Missile
Missiles in NetHack come in two forms. Those that are shot from a missile launcher, and those that are thrown.
The shot missiles are:
- arrows, shot with bows
- crossbow bolts, shot with a crossbow
- stones, including flint stones, rocks, and gems, shot with a sling
The thrown missiles are:
The shot missiles can also be thrown in the absence of a launcher, but they will be less effective.
Arrows, crossbow bolts, darts, and shurikens may disappear when thrown. Blessing missiles lowers the chance of them disappearing after they've been fired/thrown by an amount that depends on your luck. Enchanting these missiles also reduces their chance of disappearing.
Multiple daggers, darts, shuriken, arrows, or crossbow bolts can be fired or thrown in one turn. (See multishot.)
Valkyries can throw Mjollnir if they have 25 strength. It will return to them when thrown, usually returning to their hand, but more likely falling at their feet or hitting them if they are confused, stunned, or hallucinating.
Strategy
In fact, anything can be used as a missile. Cockatrice eggs make popular missiles, and so do various potions.
Missiles are good for softening targets from afar. Anything can even be shot and thrown past boulders, which is often advantageous in Sokoban.
To exercise your skill with a missile weapon, you must throw or fire it and successful hit an enemy, dealing at least 1 damage. Spears, javelins, and daggers are the exception, those skills are also exercised by wielding the weapon and striking foes in melee.
Your skill with a missile weapon increases your to-hit and damage when using that weapon, in melee and at range.
- This page is a stub. Should you wish to do so, you can contribute by expanding this page.
A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:
"Something should be added, at least about skills. Perhaps a discussion of darts vs daggers? Exactly how does enhancing skill effect missile use? Does the damage you deal when wielding an arrow increase with higher bow skill?"
