Difference between revisions of "Skill"

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NetHack's '''skill''' system allows different [[role]]s to attain different proficiencies in the use of different [[weapon]]s and [[spell]]s. Skills can be advanced using the [[enhance|#enhance]] command.  When you become able to advance a skill, you will see the message "'''''You feel more confident in your (weapon/fighting/spell casting) skills.'''''" If you have just advanced a skill and still have more that can be advanced, you will get the message "'''''You feel you could be more dangerous!'''''"  Skills are not advanced automatically because advancing them requires free skill slots which can only be gained by levelling up.
+
:''The term "master" redirects here. For the [[rank]] title of a Monk at experience level 30, see [[Monk#Rank titles]].
  
−
== Training skills ==
+
NetHack's '''skill''' system allows different [[role]]s to attain different proficiencies in the use of different [[weapon]]s and [[spell]]s. Skills can be advanced using the [[enhance|#enhance]] command.  When you become able to advance a skill, you will see the message "'''''You feel more confident in your (weapon/fighting/spell casting) skills.'''''" If you have just advanced a skill and still have more that can be advanced, you will get the message "'''''You feel you could be more dangerous!'''''"  Skills are not advanced automatically because each skill takes up skill slots, which are finite and gained by leveling up.
  
−
=== Introduction ===
+
== Training ==
 +
Most skills in NetHack have four possible levels: '''Unskilled''', '''Basic''', '''Skilled''' and '''Expert'''. [[Martial arts]] and [[Bare hands]] have two levels beyond expert: '''Master''' and '''Grand Master'''.  Generally speaking, characters start at basic skill in the weapons and spells they begin their adventure with, and unskilled in all others.
  
−
Most skills in NetHack have four possible levels: '''Unskilled''', '''Basic''', '''Skilled''' and '''Expert'''. [[Martial arts]] and [[Bare hands]] have two levels beyond expert: '''Master''' and '''Grand Master'''. Generally speaking, characters start at basic skill with the weapons and spells with which they begin their adventure and unskilled in all others.
+
Use the #enhance command at any time to get a list of skills which you can train. If a skill does not appear on this list, your role is '''restricted''' in this skill, meaning that no amount of training will enable it to advance beyond unskilled. However, if you receive an [[artifact weapon]] from your [[god]], you will be "'''unrestricted'''" in the appropriate skill if necessary, which can then be advanced to Basic. #enhance will also indicate which of the listed skills have been trained up to their maximum levels.  Tables of maximum skill levels can be found in Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers [[weap-343.txt]] and [[spl1-343.txt]].
  
−
Use the #enhance command at any time to get a list of skills which you can train.  If a skill does not appear on this list, your role is said to be '''restricted''' in this skill, meaning that no amount of training will enable it to advance beyond unskilled.  (If you receive an [[artifact weapon]] from your [[god]], you will be "'''unrestricted'''" in this weapon if necessary, and will be able to advance it to Basic.)  #enhance will also indicate which of the listed skills have been trained up to their maximum levels.  Tables of maximum skill levels can be found in Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers [[weap-343.txt]] and [[spl1-343.txt]].
+
Combat skills are generally trained through dealing more than 1 damage using a given weapon while [[wield]]ed in melee, and [[projectile]]s are [[thrown]] or else [[firing|fired]] from the [[launcher]] they are designed for - some melee weapons ([[spear]], [[javelin]], [[knife]], [[dagger]], and [[aklys]]) can double as projectiles, and either use trains the appropriate skill. Spellcasting skills are trained by successfully casting a spell; a common training strategy is to use low-level spells such as {{spell of|light}} or {{spell of|knock}} to raise the skill for another desired spell in that spellcasting school.
−
 
 
−
As a general rule, skills are trained by using them successfully.  There is a trick to training spell skills: practise with a low-level spell in the school you want to train until your skill improves enough that you can cast high-level spells in that school.  For example, train up [[divination spells]] by casting {{spell of|light}} so that you can cast {{spell of|magic mapping}} and {{spell of|identify}} more reliably.
 
  
 
=== Technical details ===
 
=== Technical details ===
 +
To advance a skill, you need to have enough free ''skill slots'' and to have practiced it enough. You gain a skill slot each time you gain an [[experience level]], and being [[Crowning|crowned]] also grants one skill slot - this means there is a maximum of 30 skill slots available. Higher skill levels require more skill slots.
 +
Skills that are non-weapon based (spellcasting, bare-handed combat, and riding) use half as many skill slots as weapon-based skills.<ref>[[Source:NetHack_3.4.3/src/weapon.c#slots_required|weapon.c, function slots_required]]</ref> If you lose an experience level, you will also lose a skill slot, which may result in losing your most recently earned skill.
  
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To advance a skill, you need to have enough free ''skill slots'' and to have practiced it enough.  You begin the game with no free skill slots and gain one each time you gain an [[experience level]]. You can earn a maximum of 29 skill slots, by advancing from level 1 to maximum level 30.  It costs one skill slot to advance a weapon skill from Unskilled to Basic, two to go from Basic to Skilled, and three to go from Skilled to Expert.  Other skills take one skill slot to go from Unskilled to Basic, one to go from Basic to Skilled, two to go from Skilled to Expert, two to go from Expert to Master and three to go from Master to Grand Master. <ref>[[Source:NetHack_3.4.3/src/weapon.c#slots_required|weapon.c, function slots_required]]</ref> If you lose an experience level, you will also lose a skill slot, which may result in losing your most recently earned skill.
+
The table below shows the total number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level and the skill slots required to advance. If you start with a skill at Basic, you are also precredited with 20 successful uses of that skill.
−
 
 
−
The table below shows the total number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level. If you start with a skill at Basic, you are also precredited with 20 successful uses of that skill.
 
  
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
{|class="prettytable"
−
!Skill Level
+
!Skill level
−
!Successful Uses
+
!Successful uses
 +
!Slots required for weapons
 +
!Slots required for non-weapons
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Unskilled
 
|Unskilled
 
|0
 
|0
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Basic
 
|Basic
 
|20
 
|20
 +
|1
 +
|1
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Skilled
 
|Skilled
 
|80
 
|80
 +
|2
 +
|1
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Expert
 
|Expert
 
|180
 
|180
 +
|3
 +
|2
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Master
 
|Master
 
|320
 
|320
 +
|
 +
|2
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Grand Master
 
|Grand Master
 
|500
 
|500
 +
|
 +
|3
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
Hitting a [[monster]] for more than one point of damage (including from a distance) counts as a successful use of a weapon skill. For bare-handed combat, a successful use is only scored 50% of the times you hit a monster; for martial arts, 75%.{{refsrc|uhitm.c|546}}{{refsrc|uhitm.c|907}} As with weapon attacks, a check is made to see if your skill damage bonus applies (see below).  [[Riding]] for 101 steps counts as a successful use of the riding skill.{{refsrc|steed.c|357}} The steps do not have to be consecutive. Each time you move while mounted counts as one step. Successfully casting a level ''n'' spell counts as ''n'' successful uses of the corresponding spell casting skill.{{refsrc|spell.c|960}}
+
Hitting a [[monster]] for more than one point of damage (including from a distance) counts as a successful use of a weapon skill. For bare-handed combat, a successful use is only scored 50% of the times you hit a monster; for martial arts, 75%.{{refsrc|uhitm.c|546}}{{refsrc|uhitm.c|907}} As with weapon attacks, a check is made to see if your skill damage bonus applies (see below).  [[Riding]] a total distance of 101 squares counts as a successful use of the riding skill.{{refsrc|steed.c|357}} Successfully casting a level ''n'' spell counts as ''n'' successful uses of the corresponding spell casting skill.{{refsrc|spell.c|960}}
  
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== Effects of skills ==
+
== Effects ==
  
 
=== Spellcasting ===
 
=== Spellcasting ===
Line 52: Line 65:
 
Quoting from [http://www.steelypips.org/nethack/343/weap-343.html Kate Nepveu's spoilers]:
 
Quoting from [http://www.steelypips.org/nethack/343/weap-343.html Kate Nepveu's spoilers]:
  
−
==== Weapon skill levels and bonuses, part 1 ====
+
==== Weapon skill levels and bonuses ====
  
 
{| class="prettytable" style="text-align: center"
 
{| class="prettytable" style="text-align: center"
−
|+ Skill Levels and their Bonuses
+
!  
−
! &nbsp;
 
 
! colspan=2 | Needed
 
! colspan=2 | Needed
 
! colspan=2 | Weapon
 
! colspan=2 | Weapon
−
! colspan=2 | Two-Weapon
+
! colspan=2 | Two-weapon
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Skill Level
+
! Skill level
 
! Hits
 
! Hits
 
! Exp
 
! Exp
Line 70: Line 82:
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Unskilled
 
!Unskilled
−
|0||0||-4||-2||-9||-3
+
|0||0||−4||−2||−9||−3
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Basic
 
!Basic
−
|20||1||0||0||-7||-1
+
|20||1||0||0||−7||−1
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Skilled
 
!Skilled
−
|80||2||2||1||-5||0
+
|80||2||2||1||−5||0
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Expert
 
!Expert
−
|180||3||3|||2||-3||1
+
|180||3||3|||2||−3||1
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
==== Skills and bonuses, part 2 ====
 
 
{| class="prettytable" style="text-align: center"
 
{| class="prettytable" style="text-align: center"
−
|+ Skill levels and their Bonuses
+
!  
−
! &nbsp;
 
 
! colspan=2 | Needed
 
! colspan=2 | Needed
 
! colspan=2 | Riding
 
! colspan=2 | Riding
Line 91: Line 101:
 
! colspan=2 | Martial
 
! colspan=2 | Martial
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Skill Level
+
! Skill level
 
! Hits
 
! Hits
 
! Exp
 
! Exp
Line 102: Line 112:
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Unskilled
 
!Unskilled
−
|0||0||-2||0||+1||0||+2||+1
+
|0||0||−2||0||+1||0||+2||+1
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Basic
 
!Basic
−
|20||1||-1||0||+1||+1||+3||+3
+
|20||1||−1||0||+1||+1||+3||+3
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Skilled
 
!Skilled
Line 114: Line 124:
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Master
 
!Master
−
|320||2||-||-||+3||+2||+6||+7
+
|320||2||—||—||+3||+2||+6||+7
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Grand Master
 
!Grand Master
−
|500||3||-||-||+3||+3||+7||+9
+
|500||3||—||—||+3||+3||+7||+9
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Riding ===
 
=== Riding ===
  
−
Your skill at riding affects your chances of successfully applying a [[saddle]].{{refsrc|steed.c|112}} It also affects your chance of hitting{{refsrc|weapon.c|1147}} and the damage you inflict{{refsrc|weapon.c|1216}} when riding. Also, you need at least Basic skill to pick up items or loot a container on the ground{{refsrc|pickup.c|1468}} or search one for traps,{{refsrc|trap.c|3494}} dip something into a [[pool]],{{refsrc|potion.c|1554}} set a trap{{refsrc|apply.c|2031}} or disarm one{{refsrc|trap.c|3110}} or engrave on the floor{{refsrc|engrave.c|139}} while riding. Also, if your steed is capable of lifting (and moving over) [[boulder]]s, you need Basic skill to make them use this ability.{{refsrc|hack.c|269}}
+
Your skill at [[riding]] affects your chances of successfully applying a [[saddle]].{{refsrc|steed.c|112}} It also affects your chance of hitting{{refsrc|weapon.c|1147}} and the damage you inflict{{refsrc|weapon.c|1216}} when riding. Also, you need at least Basic skill to pick up items or loot a container on the ground{{refsrc|pickup.c|1468}} or search one for traps,{{refsrc|trap.c|3494}} dip something into a [[pool]],{{refsrc|potion.c|1554}} set a trap{{refsrc|apply.c|2031}} or disarm one{{refsrc|trap.c|3110}} or engrave on the floor{{refsrc|engrave.c|139}} while riding. Also, if your steed is capable of lifting (and moving over) [[boulder]]s, you need Basic skill to make them use this ability.{{refsrc|hack.c|269}}
  
 
== Skill tables ==
 
== Skill tables ==
Line 146: Line 156:
  
 
{{weapon skill table}}
 
{{weapon skill table}}
 +
 +
{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The scimitar skill has been deleted, and merged into the saber skill. Barbarians have their saber skill raised from Basic to Skilled.}}
  
 
=== Other combat skills ===
 
=== Other combat skills ===
Line 155: Line 167:
 
{{spell skill table}}
 
{{spell skill table}}
  
−
== SLASH'EM ==
+
== Variants ==
 +
=== SLASH'EM ===
  
−
In [[SLASH'EM]], advancing a [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)|spell]] skill costs as much as weapon skills. <ref>[[Source:SLASH'EM_0.0.7E7F2/weapon.c#line990]]</ref>
+
In [[SLASH'EM]], advancing a [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)|spell]] skill costs as much as weapon skills.<ref>[[Source:SLASH'EM_0.0.7E7F2/weapon.c#line990]]</ref>
  
−
== UnNetHack ==
+
=== UnNetHack ===
  
−
[[UnNetHack]] changes the number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level.  As of UnNetHack 3.6.0, the new values are:
+
[[UnNetHack]] changes the number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level.  These values are:
  
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
{|class="prettytable"
−
!Skill Level
+
!Skill level
−
!Successful Uses
+
!Successful uses
 
!Old value
 
!Old value
 
|-
 
|-
Line 192: Line 205:
 
|500
 
|500
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
Spell skills, however, advance four times as fast until the player is Skilled in the relevant skill, after that, the skill only advances twice as fast as shown in the table above.
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==

Latest revision as of 19:50, 18 April 2024

The term "master" redirects here. For the rank title of a Monk at experience level 30, see Monk#Rank titles.

NetHack's skill system allows different roles to attain different proficiencies in the use of different weapons and spells. Skills can be advanced using the #enhance command. When you become able to advance a skill, you will see the message "You feel more confident in your (weapon/fighting/spell casting) skills." If you have just advanced a skill and still have more that can be advanced, you will get the message "You feel you could be more dangerous!" Skills are not advanced automatically because each skill takes up skill slots, which are finite and gained by leveling up.

Training

Most skills in NetHack have four possible levels: Unskilled, Basic, Skilled and Expert. Martial arts and Bare hands have two levels beyond expert: Master and Grand Master. Generally speaking, characters start at basic skill in the weapons and spells they begin their adventure with, and unskilled in all others.

Use the #enhance command at any time to get a list of skills which you can train. If a skill does not appear on this list, your role is restricted in this skill, meaning that no amount of training will enable it to advance beyond unskilled. However, if you receive an artifact weapon from your god, you will be "unrestricted" in the appropriate skill if necessary, which can then be advanced to Basic. #enhance will also indicate which of the listed skills have been trained up to their maximum levels. Tables of maximum skill levels can be found in Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers weap-343.txt and spl1-343.txt.

Combat skills are generally trained through dealing more than 1 damage using a given weapon while wielded in melee, and projectiles are thrown or else fired from the launcher they are designed for - some melee weapons (spear, javelin, knife, dagger, and aklys) can double as projectiles, and either use trains the appropriate skill. Spellcasting skills are trained by successfully casting a spell; a common training strategy is to use low-level spells such as light or knock to raise the skill for another desired spell in that spellcasting school.

Technical details

To advance a skill, you need to have enough free skill slots and to have practiced it enough. You gain a skill slot each time you gain an experience level, and being crowned also grants one skill slot - this means there is a maximum of 30 skill slots available. Higher skill levels require more skill slots. Skills that are non-weapon based (spellcasting, bare-handed combat, and riding) use half as many skill slots as weapon-based skills.[1] If you lose an experience level, you will also lose a skill slot, which may result in losing your most recently earned skill.

The table below shows the total number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level and the skill slots required to advance. If you start with a skill at Basic, you are also precredited with 20 successful uses of that skill.

Skill level Successful uses Slots required for weapons Slots required for non-weapons
Unskilled 0
Basic 20 1 1
Skilled 80 2 1
Expert 180 3 2
Master 320 2
Grand Master 500 3

Hitting a monster for more than one point of damage (including from a distance) counts as a successful use of a weapon skill. For bare-handed combat, a successful use is only scored 50% of the times you hit a monster; for martial arts, 75%.[2][3] As with weapon attacks, a check is made to see if your skill damage bonus applies (see below). Riding a total distance of 101 squares counts as a successful use of the riding skill.[4] Successfully casting a level n spell counts as n successful uses of the corresponding spell casting skill.[5]

Effects

Spellcasting

Improving spellcasting skills improves your chances of casting spells in that school successfully. Certain spells also have better effects when cast at skilled level or above. Cone of cold and fireball create explosions rather than a ray;[6] and detect monsters, confuse monster, levitation, remove curse, detect food, cause fear, identify, haste self, detect treasure, and restore ability all have the effect of a blessed potion or scroll.[7][8] Protection takes twice as long to decay if cast as expert.[9] Jumping allows you to jump farther based on your skill level, with a bonus even for Basic skill.[10] To-hit chance of most ray-type spells (sleep, magic missile, unskilled/basic cone of cold, and finger of death) also depends on your skill level.[11]

Weapons

Improving weapon skills improve your to-hit and damage bonuses. Bare hands combat and martial arts skills are an exception to this rule: In 3.4.3 they never granted a to-hit bonus,[12] and in both 3.4.3 and 3.6.0 their damage bonus applies only to 50% and 75% (respectively) of all hits.[13][14]

Quoting from Kate Nepveu's spoilers:

Weapon skill levels and bonuses

Needed Weapon Two-weapon
Skill level Hits Exp +Hit +Dam +Hit +Dam
Unskilled 0 0 −4 −2 −9 −3
Basic 20 1 0 0 −7 −1
Skilled 80 2 2 1 −5 0
Expert 180 3 3 2 −3 1
Needed Riding Bare-hand Martial
Skill level Hits Exp +Hit +Dam +Hit +Dam +Hit +Dam
Unskilled 0 0 −2 0 +1 0 +2 +1
Basic 20 1 −1 0 +1 +1 +3 +3
Skilled 80 1 0 +1 +2 +1 +4 +4
Expert 180 2 0 +2 +2 +2 +5 +6
Master 320 2 — — +3 +2 +6 +7
Grand Master 500 3 — — +3 +3 +7 +9

Riding

Your skill at riding affects your chances of successfully applying a saddle.[15] It also affects your chance of hitting[16] and the damage you inflict[17] when riding. Also, you need at least Basic skill to pick up items or loot a container on the ground[18] or search one for traps,[19] dip something into a pool,[20] set a trap[21] or disarm one[22] or engrave on the floor[23] while riding. Also, if your steed is capable of lifting (and moving over) boulders, you need Basic skill to make them use this ability.[24]

Skill tables

Key
- Restricted
b Basic
S Skilled
E Expert
M Master
GM Grand Master


Weapon skills

Arc Bar Cav Hea Kni Mon Pri Rog Ran Sam Tou Val Wiz
dagger b b b S b - - E E b E E E
knife b - S E b - - E S S S - S
axe - E S - S - - - S - b E S
pick-axe E S b - b - - - b - b S -
short sword b E - S S - - E b E E S b
broadsword - S - - S - - S - S b S -
long sword - S - - E - - S - E b E -
two-handed sword - E - - S - - b - E b E -
scimitar S S - b b - - S - b S b -
saber E b - b S - - S - b S b -
club S S E S b - E S - - - - S
mace - S E b S - E S - - b - b
morning star - S b - S - E b b - b - -
flail - b S - b - E b S S b - -
Arc Bar Cav Hea Kni Mon Pri Rog Ran Sam Tou Val Wiz
hammer - E S - b - E b b - b E -
quarterstaff S b E E - b E - b b b b E
polearms - - S b S - S b S S b S S
spear - S E b S b S b E S b S b
trident - S S b b - S - b - b b b
lance - - - - E - b - - S b S -
bow - b S - b - b - E E b - -
sling S - E S - - b - E - b b S
crossbow - - - - S b b E E - b - -
dart b - - E - - b E E - E - E
shuriken - - - S - b b S S E b - b
boomerang E - E - - - b - E - b - -
whip E - - - - - - - b - b - -
unicorn horn S - b E - - S - - - S - -


The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

The scimitar skill has been deleted, and merged into the saber skill. Barbarians have their saber skill raised from Basic to Skilled.

Other combat skills

Arc Bar Cav Hea Kni Mon Pri Rog Ran Sam Tou Val Wiz
bare hands E M M b E - b E b - S E b
two weapon combat b b - - S - - E - E S S -
riding b b - - E - - b b S b S b
martial arts - - - - - GM - - - M - - -


Spell skills

Arc Bar Cav Hea Kni Mon Pri Rog Ran Sam Tou Val Wiz
attack b b b - S b - - - b - b E
healing b - - E S E E - b - - - S
divination E - - - - b E S E b b - E
enchantment - - - - - b - - - - b - S
clerical - - - - S S E - - S - - S
escape - b - - - S - S b - S b E
matter b - S - - b - S - - - - E


Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, advancing a spell skill costs as much as weapon skills.[25]

UnNetHack

UnNetHack changes the number of successful uses of a skill required to reach each level. These values are:

Skill level Successful uses Old value
Unskilled 0 0
Basic 100 20
Skilled 200 80
Expert 400 180
Master 800 320
Grand Master 1600 500

Spell skills, however, advance four times as fast until the player is Skilled in the relevant skill, after that, the skill only advances twice as fast as shown in the table above.

References

  1. ↑ weapon.c, function slots_required
  2. ↑ uhitm.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 546
  3. ↑ uhitm.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 907
  4. ↑ steed.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 357
  5. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 960
  6. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 829
  7. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 901
  8. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 917
  9. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 673
  10. ↑ spell.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 950
  11. ↑ spell_hit_bonus in zap.c
  12. ↑ uhitm.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 283: uwep is false if no weapon is wielded
  13. ↑ uhitm.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 546
  14. ↑ uhitm.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 904
  15. ↑ steed.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 112
  16. ↑ weapon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 1147
  17. ↑ weapon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 1216
  18. ↑ pickup.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 1468
  19. ↑ trap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3494
  20. ↑ potion.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 1554
  21. ↑ apply.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 2031
  22. ↑ trap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3110
  23. ↑ engrave.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 139
  24. ↑ hack.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 269
  25. ↑ Source:SLASH'EM_0.0.7E7F2/weapon.c#line990

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.4.3. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-343}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.

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