Demon blade: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 05:36, 15 November 2025

Version 0.31: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Name	Demon blade
Skill	Long Blades
Damage	13
Accuracy	-1
Base delay (%)	13 (130%)
Min delay	6 at skill 14
Hands	1H
Size	Medium
Ranged?	No

A terrible weapon, forged in the fires of Hell.

"Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit: occidentis telum est."
"A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer."

-Lucius Annaeus Seneca, _Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium_, Letter XXXVII:
Some arguments in favor of the simple life, l. 30. ca. 65. A.D.
trans. Richard Mott Gummere, 1917.

This weapon falls into the Long Blades category. It is a one handed weapon.

Demon blades are one of the best one-handed Long Blades you can find. Although double swords deal more damage, demon blades are slightly faster, with roughly the same damage/turn.

Worshippers of good gods cannot attack with them without suffering penance. However, worshippers the Shining One can convert a demon blade into a eudemon blade, with better stats and the holy wrath brand. You can reverse the process with Kikubaaqudgha's or Lugonu's blessing.

Strategy

Demon weapons are often found on the hell knights in the Depths and the Vestibule of Hell, often with good enchantment levels and brands.

Compared to double sword

On most species, double swords are about equivalent to demon blades. If both weapons are at minimum delay, a +0 demon blade is 1% stronger than a +0 double sword against a 0 AC opponent. As the demon blade attacks faster, it is penalized more by AC, though it benefits more from slaying and auxiliary attacks.

Overall, the differences are too small to make an impact. A +9 demon blade is enough to win you the game, as is a +9 double sword. Generally, the sword you get first should be the sword that you use. (The sword you get first can benefit first from scrolls of enchant weapon).

For small/tiny species (Kobold and Spriggan), the demon blade will usually come out ahead, because it does not use the shield slot.

Demon blade	Eudemon blade

	Image
Mundane
Magical
Artifact
	Unrandarts
"Leech"

History

In 0.28, Long Blades lost riposte. Damage was increased back to pre-riposte levels.
In 0.19, Long Blades gained riposte. Demon blades were reduced by 1 base damage to compensate.
Prior to 0.14, demon blades dealt slightly more damage than normal in the hands of demonspawn characters.

Weapons
Axes	Battleaxe • Broad axe • Executioner's axe • Hand axe • War axe
Maces & Flails	Club • Demon whip • Dire flail • Eveningstar • Flail • Giant club • Giant spiked club • Great mace • Mace (Hammer) • Morningstar • Sacred scourge • Whip
Long Blades	Demon blade • Double sword • Eudemon blade • Falchion • Great sword • Long sword • Scimitar • Triple sword
Polearms	Bardiche • Demon trident • Glaive • Halberd (Scythe) • Partisan • Spear • Trident • Trishula
Ranged Weapons	Arbalest • Hand cannon • Longbow • Orcbow • Shortbow • Sling • Triple crossbow
Short Blades	Dagger • Quick blade • Rapier • Short sword
Staves	Lajatang • Magical staff • Quarterstaff
Throwing	Boomerang • Dart • Javelin • Large rock • Stone • Throwing net

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{version031}}
 {{weapon
   |name      = Demon blade
@@ Line 6: / Line 7: @@
   |damage    = 13
   |accuracy  = -1
-  |basedelay = 130%
+  |basedelay = 13 (130%)
+ |mindelay  = 6 at skill 14
   |hands     = 1H
   |size      = Medium
@@ Line 13: / Line 15: @@
   |acquirement = 2
 }}
+{{flavour|A terrible weapon, forged in the fires of Hell.
-{{flavour|A terrible weapon, forged in the fires of Hell.}}
+----
-{{crawlquote|This weapon falls into the '[[Long Blades]]' category. It is a one handed weapon, and it is better for the dexterous.
+"Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit: occidentis telum est."<br>
-[[Demonspawn]] are more deadly with it.}}
+"A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer."
-'''Demon blades''' are one of the better long blades you can still wield with a [[shields|shield]]. Although less powerful than [[double sword]]s, they are easy to find in the late-game off of [[hell knight]]s and usually generate with decent [[brand]]s and [[scroll of enchant weapon|enchantment]] values.
+-Lucius Annaeus Seneca, _Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium_, Letter XXXVII:<br>
+Some arguments in favor of the simple life, l. 30. ca. 65. A.D.<br>
+trans. Richard Mott Gummere, 1917.}}
-Demonspawn also deal slightly more damage while wielding them, but worshipers of [[good]] [[god]]s cannot attack with them without suffering [[penance]]. However, worshipers of [[the Shining One]] can convert a demon blade into a more powerful [[eudemon blade]] of [[holy wrath]] by wielding it and praying at his [[altar]] once they reach max piety. You can also reverse the process at [[Kiku]]'s or [[Lugonu]]'s altars, but this is usually a bad trade.
+{{crawlquote|This weapon falls into the [[Long Blades]] category. It is a one handed weapon.}}
+'''Demon blades''' are one of the best one-handed Long Blades you can find. Although [[double sword]]s deal more damage, demon blades are slightly faster, with roughly the same damage/turn.
+Worshippers of [[good]] [[god]]s cannot attack with them without suffering [[penance]]. However, worshippers [[the Shining One]] can convert a demon blade into a [[eudemon blade]], with better stats and the [[holy wrath]] brand. You can reverse the process with [[Kikubaaqudgha]]'s or [[Lugonu]]'s blessing.
+==Strategy==
+Demon weapons are often found on the [[hell knight]]s in the [[Depths]] and the [[Vestibule of Hell]], often with good [[enchant]]ment levels and [[brand]]s.
+===Compared to double sword===
+On most species, [[double sword]]s are about equivalent to demon blades. If both weapons are at minimum delay, a +0 demon blade is 1% stronger than a +0 double sword against a 0 AC opponent. As the demon blade attacks faster, it is penalized more by [[AC]], though it benefits more from [[slaying]] and [[auxiliary attack]]s.
+Overall, the differences are too small to make an impact. A +9 demon blade is enough to win you the game, as is a +9 double sword. Generally, the sword you get ''first'' should be the sword that you use. (The sword you get first can benefit first from [[scrolls of enchant weapon]]).
+For small/tiny species ([[Kobold]] and [[Spriggan]]), the demon blade will usually come out ahead, because it does not use the shield slot.
+{{clear}}
 {| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:auto; padding:0; text-align: center"
-! Demon blade || Eudemon blade
+! Demon blade || [[Eudemon blade]]
 |-
-| [[File:Demon blade.png]] || [[File:Eudemon blade.png]]
+| [[File:Demon blade.png]] || [[File:Blessed blade.png]]
 |}
 {| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:auto; padding:0; text-align: center"
-! || [[Unrandart]] Demon blades
+! || Image
+|-
+| '''Mundane''' || [[File:Demon blade.png]]
+|-
+| '''Magical''' || [[File:Demon blade2.png]]
+|-
+| '''Artifact''' || [[File:Demon blade3.png]]
 |-
-| '''[[Unrandarts#+7,_+8_demon_blade_"Bloodbane"|"Bloodbane"]]''' || [[File:Demon blade bloodbane.png]]
+! || [[Unrandart]]s
 |-
-| '''[[Unrandarts#+13_+4_Demon_Blade_"Leech"|"Leech"]]''' || [[File:Demon blade leech.png]]
+| '''"[[Leech]]"''' || [[File:Demon blade leech.png]]
 |}
+==History==
+*In [[0.28]], Long Blades lost [[riposte]]. Damage was increased back to pre-riposte levels.
+*In [[0.19]], Long Blades gained riposte. Demon blades were reduced by 1 base damage to compensate.
+*Prior to [[0.14]], demon blades dealt slightly more damage than normal in the hands of [[demonspawn]] characters.
 {{weapons}}
 [[Category:Long blades]]