Crossbow (skill)
The crossbow is a weapon skill that appears in NetHack.[1]
Available roles
The following roles can reach the listed skill levels in crossbows:
| Crossbow | |
|---|---|
| Max | Role |
| Basic | |
| Skilled | |
| Expert | |
List of weapons
Crossbows and crossbow bolts are the only weapons to use this skill. There are no artifacts that use the crossbow skill.
Description
A hero must use a crossbow by wielding it and then using t or f to shoot crossbow bolts, which is the only way to train the skill: attempting to use the crossbow in melee will simply deal a minimal 1d2 damage. The enchantment of a crossbow contributes to the to-hit value that determines the accuracy of bolts fired from it, but does not impact the damage they inflict, while the bolts' own enchantments contributes to both their accuracy and damage.
History
The crossbow skill is introduced with many other weapon skills in NetHack 3.2.0.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, crossbows are two-handed weapons. SLASH'EM also introduces an artifact crossbow, Hellfire, that is chaotic-aligned and provides fire resistance when wielded; bolts fired from it that hit monsters create a fiery explosion in a 3x3 square centered on that monster.
dNetHack
dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack add the droven crossbow and droven bolt as weapons that use the crossbow skill.
Astaroth is a spirit that grants skill in crossbows while bound.
There are five artifacts that use the crossbow skill:
- Hellfire (chaotic green-steel crossbow)
- The Unstoppable (neutral mithril crossbow)
- Wrathful Spider (chaotic drow-favoring droven crossbow)
- Liecleaver (chaotic drow-favoring droven crossbow)
- The Rogue Gear-Spirits (small, copper, intelligent, and gnomish Ranger-favoring crossbow)
NetHack Fourk
In NetHack Fourk, gnomes have increased skill caps for crossbows.
EvilHack
EvilHack adds the dark elven hand crossbow and dark elven crossbow bolt as weapons that use the crossbow skill.
Gnomish Rangers have their quest artifact changed to The Crossbow of Carl, which is an artifact crossbow that mirrors The Longbow of Diana given to other Rangers. This allows them to preserve their multishot bonuses while also giving access to an unlimited source of crossbow bolts.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, all gnomish heroes are capable of reaching skilled in crossbows.
