Difference between revisions of "Genetic engineer"

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(Genetic engineers will teleport away if possible after metamorphosing a monster.)
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{{monster
 
{{monster
|name = genetic engineer
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|name=genetic engineer
|difficulty = 14
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|difficulty=14
|level = 12
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|level=12
|speed = 12
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|speed=12
|AC = 3
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|AC=3
|MR = 10
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|MR=10
|align = 0
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|align=0
|experience = 267
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|experience=267
|frequency = 1
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|frequency=1
|genocidable = Yes
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|genocidable=Yes
|size = Medium
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|size=Medium
|weight = 1450
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|weight=1450
|nutr = 20
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|nutr=20
|attacks = Claw [[polymorph]] 1d4
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|attacks=Claw [[polymorph]] 1d4
|resistances = [[poison]]
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|resistances=[[poison]]
|resistances conveyed = Causes [[polymorph]]
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|resistances conveyed=Causes [[polymorph]]
|attributes = {{attributes|A genetic engineer|=
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|attributes={{attributes|A genetic engineer|humanoid=1|omnivore=1|pois=1|tport=1|hostile=1|infravisible=1|hell=1}}
|humanoid = 1
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|reference=[[SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2/monst.c#line3020]]
|omnivore = 1
 
|pois = 1
 
|tport = 1
 
|hostile = 1
 
|infravisible = 1
 
|hell = 1
 
}}
 
|reference = [[SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2/monst.c#line3020]]
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
A genetic engineer is a monster in [[SLASH'EM]]. Its attacks cause monsters or [[you]] to polymorph, making it both a formidable opponent and a useful polymorph form.  This attack is nullified by [[magic resistance]], and affected by [[magic cancellation]].
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A '''genetic engineer''', {{monsym|genetic engineer}}, is a type of [[monster]] that originates in [[SLASH'EM]], and also appears in [[SlashTHEM]] and [[xNetHack]]. Its sole melee attack is weak, but can [[polymorph]] any monster it hits unless the target has [[magic resistance]] or sufficient [[magic cancellation]].
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{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Genetic engineers now appear in NetHack 3.7. They can generate outside of Gehennom and are eligible to appear via the [[summon nasties]] [[monster spell]]. Genetic engineers will [[teleport]] away if possible after changing a monster with their polymorph attack; this includes [[you]] if you are polymorphed into a genetic engineer.
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Eating a genetic engineer corpse will cause you to polymorph as a [[chameleon]] or [[doppelganger]] corpse does - this also applies to [[pet]]s and other monsters, but pets will not eat poisonous corpses unless they have poison resistance, and additionally avoid corpses that would cause them to polymorph unless they are starving or on the verge of untaming.
  
{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Genetic engineers have been introduced to NetHack 3.7. They can appear outside of Gehennom, and can be summoned with [[summon nasties]]. They cannot teleport. Eating a genetic engineer corpse will cause you (or a monster) to polymorph, as a [[chameleon]] corpse does; magic resistance does not nullify this effect. Currently, pets that are poison resistant will ''not'' avoid eating them.
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If you are hit by the polymorph attack as a [[werecreature]], it will switch you between your natural and beast forms.
  
If you are a [[werecreature]], the polymorph attack will instead switch you between your natural and beast forms.
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The current tile image is from SLASH'EM; vanilla uses a different tile (no glasses, holding a strand of DNA) which should probably replace it.}}
  
Genetic engineers will [[teleport]] away if possible after metamorphosing a monster. This includes [[you]] if polymorphed into one.}}
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{{todo|Write up info for other variants}}
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
===Living with genetic engineers===
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The genetic engineer is generally a dangerous opponent, since it can easily polymorph you into a form that breaks armor or else shrinks out of it - this in turn will usually leave you susceptible to being polymorphed further, since you will not have any magic cancellation. Fortunately, they are typically only encountered around [[Gehennom]], and you should have a source of magic resistance before then. Players without magic resistance should use their best ranged attacks to kill off a genetic engineer before they can get into melee range.
Hopefully by the time you reach [[Gehennom]] in SLASH'EM, you will have magic resistance, making genetic engineers almost a non-threat. If you don't, then ranged weapons are advised; even though their attacks are affected by magic cancellation, they have a reasonable chance of being able to [[polymorph]] you once; if they then polymorph you into something that destroys your cloak and armor or causes you to shrink out of it, all their subsequent attacks will polymorph you as well, as you will no longer have any magic cancellation.
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Do not use [[conflict]] around genetic engineers if at all possible: monsters in SLASH'EM revert to their original form if killed while polymorphed, effectively giving them an "extra life". This causes fights to drag out longer than necessary even in best-case scenarios, and as with other instances of monsters polymorphing this may create highly-resistant monster forms such as the magic-resistant [[crystal golem]]. While the attack is subject to [[enchantment resistance]] against other monsters, this should not be relied upon for conflict-based strategies. Players seeking to use conflict should prioritize killing any genetic engineers nearby first.  
  
Also be careful of them if you are causing [[conflict]].  Since monsters in SLASH'EM are not killed when you destroy their polymorphed forms, but rather revert to their original form, at best a genetic engineer hitting a number of monsters causes extra fighting for you.  At worst it creates a [[crystal golem]], which is not only almost certainly stronger but also resistant to further polymorph, in the manner of a gray dragon.  If you are causing conflict, destroy genetic engineers with prejudice.
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===As a polyform===
===Living as a genetic engineer===
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The genetic engineer also represents an interesting strategy for players that use [[polyself]] often: their polymorph attack triggers whether or not you are fighting with [[bare hands]] in that form, and ignores [[magic resistance (monster)|magic resistance scores]] against monsters, allowing you to bypass or even tame numerous monsters that are either very formidable enemies (e.g. [[Archon]]s and [[giant shoggoth]]s) or very difficult to tame (e.g. [[Planetar and Solar]]). This also allows you to tame monsters for which taming is normally impossible - for example, this is the only way to tame Death in SLASH'EM that preserves his current form, as opposed to [[sliming]] him and taming the resulting [[green slime]].
Being a genetic engineer is quite an interesting life indeed.  The polymorph attack is not stopped by [[magic resistance (monster)|monster MR]], meaning that except against aforesaid crystal golems, [[gray dragon|(baby) gray dragons]] and any monster that has armor which provides magic resistance or magic cancellation, your attack will polymorph them.  This can be quite powerful, as it allows you to bypass or tame numerous [[Archon|formidable]] [[Giant shoggoth|enemies]], including some that cannot [[Demogorgon|normally]] [[Death (monster)|be tamed]], or even monsters that are simply [[Planetar and Solar|very difficult]] to tame. This is in fact the only way to tame Death in SLASH'EM, not counting sliming him which makes him permanently a [[green slime]]. However, shopkeepers, aligned priests, and hostile minions can never be tamed, even if polymorphed.
 
  
Being a genetic engineer does have its limitations.  The form is not very strong, and many monsters may destroy you before you get a chance to polymorph them, particularly if you are surrounded.  Also, there is the ever-present risk of creating a stronger monster (including the un-polymorphable crystal golem).  Also be aware that if the attack does not pass the "needs +x weapon to hit" check, it will not polymorph a monster.  The bare-handed attack counts as +0, but wielding a weapon will make it count as the enchantment of the weapon.  Unlike [[demon|demonic summoning]], the genetic engineer's polymorph attack is not affected by whether or not you are wielding a weapon; it will polymorph monsters regardless.
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[[Gray dragon]]s and other monsters with player-style magic resistance are completely immune, while monsters with armor that provides magic cancellation can prevent your attack from working immediately. [[Shopkeeper]]s, [[aligned priest]]s, and hostile [[minion]]s can never be tamed, even if polymorphed. In addition, the effect is also subject to enchantment resistance, meaning that it will not work unless you are wielding a weapon of the appropriate enchantment to hit that monster with.
  
Beware that using the polymorphing attack will trigger passive attacks from the monster's new form rather than the old. Attacking without gloves can lead to [[Yet Another Stupid Death|YASD]] if a [[Cockatrice|Footrice]], [[Asphynx]] or [[Basilisk]] is created.
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Otherwise, the genetic engineer form is not very strong; many monsters are capable of killing you and revert you to normal before you get a chance to polymorph them, particularly if you are surrounded. As noted above, there is also the ever-present risk of creating a stronger monster that you cannot defeat. Furthermore, hitting a monster and polymorphing it into a form with passive attacks will cause the new form's attacks to trigger rather than any the old monster - if you are trying to polymorph a monster, be sure to wear [[gloves]] to prevent [[YASD]] in case that monster becomes a [[cockatrice]], [[asphynx]], [[basilisk]], or a similar monster.
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{{slashem-7E7|offset=1}}
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{{variant-343}}
 
[[Category:SLASH'EM monsters]]
 
[[Category:SLASH'EM monsters]]

Latest revision as of 09:12, 8 June 2023

A genetic engineer, Q, is a type of monster that originates in SLASH'EM, and also appears in SlashTHEM and xNetHack. Its sole melee attack is weak, but can polymorph any monster it hits unless the target has magic resistance or sufficient magic cancellation.

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.

Genetic engineers now appear in NetHack 3.7. They can generate outside of Gehennom and are eligible to appear via the summon nasties monster spell. Genetic engineers will teleport away if possible after changing a monster with their polymorph attack; this includes you if you are polymorphed into a genetic engineer.

Eating a genetic engineer corpse will cause you to polymorph as a chameleon or doppelganger corpse does - this also applies to pets and other monsters, but pets will not eat poisonous corpses unless they have poison resistance, and additionally avoid corpses that would cause them to polymorph unless they are starving or on the verge of untaming.

If you are hit by the polymorph attack as a werecreature, it will switch you between your natural and beast forms.

The current tile image is from SLASH'EM; vanilla uses a different tile (no glasses, holding a strand of DNA) which should probably replace it.

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Write up info for other variants"

Strategy

The genetic engineer is generally a dangerous opponent, since it can easily polymorph you into a form that breaks armor or else shrinks out of it - this in turn will usually leave you susceptible to being polymorphed further, since you will not have any magic cancellation. Fortunately, they are typically only encountered around Gehennom, and you should have a source of magic resistance before then. Players without magic resistance should use their best ranged attacks to kill off a genetic engineer before they can get into melee range.

Do not use conflict around genetic engineers if at all possible: monsters in SLASH'EM revert to their original form if killed while polymorphed, effectively giving them an "extra life". This causes fights to drag out longer than necessary even in best-case scenarios, and as with other instances of monsters polymorphing this may create highly-resistant monster forms such as the magic-resistant crystal golem. While the attack is subject to enchantment resistance against other monsters, this should not be relied upon for conflict-based strategies. Players seeking to use conflict should prioritize killing any genetic engineers nearby first.

As a polyform

The genetic engineer also represents an interesting strategy for players that use polyself often: their polymorph attack triggers whether or not you are fighting with bare hands in that form, and ignores magic resistance scores against monsters, allowing you to bypass or even tame numerous monsters that are either very formidable enemies (e.g. Archons and giant shoggoths) or very difficult to tame (e.g. Planetar and Solar). This also allows you to tame monsters for which taming is normally impossible - for example, this is the only way to tame Death in SLASH'EM that preserves his current form, as opposed to sliming him and taming the resulting green slime.

Gray dragons and other monsters with player-style magic resistance are completely immune, while monsters with armor that provides magic cancellation can prevent your attack from working immediately. Shopkeepers, aligned priests, and hostile minions can never be tamed, even if polymorphed. In addition, the effect is also subject to enchantment resistance, meaning that it will not work unless you are wielding a weapon of the appropriate enchantment to hit that monster with.

Otherwise, the genetic engineer form is not very strong; many monsters are capable of killing you and revert you to normal before you get a chance to polymorph them, particularly if you are surrounded. As noted above, there is also the ever-present risk of creating a stronger monster that you cannot defeat. Furthermore, hitting a monster and polymorphing it into a form with passive attacks will cause the new form's attacks to trigger rather than any the old monster - if you are trying to polymorph a monster, be sure to wear gloves to prevent YASD in case that monster becomes a cockatrice, asphynx, basilisk, or a similar monster.