priest: unihorn or polearm?

[ANON]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Both can be advanced to skilled, the unihorn does slightly more damage
and is corrodeproof, but the polearm does more damage in the long run by
its range attack. Opinions?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

anon wrote:
> Both can be advanced to skilled, the unihorn does slightly more damage
> and is corrodeproof, but the polearm does more damage in the long run
> by its range attack. Opinions?

I don't think the long run matters. After all, in the long run, you'll
find an artifact that is easily better than either a unicorn horn or a
polearm.

--
Boudewijn.

--
"I have hundreds of other quotes, just waiting to replace this one
as my signature..." - Me

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Boudewijn Waijers wrote:
> anon wrote:
>
> > Both can be advanced to skilled, the unihorn does slightly more damage
> > and is corrodeproof, but the polearm does more damage in the long run
> > by its range attack. Opinions?
>
> I don't think the long run matters. After all, in the long run, you'll
> find an artifact that is easily better than either a unicorn horn or a
> polearm.

In time your diety will gift you with an artifact
weapon. Several of these are far superior to either.

In the rare case of finding an artifact weapon in a
shop or on the floor, the interesting on is a war
hammer, so that doesn't help.

In the meantime, I'd go with the unihorn because it
has more important advantages as a tool than as a
weapon.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Doug Freyburger wrote:
>>anon wrote:
>>>Both can be advanced to skilled, the unihorn does slightly more damage
>>>and is corrodeproof, but the polearm does more damage in the long run
>>>by its range attack. Opinions?

> In the meantime, I'd go with the unihorn because it
> has more important advantages as a tool than as a
> weapon.
>

Doesn't the unihorn also have an intrinsic +1 to hit? That can make a
big difference in the early game.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Andy Johnson wrote:
> Doug Freyburger wrote:
> >>anon wrote:
>
> >>>Both can be advanced to skilled, the unihorn does slightly more damage
> >>>and is corrodeproof, but the polearm does more damage in the long run
> >>>by its range attack. Opinions?
>
> > In the meantime, I'd go with the unihorn because it
> > has more important advantages as a tool than as a
> > weapon.
>
> Doesn't the unihorn also have an intrinsic +1 to hit? That can make a
> big difference in the early game.

Correct. Also, if I understand the weapons system correctly,
a unihorn is a two-handed melee weapon that works from one
square away, while polearms are two-handed (a)pply weapons
that work from two squares away. From one square you're
hitting monsters with the shaft and that does minimal damage.

So with a unihorn the process is to thow items, zap wands
and/or cast spells as long as an advancing monster is not
adjacent, then start wacking them with the wielded weapon
when you arrive at face-to-face. That's a strategy for all
but polearms and lances if I understand correctly.

Comparing with a polearm, the strategy is to throw items,
zap wands and/or cast spells as long as an advancing
monster is at least 3 squares. Then (a)pply the polearm
at 2, and as long as possible retreat to stay 2 away.
Once face-to-face it is time to switch to a short range
weapon. This is why so many armies had a row of shieldmen
with shortswords or axes and behind them a row of polearm
wielders. The advantage of this strategy is the monster
never gets to hit you in melee (assuming the monster has no
arrows, wands or polearms).

Trolls often appear with polearms, so watch how they tend
to fight. They want to be 2 away poking you with their
polearm. They are too slow to pull off this strategy in
my usual experience.

Other reasons to pick a unihorn over a polearm - Look in
the spoilers under the list of which ones monsters will
use. Unihorn is much earlier in the list than any polearm.
Figuring the DevTeam member who built that list thought it
through, it's reasonable to use it yourself.