Difference between revisions of "Bane"

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'''The Banes''' are a group of [[artifact weapon]]s, notable in that they do double damage to a specific group of monsters. They are generally considered to be worthless for most purposes, since they reduce the probability of receiving a more useful artifact. Despite its name, [[Magicbane]] is not included since it has no double damage bonus. [[Wolfsbane]] is not a weapon at all but a [[comestible]], named after a real-life plant. Likewise, [[Fire and Frost Brand]] are not included, as their range of speciality is very large, while [[Sunsword]] has several other abilities as well.
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A '''Bane''' is a semi-informal name used to refer to a group of [[artifact weapon]]s in ''[[NetHack]]'' that each deal [[double damage]] to a specific group of monsters.
  
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==UnNetHack==
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==List of Banes==
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In [[UnNetHack]] all these artifact weapons (with the exception of Sunsword) also give you [[Warned of monster type|warning of those monster types]] they do double damage against. For example, wielding [[Dragonbane]] will show you all dragons on the current level.
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* [[Demonbane]]
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* [[Dragonbane]]
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* [[Giantslayer]]
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* [[Ogresmasher]]
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* [[Sting]]
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* [[Sunsword]]
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* [[Orcrist]]
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* [[Trollsbane]]
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* [[Werebane]]
  
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==Demonbane==
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==Other 'Banes'==
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[[Demonbane]] is a lawful long sword that deals double damage to proper [[demon]]s, and has +''1d5'' to hit them. It acts as a normal long sword against non-demons, including the [[Riders]], the [[mail daemon]], [[sandestin]]s, and [[djinni|djinn]]. Its utility or lack thereof depends on your opinion of the difficulty of most demons.
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The following uses of "bane" are either unrelated to the above weapons, or else simply a turn of phrase based on them.
  
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==Dragonbane==
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* [[Magicbane]] has no double damage bonus.
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[[Dragonbane]] is an unaligned broadsword that deals double damage to all [[dragon]]s, and has +''1d5'' to hit them.
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* [[Sprig of wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] is a [[comestible]] named after a real-life plant.
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* [[Fire and Frost Brand]] have double damage bonuses, but their range of specialty is very large, and so they are not considered banes.
  
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==Giantslayer==
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These terms were additionally coined by the community as a reference to or parody of the Banes:
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[[Giantslayer]] is a neutral long sword that has +''1d5'' to hit and does double damage against proper [[giant]]s, which include [[giant mummy|giant mummies]], [[giant zombie]]s, and even [[Cyclops]] and [[Lord Surtur]], but not [[ettin]]s or [[titan]]s.
 
  
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==Ogresmasher==
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* [[Puddingbane]] is used for any tool, generally a weak and heavily eroded weapon, employed in pudding farming.
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[[Ogresmasher]] is an unaligned war hammer that confers +''1d5'' to hit and double damage against [[ogre]]s.
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* [[Vladsbane]] was formerly used to refer to any object used in killing [[Vlad the Impaler]], who is an incredibly weak late-game boss in versions prior to [[NetHack 3.6.1]].
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* [[Dudley's dungeon#Jokes|Newtbane]] appears in [http://www.nicolaas.net/dudley/index.php?f=20050428 the April 28, 2005 issue] of [[Dudley's dungeon]], where it is an ordinary [[long sword]] named by [[Dudley]] in the hopes that it would help him kill newts more easily; he is then felled by a newt named "Dudleyrist".
  
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==Sting==
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==Strategy==
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[[Sting]] is a chaotic elven dagger that provides +''1d5'' to hit, and does double damage to [[orc]]s, including orc [[orc mummy|mummies]] and [[orc zombie|zombies]]. It also reveals the location of orcs on the level, and cuts through [[Trap|spider-web]]s.
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The Banes are generally considered to be unnecessary for most purposes or else excessively niche, though this is not always the case; for example, Sunsword is useful as a light source and [[gremlin]]/[[undead]] deterrent, and Dragonbane may see more use than others, due to providing [[reflection]] when wielded and aiding in obtaining [[dragon scale]]s to convert into [[dragon scale mail]].
  
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==Sunsword==
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==Variants==
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[[Sunsword]] is a lawful long sword that does double damage to all [[undead]] creatures: {{white|L}} ([[lich]]es), {{white|M}} ([[mummy|mummies]]), {{white|W}} ([[wraith]]s, [[barrow wight|wight]]s and [[Nazgul]]), {{white|Z}} ([[zombie]]s and [[skeleton]]s), [[ghost]]s, and [[shade]]s. It is made slightly more useful by the fact that it's a light source, with a radius of 2, and that it prevents blinding from light-based sources.  Also, its damage range is somewhat wider and more useful than that of the other Banes, especially since many spellcasters are [[lich|undead]]. The keep-or-toss decision is based on how much you hate undead.
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Because the Banes are often considered underpowered, it is very common for them to be buffed in variants.
  
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==Orcrist==
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{{todo|Include more information about the buffs to Banes where possible, particularly in the SLASH'EM section.}}
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[[Orcrist]], the big brother to Sting, is a chaotic elven broadsword that gives +''1d5'' to hit and double damage only against orcs. Sting and Orcrist may be created by #[[name|naming]] a single elven dagger or broadsword.
 
  
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==Trollsbane==
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===SLASH'EM===
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[[Trollsbane]] is an unaligned [[morning star]] that does double damage and +''1d5'' to-hit to all {{white|T}} ([[troll]]s).
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In [[SLASH'EM]], Giantslayer is replaced by [[Giantkiller]].
  
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==Werebane==
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Both the replacement and vanilla Banes now have a 15% chance of cancelling the monsters they target; the +1d5 to-hit of most Banes is also increased to a flat +5.  
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[[Werebane]] is an unaligned silver saber. It does double damage against all [[werecreature]]s, as well as +''1d5'' to hit. However, it is slightly more useful than the other banes in that when [[wield]]ed, it protects you from [[lycanthropy]].
 
  
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==See also==
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SLASH'EM also adds new weapons specific to particular monster types, none of which deal double damage:
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Some non-artifacts with similar names:
 
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* [[Puddingbane]]
 
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* [[Vladsbane]]
 
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* [[Newtbane]]
 
  
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* [[Deathsword]]
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* [[Disrupter]]
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* [[Elfrist]]
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* [[Holy Spear of Light]]
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* [[Thiefbane]], generated on [[One-Eyed Sam]]
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===UnNetHack===
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In [[UnNetHack]], all vanilla Banes except Sunsword also give you warning of targeted monster types; UnNetHack also adds [[Thiefbane]], which is still generated on [[One-Eyed Sam]] and does not deal double damage.
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===dNetHack===
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In [[dNetHack]], all vanilla Banes are buffed, and also give you [[Warned of monster type|warning of targeted monster types]] with the exception of Sunsword.
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In addition, dNetHack adds more Banes, ranging from moderately useful to highly useless.
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Nodensfork|Nodensfork]]
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Gaia's Fate|Gaia's Fate]]
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Vampire Killer|Vampire Killer]]
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Kingslayer|Kingslayer]]
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Peace Keeper|Peace Keeper]]
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* [[dNetHack artifacts#Werebuster|Werebuster]]
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* Three new nameable Banes:
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** [[dNetHack artifacts#Claideamh|Claideamh]]
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** [[dNetHack artifacts#Carnwennan|Carnwennan]]
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** [[dNetHack artifacts#Grimtooth|Grimtooth]]
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dNetHack also replaces Dragonbane with [[dNetHack artifacts#Dragonlance|Dragonlance]].
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===FIQHack===
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In [[FIQHack]], all the vanilla Banes other than [[Sting]] and [[Orcrist]] no longer deal [[double damage]] to monsters they target, but instead deal +1d20 damage, making them more useful at +0 than they would be in vanilla NetHack.
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{{nethack-364}}
 
[[Category:Artifact weapons|Banes]]
 
[[Category:Artifact weapons|Banes]]
 
[[Category:Strategy]]
 
[[Category:Strategy]]

Latest revision as of 21:48, 2 December 2023

A Bane is a semi-informal name used to refer to a group of artifact weapons in NetHack that each deal double damage to a specific group of monsters.

List of Banes

Other 'Banes'

The following uses of "bane" are either unrelated to the above weapons, or else simply a turn of phrase based on them.

These terms were additionally coined by the community as a reference to or parody of the Banes:

Strategy

The Banes are generally considered to be unnecessary for most purposes or else excessively niche, though this is not always the case; for example, Sunsword is useful as a light source and gremlin/undead deterrent, and Dragonbane may see more use than others, due to providing reflection when wielded and aiding in obtaining dragon scales to convert into dragon scale mail.

Variants

Because the Banes are often considered underpowered, it is very common for them to be buffed in variants.

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Include more information about the buffs to Banes where possible, particularly in the SLASH'EM section."

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, Giantslayer is replaced by Giantkiller.

Both the replacement and vanilla Banes now have a 15% chance of cancelling the monsters they target; the +1d5 to-hit of most Banes is also increased to a flat +5.

SLASH'EM also adds new weapons specific to particular monster types, none of which deal double damage:

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, all vanilla Banes except Sunsword also give you warning of targeted monster types; UnNetHack also adds Thiefbane, which is still generated on One-Eyed Sam and does not deal double damage.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, all vanilla Banes are buffed, and also give you warning of targeted monster types with the exception of Sunsword.

In addition, dNetHack adds more Banes, ranging from moderately useful to highly useless.

dNetHack also replaces Dragonbane with Dragonlance.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, all the vanilla Banes other than Sting and Orcrist no longer deal double damage to monsters they target, but instead deal +1d20 damage, making them more useful at +0 than they would be in vanilla NetHack.

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.4. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-364}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.

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