Difference between revisions of "Drain life (monster attack)"

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'''Drain life''' is a monster attack [[damage type]] that may reduce the [[experience level]] of the defender.
 
'''Drain life''' is a monster attack [[damage type]] that may reduce the [[experience level]] of the defender.
  
==Effect==
+
==Description==
 
 
 
When a drain life attack hits, it has a 1 in 3 chance of taking effect. It may be prevented by [[drain resistance]], [[magic cancellation]], or if the attacker is a [[cancelled]] [[monster]].<ref name="mhitm.c">{{sourcecode|mhitm.c|991}} monster draining a monster</ref><ref name="mhitu.c">{{sourcecode|mhitu.c|1130}} monster draining a player</ref><ref name="uhitm.c">{{sourcecode|uhitm.c|1467}} player draining a monster</ref>
 
When a drain life attack hits, it has a 1 in 3 chance of taking effect. It may be prevented by [[drain resistance]], [[magic cancellation]], or if the attacker is a [[cancelled]] [[monster]].<ref name="mhitm.c">{{sourcecode|mhitm.c|991}} monster draining a monster</ref><ref name="mhitu.c">{{sourcecode|mhitu.c|1130}} monster draining a player</ref><ref name="uhitm.c">{{sourcecode|uhitm.c|1467}} player draining a monster</ref>
  
 
The precise effects then depend on whether it is a monster or a [[player]] that is hit.
 
The precise effects then depend on whether it is a monster or a [[player]] that is hit.
  
===On players===
+
===Versus players===
 
 
 
{{main|Experience level#Losing levels}}
 
{{main|Experience level#Losing levels}}
 
+
The player's experience level is reduced by 1, killing them if their level reaches 0; their [[experience]] is reduced to the maximum for his new level. Maximum and current [[hit points]] are reduced by the same amount as they would have been increased had the player gained a level. They cannot be reduced below one hit point.<ref name="mhitu.c"/><ref name="exper.c>{{function|exper.c|losexp}} player loses a level</ref>
If a player's level was one, he [[die]]s.
 
Otherwise, the player's level is reduced by 1. His [[experience]] is reduced to the maximum for his new level. Maximum and current [[hit points]] are reduced by the same amount as they would have been increased had the player gained a level. They cannot be reduced below one hit point.<ref name="mhitu.c"/><ref name="exper.c>{{function|exper.c|losexp}} player loses a level</ref>
 
  
 
===On monsters===
 
===On monsters===
 
+
The monster's level is reduced by 1, killing them if their level reaches 0; their maximum and current hit points are reduced by [[D notation|2d6]].
If a monster's level was zero, it dies.
 
Otherwise, the monster's level is reduced by 1. Its maximum and current hit points are reduced by [[D notation|2d6]].
 
 
If its hit points are reduced below 1, it dies.<ref name="mhitm.c"/><ref name="uhitm.c"/>
 
If its hit points are reduced below 1, it dies.<ref name="mhitm.c"/><ref name="uhitm.c"/>
  
 
==Monsters with the attack==
 
==Monsters with the attack==
 
 
The following monsters have this attack by default:<ref name="vampires">{{function|monst.c|Vampires}} all V have a drain life attack</ref><ref name="wraiths">{{function|monst.c|Wraiths}} all W have a drain life attack</ref><ref name="Demogorgon">{{sourcecode|monst.c|2731}} Demogorgon has a drain life attack</ref>
 
The following monsters have this attack by default:<ref name="vampires">{{function|monst.c|Vampires}} all V have a drain life attack</ref><ref name="wraiths">{{function|monst.c|Wraiths}} all W have a drain life attack</ref><ref name="Demogorgon">{{sourcecode|monst.c|2731}} Demogorgon has a drain life attack</ref>
 
  
 
* {{monsymlink|vampire}}
 
* {{monsymlink|vampire}}
Line 43: Line 35:
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
 
+
With [[magic cancellation]] changes in [[3.6.0]], drain life attacks have become a little less preventable. Thankfully, most of the time you don't need to worry about it, since the first lost level is immediately regained due to the experience gained when the attacker is killed. If you expect to get hit many times, you can temporarily equip MC3 items or wield one of the [[drain resistance]] artifacts; MC3 will reduce the level drain chance to 1 in 30, which is good enough for most purposes. If you do somehow lose two levels at once, you can regain the second one by drinking a blessed [[potion of full healing]] (which will also have its usual effect).
With [[magic cancellation]] changes in [[3.6.0]], drain life attacks have become a little less preventable. Thankfully, most of the time you don't need to worry about it, since the first lost level is immediately regained due to the experience gained when the attacker is killed. If you expect to get hit many times, you can temporarily equip MC3 items or wield one of the [[drain resistance]] artifacts; MC3 will reduce the level drain chance to 1 in 30, which is good enough for most purposes. If you do somehow lose two levels at once, you can regain the second one by drinking a blessed [[potion of full healing]] (which will also have its usual effect).
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
+
{{nethack-360}}
 
[[Category:Monster damage types]]
 
[[Category:Monster damage types]]
{{nethack-343}}
 

Revision as of 09:19, 29 October 2023

Drain life is a monster attack damage type that may reduce the experience level of the defender.

Description

When a drain life attack hits, it has a 1 in 3 chance of taking effect. It may be prevented by drain resistance, magic cancellation, or if the attacker is a cancelled monster.[1][2][3]

The precise effects then depend on whether it is a monster or a player that is hit.

Versus players

The player's experience level is reduced by 1, killing them if their level reaches 0; their experience is reduced to the maximum for his new level. Maximum and current hit points are reduced by the same amount as they would have been increased had the player gained a level. They cannot be reduced below one hit point.[2][4]

On monsters

The monster's level is reduced by 1, killing them if their level reaches 0; their maximum and current hit points are reduced by 2d6. If its hit points are reduced below 1, it dies.[1][3]

Monsters with the attack

The following monsters have this attack by default:[5][6][7]

Additionally, if the compile-time option SEDUCE is not defined, the seduction attack of the following monsters becomes a drain life attack:[8]

Internals

Drain life is represented by the macro AD_DRLI.[9]

Strategy

With magic cancellation changes in 3.6.0, drain life attacks have become a little less preventable. Thankfully, most of the time you don't need to worry about it, since the first lost level is immediately regained due to the experience gained when the attacker is killed. If you expect to get hit many times, you can temporarily equip MC3 items or wield one of the drain resistance artifacts; MC3 will reduce the level drain chance to 1 in 30, which is good enough for most purposes. If you do somehow lose two levels at once, you can regain the second one by drinking a blessed potion of full healing (which will also have its usual effect).

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 mhitm.c, line 991 monster draining a monster
  2. 2.0 2.1 mhitu.c, line 1130 monster draining a player
  3. 3.0 3.1 uhitm.c, line 1467 player draining a monster
  4. losexp in exper.c player loses a level
  5. Vampires in monst.c all V have a drain life attack
  6. Wraiths in monst.c all W have a drain life attack
  7. monst.c, line 2731 Demogorgon has a drain life attack
  8. monst.c, line 2554 foocubi have a drain life attack if SEDUCE is not defined
  9. monattk.h in NetHack 3.4.3, line 52: AD_DRLI macro

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.