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''[[Armour]] brands are also called egos. See the [[ego]] page for armour brands.''

'''Brands''' are special properties that [[weapon]]s can have, granting the weapon additional effects. Usually, these effects amount to increasing the damage they deal, but others do exist.

==Useful Info==
When looking at a ''+9'' broad axe ''of flaming'', the "of flaming" is the weapon's brand (and the "+9" is the [[enchant]]ment level). In general, brands are harder to change than enchantment.

Under no circumstances can a normal weapon have more than one brand. However, some [[unrand]]s, such as [[Maxwell's Thermic Engine]] and the [[storm bow]], have multiple. Unrands found in special [[Xom]] [[bazaar]]s can have [[chaos]] added in addition to the weapon's usual brand(s).

Brands are one of the biggest differences between [[Unarmed Combat]] and weaponry: without using a [[transformation]], unarmed fighters have no access to brands.

===Sources===
*Brands can generate randomly wherever you find regular weapons.
*Reading a [[scroll of brand weapon]] will give a weapon a randomly selected brand, replacing any existing brand if there is one.
*All [[randart]]s are guaranteed to have a brand, and cannot have their brand modified.

'''Divine'''
*Worshipers of [[the Shining One]], [[Kikubaaqudgha]], and [[Lugonu]] can have one weapon "blessed" per game, which will apply the [[holy wrath]], [[Pain (brand)|pain]], or [[distortion]] brands, respectively.
*Worshipers of [[Xom]] may randomly "receive" [[chaos]]-branded weapons. However, they often arrive in the hands of enemies in your [[line of sight]].

==List of Brands==
===Melee Weapons===
====General====
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Description
|-
| [[Antimagic]] || [[Trog]]'s special brand; causes monsters to fail their spells and temporarily reduces the player's maximum MP while wielded.
|-
| [[Chaos]] || [[Xom]]'s special brand; can inflict different effects with each attack.
|-
| [[Distortion]] || [[Lugonu]]'s special brand. Can have multiple damaging and [[Translocations]]-related effects upon a successful hit, including [[Banishment]] to [[the Abyss]].
|-
| [[Draining (brand)|Draining]] || Has a 50% chance to add an average of 25% extra [[negative energy]] damage + an additional 2-4 per attack, as well as [[draining]] the monster if susceptible.
|-
| [[Electrocution]] || Inflicts 8-20 additional [[electricity]] damage on 25% of successful attacks (independent of the damage dealt).
|-
| [[Flaming]] || Adds an average of 25% extra [[fire]] damage per attack. Prevents [[hydra]]s from regrowing heads.
|-
| [[Freezing]] || Adds an average of 25% extra [[cold]] damage per attack. Can temporarily slow [[cold-blooded]] monsters.
|-
| [[Heavy]] || Adds +80% base damage, but makes attacks 50% slower. (Net increase of +20% damage/turn)
|-
| [[Holy wrath]] || [[The Shining One]]'s special brand. Inflicts an average of 75% extra damage to [[demon]]ic and [[undead]] monsters.
|-
| [[pain (brand)|Pain]] || [[Kikubaaqudgha]]'s special brand. Inflicts additional [[negative energy]] damage based on the player's [[Necromancy]] skill.
|-
| [[Protection]] || Gives the wielder +7 [[AC]] for a short period after hitting with the weapon.
|-
| [[Spectral (brand)|Spectral]] || Creates a spectral weapon on hitting an enemy, which attacks alongside the user. Damage to the weapon is partially redirected to the user. Found largely on two-handed weapons.
|-
| [[Speed (brand)|Speed]] || Reduces weapon attack delay by 1/3 for a net +50% damage per aut. Found only on [[Short Blades|short blades]], [[staves]], and some artefacts.
|-
| [[Vampiric]] || When attacking monsters without [[negative energy resistance]], heals the player for a portion of the inflicted damage on 60% of attacks.
|-
| [[Venom]] || [[Poison]]s monsters on attack, dealing extra damage over time.
|}

====Weapon Type Exclusive====
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Weapon Type !! Description
|-
|[[Devious]] || [[Short Blades]] || +10% chance to [[stab]], stabs grant temprorary [[slaying]] and [[EV]] boost.
|-
|[[Valour]] || [[Long Blades]] || Fires sword beams if HP > 80%.
|-
|[[Concussion]] || [[Maces & Flails]] || Pushes player and enemy backward. Briefly stuns enemies if moved, or deals collision damage if against a wall.
|-
|[[Sundering]] || [[Axes]] || After 7 attacks in a row, deal triple damage to enemies within 2 tiles.
|-
|[[Entangling]] || [[Polearms]] || Inflicts [[constriction]], dealing slight damage, reducing EV, and preventing movement.
|-
|[[Rebuke]] || [[Staves]] || +10 [[SH]] when attacking. Blocked melee attacks are redirected on the lowest HP enemy.
|}

====Artefact Only====
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Description
|-
| [[Reaping]] || Raises creatures slain with it as allied [[spectral thing]]s. Found only on random artefacts. Holding the [[Skull of Zonguldrok]] will add the reaping brand to any weapon you hold.
|-
| [[Deathbane]] || Adds an average of 100% extra damage to [[undead]]. Found only on the unrandart [[great mace]] [[Undeadhunter]].
|-
| [[Dragon slaying]] || Inflicts 75% more damage to [[list of dragons|dragons]] and [[list of draconians|dragon-like]] monsters. Found only on the unrandart lance [[Wyrmbane]].
|-
| [[Brilliance|Foul Flame]] || Extra 75% damage vs holy, 25% vs unholy, 50% otherwise. Found only on the unrand [[Brilliance]].
|-
| [[Silver]] || Adds an average of 16.67% extra untyped damage per attack, and more to [[:Category:Silver vulnerability|monsters weak to silver]]. Found only on the unrand [[Lajatang of Order]].
|-
| [[Curare]] || Slows, poisons and deals asphyxiation damage to monsters susceptible to poison. Found only on the unrand [[Snakebite]].
|}

===Launchers===
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Description
|-
| [[Chaos]] || Applies different effects with each attack. Only available through [[scrolls of brand weapon]].
|-
| [[Draining (brand)|Draining]] || Has a 50% chance to add an average of 25% extra [[negative energy]] damage + an additional 2-4 per attack, as well as [[draining]] the monster if susceptible.<br>Only available through [[scrolls of brand weapon]].
|-
| [[Electrocution]] || Inflicts 8-20 additional [[electricity]] damage on 25% of successful attacks.<br>Only available through scrolls of brand weapon, on artefact [[crossbows]], and the [[storm bow]].
|-
| [[Flaming]] || Adds an average of 25% extra [[fire]] damage per attack.
|-
| [[Freezing]] || Adds an average of 25% extra [[cold]] damage per attack. Can temporarily slow [[cold-blooded]] monsters.
|-
| [[Heavy]] || Adds +80% base damage, but makes attacks 50% slower. (Net increase of +20% before AC or flat boosts.)
|-
| [[Penetration]] || Attacks fired from this weapon pass through all creatures in their path. Only available on artefact crossbows and the [[storm bow]].
|-
| [[Speed]] || Reduces attack delay by 1/3 for a net +50% damage per aut. Only available on artefacts.
|}

The list of ranged weapon brands are mostly similar to melee weapon brands, but lack some of the rarer brands, and a few were altered.

Ranged weapons may also get [[pain (brand)|pain]] or [[holy wrath]] (but not [[distortion]]) exclusively from [[Kikubaaqudgha]]'s and [[The Shining One]]'s capstone gifts.

===Thrown Weapons===
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Description
|-
| [[Silver]] || Adds 30% extra damage to most monsters and roughly 75% more to [[:Category:Silver vulnerability|monsters weak to silver]].
|}

Only [[javelin]]s can have brands; [[stone]]s, [[boomerang]]s and [[large rock]]s are all unbranded. (Exception: one of the [[Dungeon Sprint]] maps offers a large rock of chaos. Naturally, it's being used ''against'' you.).

Additionally, both boomerangs and javelins have inherent properties that act much like brands -- boomerangs have the [[returning]] property, while javelins have the [[penetration]] property.

====Darts====
{| class="wikitable" style="border:none; width=80%"
! Brand !! Description
|-
| [[Poisoned]] || Inflicts [[poison]], dealing damage over time.
|-
| [[Curare]] || Poisons, deals [[asphyxiation]] damage, and [[slow]]s.
|-
| [[Atropa]] || Inflicts [[blind]]ness and may [[confusion|confuse]].
|-
| [[Datura]] || Inflicts [[frenzy]].
|-
| [[Disjunction (brand)|Disjunction]] || [[Blink]]s the target away repeatedly and deals a small amount of damage each time.
|}

[[Dart]]s are a specialized form of thrown weapon that are designed to inflict [[status effect]]s rather than deal damage. The effectiveness of atropa and datura darts is based on both your [[Throwing]] and [[Stealth]] skills, and is resisted by monster [[hit dice]].
*The chance of success is: <code>100 - 100 * (HD - 2) / (4 + pow)</code>, where <code>pow = (Throwing + Stealth) * 2 / 3</code>
*There is an additional 3% chance of affecting any monster with 14 or lower HD
*No darts can affect monsters that are [[undead]], [[nonliving]], or resistant to poison

Some statistics: with no skill you’re still at 100% to succeed on monsters with HD1 or HD2 ([[gnoll (monster)|gnoll]], most D:1 monsters), 75% on HD3 ([[Sigmund]]), 50% on HD4 ([[Duvessa]]), and 25% on HD5 ([[ogre (monster)|ogre]]). With a combined skill of 6 as a starting [[Brigand]], you’re up to 62.5% on an ogre, or 50% on a [[yak]].

==Strategy==
Some brands are more desirable on certain weapons than others:
*Brands like [[venom]], [[electrocution]], and [[pain (brand)|pain]] deal 'flat' damage. They are better on fast weapons, like [[demon whip]]s and [[quick blade]]s, as these weapons activate the brand more often.
*Brands like [[flaming]], [[freezing]], and [[spectral]] deal percentage damage. A [[dagger]] of flaming receives the ''same +25% benefit'' as a [[giant club]] of flaming, even after you account for [[slaying]] and [[AC]]. (However, due to rounding error, the dagger receives a smaller boost on average.)
**Do note that a dagger of venom is stronger than a dagger of flaming, since daggers are fast weapons with low base damage.

All added brand damage is calculated after AC reduction, and are not further reduced by AC.

==History==
*In [[0.34]], 6 new weapon type exclusive brands ([[devious]], [[valour]], [[concussion]], [[sundering]], [[entangling]], [[rebuke]]) were added.
*Reaping was added to the list of randart melee weapon brands in [[0.33]].
*Prior to [[0.30]], the [[vorpal]] brand (+16.7% average typeless dmg) existed instead of [[heavy]]. Also, Ranged Weapons could have [[venom]] instead of [[draining]].
*Prior to [[0.24]], throwing weapons could generate with the [[exploding]] and [[steel]] brands. Additionally, [[tomahawk]]s were reworked into [[boomerang]]s (which innately have the [[returning]] property), all [[javelin]]s were given the [[penetration]] property, [[blowgun]]s were removed and [[needle]]s were reworked into the new version of [[dart]]s, removing the [[confusion (brand)|confusion]], [[frenzy (brand)|frenzy]], and [[paralysis (brand)|paralysis]], and [[sleep (brand)|sleep]] brands. Silver gained the boost once given by steel.
*Prior to [[0.18]], ranged weapon ammo could have brands, but they would be overridden by launcher brands other than Vorpal, Speed, or Penetration.
*Prior to [[0.16]], drawing a [[Blade card]] would apply one of several temporary brands to your weapon.
*Prior to [[0.14]], there was a [[reaching]] brand for [[whip]]s and [[demon whip]]s, allowing them to make reaching attacks.
*Prior to [[0.10]], [[Polearms]] needed the reaching brand to make reaching attacks.
*All needle types except "poisoned" were introduced in version [[0.6]].

{{brands}}

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Brands]]

Brand - Revision history

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