Heavy iron ball - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ more detail

2026-03-20T09:33:16Z

‎dNetHack: more detail

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ details

2026-03-20T09:27:57Z

‎dNetHack: details

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ chiro

2025-10-12T01:40:12Z

‎dNetHack: chiro

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ mention here

2025-05-23T14:31:27Z

‎dNetHack: mention here

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ detail, paragraphing

2025-05-23T08:35:53Z

‎Variants: detail, paragraphing

Umbire the Phantom: expand

2025-05-23T08:31:07Z

expand

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ pothole

2025-05-22T14:19:28Z

‎Generation: pothole

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ expand and establish sections

2025-05-22T14:14:32Z

‎Variants: expand and establish sections

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ potholes

2025-05-22T11:06:58Z

‎Generation: potholes

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2025-04-20T19:58:14Z

word choice

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the item is simply known as a '''ball'''. These variants also add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] from incorporating the patch, and grant heroes the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above&mdash;all three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the item is simply known as a '''ball''' and will always have its current [[Object materials (dNetHack)|object material]] shown in the inventory. These variants also add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] from incorporating the patch, and grant heroes the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above&mdash;all three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
 A chiropteran Convict's starting ball will weigh 1600 aum.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-[[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] and give them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above&mdash;a chiropteran Convict's iron ball will weigh 1600 aum. All three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the item is simply known as a '''ball'''. These variants also add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] from incorporating the patch, and grant heroes the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above&mdash;all three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
 A hero that has the [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Ahazu]] bound can train their skill in flails by attacking with a wielded heavy iron ball as Convicts can.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-[[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] and give them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. All three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
+[[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] and give them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above&mdash;a chiropteran Convict's iron ball will weigh 1600 aum. All three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
 A hero that has the [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Ahazu]] bound can train their skill in flails by attacking with a wielded heavy iron ball as Convicts can.

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 ===dNetHack===
 [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] and give them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. All three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
 The Iron Ball of Liberation is replaced as the Convict quest artifact by [[The Iron Spoon of Liberation]]&mdash;a Convict that qualifies for their quest is given a similar artifact in [[The Iron Ball of Levitation]] by their [[quest leader]] [[Robert the Lifer]].

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==Variants==
-Many [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'' incorporate the [[Convict Role]] patch: a hero in the Convict role starts the game punished and with very little inventory, leaving them to rely on a starting pile of [[rock]]s, the iron ball and/or their [[bare hands]] as their primary offense&mdash;the original [[quest artifact]] in the patch is [[The Iron Ball of Liberation]], an [[artifact]] heavy iron ball. The patch also makes it so that the heavy iron ball trains the [[flail]] [[skill]] when used as a weapon by a Convict, who can reach high skill levels in flail. Several heavy iron balls can also generate as prison debris on the [[Convict quest]]: there is a {{frac|2}} chance each for a pair of heavy iron balls to generate on both the home level and the upper filler level, and the locate level has a supply room with ten heavy iron balls.
+Many [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'' incorporate the [[Convict Role]] patch: a hero in the Convict role starts the game punished and with very little inventory, leaving them to rely on a starting pile of [[rock]]s, the iron ball and/or their [[bare hands]] as their primary offense&mdash;the original [[quest artifact]] in the patch is [[The Iron Ball of Liberation]], an [[artifact]] heavy iron ball that is somewhat lighter than a normal one.
 Variants of ''NetHack'' may also add alternate means of [[Punishment#Variants|punishment]], which naturally increases the ways in which heavy iron balls can be generated.

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==Variants==
-Many [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'' incorporate the [[Convict Role]] patch: a hero in the Convict role starts the game punished and with very little inventory, leaving them to rely on a starting pile of [[rock]]s, the iron ball and/or their [[bare hands]] as their primary offense&mdash;the original [[quest artifact]] in the patch is [[The Iron Ball of Liberation]], an [[artifact]] heavy iron ball. The patch also makes it so that the heavy iron ball trains the [[flail]] [[skill]] when used as a weapon by a Convict, who can reach high skill levels in flail. Several heavy iron balls can also generate on the [[Convict quest]]: there is a {{frac|2}} chance each for a pair of heavy iron balls to generate on both the home level and the upper filler level, and the locate level has a supply room with ten heavy iron balls.
+Many [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'' incorporate the [[Convict Role]] patch: a hero in the Convict role starts the game punished and with very little inventory, leaving them to rely on a starting pile of [[rock]]s, the iron ball and/or their [[bare hands]] as their primary offense&mdash;the original [[quest artifact]] in the patch is [[The Iron Ball of Liberation]], an [[artifact]] heavy iron ball. The patch also makes it so that the heavy iron ball trains the [[flail]] [[skill]] when used as a weapon by a Convict, who can reach high skill levels in flail. Several heavy iron balls can also generate as prison debris on the [[Convict quest]]: there is a {{frac|2}} chance each for a pair of heavy iron balls to generate on both the home level and the upper filler level, and the locate level has a supply room with ten heavy iron balls.
 Variants of ''NetHack'' may also add alternate means of [[Punishment#Variants|punishment]], which naturally increases the ways in which heavy iron balls can be generated.
 ===UnNetHack===
-[[UnNetHack]] adds [[Convict/UnNetHack|the Convict role]], and gives them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. UnNetHack also retains The Iron Ball of Liberation as the Convict quest artifact.
+[[UnNetHack]] adds [[Convict/UnNetHack|the Convict role]] and gives them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. UnNetHack also generates heavy iron balls in the Convict quest as described above, and retains The Iron Ball of Liberation as the Convict quest artifact.
 ===dNetHack===
-[[dNetHack]] adds [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]], and gives them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above.
+[[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]] add [[Convict/dNetHack|the Convict role]] and give them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. All three variants also generate heavy iron balls in the [[Convict quest/dNetHack|Convict quest]].
 ===DynaHack===
-[[DynaHack]] adds [[Convict/DynaHack|the Convict role]], and gives them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. DynaHack also retains The Iron Ball of Liberation as the Convict quest artifact.
+[[DynaHack]] adds [[Convict/DynaHack|the Convict role]] and gives them the ability to train the flail skill with a heavy iron ball as described above. DynaHack also generates heavy iron balls in the Convict quest as described above, and retains The Iron Ball of Liberation as the Convict quest artifact.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

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 Heavy iron balls are normally created as a form of [[punishment]]:
-* [[Reading]] a [[scroll of punishment]] that is cursed or uncursed will [[Iron chain|chain]] a heavy iron ball to the [[hero]]'s [[leg]], unless they read the scroll while confused.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1689|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2345|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>punish()</tt> function}}
+* [[Reading]] a [[scroll of punishment]] that is cursed or uncursed will [[chain]] a heavy iron ball to the [[hero]]'s [[leg]], unless they read the scroll while confused.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1689|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2345|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>punish()</tt> function}}
 * [[Prayer]] to an [[angry]] [[god]] may cause them to smite the hero by chaining a heavy iron ball to them.{{refsrc|src/pray.c|711|nethack=3.6.7}}

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 A '''heavy iron ball''' is a type of [[item]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is naturally made of [[iron]].
-Heavy iron balls are classified under the "iron balls" object type in the [[hero]]'s [[inventory]], rather than [[tool]]s or [[weapon]]s.
+Heavy iron balls are classified under the "iron balls" object type in the [[hero]]'s [[inventory]].
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ==Description==
 {{main|Punishment}}
-Most of a heavy iron ball's effects are only active and apparent while the ball is chained to the hero&mdash;reading a scroll of punishment while already punished increases the current iron ball's already-cumbersome [[weight]] if the scroll is cursed or uncuraed.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1694|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>punish()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2345|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>punish()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2352|nethack=3.6.7}} A detached iron ball is an unremarkable item, save for its immense [[weight]] and a couple of somewhat unique traits:
+Most of a heavy iron ball's effects are only active and apparent while the ball is chained to the hero&mdash;reading a scroll of punishment while already punished increases the current iron ball's already-cumbersome [[weight]] if the scroll is cursed or uncuraed.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1694|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>punish()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2345|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>punish()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|2352|nethack=3.6.7}} It is an unremarkable item on its own, save for its immense [[weight]] and a few somewhat unique traits:
-* The iron ball deals d25 damage against all monsters when [[wielded]] as a weapon, which is biased towards higher numbers if the ball has been made heavier.{{refsrc|src/weapon.c|304|nethack=3.6.7|comment=it adds 1d(extra weight/40) to base 1d25 damage, which is then capped at 25}}
+* The iron ball deals d25 damage against all monsters when [[wielded]] or [[thrown]] as a weapon, which is biased towards higher numbers if the ball has been made heavier.{{refsrc|src/weapon.c|304|nethack=3.6.7|comment=it adds 1d(extra weight/40) to base 1d25 damage, which is then capped at 25}}
-* [[Throwing]] an iron ball has a +2 [[to-hit]] bonus{{refsrc|src/dothrow.c|1473|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash; doing so [[exercise]]s [[strength]] and may also exercise [[dexterity]].{{refsrc|src/dothrow.c|1735|nethack=3.6.7}}
+* Throwing an iron ball has a +2 [[to-hit]] bonus{{refsrc|src/dothrow.c|1473|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;doing so [[exercise]]s [[strength]] and may also exercise [[dexterity]].{{refsrc|src/dothrow.c|1735|nethack=3.6.7}}
 * Using the iron ball as a weapon does not break the [[weaponless]] [[conduct]].
 ==Strategy==
-The majority of times a hero encounters an iron ball is from becoming punished through either of the methods described further above. Very rarely, once a hero ends their punishment, they may opt to carry around the heavy iron ball as an improvised weapon&mdash;otherwise, it is best left behind.
+The majority of times a hero encounters an iron ball is from becoming punished through either of the methods described further above. Very rarely, a hero may opt to utilize the heavy iron ball as an improvised weapon, even after ending their punishment&mdash;otherwise, it is best left behind.
 ==History==