New Hellfire Question

[pratamawirya]

I mean the unrandart:

Also an unrandart +6,+6 crossbow rf++, rc-, mr+ which shoots hellfire bolts (hellfire elemental damage and exploding); was +6,+9 and merely flaming in 0.13-.

How much damage does the hellfire blast deal? Is it the same as vanilla hellfire?

[BlackSheep]

If I had more time, I'd run down exactly what this works out to, but here's the code from art-func.h:

  Code:

    beam->item->special = SPMSL_EXPLODING; // so that it mulches

    beam->flavour = BEAM_HELLFIRE;
    beam->name    = "hellfire bolt";
    *ammo_name    = "a hellfire bolt";
    beam->colour  = LIGHTRED;
    beam->glyph   = DCHAR_FIRED_ZAP;

    bolt *expl   = new bolt(*beam);
    expl->is_explosion = true;
    expl->damage = dice_def(2, 5);
    expl->name   = "hellfire";

[dck]

All I know is actually hitting things with the bolt does damage on top of the explosion.

[duvessa]

2d5, same as other exploding ammo.

[pratamawirya]

2d5, same as other exploding ammo.

Damn, this seems rather low. Do they have any advantage over ordinary exploding ammo? (I'm guessing the hellfire ammo ignore AC, but is it good enough? I never liked exploding bullets.)

[dck]

Yeah it's a really good crossbow.

[Hirsch I]

and you will not have to get all the bolts you fired, because they exploded ^^

[duvessa]

Well both the bolt and the explosion do ignore AC, which means the explosion isn't a complete joke like regular exploding ammo. From fsim tests, it seems like a decently enchanted crossbow of velocity is better against low AC stuff, provided you have good skill (>15) and branded bolts, but against a stone giant, Hellfire is better than a +7 crossbow of velocity with steel bolts until you get like 25 skill.

Of course you should keep in mind that every time you fire Hellfire you lose the bolt and make fireball-level noise.