Difference between revisions of "Black pudding"

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(Strategy)
(update for 3.6.0 - pudding farming is gone now; sadly, so is eating their corpses for intrinsics, eliminating a potential early source of poison resistance)
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  |genocidable=Yes
 
  |genocidable=Yes
 
  |attacks=Bite 3d8 [[corrosion]], [[Passive]] [[corrosion]]
 
  |attacks=Bite 3d8 [[corrosion]], [[Passive]] [[corrosion]]
  |resistances conveyed=Poison (22%), Cold (22%), Shock (22%)
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  |resistances conveyed=None
 
  |resistances=Cold, Shock, Poison, Acid, Stoning
 
  |resistances=Cold, Shock, Poison, Acid, Stoning
  |attributes={{attributes|A black pudding|breathless=1|amorphous=1|noeyes=1|nolimbs=1|nohead=1|mindless=1|omnivore=1|acid=1|hostile=1|neuter=1}}
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  |attributes={{attributes|A black pudding|nocorpse=1|breathless=1|amorphous=1|noeyes=1|nolimbs=1|nohead=1|mindless=1|omnivore=1|acid=1|hostile=1|neuter=1}}
 
  |size=Large
 
  |size=Large
 
  |nutr=250
 
  |nutr=250
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  |reference=[[monst.c#line1838]]
 
  |reference=[[monst.c#line1838]]
 
}}
 
}}
The '''black pudding''', {{monsym|black pudding}}, is an [[amoeboid]] [[NetHack]] [[monster]].  Its most noteworthy characteristic is its ability to [[division|divide]] when hit by an [[iron]] item, leaving two black puddings (a process which also [[corrosion|corrodes]] the weapon).  It is the more powerful of the two monsters that can do this (the other being the [[brown pudding]]). It is precisely this characteristic that gives rise to the practice of [[pudding farming]].
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The '''black pudding''', {{monsym|black pudding}}, is an [[amoeboid]] [[NetHack]] [[monster]].  Its most noteworthy characteristic is its ability to [[division|divide]] when hit by an [[iron]] item, leaving two black puddings (a process which also [[corrosion|corrodes]] the weapon).  It is the more powerful of the two monsters that can do this (the other being the [[brown pudding]]).
  
 
[[Kick]]ing a [[sink]] has a chance of summoning a black pudding. The message for this is, "A black ooze gushes up from the drain!"
 
[[Kick]]ing a [[sink]] has a chance of summoning a black pudding. The message for this is, "A black ooze gushes up from the drain!"
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== Strategy ==
 
== Strategy ==
  
Black puddings can be encountered early in the game due to sinks. It can be a good idea to kick sinks for this reason, as they are slow making their powerful bite easily avoidable and if you attack them from a distance or use hit-and-run, their XP value will be certain to gain you a level, and their corpse can be eaten ([[acid|acidic]] so watch your HP or wear an [[Alchemy smock]]) for a chance at a variety of intrinsics. If you are careful not to kill the last pudding, you can be assured of getting all 3 intrinsics from one [[sink]].
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Black puddings can be encountered early in the game due to sinks. It can be a good idea to kick sinks for this reason, as their low speed makes their powerful bite easily avoidable and their XP value can easily gain you an entire level.
  
 
On the other hand, kicking a sink can also summon a [[foocubus]] of opposite sex to the adventurer ("The dishwasher returns!"), and one of the possible negative seduction effects is a level drain ("You feel out of shape").  Level 1 adventurers should never kick sinks, as being drained from level 1 is an [[instadeath]] (unless you [[Metastrategy|don't mind restarting]]).  Those with a few more levels should weigh the risks.
 
On the other hand, kicking a sink can also summon a [[foocubus]] of opposite sex to the adventurer ("The dishwasher returns!"), and one of the possible negative seduction effects is a level drain ("You feel out of shape").  Level 1 adventurers should never kick sinks, as being drained from level 1 is an [[instadeath]] (unless you [[Metastrategy|don't mind restarting]]).  Those with a few more levels should weigh the risks.
  
When a pudding splits the current HP are divided equally between the two new puddings, so each split produces weaker ones until it dies attempting to split its last hitpoint. So if things threaten to get out of hand kill the newer ones first before they have time to regenerate.
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When a pudding splits the current HP are divided equally between the two new puddings, so each split produces weaker ones until it dies attempting to split its last hitpoint. Thus, if things threaten to get out of hand, kill the newer ones first before they have time to regenerate.
  
Their corpses are acidic, but they have a chance of providing Cold, Shock and Poison resistance.
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If you have a pudding pet and a [[polymorph trap]], you can split it, yielding more pets to polymorph. As the name is also cloned, you might want to rename them. See [[Tameness#Abuse|Abuse]] for ramifications of attacking and splitting your pet. When doing this, take care to use a [[Puddingbane]], lest you kill your pet(s) and suffer the penalty.
 
 
If you have a pudding pet and a [[polymorph trap]], you can split it, yielding more pets to polymorph. As the name is also cloned, you might want to rename them. See [[Tameness#Abuse|Abuse]] for ramifications of attacking and splitting your pet. Follow the advice on pudding farming, and consider collecting a [[Puddingbane]], lest you kill your pet(s).
 
  
 
=== Protect your armor ===
 
=== Protect your armor ===
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* You could step away from the pudding and remove your vulnerable armor; black puddings do not corrode what you do not wear.
 
* You could step away from the pudding and remove your vulnerable armor; black puddings do not corrode what you do not wear.
  
A good strategy is to fight using [[ranged attack]]s, but many players will not have these armor problems; maybe you will not encounter a black pudding before you rustproof your armor. In addition, the many items gained from farming (i.e., armor, scrolls of enchantment) can replace or repair any items that have been corroded.
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A good strategy is to fight using [[ranged attack]]s, but many players will not have these armor problems; maybe you will not encounter a black pudding before you rustproof your armor.
  
 
=== Don't use iron weapons ===
 
=== Don't use iron weapons ===
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===Farming===
 
===Farming===
 
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In earlier versions, killing black puddings left corpses (which could be eaten to provide useful intrinsics or [[sacrifice]]d for a variety of gains) and [[death drop]]s, leading to the practice of [[pudding farming]]. However, Nethack 3.6.0 eliminated the ability of puddings to drop corpses, making this practice ineffective and pointless.
And of course, there is the frown up practice of [[pudding farming]]. Farming consists in dividing the puddings repeatedly before killing any of them. Players do this to generate large numbers of [[death drop]]s and corpses (for [[sacrifice]]). [[Expert pudding farming|Expert]] pudding farmers can actually fill entire levels with the divided puddings and obtain several hundred pages of items from the result. Farming can also be done with [[brown pudding]]s  
 
 
 
For more, read the [[pudding farming]] and [[Expert pudding farming]] articles.
 
  
 
==SLASH'EM==
 
==SLASH'EM==
In [[SLASH'EM]], black puddings never leave [[death drop]]s. This way pudding farming is less productive.
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In [[SLASH'EM]], black puddings never leave [[death drop]]s, but they still drop corpses for sacrificing.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
  
 
*[[Brown pudding]]
 
*[[Brown pudding]]
*[[Pudding farming]]
 
*[[Expert pudding farming]]
 
 
*[[Puddingbane]]
 
*[[Puddingbane]]
  
{{nethack-343}}
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{{nethack-360}}
 
[[Category:Monsters]]
 
[[Category:Monsters]]

Revision as of 14:33, 11 December 2015

The black pudding, P, is an amoeboid NetHack monster. Its most noteworthy characteristic is its ability to divide when hit by an iron item, leaving two black puddings (a process which also corrodes the weapon). It is the more powerful of the two monsters that can do this (the other being the brown pudding).

Kicking a sink has a chance of summoning a black pudding. The message for this is, "A black ooze gushes up from the drain!"

The black pudding is considered a fleshy monster, and is not vegetarian. This is presumably a pun on the fact that some types of blood sausage are known as "black pudding". (Also note the sausage-like tile used in the Windows version, presumably also playing on the same pun.)

Strategy

Black puddings can be encountered early in the game due to sinks. It can be a good idea to kick sinks for this reason, as their low speed makes their powerful bite easily avoidable and their XP value can easily gain you an entire level.

On the other hand, kicking a sink can also summon a foocubus of opposite sex to the adventurer ("The dishwasher returns!"), and one of the possible negative seduction effects is a level drain ("You feel out of shape"). Level 1 adventurers should never kick sinks, as being drained from level 1 is an instadeath (unless you don't mind restarting). Those with a few more levels should weigh the risks.

When a pudding splits the current HP are divided equally between the two new puddings, so each split produces weaker ones until it dies attempting to split its last hitpoint. Thus, if things threaten to get out of hand, kill the newer ones first before they have time to regenerate.

If you have a pudding pet and a polymorph trap, you can split it, yielding more pets to polymorph. As the name is also cloned, you might want to rename them. See Abuse for ramifications of attacking and splitting your pet. When doing this, take care to use a Puddingbane, lest you kill your pet(s) and suffer the penalty.

Protect your armor

The bite of the black pudding can corrode your copper or iron armor. Before allowing the pudding to bite you, consider if it will damage your armor.

  • Rustproof iron armor will not corrode.
  • A corrodeproof bronze plate mail (the only copper armor) will not corrode.
  • Body armor concealed under a cloak or robe will not corrode.
  • You might let your uncursed or blessed +0 orcish helm corrode if you have a replacement available.
  • You could step away from the pudding and remove your vulnerable armor; black puddings do not corrode what you do not wear.

A good strategy is to fight using ranged attacks, but many players will not have these armor problems; maybe you will not encounter a black pudding before you rustproof your armor.

Don't use iron weapons

Black puddings can corrode iron weapons. If you would wield an iron weapon and hit a black pudding, then the pudding might split and the weapon would corrode. (That is good if you want to block a wide path, but bad if the multiple puddings thoroughly corrode your armor.)

Switch to that elven dagger or just bare fist for melee, throw rocks or junk darts for ranged, or employ rustproof or non-iron weapons against those black puddings.

Farming

In earlier versions, killing black puddings left corpses (which could be eaten to provide useful intrinsics or sacrificed for a variety of gains) and death drops, leading to the practice of pudding farming. However, Nethack 3.6.0 eliminated the ability of puddings to drop corpses, making this practice ineffective and pointless.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, black puddings never leave death drops, but they still drop corpses for sacrificing.

See also


This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.0. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-360}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.