Difference between revisions of "Bones"
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* Large concentration of different [[monster]]s | * Large concentration of different [[monster]]s | ||
| + | * Wounded monsters (could be identified via a [[stethoscope]]) | ||
| + | * Broken doors, holes in walls | ||
| + | * Empty or partially empty [[throne room|throne rooms]], [[zoo|zoos]], or [[leprechaun hall|leprechaun halls]] | ||
| + | * [[Engrave|Engraved messages]] other than those randomly placed by NetHack | ||
* Few [[item]]s on the floor | * Few [[item]]s on the floor | ||
| − | * Presence of [[corpse]]s, which are never randomly generated | + | * A named ghost, in a room other than a [[graveyard]] |
| + | * Presence of [[corpse]]s, which are never randomly generated (except for in the [[Valley of the Dead]], which cannot have bones) | ||
| + | |||
| + | A dungeon can only contain a single bones level, so if you have discovered bones previously, you will not discover another set. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==What to do with bones== | ||
| + | A bones level will contain some remnant of the player whose bones are laying about. Typically this is a [[ghost]] bearing the name of the player, usually stationed over the bones pile (ghosts move slowly). If the deceased player was killed by a [[vampire]], the ghost will be replaced with a vampire bearing the name. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Killing or luring the ghost or vampire away gives the player access to the bones. Bones piles contain the entire inventory of the player, randomly cursed. It is usually a good idea not to '''q'''uaff, '''p'''ut on, '''w'''ield, or '''W'''ear anything from a bones pile until it has been properly [[BUC]] identified, as many objects are likely to be cursed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Beware! The original killer is still lurking about the level, probably not too far from the site of the bones. If you discover a bones pile with very advanced items, be very careful about running into whatever managed to kill your predecessor! | ||
==Forensics== | ==Forensics== | ||
| + | ===Item identification=== | ||
| + | Objects that the deceased player has [[name|#named]] will be reset to whatever description that object has in the current player's game. In other words, if the deceased had a yellow potion named "this burns when thrown" (meaning it was acid), but acid in the current player's game is a purple potion, the potion will show up as purple, without a name. | ||
| − | + | Assuming that the game is being played on a public server such as [[NAO]], the less scrupulous may approach the deceased player online and ask nicely what key items were being carried. This is [[metagaming]] however, and some players may not wish to oblige the bones discoverer. | |
| + | ===Item identification via the class of the deceased=== | ||
| + | When encountering a bones level, it can be advantageous to know some details of the deceased, or at least his or her class. For example, if you find a [[grave]] with a [[quarterstaff]], a randomly named [[cloak]], two [[spellbook]]s, and a [[magic marker]], you can be fairly certain the corpse is that of an early wizard, from which you can deduce that the cloak is a [[cloak of magic resistance]]. This method comes with no guarantees, but the more "indicator items" you find, the more certain you can be. | ||
{|class="prettytable" | {|class="prettytable" | ||
!Class | !Class | ||
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Rogues and Valkyries are hard to identify, since they both start with items common to other classes, or commonly generated. | Rogues and Valkyries are hard to identify, since they both start with items common to other classes, or commonly generated. | ||
| + | ==Ineligible bones levels== | ||
| + | These levels cannot contain bones. ''This list is not complete, please add to it!'' | ||
| + | *The first four levels of the [[dungeon]] | ||
| + | *[[Sokoban]] | ||
| + | *[[Medusa|Medusa's Island]] | ||
| + | *The [[Castle]] | ||
| + | *The [[Valley of the Dead]] | ||
| + | *[[The Wizard's Tower]] | ||
| + | *[[Moloch's Sanctum]] | ||
| + | *The [[elemental planes]] | ||
| + | *The [[astral plane]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Ethics== | ||
| + | Whether using the contents of a deceased player's bones is ethical is left to the player to decide. Bones can often make a difficult game much easier by providing items that the current player has not "earned" yet. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Finding one's own bones is an even more difficult position. Luckily on a public server there are enough players that this is unlikely to happen too frequently. | ||
[[Category:Dungeon features]] | [[Category:Dungeon features]] | ||
Revision as of 19:25, 23 August 2006
When you die, there is a chance that the level as you left it is saved, to be reloaded in a later game. Such levels are known as bones levels, bones files or simply bones.
Contents
Clues
How to tell if a level is a bones level:
- Large concentration of different monsters
- Wounded monsters (could be identified via a stethoscope)
- Broken doors, holes in walls
- Empty or partially empty throne rooms, zoos, or leprechaun halls
- Engraved messages other than those randomly placed by NetHack
- Few items on the floor
- A named ghost, in a room other than a graveyard
- Presence of corpses, which are never randomly generated (except for in the Valley of the Dead, which cannot have bones)
A dungeon can only contain a single bones level, so if you have discovered bones previously, you will not discover another set.
What to do with bones
A bones level will contain some remnant of the player whose bones are laying about. Typically this is a ghost bearing the name of the player, usually stationed over the bones pile (ghosts move slowly). If the deceased player was killed by a vampire, the ghost will be replaced with a vampire bearing the name.
Killing or luring the ghost or vampire away gives the player access to the bones. Bones piles contain the entire inventory of the player, randomly cursed. It is usually a good idea not to quaff, put on, wield, or Wear anything from a bones pile until it has been properly BUC identified, as many objects are likely to be cursed.
Beware! The original killer is still lurking about the level, probably not too far from the site of the bones. If you discover a bones pile with very advanced items, be very careful about running into whatever managed to kill your predecessor!
Forensics
Item identification
Objects that the deceased player has #named will be reset to whatever description that object has in the current player's game. In other words, if the deceased had a yellow potion named "this burns when thrown" (meaning it was acid), but acid in the current player's game is a purple potion, the potion will show up as purple, without a name.
Assuming that the game is being played on a public server such as NAO, the less scrupulous may approach the deceased player online and ask nicely what key items were being carried. This is metagaming however, and some players may not wish to oblige the bones discoverer.
Item identification via the class of the deceased
When encountering a bones level, it can be advantageous to know some details of the deceased, or at least his or her class. For example, if you find a grave with a quarterstaff, a randomly named cloak, two spellbooks, and a magic marker, you can be fairly certain the corpse is that of an early wizard, from which you can deduce that the cloak is a cloak of magic resistance. This method comes with no guarantees, but the more "indicator items" you find, the more certain you can be.
| Class | is indicated by |
|---|---|
| Archeologist | bullwhip, fedora, tinning kit |
| Barbarian | two-handed sword |
| Caveman | large number of rocks |
| Healer | scalpel, stethoscope |
| Knight | lance, many apples and carrots |
| Monk | many apples and oranges |
| Priest | 4 potions of water, both of: mace and robe |
| Ranger | two large stacks of arrows |
| Rogue | |
| Samurai | large stack of ya |
| Tourist | Hawaiian shirt, expensive camera, credit card, stack of 4 scrolls |
| Valkyrie | |
| Wizard | quarterstaff, randomly named cloak, two spellbooks, many other magical items |
Rogues and Valkyries are hard to identify, since they both start with items common to other classes, or commonly generated.
Ineligible bones levels
These levels cannot contain bones. This list is not complete, please add to it!
- The first four levels of the dungeon
- Sokoban
- Medusa's Island
- The Castle
- The Valley of the Dead
- The Wizard's Tower
- Moloch's Sanctum
- The elemental planes
- The astral plane
Ethics
Whether using the contents of a deceased player's bones is ethical is left to the player to decide. Bones can often make a difficult game much easier by providing items that the current player has not "earned" yet.
Finding one's own bones is an even more difficult position. Luckily on a public server there are enough players that this is unlikely to happen too frequently.
