Broadsword (skill)
The broadsword or broad sword is a weapon skill that appears in NetHack.[1]
Available roles
The following roles can reach the listed skill levels in broadswords:
| Broadsword | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Skilled | |
List of weapons
The following weapons use the broadsword skill:
Three artifacts use the broadsword skill:
- Dragonbane (unaligned broadsword)
- Orcrist (chaotic elven broadsword)
- Stormbringer (chaotic runesword)
Description
A chaotic hero that is crowned will unlock the broadsword skill, even if they do not receive Stormbringer from crowning.[2]
Strategy
The broadsword skill in general is most often relevant for chaotic heroes seeking to obtain Stormbringer as early as possible, or else using an elven broadsword as a secondary option for two-weapon combat.
History
The broadsword skill is introduced with many other weapon skills in NetHack 3.2.0.
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, all broadsword-skill weapons can be poisoned.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, the broadsword is significantly changed and made more similar to its historical counterpart, while the nearly-identical runesword is differentiated into a more distinct item. dNetHack and its variants also add some weapons that use the broadsword skill, including making a separate weapon out of the ninja-to:
All broadsword-skill weapons other than force swords and beamswords can be poisoned by dipping them into appropriate potions.
The Water Crystal increases a hero's skill cap for broadswords by one level while carried.
Some artifacts use the broadsword skill:
- Fire Brand and Frost Brand can be generated, wished for or gifted in broadsword form, and can be reshaped into a broadsword.
- The Fuma-itto no Ken is a chaotic broadsword that is permanently poisoned, grants +1 to-hit and +1d8 damage bonuses versus cross-aligned targets, and can be invoked to create a stack of shuriken.
- The Atma Weapon is an unaligned beamsword that can be applied to turn it on and off, and follows lightsaber rules with the following exceptions:
- While on, it deals 3d10+(3x enchantment) to both large and small monsters, with bonuses of +1d6 to-hit and +3d6 damage against nasty monsters.
- If wielded without drain resistance, Atma Weapon adds +1dx damage (where x is the wielder's current experience level) while severely reducing the wielder's natural healing rate, and scales its damage with their current HP percentage. Additionally, if Atma Weapon wielded while cursed and activated, or else it is activated while cursed or uncharged, it will drain an experience level and uncurse and/or charge itself.
- If wielded with drain resistance, its base damage is decreased to 2d10+(2x enchantment) against all monsters.
- Glamdring is a lawful elven broadsword that favors Nobles and is the first sacrifice gift for Dwarf Knights.
- The Rod of the Elvish Lords is a lawful elven Noble-favoring artifact that can take the form of an elven broadsword, and engraves at the same quality as an athame in this form.
DynaHack
In DynaHack, Luck Blade is a chaotic and intelligent broadsword that is roughly the same as in UnNetHack.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, Monks and Rangers can train the broadsword skill: Monks can reach Basic, while Rangers can reach Skilled. Knights have their broadsword skill cap changed to Expert.
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.
