Difference between revisions of "Excalibur"

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==Generation==
 
==Generation==
{{main|Fountain#Dipping|l1=Fountain dipping}}
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Excalibur cannot be randomly generated or granted as a sacrifice gift, though it can still be left behind in [[bones]]. Excalibur's entry in the [[artifact]] code indicates that it would be the first sacrifice gift for [[Knight]]s if it were able to be gifted.{{refsrc|include/artilist.h|47|nethack=3.6.7|comment=the flag following alignment governs which role receives an artifact as a first gift}}
Excalibur cannot be randomly generated or granted as a sacrifice gift, though it can still be left behind in [[bones]]. Excalibur's code indicates that it would be the first sacrifice gift for [[Knight]]s were it able to be gifted.
 
  
Excalibur is created by dipping an un-[[name]]d non-artifact long sword into a [[fountain]] as a lawful character who is at least experience level 5. Each time you dip, there is a {{frac|6}} chance that, instead of normal fountain effects, the sword will be transformed into Excalibur - this will [[bless]] and [[rustproof]] the sword, along with removing any rust or corrosion, and its previous enchantment is retained. (This does ''not'' unrestrict the long sword skill.) When Excalibur is created, the fountain will always disappear afterward.
+
Excalibur can be obtained if a lawful character is either [[crowned]] or creates the artifact by [[dipping]] a single un[[name]]d, non-artifact long sword into a [[fountain]] while they are at least [[experience level]] 5.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|372|nethack=3.6.7|comment=the case accounts for polypiling (e.g. a stack of [[dagger]]s) that can produce a stack of long swords}}
  
Dipping for Excalibur when not lawful has a {{frac|6}} chance of removing erodeproofing and cursing the long sword instead, as well as abusing wisdom ("A freezing mist rises from the water and envelopes<!--sic--> the sword"). The fountain will always disappear after this occurs.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|372|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
===Dipping===
 +
{{main|Fountain#Dipping|l1=Fountain dipping}}
 +
Each time you dip a long sword as a lawful character, there is a {{frac|6}} chance that instead of normal fountain effects, the sword will be transformed into Excalibur: This will [[exercise]] [[wisdom]], [[bless]] and [[rustproof]] the sword while removing any [[Erosion|rust or corrosion]], and carry over its previous enchantment, but this does ''not'' unrestrict the long sword skill.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|385|nethack=3.6.7}} Dipping for Excalibur when not lawful instead has a {{frac|6}} chance of removing erodeproofing and cursing the long sword, as well as abusing wisdom.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|375|nethack=3.6.6}} The fountain will always disappear after either event.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|401|nethack=3.6.7}}
  
 
===Crowning===
 
===Crowning===
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==Description==
 
==Description==
Excalibur adds +d5 [[to-hit]] and +d10 damage against all monsters, and confers [[drain resistance]], [[automatic searching]], and an [[enchantment]]-based bonus to manual [[searching]] for secret doors and secret corridors (up to a maximum of +5). However, while wielded, demon princes will be generated hostile, and every monster can track your location whether it has eyes or not - though due to how monster pathfinding works in ''NetHack'', the impact of this is negligible.
+
Excalibur adds +d5 [[to-hit]] and +d10 damage against all monsters, and confers [[drain resistance]], [[automatic searching]], and an [[enchantment]]-based bonus to manual [[searching]] for secret doors and secret corridors (up to a maximum of +5). However, demon princes will be hostile if generated while Excalibur is wielded, and every monster can track your location whether it has eyes or not - though due to how monster pathfinding works in ''NetHack'', the impact of this second property is negligible.
  
 
===Demon princes===
 
===Demon princes===
If Excalibur is wielded when a [[demon prince]] is generated, the demon prince will be generated as hostile rather than peaceful. If you are wielding Excalibur when said prince warps to you and wants to demand a bribe, they will also turn hostile.
+
If Excalibur is wielded when a [[demon prince]] is generated, the demon prince will be generated as hostile rather than peaceful. If you are wielding Excalibur when a demon prince warps to you and wants to demand a bribe, they will also turn hostile.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
Generating Excalibur is easy for Knights and lawful [[Valkyrie]]s, who both start with an enchanted long sword. It is also a stellar weapon for [[Samurai]], who can create it once they find a long sword and will already have the skill available - other lawfuls seeking to utilize Excalibur while avoiding crowning will first have to receive another long sword as a sacrifice gift (which will unrestrict the corresponding skill for them). While non-lawful characters can make use of Excalibur, they cannot dip for it and will have to find it in a bones level, additionally contending with possible [[artifact blast]]s each time they wield it.
+
Excalibur is an excellent weapon against all monsters and is generally only outperformed by a highly-enchanted [[Grayswandir]], making it more than sufficient for an [[ascension kit]] at [[Basic]] skill level; in the later stages of the game, even unskilled use of Excalibur can provide sufficient offense while training the skill, particularly with [[scroll]]s of {{? of|enchant weapon}}.
 +
 
 +
Generating Excalibur is easy for Knights and lawful [[Valkyrie]]s, who both start with an enchanted long sword. It is also a stellar weapon for [[Samurai]], who can create it once they find a long sword and will already have the skill available. Lawfuls restricted in long sword can unrestrict the skill and receive Excalibur via crowning, which can be done fairly early (usually before the [[Quest]]) if they are not reliant on prayer; they can also receive another artifact long sword as sacrifice gift to unrestrict the skill.
 +
 
 +
===Cross-aligned use===
 +
Though Excalibur is an intelligent artifact, it is not a quest artifact and so will not evade the grasp of non-lawful characters, allowing them to make good use of it if they can manage the [[artifact blast]]s. While bones are the typical means for a non-lawful character to acquire Excalibur, they may also consider either [[wish]]ing for Excalibur or using a [[helm of opposite alignment]] to temporarily become lawful and dip for it. For dipping, chaotic characters are capable of reliably using the helm of opposite alignment, where neutral characters may need to try a few helms before finding one that turns them lawful.{{refsrc|src/do_wear.c|418|nethack=3.6.7}}
 +
 
 +
The rare drain resistance property and bonuses to damage and to-hit make Excalibur an enticing artifact for non-lawfuls with an extra wish to spare; chaotic characters in particular have a relative dearth of quality artifact wishes compared to other alignments. However, for a weaker character early wishes are typically best spent on covering the essentials, and crowning for [[Vorpal Blade]] or Stormbringer may be a preferable alternative to obtain a reliable weapon.
  
 
===Dipping===
 
===Dipping===
While acquiring Excalibur as soon as possible is generally a good idea, the chance of getting it is only {{frac|6}} for each dip. You should be prepared to deal with [[water demon]]s, [[water nymph]]s and [[Moat|other]] [[Water moccasin|hazards]] that may appear in the meantime. In addition, your sword will often [[rust]] when dipping fails. Any rust will be repaired when dipping eventually succeeds, so this isn't usually a serious problem, but if the long sword you're dipping is your primary weapon, it's best to wait until you have found at least a few fountains, lest you have to explore new levels with a thoroughly rusted long sword as your only weapon.
+
Acquiring Excalibur as soon as possible is generally a good idea, but the chance of obtaining it is only {{frac|6}} for each dip. You should be prepared to deal with [[water demon]]s, [[water nymph]]s, [[water moccasin]]s and newly-made [[moat]]s in the meantime. Some people prefer to wait until at least XL 7 before making the attempt: Knights, Valkyries and Cavemen gain [[intrinsic speed]] at level 7, which allows them to outrun water demons.
  
Some people prefer to wait until at least XL 7 before making the attempt: Knights, Valkyries and Cavemen gain [[intrinsic speed]] at level 7, which allows them to outrun water demons.
+
Your sword will also [[rust]] on each dip that does not transform it into Excalibur. Though succeeding will repair and rustproof the sword, it is best to wait if the long sword being dipped is your primary weapon - once you have found a few fountains, you can backtrack to them and try each one in turn rather than continue searching new floors with a thoroughly rusted long sword as your only weapon.
  
 
Generating Excalibur successfully will '''always''' make the fountain that was used dry up and disappear. In [[Minetown]], there is no warning for this and the [[watch]] will immediately be angered, making dipping out in the open a [[Bad Idea]]. If you somehow do not have access to any other fountains, consider using a pet to kill the guards in advance, or lock them up in rooms where they cannot attack you.
 
Generating Excalibur successfully will '''always''' make the fountain that was used dry up and disappear. In [[Minetown]], there is no warning for this and the [[watch]] will immediately be angered, making dipping out in the open a [[Bad Idea]]. If you somehow do not have access to any other fountains, consider using a pet to kill the guards in advance, or lock them up in rooms where they cannot attack you.
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The [[Oracle]] level is a popular place to dip for Excalibur; characters often arrive there at about the time that they are capable of escaping fountain hazards, and having four adjacent fountains means you will likely succeed without having to travel much further to find more.
 
The [[Oracle]] level is a popular place to dip for Excalibur; characters often arrive there at about the time that they are capable of escaping fountain hazards, and having four adjacent fountains means you will likely succeed without having to travel much further to find more.
  
===Combat===
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===Average damage calculation===
Excalibur is an excellent weapon against most if not all monsters, with the only more damaging weapon versus all monsters would be a highly enchanted [[Grayswandir]]. As such, it is more than sufficient for an ascension kit.
+
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from [[Skill|weapon skills]], [[strength]], or from using a blessed weapon against [[undead]] or [[M2_DEMON|demons]].
 
 
====Average damage calculation====
 
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from [[Skill|weapon skills]], [[strength]], or from using a blessed weapon against [[undead]] or [[demon]]s.
 
  
 
{|class="wikitable"
 
{|class="wikitable"
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| +9 Excalibur || <math>\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{19}</math> || <math>\frac{1+12}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{21}</math>
 
| +9 Excalibur || <math>\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{19}</math> || <math>\frac{1+12}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{21}</math>
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==History==
 +
Excalibur first appears in [[NetHack 1.3d]]. In this version and [[NetHack 1.4f]], you can [[name]] a long sword Excalibur and ''then'' dip it in a fountain, for a {{frac|2|15}} chance of the Lady of the Lake blessing the sword{{refsrc|fountain.c|242|version=NetHack 1.3d}} - this Excalibur lacks special properties, but creating it this way raises the enchantment of the sword to +5 (if not already higher), rustproofs it and removes any [[curse]]s. The modern dipping method for obtaining Excalibur is introduced in [[NetHack 2.2a]].
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
 
{{wikipedia}}
 
{{wikipedia}}
 
Excalibur is the legendary sword of [[King Arthur]], who appears in NetHack as the Knight's [[quest leader]].
 
Excalibur is the legendary sword of [[King Arthur]], who appears in NetHack as the Knight's [[quest leader]].
{{clear}}
 
 
==History==
 
Excalibur first appeared in [[NetHack 1.3d]].
 
  
Before [[NetHack 2.2a]], the method of obtaining Excalibur was different from the present time. One ''first'' had to name a long sword Excalibur and ''then'' dip it in a fountain. Excalibur in these versions had no special properties, but the dipping would make the sword +5 (if it was not already higher), rustproof it, and remove any [[curse]]s.
+
==Messages==
 +
{{message|From the murky depths, a hand reaches up to bless the sword.<br>As the hand retreats, the fountain disappears!|You successfully transformed your dipped long sword into Excalibur as a lawful character.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|389|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
 +
{{message|A freezing mist rises from the water and envelopes<!--sic--> the sword.<br>The fountain disappears!|As above, but you were not a lawful character, and you "successfully" cursed the sword instead.{{refsrc|src/fountain.c|377|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
  
 
==Variants==
 
==Variants==
 
===SLASH'EM===
 
===SLASH'EM===
In [[SLASH'EM]], the already-stellar Excalibur becomes much better - all artifacts with a roll for a damage bonus in vanilla ''NetHack'' have it converted to a flat bonus in SLASH'EM.<ref>Compare [[SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2/artifact.c#line799]] to [[artifact.c#line843]]</ref> This gives Excalibur a +10 bonus, and the abundance of [[life drain]]ing methods and attacks that can be used against the player also make its drain resistance even more valuable as well.
+
In [[SLASH'EM]], bonus damage rolls for artifact weapons are converted to a flat bonus, giving Excalibur +10 to damage.<ref>Compare [[SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2/artifact.c#line799]] to [[artifact.c#line843]]</ref> This makes the already-good artifact weapon even better, and the abundance of [[life drain]]ing methods and attacks introduced in SLASH'EM make its drain resistance even more valuable.
 +
 
 +
===GruntHack===
 +
In [[GruntHack]], dipping a long sword to create Excalibur preserves its object properties, making it a possible good idea to [[wish]] for a suitable Excalibur base once other properties are covered.
  
 
===SporkHack===
 
===SporkHack===
In [[SporkHack]], it is not possible to obtain Excalibur by dipping unless you are a Knight. Other lawful long sword wielders who want it must get it as a crowning gift, through a wish or by finding Knight [[bones]]. This devalues Excalibur slightly and makes [[Snickersnee]], which can be randomly generated, more useful.
+
In [[SporkHack]], only Knights can obtain Excalibur by dipping; other lawful characters must use one of the other remaining methods. This makes [[Snickersnee]], which can be randomly generated, somewhat more useful in comparison.
  
 
===dNetHack===
 
===dNetHack===
In [[dNetHack]], Excalibur adds +1d20 to-hit and deals an extra 3d7 damage to demons and undead if blessed. In addition, Excalibur inherits [[Object properties#dNetHack|the weapon]] and [[Object materials (dNetHack)|material properties]] of the sword it is made with. Players may therefore want to put off dipping for Excalibur until they obtain a more desirable base sword.
+
In [[dNetHack]], Excalibur has +1d20 to-hit and deals +3d7 damage to demons and undead if blessed. In addition, Excalibur inherits [[Object properties#dNetHack|the weapon]] and [[Object materials (dNetHack)|material properties]] of the sword it is made with; players may want to put off dipping for Excalibur until they obtain a desirable base sword. Outside of [[wish]]ing, sources of such swords include:
  
Sources of such swords include:
+
* A [[barrow wight]]'s guaranteed long sword has a {{frac|5}} chance of being [[silver]] (which adds +1d20 silver damage) and a {{frac|5}} chance of being gold (which adds +1d20 holy damage). In addition, {{frac|20}} of barrow wight long swords will be lesser holy (+1d8 holy) as well.
* A [[barrow wight]]'s guaranteed long sword has a {{frac|5}} chance to be a [[silver]] one (which adds 1d20 silver damage) and a {{frac|5}} chance to be gold (which adds 1d20 holy damage). In addition, 5% of barrow wight swords will be lesser holy (+1d8 holy) as well. Wishing for a gold or silver long sword also works.
+
* [[Oona]]'s long sword has +1d8 elemental damage, +1d8 damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets.
* Acquiring [[Oona]]'s sword (+1d8 elemental damage, +1d8 damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets).
+
* The [[Sword of the Deeps]] is a +12 deep long sword found in the last level of the [[Lethe Waterway]].
* Retrieving the [[Sword of the Deeps]] from the last level of the [[Lethe Waterway]] in the neutral quest (a +12 deep long sword).
+
* King Arthur always generates with a blessed +7 silver axiomatic long sword (axiomatic weapons deal double damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets), though it cannot be obtained normally unless you are willing to attack and possibly kill him - if so, be sure to unlock the quest before attacking.
* As a Knight, somehow obtain King Arthur's axiomatic long sword (double damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets).
 
 
* [[Nazgul]] are always generated with an unholy long sword (double unholy damage).
 
* [[Nazgul]] are always generated with an unholy long sword (double unholy damage).
 +
* [[The Silver Flame]] can transform Excalibur or any base sword intended for Excalibur into silver.
 +
 +
===xNetHack===
 +
In [[xNetHack]], obtaining Excalibur by dipping a long sword into a fountain will set its enchantment to +0 if it was negative, and will always convert the sword's [[Object materials (xNetHack)|object material]] to iron. Obtaining Excalibur by crowning sets its enchantment to +3 if it was lower than that.
 +
 +
===SpliceHack===
 +
In [[SpliceHack]], Excalibur can be invoked to create an explosion if wielded while carrying [[Avalon]].
  
 
===EvilHack===
 
===EvilHack===
In [[EvilHack]], only lawful Knights can dip for Excalibur, and other lawful roles can only obtain it through crowning - there is an added a risk of the long sword rusting away completely when dipping, as with any sufficiently-damaged object in EvilHack. A long sword that is successfully transformed into Excalibur is stripped of its object properties, and its [[object materials (EvilHack)|object material]] is always converted to iron.
+
In [[EvilHack]], only lawful Knights can dip for Excalibur as in SporkHack - other lawful roles can only obtain Excalibur through crowning, bones or wishing, and the helm of opposite alignment cannot be used by chaotic Knights to dip for it. There is the added a risk of the long sword rusting away completely when dipping it, as with any sufficiently-eroded object. [[Orcish long sword|Orcish]] and [[elven long sword]]s cannot be used to create Excalibur in either instance.
 
 
[[Orcish long sword|Orcish]] and [[elven long sword]]s cannot be used to create Excalibur in either instance.
 
  
===SpliceHack===
+
A long sword that is successfully transformed into Excalibur is stripped of its object properties, and its [[object materials (EvilHack)|object material]] is always converted to iron.
In [[SpliceHack]], Excalibur can be invoked to create an explosion if the wielder is carrying [[Avalon]].
 
  
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
{{encyclopedia|
At first only its tip was visible, but then it rose, straight,
+
At first only its tip was visible, but then it rose, straight, proud, all that was noble and great and wondrous.  The tip of the blade pointed toward the moon, as if it would cleave it in two.  The blade itself gleamed like a beacon in the night. There was no light source for the sword to be reflecting from, for the moon had darted behind a cloud in fear.  The sword was glowing from the intensity of its strength and power and knowledge that it was justice incarnate, and that after a slumber of uncounted years its time had again come. After the blade broke the surface, the hilt was visible, and holding the sword was a single strong, yet feminine hand, wearing several rings that bore jewels sparkling with the blue-green color of the ocean.
proud, all that was noble and great and wondrous.  The tip of
 
the blade pointed toward the moon, as if it would cleave it
 
in two.  The blade itself gleamed like a beacon in the night.
 
There was no light source for the sword to be reflecting
 
from, for the moon had darted behind a cloud in fear.  The
 
sword was glowing from the intensity of its strength and
 
power and knowledge that it was justice incarnate, and that
 
after a slumber of uncounted years its time had again come.
 
After the blade broke the surface, the hilt was visible, and
 
holding the sword was a single strong, yet feminine hand,
 
wearing several rings that bore jewels sparkling with the
 
blue-green color of the ocean.
 
 
|[ Knight Life, by Peter David ]
 
|[ Knight Life, by Peter David ]
 
}}
 
}}
Line 118: Line 118:
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
+
{{nethack-366}}
 
[[Category:Artifact weapons]]
 
[[Category:Artifact weapons]]
{{nethack-366}}
 

Latest revision as of 20:28, 21 February 2024

)   Excalibur   Long sword.png
Base item long sword
Damage vs. small 1d8 +1d10 (2–18)
Damage vs. large 1d12 +1d10 (2–22)
To-hit bonus +1d5
Bonus versus (any)
Weapon skill long sword
Size one-handed
Affiliation
When carried

(none)

When wielded
When invoked

(none)

Base price 4000 zm
Weight 40
Material iron

Excalibur is an intelligent artifact weapon that appears in NetHack. It is lawful-aligned, and its base item is a long sword.

Generation

Excalibur cannot be randomly generated or granted as a sacrifice gift, though it can still be left behind in bones. Excalibur's entry in the artifact code indicates that it would be the first sacrifice gift for Knights if it were able to be gifted.[1]

Excalibur can be obtained if a lawful character is either crowned or creates the artifact by dipping a single unnamed, non-artifact long sword into a fountain while they are at least experience level 5.[2]

Dipping

Main article: Fountain dipping

Each time you dip a long sword as a lawful character, there is a 16 chance that instead of normal fountain effects, the sword will be transformed into Excalibur: This will exercise wisdom, bless and rustproof the sword while removing any rust or corrosion, and carry over its previous enchantment, but this does not unrestrict the long sword skill.[3] Dipping for Excalibur when not lawful instead has a 16 chance of removing erodeproofing and cursing the long sword, as well as abusing wisdom.[4] The fountain will always disappear after either event.[5]

Crowning

Main article: Crowning

If a lawful character is crowned while wielding a non-artifact long sword in their primary hand, and Excalibur has not yet been generated, the sword will be transformed into the blessed and rustproof Excalibur as the crowning gift. This auto-identifies the sword and unrestricts the long sword skill if applicable; if the sword has no positive enchantment at the time of crowning, its enchantment is set to +1.

Description

Excalibur adds +d5 to-hit and +d10 damage against all monsters, and confers drain resistance, automatic searching, and an enchantment-based bonus to manual searching for secret doors and secret corridors (up to a maximum of +5). However, demon princes will be hostile if generated while Excalibur is wielded, and every monster can track your location whether it has eyes or not - though due to how monster pathfinding works in NetHack, the impact of this second property is negligible.

Demon princes

If Excalibur is wielded when a demon prince is generated, the demon prince will be generated as hostile rather than peaceful. If you are wielding Excalibur when a demon prince warps to you and wants to demand a bribe, they will also turn hostile.

Strategy

Excalibur is an excellent weapon against all monsters and is generally only outperformed by a highly-enchanted Grayswandir, making it more than sufficient for an ascension kit at Basic skill level; in the later stages of the game, even unskilled use of Excalibur can provide sufficient offense while training the skill, particularly with scrolls of enchant weapon.

Generating Excalibur is easy for Knights and lawful Valkyries, who both start with an enchanted long sword. It is also a stellar weapon for Samurai, who can create it once they find a long sword and will already have the skill available. Lawfuls restricted in long sword can unrestrict the skill and receive Excalibur via crowning, which can be done fairly early (usually before the Quest) if they are not reliant on prayer; they can also receive another artifact long sword as sacrifice gift to unrestrict the skill.

Cross-aligned use

Though Excalibur is an intelligent artifact, it is not a quest artifact and so will not evade the grasp of non-lawful characters, allowing them to make good use of it if they can manage the artifact blasts. While bones are the typical means for a non-lawful character to acquire Excalibur, they may also consider either wishing for Excalibur or using a helm of opposite alignment to temporarily become lawful and dip for it. For dipping, chaotic characters are capable of reliably using the helm of opposite alignment, where neutral characters may need to try a few helms before finding one that turns them lawful.[6]

The rare drain resistance property and bonuses to damage and to-hit make Excalibur an enticing artifact for non-lawfuls with an extra wish to spare; chaotic characters in particular have a relative dearth of quality artifact wishes compared to other alignments. However, for a weaker character early wishes are typically best spent on covering the essentials, and crowning for Vorpal Blade or Stormbringer may be a preferable alternative to obtain a reliable weapon.

Dipping

Acquiring Excalibur as soon as possible is generally a good idea, but the chance of obtaining it is only 16 for each dip. You should be prepared to deal with water demons, water nymphs, water moccasins and newly-made moats in the meantime. Some people prefer to wait until at least XL 7 before making the attempt: Knights, Valkyries and Cavemen gain intrinsic speed at level 7, which allows them to outrun water demons.

Your sword will also rust on each dip that does not transform it into Excalibur. Though succeeding will repair and rustproof the sword, it is best to wait if the long sword being dipped is your primary weapon - once you have found a few fountains, you can backtrack to them and try each one in turn rather than continue searching new floors with a thoroughly rusted long sword as your only weapon.

Generating Excalibur successfully will always make the fountain that was used dry up and disappear. In Minetown, there is no warning for this and the watch will immediately be angered, making dipping out in the open a Bad Idea. If you somehow do not have access to any other fountains, consider using a pet to kill the guards in advance, or lock them up in rooms where they cannot attack you.

The Oracle level is a popular place to dip for Excalibur; characters often arrive there at about the time that they are capable of escaping fountain hazards, and having four adjacent fountains means you will likely succeed without having to travel much further to find more.

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 monster Large monster
+0 Excalibur \frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}=\bold{10} \frac{1+12}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}=\bold{12}
+7 Excalibur \frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+7=\bold{17} \frac{1+12}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+7=\bold{19}
+9 Excalibur \frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{19} \frac{1+12}{2}+\frac{1+10}{2}+9=\bold{21}

History

Excalibur first appears in NetHack 1.3d. In this version and NetHack 1.4f, you can name a long sword Excalibur and then dip it in a fountain, for a 215 chance of the Lady of the Lake blessing the sword[7] - this Excalibur lacks special properties, but creating it this way raises the enchantment of the sword to +5 (if not already higher), rustproofs it and removes any curses. The modern dipping method for obtaining Excalibur is introduced in NetHack 2.2a.

Origin

Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, who appears in NetHack as the Knight's quest leader.

Messages

From the murky depths, a hand reaches up to bless the sword.
As the hand retreats, the fountain disappears!
You successfully transformed your dipped long sword into Excalibur as a lawful character.[8]
A freezing mist rises from the water and envelopes the sword.
The fountain disappears!
As above, but you were not a lawful character, and you "successfully" cursed the sword instead.[9]

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, bonus damage rolls for artifact weapons are converted to a flat bonus, giving Excalibur +10 to damage.[10] This makes the already-good artifact weapon even better, and the abundance of life draining methods and attacks introduced in SLASH'EM make its drain resistance even more valuable.

GruntHack

In GruntHack, dipping a long sword to create Excalibur preserves its object properties, making it a possible good idea to wish for a suitable Excalibur base once other properties are covered.

SporkHack

In SporkHack, only Knights can obtain Excalibur by dipping; other lawful characters must use one of the other remaining methods. This makes Snickersnee, which can be randomly generated, somewhat more useful in comparison.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, Excalibur has +1d20 to-hit and deals +3d7 damage to demons and undead if blessed. In addition, Excalibur inherits the weapon and material properties of the sword it is made with; players may want to put off dipping for Excalibur until they obtain a desirable base sword. Outside of wishing, sources of such swords include:

  • A barrow wight's guaranteed long sword has a 15 chance of being silver (which adds +1d20 silver damage) and a 15 chance of being gold (which adds +1d20 holy damage). In addition, 120 of barrow wight long swords will be lesser holy (+1d8 holy) as well.
  • Oona's long sword has +1d8 elemental damage, +1d8 damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets.
  • The Sword of the Deeps is a +12 deep long sword found in the last level of the Lethe Waterway.
  • King Arthur always generates with a blessed +7 silver axiomatic long sword (axiomatic weapons deal double damage vs. chaotic and neutral targets), though it cannot be obtained normally unless you are willing to attack and possibly kill him - if so, be sure to unlock the quest before attacking.
  • Nazgul are always generated with an unholy long sword (double unholy damage).
  • The Silver Flame can transform Excalibur or any base sword intended for Excalibur into silver.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, obtaining Excalibur by dipping a long sword into a fountain will set its enchantment to +0 if it was negative, and will always convert the sword's object material to iron. Obtaining Excalibur by crowning sets its enchantment to +3 if it was lower than that.

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, Excalibur can be invoked to create an explosion if wielded while carrying Avalon.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, only lawful Knights can dip for Excalibur as in SporkHack - other lawful roles can only obtain Excalibur through crowning, bones or wishing, and the helm of opposite alignment cannot be used by chaotic Knights to dip for it. There is the added a risk of the long sword rusting away completely when dipping it, as with any sufficiently-eroded object. Orcish and elven long swords cannot be used to create Excalibur in either instance.

A long sword that is successfully transformed into Excalibur is stripped of its object properties, and its object material is always converted to iron.

Encyclopedia entry

At first only its tip was visible, but then it rose, straight, proud, all that was noble and great and wondrous. The tip of the blade pointed toward the moon, as if it would cleave it in two. The blade itself gleamed like a beacon in the night. There was no light source for the sword to be reflecting from, for the moon had darted behind a cloud in fear. The sword was glowing from the intensity of its strength and power and knowledge that it was justice incarnate, and that after a slumber of uncounted years its time had again come. After the blade broke the surface, the hilt was visible, and holding the sword was a single strong, yet feminine hand, wearing several rings that bore jewels sparkling with the blue-green color of the ocean.

[ Knight Life, by Peter David ]

References