Cleaver

)   Cleaver   (No tile)
Base item	battle-axe
Damage vs. small	1d8+1d4 +1d6 (3-18)
Damage vs. large	1d6+2d4 +1d6 (4-20)
To-hit bonus	+1d3
Bonus versus	(any)
Weapon skill	axe
Size	two-handed
Affiliation	neutral (Barbarian)
When carried	(none)
When wielded	(none)
When invoked	(none)
Base price	1500 zm
Weight	120
Material	iron

Cleaver is an artifact that appears in NetHack. Its default alignment is neutral, and its base item type is a battle-axe.

Generation

A battle-axe randomly generated on the ground or as a death drop has a base ¹⁄₂₀ chance of being made into an artifact, which will always be Cleaver if it has not yet been generated. Cleaver is the first guaranteed sacrifice gift for Barbarians, and neutral heroes may receive it as a sacrifice gift for a sacrifice of at least 8 value.

Player monsters on the Astral Plane that generate with a battle-axe have a ¹⁄₂ chance of that battle-axe being turned into a compatible artifact, which will always be Cleaver if it has not yet been generated.

Description

Cleaver has +1d3 to-hit and +d6 damage bonuses against all monsters, and can hit multiple monsters in an arc with one swing while wielded: each attack will first strike the monster 45 degrees to one side of the target, then the targeted monster, and then the monster 45 degrees to the other side, and the direction of attack alternates with each swing. The arc only occurs if the attack directly hits a monster (e.g. it will not occur when using the force-fight command at empty air), and does not discriminate between hostile monsters and pets or peaceful monsters—the arc will be interrupted if the strike triggers a passive attack that either paralyzes the hero or kills them and causes life saving to occur. If the hero attacks with Cleaver while held or engulfed, they can only hit the monster that is holding or engulfing them.

Like other axes, applying Cleaver in a given direction can chop down trees and destroy doors, and applying it at a monster will attack with the same conditions above. Cleaver's arcing swing prevents it from being used to perform shattering blows or sneak attacks.

Strategy

Cleaver's arc attack potentially makes it one of the most damaging weapons in the game by pure damage-per-turn calculation, and it is most effective in "one vs. many" scenarios, which are also the most dangerous situations for a hero to find themselves in: the arced strikes can open gaps to flee through or reposition yourself in. For the same reason, this weapon is also extremely dangerous to wield in peaceful-populated areas such as the Quest, Minetown, shops, and temples—it is particularly advisable to use a different weapon while altar farming in a temple with an aligned priest of your alignment present. In general, combat with Cleaver proves far easier if you can lure your foes away from peaceful targets.

Because your pets are just as much endangered by Cleaver's attack as hostile monsters, it may be prohibitively difficult to keep them around if you plan to use it as you main weapon. A magic whistle can help orient them "properly" before you attack (though it may take several attempts), and blocking them off using doors or cursed items can work if you are aware of the potential for combat beforehand. Slower pets such as dragons and balrogs are easier to work with, as you can move a few steps away before attacking.

As a two-handed artifact that is not an intelligent artifact weapon, Cleaver risks being welded to your hands if it becomes cursed, and the usual strategies for two-handed weapons apply: make sure to keep some keep curse removal items on hand, including carrying holy water in a spare sack to #tip out if necessary.

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 major demons.

Weapon	Small monsters	Large monsters
+0 Cleaver	$\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+4}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}=\bold{10.5}$	$\frac{1+6}{2}+\frac{2+8}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}=\bold{12}$
+7 Cleaver	$\frac{1+8}{2}+\frac{1+4}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}+7=\bold{17.5}$	$\frac{1+6}{2}+\frac{2+8}{2}+\frac{1+6}{2}+7=\bold{19}$

History

Cleaver first appears in NetHack 3.0.0. From this version to NetHack 3.0.10, including some variants based on these versions, Cleaver is a chaotic axe that is not tied to any role. Starting in NetHack 3.1.0, Cleaver is neutral and associated with the Barbarian.

Cleaver's striking arc is introduced in NetHack 3.6.1, and is partially adapted from FIQHack.

From NetHack 3.1.0 to NetHack 3.6.7, including some variants based on those versions, Cleaver can be obtained by a neutral hero regardless of sacrifice value—the sacrifice gift system is reworked into its current incarnation in NetHack 5.0.0 via commit d87cadaf and commit c2c797fa.

Variants

Variants based on NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions may not incorporate the wide-cutting arc from later versions of NetHack.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, Cleaver has +3 to-hit and +6 damage like all artifacts with damage bonuses (as opposed to double damage). Since SLASH'EM is based on NetHack 3.4.3, Cleaver does not attack monsters in an arc.

The above strategies regarding two-handed weapons still apply, especially given the proliferation of item-cursing spellcasters in SLASH'EM such as ghoul mages, nabassus, vampire mages, and movanic devass. Additionally, non-human Barbarians have a second guaranteed sacrifice gift in Deathsword, which is only particularly effective against humans - it is considered an obstacle to a better artifact weapon, and as a result some Barbarians may find themselves using Cleaver for longer than they might want.

Given that ¹⁄₃ of neutral sacrifice gifts are non-weapons (Deluder, Gauntlets of Defense, Mirrorbright, and Whisperfeet) and another ¹⁄₄ are of limited use (Disrupter vs. non-undead, Giantkiller vs. non-giants, and the Sword of Balance vs. neutrals), a neutral hero who receives Cleaver early should consider themselves lucky: only Magicbane and Mjollnir are more powerful as general-use neutral weapons, particularly in the early and mid-game stages where curses are not a significant threat.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, Cleaver behaves as it does in NetHack.

The Executioner is always generated with Cleaver if it has not yet been generated in that game.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Cleaver is the first sacrifice gift for Barbarians that start their game with a battle-axe. Cleaver has +1d3 to-hit and deals double damage, does not swing in an arc, will not resist being held second to other weapons when wielded by Barbarians, and automatically performs shattering blows against monsters wielding weapons.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, Cleaver has the ability to hit multiple foes, but will not hit pets or peacefuls unless they are directly targeted.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, Cleaver's arc will not strike peaceful monsters unless the hero attacks by force-fighting with F.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, Cleaver will not hit peaceful monsters in its arc unless it is cursed.

Cleaver can be combined with Mjollnir at a forge to create Tempest, an artifact halberd.

Encyclopedia entry

Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed,
sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic
melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled
thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.

[ The Phoenix on the Sword, by Robert E. Howard ]