Sunsword

)   Sunsword   (No tile)
Base item	long sword
Damage vs. small	1d8 x2
Damage vs. large	1d12 x2
To-hit bonus	+1d5
Bonus versus	undead
Weapon skill	long sword
Size	one-handed
Affiliation	lawful
When carried	(none)
When wielded	light source prevents light- based blinding
When invoked	(none)
Base price	1500 zm
Weight	40
Material	iron

Sunsword is an artifact weapon that appears in NetHack. It is lawful, and its bbase item is a long sword.

Generation

Sunsword can be received as a sacrifice gift by lawful characters. Angels and Aleaxes have a 5% chance of their normal starting erodeproof long sword being Sunsword; Archons have a 50% chance of generating with either Sunword or Demonbane, with a rustproof long sword replacing either artifact if being generated in the initial inventory of an Archon,

Description

Sunsword has +1d5 to hit and does double damage against undead, and prevents blinding from lights. It also acts as a light source when wielded, with a radius centered around the wielder based on its beautitude - 3 if blessed, 2 if uncursed, and 1 if cursed; it will unlight when unwielded. The light repels gremlins and deals extra 1d8 damage to them when lit.

Strategy

Sunsword's use as a light source is generally considered more important than its damage bonus, though it hits a far wider range of monsters compared to most Bane-style artifacts. Sunsword is still a viable option by virtue of its base item, and proves reasonable at worst in the absence of a better artifact. It can also be a good means of training the skill for classes that either have it or else can unrestrict it via sacrifice gift.

Players attempting the genocideless conduct may find it useful against liches. The double damage versus undead may be of particular interest to Priests, who face many undead on their quest, as well as anyone passing through the Valley of the Dead and into Gehennom.

As a light source

Blessed

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Uncursed

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Cursed

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x represents the squares lit by Sunsword.

History

In 3.4.3 and previous versions, as well as some variants based on them, the light range does not depend on BUC, and will always have a radius of 2. The additional effects on gremlins were added in 3.6.2.

Messages

Sunsword begins to shine [dimly/brightly/brilliantly]!

You wielded Sunsword, and it is now giving off light.

Sunsword stops shining.

You unwielded Sunsword.

Sunsword shines [brighter/less brightly].

The BUC status of Sunsword changed while being wielded.

Variants

dNetHack

In dNetHack, Sunsword additionally deals double damage to demons, petrifies trolls and gremlins, and may also blind struck enemies. It now uses (and trains) the higher skill of short swords and long swords, which makes it effective even for roles that cannot use long swords effectively.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, Sunsword blocks blindness, much like The Eyes of the Overworld. Its double damage is replaced by a +1d20 damage bonus.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, Sunsword is a much better option for lawfuls: it is easier to obtain due to lawfuls receiving A minions as sacrifice gifts, who are likely to be generated carrying it, and their chances to be gifted are not affected by previous gifts as with artifacts. On top of this, the minion can be easily and safely disarmed with a bullwhip. Furthermore, undead are far more dangerous in SLASH'EM with the additon of spellcasting vampire and ghoul mages, fast and hard-hitting gugs, regenerating troll mummies, and other new undead monsters that make Sunsword's comparatively limited range of double damage much more useful than in vanilla NetHack.

Note that if you twoweapon this sword, it will not provide light if wielded in your off-hand.

SLASH'EM also adds the Holy Spear of Light, which functions similarly, but also has the ability to permanently illuminate an area around the player, damaging undead in the process.

Encyclopedia entry

What you seek is a blade of light,
a weapon for vengeance.

[ Expedition to Castle Ravenloft,
by Bruce Cordell and James Wyatt ]