View source for Spear

A '''spear''' is a kind of [[weapon]]. It can be used in [[melee]], or [[throw]]n.

Runed [[elven spear]]s and stout [[dwarvish spear]]s are superior to ordinary spears, while crude [[orcish spear]]s are predictably inferior. [[Silver spear]]s deal the same base damage as ordinary ones, but add bonus damage versus [[Silver#Silver damage|silver-haters]].

== Spear skill ==

{{spear skill table}}

The following weapons use the spear skill:

* spear
* dwarvish spear
* elven spear
* orcish spear
* silver spear
* [[javelin]]

Spears have an additional +2 [[to-hit]] bonus against all monsters when thrown.

Weapons in the spear class have a +2 to-hit bonus when hitting [[kebabable]] monster classes.

In versions of NetHack prior to 3.6.0, [[javelin]]s had their own ''javelin'' skill that consisted solely of javelins, but it has since been merged into the spear skill. When unidentified, a [[javelin]] appears as a 'throwing spear'.

There are no [[artifact weapon|artifact]] spears in vanilla NetHack.

==Types of spear==
===Spear===
{{weapon
  |color=metal color
  |name=spear
  |tile=[[image:spear.png]]
  |smalldmg=1d6
  |largedmg=1d8
  |skill=spear
  |cost=3
  |weight=30
  |material=iron
}}
Ordinary spears make up about 5.0% of randomly generated weapons (on the ground, as [[death drop]]s, and in [[shop]]s).

Spears of this kind are made of [[iron]] and susceptible to [[erosion|corrosion]] from [[acid]]ic monsters and [[erosion|rusting]] from [[rust monster]]s and [[water]].
{{clear}}

===Dwarvish spear===
{{weapon
  |color=metal color
  |tile=[[image:dwarvish spear.png]]
  |name=dwarvish spear
  |appearance=stout spear
  |smalldmg=1d8
  |largedmg=1d8
  |skill=spear
  |cost=3
  |weight=35
  |material=iron
}}
A '''dwarvish spear''', which appears as a '''stout spear''' when [[identification|unidentified]], does the most damage of all spears to both [[Physical size|large and small]] monsters (1d8/1d8: as much as a [[scimitar]], an [[Short_sword#Elven_short_sword|elven short sword]] or a [[silver saber]] not dealing [[Silver#Silver damage|silver damage]]).  [[Dwarf|Dwarves]] are sometimes generated with one.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|329|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=dwarvish spears}} In addition, dwarvish spears make up about 1.2% of randomly generated weapons.
{{clear}}

===Elven spear===
{{weapon
  |color=wood color
  |name=elven spear
  |tile=[[image:elven spear.png]]
  |appearance=runed spear
  |smalldmg=1d7
  |largedmg=1d8
  |skill=spear
  |cost=3
  |weight=30
  |material=wood
}}
An '''elven spear''', which appears as a '''runed spear''' when [[identification|unidentified]], can do more damage to [[Physical size|small]] monsters than an ordinary short sword.  [[Elf (monster attribute)|Elves]] may be generated with an elven spear.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|250|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=elven spears}} In addition, elven spears make up about 1.0% of randomly generated weapons.

Being made of [[wood]], elven spears are naturally immune to [[erosion|corrosion and rusting]].
{{clear}}

===Orcish spear===
{{weapon
  |color=black
  |tile=[[image:orcish spear.png]]
  |name=orcish spear
  |appearance=crude spear
  |smalldmg=1d5
  |largedmg=1d8
  |skill=spear
  |cost=3
  |weight=30
  |material=iron
}}
An '''orcish spear''', which appears as a '''crude spear''' when [[identification|unidentified]], does the least damage versus [[Physical size|small]] monsters of any of the spears, one point less than even the ordinary spear.

Curiously, no monsters are generated with orcish spears&mdash;not even any of the [[Orc (monster class)|orc]]s.  They make up about 1.3% of randomly generated weapons, however.
{{clear}}

===Silver spear===
{{weapon
  |color=silver color
  |name=silver spear
  |tile=[[image:silver spear.png]]
  |smalldmg=1d6+(1d20)
  |largedmg=1d8+(1d20)
  |skill=spear
  |cost=40
  |weight=36
  |material=silver
}}
The '''silver spear''' is the rarest kind of spear, making up just 0.2% of randomly generated weapons.  It deals the same base damage as a regular spear, but being made of [[silver]], it deals additional damage to [[Silver#Silver damage|silver-hating]] monsters.
{{clear}}

==Generation==
Spears of all kinds make up about 9.7% of randomly generated weapons (on the ground, as [[death drop]]s, and in [[shop]]s).  In addition, [[watchmen]], [[soldier]]s in the [[Yendorian army]],{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|199|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=mercenary spears}} [[salamander]]s,{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|436|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=salamander spears}} and [[ice devil]]s{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|694|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=ice devil spears}} may be generated with a spear. 

==Strategy==

In the absence of [[dagger]] skills, a small stack of spears is a powerful [[ranged weapon]] for any [[Caveman]] or [[Priest]] lucky enough to find more than one. Generally you need to encounter a large [[shop|antique weapons outlet]] to find them in any number. However, spears are quite heavy (three spears weigh more than a [[pick-axe]]), so they have a tendency to cause [[encumbrance]] problems.

Spears can be [[multishot]] as of NetHack 3.6.0.  [[Cavemen]] get a +1 multishot bonus for throwing spears.{{refsrc|src/dothrow.c|138|version=NetHack 3.6.0|comment=Caveman multishot}}

The silver spear does only one point less damage on average against small or medium monsters than a [[silver saber]], and the same against large monsters (which include most major [[demon]]s), making it an attractive option for roles restricted in saber, such as [[Cavemen]], [[Priest]]s, and especially [[Monk]]s. [[Valkyrie]]s and [[Samurai]] might also consider this weapon for two-weaponing as they can be skilled in spear versus basic in saber, overcoming the damage difference.

===Average damage calculation===
The average damage calculations in the following table do not include bonuses from [[Skill|weapon skills]], [[strength]], or from using a [[blessed]] weapon against [[undead]] or [[demon]]s.
{|class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"|Weapon
!colspan="2"|Not silver-hating
!colspan="2"|Silver-hating
|-
! Small monster
! Large monster
! Small monster
! Large monster
|-
| +0 silver spear
|<math>\frac{1+6}{2}=\bold{3.5}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+8}{2}=\bold{4.5}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+6}{2}+\frac{1+20}{2}=\bold{14}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+20}{2}=\bold{15}</math>
|-
| +7 silver spear
|<math>\frac{1+6}{2}+7=\bold{10.5}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+8}{2}+7=\bold{11.5}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+6}{2}+\frac{1+20}{2}+7=\bold{21}</math>
|<math>\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+20}{2}+7=\bold{22}</math>
|}

==Variants==
===SLASH'EM===
[[SLASH'EM]] introduces the <nowiki>#</nowiki>name-able [[artifact weapon|artifact]] [[orcish spear]] [[Elfrist]], the anti-elven counterpart to [[Orcrist]], and the artifact [[silver spear]] [[Holy Spear of Light]], which functions much like [[Sunsword]].

In [[SLASH'EM]] the [[Valkyrie]]'s starting +1 [[long sword]] has been replaced with a +1 spear.{{refsrc|u_init.c|229|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2|comment=Valkyrie spear}}  For [[Dwarf (starting race)|dwarvish]] Valkyries, the spear will be a dwarvish spear.{{refsrc|u_init.c|343|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2|comment=dwarvish Valkyrie spear}}

A +0 silver spear is part of one of four starting weapon combinations for [[Undead Slayer]]s.{{refsrc|u_init.c|217|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2|comment=Undead Slayer spear}}  For [[Lycanthrope (starting race)|Lycanthrope]]s, it will be an ordinary spear.{{refsrc|u_init.c|351|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2|comment=lycanthrope-safe spears}}

===UnNetHack, SporkHack and SLASH'EM===
In [[UnNetHack]], [[SporkHack]], and [[SLASH'EM]], [[Dragonbane]] is a dwarvish spear.

==Origin==

The spear is a weapon designed for thrusting. Chimpanzees use very rudimentary spears, so it is likely that humans have used spears for an extremely long time.

The related [[lance]] is designed for jousting and the [[javelin]] for throwing.

== Encyclopedia entry ==

{{encyclopedia|- they come together with great random, and a spear is brast,
and one party brake his shield and the other one goes down,
horse and man, over his horse-tail and brake his neck, and
then the next candidate comes randoming in, and brast his
spear, and the other man brast his shield, and down he goes,
horse and man, over his horse-tail, and brake his neck, and
then there's another elected, and another and another and
still another, till the material is all used up; and when you
come to figure up results, you can't tell one fight from
another, nor who whipped; and as a picture of living, raging,
roaring battle, sho! why it's pale and noiseless - just
ghosts scuffling in a fog.  Dear me, what would this barren
vocabulary get out of the mightiest spectacle? - the burning
of Rome in Nero's time, for instance?  Why, it would merely
say 'Town burned down; no insurance; boy brast a window,
fireman brake his neck!'  Why, that ain't a picture!
|[ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, by Mark
  Twain ]}}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Weapons]]
{{nethack-360}}