Draft:Halberd

Omega 0.90.4

Halberd)Base damage rating16Base hit bonus+6Normal attack typeCuttingHands2Julie's price (Au)200Weight100

A halberd is a two-handed cutting weapon. It is a relatively inexpensive way to obtain a damage rating of 16, but its low accuracy and weight make it an awkward opening purchase.

Generation

Julie's sells fully identified, uncursed +0 halberds for 200 Au. Halberds also occur in random treasure, pawn-shop stock and acquirement. Their item level is 3; this influences ordinary random generation, not the character's eligibility to wield one. Random copies roll their own blessing and enchantment.

Description

The halberd must occupy both weapon hand and ready hand to be wielded. A shield uses a separate slot and remains usable. Normal cuts gain the usual Strength-based damage bonus; there is no extra reach attack associated with the polearm's name. Its attack uses ordinary physical damage and cannot overcome physical immunity simply by being large or enchanted.

It can be thrown, but an ordinary thrown weapon uses the character's current combat values rather than adding the spare weapon's base damage independently. It can also tunnel, contributing 16 before the wall-breaking random roll; cutting weapons can suffer damage on a tunneling mishap. Enchantment does not increase that digging contribution.

Strategy

At Julie's, a battle-axe costs the same 200 Au, weighs half as much and gains two hit points, at the cost of four damage points. It also leaves the ready hand free. For a character still struggling to connect attacks or carry supplies, those are substantial advantages.

A morning-star matches the halberd's damage, gains one hit point and weighs 40 less, but costs 100 Au more. Saving another 200 Au instead buys a great-axe: the same two-hand commitment and weight as the halberd, with +7 hit and 24 damage. An enchanted halberd already found in loot can still be useful; compare the actual enchantments and load before spending money to replace it.