Cleaver
) Cleaver 
| |
|---|---|
| Base item | battle-axe |
| Damage vs. small | 1d8+1d4 +1d6 (3-18) |
| Damage vs. large | 1d6+2d4 +1d6 (4-20) |
| To-hit bonus | +1d3 |
| Bonus versus | (any) |
| Weapon skill | axe |
| Size | two-handed |
| Affiliation | |
| When carried |
(none) |
| When wielded |
(none) |
| When invoked |
(none) |
| Base price | 1500 zm |
| Weight | 120 |
| Material | iron |
Cleaver is an artifact weapon that appears in NetHack. Its base item is a battle-axe, and it is neutral-aligned. It is the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for Barbarians.
Contents
Description
Cleaver has a +d3 to-hit bonus and does an extra +d6 damage per hit. Uniquely, it can hit multiple monsters in an arc with one swing: each attack will first strike the monster 45 degrees to one side of your target, then the targeted monster, and then the monster 45 degrees to the other side. The direction of attack alternates with each swing.[1] The arc does not discriminate between hostile monsters and pets or peaceful monsters. If held or engulfed, you can only hit the monster holding or engulfing you.
Like other axes, Cleaver can be applied in a given direction to chop trees and doors.
Strategy
Cleaver's arc attack makes it one of the potentially most damaging weapons in the game by a pure damage-per-second calculation. However, while most effective in "one vs. many" scenarios, these are also the most dangerous situations for a player to find themselves in. That said, if you do find yourself surrounded, e.g. by a cursed scroll of create monster or the summon nasties spell, killing multiple enemies at once with Cleaver can help open gaps to flee through.
Because your pets are just as subject to Cleaver's attack as hostile monsters, it may be prohibitively difficult to keep them around; a magic whistle can help orient them "properly" before you attack, as can blocking them off using doors or cursed items if you are aware of the potential for combat beforehand. Slower pets such as dragons and balrogs are easier to work with, as you can move a few steps away before attacking.
For the same reason, this weapon is also extremely dangerous to wield in peaceful-populated areas such as the Quest, Minetown, shops, and temples - it is particularly advisable to use a different weapon while altar-scumming with a co-aligned priest in the room. In general, combat with Cleaver proves far easier if you can lure your foes away from peaceful targets.
As a two-handed non-intelligent artifact weapon, Cleaver risks being welded to your hands if it becomes cursed. The usual strategies for two-handed weapons apply: make sure to keep some keep curse removal items on hand, including carrying holy water in a spare sack to #tip out if necessary.
Average damage calculation
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from weapon skills, strength, or from using a blessed weapon against undead or demons.
| Weapon | Small monsters | Large monsters |
|---|---|---|
| +0 Cleaver | 
|
|
| +7 Cleaver | 
|
|
History
Cleaver's striking arc was introduced in NetHack 3.6.1.
Variants
SLASH'EM
Like all artifacts with damage bonuses (as opposed to double damage), Cleaver receives a boost in SLASH'EM; it always gives +3 to hit and +6 damage. However, the above strategies regarding two-handed weapons still apply, especially given the proliferation of item-cursing spellcasters in SLASH'EM—ghoul mages, nabassus, vampire mages, devas, and the like.
Note, however, that non-human Barbarians have a second guaranteed sacrifice gift in SLASH'EM: Deathsword. This weapon is only particularly effective against humans; for that reason, it mostly gets in the way of getting a better weapon, meaning some barbarians may find themselves using Cleaver for longer than they might want.
Given that 1⁄3 of neutral sacrifice gifts are non-weapons (Deluder, Gauntlets of Defense, Mirrorbright, and Whisperfeet) and another 1⁄4 are of limited use (Disrupter vs. non-undead, Giantkiller vs. non-giants, and Sword of Balance vs. neutrals), a neutral player who receives Cleaver early should consider himself lucky; only Magicbane and Mjollnir are more powerful as general-use neutral weapons, particularly in the early and midgame where curses are not a significant threat.
Since SLASH'EM is based on NetHack 3.4.3, Cleaver does not attack monsters in an arc there; rather, it only hits the monster that the player aimed at, meaning the player doesn't have to be extra careful when peaceful monsters are around (such as on the quest start level).
UnNetHack
Cleaver in UnNetHack behaves as in 3.6.1, and is also a lot easier to get. The Executioner is guaranteed to be generated with Cleaver if it has not yet appeared in-game.
FIQHack
FIQHack is the origin of Cleaver's vanilla behaviour, and also hits multiple foes; however, in FIQHack Cleaver will not hit pets or peacefuls unless they are directly targeted.
Encyclopedia entry
Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed,
sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic
melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled
thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.
References
- ↑ hitum_cleave in uhitm.c in NetHack 3.6.1
