Most special damage is dependent of the normal damage of the weapon, so
more damage the weapon causes, the better. Details on all of the weapon
brands follow: in all of these 'D' refers to the amount of
damage that blow caused just from the weapon itself. If the extra damage
depends on D (eg vorpal weapons), then the brand is more useful on a
high-damage weapon. If not (eg electrocution),
then the brand is more useful on a high-speed weapon which can strike more
often.
Flame/Frost |
Flaming and freezing are the weakest enchantments.
Creature type | Extra damage |
Normal | 1 to D/2 |
Resistant | (1 to D/2) / 3 |
Susceptible | 1 to D |
|
Holy Wrath |
Holy wrath is only useful against demonic creatures and undead.
Creature type | Extra damage |
Undead | 1 to D |
Demons | (1 to D) *1.5 |
|
Electrocution |
Electrocution weapons do no damage to flying monsters (they aren't
grounded) or electrical creatures. Against all other creatures
there is a 1 in 3 chance of doing 1 to 28 damage per hit, with
a bias towards the average damage (it's actually calculated
as 3d28/3).
|
Orc slaying |
These do 1 to D extra damage to orcs.
|
Venom |
There is a 25% chance per hit that the monster will be poisoned.
|
Speed |
No extra damage, but you can attack roughly twice as often.
|
Draining |
Undead and demons are not affected by weapons of draining. For all other
creatures, there is a 66% chance per hit that the monster will be
drained, doing 1 to D/2 extra damage, reducing its hit points
and maximum hit points by a further 2-4 points, and 20% of the
time reducing the creature's hit dice (and hence its chance to hit,
among other things). Note that when you drain a monster's hit
dice and max hp you reduce the amount of experience you will get
for killing it!
|
Vorpal |
Does 1 to D/2 extra damage to all creatures
|
Vampiric |
Does no extra damage. If the monster is not demonic or undead,
has an 80% chance of healing you 1 to D hp and lessening your
hunger somewhat.
|
Disruption |
Has a 66% chance of doing 1 to 3*D extra damage to undead creatures.
|
Pain |
Against 'natural' or holy monsters (ie not undead or demons), has a
chance of doing 1 to (your Necromancy skill)*2 damage. The chance
is dependent on your Necromancy skill and is automatic at skill
level 7.
|
Distortion |
Heals blink frogs. Against other critters:
Chance | Effect |
33% | Space bends, 1 to 7 extra damage |
22% | Space warps, 3 to 26 extra damage |
15% | Blinks the monster |
15% | Teleports the monster |
7.5% | Kills the monster |
7.5% | Does nothing |
|