Beheading and bisection - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* SLASH'EM */ tag

2025-04-25T23:30:02Z

‎SLASH'EM: tag

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ expand + detail variant stuff

2025-04-25T23:29:37Z

‎Variants: expand + detail variant stuff

Umbire the Phantom: /* Beheading */ pothole

2025-04-08T13:03:53Z

‎Beheading: pothole

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ reorder and copyedit

2025-04-08T12:43:47Z

‎Description: reorder and copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: /* Beheading */ tweaks

2024-04-19T13:30:49Z

‎Beheading: tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ clarify

2024-04-08T19:09:06Z

‎dNetHack: clarify

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ word choice, potholes

2023-12-21T23:23:05Z

‎dNetHack: word choice, potholes

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ copyedit

2023-12-21T23:17:54Z

‎Description: copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: pothole, ver

2023-08-23T00:38:58Z

pothole, ver

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ forgot da uvuu

2023-07-03T14:01:32Z

‎dNetHack: forgot da uvuu

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], the chance of an artifact with the <code>SPFX_BEHEAD</code> flag triggering its effect is raised to 10%&mdash;this applies to both Vorpal Blade and the Tsurugi of Muramasa, as well as [[Thiefbane]], an artifact weapon added in SLASH'EM that has the same chance of beheading any {{white|@}}. The [[potion of invulnerability]] does not protect you from beheading or bisection, since it only prevents standard HP loss.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the chance of an artifact with the <tt>SPFX_BEHEAD</tt> flag triggering its effect is raised to 10%&mdash;this applies to both Vorpal Blade and the Tsurugi of Muramasa, as well as [[Thiefbane]], an artifact weapon added in SLASH'EM that has the same chance of beheading any {{white|@}}. The [[potion of invulnerability]] does not protect you from beheading or bisection, since it only prevents standard HP loss.
 SLASH'EM implements the [[Vorpal jabberwock (SLASH'EM)|vorpal jabberwock]], which is essentially a tougher version of the normal jabberwock: it cannot decapitate monsters, and is not instantly beheaded by Vorpal Blade as a normal jabberwock is.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 In [[SLASH'EM]], the chance of an artifact with the <code>SPFX_BEHEAD</code> flag triggering its effect is raised to 10%&mdash;this applies to both Vorpal Blade and the Tsurugi of Muramasa, as well as [[Thiefbane]], an artifact weapon added in SLASH'EM that has the same chance of beheading any {{white|@}}. The [[potion of invulnerability]] does not protect you from beheading or bisection, since it only prevents standard HP loss.
-SLASH'EM implements the vorpal jabberwock, which is essentially a tougher version of the normal jabberwock and cannot decapitate monsters.
+SLASH'EM implements the [[Vorpal jabberwock (SLASH'EM)|vorpal jabberwock]], which is essentially a tougher version of the normal jabberwock: it cannot decapitate monsters, and is not instantly beheaded by Vorpal Blade as a normal jabberwock is.
 ===GruntHack===
 [[GruntHack]] has the "vorpal" object property, which can only occur with bladed weapons: Single-handed weapons with the vorpal property function the same as Vorpal Blade, beheading solid non-headless targets with a 5% chance and always beheading jabberwocks; two-handed vorpal weapons will bisect enemies as The Tsurugi of Muramasa does, with a 5% chance of instakilling smaller creatures or of cutting deeply into larger creatures.
-GruntHack also implements the vorpal jabberwock and gives this property to its two claw attacks.
+GruntHack also implements the [[Vorpal jabberwock (GruntHack)|vorpal jabberwock]] and gives this property to its two claw attacks, while also making it as vulnerable to vorpal weapons and Vorpal Blade as a normal jabberwock.
 ===UnNetHack===
-[[UnNetHack]] makes use of the vorpal jabberwock and gives its claw attacks the ability to behead targets, though the chance is halved to 2.5%.
+[[UnNetHack]] buffs Vorpal Blade so that it grants protection from beheading of any kind while wielded.
 ===dNetHack===
-[[dNetHack]] has the vorpal object property, though it functions differently from most other implementations: the "vorpal blow" is no longer an instakill, but is instead a massively damaging attack with an associated special message chosen based on the object's damage types:
+[[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] have the vorpal object property, though it functions much differently from most other implementations: the "vorpal blow" is no longer an instant kill, but is instead a massively damaging attack with an associated special message chosen based on the object's damage types:
 * Vorpal weapons that are both slashing and piercing have a chance of decapitating the target.
@@ Line 46: / Line 48: @@
 Vorpal blows from weapons can potentially be blocked by specific pieces of armor based on their enchantment: a [[helm]] protects from beheading (regardless of how much it actually covers the head), while body armor protects from bisection and heart-piercing, and [[shield]]s protect from smashing. Armor protection in this instance is based on its AC value plus its enchantment: very high-AC armor is more likely to block enough damage for the player to survive, though often at the cost of significant loss to HP and armor enchantment&mdash;non-[[artifact]] armor that fails to protect from a vorpal blow or else loses enough enchantment from one will always be destroyed by the hit.
-In addition, dNetHack has several artifacts capable of decapitation:
+In addition, there are several artifacts capable of decapitation:
 * Vorpal Blade has its standard 5% chance of landing a vorpal blow that deals bonus damage equal to (2d12! + x) * 20) + 8d20, where ''x'' is the weapon enchantment and 2d12 uses [[exploding dice]].
@@ Line 54: / Line 56: @@
 * Levistus's [[Shadowlock]] can pierce its target's heart.
-On the other hand, monsters with vorpal attacks can still instakill with them unless the target is wearing a helm or has a [[preservation engine]]. Those monsters are listed as follows:
+On the other hand, monsters with vorpal attacks can still instantly kill targets with them unless that target is wearing a helm or has a [[preservation engine]]. Those monsters are listed as follows:
 * [[Dracae Eladrin]]
@@ Line 62: / Line 64: @@
 * [[uvuudaum]], via its [[brainspike]] attack
-===DynaHack and FIQHack===
+===DynaHack===
-In [[DynaHack]], the vorpal property functions the same as in GruntHack, except that it no longer occurs on randomly generated objects. The same is true in [[FIQHack]].
+In [[DynaHack]], the vorpal property functions the same as in GruntHack, except that it no longer occurs on randomly generated objects. This also applies to [[FIQHack]].
 ===EvilHack===
-[[EvilHack]] also uses the vorpal jabberwock, which has decapitating claw attacks and behaves very similarly to GruntHack's version of the monster.
+[[EvilHack]] implements the [[Vorpal jabberwock (SpliceHack)|vorpal jabberwock]] and gives its claw attacks the ability to behead targets, similar to the GruntHack version of the monster&mdash;wielding Vorpal Blade can prevent beheading of any kind. These claw attacks use the '''<tt>AD_BHED</tt>''' damage type.
-EvilHack's [[shambling horror]] can roll beheading or bisecting attacks among its randomized traits, making them potentially lethal to approach in melee.
+EvilHack's [[Shambling horror (EvilHack)|shambling horror]] can roll beheading or bisecting attacks among its randomized traits, making them potentially lethal to approach in melee.
 ==References==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 This chance is still accounted for if the hero or monster being attacked with Vorpal Blade has a [[Body parts|headless]] form, or a hero attacks a monster currently [[engulfing]] the hero: the sword instead has a {{frac|20}} chance of dealing no damage in those cases, as the blow will "miss <[[foo]]> wildly".{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1304|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1325|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If a hero attacks an [[unsolid]] monster that has a head with Vorpal Blade (i.e. a [[ghost]] or [[shade]]), the sword has a {{frac|20}} chance of slicing through its neck, which is treated as a normal hit.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1312|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock&mdash;many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
+Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[Vorpal jabberwock (monster)|vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock&mdash;many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Description==
-Beheading is associated with the one-handed [[artifact weapon]] [[Vorpal Blade]], while bisection is tied to the two-handed [[Tsurugi of Muramasa]]. Both have a 5% chance of occurring when a [[monster]] (including [[you]]) is hit with either weapon, with the latter chance dependent on the size of the target monster. A monster that is beheaded or bisected takes HP damage equal to twice their maximum HP - while not considered an [[instadeath]] due to the calculation methods, this will immediately kill the monster in practice.
+Beheading is associated with the one-handed [[artifact weapon]] [[Vorpal Blade]], while bisection is tied to the two-handed [[Tsurugi of Muramasa]]. Both properties have a 5% chance of activating when a [[monster]] (including the [[hero]]) is hit with either weapon, with the latter chance also dependent on the size of the target monster.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1250|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1295|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="snickersnack"}} A monster that is beheaded or bisected takes HP damage equal to twice their maximum HP&mdash;while not considered an [[instadeath]] due to the calculation methods, this will always immediately kill the monster in practice.
-You cannot behead or bisect yourself by [[throw]]ing either weapon in the air using {{kbd|<}}, and will only take normal damage from the weapon falling back down and hitting you.<ref>{{commit|6ce22770c99e70aa6082867a1f8c87144f8b6d37|NetHack commit 6ce2277 - "Fire Brand vs sliming"}}</ref>
+The hero cannot behead or bisect themselves by [[throwing]] either weapon in the air using {{kbd|<}}, and will only take normal damage from the weapon falling back down and hitting them.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1152|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>artifact_hit()</tt>; bisection and beheading are not handled here}}
-===Beheading===
+===Bisection===
-Any monster that has a head, including you, is vulnerable to being decapitated by Vorpal Blade, which is still subject to the [[amulet of life saving]]; a player polymorphed into a monster that is decapitated will die and be returned to their base form as usual.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1337|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If Vorpal Blade hits a [[jabberwock]] or a character in the form of a jabberwock, it will always behead them.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1296|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} As implied by a comment elsewhere in the code, having multiple heads (e.g. [[ettin]]s and their [[Ettin zombie|zombie]] and [[Ettin mummy|mummy]] forms) makes no difference as to whether the victim survives.{{refsrc|include/artilist.h|145|version=NetHack 3.6.7|The comment on Vorpal Blade's entry notes that allowing for unusual messages, e.g. when decapitating multi-headed monsters, would cause more trouble than worth addressing}}
+When a hero or monster is hit with The Tsurugi of Muramasa, it has a 5% chance of bisecting and instantly killing the target if they are [[Physical size|medium-size]] or smaller, and deals [[double damage]] to a monster that is large or bigger.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1264|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1274|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If a hero strikes a monster engulfing them with the Tsurugi of Muramasa and bisection occurs, the engulfing monster will be instantly killed regardless of size.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1254|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Code for bisecting engulfers from within; all engulfing monsters in NetHack are at least large in size or bigger}}
-This chance is still accounted for if the target monster has a [[Body parts|headless]] form or is currently [[engulfing]] you: the sword instead has a {{frac|20}} chance of dealing no damage in those cases, as the blow will "miss <[[foo]]> wildly".{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1304|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If you attack an [[unsolid]] monster that has a head with Vorpal Blade, the sword has a {{frac|20}} chance of slicing through its neck, which is treated as a normal hit.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1312|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+Size is the ''only'' attribute of a monster that is accounted for when determining if bisection occurs or not: unsolid and corporeal targets alike will be slashed in half if they are small enough, or hit for double damage if big enough.
-Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock - many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
+===Beheading===
-===Bisection===
+This chance is still accounted for if the hero or monster being attacked with Vorpal Blade has a [[Body parts|headless]] form, or a hero attacks a monster currently [[engulfing]] the hero: the sword instead has a {{frac|20}} chance of dealing no damage in those cases, as the blow will "miss <[[foo]]> wildly".{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1304|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1325|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If a hero attacks an [[unsolid]] monster that has a head with Vorpal Blade (i.e. a [[ghost]] or [[shade]]), the sword has a {{frac|20}} chance of slicing through its neck, which is treated as a normal hit.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1312|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-Unlike Vorpal Blade, size is the ''only'' attribute of a monster that is accounted for when determining if bisection occurs or not: unsolid and corporeal targets alike will be slashed in half if they are small enough, or hit for double damage if big enough.
+Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock&mdash;many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ===Beheading===
-Any monster that has a head, including you, is vulnerable to being decapitated by Vorpal Blade, which is still subject to the [[amulet of life saving]]; a player polymorphed into a monster that is decapitated will die and be returned to their base form as usual.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1337|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If Vorpal Blade hits a [[jabberwock]] or a character in the form of a jabberwock, it will always behead them.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1296|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} As implied by a comment elsewhere in the code, how many heads the monster actually has (e.g. [[ettin]]s and their [[Ettin zombie|zombie]]/[[Ettin mummy|mummy]] forms) makes no difference with regards to the beheading effect.{{refsrc|include/artilist.h|145|version=NetHack 3.6.7|The comment on Vorpal Blade's entry notes that allowing for unusual messages e.g. when decapitating multi-headed monsters would cause more trouble than worth addressing}}
+Any monster that has a head, including you, is vulnerable to being decapitated by Vorpal Blade, which is still subject to the [[amulet of life saving]]; a player polymorphed into a monster that is decapitated will die and be returned to their base form as usual.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1337|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If Vorpal Blade hits a [[jabberwock]] or a character in the form of a jabberwock, it will always behead them.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1296|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} As implied by a comment elsewhere in the code, having multiple heads (e.g. [[ettin]]s and their [[Ettin zombie|zombie]] and [[Ettin mummy|mummy]] forms) makes no difference as to whether the victim survives.{{refsrc|include/artilist.h|145|version=NetHack 3.6.7|The comment on Vorpal Blade's entry notes that allowing for unusual messages, e.g. when decapitating multi-headed monsters, would cause more trouble than worth addressing}}
-This chance is still accounted for if the target monster has a [[Body parts|headless]] form or is currently [[engulfing]] you: the sword instead has a 5% chance of dealing no damage in those cases, as the blow will "miss <[[foo]]> wildly".{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1304|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If you attack an [[unsolid]] monster that has a head with Vorpal Blade, the sword has a 5% chance of slicing through its neck, which is treated as a normal hit.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1312|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+This chance is still accounted for if the target monster has a [[Body parts|headless]] form or is currently [[engulfing]] you: the sword instead has a {{frac|20}} chance of dealing no damage in those cases, as the blow will "miss <[[foo]]> wildly".{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1304|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} If you attack an [[unsolid]] monster that has a head with Vorpal Blade, the sword has a {{frac|20}} chance of slicing through its neck, which is treated as a normal hit.{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1312|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock; many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
+Despite its name, the [[deferred]] monster known as the [[vorpal jabberwock]] does not have any beheading attacks, and is simply a tougher jabberwock - many [[#Variants|variants]] that implement the monster often give its claw attacks this property, and usually give it the same weakness to Vorpal Blade's decapitation that other jabberwocks have.
 ===Bisection===

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 In practice, the property also serves as a fallback for artifacts with the same effects hard-coded and/or special-cased into their code, i.e., artifacts have a 5% chance of the effects processing unless otherwise stated. In contrast to vanilla ''NetHack'' calculations, a "vorpal blow" from a non-artifact weapon deals 20x + 8d2 in bonus damage, where ''x'' is usually the weapon's damage die roll plus its enchantment. If the base damage plus the vorpal blow damage is enough to kill the target, and the vorpal damage is still high enough, a special message is printed as above based on damage type and the target monster is killed. Even if the vorpal blow's damage is not high enough, the target may still die as normal from the combined damage of the blow and the weapon.
-Vorpal blows from weapons can potentially be blocked by specific pieces of armor based on their enchantment: a [[helm]] protects from beheading (regardless of how much it actually covers the head), while body armor protects from bisection and heart-piercing, and [[shield]]s protect from smashing. Armor protection in this instance is based on its AC value plus its enchantment: very high-AC armor is more likely to block enough damage for the player to survive, though often at the cost of significant HP loss and the armor being badly damaged, if not destroyed&mdash;armor that fails to protect from a vorpal blow will always be destroyed by the hit.
+Vorpal blows from weapons can potentially be blocked by specific pieces of armor based on their enchantment: a [[helm]] protects from beheading (regardless of how much it actually covers the head), while body armor protects from bisection and heart-piercing, and [[shield]]s protect from smashing. Armor protection in this instance is based on its AC value plus its enchantment: very high-AC armor is more likely to block enough damage for the player to survive, though often at the cost of significant loss to HP and armor enchantment&mdash;non-[[artifact]] armor that fails to protect from a vorpal blow or else loses enough enchantment from one will always be destroyed by the hit.
 In addition, dNetHack has several artifacts capable of decapitation:

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 In addition, dNetHack has several artifacts capable of decapitation:
-* Vorpal Blade has its standard 5% chance of landing a vorpal blow that deals bonus damage equal to (2d12! + x) * 20) + 8d20, where ''x'' is the weapon enchantment and 2d12 uses exploding dice.
+* Vorpal Blade has its standard 5% chance of landing a vorpal blow that deals bonus damage equal to (2d12! + x) * 20) + 8d20, where ''x'' is the weapon enchantment and 2d12 uses [[exploding dice]].
 * [[Release from Care]] and [[Crescent Blade]] can behead their targets; Release from Care has a 10% chance of doing so, while Crescent Blade has the standard 5% chance.
 * [[The Lifehunt Scythe]] will behead targets that are hit while sneak-attacking with it, with the normal 5% chance per hit.
-* [[Snickersnee]] and [[the Kusanagi no Tsurugi]] are capable of beheading monsters; the Kusanagi has a 10% chance, while Snickersnee has the standard 5% chance.
+* [[Snickersnee]] and [[The Kusanagi no Tsurugi]] are capable of beheading monsters; Snickersnee has the standard 5% chance, while the Kusanagi no Tsurugi has a 10% chance.
 * Levistus's [[Shadowlock]] can pierce its target's heart.
 On the other hand, monsters with vorpal attacks can still instakill with them unless the target is wearing a helm or has a [[preservation engine]]. Those monsters are listed as follows:
-* Dracae Eladrin
+* [[Dracae Eladrin]]
-* ancient of death
+* [[ancient of death]]
-* shayateen
+* [[shayateen]]
-* twitching four-armed changed
+* [[twitching four-armed changed]]
 * [[uvuudaum]], via its [[brainspike]] attack

@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 [[EvilHack]] also uses the vorpal jabberwock, which has decapitating claw attacks and behaves very similarly to GruntHack's version of the monster.
-EvilHack's [[Shambling horror (EvilHack)|shambling horror]] can roll beheading or bisecting attacks among its randomized traits, making them potentially lethal to approach in melee.
+EvilHack's [[shambling horror]] can roll beheading or bisecting attacks among its randomized traits, making them potentially lethal to approach in melee.
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-366}}
+{{nethack-367}}
 {{variant-343|offset=1}}
 [[Category:Item attributes]]