Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
each take up an inventory slot.

On 16.12.2022 23:59, Yosemite Sam wrote:
> Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
> classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
> getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
> each take up an inventory slot.

Had there been a mention that they would stack? (I really can't tell.)
But there's the effect documented that they usually return when thrown,
so a single one could be used as a throwing weapon without need to use
more than one of them (not considering multi-shot, of course). (This
effect of being a "throwable" weapon is depending on the NH version.)

Janis

On Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:08:11 PM UTC-6, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
> On 16.12.2022 23:59, Yosemite Sam wrote:
> > Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
> > classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
> > getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
> > each take up an inventory slot.
> Had there been a mention that they would stack? (I really can't tell.)
> But there's the effect documented that they usually return when thrown,
> so a single one could be used as a throwing weapon without need to use
> more than one of them (not considering multi-shot, of course). (This
> effect of being a "throwable" weapon is depending on the NH version.)
>
> Janis

I looked it up in the nethack wiki:

Origin
The word "aklys" comes from the Latin aclys and Greek agkulis, and refers to a Roman missile weapon; it is uncertain whether the "proper" plural would be "aklyses" (going by general English rules) or "aclydes" (by Latin rules)—in any case, the aklys does not stack, so it is unclear what NetHack would use.

There are two types of real-life aklys: one...

------

It also mentions the aklys must be wielded in order to have it return when thrown.

On 17.12.2022 02:38, Yosemite Sam wrote:
> On Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:08:11 PM UTC-6, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
>> On 16.12.2022 23:59, Yosemite Sam wrote:
>>> Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
>>> classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
>>> getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
>>> each take up an inventory slot.
>> Had there been a mention that they would stack? (I really can't tell.)
>> But there's the effect documented that they usually return when thrown,
>> so a single one could be used as a throwing weapon without need to use
>> more than one of them (not considering multi-shot, of course). (This
>> effect of being a "throwable" weapon is depending on the NH version.)
>>
>> Janis
>
> I looked it up in the nethack wiki:
>
> Origin The word "aklys" comes from the Latin aclys and Greek agkulis,
> and refers to a Roman missile weapon; it is uncertain whether the
> "proper" plural would be "aklyses" (going by general English rules)
> or "aclydes" (by Latin rules)—in any case, the aklys does not stack,
> so it is unclear what NetHack would use.
>
> There are two types of real-life aklys: one...
>
> ------
>
> It also mentions the aklys must be wielded in order to have it return
> when thrown.

According to Wikipedia, both types of aklyses seem to have a (leather-)
strap to get it back after thrown. For Nethack I would infer from that
that (a) you wield and throw it, and (b) that they would not stack.

Is your question answered by these sources of information? And does it
match with the aklys behavior you observe in Nethack?

Janis

On 17.12.2022 08:43, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
> On 17.12.2022 02:38, Yosemite Sam wrote:
>> On Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:08:11 PM UTC-6, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
>>> On 16.12.2022 23:59, Yosemite Sam wrote:
>>>> Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
>>>> classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
>>>> getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
>>>> each take up an inventory slot.
>>> Had there been a mention that they would stack? (I really can't tell.)
>>> But there's the effect documented that they usually return when thrown,
>>> so a single one could be used as a throwing weapon without need to use
>>> more than one of them (not considering multi-shot, of course). (This
>>> effect of being a "throwable" weapon is depending on the NH version.)
>>>
>>> Janis
>>
>> I looked it up in the nethack wiki:
>>
>> Origin The word "aklys" comes from the Latin aclys and Greek agkulis,
>> and refers to a Roman missile weapon; it is uncertain whether the
>> "proper" plural would be "aklyses" (going by general English rules)
>> or "aclydes" (by Latin rules)—in any case, the aklys does not stack,
>> so it is unclear what NetHack would use.
>>
>> There are two types of real-life aklys: one...
>>
>> ------
>>
>> It also mentions the aklys must be wielded in order to have it return
>> when thrown.
>
> According to Wikipedia, both types of aklyses seem to have a (leather-)
> strap to get it back after thrown. For Nethack I would infer from that
> that (a) you wield and throw it, and (b) that they would not stack.

In Nethack it's listed under the club weapon type, so this one applies:

"The term also applies to a small mace or club equipped with spikes,
attached to one arm of the wielder by a strap of adjustable length
to enable the weapon to be retrieved after it had been hurled at an
enemy." [Wikipedia]

>
> Is your question answered by these sources of information? And does it
> match with the aklys behavior you observe in Nethack?
>
> Janis
>

On Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 1:43:26 AM UTC-6, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
> On 17.12.2022 02:38, Yosemite Sam wrote:
> > On Friday, December 16, 2022 at 7:08:11 PM UTC-6, Janis Papanagnou wrote:
> >> On 16.12.2022 23:59, Yosemite Sam wrote:
> >>> Someone was talking about using aklys as throwing weapon for certain
> >>> classes which avoid daggers or swords. What was the mechanic for
> >>> getting them to stack? Right now my priest has four of them and they
> >>> each take up an inventory slot.
> >> Had there been a mention that they would stack? (I really can't tell.)
> >> But there's the effect documented that they usually return when thrown,
> >> so a single one could be used as a throwing weapon without need to use
> >> more than one of them (not considering multi-shot, of course). (This
> >> effect of being a "throwable" weapon is depending on the NH version.)
> >>
> >> Janis
> >
> > I looked it up in the nethack wiki:
> >
> > Origin The word "aklys" comes from the Latin aclys and Greek agkulis,
> > and refers to a Roman missile weapon; it is uncertain whether the
> > "proper" plural would be "aklyses" (going by general English rules)
> > or "aclydes" (by Latin rules)—in any case, the aklys does not stack,
> > so it is unclear what NetHack would use.
> >
> > There are two types of real-life aklys: one...
> >
> > ------
> >
> > It also mentions the aklys must be wielded in order to have it return
> > when thrown.
> According to Wikipedia, both types of aklyses seem to have a (leather-)
> strap to get it back after thrown. For Nethack I would infer from that
> that (a) you wield and throw it, and (b) that they would not stack.
>
> Is your question answered by these sources of information? And does it
> match with the aklys behavior you observe in Nethack?
>
> Janis

Yes. I'm a little disappointed that it must be wielded for full effect. However,
that is as handy as a bow or crossbow and does more damage. Unfortunately,
it doesn't make sense to always wield an aklys while carrying a powerful
artifact weapon.

On 17.12.2022 23:09, Yosemite Sam wrote:
>>>
>>> It also mentions the aklys must be wielded in order to have it return
>>> when thrown.
>> According to Wikipedia, both types of aklyses seem to have a (leather-)
>> strap to get it back after thrown. For Nethack I would infer from that
>> that (a) you wield and throw it, and (b) that they would not stack.
>
> Yes. I'm a little disappointed that it must be wielded for full effect. However,
> that is as handy as a bow or crossbow and does more damage. Unfortunately,
> it doesn't make sense to always wield an aklys while carrying a powerful
> artifact weapon.

I always prefer [decent] artifacts to mundane weapons. Aklys' advantage
(as opposed to projectiles or [stacking] throwable weapons) is that you
need just one aklys (like with Mjollnir) and can save some inventory
weight and turns to collect thrown items. I think it's useful option in
variants/versions supporting that feature, at least for the early game.

Janis

> weight and turns to collect thrown items. I think it's useful option in
> variants/versions supporting that feature, at least for the early game.

I used it as my only throwing weapon until the end, in my unique
ascended game :-)

On Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 6:11:13 AM UTC-6, Isidore Ducasse wrote:
> > weight and turns to collect thrown items. I think it's useful option in
> > variants/versions supporting that feature, at least for the early game.
> I used it as my only throwing weapon until the end, in my unique
> ascended game :-)

It's also nice for hitting monsters behind boulders because it is endless.