Weapon
| Item classes | ||
|---|---|---|
| " Amulets | [ Armor | |
| % Comestibles | $ Coins | |
| * Gems | ! Potions | |
| = Rings | ? Scrolls | |
| + Spellbooks | ` Statues | |
| ( Tools | ` Boulders | |
| ) Weapons | / Wands | |
A weapon is an item used to attack opponents. Most weapons are wielded with w and used to hit enemies; to attack with a wielded weapon, simply try to move into a monster's space, or use Shift + F to attack in any direction. Launchers are wielded to shoot missiles, and some weapons are simply thrown.
The player can ready a second weapon for use; press x to exchange between your primary and secondary weapons. Some roles can wield both weapons at once using the #twoweapon command.
w- is the command to wield nothing and fight empty-handed. This is the default and ethical preference of Monks. It is also a preferred way to attack weapon-hazardous monsters such as acid blobs or rust monsters before you have a resistant weapon (e.g. a silver weapon or unicorn horn).
You cannot wield a weapon if you are handless or tiny.[1]
A weapon can be made erodeproof by wielding it as a primary weapon and reading a scroll of enchant weapon while confused. Erosion can be repaired by using a scroll to make the weapon erodeproof, or in some cases by dipping the weapon in a potion of oil. There is little reason to erodeproof wooden weapons, because weapons rarely burn: fire traps do not affect weapons,[2] and the only monsters with passive fire attacks that will burn wooden weapons are fire elemental, fire vortex, and red mold.
Contents
Table of weapons and their properties
| Weapon | Skill | Cost | Hands | Weight | Prob (‰) | Dam. (S) | Dam. (L) | Material | Appearance | Tile | Glyph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| orcish dagger | dagger | 4 zm | 1 | 10 | 12† | 2 | 2 | iron | crude dagger |  |
) |
| dagger | dagger | 4 zm | 1 | 10 | 30 | 2.5 | 2 | iron |  |
) | |
| silver dagger | dagger | 40 zm | 1 | 12 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | silver |  |
) | |
| athame | dagger | 4 zm | 1 | 10 | N/A | 2.5 | 2 | iron |  |
) | |
| elven dagger | dagger | 4 zm | 1 | 10 | 10† | 3 | 2 | wood | runed dagger |  |
) |
| worm tooth | knife | 2 zm | 1 | 20 | N/A | 1.5 | 1.5 | undefined |  |
) | |
| knife (shito) | knife | 4 zm | 1 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 1.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| stiletto | knife | 4 zm | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| scalpel | knife | 4 zm | 1 | 5 | N/A | 2 | 2 | metal |  |
) | |
| crysknife | knife | 100 zm | 1 | 20 | N/A | 5.5 | 5.5 | mineral |  |
) | |
| axe | axe | 8 zm | 1 | 60 | 40 | 3.5 | 2.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| battle-axe | axe | 40 zm | 2 | 120 | 10 | 7 | 8.5 | iron | double-headed axe |  |
) |
| pick-axe | pick-axe | 50 zm | 1 | 100 | tool | 3.5 | 2 | iron |  |
( | |
| dwarvish mattock | pick-axe | 50 zm | 2 | 120 | 13† | 6.5 | 11.5 | iron | broad pick |  |
) |
| orcish short sword | short sword | 10 zm | 1 | 30 | 3† | 3 | 4.5 | iron | crude short sword |  |
) |
| short sword (wakizashi) | short sword | 10 zm | 1 | 30 | 8 | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| dwarvish short sword | short sword | 10 zm | 1 | 30 | 2† | 4 | 4.5 | iron | broad short sword |  |
) |
| elven short sword | short sword | 10 zm | 1 | 30 | 2† | 4.5 | 4.5 | wood | runed short sword |  |
) |
| broadsword (ninja-to) | broadsword | 10 zm | 1 | 70 | 8 | 5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| runesword | broadsword | 300 zm | 1 | 40 | N/A | 5 | 4.5 | iron | runed broadsword |  |
) |
| elven broadsword | broadsword | 10 zm | 1 | 70 | 4† | 6 | 4.5 | wood | runed broadsword |  |
) |
| long sword | long sword | 15 zm | 1 | 40 | 50† | 4.5 | 6.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| katana | long sword | 80 zm | 1 | 40 | 4 | 5.5 | 6.5 | iron | samurai sword |  |
) |
| two-handed sword | two-handed sword | 50 zm | 2 | 150 | 22 | 6.5 | 10.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| tsurugi | two-handed sword | 500 zm | 2 | 60 | N/A | 8.5 | 11.5 | metal | long samurai sword |  |
) |
| scimitar | scimitar | 15 zm | 1 | 40 | 15† | 4.5 | 4.5 | iron | curved sword |  |
) |
| silver saber | saber | 75 zm | 1 | 40 | 6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | silver |  |
) | |
| club | club | 3 zm | 1 | 30 | 12 | 3.5 | 2 | wood |  |
) | |
| aklys | club | 4 zm | 1 | 15 | 8 | 3.5 | 2 | iron | thonged club |  |
) |
| mace | mace | 5 zm | 1 | 30 | 40 | 4.5 | 3.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| morning star | morning star | 10 zm | 1 | 120 | 12 | 5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| flail (nunchaku) | flail | 4 zm | 1 | 15 | 40 | 4.5 | 5 | iron |  |
) | |
| grappling hook | flail | 50 zm | 1 | 30 | tool | 1.5 | 3.5 | iron | iron hook |  |
( |
| war hammer | hammer | 5 zm | 1 | 50 | 15 | 3.5 | 2.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| quarterstaff | quarterstaff | 5 zm | 2 | 40 | 11† | 3.5 | 3.5 | wood | staff |  |
) |
| partisan | polearms | 10 zm | 2 | 80 | 5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron | vulgar polearm |  |
) |
| fauchard | polearms | 5 zm | 2 | 60 | 6 | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron | pole sickle |  |
) |
| glaive (naginata) | polearms | 6 zm | 2 | 75 | 8 | 3.5 | 5.5 | iron | single-edged polearm |  |
) |
| bec-de-corbin | polearms | 8 zm | 2 | 100 | 4 | 4.5 | 3.5 | iron | beaked polearm |  |
) |
| spetum | polearms | 5 zm | 2 | 50 | 5 | 4.5 | 7 | iron | forked polearm |  |
) |
| lucern hammer | polearms | 7 zm | 2 | 150 | 5 | 5 | 3.5 | iron | pronged polearm |  |
) |
| guisarme | polearms | 5 zm | 2 | 80 | 6 | 5 | 4.5 | iron | pruning hook |  |
) |
| ranseur | polearms | 6 zm | 2 | 50 | 5 | 5 | 5 | iron | hilted polearm |  |
) |
| voulge | polearms | 5 zm | 2 | 125 | 4 | 5 | 5 | iron | pole cleaver |  |
) |
| bill-guisarme | polearms | 7 zm | 2 | 120 | 4 | 5 | 5.5 | iron | hooked polearm |  |
) |
| bardiche | polearms | 7 zm | 2 | 120 | 4 | 5 | 7.5 | iron | long poleaxe |  |
) |
| halberd | polearms | 10 zm | 2 | 150 | 8 | 5.5 | 7 | iron | angled poleaxe |  |
) |
| orcish spear | spear | 3 zm | 1 | 30 | 13† | 3 | 4.5 | iron | crude spear |  |
) |
| spear | spear | 3 zm | 1 | 30 | 50† | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| silver spear | spear | 40 zm | 1 | 36 | 2 | 3.5 | 4.5 | silver |  |
) | |
| elven spear | spear | 3 zm | 1 | 30 | 10† | 4 | 4.5 | wood | runed spear |  |
) |
| dwarvish spear | spear | 3 zm | 1 | 35 | 12† | 4.5 | 4.5 | iron | stout spear |  |
) |
| javelin | spear | 3 zm | 1 | 20 | 10 | 3.5 | 3.5 | iron | throwing spear |  |
) |
| trident | trident | 5 zm | 1 | 25 | 8 | 4.5 | 7.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| lance1 | lance | 10 zm | 1 | 180 | 4 | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| orcish bow | bow | 60 zm | 1 | 30 | 12† | 1.5 | 1.5 | wood | crude bow |  |
) |
| orcish arrow2 | bow | 2 zm | 1 | 1 | 20† | 3 | 3.5 | iron | crude arrow |  |
) |
| bow | bow | 60 zm | 1 | 30 | 24 | 1.5 | 1.5 | wood |  |
) | |
| arrow2 | bow | 2 zm | 1 | 1 | 55† | 3.5 | 3.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| elven bow | bow | 60 zm | 1 | 30 | 12† | 1.5 | 1.5 | wood | runed bow |  |
) |
| elven arrow2 | bow | 2 zm | 1 | 1 | 20† | 4 | 3.5 | wood | runed arrow |  |
) |
| yumi | bow | 60 zm | 1 | 30 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | wood | long bow |  |
) |
| ya2 | bow | 4 zm | 1 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 4 | metal | bamboo arrow |  |
) |
| silver arrow2 | bow | 5 zm | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3.5 | 3.5 | silver |  |
) | |
| sling | sling | 20 zm | 1 | 3 | 40 | 1.5 | 1.5 | leather |  |
) | |
| flint stone2 | sling | 1 zm | 1 | 10 | gem | 3.5 | 3.5 | mineral | gray stone |  |
* |
| crossbow | crossbow | 40 zm | 1 | 50 | 45† | 1.5 | 1.5 | wood |  |
) | |
| crossbow bolt2 | crossbow | 2 zm | 1 | 1 | 55† | 3.5 | 4.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| dart2 | dart | 2 zm | 1 | 1 | 60† | 2 | 1.5 | iron |  |
) | |
| shuriken2 | shuriken | 5 zm | 1 | 1 | 35 | 4.5 | 3.5 | iron | throwing star |  |
) |
| boomerang2 | boomerang | 20 zm | 1 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 5 | wood |  |
) | |
| bullwhip | whip | 4 zm | 1 | 20 | 2 | 1.5 | 1 | leather |  |
) | |
| rubber hose | whip | 3 zm | 1 | 20 | N/A | 2.5 | 2 | plastic |  |
) | |
| unicorn horn | unicorn horn | 100 zm | 2 | 20 | tool | 6.5 | 6.5 | bone |  |
( |
(‰) Relative probability.[3] Figures are given as probability in a thousand, or permille.
(†) Objects are significantly more common in play than their probability would otherwise imply due to monster starting inventory or certain traps.
(1) When the user is riding, the lance gets an additional 2d10 in case of a successful joust. The victim is also automatically stunned and thrown back a square.
(2) This is a projectile weapon that is meant to be thrown or fired, not wielded, in order to deal damage.
Strategy
Hitting monsters while wielding a weapon can increase your training in that weapon.
Since wielding a cursed weapon will cause the weapon to weld itself to your hands, you should use curse-testing before wielding a weapon you find.
The majority of monsters in the game are classified as small on the table above. However, many of the harder monsters in the game are classified as large. In the early game, large monsters tend to be incredibly dangerous. In the later game, many of the most difficult monsters are "medium" size, which take damage as per small in the table.
Medium monsters include the four Riders, the majority of monsters on the Astral Plane, the Wizard of Yendor, and the high priest of Moloch. However, the demon princes in Gehennom may pose a serious threat to the player, and are all classed as large, with the exception of the dangerous but rarely-seen Dispater.
Encyclopedia entry
A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind.
See also
References
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