Displacer beast (EvilHack) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: potholes

2026-05-19T03:00:32Z

potholes

Umbire the Phantom: wp link

2026-01-08T14:10:19Z

wp link

Umbire the Phantom: agh

2026-01-08T14:08:33Z

agh

Umbire the Phantom: cat, etc.

2026-01-08T14:08:11Z

cat, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: similar enough for hack'em

2026-01-08T14:07:54Z

similar enough for hack'em

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ todo

2026-01-08T13:56:32Z

‎Strategy: todo

Umbire the Phantom: /* Origin */ word choice

2026-01-08T11:26:55Z

‎Origin: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: create

2026-01-08T11:23:05Z

create

New page

{{ monster
|name=displacer beast
|difficulty=14
|level=12
|experience=313
|speed=12
|AC=-10
|MR=0
|align=-3
|frequency=1
|genocidable=Yes
|attacks=[[Claw attack|claw]] 4d4 [[Physical damage|physical]], claw 4d4 physical, [[Bite attack|bite]] 2d10 physical
|resistances conveyed=[[displacement]] (6-36 turns)
|resistances=None
|attributes={{attributes|A displacer beast|animal=1|nohands=1|carnivore=1|hostile=1|nasty=1|infravisible=1|infravision=1|displaces=1}}
|size=Large
|nutr=400
|weight=750
|reference=[https://github.com/k21971/EvilHack/blob/v0.9.1/src/monst.c#L542 EvilHack 0.9.1 - src/monst.c, line 542]
}}
{{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[EvilHack]]. 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—the ability is also unaffected by [[cancellation]].

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.

==Generation==
Randomly-generated displacer beasts are always created hostile.

Hostile displacer beasts can be created by the [[summon nasties]] [[monster spell]] when it is cast by a hostile [[spellcaster]].

==Strategy==
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. Their [[speed]] of 12 also means that any unburdened hero with speed can outrun it if need be.

Additionally, the displacer beast's lack of MR score means that [[taming]] magic and similar effects will always be effective—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.

==Origin==
{{wikipedia}}
The displacer beast is an evil creature that originates from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' where it is introduced in the 1975 ''Greyhawk'', the game's first supplement—the concept of the creature was borrowed from A. E. van Vogt's 1939 science fiction short story "[[Wikipedia:Black Destroyer|Black Destroyer]]", which features a similar feline-like creature called a coeurl as the titular antagonist. The displacer beast is a large and strong feline with a blue-black pelt that vaguely resembles a puma or black panther, though they possess three pairs of limbs rather than two, and also have tentacles up to 5-feet long that extend from its shoulders and end in sharp and brownish-yellow horned edges.

Displacer beasts are usually about 9 feet (2.7 meters) long and weigh as much as 500 pounds (230 kilograms), with females being smaller; "pack lord" varieties of displacer beast and other mutants of the species can grow to twice the usual size. A displacer beast is more intelligent than most animals and can even speak some Common, while pack lords have slightly higher human-level intelligence. They have striking green eyes that glow malevolently and continue to shine even after they die, and can see up to 60 feet in the dark. Their hide is a valuable commodity, used to create highly sought-after enchanted items such as [[cloaks of displacement]].

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—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—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==
{{message|<The displacer beast> swaps places with you...|A displacer beast exchanged places with you when you tried to attack it.}}

==Encyclopedia Entry==
{{encyclopedia|
This strange creature appears to be mutant form of puma (aka
cougar or mountain lion) which lives in underground settings
rather than outdoor wilderness. It is capable of exchanging
positions with people or creatures in its path and is not
fooled by displaced images of others.
}}
[[Category:EvilHack monsters]]

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ==Origin==
-{{wikipedia}}
+{{wikipedia|Displacer beast}}
 The displacer beast is an evil creature that originates from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' where it is introduced in the 1975 ''Greyhawk'', the game's first supplement&mdash;the concept of the creature was borrowed from A. E. van Vogt's 1939 science fiction short story "[[Wikipedia:Black Destroyer|Black Destroyer]]", which features a similar feline-like creature called a coeurl as the titular antagonist. The displacer beast is a large and strong feline with a blue-black pelt that vaguely resembles a puma or black panther, though they possess three pairs of limbs rather than two, and also have tentacles up to 5-feet long that extend from its shoulders and end in sharp and brownish-yellow horned edges.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 }}
 {{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
-A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]]. 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]]. In Hack'EM, a [[pinch of catnip]] [[thrown]] at a displacer beast will render them [[tame]] and [[confuse]] them.
+A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]]. 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]]. In Hack'EM, a [[pinch of catnip]] [[thrown]] at a displacer beast will render them [[tame]] and [[confuse]] them.
 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:56, 8 January 2026
Line 32:		Line 32:

	==Strategy==		==Strategy==
		+	{{todo\|Differentiate from vanilla strategy.}}
	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.		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.

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 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==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
   |genocidable=Yes
   |attacks=[[Claw attack|claw]] 4d4 [[Physical damage|physical]], claw 4d4 physical, [[Bite attack|bite]] 2d10 physical
-  |resistances conveyed=[[displacement]] (6-36 turns)
+  |resistances conveyed=[[Displacement (property)|displacement]] (6-36 turns)
   |resistances=None
   |attributes={{attributes|A displacer beast|animal=1|nohands=1|carnivore=1|hostile=1|nasty=1|infravisible=1|infravision=1|displaces=1}}
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 }}
 {{for|the monster in other variants|Displacer beast (disambiguation)}}
-A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]]. 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]]. In Hack'EM, a [[pinch of catnip]] [[thrown]] at a displacer beast will render them [[tame]] and [[confuse]] them.
+A '''displacer beast''', {{monsym|displacer beast}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]]. 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]]. In Hack'EM, a [[pinch of catnip]] [[thrown]] at a displacer beast will render them [[tame]] and [[confuse]] them.
 Displacer beasts have two [[claw attack]]s and a [[bite attack]].

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 {{message|<The displacer beast> swaps places with you...|A displacer beast exchanged places with you when you tried to attack it.}}
-==Encyclopedia Entry==
+==Encyclopedia entry==
 {{encyclopedia|
 This strange creature appears to be mutant form of puma (aka
@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 }}<!--{{variant-36X}}-->
 [[Category:EvilHack monsters]]