Dagger
) 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | dagger |
| Appearance | dagger |
| Damage vs. small | 1d4 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d3 |
| To-hit bonus | +2 |
| Weapon skill | dagger |
| Size | one-handed |
| Base price | 4 zm (+10/positive enchant) |
| Weight | 10 |
| Material | iron |
A dagger is a type of weapon that appears in NetHack. It can be used in melee and thrown as a projectile, and is made of iron.
Contents
Generation
The dagger makes up about 3.0% of randomly generated weapons.
Dagger skill
| Dagger | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Skilled | |
| Expert | |
The following weapons use the dagger skill:
The following artifact weapons use the dagger skill:
Strategy
Despite their weight and low base damage, daggers can be very useful in the early game: a ranged volley at sufficient skill can kill monsters before they even breach melee range, and can at least soften them up before they can engage you. They are typically cheap, plentiful, and more durable than arrows, crossbow bolts and darts, but cannot be poisoned by dipping into a potion of sickness.
All roles except Monks and Priests can attain proficiency in dagger skill, and may wish to do so early on if the circumstances warrant it. A spare, non-cursed dagger can also serve as a makeshift "pick" for forcing open boxes.
Variants
SLASH'EM
SLASH'EM features three new weapons that use the dagger skill: the dark elven dagger, the great dagger and the wooden stake. There are also new artifact weapons that use the dagger skill:
- The Great Dagger of Glaurgnaa is an artifact great dagger that acts as the Necromancer quest artifact.
- Serpent's Tongue is a chaotic artifact dagger that is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for Necromancers.
- Deep Freeze is an artifact athame that is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for Ice Mages.
- Firewall is an artifact athame that is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for Flame Mages.
- The Stake of Van Helsing is an artifact wooden stake that acts as the Undead Slayer quest artifact.
The dagger skill has also been adjusted across new and returning roles:
| Dagger | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Skilled | |
| Expert | |
All new roles can reach expert in dagger except the Yeoman, who can reach Skilled.
Encyclopedia entry
Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
I see thee yet, in form as palpable
As this which now I draw.
References
