Difference between revisions of "Giant eel"
(start formatting) |
(cite Plane of Water, detail strats, link a splat that happened as I was drawing this up - poor bastard) |
||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | A '''giant eel''', {{monsym|giant eel}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is an [[oviparous]] [[sea monster]] | + | A '''giant eel''', {{monsym|giant eel}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is an [[oviparous]] [[sea monster]] that can [[hide]] within [[pool]]s of water, and has a bite attack and a touch attack that can cause [[instadeath]] by [[drowning]] if [[you]] are near any [[pool]] of water. |
==Generation== | ==Generation== | ||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
* Three of four maps for [[Medusa's Island]] contain giant eels in the sea: the first version has three giant eels, and the third and fourth versions have two giant eels each.{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|89-L91|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|301-L302|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|406-L407|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | * Three of four maps for [[Medusa's Island]] contain giant eels in the sea: the first version has three giant eels, and the third and fourth versions have two giant eels each.{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|89-L91|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|301-L302|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|dat/medusa.des|406-L407|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | ||
* Four giant eels are placed in the moat of the [[Castle]].{{refsrc|dat/castle.des|178-L181|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | * Four giant eels are placed in the moat of the [[Castle]].{{refsrc|dat/castle.des|178-L181|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | ||
| − | * Two giant eels are placed in the moat at the bottom level of the [[Wizard's Tower]], and four more are placed in the moat of the topmost level.{{refsrc|dat/ | + | * Two giant eels are placed in the moat at the bottom level of the [[Wizard's Tower]], and four more are placed in the moat of the topmost level.{{refsrc|dat/Yendor.des|54|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|dat/Yendor.des|195|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} |
| + | * Eight giant eels are placed within the [[Plane of Water]].{{refsrc|dat/endgame.des|416-L423|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | ||
==Strategy== | ==Strategy== | ||
| − | Giant eels are the first monsters most players encounter that can drown them, providing a rude awakening for the unprepared. | + | Giant eels are the first monsters most players encounter that can drown them, providing a rude awakening for the unprepared. They also have an AC of -1, making them hard to hit without a reliable weapon. Even though giant eels are somewhat slow and most players will have [[speed]] and a solid weapon by the time they encounter a giant eel, they should still be wary of engaging one melee: if one manages to wrap itself around you, you may have a couple more actions at most to get free before it uses its holding attack to drown you. While improving [[AC]] can make it harder for giant eels to hit you in the first place, this should not be relied on. |
| + | |||
| + | When nearing large bodies of water, be attentive - [[telepathy]] and [[warning]] can reliably detect any eels lurking within. There are multiple methods of getting a giant eel to loosen its grip on you or else prevent it grabbing you at all: A non-[[cursed]] [[oilskin cloak]] or [[greased]] outer body armor is the most reliable way of preventing the giant eel from getting a hold, though grease can wear off. You can also take advantage of the eel's 0 [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] by [[scaring]] it off, which will usually always succeed and forces it to let go if it has grabbed you. [[Bugle]]s, [[tooled horn]]s, [[expensive camera]]s and even engraving [[Elbereth]] will suffice depending on the situation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Giant eels are best dispatched at a distance before they can get close enough to you. Most wands and spells that hit can immobilize or hinder the eel enough for you to escape or neutralize it: a [[wand of cold]] or [[cone of cold]] will strand the eel above water, causing it to become scared, and a [[wand of sleep|wand]] or [[spell of sleep]] will completely immobilize it and cause it to let go if it has grabbed you. A [[wand of teleportation]] can reliably warp away a giant eel holding you, even on [[non-teleport level]]s. Most [[levitation]] sources such as the [[Ring of levitation|ring]] or [[Potion of levitation|potion]] will cause an eel holding you to let go when used - however, [[levitation boots]] in particular take two actions to put on, which [https://alt.org/nethack/userdata/k/kaizersoze/dumplog/1695289977.nh367.txt may prove unreliable] if you are [[burdened]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Giant eels are especially dangerous in the Plane of Water, where you cannot engrave and have less room to maneuver away from them. Most methods of keeping them back are still viable, such as wands of teleportation and instruments, but some methods such as the wand of cold and cone of cold spell are rendered unusable. Most players will sidestep the risk of drowning on the Plane to begin with by using a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] to wipe out all {{white|;}} upon entering the level. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Revision as of 07:27, 26 September 2023
; giant eel 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 7 |
| Attacks |
Bite 3d6, drowning |
| Base level | 5 |
| Base experience | 1075 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Base AC | -1 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 0 (Not randomly generated) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 200 |
| Nutritional value | 250 |
| Size | Huge |
| Resistances | None |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
A giant eel:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line2822 |
A giant eel, ;, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. It is an oviparous sea monster that can hide within pools of water, and has a bite attack and a touch attack that can cause instadeath by drowning if you are near any pool of water.
Generation
Giant eels are not randomly generated, but are commonly generated in swamps. Normally-placed giant eels are always generated hostile, and will be asleep 4⁄5 of the time unless you have the Amulet of Yendor.[1]
Giant eels also populate several moats and other watery areas in several parts of the dungeon at level creation:
- Three giant eels are placed in the moat of the Archeologist quest home level.[2]
- Three giant eels are placed in the river of the Barbarian quest home level.[3]
- One giant eel is placed in the river of the Tourist quest home level.[4]
- Three giant eels are placed in the large pond of the Wizard quest home level.[5]
- Three of four maps for Medusa's Island contain giant eels in the sea: the first version has three giant eels, and the third and fourth versions have two giant eels each.[6][7][8]
- Four giant eels are placed in the moat of the Castle.[9]
- Two giant eels are placed in the moat at the bottom level of the Wizard's Tower, and four more are placed in the moat of the topmost level.[10][11]
- Eight giant eels are placed within the Plane of Water.[12]
Strategy
Giant eels are the first monsters most players encounter that can drown them, providing a rude awakening for the unprepared. They also have an AC of -1, making them hard to hit without a reliable weapon. Even though giant eels are somewhat slow and most players will have speed and a solid weapon by the time they encounter a giant eel, they should still be wary of engaging one melee: if one manages to wrap itself around you, you may have a couple more actions at most to get free before it uses its holding attack to drown you. While improving AC can make it harder for giant eels to hit you in the first place, this should not be relied on.
When nearing large bodies of water, be attentive - telepathy and warning can reliably detect any eels lurking within. There are multiple methods of getting a giant eel to loosen its grip on you or else prevent it grabbing you at all: A non-cursed oilskin cloak or greased outer body armor is the most reliable way of preventing the giant eel from getting a hold, though grease can wear off. You can also take advantage of the eel's 0 MR score by scaring it off, which will usually always succeed and forces it to let go if it has grabbed you. Bugles, tooled horns, expensive cameras and even engraving Elbereth will suffice depending on the situation.
Giant eels are best dispatched at a distance before they can get close enough to you. Most wands and spells that hit can immobilize or hinder the eel enough for you to escape or neutralize it: a wand of cold or cone of cold will strand the eel above water, causing it to become scared, and a wand or spell of sleep will completely immobilize it and cause it to let go if it has grabbed you. A wand of teleportation can reliably warp away a giant eel holding you, even on non-teleport levels. Most levitation sources such as the ring or potion will cause an eel holding you to let go when used - however, levitation boots in particular take two actions to put on, which may prove unreliable if you are burdened.
Giant eels are especially dangerous in the Plane of Water, where you cannot engrave and have less room to maneuver away from them. Most methods of keeping them back are still viable, such as wands of teleportation and instruments, but some methods such as the wand of cold and cone of cold spell are rendered unusable. Most players will sidestep the risk of drowning on the Plane to begin with by using a blessed scroll of genocide to wipe out all ; upon entering the level.
History
The giant eel appears in Hack for PDP-11, a variant of Jay Fenlason's Hack - while not included in the initial bestiary for Hack 1.0, it does appear in Hack 1.0.2, which credits PDP-11 Hack's creators Michiel Huisjes and Fred de Wilde for inspiring both the monster and the swamp special room.
Encyclopedia entry
The behaviour of eels in fresh water extends the air of
mystery surrounding them. They move freely into muddy, silty
bottoms of lakes, lying buried in the daylight hours in summer.
[...] Eels are voracious carnivores, feeding mainly at
night and consuming a wide variety of fishes and invertebrate
creatures. Contrary to earlier thinking, eels seek living
rather than dead creatures and are not habitual eaters of
carrion.
References
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1320
- ↑ dat/Arch.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 86-L89
- ↑ dat/Barb.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 86-L89
- ↑ dat/Tourist.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 116
- ↑ dat/Tourist.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 75-L77
- ↑ dat/medusa.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 89-L91
- ↑ dat/medusa.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 301-L302
- ↑ dat/medusa.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 406-L407
- ↑ dat/castle.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 178-L181
- ↑ dat/Yendor.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 54
- ↑ dat/Yendor.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 195
- ↑ dat/endgame.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 416-L423
