Difference between revisions of "Executioner"

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(Executioner strategy)
(rewriting + organization; the Dudley section seems completely out of place, and the page also seems to claim there are two crystal picks when I've seen no reference to that elsewhere)
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  |resistances=cold, fire, poison, stoning
 
  |resistances=cold, fire, poison, stoning
 
  |resistances conveyed=None
 
  |resistances conveyed=None
  |attributes={{attributes|Executioner|
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  |attributes=
|swim=1|humanoid=1|regen=1|seeinvis=1|
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{{attributes|The Executioner|swim=1|humanoid=1|regen=1|seeinvis=1|omnivore=1|nopoly=1|human=1|hostile=1|strong=1|nasty=1|prince=1|male=1|infravisible=1}}
|omnivore=1|nopoly=1|human=1|hostile=1|strong=1|nasty=1|prince=1|male=1|
 
|infravisible=1}}
 
 
  |reference=[http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/unnethack/changeset/1136/trunk/src/monst.c]
 
  |reference=[http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/unnethack/changeset/1136/trunk/src/monst.c]
 
}}
 
}}
The '''Executioner''' is a unique monster, found in [[UnNetHack]] at the lowest level of [[Sheol]].  He’s fast, has two extremely strong weapon attacks, and comes equipped with a [[cloak of magic resistance]] and the [[artifact]] double-headed battle-axe [[Cleaver]] (or a regular battle-axe if Cleaver was already generated).  He is assisted in this aim by monsters such as [[blue slime]] that will freeze [[Player|you]] in ice.  He presides over a hoard containing two [[crystal pick]]s and a [[magic marker]].  If given the freedom to strike, he is quite capable of eliminating an ascension-equipped adventurer in a couple of rounds.
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The '''Executioner''' is a unique monster introduced in [[UnNetHack]]. He is incredibly deadly, possessing a solid -2 [[AC]] and two extremely strong weapon attacks that can each hit for a maximum of 50 base damage, and can only be outsped by a [[very fast]] player.
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==Generation==
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The Executioner only appears in the lowest level of [[Sheol]], and [[Monster starting generation|will always be generated]] with a [[cloak of magic resistance]] and the [[artifact]] [[battle-axe]] [[Cleaver]]; if Cleaver is already generated in that game, he will instead have a normal battle-axe.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
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The Executioner can wipe out even ascension-ready players in a couple of turns, and is assisted by various other monsters on the same floor, particularly [[blue slime]]s that can freeze you in ice. In addition to intrinsic [[stoning]] resistance preventing use of [[footrice]] [[corpse]]s, his starting cloak and decent [[monster magic resistance]] nullifies the [[wand of death]] and dampens or outright nullifies most spell-based approaches; he has further resistances to [[cold resistance|cold]], [[fire resistance|fire]], and [[poison resistance|poison]]. Carelessly approaching him in melee without proper protection can spell instant death even if you have an [[amulet of life saving]], due to his speed and multiple attacks per turn.
  
Many of the Executioner’s inherent strengths and resistances make him immune to common insta-kills like the [[wand of death]] or a [[cockatrice corpse]], and getting in melee range without proper protection can spell instant death, even if you have an [[amulet of life saving]], due to his speed and multiple attacks per turn. However, he does have a few weaknesses that can be exploited if you want to get the treasure he guards.
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However, the Executioner's threat can be greatly reduced if you can liberate his weapon from his hands, especially if it is Cleaver; without the artifact's damage bonuses, his melee attacks are somewhat more manageable, but still very dangerous. The [[half physical damage]] attribute may save your life several times over compared to an actual amulet of life saving, especially if you can come into the fight unencumbered and wearing [[speed boots]]; this can give you valuable turns to retreat and/or use any means of healing you have available. You can also use a [[wand of teleportation]] against him to give you some breathing room; teleporting yourself will not work, as all of Sheol is a [[no-teleport level]].
  
* The Executioner is devastating in melee, but has no ranged or spellcasting abilities. If you block off his path to you with [[pits]] or [[boulders]] (with a [[scroll of earth]]), he will be unable to hurt you and you can fire daggers and arrows at him until he dies.
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If you only want the hoard of items he guards (including a [[crystal pick]] and [[magic marker]], both of which are guaranteed), you can run past him or teleport him away to get at the chests, then [[level teleport]] out (since levelporting ignores no-teleport levels); the [[chest]]s furthest from the stairs will always hold the crystal pick and magic marker.
** A [[spider web]] or [[bear trap]] also achieves this by catching him in place, but only temporarily.
 
**This will ''NOT'' work with magic or attack wands, due to his cloak and intrinsic resistances to fire and ice.
 
* The Executioner has no [[sleep resistance]] and is just as vulnerable to [[paralysis]] as every other monster. If you can survive a round or two in melee and have the appropriate resistance, you can hit him with a potion of sleep or paralysis to immobilize him long enough for a highly-enchanted artifact weapon to kill him.
 
** A player was able to successfully anesthetise and then despatch him by means of the [[Spellbook_of_sleep|sleep]] spell and a [[Magicbane|high quality dagger]].  This led to the suggested [[t-shirt]] message "I knocked off the Executioner and all I got was this lousy crystal pick".{{refsrc|src/read.c|60|unnethack=1986}}
 
* His cloak of magic resistance protects him from death rays, but not [[disintegration]]. Polymorphing into a [[black dragon]] lets you destroy his cloak and either hit him with magic afterward to kill him or, if you don’t care for his axe, disintegrate him with another blast. Make sure you have sufficient [[power]] to use the breath attack.
 
* The [[wand of teleportation]] ignores his cloak of magic resistance and is a good way of getting him away from you in an emergency.
 
* If you’re only interested in the crystal pick and magic marker, you can run past him by being very [[fast]] and with the help of tools mentioned above, loot the pick and marker (they’re always in the chests furthest from the staircase), and then [[level teleport]] out; his level permits it.
 
  
====(Boo!!!)====
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Despite resisting many ranged forms of assault, the Executioner can still be picked off at a distance due to lacking any range of its own; you can block his path using [[boulders]] from a [[scroll of earth]] or any traps that may appear in the room, and then unleash a storm of your best projectiles to bring him down. [[Spider web]]s and [[bear trap]]s can also temporarily pin the Executioner in place. Though he has solid MR, the Executioner also has no [[sleep resistance]], and is just as vulnerable to [[paralysis]] as every other monster; if you can survive a round or two in melee and have sleep resistance and/or a [[ring of free action]], you can hit him with a [[potion of sleep]] or [[potion of paralysis|paralysis]] to immobilize him long enough for a highly-enchanted artifact weapon to kill him.
Bad move there, Dudley.
 
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P=[[Blue_slime|{{brightblue|P}}]]
 
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xxx---|..#|..|..............
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One player was able to successfully hit him with a [[spell of sleep]] and dispatch him with a well-enchanted [[Magicbane]]; this led to the suggested [[t-shirt]] message "I knocked off the Executioner and all I got was this lousy crystal pick".{{refsrc|src/read.c|60|unnethack=1986}}
xxx|....#..--...+
 
---|...#.'..'
 
|<....#L@.......{
 
---|.#.PP..
 
xxx|D......--...+
 
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xxxxxx|...|..|
 
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== Encyclopedia entry ==
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[[Polymorph]]ing into a [[black dragon]] allows you to dispatch the Executioner with ease, as he does not resist [[disintegration]], and two blasts of breath is enough to destroy his cloak and then disintegrate him; note that this will destroy his weapon as well, so do not resort to this if you wish to obtain it unless you can get it off his person beforehand.
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==Encyclopedia entry==
  
 
{{encyclopedia|
 
{{encyclopedia|
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}}
 
}}
  
== References ==
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==References==
 
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<references/>
<references />
 
  
 
{{variant-343}}
 
{{variant-343}}
 
[[Category:UnNetHack monsters]]
 
[[Category:UnNetHack monsters]]

Revision as of 07:12, 21 March 2020

The Executioner is a unique monster introduced in UnNetHack. He is incredibly deadly, possessing a solid -2 AC and two extremely strong weapon attacks that can each hit for a maximum of 50 base damage, and can only be outsped by a very fast player.

Generation

The Executioner only appears in the lowest level of Sheol, and will always be generated with a cloak of magic resistance and the artifact battle-axe Cleaver; if Cleaver is already generated in that game, he will instead have a normal battle-axe.

Strategy

The Executioner can wipe out even ascension-ready players in a couple of turns, and is assisted by various other monsters on the same floor, particularly blue slimes that can freeze you in ice. In addition to intrinsic stoning resistance preventing use of footrice corpses, his starting cloak and decent monster magic resistance nullifies the wand of death and dampens or outright nullifies most spell-based approaches; he has further resistances to cold, fire, and poison. Carelessly approaching him in melee without proper protection can spell instant death even if you have an amulet of life saving, due to his speed and multiple attacks per turn.

However, the Executioner's threat can be greatly reduced if you can liberate his weapon from his hands, especially if it is Cleaver; without the artifact's damage bonuses, his melee attacks are somewhat more manageable, but still very dangerous. The half physical damage attribute may save your life several times over compared to an actual amulet of life saving, especially if you can come into the fight unencumbered and wearing speed boots; this can give you valuable turns to retreat and/or use any means of healing you have available. You can also use a wand of teleportation against him to give you some breathing room; teleporting yourself will not work, as all of Sheol is a no-teleport level.

If you only want the hoard of items he guards (including a crystal pick and magic marker, both of which are guaranteed), you can run past him or teleport him away to get at the chests, then level teleport out (since levelporting ignores no-teleport levels); the chests furthest from the stairs will always hold the crystal pick and magic marker.

Despite resisting many ranged forms of assault, the Executioner can still be picked off at a distance due to lacking any range of its own; you can block his path using boulders from a scroll of earth or any traps that may appear in the room, and then unleash a storm of your best projectiles to bring him down. Spider webs and bear traps can also temporarily pin the Executioner in place. Though he has solid MR, the Executioner also has no sleep resistance, and is just as vulnerable to paralysis as every other monster; if you can survive a round or two in melee and have sleep resistance and/or a ring of free action, you can hit him with a potion of sleep or paralysis to immobilize him long enough for a highly-enchanted artifact weapon to kill him.

One player was able to successfully hit him with a spell of sleep and dispatch him with a well-enchanted Magicbane; this led to the suggested t-shirt message "I knocked off the Executioner and all I got was this lousy crystal pick".[1]

Polymorphing into a black dragon allows you to dispatch the Executioner with ease, as he does not resist disintegration, and two blasts of breath is enough to destroy his cloak and then disintegrate him; note that this will destroy his weapon as well, so do not resort to this if you wish to obtain it unless you can get it off his person beforehand.

Encyclopedia entry

Executioners like to immediately execute adventurers who get trapped in their icy lairs. Challenging them in direct hand-to-hand combat would be headlessly stupid.
'Executioners execute!' [ Adeon ]

References