Displacer beast - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: potholes

2026-05-19T03:20:23Z

potholes

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2026-01-08T14:08:46Z

word choice

Umbire the Phantom: spacing

2026-01-08T14:06:28Z

spacing

Umbire the Phantom: /* Origin */ word choice

2026-01-08T11:26:46Z

‎Origin: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: detail

2026-01-08T11:19:41Z

detail

Umbire the Phantom: snip the last

2026-01-01T08:57:22Z

snip the last

Umbire the Phantom: origin done

2026-01-01T08:55:02Z

origin done

Umbire the Phantom: details, etc.

2026-01-01T06:49:35Z

details, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Origin */ punc - need to redo this but I'm not in the mood currently

2026-01-01T06:08:19Z

‎Origin: punc - need to redo this but I'm not in the mood currently

Umbire the Phantom: hatnote

2026-01-01T06:07:19Z

hatnote

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   |frequency=1
   |resistances=None
-  |resistances conveyed=[[displacement]] (100%, 6-36 turns)
+  |resistances conveyed=[[Displacement (property)|displacement]] (100%, 6-36 turns)
   |attributes={{attributes|A displacer beast|animal=1|nohands=1|carnivore=1|hostile=1|nasty=1|infravisible=1|infravision=1|displaces=1}}
   |reference=[https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/blob/719166f9eca14bd01b42d6cce94f684f5dec121f/include/monsters.h#L435 NetHack 3.7.0 (last commit 0e50adc) - include/monsters.h, line 435]
 }}
 {{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
-A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while moving and naturally has the [[displacement]] property: A [[hero]] that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped&mdash;the ability is also unaffected by [[cancellation]].
+A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while moving and naturally has the [[Displacement (property)|displacement]] property: A [[hero]] that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped&mdash;the ability is also unaffected by [[cancellation]].
 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].

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 }}
 {{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
-A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while movement and naturally has the [[displacement]] property: A [[hero]] that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped&mdash;the ability is also unaffected by [[cancellation]].
+A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while moving and naturally has the [[displacement]] property: A [[hero]] that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped&mdash;the ability is also unaffected by [[cancellation]].
 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].

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 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].
-A hero [[eating]] a displacer beast [[corpse]] or [[tin]]  gains 6-36 turns of intrinsic displacement upon finishing the meal.
+A hero [[eating]] a displacer beast [[corpse]] or [[tin]] gains 6-36 turns of intrinsic displacement upon finishing the meal.
 ==Generation==

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 The displacer beast's name comes from its innate "displacement" ability, which is caused by molecular vibrations generated from specialized nerves located in the outer layers of the displacer beast's skin&mdash;this bends light and creates the illusion that it is a short distance away (anywhere from 1 to 3 feet) from its actual location. Displacer beasts are excellent at hiding and resistant to all ranged attacks as a result, as well as many magical effects (such as "dispel magic") and poisons; their displacement ability is seemingly unconscious, though they can direct the illusory image at will using the thorns on the end of its tentacles, which faintly glow blue while this power is in use. A displacer beast can see the true locations of other displacer beasts even through their illusions; the "phase trap" spell can nullify the beast's displacement, and true seeing reveals their real position.
-Displacer beasts often kill for sport as much as for necessity, though they do not fight amongst themselves for food or dominance, and like other great cats they will often toy with their prey until they were ready to eat&mdash;once their prey is slain, the displacer beast drags the carcass to a safe and remote spot to consume it. Displacer beasts are known to hunt in packs (called "prides") and lure prey into ambushes, and while they prefer to hunt smaller creatures, they are not picky eaters and consume anything they can kill. Displacer beasts fight using deadly claws and wicked teeth: prides will target weaker members of a group first, which extends to attacking spellcasters of traveling parties from a distance with their tentacles while facing armed opponents head-on; if faced with overwhelming odds, however, they tend to flee rather than fighting to the death.
+Displacer beasts often kill for sport as much as for necessity, though they do not fight amongst themselves for food or dominance, and like other great cats they will often toy with their prey until they are ready to eat&mdash;once their prey is slain, the displacer beast drags the carcass to a safe and remote spot to consume it. Displacer beasts are known to hunt in packs (called "prides") and lure prey into ambushes, and while they prefer to hunt smaller creatures, they are not picky eaters and consume anything they can kill. Displacer beasts fight using deadly claws and wicked teeth: prides will target weaker members of a group first, which extends to attacking spellcasters of traveling parties from a distance with their tentacles while facing armed opponents head-on; if faced with overwhelming odds, however, they tend to flee rather than fighting to the death.
 ==Messages==

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 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].
-A hero [[eating]] a displacer beast [[corpse]] or [[tin]] gains 6d6 turns of intrinsic displacement.
+A hero [[eating]] a displacer beast [[corpse]] or [[tin]]  gains 6-36 turns of intrinsic displacement upon finishing the meal.
 ==Generation==

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 {{message|<The displacer beast> swaps places with you...|A displacer beast exchanged places with you when you tried to attack it.}}<!--
-==Variants== <- in preparation for 3.7.0's eventual release
+==Variants== <- in preparation for 3.7.0's eventual release-->
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

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 }}
 {{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
-A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while movement and naturally has the [[displacement]] property: a hero that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped.
+A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[NetHack 3.7.0]], and also appears in [[xNetHack]]. The displacer beast is a large and quadrupedal [[feline]] [[animal]] that is [[carnivorous]], has [[infravision]] and can be seen via infravision like other felines. A displacer beast can both displace other monsters while movement and naturally has the [[displacement]] property: A [[hero]] that attacks a displacer beast (including by [[force-fighting]]) has a {{frac|2}} chance of "displacing" them instead, moving the hero into that square and relocating the displacer beast to a nearby square. This will not occur if the displacer beast cannot be relocated to a valid position, or else if it is currently helpless, eating or trapped.
 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].
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 Displacer beasts are serious threats to mid-game heroes and even some late-game heroes: their -10 [[AC]] makes them quite hard to hit, and they can inflict major damage with their melee attacks. Though they are not without exploitable weaknesses, such as a complete lack of [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] or any form of [[resistance]] properties, any means of softening up a displacer beast will require being able to hit it in the first place.
-With this in mind, one of the displacer beast's major weaknesses involves exploiting their eponymous displacement abilities: a displacer beast can displace itself into a [[moat]], pool or [[lava]] and die instantly from [[drowning]] or incineration. Displacer beasts that can be hit with any immobilizing magic or abilities, e.g. a [[wand of sleep]] ray or a [[potion of paralysis]], are easier to defeat if the hero is capable of reliably hitting through their AC. Additionally, their lack of MR score means that [[taming]] magic and similar effects will always be effective&mdash;displacer beasts are also very strong pets due to their AC, and can take out much more troublesome hostile monsters without losing as much health to retaliation.
+With this in mind, one of the displacer beast's major weaknesses involves exploiting their eponymous displacement abilities: a displacer beast can displace itself into a [[moat]], pool or [[lava]] and die instantly from [[drowning]] or incineration. Displacer beasts that can be hit with any immobilizing magic or abilities, e.g. a [[wand of sleep]] ray or a [[potion of paralysis]], are easier to defeat if the hero is capable of reliably hitting through their AC. Their [[speed]] of 12 also means that any unburdened hero with speed can outrun it if need be.
 ==History==
-The displacer beast first appears in [[SLASH'EM]].
+The displacer beast first appears in [[SLASH 6]] and [[SLASH'EM]].
 ==Origin==
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 Amusingly, you can displace a displacer beast into water or lava, killing it instantly.
 |-|
 SlashTHEM|{{monster

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 ==Origin==
-The displacer beast is a ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', monster that projects a displaced image a few feet from where it actually stands. It is the source mythology for the displacement provided by the [[cloak of displacement]].
+The displacer beast is a ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' monster that projects a displaced image a few feet from where it actually stands. It is the source mythology for the displacement provided by the [[cloak of displacement]].
 ==Messages==