Boomerang
) 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | boomerang |
| Appearance | boomerang |
| Damage vs. small | 1d9 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d9 |
| To-hit bonus | +0 |
| Weapon skill | boomerang |
| Size | one-handed |
| Base price | 20 zm (+10/positive enchant) |
| Weight | 5 |
| Material | wood |
A boomerang is a type of weapon that appears in NetHack. It is a stackable projectile weapon that is made of wood.
Contents
Generation
Boomerangs make up 3⁄200 (1.5%) of all weapons randomly generated on the ground, in general shops, or as death drops. Used armor dealerships and antique weapon outlets can also stock boomerangs.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit e5c73d01, wood golems have a chance of leaving boomerangs among the wooden items generated as a special death drop in lieu of a corpse.Boomerang skill
| Boomerang | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Expert | |
Boomerangs are the only weapons to use the boomerang skill. There are no artifact boomerangs.
Description
When thrown, a boomerang will travel in a counterclockwise circular path from the direction thrown and hit anything in its path, alternating between left and right parenthesis glyphs (( ) () as it flies to simulate spinning.[1] Unlike most other projectile weapons, boomerangs do not mulch upon hitting a monster. If a boomerang thrown by the hero makes its way back to them, they have a DEX20 chance of catching the boomerang safely (i.e. a hero with 20 dexterity or more will always catch it)[2][3]—if this chance fails, the hero throws a boomerang while fumbling, or else the thrown boomerang is cursed, it will hit the hero upon returning.[4]
Boomerangs will not return if their path is blocked by a wall, closed door or a set of iron bars, or if they move over a sink.[5][6][7] Boomerangs can be "multishot" by throwing them multiple times in one action, which will be aborted if a returning boomerang hits the hero.[8]
A boomerang (or stack of boomerangs) that is wielded and used as a melee weapon will only inflict d2 damage as with other objects that are not designed for melee, and each attack has a luck-dependent chance of the boomerang (or one from the wielded stack) breaking into splinters on contact.[9]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit 242a7ba7, boomerangs create noise when hitting a sink.
Per commit d746060d, thrown boomerangs no longer mulch upon hitting a monster.Flight patterns
The exact path of a thrown boomerang is shown below, where @ is the player's position; |, /, -, and \ show the direction the boomerang was thrown; and ( and ) show the path of the boomerang.
.(..\.. .)..(. ..(..).
.)...@. .(..|. .)...(.
..(..). .)..@. .(../..
...)(.. ..().. ..)@...
..(-@.. ..)()..
.)...). .(...(.
.(...(. .)...).
..)().. ..@-(..
...@).. ..)(.. ..()...
../..(. .@..). .)..(..
.(...). .|..(. .@...).
.)..(.. .(..). ..\..(.
..()... ..)(.. ...()..
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit 7d22a2c7, a boomerang's trajectory depends on whether the hero is right- or left-handed, using the groundwork laid in commit fb07e9d0 and commit e4e8eea4—the boomerang will either fly counter-clockwise as above, or clockwise as depicted in the history section.Strategy
Though the boomerang has better damage than many other projectile weapons and its wooden material makes erosion somewhat less of a danger, the unusual flight path can be tricky to recall, making it a rarely-used weapon; for heroes that are not dwarves (who can naturally reach 20 dexterity), enchanted gauntlets of dexterity are likely necessary to ensure completely safe operation. However, players more interested in doing damage than having the weapon return can still use this weapon effectively over a range up to four spaces:
- For these scenarios, assume a monster is approaching you from a cardinal direction (N,S,E,W). Refer to the diagrams above as a visual aid.
- If it approaches from the N, it can be hit at a distance of four spaces by throwing to the NW (45 degrees counter-clockwise) if there are at least two open tiles to the W.
- A monster at a distance of three spaces to the N can be hit by throwing to the W (90 degrees counter-clockwise) if there are three open tiles in that direction.
- Any monster can be hit at two spaces by throwing directly at it (the only available option in hallways).
- Monsters approaching from an ordinal direction (NE,NW,SE,SW) can also only be hit at two spaces.
Boomerangs can be particularly effective against monsters such as unicorns that try to avoid any direct line of ranged attack, as well as dragons and other monsters that are hazardous to face in such direct lines. It can also be especially effective in large open spaces with crowds of monsters like the Big Room. As with other projectiles, avoid throwing boomerangs while levitating.
History
The boomerang first appears in Hack 1.0.
In NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions, including some variants based on those versions, boomerangs cannot be multishot and will stop flying upon hitting a monster—they will also fly clockwise when thrown, with the path illustrated here:
.(..\.. .)..@. ..(..).
.)...(. .(..|. .)...@.
..(..). .)..(. .(../..
...)(.. ..().. ..)(...
..@-(.. ..)()..
.)...). .(...(.
.(...(. .)...).
..)().. ..(-@..
...().. ..)(.. ..()...
../..(. .(..). .)..(..
.@...). .|..(. .(...).
.)..(.. .@..). ..\..(.
..()... ..)(.. ...@)..
NetHack 3.6.0 changes the boomerang to its modern implementation via commit 21262396, commit 5ce14e99 and commit fb07e9d0, the latter of which also makes it trivial to adjust the code for adding the choice of the hero's dominant hand. NetHack 3.6.0 also comments the code and provides a visual aid, and adds feedback for the boomerang hitting a sink as well via commit cf714309.
Origin
A boomerang is a thrown tool, typically constructed as a flat airfoil and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. Boomerangs and paintings depicting them have been found that date back to more than 10,000 years ago: they have been historically used for hunting, as well as sport and entertainment, and are primarily restricted to the latter in modern times. Though commonly thought of as an Aborigine/Indigenous Australian icon, boomerangs come in various shapes and sizes and have also been found in ancient Europe, Egypt, and North America.
The standard boomerang and associated flight arc used in most fictional media is actually closer to a specific type of "returning" boomerang—those designed for hunting are typically "straight-flying", and there are others used for hand-to-hand combat. It is speculated that "returning" boomerangs were developed from flattened throwing sticks still used by the Australian Aborigines, American Navajo and other indigenous peoples around the world, and that hunting boomerangs are more delicately balanced and difficult to make in comparison.
Messages
- Klonk!
- A boomerang's flight path was disrupted by a sink.
- As you hit <the monster>, <one of> <the boomerang(s)> breaks into splinters.
- You attacked in melee with a boomerang or a stack of boomerangs, and the attack broke one.
Variants
Variants of NetHack based on NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions may not adapt the behavioral changes to the boomerang introduced by later versions.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Undead Slayers can reach basic in boomerangs.
dNetHack
dNetHack adds the chakram as a weapon that uses the boomerang skill.
The skill distribution among roles for boomerangs is changed significantly from NetHack:
| Boomerang | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic |
|
| Skilled | |
| Expert | |
Two artifacts use the boomerang skill:
- Windrider (boomerang)
- The Annulus (in chakram form)
NetHack Fourk
In NetHack Fourk, Tourists can reach Skilled in boomerangs.
FIQHack
In FIQHack, boomerangs will always return to their thrower.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, wood golems can drop various items with an object material of wood upon death—any invalid objects generated this way can be replaced with boomerangs or other items.
notdNetHack
In notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, in addition to dNetHack details, Illithanachronounbinders can reach Basic skill in boomerangs.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, wood golems can drop various items with an object material of wood upon death—any invalid objects generated this way can be replaced with boomerangs or other items.
SlashTHEM
In addition to SLASH'EM details, some of the new roles for SlashTHEM can train skill in boomerangs:
| Boomerang | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Skilled | |
| Expert | |
Hack'EM
Hack'EM adds the chakram from dNetHack as a weapon that uses the boomerang skill. Upgrading a boomerang successfully will produce a chakram, and vice versa.
The skill distribution among roles for boomerangs is changed from SLASH'EM:
| Boomerang | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Expert | |
Weapons that use the boomerang skill will stop upon hitting a monster, but have a chance of "slicing" through enemies in their path that is rolled per monster and increases with the thrower's skill level:
- At Unskilled, the projectile will always stop on the first monster it hits.
- At Basic, there is a 101⁄150 chance of the projectile stopping upon hitting a monster.
- At Skilled, there is a 26⁄75 chance of the projectile stopping upon hitting a monster.
- At Expert, there is a 1⁄50 chance of the projectile stopping upon hitting a monster.
Wood golems can drop various items with an object material of wood upon death—any invalid objects generated this way can be replaced with boomerangs or other items.
Hack'EM also adds the artifact Windrider from dNetHack.
Encyclopedia entry
Rincewind pulled himself up and thought about reaching for his stick. And then he thought again. The man had a couple of spears stuck in the ground, and people here were good at spears, because if you didn't get efficient at hitting the things that moved fast you had to eat the things that moved slowly. He was also holding a boomerang, and it wasn't one of those toy ones that came back. This was one of the big, heavy, gently curved sort that didn't come back because it was sticking in something's ribcage. You could laugh at the idea of wooden weapons until you saw the kind of wood that grew here.
[ The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett ]
References
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3531
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3570
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3577
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3573
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3585
- ↑ src/mthrowu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 476: calls hits_bars
- ↑ src/mthrowu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1172:
hits_bars()does not include boomerang weapons - ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3575
- ↑ src/uhitm.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 750: formula is rnl(4) == 3
