Broadsword
) 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | broadsword |
| Appearance | broadsword |
| Damage vs. small | 2d4 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d6+1 |
| To-hit bonus | +0 |
| Weapon skill | broadsword |
| Size | one-handed |
| Base price | 10 zm (+10/positive enchant) |
| Weight | 70 |
| Material | iron |
- "Ninja-to" redirects here. For the weapon in dNetHack and its variants, see ninja-to (dNetHack).
A broadsword is a type of weapon that appears in NetHack. It is a one-handed melee weapon that uses the broadsword skill, and is made of iron.
Samurai know the as a ninja-to.
Generation
The broadsword makes up 1⁄125 (0.8%) of all weapons that are randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops. Used armor dealerships and antique weapons outlets can also stock broadswords.
Some monsters can be generated with broadswords:
- Lieutenants have a roughly 1⁄2 chance of being generated with a broadsword.[1]
- Balrogs are always generated with broadswords.[2]
- Player monsters, including those generated on the Astral Plane, have a low 2⁄291 chance (effectively ~0.69%) of generating with a broadsword as their weapon before role-based replacements are applied.[3]
Description
A broadsword inflicts slashing damage, and deals 2d4 damage to small monsters and 1d6+1 damage to large monsters.
In terms of monster weapon preference, monsters that are not balrogs will prefer the broadsword to a scimitar, and will prefer an elven broadsword or better to the broadsword[4]—balrogs will instead favor their bullwhip to disarm the hero with, and switch to their broadsword (or a better weapon if applicable) once the hero is weaponless.[5]
Strategy
Broadswords by themselves are serviceable if unremarkable weapons, but can usually be replaced by a better weapon such as an elven broadsword in short order.
History
The broadsword first appears in NetHack 1.3d, where it is known as a broad sword. In NetHack 3.0.0, the item's name is changed to "broadsword".
From NetHack 3.0.0 to NetHack 3.0.10, the base item type of Stormbringer is a broadsword—NetHack 3.1.0 introduces the runesword and changes Stormbringer's base item to a runesword.
Origin
"Broadsword" is the modern name for the historical basket-hilted sword, a type of sword generally used for military purposes in the early modern era of the 16th century and seen as late as the early 20th. The eponymous guard used for the wielder's hand protection is developed from the standard "quillon" crossguard, and is the result of firearms rendering many forms of armor ineffective—"true" broadswords are double-edged, while those with single-edged blades and thickened backs are generally called "backswords".
The term "broad" contrasts the cutting and thrusting weapon with the rapier, which has a more slender blade and is designed primarily for thrusting alone; some rapiers feature a broadsword-like blade paired with typical rapier hilts and sometimes with similar crossguards. Many modern fantasy works incorrectly depict broadswords as a medieval-style weapon with a simple crossguard, similar to an arming sword. The weapon's presence in the hands of balrogs suggests that the developers of NetHack treat the weapon similarly, as a modern weapon like a real-world broadsword would be very out of place in Tolkien's Middle Earth: its tile also appears to depict a simple crossguard, rather than a full basket hilt.
The "ninja-to" or "ninjatō" is a shorter, broader sword sometimes compared to a katana that ninjas are depicted as using in popular culture. Historians doubt that it existed: it is not attested before the twentieth century, and no surviving examples from feudal Japan are known.
Variants
Some variants that incorporate the Convict patch usually include the role's designated first sacrifice gift: Luck Blade, a chaotic artifact broadsword that acts as a luck item while carried.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, broadswords can be poisoned. Upgrading a broadsword successfully will produce an elven broadsword, and vice versa.[6][7]
A broadsword is generated next to the left sink on the Yeoman quest goal level during level creation.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, Luck Blade is a chaotic artifact broadsword that acts as the first sacrifice gift for Convicts.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, the broadsword is significantly changed and made more similar to its historical counterpart.
DynaHack
In DynaHack, Luck Blade is a chaotic and intelligent broadsword that is roughly the same as in UnNetHack.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, Luck Blade has the same traits as in UnNetHack, but is made of steel rather than iron. It is the first sacrifice gift for Convicts.
A broadsword can be created at a forge by combining a scimitar and a short sword. Broadswords can be used to create a few items:
- A broadsword can be combined with an axe to create a battle-axe.
- A broadsword can be combined with a long sword to create a two-handed sword
- A broadsword can be combined with a dagger to create a runesword.
- A broadsword can be combined with a spear to create a partisan.
Encyclopaedia entry
Bring me my broadsword
And clear understanding.
Bring me my cross of gold,
As a talisman.
Ninja-to
A Japanese broadsword.
References
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 207
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 504
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 150: 1⁄2 to get a random weapon—the designated range of objects covers weapons from the spear to the bullwhip inclusively in objects.h, and uses normal generation odds
- ↑ src/weapon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 694-L695
- ↑ src/weapon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 723-L724
- ↑ potion.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 2238
- ↑ potion.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 2241
