# The Singing Sword

)   The Singing Sword   

Base item

long sword

Damage vs. small

1d8

Damage vs. large

1d12

To-hit bonus

+1

Bonus versus

(any)

Weapon skill

Musicalize spell

Size

one-handed

Affiliation

unalignedBard

When carried

(none)

When wielded

see article

When invoked

see article

Base price

5000 zm

Weight

40

Material

iron

The Singing Sword is the Bard's first gift in dNetHack.

As a weapon
The Sword using the Musicalize spell skill to determine bonus to-hit and damage, and also exercises that skill.  Since Bards in dNetHack are very limited in terms of melee damage skills, this makes the Sword a very useful melee weapon in the early to mid game.  Using it also doesn't require making a trade-off between the Bard's combat skills and their music skill.

As an impediment to stealth
The Sword sings constantly while wielded, giving every monster on the current dungeon level your exact position.  This does not wake up sleeping monsters.  The Sword can be silenced by unwielding it.

As a support item
The Sword automatically learns songs while wielded.  Songs may be learned from the player's actions or from the actions of nearby monsters.  The Sword can be instructed to sing a known song via #invoke, which provides a menu of valid choices and can be done as often as desired.  The songs and their effects are as follows:

Song

Effect

Learned by

Nothing in particular

No effect (beyond giving away your location)

Default song

Chant ominously

Enemies are very likely to flee after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless

Play the "Fear" song

Hum soothingly

All pets gain fast healing (+1 HP/turn)
You gain fast healing while resting with '.'

Play the "Meditative Healing" song
Hear a monster sing a song of good health

Rally my forces

Warps pets to your location whenever you hit an enemy with the sword in melee, as by a magic whistle

Play the "Rally" song
Hear a Trumpet archon play its trumpet

Confuse my foes

Enemies become confused after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless

Play the "Cacophony" song

Disrupt spellcasting

Enemies struck by the sword in melee have their special abilities put on cooldown, unless they are deaf or mindless

Play the "Disruption" song

A marching song

Pets gain +2 movement points per turn

Play the "Charge" song
Hear a monster sing a song of haste

A lethargic song

Enemies lose 2 movement points per turn

Play the "Lullaby" song
Play the "Lethargy" song
Play a charged Magic flute
Hear Oona sing a slow march

An inspiring song

Pets gain 1 + the sword's enchantment to to-hit and damage (stacks with any enchantment bonuses on weapons they may have)

Play the "Inspire Courage" song
Hear a monster sing a song of courage

A dismal dirge

Enemies lose 1 + the swords enchantment to to to-hit and damage vs. all targets

Hear Oona sing a dirge

A fiery song

The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist fire damage, unless they are deaf or mindless

Play a charged Fire horn
Hear Oona sing the lament of flames

A chilling song

The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist cold damage, unless they are deaf or mindless

Play a charged Frost horn
Hear Oona sing the lament of ice

An electrifying song

The sword deals double damage to foes that do not resist electric damage, unless they are deaf or mindless

Hear Oona sing the lament of storms

An earthshaking chant

The sword periodically (10% chance) causes an earthquake whenever it hits a foe in melee

Play a charged Drum of earthquake
Hear a Dread seraph sing its earthquake song

A tune of opening

The sword periodically (5% chance) slices targets open, killing them or dealing heavy damage
This effect also reveals all secret doors and traps around the character whenever it triggers

Ring the charged Bell of Opening

Of the passing of life

The sword periodically (25% chance) kills targets that do not resist death magic, unless they are deaf or mindless

Hear a Dread seraph sing its killing song

Beat to the Cadence

Pets which may leave corpses *always* leave corpses, and rise from the grave after a few turns if their corpse is not destroyed
All pets are immune to digestion attacks, such as those used by purple worms
You gain 1 + the swords enchantment to to-hit and damage (this stacks with any standard enchantment bonus on wielded weapons)

Hear a Dread seraph sing its resurrection song

A hymn to the creator

Enemies go insane after being struck by the sword in melee, unless they are deaf or mindless

Hear a Dread seraph sing its madness song