Bugle
( 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | bugle |
| Appearance | bugle |
| Base price | 15 zm |
| Weight | 10 |
| Material | copper |
| Monster use | May be used defensively by monsters. |
A bugle is a type of tool that appears in NetHack. It is a tonal musical instrument that is made of copper, and is the only tonal instrument to lack an equivalent magical item.
Contents
Generation
Elven Priests and Wizards have a 1⁄6 chance of starting the game with a bugle as their instrument.[1]
Bugles make up 1⁄250 (0.4%) of all tools randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops. Hardware stores can also stock bugles. Bugles are always generated uncursed outside of bones levels and trap "bones".
Sergeants, lieutenants and captains have a 1⁄3 chance of being generated with a bugle.
Description
A hero applying a bugle that chooses to improvise with it will produce noise:[2][3] this range is dependent on their experience level and the same as applying a tooled horn, but abuses wisdom and causes all mercenaries other than guards to become hostile while waking them from sleep and ending any paralysis or immobility.[4][5][6] Other monsters that hear the bugle will be scared if they fail a roll against their MR score (dependent on their proximity), with sleeping monsters being awakened.[7] A hero that applies a bugle while stunned, confused or hallucinating will automatically improvise with it.[8] Improvising on a bugle will have no effect on monsters that wait for the hero to approach.[9]
A hero that chooses to play specific notes on a bugle will first be prompted to play the passtune for the Castle drawbridge if they know it, and otherwise will be asked for a set of five notes to play[10][11]—playing the passtune near the Castle drawbridge exercises wisdom, as does attempting to guess the passtune.[12]
A hero cannot apply a bugle if they are subjected to strangulation, if they are in the form of a sea monster, or if they are in the form of any monster that is tiny in size, unbreathing, cannot speak, lacks a head, or can only buzz.[13][14] They will also be prevented from applying a bugle while underwater.[15]
Yendorian Army fighters will use any bugles they are carrying if there is another monster of that type in a 7×7 square around them that is asleep or otherwise immobile, and the sound will mobilize Yendorian Army fighters and awaken other nearby monsters while potentially scaring pets.[16][17]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit 141a7915, bugles scare the same monsters as tooled horns, and monster types that are immune to a scroll of scare monster on the ground are no longer scared by bugles.
Per commit 6e49372d, mindless monsters are immune to musical scaring.Strategy
A bugle can be a good substitute for a tooled horn, since it is lighter and and has a good chance of scaring most monsters outside of the Yendorian Army. However, they cannot be safely used in Minetown unless you can neutralize or pacify the watch, and in deeper levels within the main dungeon it is best to check that level for barracks if possible before using the bugle. Bugles are also a reason to tread carefully when clearing out any barracks, as one of the higher-ranked fighters may carry one and will wake up their sleeping comrades the first chance they get, spoiling any sleep- or stealth-based approach you were employing at that point.
Bugles are very useful tools for the late game on, since you are likely to obtain one that you can play the passtune with before you reach the Castle; though this will likely awaken all the soldiers within, this is not as significant of a risk unless the hero is significantly underpowered, and if any liches are present, they will likely cast the aggravate monster spell and awaken the denizens of the barracks anyway. Playing bugles can also keep hostile priests from surrounding you in the Sanctum, and can drive away air elementals on the Plane of Air.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
As a consequence of commit 141a7915, priests, Angels and elementals are no longer scared by bugles.History
The bugle first appears in NetHack 3.0.0. From this version to NetHack 3.4.3, including some variants based on those versions, bugles are simply a lightweight tonal instrument that can awaken and unparalyze monsters, and may be worth using at the Castle.
The bugle's ability to scare monsters when the hero applies it like other instruments is introduced in NetHack 3.6.0.
Messages
- You extract a loud noise from <your bugle>.
- You applied a bugle and improvised.
- You extract a strange sound from the bugle!
- You applied a bugle and played a specific melody with it.
- You blow into the bugle.
- As above, while deaf.
- You hear a bugle playing reveille!
- A soldier played a bugle.
- <The soldier> is now ready for battle!
- One or more soldiers were awakened, unparalyzed and made hostile.
- You hear the rattle of battle gear being readied.
- As above while outside your range of vision.
Variants
Some NetHack variants based on NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions may not add the bugle's scaring properties introduced in later versions.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, the bugle functions as it does in NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack, notnotdNetHack, orcish Troubadours have a 1⁄2 chance of their starting tonal instrument being a bugle.
The bugle is the preferred instrument for playing Rally, Charge and Inspire Courage via the Troubadour's musicalize spell skill, and is an alternate instrument for playing Disruption.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, orcish Bards have a roughly 1⁄2 chance of starting with a bugle as in dNetHack and its derivatives.
The bugle is the preferred instrument for playing Inspire Courage via the musicalize spell skill.
Encyclopedia entry
'I read you by your bugle horn
And by your palfrey good,
I read you for a Ranger sworn
To keep the King's green-wood.'
'A Ranger, Lady, winds his horn,
And 'tis at peep of light;
His blast is heard at merry morn,
And mine at dead of night.'
References
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 814
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3730
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 840: else only occurs if improvising
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 612-L619: calls awaken_soldiers()
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 171-L209: awaken_soldiers() function
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 179: distance calculated is identical to tooled horn
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 193-L207: effects on non-mercenaries
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 701
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 201-L203
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 708
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 714
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 769
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 693
- ↑ src/mondata.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 336: MS_BUZZ covers killer bees, queen bees, grid bugs, and xans
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 690
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 490
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 668
