Throwing net

Version 0.18: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Name	Throwing net
Launcher	throwing
Base damage	0

A mesh of ropes knotted together with weights around the edge. Originally used by hunters to entangle and entrap prey, it soon found obvious application in battle and gladiatorial arenas. Struggling victims can eventually destroy the net and break free, if they live long enough. "The look of a scared thing Sitting in a net!" -Edna St. Vincent Millay, "When the Year Grows Old". 1917.

Throwing nets are Throwing weapons which deal no damage directly, but which can be used to temporarily disable foes and render them susceptible to powerful stabbing attacks. Anything that fails to evade a throwing net becomes entangled and loses the ability to move or make most attacks (spellcasting is unaffected, and the victim can still fire a blowgun, but all other attacks automatically fail). Because stabbing attacks can deal phenomenal amounts of damage, throwing nets can be useful for quickly subduing even powerful boss uniques in a few turns. This is usually done from fairly close range, giving you time to reach the enemy in melee and finish them off before they escape. Alternatively, you can net an opponent at the edge of your line of sight that you don't want to deal with, then walk away. This allows you to escape from fast opponents that could normally catch up to you. Be aware that throwing nets are ineffective against monsters that are giant-size or larger, insubstantial, or capable of eating items.

A throwing net's effect lasts until the victim manages to slip out of the net or destroy it entirely. Each time the victim is prevented from acting due to the net, it attempts to escape (see below for escape factors). When the entangled monster escapes or dies, there is a chance that the throwing net will mulch.

Gladiators begin play with a stack of throwing nets, and they can be found as random loot throughout the Dungeon. Also, enemy gnolls, hill giants, and merfolk occasionally generate with throwing nets, though they usually use them as soon as you enter their line of sight, giving you plenty of time to escape.

Net Escape Factors

Positive

• Size (smaller is better)
• High EV (player only)
• High dexterity (player only)
• Monsters nearby (player only)

Negative

• Confusion

Throwing net

History

Prior to 0.15, any flying creature had an additional 66.6% chance to avoid any nets thrown at it, separate from the normal miss chance.

Prior to 0.14, flying opponents were completely immune to throwing nets, and instead of simply mulching, throwing nets would go through an elaborate deterioration process before finally falling apart entirely. Also, only medium or larger characters were able to use them.