Guard - Revision history

Ray Chason: Include the female tile

2026-05-12T23:38:35Z

Include the female tile

Tomsod: /* Generation */ may as well fix the upcoming logic

2025-12-05T08:49:49Z

‎Generation: may as well fix the upcoming logic

Tomsod: /* Monster starting inventory */ one, guards do not get rations; two, all their armor simply "counts for" its actual ac (mongets returns item enchantment)

2025-12-05T08:35:54Z

‎Monster starting inventory: one, guards do not get rations; two, all their armor simply "counts for" its actual ac (mongets returns item enchantment)

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ word choice

2025-11-30T22:59:30Z

‎History: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Farming guards */ word choice

2025-11-30T22:58:55Z

‎Farming guards: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: tweaks

2025-08-03T10:31:41Z

tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: /* SLASH'EM */ oops

2025-06-12T09:53:23Z

‎SLASH'EM: oops

Umbire the Phantom: /* SLASH'EM */ bit more detail, paragraphing

2025-06-12T09:52:58Z

‎SLASH'EM: bit more detail, paragraphing

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ detail escaping solid rock a bit more

2025-06-12T09:46:49Z

‎Strategy: detail escaping solid rock a bit more

Umbire the Phantom: /* Disappearing guards */ also this...

2025-06-12T09:36:46Z

‎Disappearing guards: also this...

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{monster
   |name=guard
   |difficulty=14
   |level=12

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 Guards are special-cased to become [[human zombie]]s if the hero attempts to animate their [[corpse]] or [[statue]] by any means, including animating statues from [[statue trap]]s, though the creation of a guard can be forced in [[wizard mode]].{{refsrc|src/read.c|2415|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|2bf0039}}, guards will start appearing less frequently after two have been killed, only generating with a {{frac|x<sup>2</sup>}} chance where ''x ''is the number of guards that have been killed&mdash;after 50 guards have been killed, no more will be generated.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|2bf0039}}, guards will start appearing less frequently after two have been killed: any given turn only has a {{frac|x<sup>2</sup>}} chance of decrementing the 30-turn <!-- I think it's also sometimes 15 now, but that's a trifle --> countdown for guard arrival, where ''x ''is the number of guards that have been killed&mdash;after 50 guards have been killed, no more will be generated.  Cursed tin whistles still set the countdown to one turn remaining, and the guard will arrive after the {{frac|x<sup>2</sup>}} chance passes once.}}
 ===Monster starting inventory===

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 Guards are [[always generated with]] a cursed tin whistle, providing a source for the shrill whistling sound a hero will hear while escaping them.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|658|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/vault.c|838|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} For other items, they follow similar generation mechanisms to other mercenaries such as [[soldier]]s and [[watchmen]] for armor and weapons, in addition to rules specific to them:
-* For [[armor]], guards have a target [[AC]] of -1.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|595|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+* For [[armor]], guards have a target [[AC]] of -1.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|595|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}  If at any point in the below list their total AC (including any [[enchantment]] bonuses or penalties) reaches this value, they won't be given any more armor.
-** For their [[suit]] of armor, they have a {{frac|4|5}} chance of being given either [[splint mail]] ({{frac|2|3}} chance) or [[banded mail]] ({{frac|3}} chance) that counts for 6 points of their target AC{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|625|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}&mdash;if they are not given either type of armor, they have a {{frac|4|5}} chance of being given either [[ring mail]] ({{frac|2|3}} chance) or [[studded leather armor]] ({{frac|3}} chance) that counts for 3 points of their target AC, and will otherwise be given [[leather armor]] that counts for 2 points of their target AC.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|628|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|631|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+** For their [[suit]] of armor, they have a {{frac|4|5}} chance of being given either [[splint mail]] ({{frac|2|3}} chance) or [[banded mail]] ({{frac|3}} chance){{refsrc|src/makemon.c|625|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}&mdash;if they are not given either type of armor, they have a {{frac|4|5}} chance of being given either [[ring mail]] ({{frac|2|3}} chance) or [[studded leather armor]] ({{frac|3}} chance), and will otherwise be given [[leather armor]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|628|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|631|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-** For their [[helm]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a [[helmet]], with a {{frac|2}} chance of a [[dented pot]] otherwise, and the helm will count for 1 point of their target AC.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|634|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+** For their [[helm]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a [[helmet]], with a {{frac|2}} chance of a [[dented pot]] otherwise.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|634|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-** For their [[shield]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a [[small shield]] that counts for 1 point of their target AC, and otherwise have a {{frac|2}} chance of being given a [[large shield]] that counts for 2 points of their target AC.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|638|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+** For their [[shield]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a [[small shield]], and otherwise have a {{frac|2}} chance of being given a [[large shield]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|638|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-** For their [[boots]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a pair of [[low boots]] that count for 1 point of their target AC, and otherwise have a {{frac|2}} chance of being given a pair of [[high boots]] that count for 2 points of their target AC.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+** For their [[boots]], they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a pair of [[low boots]], and otherwise have a {{frac|2}} chance of being given a pair of [[high boots]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-** Finally, they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a pair of [[leather gloves]], with a {{frac|2}} chance of a [[leather cloak]] otherwise, and the item will count for 1 point of their target AC.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|646|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+** Finally, they have a {{frac|2|3}} chance of being given a pair of [[leather gloves]], with a {{frac|2}} chance of a [[leather cloak]] otherwise.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|646|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 * For weapons, guards have a {{frac|4}} chance of being given a dagger and an independent {{frac|7}} chance of a spear, with a {{frac|4}} of being given a knife if they receive neither weapon.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|209|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 * Guards are ''not'' supposed to receive a wand of digging, potion of speed or wand of speed monster if they are given a [[defensive item]] or [[miscellaneous item]], but may still be given one due to a bug, since the monster's flag is not actually set at this stage of generation.{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1052|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/muse.c|2032|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}

@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 ==History==
-The guard first appears in [[Hack 1.21]], a variant of Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is also included in the initial bestiary for [[Hack 1.0]]. In Hack 1.21, the guard uses a smiley face glyph, {{white|☺}}, and Hack 1.0 gives them their current glyph.
+The guard first appears in [[Hack 1.21]], which is based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is also included in the initial bestiary for [[Hack 1.0]]. In Hack 1.21, the guard uses a smiley face glyph, {{white|☺}}, and Hack 1.0 gives them their current glyph.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 ===Farming guards===
 {{main|Farming}}
-As vault guards do not go extinct, it is possible to farm guards for their inventory, including replacement armor, potions, wands, and even their whistles to use as polyfodder: while chaotic heroes are not penalized for murder and can theoretically farm guards directly, they will still suffer a significant penalty to alignment record. This kind of farming is best done with a [[pet]] that is strong enough to kill them quickly, especially with a pet that has a [[digestion attack]] such as a [[purple worm]]&mdash;be sure to monitor your pet's health during and in-between fights where necessary.
+As vault guards do not go extinct, it is possible to farm guards for their inventory, including replacement armor, potions, wands, and even their whistles to use as polyfodder: while chaotic heroes are not penalized for murder and can theoretically farm guards directly, they will still suffer a significant penalty to alignment record. This kind of farming is best done with a [[pet]] that is strong enough to kill them quickly, e.g. a pet that has a [[digestion attack]], such as a [[purple worm]]&mdash;be sure to monitor your pet's health during and in-between fights where necessary.
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The lower frequency of guards appearing after two have been killed makes farming much more difficult, and beyond a certain point it will be completely impossible.}}

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 }}
-A '''guard''', {{monsym|guard}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The guard is a [[strong]] and lawful [[Human (monster attribute)|human]] [[mercenary]] that is typically peaceful and patrols the [[vault]]s belonging to [[Croesus]]: they are the source of [[You hear|the footsteps heard on some levels]], indicating there is a vault on that floor.
+A '''guard''', {{monsym|guard}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The guard is a [[strong]] and lawful [[Human (monster attribute)|human]] [[mercenary]] that is typically peaceful, and patrols the [[vault]]s belonging to [[Croesus]]: they are the source of [[You hear|the footsteps heard on some levels]], indicating there is a vault on that floor.
-Guards can be seen via [[infravision]] and will pick up weapons, armor and other items they come across, though they will only do so if made hostile. As mercenaries, hostile guards will also accept [[bribe]]s. Guards will not jump into [[hole]]s and [[trap door]]s or use [[wands of digging]], [[potions of speed]] or [[wands of speed monster]], and at low health they will not use a [[wand of digging]], a cursed [[scroll of teleportation]] or a cursed [[potion of gain level]] to escape.
+Guards can be seen via [[infravision]] and will pick up weapons, armor and other items they come across, though they will only do so if made hostile. As mercenaries, hostile guards will also accept [[bribe]]s. Guards will not jump into [[hole]]s and [[trap door]]s or use [[wands of digging]], [[potions of speed]] or [[wands of speed monster]], and at low health they will not use a [[wand of digging]], a cursed [[scroll of teleportation]] or a cursed [[potion of gain level]] to escape. Guards that are [[polymorph]]ed into a monster that can [[divide]], and then made to split, will produce clones that do not retain the original's memory of their initial form.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|858|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 A guard has a single strong weapon attack.
@@ Line 145: / Line 143: @@
 It is possible, albeit difficult, to correct this situation in a normal game: since the above-described "never-never land" is simply the map coordinate <0,0>, a hero polymorphed into a [[mind flayer]] or [[master mind flayer]] can ultimately kill the banished guard by standing in the upper-left corner of the level map and using the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] command to emit damaging [[mental blast]]s; the blasts of a tamed mind flayer will not work. Receiving a message about the corridor disappearing will indicate success and enable more guards to spawn, though this naturally carries the usual penalties to alignment record and to luck (unless the hero is chaotic).
-The situation is simpler to correct in [[wizard mode]], by reading a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] and entering {{kbd|*}} when asked what class of monster to genocide: this wipes out all monsters currently on the level (but does not genocide them), including banished guards. It is even possible to (indirectly) observe the teleported guard by quaffing a blessed [[potion of monster detection]] just before wiping out all monsters on the level, as the scroll will "eliminate" one more monster than the potion detects, the extra monster being the banished guard.
+The situation is simpler to correct in [[wizard mode]], by reading a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] and entering {{kbd|*}} when asked what class of monster to genocide: this wipes out all monsters currently on the level (but does not genocide them), including banished guards. It is even possible to (indirectly) observe the teleported guard by quaffing a blessed [[potion of monster detection]] just before wiping out all monsters on the level: the read scroll of genocide will "eliminate" one more monster than the potion detects, with the extra monster being the banished guard.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 143: / Line 143: @@
 Under normal circumstances, the code to tear down a corridor made by a vault guard teleports them to a non-existent position (described as "never-never land" in the code, per {{sa|Disappearing guards|the explanation given above}}) before silently killing them, in order to remove the corridor when the hero walks out of it.<ref name="guardmove"/><ref name="restfakecorr"/><ref name="parkguard"/><ref name="guardgone"/>{{refsrc|vault.c|703|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} In SLASH'EM, a guard that is polymorphed and then killed in their polymorphed state will be teleported as described, but is not killed correctly: they will continue to exist in said non-existent position, thereby preventing any other guards from spawning in that vault.
-It is possible, albeit difficult, to correct this situation in a normal game: since the above-described "never-never land" is simply the map coordinate <0,0>, a hero polymorphed into a [[mind flayer]] or [[master mind flayer]] can ultimately kill the banished guard by standing in the upper-left corner of the level map and using the [[Monster (extended command)|#monster]] command to emit damaging [[mental blast]]s; the blasts of a tamed mind flayer will not work. Receiving a message about the corridor disappearing will indicate success and enable more guards to spawn, though this naturally carries the usual penalties to alignment record and to luck (unless the hero is chaotic).
+It is possible, albeit difficult, to correct this situation in a normal game: since the above-described "never-never land" is simply the map coordinate <0,0>, a hero polymorphed into a [[mind flayer]] or [[master mind flayer]] can ultimately kill the banished guard by standing in the upper-left corner of the level map and using the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] command to emit damaging [[mental blast]]s; the blasts of a tamed mind flayer will not work. Receiving a message about the corridor disappearing will indicate success and enable more guards to spawn, though this naturally carries the usual penalties to alignment record and to luck (unless the hero is chaotic).
 The situation is simpler to correct in [[wizard mode]], by reading a blessed [[scroll of genocide]] and entering {{kbd|*}} when asked what class of monster to genocide: this wipes out all monsters currently on the level (but does not genocide them), including banished guards. It is even possible to (indirectly) observe the teleported guard by quaffing a blessed [[potion of monster detection]] just before wiping out all monsters on the level, as the scroll will "eliminate" one more monster than the potion detects, the extra monster being the banished guard.

@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 Some players name their hero Croesus (or one of the acceptable variants mentioned above) to avoid the alignment penalty for lying when using the name to make them leave, though said penalty is small and easily remedied, and such a strategy is also much more common in local play since servers often default to naming the character after the user. While guards can be bribed, this is often a waste of gold even when successful, but can be of use in some corner cases, e.g. to pacify a hostile guard and avoid murder penalties.
-Should a hero dealing with a guard somehow get stuck in a disappearing passageway, they can [[pray]] to escape: being stuck in a wall is considered a major trouble, and a successful prayer will teleport them out. If teleportation somehow fails, the player will be granted temporary [[phasing]] for a handful of turns, which should be enough for them to make it back onto a safe square.
+Should a hero dealing with a guard get stuck in a disappearing passageway, they can [[pray]] to escape, provided they have not significantly impacted their alignment record and [[luck]] with murder penalties: Being stuck in a wall is considered a [[major trouble]], and a successful prayer will either teleport the hero out or, if teleportation is blocked, grant the hero temporary [[phasing]] for a handful of turns&mdash;the duration of phasing should be enough for them to make it back into a safe room or corridor square, or else one that is directly adjacent to a safe location.
 ===Farming guards===

@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 Once a hero without gold is successfully escorted to a main dungeon corridor or room, both the guard and the passage will vanish:{{refsrc|src/vault.c|46|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="clear_fcorr"|comment=<tt>clear_fcorr()</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/vault.c|106|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/vault.c|122|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/vault.c|144|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="restfakecorr"|comment=<tt>restfakecorr(grd)</tt> clears relocated guard after the temporary corridor is removed}} the guard's inventory is removed, the passage itself is replaced with unlit solid rock, items left inside the passage will be embedded in the solid rock, any [[trap]]s made in the passage are destroyed, and any other monsters caught in the disappearing passage will be moved to a random location on the current level.{{refsrc|src/vault.c|90|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} As part of this process, the guard themselves is relocated by the game to an off-map location at the northwestern-most corner (referred to in the code as "never-never land"), and once the corridor is properly closed that guard will be silently killed.{{refsrc|src/vault.c|64|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="guardmove"|comment=Per the note above this line within <tt>clear_fcorr()</tt>: the guard is placed at the off-map coordinate <0,0> until the temporary corridor from vault back to civilization has been removed, and is still considered to be on the level in the meantime}}<ref name="restfakecorr"/>{{refsrc|src/vault.c|156|name="parkguard"|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=<tt>parkguard(grd)</tt> function handles guard relocation and "storage"}}{{refsrc|src/vault.c|1024|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="guardgone"|comment=code for cleanup process begins here}}
-If a guard is killed in the passageway they create, they and the corridor will disappear as above, with their corpse and former possessions also left embedded in the resulting solid rock at their former location.{{refsrc|src/vault.c|176|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} A hero that is not dead and still located in the corridor when it disappears will be encased alive in the solid rock.{{refsrc|src/vault.c|108|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+If a guard is killed in the passageway they create, they and the corridor will disappear as above, with their corpse and former possessions also left embedded in the resulting solid rock at their former location.{{refsrc|src/vault.c|176|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==