Ranged weapon

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Ranged weapons refer both to missiles and their launchers - basically, any weapon used to attack from a distance instead of in melee.

Thrown-Only Weapons

These require no launcher, although some are more effective with one. They are governed by the Throwing skill.

• Dart - A small pointy weapon that is thrown by hand. Popular with kobolds and may come with various brands. Unbranded darts are also available from traps.
• Stone - A common item found in piles in the dungeon. They don't come with brands and aren't any stronger than darts, but they cannot be eaten by jellies. May also be used with a sling.
• Javelin - A lethally sharp kind of spear built for throwing. Hunters may choose to begin with them. Occasionally found in the dungeon, but not common, though merfolk javelineers carry stacks of them. They may have any of several brands. Javelins are fairly heavy, especially when made of steel.
• Large rock - A very heavy boulder-sized stone. Ogre and troll hunters may begin with a small supply of them, and they are also carried by very large enemies such as cyclopes or stone giants; otherwise they are uncommon. Large rocks are the most damaging thrown weapon available.
• Throwing net - These do no damage, but immobilize a creature until they break free. The net will be damaged or destroyed as the victim escapes. Gladiators begin with them; more can be found, whether occasionally in the dungeon, through traps, or in the possession of gnolls or hill giants.

Throwable Melee Weapons

These melee weapons can also be thrown, with no launcher needed. Unlike thrown-only weapons and ammunition, these do not "stack" in your inventory; each weapon always takes a separate slot. However, they also never mulch. If a monster starts with several hand axes or spears, they will all have the same enchantment, or lack thereof.

• Club - Popular with early goblins and hobgoblins, but fairly weak.
• Dagger - Can be thrown for respectable damage, and a plentiful supply can be obtained from killed monsters, as it is a common weapon.
• Hand axe - Easy to find from killed monsters. Some enemies carry several; if these are enchanted, they will all be the same.
• Spear - Like the hand axe, some enemies have several of them (which may be enchanted, all alike). May also be found in traps (though those are never enchanted).

Launchers

A launcher is a weapon which can fire matching ammunition when wielded, often doing more damage than thrown weapons.

• Sling - The simplest and most common launcher, it can throw stones or more powerful sling bullets, a specially-made ammunition for the sling. Occasionally found on goblins. They are governed by the Slings skill.
• Blowgun - A hollow tube used to fire poisoned needles of various types. It is a preferred weapon of kobolds. The needles come in several types with various effects, but most are simply poisoned. Monsters can resist needle effects, and needles do no other damage: the enchantment of the launcher increases accuracy and efficacy of needles. They are governed by the Throwing skill.
• Bow/Longbow - A preferred weapon of centaurs, who can do heavy damage with them. Inaccurate but fast, they fire arrows and are governed by the Bows skill.
• Crossbow - Fairly rare in the early game, these are slower but more accurate and damaging than bows. Yaktaurs use them to great effect, as well as the occasional kobold. They are governed by the Crossbows skill.

Ammunition

Ammunition comes in a bewildering variety. Stones, large rocks, and nets are never branded (except when found in certain rare shops), but other ammo (including darts and javelins) can have brands. Ammo brands include silver and steel, which provide various benefits at the cost of increased weight.

General Notes

• Darts, spears, arrows, bolts, needles, and throwing nets can be harvested in small numbers from dungeon traps. All trap ammo is unbranded (apart from needles, which are always merely poisoned).
• Thrown-only missiles and ammunition will stack in your inventory.
• Missiles and launchers can carry a variety of brands, such as flame or poisoned. If both your launcher and your missiles have brands, the brand of the missile will usually override that of the launcher. However, in some situations the brand will not be implemented. For example, frost arrows used in a bow of flame will cancel each other out, producing normal arrows.
  • The exceptions to this rule are launchers with the velocity or speed brands, which will stack with ammo brands.

Ranged weapons table

Name	Dam	Hit	Speed	Mass	Str weight	Skill	Hands	Size	Missile	Throw	Dam Type	Prob
Blowgun	0	+2	10	20	0%	Throwing	One	Little	Needle	No	Non-melee	0
Sling	0	+2/~+7	11	20	10%	Slings	One	Little	Stone / Sling Bullet	No	Non-melee	10
Crossbow	5	+4	15	150	80%	Crossbows	Two	Medium	Bolt	No	Non-melee	10
Bow	3	+1	11	90	20%	Bows	Two	Medium	Arrow	No	Non-melee	10
Longbow	6	0	12	120	30%	Bows	Two	Large	Arrow	No	Non-melee	10

See also

• Ranged Combat
• Weapon

External Links

• E. Grasland's excellent spoiler on weapons (Obsolete)