Bite attack - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* EvilHack */ wildshape

2026-04-25T10:53:06Z

‎EvilHack: wildshape

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ tweak

2026-04-24T18:12:06Z

‎dNetHack: tweak

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ thx chris

2026-04-24T18:09:06Z

‎dNetHack: thx chris

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ dnh + evil

2026-04-24T10:00:07Z

‎Variants: dnh + evil

Umbire the Phantom: actually a list for each variant thus far might do - while we're at it, fill in details for the vanilla list

2026-04-24T03:36:04Z

actually a list for each variant thus far might do - while we're at it, fill in details for the vanilla list

Umbire the Phantom: detailing, start on variant

2026-04-24T03:06:56Z

detailing, start on variant

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ word choice

2026-01-07T11:52:23Z

‎Variants: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Messages */ correction

2026-01-07T11:21:31Z

‎Messages: correction

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ punc

2026-01-07T09:28:55Z

‎Description: punc

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ cite stoning

2026-01-07T09:28:38Z

‎Description: cite stoning

@@ Line 129: / Line 129: @@
 * All [[Zombie (EvilHack)|zombies]] (including a [[Draugr (starting race)|draugr]] hero and [[Draugr (EvilHack)|draugr-race]] [[Player monster (EvilHack)|player monsters]]) have a bite attack that can either cause [[intelligence drain]] or an [[illness]] that may turn victims into zombies themselves if they die from it.
 * [[Medusa (EvilHack)|Medusa]] has her bite attack from ''NetHack'' replaced by a pair of attacks similarly flavored as bites coming from her hair full of snakes&mdash;the latter of the two attacks is considered a "true" bite attack and can induce stoning.
 ==References==

@@ Line 109: / Line 109: @@
 * The "wolf-head bite" is a self-explanatory attack type that uses wolf heads to bite, and is exclusive to a hero that has the [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Miska]] bound.
 * One type of [[The Black Mother|"black goat" attack]] can randomly resolve as a bite attack.
-* Finally, there is an attack type used to represent all '''other bites''' (<tt>'''AT_OBIT'''</tt>) that do not fit into one of the other categories above, such as the bites from the snakes of [[Medusa (dNetHack)|Medusa]] and [[ancient naga]]s.
+* Finally, there is an attack type used to represent all '''other bites''' (<tt>'''AT_OBIT'''</tt>) that do not fit into one of the other categories above, such as the bites from [[Medusa]]'s snakes and the [[ancient naga]]'s 'canopy' of snake heads.
 dNetHack also adds many new monsters that have standard bite attacks, with notable ones listed below:

@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 [[dNetHack]] has several subtypes of bite attack:
-* The '''long-necked bite''' (<tt>'''AT_LNCK'''</tt>) is an attack type that allows the attacker to target a hero or monster in a 2-square circular radius surrounding it, and it is used by monsters such as the [[daughter of Naunet]] and [[star spawn]].
+* The '''long-necked bite''' (<tt>'''AT_LNCK'''</tt>) is an attack type that allows the attacker to target a bite at a hero or monster in a 5x5 square area centered on it, and it is used by monsters such as the [[daughter of Naunet]] and [[star spawn]].
-* The '''five-square bite''' (<tt>'''AT_5BIT'''</tt>) is an attack type that allows the attacker to target a hero or monster in a 5-square circular radius surrounding it, and it is used by the [[first wraithworm]] and [[nachash tannin]].
+* The '''five-square bite''' (<tt>'''AT_5BIT'''</tt>) is an attack type that allows the attacker the attacker to target a bite at a hero or monster in a 11x11 square area centered on it, and it is used by the [[first wraithworm]] and [[nachash tannin]].
 * The "wolf-head bite" is a self-explanatory attack type that uses wolf heads to bite, and is exclusive to a hero that has the [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Miska]] bound.
 * One type of [[The Black Mother|"black goat" attack]] can randomly resolve as a bite attack.

@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-[[dNetHack]] adds many new monsters that have bite attacks, with notable ones listed below:
+[[dNetHack]] has several subtypes of bite attack:
 * Many [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampires]] and similar monsters have [[Vampiric (damage type)|vampiric]] bite attacks that drain blood from victims&mdash;for [[Vampire (monster class)|vampire]] monsters that originate from ''NetHack'', this replaces their life-draining bite attacks.
 The hero can gain bite attacks through a few means other than polymorphing:
-* The [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Chupoclops]] grants the hero a 2d4 poisonous bite attack while bound.
+* [[Chupoclops]] is a spirit that grants the hero a 2d4 poisonous bite attack while bound.
 ===EvilHack===
@@ Line 115: / Line 128: @@
 * All [[Zombie (EvilHack)|zombies]] (including a [[Draugr (starting race)|draugr]] hero and [[Draugr (EvilHack)|draugr-race]] [[Player monster (EvilHack)|player monsters]]) have a bite attack that can either cause [[intelligence drain]] or an [[illness]] that may turn victims into zombies themselves if they die from it.
 ==References==

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 * {{white|u}} all [[growth stage]]s of [[domestic]] [[horse]]
 * all {{monclass|w}}s
-* {{monsymlink|grid bug}}
+* {{monsymlink|grid bug}} ([[shocking]], but is too weak to do inventory damage normally)
 * {{monsymlink|zruty}}
 * {{monsymlink|couatl}} (one that is [[poisonous]] and drains [[strength]], one physical)
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 * all {{monclass|T}}s
 * {{monsymlink|umber hulk}}
-* all {{monclass|V}}s
+* all {{monclass|V}}s ([[Drain life (monster attack)|drain life]])
 * {{monsymlink|xorn}}
 * {{monclass|Y}}
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 * {{monclass|@}}
 ** {{monsymlink|Medusa}} (poisonous, drains strength)
 * {{monclass|&}}
 ** {{monsymlink|water demon}}
@@ Line 92: / Line 93: @@
 ===SLASH'EM===
-[[SLASH'EM]] adds many new monsters that have bite attacks, with notable ones including the [[acid worm]], [[asphynx]], [[Baby deep dragon (SLASH'EM)|baby deep dragon]], [[Basilisk (SLASH'EM)|basilisk]], [[Gug (SLASH'EM)|gug]], [[rabid rabbit]], [[recluse spider]], [[snow ant]], [[spark bug]], and [[Werecreature (SLASH'EM)|the new werecreatures]].
+[[SLASH'EM]] adds many new monsters that have bite attacks, with notable ones listed below:
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], the [[Spirits (dNetHack)|spirit]] [[Chupoclops]] grants the hero a 2d4 poisonous bite attack while bound.
+[[dNetHack]] adds many new monsters that have bite attacks, with notable ones listed below:
 ==References==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 A monster that has a bite attack, including a [[hero]] [[polymorph]]ed into such a monster, performs the attack by attempting to tear into the target with their teeth or tusks.
-[[Magic cancellation]] can block bite attacks if they use [[damage type]]s that are also blocked by magic cancellation. Biting a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]] will turn the attacker to stone, and monsters will avoid doing so against such targets when possible with the exception of a hero in the form of either monster.{{refsrc|src/mhitm.c|385|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/mhitm.c|1783|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|675|nethack=3.6.7|comment=monster bite versus hero}}{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2800-L2823|nethack=3.6.7|comment=contact attacks against stoning passive}}
+[[Magic cancellation]] can block bite attacks if they use [[damage type]]s that are also blocked by magic cancellation. Biting a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]] will [[Stoning|turn the attacker to stone]], and monsters will avoid doing so against such targets when possible with the exception of a hero in the form of either monster.{{refsrc|src/mhitm.c|385|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/mhitm.c|1783|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|675|nethack=3.6.7|comment=monster bite versus hero}}{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2800-L2823|nethack=3.6.7|comment=contact attacks against stoning passive}}
 ===List of monsters===
-The following monsters have bite attacks:
+The following monsters have bite attacks, which deal [[physical damage]] unless otherwise noted:
 * {{monclass|a}}
 ** {{monsymlink|giant ant}}
 ** {{monsymlink|soldier ant}}
-** {{monsymlink|fire ant}} (one [[Physical damage|physical]], one [[Fire (element)|fire]])
+** {{monsymlink|fire ant}} (one physical, one [[Fire (element)|fire]])
 ** {{monsymlink|giant beetle}}
 * all {{monclass|c}}s except the {{monsymlink|pyrolisk}}
@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 ** {{monsymlink|snake}} (poisonous, drains strength)
 ** {{monsymlink|water moccasin}} (poisonous, drains strength)
-** {{monsymlink|pit viper}} (2x poisonous and drains strength)
+** {{monsymlink|pit viper}} (2x poisonous + drains strength)
 ** {{monsymlink|python}} (physical)
 ** {{monsymlink|cobra}} (poison)
@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 ** {{monsymlink|nalfeshnee}}
 ** {{monsymlink|Baalzebub}} (poisonous, drains strength)
-* all {{monclass|;}}s except the {{monsymlink|jellyfish}}; electric eel has [[shock]]ing bite
+* all {{monclass|;}}s except the {{monsymlink|jellyfish}}; electric eel has [[shocking]] bite
 * all {{monclass|:}}s except the {{monsymlink|salamander}}
 * [[Defunct features|Defunct]] and [[deferred]] monsters
@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The seduction used by foocubi is defined as a bite attack, which means that foocubi and ('''very critically''') heroes in foocubi form will always be in danger of being turned to stone if they use the attack on a footrice&mdash;a hero in foocubus form should '''never''' melee one for this reason, even if they have [[weapon]]s and [[gloves]].
+The seduction used by foocubi is defined as a bite attack, which means that foocubi and ('''very critically''') heroes in foocubi form will always be in danger of being turned to stone if they use the attack on a footrice&mdash;a hero in foocubus form should '''never''' engage one in melee for this reason, even if they have [[weapon]]s and [[worn]] [[gloves]].
 ==History==
@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 ==Variants==
-''NetHack'' [[variant]]s may add new monsters with bite attacks, as well as different types of bite attacks.
+''NetHack'' [[variant]]s may add new monsters with bite attacks, as well as different types of bite attacks.<!--keeping a running list of every single monster that has a bite attack isn't feasible for most variants, and any list we do keep should ideally be an exception-->
 ==References==

@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
 ==Messages==
 {{message|<The monster> bites!|A monster other than a foocubus hit you with a bite attack.{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|47|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
-{{message|<The monster> snaps wildly and misses!|A monster other than a foocubus targeted a bite attack at you, but you are [[invisible]] or else they cannot see you.{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|163|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
+{{message|<The monster> snaps wildly and misses!|A monster targeted a bite attack at you, but missed because you are [[invisible]] or [[underwater]].{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|163|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
 {{message|<The monster> bites <the other monster>.|A monster other than a foocubus hit another monster with a bite attack.{{refsrc|src/mhitm.c|589|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
 {{message|You bite <the monster>.|You hit a monster with a bite attack.{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2527|nethack=3.6.7}}}}