Ring of gain strength
A ring of gain strength is a type of ring that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a ring of gain strength as one of the two random rings in their starting inventory.[1]
General stores and jewelers shops can sell rings of gain strength.
Description
A hero putting on the ring of gain strength alters their strength by its enchantment while it is worn:[2][3] at 18 strength or higher, the ring will increase or decrease the hero's strength percentile by its enchantment, e.g. a hero at 18/05 strength has it lowered to 18/03 by a -2 ring and boosted to 18/10 by a +5 ring. A ring of gain strength that modifies the hero's strength (i.e. it is not +0) is auto-identified when put on or removed. The ring can be charged to increase its enchantment. Monsters will not wear this ring.
A hero eating the ring has a 1⁄3 chance of successfully absorbing its magic and gaining a temporary bonus or penalty to strength based on the ring's enchantment[4][5]—this auto-identifies the ring if this bonus changes the hero's strength, and lasts until the hero changes forms or returns to normal.[6]
Strategy
The ring of gain strength can be of some use for early heroes such as Healers and Wizards to shore up low strength and boost damage as well as carrying capacity, and can be reserved for polypiling once strength-related issues are dealt with. The ring is nearly useless for any hero whose strength is at its maximum, since even a +9 ring will not add more than +1 to damage.
Identification
The ring auto-identifies when worn, making it trivial to wear-test for after curse-testing a suspected ring. Dropping a ring of gain strength down a sink produces two distinct messages, depending on whether or not the ring's enchantment is positive.[7]
History
The ring of gain strength first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0.
Messages
- The water flow seems <weaker/stronger> now.
- You dropped a ring of gain strength down a sink: "weaker" is used for rings with an enchantment below +0, and "stronger" is used otherwise.[8]
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Flame Mages, Ice Mages and Necromancers may be given a ring of gain strength as the random ring in their starting inventory.[9][10][11]
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, Acid Mages, Corsairs, Electric Mages, Nobles, and Pirates may be given a ring of gain strength as the random ring in their starting inventory.
References
- Jump up ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 165
- Jump up ↑ src/do_wear.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 958
- Jump up ↑ src/do_wear.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1072
- Jump up ↑ src/eat.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1959
- Jump up ↑ src/eat.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2010
- Jump up ↑ src/eat.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2012
- Jump up ↑ src/do.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 436
- Jump up ↑ src/do.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 436
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 69
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 99
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 136
