Difference between revisions of "Amulet of Yendor"

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The ultimate goal of a game of ''NetHack'' is to find the '''Amulet of Yendor''', bring it to the [[Astral Plane]], and [[offer]] it to your [[god]] in order to [[ascension|ascend]] to the status of demigod.
 
  
== Generation ==
+
The '''Amulet of Yendor''' is a [[Unique item|unique]] and indestructible [[amulet]] made of [[mithril]], and the primary objective of every game of ''[[NetHack]]'' - as stated at the beginning of each game, [[you]] are tasked to find the Amulet, bring it to the [[Astral Plane]] and [[offer]]ing it to your [[god]], resulting in [[ascension]] to immortality and demigod-hood.
The Amulet is always held by the [[high priest of Moloch]] in [[Moloch's Sanctum]]. An "Amulet of Yendor" generated anywhere else is actually a [[cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor|fake]].
 
  
== Effects ==
+
==Generation==
 +
The Amulet of Yendor is always held by the [[high priest of Moloch]] in [[Moloch's Sanctum]] within [[Gehennom]].
  
The Amulet of Yendor will resist being put into any type of [[container]]; it must be carried in main inventory.
+
If the Amulet would be left in the [[bones]] of a dead player character, it is replaced with a [[cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor|cheap plastic imitation]], though fake Amulets will not be [[auto-identified]] as such (with the exception of the fake found on the [[Rogue level]]).
  
=== When carried ===
+
==Description==
 +
As with the items used for the [[Invocation]], the Amulet will resist being put into any type of [[container]]. The technical reason is to prevented it from being destroyed along with the container for any reason, e.g. in a magical explosion involving a [[bag of holding]].
  
When you are carrying the Amulet of Yendor:
+
The Amulet of Yendor has many various effects on both you and the [[Mazes of Menace]]'s denizens while carried or worn, and wielding or wearing it confers additional effects.
* You get [[clairvoyance]], if it is not blocked by a [[cornuthaum]].
+
 
* When casting spells, your [[energy]] is drained -- see below.
+
===Carrying the Amulet===
* [[Nutrition|Hunger]] is increased by 1 every 20 turns (in addition to normal amulet hunger, if you're wearing any amulet).{{refsrc|src/eat.c|2835|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
Carrying the Amulet will confer extrinsic [[clairvoyance]], unless it would be blocked by a [[cornuthaum]]; [[teleportation]] within the level is blocked {{frac|3}} of the time, and [[level teleport]]ing and [[branchport]]ing are completely blocked. {{refsrc|src/teleport.c|505|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/teleport.c|792|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1567|nethack=3.6.7}} Your [[Luck]] also times out more rapidly, unless you have a [[luckstone]] or an item that acts as one.
* Your [[luck]] (bad or good) times out more rapidly, if not blocked by a [[luckstone]].
+
 
* Monster difficulty will depend on your deepest level reached, not your current dungeon level.{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|1596|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
Your [[nutrition]] is decreased by 1 every 20 turns, in addition to normal amulet or [[ring]] hunger.{{refsrc|src/eat.c|2835|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Spellcasting]] while carrying the Amulet will drain a random amount of additional energy up to twice the normal cost of the selected spell, roughly doubling average spell costs.{{refsrc|src/spell.c|948|nethack=3.6.7}} The energy drain is applied before the cost of the spell itself, and the spell will fail if the initial drain would leave you without enough power to cast it otherwise. The process is signified by the following message:
* [[Nymph]]s, [[Demon|named demons]], [[wumpus]]es, [[long worm]]s, and [[eel]]s are always generated awake.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|1264|nethack=3.6.6}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|1321|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
 
* [[Chaotic]] monsters don't have the usual chance of being [[peaceful]] to chaotic characters.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|2027|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
{{message|You feel the Amulet draining your energy away.}}
* You cannot [[levelport]] or [[branchport]].{{refsrc|src/teleport.c|792|nethack=3.6.6}}{{refsrc|src/artifact.c|1567|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
 
* Teleportation within the level is blocked {{frac|3}} of the time.{{refsrc|src/teleport.c|505|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
Monster generation and behavior is altered while carrying the amulet:
 +
 
 +
* Monster difficulty will depend on your deepest level reached, not your current dungeon level.{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|1596|nethack=3.6.7}}
 +
* [[Nymph]]s, [[demon lords and princes]], [[wumpus]]es, [[long worm]]s, and [[eel]]s are always generated awake.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|1264|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|1321|nethack=3.6.7}}
 +
* [[Chaotic]] monsters will be generated hostile if you are chaotic and have the Amulet.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|2027|nethack=3.6.7}}
 
* [[Follower]] monsters will follow you between levels even if they're fleeing.
 
* [[Follower]] monsters will follow you between levels even if they're fleeing.
* Climbing the upstairs or quaffing a cursed [[potion of gain level]] in dungeon level 1 takes you to the [[Plane of Earth]].{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|1176|nethack=3.6.6}}
 
* You can activate the endgame [[magic portal|portal]]s.
 
  
While carrying the amulet, casting [[spellbook|spells]] takes more energy than usual. The penalty is between 1 and 2''n'' energy points, where ''n'' is the normal energy cost of the spell cast. This means spell costs will be doubled on average, and may use up to three times as much energy in the worst case.{{refsrc|src/spell.c|948|nethack=3.6.6}}
+
If you are carrying the Amulet in Gehennom and try to go up a dungeon level while carrying the Amulet of Yendor, the [[mysterious force]] may work against you - see the linked article for details.
  
==== Mysterious force ====
+
Finally, carrying the Amulet and climbing the up [[stair]] or [[quaff]]ing a cursed [[potion of gain level]] while on dungeon level 1 grants you entrance to the [[Elemental Planes]], taking you to the [[Plane of Earth]].{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|1176|nethack=3.6.7}} From there, you can also make use of the one-way [[magic portal]]s that lead to each of the Planes, culminating in the [[Astral Plane]].
{{main|Mysterious force}}
 
If you try to go up a dungeon level in Gehennom while carrying the Amulet of Yendor, the [[mysterious force]] may work against you.
 
  
=== When worn or wielded ===
+
{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The stairs up from level 1 will be described as leading "to the [[Elemental Planes]]" if you have the real Amulet, or "[[escaping the dungeon|out of the dungeon]]" otherwise.}}
 
 
When wearing or wielding the Amulet, you may get messages about it getting "hotter" as you approach magic portals.
 
  
Every game turn, there is a {{frac|15}} chance that you will receive a message if you are near a magic portal.{{refsrc|wizard.c|63}}
+
===Wearing or wielding the Amulet===
 +
In addition to the above, wearing or wielding the Amulet confers a form of magic portal detection. Every game turn, there is a {{frac|15}} chance that you will receive one of the following messages if you are near a magic portal:{{refsrc|wizard.c|63}}
  
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
{|class="prettytable"
Line 59: Line 58:
 
|}
 
|}
  
== Offering ==
+
==Offering the Amulet==
 +
If you offer the Amulet of Yendor on the correct [[high altar]] on the Astral Plane, you ascend and win the game; this will not violate [[atheist]] [[conduct]]. Offering the Amulet on another god's high altar will also end the game; your current god is angered, but the altar's god allows you to escape in celestial disgrace. This is effectively an ascension, but is less prestigious because it removes the need to find the correct altar.
  
If you offer the Amulet of Yendor on the correct [[high altar]] on the Astral Plane, you ascend and win the game. Offering the Amulet on another god's high altar will also end the game; your current god is angered, but the altar's god allows you to escape in celestial disgrace. This is effectively an ascension, but is less prestigious because it removes the need to find the correct altar.
+
Attempting to offer the Amulet on a non-high altar will give one of the following messages:
  
Attempting to offer the Amulet on a non-high altar gives a message:
 
 
{{message|You feel homesick.|You are [[hallucinating]].}}
 
{{message|You feel homesick.|You are [[hallucinating]].}}
 
{{message|You feel ashamed.|The altar is cross-aligned.}}
 
{{message|You feel ashamed.|The altar is cross-aligned.}}
 
{{message|You feel an urge to return to the surface.|The altar is coaligned.}}
 
{{message|You feel an urge to return to the surface.|The altar is coaligned.}}
  
=== Offering to Moloch ===
+
===Offering to Moloch===
 
+
You may also offer the Amulet of Yendor to [[Moloch]] on the unaligned high altar in his Sanctum. This leads to [[instadeath]], with the cause livelogged as "'''Moloch's indifference'''":
You may offer the Amulet of Yendor to [[Moloch]] on the unaligned high altar in the [[Sanctum]]. This leads to [[instadeath]]:
 
  
 
{{message|Moloch shrugs and retains dominion over <your god>, then mercilessly snuffs out your life.}}
 
{{message|Moloch shrugs and retains dominion over <your god>, then mercilessly snuffs out your life.}}
  
The cause of death is ''"Moloch's indifference"''. If you survive, by wearing an [[amulet of life saving]], the message continues:
+
If you survive by wearing an [[amulet of life saving]], you are revived, but the messages continue:
  
 
{{message|Moloch snarls and tries again...}}
 
{{message|Moloch snarls and tries again...}}
 
{{message|You disintegrate into a pile of dust!}}
 
{{message|You disintegrate into a pile of dust!}}
  
This happens even if you are disintegration resistant. The cause of death is then ''"the wrath of Moloch"''.
+
This happens even if you have [[disintegration]] resistance; the cause of death is livelogged as ''"the wrath of Moloch"''.
  
Should you somehow survive this&ndash;in [[NetHack 3.6.6]], the only way of doing so is by declining to die in [[explore mode|explore]] or [[wizard mode]]&ndash;, the following message will appear:
+
The only way to survive this is in [[explore mode|explore]] or [[wizard mode]], where you can decline to die&ndash;this results in the following message, and is treated as [[escaping the dungeon]]:
  
 
{{message|A cloud of black smoke surrounds you...}}
 
{{message|A cloud of black smoke surrounds you...}}
  
This will be treated as [[escaping the dungeon]].
+
==Strategy==
 +
Much of the strategy regarding the Amulet of Yendor relies around preventing it from being stolen by the [[Wizard of Yendor]], or else misplaced and confused with a fake Amulet.
 +
 
 +
===Identifying the Amulet===
 +
{{main|Cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor}}
 +
Cheap plastic imitations of the Amulet of Yendor occur at several places in the dungeon, and with one exception appear to the player as "the Amulet of Yendor". Offering a cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet on a high altar carries a -1 penalty to [[Luck]] - offering an identified one carries a penalty of -3 [[Luck]], -1 [[Alignment record|alignment]] and increasing your god's [[anger]] by 3.{{refsrc|pray.c|1560|nethack=3.6.2}}
 +
 
 +
The primary danger of the fake Amulets is having the real one snatched from you without realizing it, which most often occurs if the Wizard of Yendor successfully steals it from you. [[Identify]]ing the Amulet will reveal whether it is the real deal or a cheap imitation, and there are many other methods to prevent a fake Amulet from ruining your attempt to ascend:
  
== Messages ==
+
* Many players will immediately [[name]] the Amulet of Yendor "REAL" or something similar immediately upon claiming it from the high priest of Moloch.
 +
* Remember that Amulet of Yendor cannot be placed into a container, while a cheap plastic imination will go in as normal.
 +
* Quaffing a cursed potion of gain level on dungeon level 1 if you do not have the real Amulet will print a message about "an uneasy feeling" and have no effect - if you have the real Amulet, you are taken to the Plane of Earth.
  
;You feel the amulet draining your energy away.
+
==History==
:You cast a spell while carrying the amulet. Between 1 and 2''n'' extra Power points were used, where ''n'' equals to the Power originally needed to cast the spell. This Power drain is incurred before the normal Power used for the spell is calculated, resulting in spells occasionally being unable to be cast due to a lack of energy. Ideally, even with 0% spell failure, you will require 3''n'' Power to ensure a spell always works.
+
The Amulet of Yendor first appears in [[Hack 1.0]]. Here, it is found under an [[enourmous rock]] in a maze.
  
== Distinguishing forgeries ==
+
==Origin==
{{main|cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor}}
+
The Amulet of Yendor is based on the ''[[Rogue (game)|Rogue]]'' item of the same name, which is also used to end the game.
It is possible to find cheap plastic imitations of the Amulet of Yendor at several places in the [[Mazes of Menace]]. These generally appear to the player as "the Amulet of Yendor", but messing up and offering one of them to your god carries a penalty to luck, and possibly alignment and your god's anger (if you attempt to offer a ''known'' fake). But the real danger lies in becoming confused by the abundance of fakes and carrying one off instead of the real Amulet if, for instance, the Wizard steals it from you. There are several ways to avoid this fate. Many players will immediately name the real Amulet "REAL" or something similar immediately upon claiming it from the high priest. Another technique is to attempt to put the Amulet into a [[container]]; the real Amulet will resist, but a fake will go in. Also, quaffing a cursed [[potion of gain level]] on dungeon level 1 will make you "have an uneasy feeling" if you don't have the real Amulet, but take you to the [[Plane of Earth]] if you do.
 
{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The stairs up from level 1 will be described as leading "to the [[Elemental Planes]]" if you have the real Amulet, or "[[escaping the dungeon|out of the dungeon]]" otherwise.}}
 
  
==UnNetHack==
+
==Variants==
In [[UnNetHack]], the Amulet has a chance of randomly [[teleport]]ing within the level when dropped for any reason. This is in many ways balanced by the removal of the [[mysterious force]]. The probability depends on the Amulet's [[BUC|beatitude]]: if [[cursed]], the Amulet teleports half of the time; if uncursed, {{frac|4}} of the time; and if blessed, {{frac|16}} of the time. This also applies if it is dropped by a monster, e.g. [[Cthulhu]] who originally has the Amulet.
+
===UnNetHack===
 +
In [[UnNetHack]], the Amulet is instead in the possession of [[Cthulhu]].
  
Sacrificing the Amulet of Yendor breaks atheist conduct in [[UnNetHack]], unlike in vanilla NetHack. The player is warned if the conduct would be broken this way. In order to complete the game, one must [[invoke]] the Amulet on the corresponding altar instead.
+
Additionally, the Amulet has a chance of randomly [[teleport]]ing within the level when dropped by you or a monster for any reason; this is in many ways balanced by the removal of the [[mysterious force]]. The probability depends on the Amulet's [[beatitude]]: the Amulet teleports half of the time if [[cursed]], {{frac|4}} of the time  if uncursed, and {{frac|16}} of the time if blessed.
  
== Mythology ==
+
Sacrificing the Amulet of Yendor breaks atheist conduct in [[UnNetHack]], unlike in vanilla NetHack. The player is warned if the conduct would be broken this way. In order to complete the game, one must #[[invoke]] the Amulet on the corresponding altar instead.
The Amulet of Yendor is based on the ''[[Rogue (game)|Rogue]]'' item of the same name, which is also used to end the game.
 
  
== Encyclopedia entry ==
+
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
This mysterious talisman is the object of your quest. It is said to possess powers which mere mortals can scarcely comprehend, let alone utilize. The gods will grant the gift of immortality to the adventurer who can deliver it from the depths of Moloch's Sanctum and offer it on the appropriate high altar on the Astral Plane.
 
This mysterious talisman is the object of your quest. It is said to possess powers which mere mortals can scarcely comprehend, let alone utilize. The gods will grant the gift of immortality to the adventurer who can deliver it from the depths of Moloch's Sanctum and offer it on the appropriate high altar on the Astral Plane.
 
}}
 
}}
  
== References ==
+
==References==
 
+
<references/>
<references />
+
{{nethack-367}}
 
 
{{nethack-366}}
 
 
{{DOD}}
 
{{DOD}}
 
 
[[Category:Unique items|A]]
 
[[Category:Unique items|A]]
 
[[Category:Amulets|Yendor]]
 
[[Category:Amulets|Yendor]]

Revision as of 19:09, 20 June 2023

" Amulet of Yendor.png
Name Amulet of Yendor
Appearance Amulet of Yendor
Base price 30000 zm
Weight 20

The Amulet of Yendor is a unique and indestructible amulet made of mithril, and the primary objective of every game of NetHack - as stated at the beginning of each game, you are tasked to find the Amulet, bring it to the Astral Plane and offering it to your god, resulting in ascension to immortality and demigod-hood.

Generation

The Amulet of Yendor is always held by the high priest of Moloch in Moloch's Sanctum within Gehennom.

If the Amulet would be left in the bones of a dead player character, it is replaced with a cheap plastic imitation, though fake Amulets will not be auto-identified as such (with the exception of the fake found on the Rogue level).

Description

As with the items used for the Invocation, the Amulet will resist being put into any type of container. The technical reason is to prevented it from being destroyed along with the container for any reason, e.g. in a magical explosion involving a bag of holding.

The Amulet of Yendor has many various effects on both you and the Mazes of Menace's denizens while carried or worn, and wielding or wearing it confers additional effects.

Carrying the Amulet

Carrying the Amulet will confer extrinsic clairvoyance, unless it would be blocked by a cornuthaum; teleportation within the level is blocked 13 of the time, and level teleporting and branchporting are completely blocked. [1][2][3] Your Luck also times out more rapidly, unless you have a luckstone or an item that acts as one.

Your nutrition is decreased by 1 every 20 turns, in addition to normal amulet or ring hunger.[4] Spellcasting while carrying the Amulet will drain a random amount of additional energy up to twice the normal cost of the selected spell, roughly doubling average spell costs.[5] The energy drain is applied before the cost of the spell itself, and the spell will fail if the initial drain would leave you without enough power to cast it otherwise. The process is signified by the following message:

You feel the Amulet draining your energy away.

Monster generation and behavior is altered while carrying the amulet:

If you are carrying the Amulet in Gehennom and try to go up a dungeon level while carrying the Amulet of Yendor, the mysterious force may work against you - see the linked article for details.

Finally, carrying the Amulet and climbing the up stair or quaffing a cursed potion of gain level while on dungeon level 1 grants you entrance to the Elemental Planes, taking you to the Plane of Earth.[10] From there, you can also make use of the one-way magic portals that lead to each of the Planes, culminating in the Astral Plane.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

The stairs up from level 1 will be described as leading "to the Elemental Planes" if you have the real Amulet, or "out of the dungeon" otherwise.

Wearing or wielding the Amulet

In addition to the above, wearing or wielding the Amulet confers a form of magic portal detection. Every game turn, there is a 115 chance that you will receive one of the following messages if you are near a magic portal:[11]

Distance Message
3-square radius "The Amulet of Yendor feels hot!"
8-square radius "The Amulet of Yendor feels very warm."
12-square radius "The Amulet of Yendor feels warm."
Farther No message

Offering the Amulet

If you offer the Amulet of Yendor on the correct high altar on the Astral Plane, you ascend and win the game; this will not violate atheist conduct. Offering the Amulet on another god's high altar will also end the game; your current god is angered, but the altar's god allows you to escape in celestial disgrace. This is effectively an ascension, but is less prestigious because it removes the need to find the correct altar.

Attempting to offer the Amulet on a non-high altar will give one of the following messages:

You feel homesick.
You are hallucinating.
You feel ashamed.
The altar is cross-aligned.
You feel an urge to return to the surface.
The altar is coaligned.

Offering to Moloch

You may also offer the Amulet of Yendor to Moloch on the unaligned high altar in his Sanctum. This leads to instadeath, with the cause livelogged as "Moloch's indifference":

Moloch shrugs and retains dominion over <your god>, then mercilessly snuffs out your life.

If you survive by wearing an amulet of life saving, you are revived, but the messages continue:

Moloch snarls and tries again...
You disintegrate into a pile of dust!

This happens even if you have disintegration resistance; the cause of death is livelogged as "the wrath of Moloch".

The only way to survive this is in explore or wizard mode, where you can decline to die–this results in the following message, and is treated as escaping the dungeon:

A cloud of black smoke surrounds you...

Strategy

Much of the strategy regarding the Amulet of Yendor relies around preventing it from being stolen by the Wizard of Yendor, or else misplaced and confused with a fake Amulet.

Identifying the Amulet

Cheap plastic imitations of the Amulet of Yendor occur at several places in the dungeon, and with one exception appear to the player as "the Amulet of Yendor". Offering a cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet on a high altar carries a -1 penalty to Luck - offering an identified one carries a penalty of -3 Luck, -1 alignment and increasing your god's anger by 3.[12]

The primary danger of the fake Amulets is having the real one snatched from you without realizing it, which most often occurs if the Wizard of Yendor successfully steals it from you. Identifying the Amulet will reveal whether it is the real deal or a cheap imitation, and there are many other methods to prevent a fake Amulet from ruining your attempt to ascend:

  • Many players will immediately name the Amulet of Yendor "REAL" or something similar immediately upon claiming it from the high priest of Moloch.
  • Remember that Amulet of Yendor cannot be placed into a container, while a cheap plastic imination will go in as normal.
  • Quaffing a cursed potion of gain level on dungeon level 1 if you do not have the real Amulet will print a message about "an uneasy feeling" and have no effect - if you have the real Amulet, you are taken to the Plane of Earth.

History

The Amulet of Yendor first appears in Hack 1.0. Here, it is found under an enourmous rock in a maze.

Origin

The Amulet of Yendor is based on the Rogue item of the same name, which is also used to end the game.

Variants

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, the Amulet is instead in the possession of Cthulhu.

Additionally, the Amulet has a chance of randomly teleporting within the level when dropped by you or a monster for any reason; this is in many ways balanced by the removal of the mysterious force. The probability depends on the Amulet's beatitude: the Amulet teleports half of the time if cursed, 14 of the time if uncursed, and 116 of the time if blessed.

Sacrificing the Amulet of Yendor breaks atheist conduct in UnNetHack, unlike in vanilla NetHack. The player is warned if the conduct would be broken this way. In order to complete the game, one must #invoke the Amulet on the corresponding altar instead.

Encyclopedia entry

This mysterious talisman is the object of your quest. It is said to possess powers which mere mortals can scarcely comprehend, let alone utilize. The gods will grant the gift of immortality to the adventurer who can deliver it from the depths of Moloch's Sanctum and offer it on the appropriate high altar on the Astral Plane.

References

This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is:

Redistribution, copying, and editing of these spoilers, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

  1. The original contributors to any spoiler must continue to be credited.
  2. Any modifications to the spoiler must be acknowledged and credited.