Water elemental
E water elemental 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 10 |
| Attacks |
Claw 5d6 |
| Base level | 8 |
| Base experience | 126 |
| Speed | 6 |
| Base AC | 2 |
| Base MR | 30 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 2500 |
| Nutritional value | 0 |
| Size | huge |
| Resistances | poison, petrification |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
A water elemental:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line1387 |
A water elemental, E, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. It is an amphibious, unsolid elemental that is strong and capable of swimming.
A water elemental has a single strong claw attack, and possesses poison resistance and stoning resistance.
Contents
Generation
Randomly generated water elementals may be peaceful towards neutral characters. Water elementals generated on the Plane of Water will have three times as many hit points.[1][2][3]
In addition to random generation, a water elemental may be generated as a minion of a neutral god. Quaffing from a sink has a 1⁄20 chance of generating a water elemental if they are not extinct.
Water elementals appear among the random E that are part of the first quest monster class for Monks, and make up 24⁄175 of the monsters randomly generated on the Monk quest. They also appear among the the random E that are part of the second quest class for Samurai, and make up 6⁄175 of the monsters randomly generated on the Samurai quest.
Nineteen hostile water elementals are generated across the Plane of Water at level creation.[4]
Water elementals are not a valid target for genocide. A water elemental does not leave a corpse upon death.
Strategy
Water elementals have the strongest single attack among elementals, but are incredibly slow at 6 base speed and lack any of the abilities that some other elementals possess, meaning they can easily be outrun and kited.
On the Plane of Water, the water elementals are usually the least threatening monsters present: most of the level is populated with sea monsters that can instantly kill a character via drowning, making it common to read a blessed scroll of genocide immediately after entering the Plane. Once the Plane's drowning threats are dealt with, water elementals are considered an annoyance at worst, as most characters will be more than able to handle their melee attacks.
History
The water elemental first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, at least one water elemental is generated within the Cloud Bank of the Lawful Quest at level creation, with a 3⁄5 chance of a second one being placed nearby.
Water elementals feature prominently in the Flame Mage quest: They are the first quest monster class for Flame Mages, and make up 96⁄175 of the monsters randomly generated on their quest. Several water elementals are also generated on each floor of the quest branch at level creation: six are generated on the home level, seven are generated on the filler levels, nine are generated on the locate level, and twelve are generated on the goal level.
The Ice Mage quest artifact, The Storm Whistle, can be invoked to summon tame water elementals.
NetHack brass
In NetHack brass, water elementals are given an additional engulfing attack that can cause a delayed instadeath by strangulation (which is flavored as "drowning" while being distinct from drowning attacks) and a rust-inducing passive. This makes them among the more dangerous elementals to encounter, as their engulfing can suffocate you if you do not break out in time, and will often cause significant water damage to your even if you survive.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, 1⁄10 of the monsters randomly generated on the Water Temple level of the Chaos Temple Quest will be water elementals.
Water elementals take double damage from the Horrid Wilting active power of Iris, Friend from Afar.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, a hostile water elemental is generated on the Plane of Ice at level creation.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, water elementals are given a rust-inducing passive and an additional engulfing attack that causes delayed instadeath by suffocation, similar to NetHack brass.
SlashTHEM
SlashTHEM adds the greater water elemental, though water elementals cannot grow up into them. Water elementals leave behind shallow water upon death, and are generated in the same levels as in SLASH'EM.
The Firefighter quest artifact, the Fire Chief Helmet, can be invoked to summon tame water elementals, with a 3⁄4 chance of generating a standard water elemental and a 1⁄4 chance of generating a greater one. The Storm Whistle is changed to instead summon tame ice elementals and ice vortices.
References
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 45: elementals and home planes
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1012: max HP for elementals on home planes
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1825: max HP gain for elementals on home planes
- ↑ dat/endgame.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 457
