Big Stick
) Big Stick 
| |
|---|---|
| Base item | club |
| Damage vs. small | 1d6 +1d12 (2–18) |
| Damage vs. large | 1d3 +1d12 (2–15) |
| To-hit bonus | +1d5 |
| Bonus versus | (any) |
| Weapon skill | club |
| Size | one-handed |
| Affiliation | |
| When carried | |
| When wielded | |
| When invoked |
|
| Base price | 2500 zm |
| Weight | 30 |
| Material | wood |
Big Stick is an artifact club introduced in NetHack Fourk that later appeared in xNetHack. It replaces the Sceptre of Might as the quest artifact for Cavemen and the prize for completing the Caveman quest.
Although Cavemen cannot normally be chaotic, Big Stick is chaotic for wishing purposes.[1]
Effects
Big Stick confers stealth when carried, and it provides +d5 to-hit and +d12 damage against all monsters. Like the vanilla Sceptre of Might, Big Stick provides magic resistance when wielded and toggles conflict when invoked. Conflict caused by Big Stick does not cause rapid nutrition drain. If Big Stick leaves the player's inventory, it will stop causing conflict without needing to be invoked.
Strategy
Big Stick is the only chaotic artifact that provides magic resistance in xNetHack, which may mark it as a potential wish target for chaotic players that can gain skill with clubs. Most other artifact weapons deal more damage than Big Stick when their bonuses apply, but significantly less when they don't; Big Stick has the advantage of applying its bonus against all monsters.
Average damage calculation
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from weapon skills, strength, or from using a blessed weapon against undead or demons.
| Weapon | Small monster | Large monster |
|---|---|---|
| +0 Big Stick |  |
|
| +7 Big Stick |  |
|
Origin
Big Stick's name and its property of providing stealth when carried are a reference to the phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick." The saying is commonly attributed to US President Theodore Roosevelt, who used it to summarize his view of foreign policy.
