View source for Grimtooth

{{artifact weapon
  |color=black
  |name=Grimtooth
  |base=orcish dagger
  |smalldmg=1d3 '''+1d6'''
  |largedmg=1d3 '''+1d6'''
  |tohit='''+1d2'''
  |skill=dagger
  |affiliation=<ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>[[Orc (monster attribute)|orcish]]</li></ul>
  |whenwielded=<ul><li>detect [[elf (monster attribute)|elves]]</li></ul>
  |cost=300
  |weight=10
  |material=iron
}}

'''Grimtooth''' is an [[artifact weapon]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is [[chaotic]]-aligned, and its [[base item]] is an [[orcish dagger]].

==Generation==
Any randomly generated orcish dagger has a base {{frac|20}} chance of being made into Grimtooth, as it is the only artifact orcish dagger. Grimtooth may also be given as a [[sacrifice gift]] to chaotic, non-[[Elf (starting race)|elven]] characters.

[[Player monster]] [[Rogue (player monster)|rogues]] on the [[Astral Plane]] have a 25% chance of [[Monster starting inventory|starting with an orcish dagger]] in place of their initial primary weapon&mdash;like all player monsters on the Plane, there is a 50% chance it will be made into an artifact weapon of the same [[base item]].{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|270|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} Grimtooth is the only artifact orcish dagger, resulting in a 12.5% chance that a Rogue will be carrying it on the Planes.

==Description==
Grimtooth has +d2 to hit and a +d6 damage against all monsters, and while wielded it confers [[warned of monster type|warning against elves]], glowing red when any [[elf (monster attribute)|elves]] are present on the level.{{refsrc|src/artilist.h|709|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=damage bonus against all monsters is special cased in spec_dbon()}} Characters that are elven, including those [[polymorph]]ed into elven monsters, cannot wield Grimtooth and will be [[Artifact blast|blasted]] if they attempt to.

==Strategy==
Grimtooth's weak base item means that even with its damage bonuses to all monsters, it is effectively on par with a normal [[long sword]] - most chaotic non-elven players will only consider Grimtooth as an obstacle to receiving [[Stormbringer]] through [[sacrifice]]. However, it averages the same damage as a [[crysknife]], without the crysknife's danger of reverting to a [[worm tooth]] or the requirement of a [[scroll of enchant weapon]] to create.

Despite its relatively low damage in comparison to other artifacts, orcish [[Ranger]]s and Rogues that obtain it early are likely to make good use of it until they acquire Stormbringer, [[Fire Brand]] or [[Frost Brand]].

===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 [[M2_DEMON|demons]].
{|class="wikitable"
!Weapon
!Damage
|-
| +0 Grimtooth
|<math>\frac{1+3}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}=\bold{5.5}</math>
|-
| +7 Grimtooth
|<math>\frac{1+3}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}+7=\bold{12.5}</math>
|}

==Variants==
===SLASH'EM===
In [[SLASH'EM]], Grimtooth gives a flat +6 damage bonus as opposed to 1d6, but is still outshined by the many better artifacts present, particularly for chaotic players. It might be a decent choice for twoweaponing, which is allowed for artifacts in SLASH'EM.

===UnNetHack===
In [[UnNetHack]], Grimtooth is permanently [[poison]]ed and deals +d6 damage against non-[[Poison resistance|poison resistant]] monsters, with a 10% chance of killing them instantly - this makes it markedly more useful. Grimtooth is also the first sacrifice gift for [[Rogue]]s.

===dNetHack===
In [[dNetHack]], Grimtooth has +d5 to-hit, doubled damage, and warning against elves, [[human (monster attribute)|humans]] and [[minion]]s. It can be created by naming an orcish dagger, and can be [[twoweapon]]ed as a secondary weapon.

===xNetHack===
In [[xNetHack]], Grimtooth is permanently poisoned as in UnNetHack, though the removal of poison instadeath makes it somewhat less powerful. Its base price is raised from 300 to 1000.

===EvilHack===
In [[EvilHack]], Grimtooth has a disease-incuding attack with a {{frac|6}} chance of inflicting terminal [[sickness]] on the target. Grimtooth also deals extra damage to elves in addition to bonus damage from [[iron]], and has a chance of instakilling any elf it hits (including an elven or drow player).

The sickness inflicted by the disease attack can be used to dispose of targets with massive defenses, such as high level low-AC [[player monster]]s, that do not have an immunity or a means of curing it. You are credited (or blamed) for monsters that die of terminal illness this way and gain experience as normal.

==References==
<references/>
{{nethack-367}}
[[Category:Artifact weapons]]