Difference between revisions of "Crysknife"

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A '''crysknife''' is a [[weapon]] that can only be produced by [[scroll of enchant weapon|enchanting]] a [[worm tooth]]. It has a +3 [[to-hit]] bonus and does d10 damage against both small and large monsters, making it a nice choice for #[[twoweapon]]ing. However, if it leaves your possession, it reverts back into a worm tooth (when [[fixed]], this only happens 10% of the time). It can safely be put in a [[container]] without reverting, as long as that container remains in your possession.
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A '''crysknife''' is a [[weapon]] produced by [[scroll of enchant weapon|enchanting]] a [[worm tooth]]. It has a +3 [[to-hit]] bonus and does d10 damage against both small and large monsters, making it a nice choice for #[[twoweapon]]ing. However, if it leaves your possession, it may revert back into a worm tooth.
  
 
Crysknives count as throwing weapons, so they get a to-hit bonus when [[throw]]n. Because of their reversion property, throwing them is typically [[#Throwing|not a good idea]].
 
Crysknives count as throwing weapons, so they get a to-hit bonus when [[throw]]n. Because of their reversion property, throwing them is typically [[#Throwing|not a good idea]].
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==Creation==
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Crysknives aren't randomly generated. Aside from [[wish]]ing and [[bones]], the only way to create one is to wield a worm tooth and read a non-cursed scroll of enchant weapon. This will uncurse a cursed worm tooth, but won't increase the enchantment; thus, it's safe to re-sharpen a tooth regardless of how highly-enchanted it already is. A stack of worm teeth will merge into a single crysknife; to create multiple crysknives, you must split up the stack and enchant each one individually.
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==Reversion==
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If a crysknife leaves your person, it reverts to a worm tooth. Exceptions are if it goes into a container in your inventory or is stolen by a monster, but in those cases it will revert if the container leaves your inventory or the monster dies. The worm tooth retains the crysknife's enchantment.
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[[Erodeproof]]ing a crysknife will "fix" it. A fixed crysknife will only revert 10% of the time. Dropping a stack of crysknives will make a single roll for the entire stack, but throwing [[multishot|multiple]] knives will roll for each of them. A crysknife that reverts also loses its fixing.
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==Throwing==
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Crysknives can be thrown with a [[multishot]] bonus, and with their +3 to-hit and d10 base damage, are more powerful than even the rare [[shuriken]] and cumbersome [[boomerang]]. However, the material cost of creation and maintenance is generally prohibitive. It takes two [[scroll of enchant weapon|scrolls of enchant weapon]] to sharpen and fix a single crysknife, which will then last an average of 10 throws before having to be sharpened and fixed again. Most roles which can advance in knife skill have better ranged combat options. One possible exception are [[Healer]]s, who can only reach multishot 3 with knives. It would take some serious [[polypiling]] to make this work, though, and [[spellbook of magic missile|magic missile]] is much more practical and potentially more powerful.
  
 
==Slash'EM==
 
==Slash'EM==
 
[[Slash'EM]] changes the damage for crysknives to 1d20 against small and 1d30 against large. The [[Ice Mage]], [[Flame Mage]] and [[Necromancer]] roles can gain [[Skill]]ed in knife, [[Healer]] can gain [[Skill|Expert]], and [[Yeomen]] can gain [[Skill|Basic]]. A [[healer]] can benefit seriously from the Crysknife; since they have little weapon choice other than darts, but still can achieve [[Skill|expert]] in knives, this can be the most lethal weapon ([[#SLASH.27EM_2|see below]]) for a [[healer]] in Slash'EM.
 
[[Slash'EM]] changes the damage for crysknives to 1d20 against small and 1d30 against large. The [[Ice Mage]], [[Flame Mage]] and [[Necromancer]] roles can gain [[Skill]]ed in knife, [[Healer]] can gain [[Skill|Expert]], and [[Yeomen]] can gain [[Skill|Basic]]. A [[healer]] can benefit seriously from the Crysknife; since they have little weapon choice other than darts, but still can achieve [[Skill|expert]] in knives, this can be the most lethal weapon ([[#SLASH.27EM_2|see below]]) for a [[healer]] in Slash'EM.
 
==Generation==
 
:''See: [[Worm tooth]]''
 
Crysknifes are not normally generated, but instead created by the player through [[Scroll of enchant weapon|enchanting]] a [[worm tooth]].
 
  
 
==Average damage calculation==
 
==Average damage calculation==
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Because of this increase in damage, the SLASH'EM crysknife compares favorably even to [[Artifact weapon|artifacts]] such as [[Excalibur]]. Against large monsters, it actually does ''more'' damage than the similarly enchanted Excalibur.
 
Because of this increase in damage, the SLASH'EM crysknife compares favorably even to [[Artifact weapon|artifacts]] such as [[Excalibur]]. Against large monsters, it actually does ''more'' damage than the similarly enchanted Excalibur.
 
==Throwing==
 
At d10, the highest of any projectile weapon (above even the [[shuriken]] and [[boomerang]]), it begs to be used as such. However, this usually isn't worth the trouble. Even when a crysknife in question is fixed—throwing is best reserved for sheer desperation or complete and utter stupidity. The simple reason for this is that they do not [[Stackable|stack]]—meaning only one may ever be thrown at a time, and it'll take far more [[Scroll of enchant weapon|enchant weapon scrolls]] than is worth that small upgrade.
 
  
 
==Mythology==
 
==Mythology==
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{{nethack-343}}
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{{nethack-360}}
 
[[Category:Weapons]]
 
[[Category:Weapons]]

Revision as of 14:43, 24 January 2016

) Crysknife.png
Name crysknife
Appearance crysknife
Damage vs. small 1d10
Damage vs. large 1d10
To-hit bonus +3
Weapon skill knife
Size one-handed
Base price 100 zm
(+10/positive
enchant)
Weight 20
Material mineral

A crysknife is a weapon produced by enchanting a worm tooth. It has a +3 to-hit bonus and does d10 damage against both small and large monsters, making it a nice choice for #twoweaponing. However, if it leaves your possession, it may revert back into a worm tooth.

Crysknives count as throwing weapons, so they get a to-hit bonus when thrown. Because of their reversion property, throwing them is typically not a good idea.

Creation

Crysknives aren't randomly generated. Aside from wishing and bones, the only way to create one is to wield a worm tooth and read a non-cursed scroll of enchant weapon. This will uncurse a cursed worm tooth, but won't increase the enchantment; thus, it's safe to re-sharpen a tooth regardless of how highly-enchanted it already is. A stack of worm teeth will merge into a single crysknife; to create multiple crysknives, you must split up the stack and enchant each one individually.

Reversion

If a crysknife leaves your person, it reverts to a worm tooth. Exceptions are if it goes into a container in your inventory or is stolen by a monster, but in those cases it will revert if the container leaves your inventory or the monster dies. The worm tooth retains the crysknife's enchantment.

Erodeproofing a crysknife will "fix" it. A fixed crysknife will only revert 10% of the time. Dropping a stack of crysknives will make a single roll for the entire stack, but throwing multiple knives will roll for each of them. A crysknife that reverts also loses its fixing.

Throwing

Crysknives can be thrown with a multishot bonus, and with their +3 to-hit and d10 base damage, are more powerful than even the rare shuriken and cumbersome boomerang. However, the material cost of creation and maintenance is generally prohibitive. It takes two scrolls of enchant weapon to sharpen and fix a single crysknife, which will then last an average of 10 throws before having to be sharpened and fixed again. Most roles which can advance in knife skill have better ranged combat options. One possible exception are Healers, who can only reach multishot 3 with knives. It would take some serious polypiling to make this work, though, and magic missile is much more practical and potentially more powerful.

Slash'EM

Slash'EM changes the damage for crysknives to 1d20 against small and 1d30 against large. The Ice Mage, Flame Mage and Necromancer roles can gain Skilled in knife, Healer can gain Expert, and Yeomen can gain Basic. A healer can benefit seriously from the Crysknife; since they have little weapon choice other than darts, but still can achieve expert in knives, this can be the most lethal weapon (see below) for a healer in Slash'EM.

Average damage calculation

NetHack

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 Average damage
+0 crysknife \frac{1+10}{2}=\bold{5.5}
+7 crysknife \frac{1+10}{2}+7=\bold{12.5}

SLASH'EM

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 crysknife \frac{1+20}{2}=\bold{10.5} \frac{1+30}{2}=\bold{15.5}
+7 crysknife \frac{1+20}{2}+7=\bold{17.5} \frac{1+30}{2}+7=\bold{22.5}

Because of this increase in damage, the SLASH'EM crysknife compares favorably even to artifacts such as Excalibur. Against large monsters, it actually does more damage than the similarly enchanted Excalibur.

Mythology

The crysknife and the concept of worm teeth are from Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune.

This includes its fabrication from worm tooths and requiring "proximity to a human body's electrical field to prevent disintegration".

Encyclopedia entry

[The crysknife] is manufactured in two forms from teeth taken
from dead sandworms. The two forms are "fixed" and "unfixed".
An unfixed knife requires proximity to a human body's
electrical field to prevent disintegration. Fixed knives
are treated for storage. All are about 20 centimeters long.

[ Dune, by Frank Herbert ]


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It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.0. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-360}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.