Grappling hook
( 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | grappling hook |
| Appearance | iron hook |
| Damage vs. small | 1d2 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d6 |
| To-hit bonus | +0 |
| Weapon skill | flail |
| Size | one-handed |
| Base price | 50 zm (+10/positive enchant) |
| Weight | 30 |
| Material | iron |
A grappling hook is a type of tool that appears in NetHack. It is a one-handed weapon-tool that uses the flail skill, and appears as an iron hook when unidentified.
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 f0445763, the grappling hook no longer uses an unidentified appearance, though this will not be the case with variants based on previous versions.Contents
Generation
Grappling hooks make up 1⁄200 (0.5%) of all randomly-generated tools. General stores and hardware stores can stock grappling hooks.
Description
A hero can apply a wielded grappling hook towards a location some distance away, with that distance determined by the hero's flail skill:[1]
.ESUSE.
.SUUUS. U: unskilled or basic
.UU@UU. S: skilled
.SUUUS. E: expert
.ESUSE.
.......
For a target square to be valid, that sqaure must be lit and the hero must be able to see it normally, i.e. they are not blind and not using astral vision.[2][3] Applying a grappling hook that is not wielded will wield the item if possible.[4] A hero cannot apply a grappling hook while engulfed.[5]
When applying a grappling hook, a hero can attempt to grab an item on the target square, drag themselves towards that square, attack a monster, or drag a tiny monster towards them: if the hero is applying a grappling hook at Basic or lower skill, there is an equal chance of hitting an item, hitting a monster, hitting the ground, nothing happening, or the hero hooking themselves for 10-19 damage (subject to half physical damage).[6][7][8] Nothing happens if an applied grappling hook attempts to target something that is not on the chosen square. A hero applying a grappling hook at Skilled or higher cannot hit themselves and will be able to select the desired target on their chosen square, with a 1⁄2 chance (50%) of success at Skilled and a 19⁄20 chance (95%) at Expert—otherwise, there is an equal chance of each outcome minus the hero hooking themselves, as above; pressing Enter when applying a grappling hook will attempt to trigger a random effect.
Successfully applying a grappling hook will partially erode any engraving the hero is standing on if the hook is used to target a monster, and otherwise has a 1⁄2 chance (50%) of partially eroding an engraving on their square.[9]
Grabbing items
If there are multiple items on a square and a hero successfully uses a grappling hook targeting that square, they will always snag the topmost item from the pile, and can only snag one item from a stack at a time this way.[10]
Using a grappling hook and snagging a wielded footrice corpse will subject the hero to instant stoning if they do not have gloves, but using one to pick a corpse up off the ground is fine.[11][12][13]
Monsters
A tiny monster successfully targeted with a grappling hook has a 1⁄4 chance of being dragged one square towards the hero, and simply takes damage otherwise, while monsters larger than this size are always hit for damage.[14] When applying a grappling hook at a monster that is strong or at least large in size, there is a 1⁄4 chance that the hero will be pulled one square towards the monster's position instead, with no effect if that square has water or air.[15]
Dragging
A hero dragging themselves towards a specified square will be pulled one square over unless they are caught in a trap, in which case they instead remain trapped and may take further damage from the trap.[16][17][18]
Strategy
While the grappling hook's abilities are unique, they are unfortunately not terribly useful in most situations, as the hero is almost required to train to Skilled in flails to avoid hooking themselves, and this is only feasible at all for four roles total—Cavepeople, Priests, Rangers, and Samurai. Furthermore, there are few situations where a grappling hook becomes applicable, much less the most sensible option available:
- A hero could theoretically bring a monster with a dangerous ranged ability into melee range, but on top of being unreliable very few such monsters are tiny in size.
- The ability to grab an item from under a monster has some niche uses (e.g. grabbing a cockatrice corpse before a soldier can wield it), but only Priests can reliably pull it off, and such situations are quite uncommon.
- The ability to drag oneself is no better than simply moving to the adjacent square, as it can only move you a single square at a time.
- Perhaps one of its best uses is the ability to snag items from the ground while levitating, specifically if the hero is over water or lava and attempting to retrieve an item, or else is using a source of uncontrolled levitation that they cannot or do not want to remove—the problem is that there are other methods of achieving this reliably, with a bullwhip being among the best alternatives since they only check the hero's dexterity rather than any weapon skill, and can also retrieve items from underwater or within lava.
- Another contender for the most useful ability is simply attacking monsters at a distance with a one-handed weapon that is also effective in melee range. Unfortunately, its low damage makes it thoroughly unimpressive in this role, and the chance of being dragged towards hostile monsters can be quite dangerous in certain situations.
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.
Bullwhips can no longer pick up items from under water or lava, so the grappling hook becomes more competitive for this purpose.History
The grappling hook first appears in NetHack 3.3.0.
Variants
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Helping Hand is a lawful artifact grappling hook that blocks 19⁄20 of item-cursing effects and can be wielded for full curse resistance, among various other effects.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, Gleipnir is an artifact grappling hook that has +1d5 to-hit and +1d8 damage bonuses, can be applied at three times the maximum range of a normal grappling hook, and can pull any monster towards the wielded regardless of size.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, Convicts will always know the grappling hook's appearance.
A spear can be combined with a grappling hook at a forge to create a guisarme.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, Ninja start the game with a +0 grappling hook, and both Ninja and Samurai know the item as a kaginawa.
Maui's Fishhook is an artifact grappling hooks that acts as the Diver quest artifact.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, Convicts and Pirates will always know the grappling hook's appearance, and Pirates have a 1⁄2 chance of starting each game with a grappling hook as their tool item. Forging recipes are the same as in EvilHack.
Hack'EM also adds Gleipnir from SpliceHack.
Encyclopedia entry
But as for Queequeg -- why, Queequeg sat there among them -- at the head of the table, too, it so chanced; as cool as an icicle. To be sure I cannot say much for his breeding. His greatest admirer could not have cordially justified his bringing his harpoon into breakfast with him, and using it there without ceremony; reaching over the table with it, to the imminent jeopardy of many heads, and grappling the beefsteaks towards him.
References
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3174
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3185
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3188
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3159
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3155
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3194
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3230
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3281
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3226
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3234
- ↑ src/pickup.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 256: apply.c does not call the usual check when using the whip to pick up the corpse off the ground, but does call it when a weaponized corpse is snatched.
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2714
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2849
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3243
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3259
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3231
- ↑ src/dothrow.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 820
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3269
