Blowgun

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Name	Blowgun
Skill	Throwing
Damage	0
Accuracy	+2
Base delay (%)	10 (100%)
Min delay	7, skill req. varies
Hands	1H
Size	Little
Ranged?	Yes

A long, light tube, open at both ends, through which various types of needles are propelled by puffs of breath at enemies. It makes very little noise. "Along the Upper Caiary-Uaupes blow-guns are made from the stems of a variety of palm (Iriartea setigea Martius)... The Indian selects two stems of such sizes that the smaller will exactly fit within the larger. After these stems have been carefully dried and the pith cleared out with a long rod, the bore is made smooth by drawing back and forth through it a little bunch of tree-fern roots. The smaller stem is then inserted in the larger, so that one will serve to correct any crookedness that may exist in the other. The wooden mouth-piece is then fitted to one end, and about three and one half feet from it, a boar's tooth is fastened on the gun by some gummy substance, for a sight. Over the outside the maker winds spirally a strip of the dark shiny bark of a creeper which gives it an ornamental finish, and his blow-gun is complete." "The arrows are from ten to fourteen inches long, and of the thickness of an ordinary lucifer match. Those of the Indians of the Caiary-Uaupes are made from the midrib of a palm leaf or of the spinous processes of the Patawa (Enocarpus Batawa) sharpened to a point at one end and wound near the other with a delicate sort of wild cotton which grows in a pod on a large tree (Bombax ceiba). This mass of cotton is just big enough to fill the tube when the arrow is gently pressed into it. The point is dipped into poison, allowed to dry, and redipped until well coated. The exact composition of this poison is unknown, but probably varies in different localities; but it would seem that the chief ingredient is always the juice of a Strychnos plant. It is known among different tribes by many names; such as Curari, Ourari, Urari, Woolari." -C.W. Mead, _The American Museum Journal_, vol. VIII. 1908.

This weapon falls into the 'Throwing' category. It uses needles as ammunition.

A blowgun is a simple ranged weapon whose use is governed by the Throwing skill. It is a long, light tube, open at both ends. It is not intended to cause much damage; its main use is to fire branded needles from afar, inflicting a wide variety of status effects. The only brand blowguns can have is speed.

It is the only ranged weapon capable of being fired while trapped in a throwing net.

Tips and Tricks

Blowguns and needles are much more useful than you might imagine. Needles are somewhat common; you can expect to have enough of the poisoned variety, though other brands will be fairly rare in comparison.

• Picking up some throwing skill or dumping enchantment scrolls on your blowgun will help apply your effects more reliably against high HD foes.
• Blowguns are extremely useful against insects, many of which are poison vulnerable.
• Anyone with haste can kite normal speed monsters to death by alternating running with firing poisoned needles.
• Because the poison effect stacks on itself, you must be applying the poison effect as consistently as possible before the stacks dissipate.
• Needles of sleeping, paralysis, and confusion will help you set up stabs from relative safety. This is of particular interest for stabbers encountering foes resistant against Ensorcelled Hibernation.
• Curare-tipped needles will apply poison, slow the enemy, and leave them short of breath. These needles let you play the kiting game without haste. Monsters that rely on breath attacks will also be unable to use them for a brief time.
• Regrettably you can't produce your own speed branded blowgun by applying a scroll of brand weapon. You have to wait for finding an artifact one.

	Image
Mundane
Magical/Artifact