) The Singing Sword
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Base item
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long sword
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Damage vs. small
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1d8
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Damage vs. large
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1d12
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To-hit bonus
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+1
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Bonus versus
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(any)
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Weapon skill
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Musicalize spell
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Size
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one-handed
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Affiliation
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When carried
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(none)
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When wielded
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see article
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When invoked
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see article
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Base price
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5000 zm
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Weight
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40
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Material
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iron
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The Singing Sword is the Bard's first gift in dNetHack.
As a weapon
The Sword using the Musicalize spell skill to determine bonus to-hit and damage, and also exercises that skill. Since Bards in dNetHack are very limited in terms of melee damage skills, this makes the Sword a very useful melee weapon in the early to mid game. Using it also doesn't require making a trade-off between the Bard's combat skills and their music skill.
As an impediment to stealth
The Sword sings constantly while wielded, giving every monster on the current dungeon level your exact position. This does not wake up sleeping monsters. The Sword can be silenced by unwielding it.
As a support item
The Sword automatically learns songs while wielded. Songs may be learned from the player's actions or from the actions of nearby monsters. The Sword can be instructed to sing a known song via #invoke, which provides a menu of valid choices and can be done as often as desired. The songs and their effects are as follows:
Song
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Effect
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Learned by
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Nothing in particular
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- No effect (beyond giving away your location)
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Chant ominously
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- Enemies are very likely to flee after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless
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Hum soothingly
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- All pets gain fast healing (+1 HP/turn)
- You gain fast healing while resting with '.'
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- Play the "Meditative Healing" song
- Hear a monster sing a song of good health
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Rally my forces
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- Warps pets to your location whenever you hit an enemy with the sword in melee, as by a magic whistle
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Confuse my foes
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- Enemies become confused after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless
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- Play the "Cacophony" song
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Disrupt spellcasting
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- Enemies struck by the sword in melee have their special abilities put on cooldown, unless they are deaf or mindless
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- Play the "Disruption" song
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A marching song
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- Pets gain +2 movement points per turn
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- Play the "Charge" song
- Hear a monster sing a song of haste
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A lethargic song
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- Enemies lose 2 movement points per turn
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- Play the "Lullaby" song
- Play the "Lethargy" song
- Play a charged Magic flute
- Hear Oona sing a slow march
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An inspiring song
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- Pets gain 1 + the sword's enchantment to to-hit and damage (stacks with any enchantment bonuses on weapons they may have)
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- Play the "Inspire Courage" song
- Hear a monster sing a song of courage
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A dismal dirge
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- Enemies lose 1 + the swords enchantment to to to-hit and damage vs. all targets
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A fiery song
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- The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist fire damage, unless they are deaf or mindless
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A chilling song
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- The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist cold damage, unless they are deaf or mindless
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An electrifying song
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- The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist electric damage, unless they are deaf or mindless
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- Hear Oona sing the lament of storms
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An earthshaking chant
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- The sword periodically (10% chance) causes an earthquake whenever it hits a foe in melee
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A tune of opening
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- The sword periodically (5% chance) slices targets open, killing them or dealing heavy damage
- This effect also reveals all secret doors and traps around the character whenever it triggers
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Of the passing of life
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- The sword periodically (25% chance) kills targets that do not resist death magic, unless they are deaf or mindless
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Beat to the Cadence
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- Pets which may leave corpses *always* leave corpses, and rise from the grave after a few turns if their corpse is not destroyed
- All pets are immune to digestion attacks, such as those used by purple worms
- You gain 1 + the swords enchantment to to-hit and damage (this stacks with any standard enchantment bonus on wielded weapons)
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A hymn to the creator
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- Enemies go insane after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless
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