40d:Dwarven weapon

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31 · v0.28.181.40d · v0.23 This article is about an older version of DF. More Info · V

There are only 7 Template:Ls that dwarves can manufacture in Template:L. Although they can wield others (gained from dead invaders or Template:L), these seven are considered the "basic dwarven weapons", as opposed to Template:Ls.

In Template:L, this distinction is nearly meaningless, as adventurers (dwarven or otherwise) don't need to manufacture their own weapons, and are not nearly as limited in what they can wield as in Fortress mode. (See Template:L for a full discussion of the mechanics behind all weapons.)

For melee combat, these are the...

• battle axe
• mace
• pick
• short sword
• spear
• war hammer

...and also the Template:L, which can be used for both ranged attacks and, if/when necessary, melee combat as well.

Each of these weapons is governed by its own skill - Template:L (aka "axedwarf") for axes, Template:L skill for maces, etc. etc. - which also govern (most) Template:Ls. As with any weapon, both Template:L and Template:L have an influence on their effectiveness in Template:L.

All weapons can be manufactured at a Template:L by a dwarf with the Template:L Template:L enabled, and using that Template:L, with one Template:L of a Template:L metal. (Shortswords can also be made from Template:L with a Template:Len handle - see below.)

Weapon Statistics

Name	Damage	Damage Type	Skill Used	Crit. Boost
Battle axe	110	Template:L	Axe	none
Mace	120	Template:L	Mace	none
Pick	70	Template:L	Mining	+2
Short sword	100	Template:L	Sword	+1
Spear	100	Template:L	Spear	+2
War hammer	120	Template:L	Hammer	none
Template:L (melee only)†	70	Template:L	Hammer	none
Crossbow Template:L	100	Template:L	Marksdwarf	none

† Dwarves wield weapon two-handed (set number of weapons to 2 in fort mode (v-p-s-m))

Melee weapons

Battle axe

A battle axe is both a Template:L and a tool for Template:L. Without at least one battle axe, your fortress will be unable to cut down any Template:L for Template:L.

They do Template:L damage, which tends to sever limbs (or heads) on criticals. All axes are equally good at cutting down trees, but stronger metals or those of higher Template:L will do more Template:L in Template:L.

Template:Ls who Template:L to your fort will often come with an axe of some type. When Template:L, however, you must decide whether or not to "buy" axes out of your starting points for your woodcutters (and early protection). An alternative is to take the necessary raw materials and Template:L; this is much cheaper than buying the actual axe, if you are going to bring along the anvil anyway. The only axes available on embark screen are steel ones, which are expensive at 300 starting-points each, and are only available as standard Template:L (the lowest).

Any Template:L that performs wood cutting will pick up an axe (if one is available) and not put it down until they are no longer assigned the Wood Cutting Template:L, whether or not any trees are Template:Ld for cutting. You can make use of this to arm many (or all) of your non-Template:L dwarves with axes, although if you do designate one or more trees for wood-cutting (designate trees), all those dwarves will soon rush out to cut them down, or at least one per tree designated.

Template:L are too large for dwarves to use in Template:L.

Mace

Does the same Template:L as the war hammer, tied for the highest among these weapons. Uses the Template:L skill.

Other, similar weapons that dwarves can use but not manufacture, and that are governed by this same skill, include the Template:L.

Pick

A pick is a tool used by Template:L to Template:L areas you have designated for mining. Dwarves without picks cannot mine. Picks can be made from Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, Template:L, Template:L or Template:L. The Template:L used only affects the weight of the pick and the damage it deals when used in combat; mining speed and product are not affected by material nor quality of the pick.

Template:Ls can use picks as Template:Ls using their mining skill. Only a dwarf who is set to fight "unarmed" and who has the Template:L Template:L enabled will use one in combat (retrieving one if one is available). Picks may appear (and are) weaker than proper weapons like spears or axes, but are still amply effective in the hands of a highly skilled miner.

Picks can be obtained through Template:L with Template:L or Template:L, can be created at a Template:L by a dwarf with the Template:L labor enabled, and are also available on the Fortress Mode embarkation screen.

Short sword

The short sword does Template:L damage, which tends to sever limbs (or heads) on criticals.

Other, similar weapons that dwarves can use but not manufacture, and that are governed by this same skill, include the Template:L and Template:L.

Stone short sword

Stone short swords can be made from Template:L at a Template:L, and make a great alternate weapon if you are short on Template:Ls.

These deal the same damage as Template:L, so they are extremely useful for early military and Template:Ls. However, they require one unit of Template:L and one unit of Template:L in their construction, which may not be available in abundance on many maps. They are produced with the Template:L skill, not Template:L, and are produced in a Craftsdwarf's workshop.

Unwanted low quality short swords can be assigned to weapon Template:Ls, which can hold up to 10 of any combination of weapons each.

According to Toady One, the weapons are supposed to wear very quickly but this functionality has not yet been implemented.^{v0.28.181.40d}

(These seem to be based on Aztec Macuahuitl. The weapons are described as being clubs with a sharp stone edge affixed to the side.)

Spear

Spears do Template:L damage, which tends to destroy organs (if the opponent has any) on criticals. A spear's critical boost is tied with the highest of any melee weapon, making them potentially quite lethal. Spears are more likely to get stuck in enemies than Template:Ls. They are also less likely to dismember enemies, leaving fewer Template:L for the Template:Ls to clean up.

Against extra large, living Template:Ls (with internal organs), a spear is often a best choice because it can kill an opponent with a lucky blow where another weapon would only break or sever a limb.

Occasionally Template:L traders may have Template:Len spears to sell.

Besides the usual weapons traps, spears can also be used in Template:L.

Template:L are too large for dwarves to use in Template:L.

War hammer

A war hammer is a hammer designed for combat purposes, and uses the Template:L skill.

War hammers deal a base damage of 120, the highest of the basic dwarven weapons. They deal Template:Ling damage, and therefore have a higher chance of breaking body parts, and a low (if any) chance of severing limbs on direct hits, though a solid hit can easily propel an enemy into an obstacle with such force that it will be blown apart, scattering limbs everywhere. They have a Critical boost stat of 0, as compared to 1 for Template:Ls and 2 for Template:Ls, which means that they are not as likely to create such injuries as some other weapons.

War hammers are also used by the Template:L to dispense Template:L.

Template:L are too large for dwarves to use in Template:L.

Crossbow

The crossbow has a range of 20 tiles, and is quite deadly against any creature with internal organs. Missile accuracy is improved only by the quality of the weapon (not the material), but damage is based on the quality and material of the bolt. If a Template:L is pressed to fight hand-to-hand with an opponent, they will use their crossbow as a Template:L weapon using the Template:L skill, and only then do both quality and material of the crossbow come in to play.

See Template:L for a complete discussion.

See also:

• Template:L
• Template:L