Difference between revisions of "Amulet of unchanging"

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{{amulet|name=amulet of unchanging}}
 
{{amulet|name=amulet of unchanging}}
The '''amulet of unchanging''' is an [[amulet]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
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An '''amulet of unchanging''' is a type of [[amulet]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
  
 
==Generation==
 
==Generation==
 
There is a 4.5% chance that a randomly-generated amulet will be an amulet of unchanging, making it the least generated amulet.
 
There is a 4.5% chance that a randomly-generated amulet will be an amulet of unchanging, making it the least generated amulet.
  
==Effects==
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==Description==
The amulet prevents [[polymorph]]ing and other means of changing form, and also protects the wearer from [[sliming]]; if you put one on while suffering from sliming, it is aborted. It does ''not'' prevent being [[stoning|turned to stone]]. If you [[eat]] [[Eating jewelry|the amulet]], you are "un-changed" and revert to your normal form.
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Wearing an amulet of unchanging confers [[unchanging]] and prevents [[polymorph]]ing and other means of changing form, including [[sliming]] but ''not'' [[stoning]]; if you put one on while afflicted with sliming, it is aborted and cured.
  
In most cases, if you die while polymorphed and wearing an amulet of unchanging, you will ''not'' revert to your normal form, and will instead die. However, if you polymorph into a [[wood golem|wood]] or [[leather golem]] and get rotted away by a [[brown pudding]], or polymorph into an [[iron golem]] and get rusted, you will resume your normal form. If you are polymorphed and decline to die in [[explore mode|explore]] or [[wizard mode]], you will also resume your normal form.
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If you die while polymorphed (which would normally return you to your normal form) and are wearing an amulet of unchanging, you will instead die as normal in most cases. The exceptions are as follows, and will return you to normal form even if you are wearing the amulet:
  
A lawful player who prays while in undead form will return to their normal form, even with the amulet.
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* While in the form of a [[wood golem|wood]] or [[leather golem]], be hit by a [[brown pudding]] bite and rotted away.
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* While in the form of an [[iron golem]], trigger a [[rust trap]], make contact with a [[pool]], or be hit by a [[rust monster]] attack.
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* While in the form of a [[clay golem]], be hit by the [[intrinsic-stealing]] attack of a [[gremlin]].
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* While in the form of an [[undead]] monster, [[pray]] to your [[god]].
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Wearing a cursed amulet of unchanging while in the form of a monster with no [[hands]] is considered a major [[trouble]] by your god, and successful prayer will uncurse the amulet so you can remove it and eventually return to your base form.
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If you are polymorphed into a [[metallivore]], [[Eating jewelry|eating the amulet]] has a {{frac|5}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and "[[Pun|un-changing]]" you to your normal form.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
If discovered early, this can be a good substitute for magic resistance in early areas where polymorph traps are a big threat, particularly the [[Gnomish Mines]] beyond [[Minetown]]. If you are [[riding]] and do not have magic resistance, an amulet of unchanging will also protect your steed from polymorph traps. Moreover, they can be used to permanently remain in a particular polymorph form; this is somewhat risky, of course, since you will die permanently if your HP is drained to zero, but can be useful if you lack a reusable source of polymorph. It can also become a literal life-saver if you accidentally [[genocide]] your role or race while polymorphed.  
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If discovered early, the amulet of unchanging can be a good substitute for [[magic resistance]] in areas such as the [[Gnomish Mines]] beyond [[Minetown]], where [[polymorph trap]]s are a major obstacle. If you are [[riding]] and do not have magic resistance, an amulet of unchanging will also protect your steed from polymorph traps. The amulet of unchanging can also suppress unwanted polymorphing from other sources, such as [[lycanthropy]].
 +
 
 +
Amulets of unchanging are often used to remain in a particular polymorphed form (usually a powerful one chosen via [[polymorph control]]) for various strategies, with the risk of deaths that occur being permanent where they would not be otherwise - this is especially handy if you lack a reusable source of polymorph. It can also become a literal life-saver if you accidentally [[genocide]] your role or race while polymorphed.
  
 
===Identification===
 
===Identification===
Because uncontrolled polymorphing and being slimed are both potentially dangerous if the amulet isn't unchanging, and losing all HP while polymorphed is lethal if it ''is'' unchanging, this is a relatively difficult amulet to identify safely. The easiest way is probably to eat a [[mimic]] corpse while wearing the unidentified amulet.  If you don't mimic gold or an orange, the amulet is unchanging. If you do, the amulet isn't unchanging, you won't break or fall out of your armor, and if a monster tries to pick you up, you return to normal form immediately.
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The amulet of unchanging is most reliably identified by wearing a given amulet while [[eat]]ing a [[mimic]] [[corpse]]: the mimicry effect to turn into a pile of [[gold]] (or an [[orange]] if [[hallucinating]]) will not occur if the amulet is unchanging, and otherwise will not affect armor like most forms of polymorph, though you will dismount automatically from your steed.
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For [[polyselfless]], [[vegan]] and/or [[vegetarian]] [[conduct]]s, the best alternative is to polymorph yourself while wearing the suspected amulet and a [[ring of polymorph control]], which allows you to specify a safe form if you do polymorph; if you intend to use a [[polytrap]] for this purpose, you must remove any source of magic resistance as well. If the amulet is unchanging, the polymorph trap will not disappear and you will receive the standard message for a blocked polymorph ("You feel momentarily different").
  
If you're following the vegetarian or vegan [[conduct]]s, an alternative would be to polymorph yourself while wearing the amulet and a [[ring of polymorph control]], specifying a safe form if you do polymorph. If you intend to use a [[polytrap]] for this purpose, you must remove any source of [[magic resistance]] as well. If the amulet is unchanging, the polymorph trap will not disappear and you will receive the message, "You feel momentarily different."
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{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|As of {{commit|43af05a6b8bd7fad219d1132170effdeadc02703|commit 43af05a}}, if you [[improvise]] with a [[musical instrument]] and are not [[deaf]], you will produce "familiar" music if you have unchanging, providing a way to identify the amulet. The blessed [[potion of polymorph]] will also give a controlled polymorph when quaffed.}}
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==History==
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The amulet of unchanging first appears in [[NetHack 3.3.0]].
  
 
==Variants==
 
==Variants==
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Some variants grant the amulet of unchanging further properties.
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===SLASH'EM===
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In [[SLASH'EM]], an amulet that is polymorphed into an amulet of unchanging will not revert to its original object like other polymorphed items.
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===GruntHack===
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In [[GruntHack]], monsters will zap the [[wand of polymorph]] at you, making amulets of unchanging and sources of magic resistance much more important to find.
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===UnNetHack===
 
In [[UnNetHack]], amulets of unchanging cannot be polymorphed.
 
In [[UnNetHack]], amulets of unchanging cannot be polymorphed.
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===EvilHack===
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In [[EvilHack]], monsters will zap the [[wand of polymorph]] at you as in GruntHack, and will throw the [[potion of polymorph]] at you as well. The amulet is important to identify and procure in order to prevent this if you cannot find an early source of magic resistance; unlike GruntHack, monsters will refrain from attempting to polymorph you further if they see that it has no effect.
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===Hack'EM===
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In [[Hack'EM]], [[Doppelganger (starting race)|doppelganger]] [[Convict]]s start each game with a cursed amulet of unchanging, which prevents them from polymorphing or [[liquid leap]]ing out of the chained [[heavy iron ball]] on turn 1. Once removed and uncursed, they can also use the amulet as a means to keep themselves locked into powerful forms (usually obtained from [[apply]]ing a [[mask]]).
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Monsters will zap the wand of polymorph and throw potions of polymorph at you, behaving the same as in EvilHack; the amulet is still a useful source of unchanging to prevent this.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
* [[Ring of polymorph control]]
 
* [[Ring of polymorph control]]
 
 
{{DOD}}
 
{{DOD}}
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{{nethack-367}}
 
[[Category:Amulets|Unchanging]]
 
[[Category:Amulets|Unchanging]]
{{nethack-364}}
 

Latest revision as of 12:49, 2 February 2024

" Circular amulet.png
Name amulet of unchanging
Appearance random
Base price 150 zm
Weight 20

An amulet of unchanging is a type of amulet that appears in NetHack.

Generation

There is a 4.5% chance that a randomly-generated amulet will be an amulet of unchanging, making it the least generated amulet.

Description

Wearing an amulet of unchanging confers unchanging and prevents polymorphing and other means of changing form, including sliming but not stoning; if you put one on while afflicted with sliming, it is aborted and cured.

If you die while polymorphed (which would normally return you to your normal form) and are wearing an amulet of unchanging, you will instead die as normal in most cases. The exceptions are as follows, and will return you to normal form even if you are wearing the amulet:

Wearing a cursed amulet of unchanging while in the form of a monster with no hands is considered a major trouble by your god, and successful prayer will uncurse the amulet so you can remove it and eventually return to your base form.

If you are polymorphed into a metallivore, eating the amulet has a 15 chance of successfully absorbing its magic and "un-changing" you to your normal form.

Strategy

If discovered early, the amulet of unchanging can be a good substitute for magic resistance in areas such as the Gnomish Mines beyond Minetown, where polymorph traps are a major obstacle. If you are riding and do not have magic resistance, an amulet of unchanging will also protect your steed from polymorph traps. The amulet of unchanging can also suppress unwanted polymorphing from other sources, such as lycanthropy.

Amulets of unchanging are often used to remain in a particular polymorphed form (usually a powerful one chosen via polymorph control) for various strategies, with the risk of deaths that occur being permanent where they would not be otherwise - this is especially handy if you lack a reusable source of polymorph. It can also become a literal life-saver if you accidentally genocide your role or race while polymorphed.

Identification

The amulet of unchanging is most reliably identified by wearing a given amulet while eating a mimic corpse: the mimicry effect to turn into a pile of gold (or an orange if hallucinating) will not occur if the amulet is unchanging, and otherwise will not affect armor like most forms of polymorph, though you will dismount automatically from your steed.

For polyselfless, vegan and/or vegetarian conducts, the best alternative is to polymorph yourself while wearing the suspected amulet and a ring of polymorph control, which allows you to specify a safe form if you do polymorph; if you intend to use a polytrap for this purpose, you must remove any source of magic resistance as well. If the amulet is unchanging, the polymorph trap will not disappear and you will receive the standard message for a blocked polymorph ("You feel momentarily different").

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.

As of commit 43af05a, if you improvise with a musical instrument and are not deaf, you will produce "familiar" music if you have unchanging, providing a way to identify the amulet. The blessed potion of polymorph will also give a controlled polymorph when quaffed.

History

The amulet of unchanging first appears in NetHack 3.3.0.

Variants

Some variants grant the amulet of unchanging further properties.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, an amulet that is polymorphed into an amulet of unchanging will not revert to its original object like other polymorphed items.

GruntHack

In GruntHack, monsters will zap the wand of polymorph at you, making amulets of unchanging and sources of magic resistance much more important to find.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, amulets of unchanging cannot be polymorphed.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, monsters will zap the wand of polymorph at you as in GruntHack, and will throw the potion of polymorph at you as well. The amulet is important to identify and procure in order to prevent this if you cannot find an early source of magic resistance; unlike GruntHack, monsters will refrain from attempting to polymorph you further if they see that it has no effect.

Hack'EM

In Hack'EM, doppelganger Convicts start each game with a cursed amulet of unchanging, which prevents them from polymorphing or liquid leaping out of the chained heavy iron ball on turn 1. Once removed and uncursed, they can also use the amulet as a means to keep themselves locked into powerful forms (usually obtained from applying a mask).

Monsters will zap the wand of polymorph and throw potions of polymorph at you, behaving the same as in EvilHack; the amulet is still a useful source of unchanging to prevent this.

See also

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.