Hezrou
& hezrou 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 12 |
| Attacks |
Claw 1d3, claw 1d3, bite 4d4 |
| Base level | 9 |
| Base experience | 267 |
| Speed | 6 |
| Base AC | −2 |
| Base MR | 55 |
| Alignment | −10 (chaotic) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 2 (Quite rare) |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 400 |
| Size | Large |
| Resistances | Fire, poison |
| Resistances conveyed | None |
|
A hezrou:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line2613 |
A hezrou, &, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. The hezrou is a humanoid major demon that has infravision, can be seen via infravision, and can follow the player character to other levels if they are adjacent.
A hezrou has two claw attacks and a bite attack, and possesses fire resistance, poison resistance and drain resistance.
Hezrou are poisonous to eat, which primarily comes up if they are digested by another monster.
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.
Hezrous leave poison clouds behind as they move, including characters polymorphed into one. They are now colored green: &.Contents
Generation
Randomly generated hezrou are always created hostile, and can generate in small groups. Hezrou are only randomly generated in Gehennom.
Hezrou generated at level creation have a 4⁄5 chance of being created asleep unless you possess the Amulet of Yendor, in which case they will always be awake.[1] Hezrou can be gated in by other hezrou, as well as other major demons, demon lords and demon princes.[2]
A hezrou never leaves a corpse upon death.
Strategy
Due to their slow 6 speed and relatively paltry damage, hezrou are not particularly threatening by the time they are generated - however, polymorph traps and the like can create a hezrou much earlier in the game, where it can be a deadly threat with its gating abilities, decent MR score of 55 and -2 AC. Thankfully, the hezrou's lack of speed makes it easier to avoid, and it has the usual weaknesses to cold and silver.
As a polyform, hezrou are large and can only wear helms, boots and gloves, but their natural AC can more than compensate for lack of body armor. A character unexpectedly polymorhped into one can gate in tame hezrou and other demons as pets for additional defense until they find replacement armor.
History
The hezrou first appears in NetHack 3.0.0, which introduces the distinct major demons.
Origin
Hezrou (plural "hezrou" or "hezrous"), also known as type II demons, are chaotic beings that originate from Dungeons & Dragons, where they debut in the 1st Edition Monster Manual. A hezrou is an 8-foot-tall demon with a foul temper and an even fouler stench, and resembles a humanoid toad with a mouth containing rows of blunt teeth and a column of long spikes running down their backs; they can stand on two or four limbs, but always fight standing up. Hezrou are known for their simplistic desires and easily directed personalities, making them obedient yet dangerously powerful.
A hezrou's primary desire is food, followed closely by wanton destruction, and they will gladly serve more powerful demons or even summoners who enable this behavior: their love of combat and eating habits are comparable to vrocks. Despite this, hezrou are not opposed to diplomacy and may engage in trade, even with mortals; though they are not especially sharp, hezrou will also make simple-but-cruel deals to tempt desperate mortals and recruit unwitting followers. A hezrou has sharp olfactory senses, and their amphibian skin exudes a toxic substance that produces a cloud of thoroughly noxious gas: the gas has no effect on evil outsiders and is somewhat ineffective against non-demons. They also have access to various spell-like abilities, and are capable of summoning dretch mobs and other hezrou.
In terms of service to other demons, hezrou are much more likely to be employed in organizing underlings, reserving what cunning they have for the battlefield and leaving the scheming to their masters or other parties. In battle, hezrou oversee dretch mobs and keep them advancing towards enemies, and use abilities such as "chaos hammer" or "unholy blight" to punch holes in opposing army lines and force their way into and behind enemy ranks, where they use their stench to overwhelm as many foes as quickly as possible before ripping into them.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, a hezrou is always generated in the Temple of Moloch at level creation. This also applies to SlashTHEM.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, hezrou use stronger damage dice for their attacks. Shalosh tannah can create strange larvae that can grow into hezrou with organic equipment.
As in SLASH'EM, a hezrou is always generated in the Temple of Moloch at level creation.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, hezrou leave poison clouds behind as they move, reflecting their encyclopedia entry.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, four hezrou are stationed near the entrance to the innermost room in Mephisto's Lair at level creation.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, hezrou leave poisonous clouds behind as they move, similar to xNetHack.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, hezrou behave as in EvilHack. A hezrou is generated in the Temple of Moloch at level creation as in SLASH'EM.
Encyclopedia entry
"Hezrou" is the common name for the type II demon. It is among the weaker of demons, but still quite formidable, mostly due to the stench.
