Scythe

General
The Scythe is a double-handed weapon to be used by the Dervish, one of the two new professions to be introduced in Guild Wars Nightfall.

Not much is known about it so far, except that scythes are capable of striking multiple targets at the same time. This effect is not the result of a skill, but rather an inherent property of the weapon. It can hit up to 3 targets with an attack. Consider this as a valuable aspect of battle. For example you can use vampiric or zealous upgrades on your scythe to have added affect. Since the scythe strikes multiple times per attack you receive multiple benefits!

Note: On the down side, should you hit multiple targets enchanted with skills that return damage, such as Retribution, you will receive damage from all targets that were hit.

Damage stats

 * Slashing damage
 * Minimum damage: 4-6
 * Maximum damage: 9-41
 * Attack Interval = 1.75 seconds
 * Each attack strikes primary target and up to 2 additional targets within adjacent range.

Scythes with an attribute requirement of 0 have been observed with damage as high as 8-17.

Scythes, like Axes, can also have a higher minimum damage of 10 as long as the maximum damage is lower then 41.

Upgrades and modifiers
A scythe can be equipped with a magic Scythe Snathe (name prefix) and/or Scythe Grip (name suffix) to add extra bonuses to the weapon. Scythes have been confirmed to possess every prefix except for Silencing, and every suffix except slaying. Vampiric scythes can have up to 5 life stealing like hammers and bows.

Furthermore a scythe may come with a number of non-salvageable weapon modifiers. Scythes have been observed with the seven modifiers shared by all PvP melee weapons. In other words, every melee weapon modifier except for "+10..15% damage vs hexed foes", "+10..15% damage, health regeneration -1", "+10-15% damage, energy regeneration -1", the unconditional "+10-15% damage" modifier, "Precious" and "Highly Salvageable".

See "weapon upgrades" and "weapon modifier" for details.

Inscriptions
Inscriptions that can be applied to weapons can be applied to any scythe with an inscription slot.

Scythe types

 * Scythes
 * Ancient Scythe
 * Banana Scythe (10-10 damage, 0 req, Drakes on the Plain quest reward)
 * Briarwood Scythe
 * Bronze Scythe
 * Crenellated Scythe
 * Death's Grasp Scythe
 * Duskblade Scythe
 * Elegant Scythe
 * Embossed Scythe
 * Gazing Scythe
 * Grim Scythe
 * Hooked Scythe
 * Nightmare Scythe
 * Ornate Scythe
 * PvP Scythe (same skin as Suntouched Scythe)
 * Soulbreaker (preorder item)
 * Starter Scythe (4-6 damage, same skin as Suntouched Scythe)
 * Suntouched Scythe
 * Tormented Scythe
 * Unique Scythes
 * Behba's Talon
 * Bubahl's Grasp
 * Claw of the Forgotten
 * Eshekibeh's Scythe
 * Eyes of the Forgotten
 * Fahralon's Scythe
 * Haioss' Blessing
 * Hand of the Forgotten
 * Leilon's Vow
 * Mhedi's Vow
 * Sehlon's Vow
 * Suli's Scythe
 * Terror Scythe
 * The Deathbringer
 * Vahlen's Vow

Scythe range
(following information is of GW Build 19,494, 16th October 2006)

Per scythe attack, the scythe may hit the original target, and two additional targets. These two additional targets may be any target (appears to be chosen at random) that appear to be anywhere that is still adjacent to BOTH the original target AND the player. nb: adjacent here refers to adjacent/melee/touch range.

Generally, the rules for the scythe range appear to be:
 * original target (close combat - same as a sword, axe or hammer)
 * up to 2 additional targets (tested on Practice target at Isle of the Nameless)
 * all additional targets appear to be chosen at random (testing done against mobs of Renegades near Fort Ranik (Location))
 * all additional targets must be adjacent to the original target (tested at Isle of the Nameless)
 * all additional targets must be adjacent to the player (tested at Isle of the Nameless)
 * all additional targets must be in a 180 degree cone in front of the player.

The adjacent image displays five examples of this (taken from the Isle of the Nameless).