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 base 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 generated normally have a 50% chance of generating with either Sunsword or Demonbane, with a rustproof long sword replacing either artifact if it was already generated.

Description

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

Strategy

Sunsword's use as a light source is generally considered more important than its damage bonus, though it is a viable choice in the absence of a better artifact weapon. Sunsword does hit a far wider range of monsters than most Bane-style artifacts - liches and the stronger vampires are among the strongest (and most relevant) targets, and become relatively more common when passing through the Valley of the Dead and into Gehennom. Priests face many undead on their quest, making the double damage especially useful for them in theory.

However, since obtaining it as a sacrifice gift unrestricts the long sword skill, Excalibur becomes available and will almost always supercede Sunsword as the primary weapon. Players attempting the genocide-less conduct may still find Sunsword especially useful against liches.

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

Sunsword first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.

In NetHack 3.4.3 and previous versions, including some variants based on them, the light range does not depend on beatitude and always has a radius of 2; a magic lamp was often preferred as a light source in these versions. Sunsword was also ineffective against shades, who are undead but heavily resist damage from non-silver weapons.

In NetHack 3.6.0, the effects of beatitude on the light radius is introduced, and Sunsword was adjusted so that its bonus damage against undead overrode shades' resistance to non-silver damage. The light's additional effects on gremlins were added in NetHack 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 beatitude status of Sunsword changed while it was wielded.

Light begins shining <nearby/in the distance>.

A monster wielded Sunsword and its light shone within your range of vision, with the range determining which phrase is used.

Suddenly, the only light left comes from Sunsword!

You were wielding Sunsword while either reading a scroll of light that was cursed, or reading any scroll of light while confused.

Variants

NetHack: The Next Generation

In NetHack: The Next Generation, Sunsword can be requested from Duri at The Forge for 7000zm.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, Sunsword is easier to obtain, particular;y for lawfuls - Priests and Undead Slayers receive it as their second guaranteed sacrifice gift, and lawful characters can also receive A minions as sacrifice gifts that are likely to be generated carrying it. Minion gifts are not affected by previous gifts as with artifacts - once a minion with Sunsword generates, it can be easily and safely disarmed with a bullwhip.

Furthermore, it has a much wider use case due to the addition of far more dangerous undead such as spellcasting vampire mages and ghoul mages, fast and hard-hitting gugs, and regenerating troll mummies. Sunsword competes for usage with the Holy Spear of Light, an artifact silver spear with a similar, weaker bonus against undead (which is incidentally the Undead Slayer's first sacrifice gift) - though it does not act as a light source, it can damage demons due to being made of silver and can be invoked to permanently illuminate an area around the player, damaging undead caught in the burst of light.

SLASH'EM also makes it possible to twoweapon artifacts, though Sunsword will only provide light if wielded in the primary hand.

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 of the two between short swords and long sword skills, which makes it effective even for roles that are restricted in long swords.

FIQHack

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

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, Sunsword is made of crystal gemstone, and its base item is chosen at random from one-handed swords, including the long sword.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, Sunsword is also made of crystal, and has a chance to completely destroy any undead that it hits. Additionally, killing zombies while wielding Sunsword causes their corpses to evaporate, preventing their revival.

Sunsword can be forged together with Demonbane to create the Hammer of the Gods, an artifact silver heavy war hammer that retains Sunsword's bonuses and warning versus undead and its ability to emit light while wielded.

SlashTHEM

In SlashTHEM, in addition to retaining SLASH'EM details, the Forge from NetHack: The Next Generation is added - Sunsword can be requested from Duri for 7000zm as before.

Encyclopedia entry

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

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