Potion of polymorph
! 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | polymorph |
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 200 zm |
| Weight | 20 |
| Monster use | May be used by monsters as misc items. |
A potion of polymorph is a type of potion that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a potion of polymorph as one of the three random potions in their starting inventory, though they will never start with the potion and a ring of polymorph control simultaneously.[1][2][3]
Potions of polymorph make up 1⁄100 (1%) of all randomly-generated potions. General stores and liquor emporiums can sell potions of polymorph.
Randomly generated monsters with a monster difficulty of 5 or less have an effective 5⁄180 chance of being generated with a potion of polymorph as a miscellaneous item.[4]
Description
The potion of polymorph has various effects depending on its use, and can polymorph items, monsters or the hero. Potions of polymorph cannot themselves be polymorphed by any means.[5]
Quaffing, throwing and wielding
Quaffing the potion will cause the hero to polymorph unless they have unchanging, and will auto-identify the potion in either case. Monsters can also quaff this potion if they are weak or low-level enough, which mercifully will not generate out-of-depth monsters.[6] Throwing this potion at a monster will cause it to polymorph, as will wielding the potion and smashing it on them. Inhaling the vapors from a potion of polymorph abuses constitution.
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 486ed290, blessed potions of polymorph grant a controlled polymorph when quaffed, but the polyform lasts for a much shorter duration.Dipping
Dipping an item or stack of items into the potion of polymorph may polymorph that item(s) - this cannot polymorph invocation items, the Amulet of Yendor, a spellbook of polymorph, wand of polymorph, or other potions of polymorph.[7] Artifacts have a 19⁄20 chance of resisting, while other items have a 1⁄20 chance of resisting.[8] The usual checks for golem creation, items vanishing, artifacts resisting, etc. are skipped, but large stacks will still merge to small ones.[9] Dipping this potion into another, non-water potion will similarly polymorph the other potion, rather than resulting in random alchemy—dipping the potion into holy water, normal water or unholy water will dilute it or change its beatitude as normal.
Items that resist polymorphing will not use up the potion or break polypileless conduct, while items that polymorph into themselves will both use up the potion and break the conduct. In both cases, the potion of polymorph is not auto-identified.
Strategy
Wielding the potion and hitting a monster is not advised because if by chance that monster becomes a footrice, you will be petrified.
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Identification
Most players can easily identify the potion by dipping an item into it, especially as quaffing may destroy some of your armor. Some conduct players prefer price identification or other means of identifying 200zm potions to avoid breaking polyselfless or polypileless conducts. Here are a few other methods that do not require magical identification:
- Dipping a resistant item, such as a wand of polymorph or the Bell of Opening, is always safe and doesn’t use up the tested potions. A non-resistant item that polymorphs into itself will use up the potion, but also confirms its identity to name later, since the message for this is different from the one given when nothing actually happens after dipping an item in a potion.[10]
- Quaffing while wearing an amulet of unchanging uses up the potion, but prevents it from taking effect; fortunately, all the other 200 zm potions are safe to drink as well (although you may want to bless them first).
- Quaffing with a source of polymorph control will pull up a prompt; you can then choose to polymorph into your own race, which doesn't break the conduct, but may have other undesired effects.
- Monsters with a difficulty of 5 or less are occasionally generated with one as their miscellaneous item, and watching one drink the potion will identify it. You could also try leaving 200 zm potions in the path of intelligent monsters.
- If you are not observing polypileless conduct, then dip-testing with a unicorn horn is a suitable method, provided you are not using your only unicorn horn - this will usually yield another magical tool unless the horn was regrown from a revived unicorn.
Smoky potions
A potion of polymorph with the randomized appearance of a smoky potion can be quite the inconvenience to any wish-hunters, as it will require unchanging to quaff safely - polymorph control can also prevent the polymorph from breaking or dropping armor, though it can still end up lowering the hero's level or shuffling their attributes.
History
The potion of polymorph first appears in NetHack-- 3.0.10, and makes its vanilla debut in NetHack 3.3.0.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, there is a 2⁄5 each of two separate potions of polymorph generating in the Chamber of Junk within the Lawful Quest at level creation.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, monsters can throw the potion of polymorph at the hero, polymorphing any monster that it hits (including the hero) unless they have magic resistance or unchanging; if a monster's attempt to polymorph the hero has no effect, they will refrain from attempting any further.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, the Undertaker quest has a 2⁄5 each of two separate potions of polymorph generating on the goal level (which is a copy of the Lawful Quest) at level creation.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, doppelgangers start the game with knowledge of items that can polymorph monsters, including the potion of polymorph.
Monsters may throw potions of polymorph at the hero, with the same behavior as in EvilHack. Monsters cannot be created with a potion of polymorph and a ring of polymorph control in their inventory simultaneously, which is mostly relevant for generating wizard player monsters.
References
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 166
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1041
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1044
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2024
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1892: cases for immunity to wand and spell
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1747
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1960
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1965
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1984
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1990: "Nothing seems to happen", versus "Interesting..." for a potion with no actual effect
