Magic harp
( 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | magic harp |
| Appearance | harp |
| Base price | 50 zm |
| Weight | 30 |
| Material | wood |
| Monster use | Will not be used by monsters. |
A magic harp is a type of magical tool that appears in NetHack. It is a tonal musical instrument that is made of wood, and appears as just a harp when unidentified.
Contents
Generation
Magic harps are quite rare and make up 1⁄500 (0.2%) of all tools randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops. Hardware stores can also stock magic harps.
Magic harps are generated with 4–8 charges, and can hold a maximum of 20 charges.[1][2][3] They are normally generated uncursed, with the exception of some found in bones levels and on trap "bones".
Description
A hero that is applying a magic harp will be prompted if they want to improvise, as with a standard tonal instrument, and the item's effects depend on the answer chosen by the player:[4][5]
- Choosing to improvise on a magic harp with charges will exercise dexterity and use up a charge to produce "attractive music" that has a chance of taming nearby monsters unless they succeed a roll against their MR score.[6][7][8] The effect's range is based on the hero's experience level, covering a larger roughly-circular area at higher experience levels, and monsters that cannot be tamed by the effect will be pacified if possible[9][10][11][12] a hero that applies a charged magic harp while engulfed will only affect the engulfer.[13] A hero that applies a magic harp while stunned, confused or hallucinating will automatically improvise with it.[14]
- Choosing to improvise on a magic harp with no charges will treat it as an applied wooden harp, which has a chance of pacifying nearby nymphs if the sum of the hero's experience level and the roll of a dexterity-sized die is greater than 25.[15][16][17] The range of this pacifying effect is also based on the hero's experience level, covering a roughly-circular area with a radius less than the square root of (3*XL).[18][19]
- A hero that chooses to play specific notes on a magic harp 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[20][21]—playing the passtune near the Castle drawbridge exercises wisdom, as does attempting to guess the passtune.[22]
The radius of the taming effect is displayed below—the mouse can be moved over each square to see the minimum experience level required for this effect to reach that square (with red corresponding to levels 1-9, blue to XL 10-19, and green to XL 20-29):
...858...
..23032..
.8341438.
.501@105.
.8341438.
..23032..
...858...
.........
The usage fee for applying a charged magic harp in a shop is one quarter of the full price.[23]
Charging from an uncursed source adds 1d4 charges to a magic harp, while blessed charging adds 2d4 charges and cursed charging will instead strip away all charges[24][25][26][27]—magic harps can be recharged indefinitely, though the counter will not update after charging it more than 7 times.[28]
The hero will be prevented from applying a magic harp while underwater.[29] Beatitude has no effect on the outcome of playing a magic harp. Monsters will not use this item.
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 231bd75b, magic harp taming works the same as the read non-cursed scroll of taming and the spell of charm monster, and may increase the tameness of already-tame monsters. Additionally, commit 094da9b9 allows magic harps to properly pacify angry shopkeepers.Strategy
The magic harp is a valuable tool for taming and pacifying monsters and operates at the same range as a non-cursed scroll of taming at experience level 4; this potentially saves magic marker ink on writing a scroll of taming. It can also be easily distinguished from a wooden harp by playing one or the other, especially near a monster. However, while it can affect monsters at a further range than the scroll of taming, it pales in comparison to reading the non-cursed scroll while confused.
As a tonal instrument, a magic harp can also be used to play the passtune to enter the Castle.
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.
The magic harp's ability to increase tameness can be used to make inediate pets more viable, as their tameness typically cannot be raised by feeding them.History
The magic harp first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.
Messages
- The harp produces very attractive music.
- You applied a magic harp with charges and improvised with it.
- You extract a strange sound from the magic harp!
- As above, but you played a specific melody with the harp.
- You feel very soothing vibrations.
- You applied a magic harp while deaf.
Variants
In NetHack variants that import the advent calendar patch, a magic harp is among the various tools that may appear as the Christmas present on day 24.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, upgrading a magic harp successfully will produce a wooden harp and vice versa. Dipping a magic harp in a potion of amnesia will use up the potion and "downgrade" the item to a wooden harp.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, rare instruments shops have a 3⁄100 chance of generating a magic harp on each square. UnNetHack also incorporates the advent calendar patch, and a magic harp may appear as the Christmas present for day 24.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Troubadours start the game with knowledge of the magic harp's appearance.
Music instruments shops have a 1⁄50 chance of a magic harp being generated on each square.
Dipping a magic harp into a potion of amnesia will use up the potion and "downgrade" the item to a harp, as in SLASH'EM.
Magic harps can be used as substitutes for wooden harps when playing songs via the musicalize spell skill.
The Lyre of Orpheus is an artifact magic harp that acts as the Troubadour quest artifact, and can be used to play any song via the musicalize spell skill. The Lyre of Orpheus grants magic resistance when carried, causes all pets on the level to follow the hero between levels, and can be applied or invoked for taming. Each time it is applied or invoked, the Lyre will speak a random rumor dependent on its beatitude: the rumor will be true if the Harp is blessed, false if cursed, and either if uncursed.
DynaHack
In DynaHack, applying a magic harp will formally identify it.
NetHack Fourk
In NetHack Fourk, sylph Healers start each game with a magic harp, which acts as a replacement for the potion of healing normally given to sylphs in other roles.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, a magic harp can be created at a furnace by combining a harp and a scroll of taming.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, upgrading functions as it does in SLASH'EM, as does dipping a magic harp into a potion of amnesia.
As in dNetHack and its derivatives, Bards start the game with knowledge of the magic harp's appearance, and magic harps can similarly be used as substitutes for wooden harps when playing songs via the musicalize spell skill. The Bard quest artifact, The Lyre of Orpheus, has its base item changed to a wooden harp.
Musicians start each game with a magic harp.
Rare instruments shops have a 3⁄100 chance of generating a magic harp on each square, as in UnNetHack.
SlashTHEM has two artifact magic harps:
- The Harp of Harmony is the Musician quest artifact. It grants drain resistance, warning, and stealth while carried, and can be applied or invoked for taming. When applied or invoked, the Harp will speak a random rumor based on its beatitude—true if blessed, false if cursed, and either if uncursed.
- The Harp of Lightning is the Electric Mage quest artifact. It grants acid resistance, warning and teleport control while carried, and can be invoked to summon a tame greater air elemental with a 1⁄5 chance or a tame air elemental otherwise.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, rare instruments shops have a 3⁄100 chance of generating a magic harp on each square, as in UnNetHack and SlashTHEM.
Upgrading a harp successfully will produce a magic harp and vice versa, as in SLASH'EM.
References
- ↑ src/mkobj.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 959
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 694
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 699
- ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3729: cases for tonal instruments
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 700
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 620: magic harp effects
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 628: exercises dexterity
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 840: else only occurs if improvising
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 215: charm_monsters() function
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 223
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 231: calls tame_dog()
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 627: calls charm_monsters()
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 220
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 701
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 630: wooden harp effects
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 637: calls calm_nymphs()
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 639
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 148: calm_nymphs() function
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 156
- ↑ 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/shk.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 4541: usage fee for all charged magical instruments is ¼ of the full price
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 686
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 690
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 692
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 697
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 573: tools don't have a limit, but the counter used does
- ↑ src/music.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 690
