Draft:Estoc

Omega 0.90.4

Estoc)Base damage rating11Base hit bonus+12Normal attack typeThrustingHands1Weight25

An estoc is a one-handed thrusting weapon, combining relatively high ordinary thrusting damage with low weight. Defender also appears unidentified as an estoc, but is a separate weapon with defensive and alignment-dependent effects.

Generation

A fully identified, uncursed +0 estoc costs 1,000 Au at Julie's. It can also occur in random treasure, pawn-shop stock or acquirement. Item level 5 limits ordinary random acceptance, not purchase or use.

Outer circle demons carry an ordinary +0 estoc as their initial possession. That is a specific source, but their poison and demonic abilities make them dangerous suppliers. Creature construction copies the basic weapon rather than rolling a special Defender; the carried weapon can be recovered with the creature's other dropped possessions.

Description

The estoc's normal thrust receives an extra Dexterity-based hit bonus. It can select lunges and ripostes; a riposte needs a successful matching defense followed by its own hit roll, and does not receive that extra thrust bonus. Saved combat actions persist when equipment changes.

An ordinary estoc deals normal physical damage. It does not grant Defender's protection, interfere with demons or spirits, or punish a Chaotic wielder as Defender can. Identify a found estoc before evaluating those possibilities.

For tunneling, its thrusting type contributes twice its base damage rating: 22 before the random roll. This does not include enchantment or guarantee success, and the one-in-twenty mishap attempts to damage the weapon. Throwing is also possible, using the ordinary thrown-weapon rules.

Strategy

Compared with an equally enchanted rapier, the estoc gains three damage points for one fewer point of accuracy and five more weight. Compared with a spear, it gains one damage point and two points of accuracy while weighing half as much, but costs ten times as much at Julie's. The estoc is attractive when low weight and accurate thrusts both matter, rather than as a necessary early purchase.

Do not risk a valuable estoc merely because its digging contribution is large. Use an expendable thrusting weapon when the doubled contribution is important, or a striking weapon when protecting equipment matters more. An ordinary estoc also does not substitute for the specific Defender required by the Duke's quest.