Torch (dNetHack)

(
Name	torch
Appearance	torch
Damage vs. small	1d3
Damage vs. large	1d2
To-hit bonus	+0
Weapon skill	club
Size	one-handed
Base price	5 zm (+10/positive enchant)
Weight	10
Material	wood

This article is about the item in dNetHack and its derivatives. For the item in other variants, see torch.

A torch is a type of tool that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack. It is a stackable, one-handed weapon-tool that is made of wood.

Generation

Several roles start each game with a set of torches:

• Archeologists start each game with 3 uncursed torches.
• Barbarians start each game with 3 uncursed torches.
• Cavepeople start each game with 3 uncursed torches.
• Dwarven Nobles and half-dragon Nobles of both genders start each game with 3 uncursed torches.
• Rogues start each game with 2 uncursed torches.
• Rangers start each game with 3 uncursed torches.

Drow heroes in roles that receive torches as part of their starting inventory will receive uncursed shadowlander's torches instead.

Torches make up ³⁄₂₀ (1.5%) of all randomly-generated tools. General stores and hardware stores can stock torches.

A club can be dipped into a potion of oil to turn it into a torch.

The inverted ziggurat map inclusions on the Neutral Quest that do not have an altar will contain a chest buried in the central square of the room with 1–6 torches inside.

Description

A hero applying a torch will light it, or snuff it if it is already lit. While lit, a torch emits light in a radius of 4 squares around it:

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Light from a lit torch will illuminate normally-dark squares within the radius, but will not fully override darkness from other sources such as a shadowlander's torch or fossil dark. A torch remains active for 500–1500 turns: as its timer comes closer to expiring, the torch burns down to a 3-square radius and then a 2-square radius before burning out completely (150, 50 and 0 turns left to burn respectively), and a torch that burns out may turn into a burnt club with 1–3 levels of erosion. If a hero creates darkness by reading a cursed scroll of light, either casting the light spell or using the #monster extended command as a drow, or zapping a wand of darkness, any torches in the lit area will be extinguished; this also occurs if a monster creates darkness as well.

As a weapon, a torch uses the club skill and deals 1d3 points of blunt damage to small monsters and 1d2 to large monsters—while lit, it deals an additional +1d10 fire damage versus monsters that lack fire resistance, and the fire damage can burn armor and destroy scrolls, spellbooks and potions in the target's inventory, with the potions releasing vapors. A torch gains a full damage bonus from the wielder's strength, with a maximum of +8 at 25 strength. Monsters will not apply torches on their own, but will use them as weapons if they are the best option available for them, and monster weapon choice factors in whether or not they are currently lit.

Strategy

A torch can be a useful temporary light source for a starting hero until a more permanent one presents itself: such light sources include the candle of invocation, magic lamp, magic torch, potions of starlight, sunlight maggots, or even a spellbook of light for spellcasters in particular—gnomish pointy hats and dwarvish helms can also be applied as light sources and are plentiful in the Gnomish Mines.

One advantage of torches over some other light sources is that they are decently fairly light and easily stacked (based on enchantment like other weapons), making a small stack of them tolerable enough to carry for a hero without a bag or other container, and they can also easily made using potions of oil and clubs. A hero that reaches Minetown and is at a loss for a reasonable light source to explore the deep Gnomish Mines or other dark areas may consider grabbing spare potions of oil from Izchak if the plentiful light sources within the Mines themselves are somehow of no use to them or else of no interest. Throwing lit torches at enemies can also be used to set them up for ranged weapon attacks with the torch's light, but any potions destroyed when a lit torch hits a monster cannot be type-named.

As a weapon, clubs in general have a niche against monsters such as skeletons and the Keter Sephiroth, especially for roles that lack good unarmed attacks, and Cavepeople in particular may want to utilize torches for fire damage, including transforming their starting +1 club into one after they have found a better long-term weapon. Fire damage from torches can also burn up defensive items that hostile monsters might use to escape, though this is somewhat limited in application and may burn up other valuable loot. Other heroes may want to carve staves into torches for warding off later monsters, such as the dreprun stave against mastodons and byakhees.

In some rare cases, a torch may be useful to train up the club skill for players planning a dedicated Ibite Arm run (which is an insight artifact whose details constitute major spoilers for the mechanic).

History

The torch originates from a patch for NetHack 3.4.0.

Messages

You light your <torch>. It gives off bright flickering light.

You lit a torch.

You burn it, you bought it!

You lit a shopkeeper's torch.

<Your/The monster's> torch is getting short.

A torch has 150 turns left before burning out.

You see a torch getting short.

As above, but the torch is on the ground.

<Your/The monster's> torch's flame flickers low!

A torch has 50 turns left before burning out.

You see a torch's flame flicker low!

As above, but the torch is on the ground.

<Your/The monster's> <torch> is consumed!

A torch burned out.

You see a <torch> consumed!

As above, but the torch is on the ground.

Its flame dies.

A torch has burnt out.

It shrieks!

As above, while hallucinating.