Long sword

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) Long sword.png
Name long sword
Appearance long sword
Damage vs. small 1d8 (1-8)
Damage vs. large 1d12 (1-12)
To-hit bonus +0
Weapon skill long sword
Size one-handed
Base price 15 zm
(+10/positive
enchant)
Weight 40
Material iron

A long sword is a type of weapon that appears in NetHack. It is a one-handed melee weapon that is made of iron.

The long sword is the base item for several artifacts of varying alignments: Excalibur (lawful), Fire Brand (unaligned), Frost Brand (unaligned), Giantslayer (neutral), Sunsword (lawful), and Vorpal Blade (neutral).

Generation

Knights start each game with a +1 long sword.[1]

Long swords make up 1⁄20 (5%) 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 long swords.

A long sword is always generated in a niche on the first floor of Vlad's Tower during level creation.[2]

Several monsters can be generated with long swords:

Long sword skill

Long sword
Max Role
Basic
Skilled
Expert

Both long swords and katanas use the long sword skill.

The following artifact weapons use the long sword skill:

  • Excalibur (lawful long sword)
  • Fire Brand (unaligned long sword)
  • Frost Brand (unaligned long sword)
  • Giantslayer (neutral long sword)
  • Snickersnee (lawful katana)
  • Sunsword (lawful long sword)
  • Vorpal Blade (neutral long sword)

Description

The long sword inflicts slashing damage, and deals 1d8 damage to small monsters and 1d12 to large ones.

A long sword can be transformed into Excalibur through one of two methods.

  • A lawful hero that is at least experience level 5 and dips a single, non-artifact long sword that is not named into a fountain has a chance of transforming the sword into the blessed and erosion-proofed Excalibur, exercising wisdom and using up the fountain instantly:[13] This happens with a 1⁄6 chance per dip for a Knight and 1⁄30 for other roles, and will always fail if the artifact already exists[14]—attempting to do this while the hero is not lawful will instead abuse wisdom, curse the sword, drain a point of enchantment if it is at -6 or higher, and remove any erosion-proofing before making the fountain disappear.[15]
  • A lawful hero that is crowned while wielding a long sword will have it transformed into Excalibur if the artifact does not exist yet:[16] wielding the long sword will also result in the crowning process blessing it, identifying it, making it erosion-proof, removing any erosion, and raising its enchantment to +1 if it is currently lower.[17]

A lawful or neutral hero that is crowned will unlock the long sword skill, even if they do not receive Excalibur or Vorpal Blade this way.[18][19]

Strategy

The long sword is one of the more popular weapons for its damage and versatility, and is also a popular off-hand weapon for two weapon combat. At six artifacts, the long sword also has the highest amount of artifacts that use it as a base item type—lawful and neutral heroes in roles that are restricted in long sword can un-restrict the skill by receiving one of the many artifact long swords as a sacrifice gift, as well as via crowning. Barrow wights are a reliable source of long swords for heroes that can deal with them efficiently, and heroes that are especially desperate for a long sword may consider attacking the Minetown watch captain, or else using a pet to kill them, if they have generated with a long sword.

Knights are the best-positioned role to take advantage of Excalibur due to their starting +1 long sword and their higher odds in creating it by dipping, though they will have to do so before entering their quest portal.[20] While other roles can still create Excalibur by dipping, it may prove tedious enough that they may be better off crowning or else seeking other options, (e.g. Valkyries using Mjollnir, which can perform well into the late-game) unless they player is especially patient and the long sword is not their primary weapon.

History

The long sword first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0.

From NetHack 1.3d to NetHack 3.6.7, including some variants based on those versions, the Valkyrie starts with a +1 long sword—this is changed for NetHack 5.0.0 via commit c09ae332 so that human Valkyries instead start the game with a +1 spear, while dwarvish Valkyries start the game with a +1 dwarvish spear.

From NetHack 3.0.0 to NetHack 3.6.7, including some variants based on those versions, Demonbane's base item is a long sword: humanoid angelic beings are always given blessed and erosion-proofed long swords that have an enchantment ranging from +0 to +3—those that are lords to their kind will have the sword made into either Demonbane or Sunsword, while others have a 1⁄20 of being made into an artifact chosen from either available weapon. NetHack 5.0.0 changes the artifact's base item, first to a mace via commit b1a5a9c3, and then then to a silver mace via commit 67d58202—it also gives humanoid angelic beings their current odds of generating with a silver mace or a long sword.

King Arthur and The Norn's long swords are added in NetHack 5.0.0 as part of commit 20cbadcf, which makes it so that a hero killing their quest leader no longer makes the game unwinnable and strengthens all quest leaders accordingly.

Origin

Wikipedia
Wikipedia has an article about:

In the study of historical weapons, the term long sword or longsword refers to a medieval two-handed sword, the adjective "long" describing the long, two-handed grip rather than the length of the blade. The weapon depicted in NetHack is closer to a knightly sword, a single-handed weapon used throughout the Middle Ages that originally developed from Viking weapons—many modern fantasy works depict long swords in a similar manner. The knightly sword had a thick blade intended primarily for slashing or cutting, although later examples could thrust effectively as well: medieval (two-handed) longswords were often derived from knightly swords, with examples differing from the latter only in the length of the hilt.

As armor became thicker, the one-handed knightly sword was relegated to the status of a sidearm (referred to as an arming sword or side-sword), with the two-handed longsword predominating in combat. However, once the advent of firearms rendered metal armor ineffective in war, the single-handed arming sword came to prominence in civilian use, gradually evolving into the light and slender rapier, a weapon intended mainly for thrusting at unarmored targets.

Like most melee weapons in NetHack, the long sword and its damage dice originate from Dungeons & Dragons, specifically the 1st Edition Advanced ruleset. Alongside NetHack, Dungeons & Dragons is one of the primary examples of fantasy media where the long sword is treated and depicted as a knightly sword and "traditional" heroic weapon.

Variants

NetHack variants will often change the base items of artifact long swords to other items in order to make them less commonplace.

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM adds the silver long sword as a weapon that uses the long sword skill, and is simply a long sword made of silver. SLASH'EM also adds the following artifact weapons that use the long sword skill:

All other artifact weapons that use the long sword skill are retained from NetHack 3.4.3 and prior contemporary versions except for Giantslayer, which is replaced by the artifact axe Giantkiller.

The Valkyrie's starting +1 long sword is replaced with a +1 spear, and dwarven Valkyries will be given a +1 dwarvish spear instead.[21][22]

The Rat King is always generated with a long sword on his square.

SporkHack

SporkHack adds the silver long sword, which uses the long sword skill and is simply a long sword made of silver similar to SLASH'EM.

SporkHack also changes some of the base items for artifact long swords: Demonbane's base item is changed to a silver mace, while Sunsword's base item changed to a silver long sword, and Giantslayer is changed to a sling. SporkHack further adds a new artifact long sword in Dirge, which acts as a sort of a chaotic counterpart to Excalibur.

All other artifact long swords from NetHack 3.4.3 and prior contemporary versions are retained.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, Giantslayer's base item is changed to a sling as in SporkHack, and all other artifact long swords from NetHack 3.6.7 and prior versions are retained.

Black marketeers are always generated with an enchanted long sword.

dNetHack

dNetHack adds several weapons that use the long sword skill:

dNetHack also has many artifacts that use the long sword's base item or skill—this information can be viewed in the marked tabs.

The following artifacts use the long sword as their base item:

Some changes are also made to the base items of existing artifact long swords from NetHack 3.4.3:

  • Fire Brand and Frost Brand are defined as long swords by default, and have a 1⁄3 chance of generating as a long sword, but they can be generated or wished for as several types of base item.
  • Excalibur retains its long sword base item, and can be created from a long sword of any object material by either dipping the desired long sword or wishing for the artifact as the desired long sword type.
  • Demonbane has its base item changed to a saber, while Giantslayer has its base item changed to an axe similar to SLASH'EM.
  • Sunsword retains its long sword base item and is made of silvered gold.
  • Vorpal Blade retains its long sword base item.

The following artifacts use the long sword skill:

Some artifacts make particular use of the long sword skill:

Conversely, The Singing Sword is an unaligned artifact whose base item is a long sword, but it does not use the long sword skill—it instead uses and exercises the musicalize spell skill.

Eden is a spirit that grants skill in long swords while bound.

The long sword itself inflicts slashing and piercing damage, retaining its damage dice from NetHack, and makes up 11⁄250 (4.4%) of all weapons that are randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops. A hero that wields a long sword while they are at Skilled or better in long swords gains the "graze", "focus fire" and "stop thrust" expert traits.

The minor spires encountered in the Outlands of the Neutral Quest may contain a long sword made of silver and a shield of reflection if Mirror Brand has already been generated in that game.

Hydrargyrumach Rilmani are always generated with metallic long swords. Ancient nagas are always generated with two huge long swords. Gray intoners and any Eladrin that are summoned by Dracae Eladrin, but are not Uiscerre Eladrin, will generate with dragonbone long swords.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, Fire Brand and Frost Brand are changed to short swords. All other artifact long swords from current versions of NetHack retain their base item, with Sunsword being made of gold.

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, two short swords can be combined at a furnace to create a long sword.

Demonbane remains an artifact long sword as it does in NetHack 3.6.7 and prior versions, and SpliceHack also adds two other artifact long swords alongside the existing ones retained from NetHack:

  • Acidfall, an unaligned long sword
  • Frostburn, an unaligned long sword created by combining Fire Brand and Frost Brand at a furnace

notdNetHack

In notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, in addition to dNetHack details, Berith generates with a long sword when summoned by an Illithanachronounbinder.

EvilHack

EvilHack adds the orcish long sword, elven long sword and dark elven long sword as weapons that use the long sword skill.

Some artifacts retained from NetHack 3.6.7 and prior versions have their base items changed: Fire Brand and Frost Brand's base items are changed to short swords, similar to xNetHack, while Giantslayer is changed to a spear, and Demonbane is changed to a heavy mace made of Silver—Excalibur, Vorpal Blade and Sunsword retain their base items.

A long sword can be created at a forge by combining two short swords. Long swords can be used to create a few other items:

  • A long sword can be combined with a scimitar to create a saber.
  • A long sword can be combined with a broadsword to create a two-handed sword.
  • Two long swords can be combined to create a katana.

SlashTHEM

In addition to SLASH'EM details, SlashTHEM adds the electric sword as a weapon that uses the long sword skill.

Clockwork automaton heroes can always reach a minimum of Basic skill in long swords.

SlashTHEM also retains the artifact long swords from SLASH'EM, and adds several artifacts that use the long sword skill (including several from other variants):

Hack'EM

Hack'EM adds the orcish and elven long swords from EvilHack as weapons that use the long sword skill. Upgrading a long sword will produce an elven long sword, and upgrading an orcish long sword will produce a long sword.

For artifacts, Fire Brand and Frost Brand have their base items changed to short swords similar to xNetHack and EvilHack, and Hack'EM adds Giantslayer from NetHack instead of adapting Giantkiller from SLASH'EM or other variants—Demonbane is a silver heavy mace, as it is in EvilHack. Hack'EM retains all other artifact long swords from NetHack 3.6.7 and prior versions, and adds other artifacts that use the long sword skill:

  • Thiefbane, from SLASH'EM
  • Dirge from EvilHack
  • Kiku-ichimonji from dNetHack and SlashTHEM
  • The Master Sword, an artifact wholly new to the variant

References

  1. ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 91
  2. ↑ dat/tower3.lua in NetHack 5.0.0, line 41
  3. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 207
  4. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 211
  5. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 296
  6. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 332-L347
  7. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 487
  8. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 552-L554
  9. ↑ dat/Kni-strt.lua in NetHack 5.0.0, line 66
  10. ↑ dat/Val-strt.lua in NetHack 5.0.0, line 65
  11. ↑ 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
  12. ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 193-L194
  13. ↑ src/fountain.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 404-L447
  14. ↑ src/fountain.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 405
  15. ↑ src/fountain.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 411-L424
  16. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 901-L915
  17. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 976-L985
  18. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 916-L919
  19. ↑ src/pray.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 939-L942
  20. ↑ src/fountain.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 408: checks for existing Excalibur
  21. ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 229
  22. ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 343
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