Fire giant

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A fire giant, H, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. The fire giant is a giant humanoid that is a slightly stronger form of giant - it has infravision and can be seen via infravision. Like all giants, fire giants will seek out gems, weapons and other items to pick up, and can move over boulders, pick them up and throw them.

A fire giant has a single weapon attack, and possesses fire resistance.

Eating a fire giant corpse or tin has a 310 chance (30%) of granting fire resistance, and an independent 12 chance (50%) of increasing a character's strength.

Lord Surtur, the Valkyrie quest nemesis, is a unique fire giant.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (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.

The attacks of fire giants and other sufficiently large monsters can inflict knockback, sending targets flying one or more squares.

Fire giants and other large humanoids can wear mummy wrappings.

Generation

Fire giants may generate as peaceful towards lawful characters, and can generate in small groups of two to four. Hostile fire giants can be generated by the summon nasties monster spell.

Fire giants may appear among the hostile giant humanoids generated in throne rooms at dungeon levels 13 and below, and can also appear among the monsters randomly generated by looting a throne while confused and carrying gold (provided there is no chest on the level).[1]

The fire giant is the second quest monster for Valkyries, and makes up 24175 (~13.71%) of the monsters randomly generated on the Valkyrie quest. Several fire giants are also generated on level creation one each of the quest floors: two on the home level, one on the upper filler level, seven on the locate level, three each on the lower filler level(s), and twelve on the goal level. Fire giants may also appear among the random H that are part of the second quest monster class for the Caveman quest, and make up 6175 (~3.42%) of the monsters that are randomly generated there. Fire giants may additionally appear among the random H that are part of the second quest monster class for Cavepeople, and make up 6175 (~3.42%) of the monsters that are randomly generated on the Caveman quest.

Fire giants have a 12 chance (50%) of being generated with either a boulder or a club with equal probability, and an independent chance of being generated with a small assortment of gems.[2][3] They are eligible for offensive items, defensive items, and miscellaneous items.

Strategy

Fire giants are stronger and faster than hill giants, and have the same capacity for generating with dangerous wands, requiring a bit more care from characters that encounter them. Valkyries in particular may want to consider reflection, levitation and/or water walking before entering their quest: fire giants on their own are not particularly dangerous, but the attack wands they may generate with can include the wand of death or a wand of fire that might turn the ice below the character into a watery abyss and possibly their grave.

Conversely, fire giants can also provide a valuable and plentiful source of fire resistance, and characters can use the wands they carry against them to exploit their low MR score - Valkyries in particular can use fire giant meat to make the lava and fire ants potentially more bearable, and will especially appreciate a wand of cold to deal with other quest hostiles. It may be worthwhile for a Valkyrie to camp in the home level's central building and farm the corpses for additional strength, especially if they can obtain a tinning kit.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (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.

Knockback can make fire giants and other large monsters exceedingly dangerous if the player character is positioned between them and a hazard, such as pools of water or lava. This is especially true for Valkyries on the lava-filled floors of their quest.

History

The fire giant first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, fire giants may appear among the random H generated in giant courts and the Giant Caverns. This also applies to SlashTHEM and Hack'EM.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, a peaceful fire giant generates on the second alternate layout of the Castle in the narrower wing at level creation.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, fire giants are chaotic-aligned and vulnerable to iron. They are always generated with a club and leather armor made to fit their size - this is independent of the existing chance of being generated with a club, due to an oversight in the code.

Fire giants may appear among the court of a titan-ruled throne room.

Sol Valtiva is a chaotic artifact two-handed sword that is made of obsidian and favors fire giants, serving as the signature weapon of Lord Surtur.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, fire giants are capable of entering berserker rages, increasing their damage but making them more likely to hit monsters around them besides their intended target.

A peaceful fire giant is generated on the second alternate layout of the Castle in its right wing, as in UnNetHack.

All of the above information also applies to Hack'EM.

Encyclopedia entry

Giants have always walked the earth, though they are rare in these times. They range in size from little over nine feet to a towering twenty feet or more. The larger ones use huge boulders as weapons, hurling them over large distances. All types of giants share a love for men - roasted, boiled, or fried. Their table manners are legendary.

References