Genetic engineer
Q genetic engineer 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 14 |
| Attacks |
Claw polymorph 1d4 |
| Base level | 12 |
| Base experience | ? |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 3 |
| Base MR | 10 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 20 |
| Size | Medium |
| Resistances | poison resistance |
| Resistances conveyed | Causes polymorph |
|
A genetic engineer:
| |
| Reference | NetHack 3.7.0 (last commit e32ac5a) - monsters.h, line 2134 |
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 genetic engineer is added in commit 7817e69c, and has been subject to a few changes since its introduction—the article's text below reflects the most current information as of commit e32ac5a7.- For the monster in other variants, see Genetic engineer (disambiguation).
A genetic engineer, Q, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack 3.7.0. The genetic engineer is a type of humanoid quantum mechanic monster that can be seen via infravision, and can teleport at random.
A genetic engineer has a single claw attack that can polymorph its target if the engineer is not canceled, with details varying depending on if the attack hits the hero or a monster: against the hero, it can be blocked by magic cancellation, unchanging or magic resistance, and otherwise the hero is polymorphed; against another monster, if the target does not have magic resistance and they are not killed by the attack, the monster is polymorphed. In both cases, there is a chance of the victim suffering system shock that deals damage equal to half their maximum HP rounded up, and does not leave a corpse if the resulting damage kills them. A werecreature that is polymorphed by a genetic engineer attack (including the hero if they have lycanthropy) will switch between their human and animal forms. The genetic engineer will teleport away if possible after successfully polymorphing a hero or monster with its attack, and cannot polymorph a monster with the attack for another turn or two; this latter restriction is not applied to the hero in genetic engineer form.
A genetic engineer corpse is poisonous to eat, and eating a genetic engineer corpse or tin will polymorph the eater unless they have unchanging—a pet will not eat a genetic engineer corpse unless they are starving or on the verge of untaming.
Generation
Randomly generated genetic engineers are always created hostile.
Hostile genetic engineers can be created by the summon nasties monster spell.
Strategy
- To be written.
History
The genetic engineer first appears in SLASH'EM.
Origin
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms. New DNA is obtained by either isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using recombinant DNA methods or by artificially synthesising the DNA. The new DNA can be inserted randomly, or targeted to a specific part of the genome—the process can also be used to "knock out" or remove genes. The genetic engineer monster is a visual pun on the term by applying it literally, similar to the quantum mechanic.
Messages
- You undergo a freakish metamorphosis!
- You ate a genetic engineer corpse or tin and were polymorphed.
- You feel momentarily different.
- As above, but you have unchanging—this message is also given for stepping on a polymorph trap.
- You are subjected to a freakish metamorphosis.
- You were polymorphed by a genetic engineer's attack.
- You feel an <un>natural urge coming on.
- As above, but you have lycanthropy and were switched between forms, with "unnatural" used if you shift from your base form and "natural" otherwise.
- <Foo/It> undergoes a freakish metamorphosis, and turns into <new monster>.
- A monster was hit by a genetic engineer's attack and polymorphed. "It" is used if the affected monster was not visible at the time.
- <Foo> undergoes a freakish metamorphosis, and disappears.
- As above, but the monster disappeared from the hero's view as a result of the transformation, e.g. into a monster that is invisible.
Encyclopedia entry
These very odd people have mastered the ability to insert gene
sequences from one organism into another, usually triggering
immediate mutations in the subject. Far from needing an
elaborate laboratory to accomplish such abominations, a mere
touch seems to be all that is necessary.
