# Talk:Sting
Actually, mrivan claims that he regularly names Sting when playing Ranger, and a brief discussion on IRC yielded some insights into the approach... I might edit later.--GreyKnight 12:06, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

In some older games, I named Sting for some experiments; then I started playing elven Rangers in vanilla without Sting. I recently learned that blade artifacts like Sting are good for prying open the locks on chests; artifacts will break only 1% as often. (lock.c#line148) I am on break from vanilla, but I have started naming Sting and Orcrist in both NetHack brass and SLASH'EM; in brass it helps me kill orcs, while in SLASH'EM it stops shops from selling them. --Kernigh 19:42, 25 September 2006 (UTC)
I think for a new player trying to survive early levels Sting is a 100% good move, even if the effects aren't necessarily massive. Where the player is not at the level of sacrifice and artifact management it provides extra help in killing certain monsters, potential information on locations of rooms, corridors, monsters to sacrifice, and escape routes that are blocked. If you don't have poison resistance it could save you from trouble at the hands of Uruk-Hai, or running into a horde of monsters while on low HP. It also helps you out of webs and is less at risk when opening locked chests.
I would also point out that a combat-poor role will also benefit greatly from the to-hit bonus available to advance that first skill level in dagger.--PeterGFin 12:03, August 7, 2010 (UTC)

Amnesia and artifact ID
Does a Scroll of amnesia affect identification of Sting?  --FJH 06:34, 12 December 2010 (UTC)

No. --Tjr

"A good idea, however, is to create Sting just before entering the elemental planes. That way, you'll have it for sure at the end and it will count for your score."
Ways to get more score have also been listed on other pages, which appear to assume score matters to most players. But does it? I doubt that. Should these be included in this way?
Please add your thoughts below.

&nbsp;

Does score matter to you?
Do you think score is really a good measure of success?
Do you think they should be included like this?
Other comments

720 15:19, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

Not in the least.
Nope.
Don't know.

PeterGFin 17:55, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

Yes.
Yes.
I like score as a measure, rather than a goal
hence I wouldn't 'game' my score.

Tjr 02:30, 6 August 2011 (UTC)

Partly.
No.
No.
If anything, low scores are more prestigious. But score belongs firmly in stupid ascension trick territory.

Ion frigate 09:09, 6 August 2011 (UTC)

Not really
Not much
No
It's 2000 points, and the same as if you had just carried 1000 more gold in terms of weight.  Why is this even an issue?  Either you're going for a low score (and you won't want it), or you're going for a high one (where 2000 points is a drop in the bucket).

artifact creation count
The existence of Sting decreases the probability of the dungeon randomly containing another artifact Is that really true? --Tjr 07:45, 19 August 2011 (UTC)

Yes, easily verified in explorer mode (not wizard mode). Start an elven ranger and wish for an elven broadsword. Create sting and orcrist. Save the game and reload, keeping the save file. Wish for an artifact; there is a 1 in 3 chance that you won't get the artifact if both Sting and Orcrist count as a generated artifact, and you'll always get it if either doesn't count (one counting and not the other would be strange, though). If you get the artifact #quit and try again. I got lucky and on my first try got the failure message. -- Qazmlpok 12:00, 19 August 2011 (UTC)
Yes, but that sentence is still misleading - I read it to imply that it makes it less likely that artifacts will be generated on the floor.  This is barely true: the game generates artifacts by, with a 1/20 chance, converting a normal item eligible to become an artifact.  The only such artifacts affected by naming Sting and Orcrist are, well, Sting and Orcrist.  You are just as likely to find Grayswandir whether or not you name Sting (it's still a long shot, of course).  That sentence should probably be removed, or replaced with one that makes it clear it applies to wishing only. -Ion frigate 13:54, 19 August 2011 (UTC)
Removed it. --Tjr 14:03, 19 August 2011 (UTC)
It's not wishing only; sacrifice gifts after the first are also dependent upon the number of artifacts in existance. I find that randomly generated artifacts are rare enough that the main sources of artifacts in a game without conduct considerations or bones is going to be wishing and sacrificing. -- Qazmlpok 21:13, 19 August 2011 (UTC)
3.6.0
Sting does not auto-identify for Rangers anymore
--Rancalred (talk) 13:06, 12 February 2016 (UTC)