Flaming sphere - Revision history

Klepto: changed link to mainspace page.

2026-08-17T04:19:06Z

changed link to mainspace page.

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:19, 17 August 2026
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	In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], flaming spheres have an [[on-death explosion]] similar to [[gas spore]]s, covering a 3x3 area centered on it that can burn items in the open inventories of anyone caught in the blast—fire resistance blocks HP damage from the explosion, and extrinsic fire resistance also prevents item damage.		In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], flaming spheres have an [[on-death explosion]] similar to [[gas spore]]s, covering a 3x3 area centered on it that can burn items in the open inventories of anyone caught in the blast—fire resistance blocks HP damage from the explosion, and extrinsic fire resistance also prevents item damage.

	Flaming spheres can be [[Ward (dNetHack)\|warded]] by the [[~~User:Chris/dNetHack/Elder Elemental Eye\|~~Elder Elemental Eye]] at any level of reinforcement.		Flaming spheres can be [[Ward (dNetHack)\|warded]] by the [[Elder Elemental Eye]] at any level of reinforcement.

	Flaming spheres may be generated in [[Law quest (dNetHack)\|the Lawful Quest]], where they will appear on the Paths of Law and within the Arcadian Tower if [[Oona]]'s elemental affinity is randomized to fire. The [[summon sphere]] [[dNetHack monster spells\|monster spell]] can summon flaming spheres.		Flaming spheres may be generated in [[Law quest (dNetHack)\|the Lawful Quest]], where they will appear on the Paths of Law and within the Arcadian Tower if [[Oona]]'s elemental affinity is randomized to fire. The [[summon sphere]] [[dNetHack monster spells\|monster spell]] can summon flaming spheres.

Umbire the Phantom: word choice, mention geno

2026-06-17T14:30:05Z

word choice, mention geno

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:30, 17 June 2026
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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}} Players that are especially annoyed or inconvenienced by flaming spheres may opt to [[genocide]] them, including the use of a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] to eliminate other spheres alongside it (such as the much more destructive [[shocking sphere]]).

	The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms of monsters that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==
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	* In versions up to [[NetHack 3.4.2]], flaming spheres are not properly accounted for in some checks that involve fiery monsters, and polymorphing into a flaming sphere does not cure sliming. These are fixed in [[NetHack 3.4.3]] via {{commit\|5ba58b72297eaeb380c9b6cd66ec0027d84d0ba8}} and {{commit\|929f9ce2c7ca3924fa256b2bb032d7b4b101de32}} so that polymorph into a flaming sphere cures sliming and the monster is accounted for using a macro rather than separate lists.		* In versions up to [[NetHack 3.4.2]], flaming spheres are not properly accounted for in some checks that involve fiery monsters, and polymorphing into a flaming sphere does not cure sliming. These are fixed in [[NetHack 3.4.3]] via {{commit\|5ba58b72297eaeb380c9b6cd66ec0027d84d0ba8}} and {{commit\|929f9ce2c7ca3924fa256b2bb032d7b4b101de32}} so that polymorph into a flaming sphere cures sliming and the monster is accounted for using a macro rather than separate lists.
	* In versions up to NetHack 3.4.3, flaming and [[shocking sphere]]s are capable of picking up items where a freezing sphere cannot, though due to their weight they will only attempt to pick up very light ones such as singular [[gold pieces]] (usually only while tame). This is fixed in [[NetHack 3.6.0]] via {{commit\|cbab68a4bb0abfa23e695d48bd17806c85e5974f}} so that spheres will properly avoid picking up items.		* In versions up to NetHack 3.4.3, flaming and [[shocking sphere]]s are capable of picking up items where a [[freezing sphere]] cannot, though due to their weight they will only attempt to pick up very light ones (such as singular [[gold pieces]]) and will usually only do so while tame. This is fixed in [[NetHack 3.6.0]] via {{commit\|cbab68a4bb0abfa23e695d48bd17806c85e5974f}} so that all three spheres will properly avoid picking up items.
	* In versions up to 3.6.7, flaming spheres grant fire resistance only while eaten, which does not account for any form of digestion attack. This is fixed in NetHack 5.0.0 via {{commit\|0eadf8dfe1dac951a94225831f099de395e56b27}}, {{commit\|b25961fb131944353070be27a92accbd662673a0}} and {{commit\|c78e7af01378d5a54a080c5e5a9ef9f454f6b83f}}.		* In versions up to 3.6.7, flaming spheres grant fire resistance only while eaten, which does not account for any form of digestion attack. This is fixed in NetHack 5.0.0 via {{commit\|0eadf8dfe1dac951a94225831f099de395e56b27}}, {{commit\|b25961fb131944353070be27a92accbd662673a0}} and {{commit\|c78e7af01378d5a54a080c5e5a9ef9f454f6b83f}}.

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2026-06-17T11:56:45Z

word choice

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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from ~~destruction~~ {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}

	The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==
	The flaming sphere first appears in [[NetHack-- 3.0.10]], and also appears in [[NetHack-- 3.1.3]] and [[SLASH 6]]. It makes its vanilla debut in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the [[Monster difficulty\|difficulty]] of the flaming sphere is 8: its explosion attack targets a single square, has a [[dexterity]]-based chance of dealing reduced damage, does not burn armor or other items, and is completely blocked by [[fire resistance]].{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2064-L2067\|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2080-L2089\|nethack=3.6.7}}		The flaming sphere first appears in [[NetHack-- 3.0.10]], and also appears in [[NetHack-- 3.1.3]] and [[SLASH 6]]. It makes its vanilla debut in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the [[Monster difficulty\|difficulty]] of the flaming sphere is 8: its explosion attack targets a single square, has a [[dexterity]]-based chance of dealing reduced damage, does not burn armor or other items, and is completely blocked by fire resistance.{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2064-L2067\|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2080-L2089\|nethack=3.6.7}}

	The flaming sphere's current behavior is introduced in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit\|6b60618e0e662b35b8e9c31dc9c4baee5ae70932}} and {{commit\|eb22a81088c220ba18c26a872d9087035c5c444d}}, with the explosion behavior adapted from [[xNetHack]], while its monster difficulty rating is increased to 9—NetHack 5.0.0 fixes discrepancies related to the difficulty ratings for spheres via {{commit\|c38023432581178b3dabf1f492ec04e3dd427b18}}.		The flaming sphere's current behavior is introduced in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit\|6b60618e0e662b35b8e9c31dc9c4baee5ae70932}} and {{commit\|eb22a81088c220ba18c26a872d9087035c5c444d}}, with the explosion behavior adapted from [[xNetHack]], while its monster difficulty rating is increased to 9—NetHack 5.0.0 fixes discrepancies related to the difficulty ratings for spheres via {{commit\|c38023432581178b3dabf1f492ec04e3dd427b18}}.

Umbire the Phantom: citation

2026-06-17T10:28:06Z

citation

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	A '''flaming sphere''', {{monsym\|flaming sphere}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The flaming sphere is a [[fiery]] [[sphere]] monster that [[Light source\|emits light]] in a 1-square radius around itself, and can burn through [[web]]s while moving.		A '''flaming sphere''', {{monsym\|flaming sphere}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The flaming sphere is a [[fiery]] [[sphere]] monster that [[Light source\|emits light]] in a 1-square radius around itself, and can burn through [[web]]s while moving.

	A flaming sphere has a [[Fire (element)\|fire]] [[explosion attack]] that causes them to self-destruct and cover a 3x3 square radius centered on their position, which deals 4-24 base damage to a [[hero]] or any other monsters caught in the explosion:{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|1617-L1622\|nethack=5.0.0}} this can [[Erosion\|burn]] [[armor]] and has a chance of destroying [[scroll]]s, [[spellbook]]s, [[potion]]s, and [[globs of green slime]] on the floor and in the inventory of anyone caught in the blast, with the amount of items affected being equal to {{frac\|5}} of the fire damage that was dealt—a hero or monster with a source of extrinsic [[fire resistance]] has a {{frac\|99\|100}} chance per item of preventing their inventory from burning. Flaming spheres possess fire resistance.		A flaming sphere has a [[Fire (element)\|fire]] [[explosion attack]] that causes them to self-destruct and cover a 3x3 square radius centered on their position, which deals 4-24 base damage to a [[hero]] or any other monsters caught in the explosion:{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|1617-L1622\|nethack=5.0.0}} this can [[Erosion\|burn]] [[armor]] and has a chance of destroying [[scroll]]s, [[spellbook]]s, [[potion]]s, and [[globs of green slime]] on the floor and in the inventory of anyone caught in the blast, with the amount of items affected being equal to {{frac\|5}} of the fire damage that was dealt—a hero or monster with a source of extrinsic [[fire resistance]] has a {{frac\|99\|100}} chance per item of preventing their inventory from burning.{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5685-L5689\|nethack=5.0.0\|name="prot_item"\|comment=protection via extrinsic resistances}} Flaming spheres possess fire resistance.

	The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.		The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ citations

2026-06-17T10:27:16Z

Strategy: citations

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 17 June 2026
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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory.		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from destruction {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}

	The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

Umbire the Phantom: rephrase strategy

2026-06-17T09:55:03Z

rephrase strategy

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	==Strategy==		==Strategy==
	{{recent\|NetHack 5.0.0\|Explosion attack changes and item destruction refactoring have significant ramifications.}}		{{recent\|NetHack 5.0.0\|Explosion attack changes and item destruction refactoring have significant ramifications.}}
	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying to deal with due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	~~An extrinsic source of fire resistance~~ is ~~among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory~~, ~~as well as~~ quickly ~~stashing~~ or ~~dropping~~ any loose flammable items that are on hand~~. The flaming sphere's nonexistent~~ [[~~Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score~~]] means ~~they can easily be dropped by~~ [[~~poison~~]] ~~damage~~, ~~and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a~~ [[~~wand of sleep~~]] ~~that gives the hero (and/~~or ~~their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode.~~ [[~~Cancellation~~]] ~~that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless~~.		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory.

	Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==

Umbire the Phantom: cancel + splice

2026-06-14T08:59:56Z

cancel + splice

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:59, 14 June 2026
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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying to deal with due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying to deal with due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, as well as quickly stashing or dropping any loose flammable items that are on hand. The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, as well as quickly stashing or dropping any loose flammable items that are on hand. The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless.

			Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==
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	===SpliceHack===		===SpliceHack===
	In [[SpliceHack]], ~~the~~ spellbook of flame sphere is made functional and works similar to SLASH'EM.		In [[SpliceHack]], flaming spheres behave as they do in NetHack 3.6.7 and previous versions.<!--verify more thoroughly-->

			The spellbook of flame sphere is made functional and works similar to SLASH'EM.

	[[Reading]] a [[scroll of elementalism]] while [[confused]] has a {{frac\|4}} chance of summoning flaming spheres, which are tame if the scroll was blessed and read by a hero and will otherwise be hostile.		[[Reading]] a [[scroll of elementalism]] while [[confused]] has a {{frac\|4}} chance of summoning flaming spheres, which are tame if the scroll was blessed and read by a hero and will otherwise be hostile.

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2026-06-13T21:58:56Z

pothole

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	The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.		The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.

	Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] can grant [[fire resistance]] to the digesting hero or monster.		Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] can grant fire resistance to the digesting hero or monster.

	==Generation==		==Generation==

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2026-06-13T21:58:36Z

word choice

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:58, 13 June 2026
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	The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.		The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.

	Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] ~~grants~~ [[fire resistance]] to the digesting hero or monster.		Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] can grant [[fire resistance]] to the digesting hero or monster.

	==Generation==		==Generation==

Umbire the Phantom: reflink, etc.

2026-06-13T21:56:22Z

reflink, etc.

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	\|resistances conveyed=[[fire resistance]]		\|resistances conveyed=[[fire resistance]]
	\|attributes={{attributes\|A flaming sphere\|nocorpse=1\|fly=1\|breathless=1\|nolimbs=1\|nohead=1\|mindless=1\|hostile=1\|neuter=1\|infravisible=1\|light=1}}		\|attributes={{attributes\|A flaming sphere\|nocorpse=1\|fly=1\|breathless=1\|nolimbs=1\|nohead=1\|mindless=1\|hostile=1\|neuter=1\|infravisible=1\|light=1}}
	\|reference=[https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/blob/NetHack-3.6.~~7_Released~~/~~src~~/~~monst~~.c#~~L322~~ NetHack 3.6.7 - ~~src~~/~~monst~~.c, line ~~322~~]		\|reference=[https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/blob/NetHack-5.0.0_Released/include/monsters.h#L350 NetHack 5.0.0 - include/monsters.h, line 350]
	}}		}}
	A '''flaming sphere''', {{monsym\|flaming sphere}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The flaming sphere is a [[fiery]] [[sphere]] monster that [[Light source\|emits light]] in a 1-square radius around itself, and can burn through [[web]]s while moving.		A '''flaming sphere''', {{monsym\|flaming sphere}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The flaming sphere is a [[fiery]] [[sphere]] monster that [[Light source\|emits light]] in a 1-square radius around itself, and can burn through [[web]]s while moving.

	A flaming sphere has a [[Fire (element)\|fire]] [[explosion attack]] that causes them to self-destruct and cover a 3x3 square radius centered on their position, which deals 4-24 base damage to a [[hero]] or any other monsters caught in the explosion:{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|1617-L1622\|nethack=5.0.0}} this can [[Erosion\|burn]] [[armor]] and has a chance of destroying [[scroll]]s, [[spellbook]]s, [[potion]]s, and [[globs of green slime]] on the floor and in the inventory of anyone caught in the blast, with the amount of items affected being equal to {{frac\|5}} of the fire damage that was ~~dealth~~—a hero or monster with a source of extrinsic [[fire resistance]] has a {{frac\|99\|100}} chance per item of preventing their inventory from burning. Flaming spheres possess fire resistance.		A flaming sphere has a [[Fire (element)\|fire]] [[explosion attack]] that causes them to self-destruct and cover a 3x3 square radius centered on their position, which deals 4-24 base damage to a [[hero]] or any other monsters caught in the explosion:{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|1617-L1622\|nethack=5.0.0}} this can [[Erosion\|burn]] [[armor]] and has a chance of destroying [[scroll]]s, [[spellbook]]s, [[potion]]s, and [[globs of green slime]] on the floor and in the inventory of anyone caught in the blast, with the amount of items affected being equal to {{frac\|5}} of the fire damage that was dealt—a hero or monster with a source of extrinsic [[fire resistance]] has a {{frac\|99\|100}} chance per item of preventing their inventory from burning. Flaming spheres possess fire resistance.

	The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create tame flaming spheres.		The [[spellbook of flame sphere]] is a [[deferred]] item that teaches a spell the [[hero]] can use to create [[tame]] flaming spheres.

	Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] grants [[fire resistance]] to the digesting hero or monster.		Killing a flaming sphere with a [[digestion attack]] grants [[fire resistance]] to the digesting hero or monster.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:30, 17 June 2026
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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}} Players that are especially annoyed or inconvenienced by flaming spheres may opt to [[genocide]] them, including the use of a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] to eliminate other spheres alongside it (such as the much more destructive [[shocking sphere]]).

	The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms of monsters that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==
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	* In versions up to [[NetHack 3.4.2]], flaming spheres are not properly accounted for in some checks that involve fiery monsters, and polymorphing into a flaming sphere does not cure sliming. These are fixed in [[NetHack 3.4.3]] via {{commit\|5ba58b72297eaeb380c9b6cd66ec0027d84d0ba8}} and {{commit\|929f9ce2c7ca3924fa256b2bb032d7b4b101de32}} so that polymorph into a flaming sphere cures sliming and the monster is accounted for using a macro rather than separate lists.		* In versions up to [[NetHack 3.4.2]], flaming spheres are not properly accounted for in some checks that involve fiery monsters, and polymorphing into a flaming sphere does not cure sliming. These are fixed in [[NetHack 3.4.3]] via {{commit\|5ba58b72297eaeb380c9b6cd66ec0027d84d0ba8}} and {{commit\|929f9ce2c7ca3924fa256b2bb032d7b4b101de32}} so that polymorph into a flaming sphere cures sliming and the monster is accounted for using a macro rather than separate lists.
	* In versions up to NetHack 3.4.3, flaming and [[shocking sphere]]s are capable of picking up items where a freezing sphere cannot, though due to their weight they will only attempt to pick up very light ones such as singular [[gold pieces]] (usually only while tame). This is fixed in [[NetHack 3.6.0]] via {{commit\|cbab68a4bb0abfa23e695d48bd17806c85e5974f}} so that spheres will properly avoid picking up items.		* In versions up to NetHack 3.4.3, flaming and [[shocking sphere]]s are capable of picking up items where a [[freezing sphere]] cannot, though due to their weight they will only attempt to pick up very light ones (such as singular [[gold pieces]]) and will usually only do so while tame. This is fixed in [[NetHack 3.6.0]] via {{commit\|cbab68a4bb0abfa23e695d48bd17806c85e5974f}} so that all three spheres will properly avoid picking up items.
	* In versions up to 3.6.7, flaming spheres grant fire resistance only while eaten, which does not account for any form of digestion attack. This is fixed in NetHack 5.0.0 via {{commit\|0eadf8dfe1dac951a94225831f099de395e56b27}}, {{commit\|b25961fb131944353070be27a92accbd662673a0}} and {{commit\|c78e7af01378d5a54a080c5e5a9ef9f454f6b83f}}.		* In versions up to 3.6.7, flaming spheres grant fire resistance only while eaten, which does not account for any form of digestion attack. This is fixed in NetHack 5.0.0 via {{commit\|0eadf8dfe1dac951a94225831f099de395e56b27}}, {{commit\|b25961fb131944353070be27a92accbd662673a0}} and {{commit\|c78e7af01378d5a54a080c5e5a9ef9f454f6b83f}}.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:56, 17 June 2026
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	Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.		Flaming spheres are fairly annoying at best to deal with, due to the amount of inventory damage they can inflict: their movement [[speed]] of 13 makes them more likely to catch an unhasted hero, and pets that attack flaming spheres will likely trigger the explosion themselves and catch you or other pets and monsters in the crossfire. While [[invisibility]] and [[Displacement (property)\|displacement]] can fool a flaming sphere into exploding prematurely, there is a chance the hero may still be caught in the explosion.

	If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from ~~destruction~~ {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}		If a flaming sphere is approaching, it may be wise to quickly stash or drop any loose flammable items that are on hand before it can close in—keep away from any [[ice]] without a means of [[flight]], [[levitation]] or [[water walking]], since the sphere's explosion risks causing you to drown. An extrinsic source of fire resistance is among the best forms of protection for a hero's inventory, and [[dwarvish cloak]]s can protect items from being burnt {{frac\|9\|10}} of the time, making them viable in a pinch.<ref name="prot_item"/>{{refsrc\|src/zap.c\|5691-L5695\|nethack=5.0.0\|comment=dwarvish cloak protection}}

	The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.		The flaming sphere's nonexistent [[Magic resistance (monster)\|MR score]] means they can easily be dropped by [[poison]] damage, and they can otherwise be immobilized by means such as a [[wand of sleep]] that gives the hero (and/or their pets) a chance to kill them before they explode. [[Cancellation]] that hits through their mediocre 4 [[AC]] will reliably disable their explosive abilities and render them harmless. Be sure to keep flaming spheres away from [[leprechaun hall]]s, [[treasure zoo]]s and similar rooms that you do not want awakened if possible, and if a zoo contains a flaming sphere, try to save it for last if possible—[[stealth]] can be a useful aid for both purposes, though it will not always prevent sleeping monsters from awakening.

	==History==		==History==
	The flaming sphere first appears in [[NetHack-- 3.0.10]], and also appears in [[NetHack-- 3.1.3]] and [[SLASH 6]]. It makes its vanilla debut in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the [[Monster difficulty\|difficulty]] of the flaming sphere is 8: its explosion attack targets a single square, has a [[dexterity]]-based chance of dealing reduced damage, does not burn armor or other items, and is completely blocked by [[fire resistance]].{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2064-L2067\|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2080-L2089\|nethack=3.6.7}}		The flaming sphere first appears in [[NetHack-- 3.0.10]], and also appears in [[NetHack-- 3.1.3]] and [[SLASH 6]]. It makes its vanilla debut in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the [[Monster difficulty\|difficulty]] of the flaming sphere is 8: its explosion attack targets a single square, has a [[dexterity]]-based chance of dealing reduced damage, does not burn armor or other items, and is completely blocked by fire resistance.{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2064-L2067\|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc\|src/mhitu.c\|2080-L2089\|nethack=3.6.7}}

	The flaming sphere's current behavior is introduced in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit\|6b60618e0e662b35b8e9c31dc9c4baee5ae70932}} and {{commit\|eb22a81088c220ba18c26a872d9087035c5c444d}}, with the explosion behavior adapted from [[xNetHack]], while its monster difficulty rating is increased to 9—NetHack 5.0.0 fixes discrepancies related to the difficulty ratings for spheres via {{commit\|c38023432581178b3dabf1f492ec04e3dd427b18}}.		The flaming sphere's current behavior is introduced in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit\|6b60618e0e662b35b8e9c31dc9c4baee5ae70932}} and {{commit\|eb22a81088c220ba18c26a872d9087035c5c444d}}, with the explosion behavior adapted from [[xNetHack]], while its monster difficulty rating is increased to 9—NetHack 5.0.0 fixes discrepancies related to the difficulty ratings for spheres via {{commit\|c38023432581178b3dabf1f492ec04e3dd427b18}}.