[touch attack]].
 If a hero is killed by a [[Nazgul]], they will rise as a barrow wight instead of a ghost if a bones file is created.
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]], and [[notnotdNetHack]], a barrow wight's long sword has a {{frac|5}} chance of being made of [[silver]] and a {{frac|5}} chance of being made of [[Gold (material)|gold]] - it also has an independent {{frac|20}} chance of generating with the "lesser holy" [[object property]].
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]], and [[notnotdNetHack]], all 5 points of a barrow wight's AC are in the 'protection' category.
-Barrow wights are a tempting source of long swords for lawful characters to dip and turn into Excalibur, since creating Excalibur this way retains any object properties and [[Object materials (dNetHack)|object materials]]: silver weapons naturally deal +1d20 silver damage, while gold weapons raise a blessed weapon's holy bonus damage to +1d20 and raise a cursed weapon's unholy bonus damage to +4d9; the lesser holy property adds +1d8 holy damage for blessed weapons with the property that is separate from the normal +1d4 damage bonus.
+Barrow wights are a tempting source of long swords for lawful heroes to dip and turn into Excalibur, since creating Excalibur this way retains any object properties and [[Object materials (dNetHack)|object materials]]: silver weapons naturally deal +1d20 silver damage, while gold weapons raise a blessed weapon's holy bonus damage to +1d20 and raise a cursed weapon's unholy bonus damage to +4d9; the lesser holy property adds +1d8 holy damage for blessed weapons with the property that is separate from the normal +1d4 damage bonus.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==