refactor python strategy pattern to use abstract base class

Question

I came across this strategy pattern implementation

https://github.com/jtortorelli/head-first-design-patterns-python/blob/master/src/python/chapter_1/adventure_game.py

class Character:
    def __init__(self):
        self.weapon_behavior = None

    def set_weapon(self, weapon_behavior):
        self.weapon_behavior = weapon_behavior

    def fight(self):
        self.weapon_behavior.use_weapon()


class Queen(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = KnifeBehavior()


class King(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = BowAndArrowBehavior()


class Troll(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = AxeBehavior()


class Knight(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = SwordBehavior()


class WeaponBehavior:
    def use_weapon(self):
        raise NotImplementedError


class KnifeBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        print("Stabby stab stab")


class BowAndArrowBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        print("Thwing!")


class AxeBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        print("Whack!")


class SwordBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        print("Thrust!")


knight = Knight()
king = King()
queen = Queen()
troll = Troll()
knight.fight()
king.fight()
queen.fight()
troll.fight()

Would it be correct to refactor it the following way, using an ABC?

from abc import ABC, abstractmethod


class Character:
    def __init__(self):
        self.weapon_behavior = None

    def set_weapon(self, weapon_behavior):
        self.weapon_behavior = weapon_behavior

    def fight(self):
        self.weapon_behavior.use_weapon()


class Queen(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = KnifeBehavior()


class King(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = BowAndArrowBehavior()


class Troll(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = AxeBehavior()


class Knight(Character):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.weapon_behavior = SwordBehavior()


class WeaponBehavior(ABC):
    @abstractmethod
    def use_weapon(self, message):
        print(message)

class KnifeBehavior(WeaponBehavior):

    def use_weapon(self):
        super().use_weapon("Stabby stab stab")


class BowAndArrowBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        super().use_weapon("Thwing!")

class AxeBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        super().use_weapon("Whack!")


class SwordBehavior(WeaponBehavior):
    def use_weapon(self):
        super().use_weapon("Thrust!")


knight = Knight()
king = King()
queen = Queen()
troll = Troll()
knight.fight()
king.fight()
queen.fight()
troll.fight()

Answer 1

Only the Character and WeaponBehaviour classes are actually useful and neither of them needs to inherit anything. The rest can be just factory functions, because only the constructors differ. If a class constructor does anything except assign arguments to properties, it is probably wrong.

Strategy pattern is based on composition rather then inheritance.

class Character:
    def __init__(self, weapon):
        self.weapon = weapon

    def set_weapon(self, weapon):
        self.weapon = weapon

    def fight(self):
        self.weapon.use()


def Queen():
    return Character(Knife())

def King():
    return Character(Bow())

class Weapon:
    def __init__(self, message):
       self.message = message
    def use(self):
       print(self.message)


def Knife():
    return Weapon("Stabby stab stab")

def Bow():
    return Weapon("Thwing!")


king = King()
queen = Queen()
king.fight()
queen.fight()
queen.set_weapon(Bow())
queen.fight()

Notice that I have removed the behavior part of the names as it seemed a bit useless.

I have also renamed use_weapon() to just use() because it is called on a weapon variable, and so it seemed redundant.

Also notice, that unless I used the set_weapon() method on a constructed Character instance (ie. to switch weapon in middle of battle), the Character class would be useless, because everything could have been done with the weapons alone. Of course I know this is just a pattern demonstration code, but I wanted to point out anyway..

As a bonus, here is something (not only) for the king :) Also notice how again composition is prefered over inheritance to provide flexibility.

class DoubleWeapon:
    def __init__(self, left, right):
        self.left = left
        self.right = right
    def use(self):
        self.left.use()
        self.right.use()

king.set_weapon(DoubleWeapon(Knife(), Sword()))
king.fight()
```