Serpent's Tongue - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2025-05-10T06:04:03Z

pothole

Ion frigate: move generation to its own section, note that this thing seems to appear in 50+% of games

2023-10-17T15:20:22Z

move generation to its own section, note that this thing seems to appear in 50+% of games

Ion frigate: it's good for all characters

2023-07-28T17:42:28Z

it's good for all characters

Ion frigate: this deserves emphasis; i thought for years this thing only did double damage against non-poison resistant

2023-07-28T10:23:24Z

this deserves emphasis; i thought for years this thing only did double damage against non-poison resistant

Ion frigate: So many of my lawful characters could have had an easier time...

2023-07-28T10:07:00Z

So many of my lawful characters could have had an easier time...

Aximili: mention splicehack

2022-05-01T08:42:14Z

mention splicehack

Quantum Immortal: some organizing

2015-03-25T12:40:53Z

some organizing

Prometheus77: minor updates

2013-04-24T18:34:40Z

minor updates

Prometheus77: fixed damage calc

2013-02-26T18:56:18Z

fixed damage calc

Prometheus77 at 22:14, 31 January 2013

2013-01-31T22:14:01Z

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 This gives it a total damage of 29 vs. small and 28 vs. large non-poison resistant foes with a 10% chance of instakill, plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses.
-Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]] ([[club]] skill), 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]] ([[polearm]] skill), and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]] ([[hammer]] skill), none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir's damage bonus doesn't apply to to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for either a primary weapon or secondary weapon for #twoweaponing.
+Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell (SLASH'EM)|Bat from Hell]] ([[club]] skill), 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]] ([[polearm]] skill), and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]] ([[hammer]] skill), none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir's damage bonus doesn't apply to to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for either a primary weapon or secondary weapon for #twoweaponing.
 ==Miscellaneous==

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 }}
-'''Serpent's Tongue''' is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for [[necromancer]]s in [[SLASH'EM]]. It also exists in [[SpliceHack]], where it is not affiliated with any role.
+'''Serpent's Tongue''' is an artifact [[dagger]] in [[SLASH'EM]] and [[SpliceHack]]
 It does double damage to ''all'' monsters, and even more to non-poison-resistant enemies:<ref>{{sourcecode|artifact.c|1206|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}</ref>
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 * 20% chance of 6 + 3d6 damage
 * 10% chance of poison [[instadeath]]
 ==Comparison with other artifacts==
@@ Line 35: / Line 38: @@
 ==Miscellaneous==
 Note that this artifact does ''not'' provide poison-resistance.  Also, for [[lawful]] characters and [[Samurai]], using it does not incur the usual [[alignment record|alignment penalty]] for using a poisoned weapon.

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 This gives it a total damage of 29 vs. small and 28 vs. large non-poison resistant foes with a 10% chance of instakill, plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses.
-Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]] ([[club]] skill), 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]] ([[polearm]] skill), and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]] ([[hammer]] skill), none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir's damage bonus doesn't apply to to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for non-lawfuls either as a primary weapon, or as a secondary weapon for #twoweaponing. Note that [[lawful]]s should avoid Serpent's Tongue as they will receive an [[alignment]] penalty for using poison.
+Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]] ([[club]] skill), 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]] ([[polearm]] skill), and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]] ([[hammer]] skill), none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir's damage bonus doesn't apply to to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for either a primary weapon or secondary weapon for #twoweaponing.
 ==Miscellaneous==

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 '''Serpent's Tongue''' is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for [[necromancer]]s in [[SLASH'EM]]. It also exists in [[SpliceHack]], where it is not affiliated with any role.
-It does double damage to all monsters, and even more to non-poison-resistant enemies:<ref>{{sourcecode|artifact.c|1206|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}</ref>
+It does double damage to ''all'' monsters, and even more to non-poison-resistant enemies:<ref>{{sourcecode|artifact.c|1206|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}</ref>
 * 40% chance of 2 + d6 damage
 * 30% chance of 4 + 2d6 damage

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ==Miscellaneous==
-If you try to [[Upgrading objects|upgrade]] it, nothing happens. Nice try though.
+Note that this artifact does ''not'' provide poison-resistance.  Also, for [[lawful]] characters and [[Samurai]], using it does not incur the usual [[alignment record|alignment penalty]] for using a poisoned weapon.
-Note that this artifact does ''not'' provide poison-resistance!
+Its low base cost makes it one of the few artifacts it is feasible to simply buy (rather than steal) from a shop.  Note that you will have to pay 1600zm for it, as the usual 4x artifact surcharge still applies.
 ==Encyclopedia==

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
   |material=iron
 }}
 '''Serpent's Tongue''' is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for [[necromancer]]s in [[SLASH'EM]].
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 * 10% chance of poison [[instadeath]]
-Note that this artifact does ''not'' provide poison-resistance!
+==Comparison with other artifacts==
 Despite its being a weak base item type and comparing unfavorably with many other artifacts at +0, a fully-enchanted Serpent's Tongue is among the best weapons in SLASH'EM from an average expected damage perspective. A +7 Serpent's Tongue will, in the best case scenario, do an average of:
 * 5 base damage vs. small and 4 base damage vs. large foes
 * plus 2 x 7 = 14 from the doubled enchantment
@@ Line 28: / Line 30: @@
 * plus any applicable strength and skill bonuses ([[Rogue]], [[Ranger]], [[Tourist]], [[Valkyrie]], [[Wizard]] can all reach expert in dagger)
-This gives it a total damage of 29 vs. small and 28 vs. large non-poison resistant foes with a 10% chance of instakill, plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses. Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]] ([[club]] skill), 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]] ([[polearm]] skill), and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]] ([[hammer]] skill), none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir's damage bonus doesn't apply to to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for non-lawfuls either as a primary weapon, or as a secondary weapon for #twoweaponing. Note that [[lawful]]s should avoid Serpent's Tongue as they will receive an [[alignment]] penalty for using poison.
+This gives it a total damage of 29 vs. small and 28 vs. large non-poison resistant foes with a 10% chance of instakill, plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses.
 ==References==
 <references />
 {{slashem-7E7}}
 [[Category:SLASH'EM artifact weapons]]

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Despite its being a weak base item type and comparing unfavorably with many other artifacts at +0, a fully-enchanted Serpent's Tongue is among the best weapons in SLASH'EM from an average expected damage perspective. A +7 Serpent's Tongue will, in the best case scenario, do an average of:
-* 2.5 vs. small and 2 vs. large
+* 2 x 2.5 vs. small and 2 x 2 vs. large
 * plus 2 x 7 = 14 from the doubled enchantment
 * plus 90% chance of an additional ~10 average damage and 10% chance of instakill vs. non-poison resistant foes
-This gives it a total damage of 26.5 vs. small and 26 vs. large plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses, with the additional 10% instakill chance against non-poison resistant foes. Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]], 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]], and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]], none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir does 24 less damage to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for non-lawfuls who can two-weapon.
+This gives it a total damage of 29 vs. small and 28 vs. large non-poison plus any applicable strength, skill, and blessed damage bonuses, with the additional 10% instakill chance against non-poison resistant foes. Compare this with an average of 31.5 / 30.5 for the [[Bat from Hell]], 32.5 / 34.5 for [[Reaper]], and 34.5 / 34.5 for [[Mjollnir]], none of which can instakill, and of which Reaper is two-handed and Mjollnir does 24 less damage to shock-resistant foes. For these reasons, Serpent's Tongue is an excellent end-game choice for non-lawfuls who can two-weapon.
 ==References==