Lycanthropy - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2026-07-20T22:03:20Z

word choice

Umbire the Phantom: upcoming + some tweaks

2026-01-11T18:56:50Z

upcoming + some tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: tweaks + tocright

2026-01-11T18:50:17Z

tweaks + tocright

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ word choice

2025-08-25T00:28:01Z

‎Description: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit + refsrc + ver

2024-12-15T11:01:08Z

copyedit + refsrc + ver

Show changes

Umbire the Phantom: todo in case I forget

2024-10-22T19:55:09Z

todo in case I forget

Umbire the Phantom: var + cat

2024-10-22T19:54:55Z

var + cat

Umbire the Phantom: FCU pass

2024-10-22T19:54:18Z

FCU pass

Umbire the Phantom: follow-up to correct typos and expand slightly on history

2023-05-27T05:17:02Z

follow-up to correct typos and expand slightly on history

Umbire the Phantom: Formatting + copyedit to bring up to standard - much of the old advice that wasn't just moved elsewhere was better written than recent edits, and just need proper sectioning. Also, {{reffunc}} exists, regeneration somehow never mentioned...

2023-05-27T05:14:23Z

Formatting + copyedit to bring up to standard - much of the old advice that wasn't just moved elsewhere was better written than recent edits, and just need proper sectioning. Also, {{reffunc}} exists, regeneration somehow never mentioned...

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 If a hero is infected with lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to [[silver]]: this causes them to "retouch" everything in their inventory, forcibly drop any worn silver items such as [[weapon]]s and [[ring]]s, and take 1d10 points of damage for each silver item dropped this way. This check will also cause [[artifact blast]] damage to trigger if the hero is carrying any [[artifact]]s that are not of their alignment (or role, for [[quest artifact]]s).
-Along with a weakness to silver, a hero with lycanthropy gains intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and may randomly [[polymorph]] into their animal form: during daytime hours, they have a {{frac|80}} chance each turn of changing forms, and during the night they have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|src/allmain.c|259|nethack=3.6.7}} Certain monsters will also be considered to be the same species as the hero while they are infected with lycanthropy, and both those monsters and the animal form that the hero takes when transforming depends on the werecreature that infected them. A hero that attempts to polymorph with lycanthropy will toggle between both of their forms, and doing so with polymorph control prompts the player to choose whether or not they change forms if a form shift would occur&mdash;as with any other form of polymorph, a hero that is killed while in animal form will return to normal form if possible.
+A hero with lycanthropy also gains intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]] alongside their weakness to silver, and may randomly [[polymorph]] into their animal form: during daytime hours, they have a {{frac|80}} chance each turn of changing forms, and during the night they have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|src/allmain.c|259|nethack=3.6.7}} Certain monsters will also be considered to be the same species as the hero while they are infected with lycanthropy, and both those monsters and the animal form that the hero takes when transforming depends on the werecreature that infected them. A hero that attempts to polymorph with lycanthropy will toggle between both of their forms, and doing so with polymorph control prompts the player to choose whether or not they change forms if a form shift would occur&mdash;as with any other form of polymorph, a hero that is killed while in animal form will return to normal form if possible.
 Werecreatures are the only monsters that have intrinsic lycanthropy: other monsters cannot be infected from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse, though a [[pet]] will not eat the corpse unless they have [[poison resistance]].
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ===Lycanthropy and (un)holy water===
-In addition to each potion's normal effects, [[quaff]]ing a [[potion of holy water]] will cure any lycanthropy and return the hero to normal form if possible, while quaffing [[unholy water]] will immediately cause them to shift to animal form.{{refsrc|src/potion.c|656|nethack=3.6.7|comment=holy water for lycanthropes}}{{refsrc|src/potion.c|668|nethack=3.6.7|comment=unholy water for lycanthropes}} Inhaling the [[vapors]] of either potion will shift the hero to their normal form or their animal form, respectively.{{refsrc|src/potion.c|1754|nethack=3.6.7}}
+In addition to each potion's normal effects, [[quaffing]] a [[potion of holy water]] will cure any lycanthropy and return the hero to normal form if possible, while quaffing [[unholy water]] will immediately cause them to shift to animal form.{{refsrc|src/potion.c|656|nethack=3.6.7|comment=holy water for lycanthropes}}{{refsrc|src/potion.c|668|nethack=3.6.7|comment=unholy water for lycanthropes}} Inhaling the [[vapors]] of either potion will shift the hero to their normal form or their animal form, respectively.{{refsrc|src/potion.c|1754|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 * [[Pray]]ing to your [[god]] successfully, as lycanthropy is considered a major trouble.{{refsrc|src/pray.c|207|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/pray.c|466|nethack=3.6.7}}
-If all else fails, you can force yourself to transform back from animal form by dropping your HP to zero, e.g. [[kick]]ing a wall repeatedly, then gradually make your way forward until you can wait out any prayer timeout or else find a means of stopping or curing the transformations. Letting monsters kill you in animal forms is possible but tricky, due to lycanthropy giving intrinsic regeneration. Unfortunately, you will also have to consider leaving behind much if not all of your current inventory in order to avoid being immobilized by its weight if or when another shift occurs.
+If all else fails, you can force yourself to transform back from animal form by dropping your HP to zero, e.g. [[Kick (command)|kicking]] a wall repeatedly, then gradually make your way forward until you can wait out any prayer timeout or else find a means of stopping or curing the transformations. Letting monsters kill you in animal forms is possible but tricky, due to lycanthropy giving intrinsic regeneration. Unfortunately, you will also have to consider leaving behind much if not all of your current inventory in order to avoid being immobilized by its weight if or when another shift occurs.
 ===Lycanthropy and pets===
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 Lycanthropy first appears alongside werecreatures in [[NetHack 3.0.0]].
-The full-inventory "retouch" from being given lycanthropy is introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].
+The full-inventory "retouch" from a hero being given lycanthropy is introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].
 ==Origin==
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ==Messages==
 {{message|You feel feverish.|You were given lycanthropy from a werecreature's bite.}}
-{{message|You can't handle your [[foo]]!|The player was wielding a silver weapon or wearing a silver item at the time they were given lycanthropy, and is forced to drop it.}}
+{{message|You can't handle your <[[item]]>!|The player was wielding a silver weapon or wearing a silver item at the time they were given lycanthropy, and is forced to drop it.}}
 {{message|You lack the energy to send forth a call for help!|You tried to use the #monster command while shifted to your animal form, but do not have enough power.}}
 {{message|You feel purified.|You successfully cured yourself of lycanthropy.}}
@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 [[SLASH'EM]] adds several new werecreatures (and thus more potential sources of lycanthropy), and the lycanthrope is present as a starting race that has incurable lycanthropy: lycanthrope heroes will always be werewolves, although they will automatically remove their armor before transforming rather than destroy it unless the armor is cursed.
-A blessed [[potion of amnesia]] can cure lycanthropy.
+Quaffing a blessed [[potion of amnesia]] can cure lycanthropy.
 ==References==

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 If a hero is infected with lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to [[silver]]: this causes them to "retouch" everything in their inventory, forcibly drop any worn silver items such as [[weapon]]s and [[ring]]s, and take 1d10 points of damage for each silver item dropped this way. This check will also cause [[artifact blast]] damage to trigger if the hero is carrying any [[artifact]]s that are not of their alignment (or role, for [[quest artifact]]s).
-Along with a weakness to silver, a hero with lycanthropy gains intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and may randomly [[polymorph]] into their animal form: during daytime hours, they have a {{frac|80}} chance each turn of changing forms, and during the night they have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|src/allmain.c|259|nethack=3.6.7}} The animal form that the hero takes depends on the werecreature that infected them, and the hero will be treated as being the same species as that animal as long as they have lycanthropy. A hero that attempts to polymorph with lycanthropy will toggle between both of their forms, and doing so with polymorph control prompts the player to choose whether or not they change forms if a form shift would occur&mdash;as with any other form of polymorph, a hero that is killed while in animal form will return to normal form if possible.
+Along with a weakness to silver, a hero with lycanthropy gains intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and may randomly [[polymorph]] into their animal form: during daytime hours, they have a {{frac|80}} chance each turn of changing forms, and during the night they have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|src/allmain.c|259|nethack=3.6.7}} Certain monsters will also be considered to be the same species as the hero while they are infected with lycanthropy, and both those monsters and the animal form that the hero takes when transforming depends on the werecreature that infected them. A hero that attempts to polymorph with lycanthropy will toggle between both of their forms, and doing so with polymorph control prompts the player to choose whether or not they change forms if a form shift would occur&mdash;as with any other form of polymorph, a hero that is killed while in animal form will return to normal form if possible.
 Werecreatures are the only monsters that have intrinsic lycanthropy: other monsters cannot be infected from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse, though a [[pet]] will not eat the corpse unless they have [[poison resistance]].
 ===Animal abilities===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
+{{tocright}}
 ==Description==
-A [[hero]] can only be given lycanthropy from being bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''<tt>AD_WERE</tt>''' [[damage type]]) or [[eating]] the [[corpse]] or [[tin]] of a werecreature&mdash;being bitten and infected by a werecreature [[abuse]]s [[constitution]]. In addition to causing lycanthropy, werecreature corpses are [[poisonous]] to eat, and consumption of werecreatures is [[cannibalism]] for [[Human (starting race)|human]] heroes. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites.
+A [[hero]] can only be given lycanthropy from being bitten by a werecreature (which uses the '''<tt>AD_WERE</tt>''' [[damage type]]) or [[eating]] the [[corpse]] or [[tin]] of a werecreature&mdash;being bitten and infected by a werecreature [[abuse]]s [[constitution]]. In addition to causing lycanthropy, werecreature corpses are [[poisonous]] to eat, and consumption of werecreatures is [[cannibalism]] for [[Human (starting race)|human]] heroes. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites.
 If a hero is infected with lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to [[silver]]: this causes them to "retouch" everything in their inventory, forcibly drop any worn silver items such as [[weapon]]s and [[ring]]s, and take 1d10 points of damage for each silver item dropped this way. This check will also cause [[artifact blast]] damage to trigger if the hero is carrying any [[artifact]]s that are not of their alignment (or role, for [[quest artifact]]s).

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Description==
-A [[hero]] can only be given lycanthropy from being bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''AD_WERE''' [[damage type]]) or [[eating]] their [[corpse]] or [[tin]]. Being bitten and infected by a werecreature [[abuse]]s [[constitution]], while a werecreature corpse is [[poisonous]] to eat and consumption of werecreatures is [[cannibalism]] for [[Human (starting race)|human]] heroes. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites.
+A [[hero]] can only be given lycanthropy from being bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''<tt>AD_WERE</tt>''' [[damage type]]) or [[eating]] the [[corpse]] or [[tin]] of a werecreature&mdash;being bitten and infected by a werecreature [[abuse]]s [[constitution]]. In addition to causing lycanthropy, werecreature corpses are [[poisonous]] to eat, and consumption of werecreatures is [[cannibalism]] for [[Human (starting race)|human]] heroes. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites.
 If a hero is infected with lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to [[silver]]: this causes them to "retouch" everything in their inventory, forcibly drop any worn silver items such as [[weapon]]s and [[ring]]s, and take 1d10 points of damage for each silver item dropped this way. This check will also cause [[artifact blast]] damage to trigger if the hero is carrying any [[artifact]]s that are not of their alignment (or role, for [[quest artifact]]s).

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:55, 22 October 2024
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	'''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'' that occurs when the [[hero]] is bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''AD_WERE''' [[damage type]]) or eats their [[corpse]].		'''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'' that occurs when the [[hero]] is bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''AD_WERE''' [[damage type]]) or eats their [[corpse]].
		+	{{todo\|Update refs.}}

	==Description==		==Description==

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-367}}
+{{nethack-343}}
 [[Category:Properties]]
-[[Category:Damage types]]
+[[Category:Monster damage types]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
+'''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'' that occurs when the [[hero]] is bitten by a [[werecreature]] (which uses the '''AD_WERE''' [[damage type]]) or eats their [[corpse]].
-Lycanthropy is conveyed through being bitten by a [[werecreature]] &ndash; a werejackal, wererat, or werewolf &ndash; as well as eating their [[corpse]]s. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites. Being given lycanthropy from an attack abuses your [[constitution]], and eating a werecreature corpse is considered [[cannibalism]] if you are [[Human (starting race)|human]].
+==Description==
-==Description==
+Werecreatures are the only monsters to have intrinsic lycanthropy, and can transfer it to the hero via their bites or their corpses - being infected this way abuses [[constitution]], and eating a werecreature corpse is [[cannibalism]] for [[Human (starting race)|human]] heroes. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites.
-Werecreatures are the only monsters to have intrinsic lycanthropy - other monsters will not get lycanthropy from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse of a werecreature (though the corpse being [[poisonous]] can deter a [[pet]] from eating it).
+Other monsters will not get lycanthropy from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse, though the corpse being [[poisonous]] will deter a [[pet]] without [[poison resistance]] from eating it.
-[[Quaff]]ing a potion of [[holy water]] will cure the lycanthropy and return you to your normal form if possible;{{refsrc|potion.c|467|comment=Code path for chaotics}}{{refsrc|potion.c|483|comment=Code path for nonchaotics}} quaffing [[unholy water]] will immediately cause you to shift to your animal form. Inhaling the [[vapor]]s of either potion will shift you to your normal form or animal form, respectively. [[Polymorph]]ing with lycanthropy will toggle between both forms.
+===Cures and other item interactions===
 ===Silver-hating===
-Lycanthropes are also [[silver-hating]] creatures: if a player is given lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to damage from [[silver]] weapons and other objects. Additionally, they cannot handle any silver-based items in either form - any silver items being worn or wielded when the player is afflicted with lycanthropy will be forcibly dropped, with 1d10 points of damage dealt for each silver item. This check will also cause the player to "retouch" everything in their inventory, meaning that they may also take [[artifact blast]] damage as well if they are carrying any cross-aligned or cross-role [[artifact]]s.
+Lycanthropes are [[silver-hating]] creatures, and if a hero is given lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to damage from [[silver]] weapons and other objects. Additionally, they cannot handle any silver-based items in either form - any silver items being worn or wielded when the player is afflicted with lycanthropy will be forcibly dropped, with 1d10 points of damage dealt for each silver item. This check will also cause the hero to "retouch" everything in their inventory, meaning that they may also take [[artifact blast]] damage as well if they are carrying any cross-aligned or cross-role [[artifact]]s.
 ===Animal abilities===
-As an animal, the player has much lower carrying capacity than normal and cannot wear any armor; werejackals and wererats will be forced out of their armor and drop it, while werewolves will destroy their shirt, cloak, and body armor and drop any remaining armor. Even after shedding your armor, your [[encumbrance]] level  will often be at strained or worse, and it is not uncommon to end up overloaded as a result.
+As an animal, the hero has much lower carrying capacity than normal and cannot wear any armor: werejackals and wererats will be forced out of their armor and drop it, while werewolves will destroy their shirt, cloak, and body armor and drop any remaining armor. Even after shedding armor, their [[encumbrance]] level will often be at strained or worse due to the animal form's much lower [[carrying capacity]], and it is not uncommon to end up overloaded as a result.
-While in animal form, using the #[[Monster (command)|monster]] command will call for help by summoning a few tame monsters of the same species as the player to your side (e.g., using #monster as a werejackal will call [[jackal]]s, [[coyote]]s and [[fox]]es). Calling for help this way requires 10 [[power]] and exercises [[Wisdom]] when used successfully.
+While in animal form, using the #[[Monster (command)|monster]] command will call for help by summoning a few monsters of the same species as the hero to their side (e.g., using #monster as a werejackal will call [[jackal]]s, [[coyote]]s and [[fox]]es), and the monsters summoned this way are generated as [[pet]]s. Calling for help this way requires 10 [[power]] and exercises [[wisdom]] when used successfully.
 ==Strategy==
@@ Line 38: / Line 39: @@
 ===Lycanthropy and pets===
-The monsters summoned using the #monster command are generated [[tame]] and act as normal [[pet]]s. This can be used to acquire a very large number of jackals, [[rat]]s, or [[wolves]], which you can use as temporary meat shields at bare minimum - pets that survive can then be polymorphed (usually via [[wand]] or [[polymorph trap]]) into much better pets. Very low-level characters will have trouble using this command early on, as the animal form will have much lower maximum power, and repeated "deaths" in animal form will usually result in even lower maximum power the next time you shift into animal form.
+Lycanthropy can be used to acquire a very large number of jackals, [[rat]]s, or [[wolves]], which you can use as temporary meat shields at bare minimum - pets that survive can then be polymorphed (usually via [[wand]] or [[polymorph trap]]) into much better pets. Very low-level characters will have trouble using this command early on, as the animal form will have much lower maximum power, and repeated "deaths" in animal form will usually result in even lower maximum power the next time you shift into animal form.
 ==History==
@@ Line 56: / Line 57: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===[[SLASH'EM]]===
-[[SLASH'EM]] adds several new werecreatures (and thus more potential sources of lycanthropy). A blessed [[potion of amnesia]] can cure lycanthropy.
+{{main|Lycanthrope (starting race)}}
+[[SLASH'EM]] adds several new werecreatures (and thus more potential sources of lycanthropy), and the lycanthrope is present as a starting race that has incurable lycanthropy: lycanthrope heroes will always be werewolves, although they will automatically remove their armor before transforming rather than destroy it unless the armor is cursed.
-In addition, the [[doppelganger]] race gains intrinsic polymorph control by reaching level 9, allowing them to mitigate the side effects of lycanthropy in a manner similar to wearing the ring.
+A blessed [[potion of amnesia]] can cure lycanthropy.
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-366}}
+{{nethack-367}}
 [[Category:Properties]]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Description==
-Lycanthropy confers intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and also transforms you into your animal form at regular intervals: during daytime hours, you have a {{frac|80]} chance each turn to change forms, and during the night you have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|allmain.c|267}} Depending on the animal form, you will shrink out of your [[armor]] and even break some of it, and your animal forms also have much lower [[carrying capacity]]; being killed while in animal form will return you to your normal form until the next transformation.
+Lycanthropy confers intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and also transforms you into your animal form at regular intervals: during daytime hours, you have a {{frac|80}} chance each turn to change forms, and during the night you have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|allmain.c|267}} Depending on the animal form, you will shrink out of your [[armor]] and even break some of it, and your animal forms also have much lower [[carrying capacity]]; being killed while in animal form will return you to your normal form until the next transformation.
 Werecreatures are the only monsters to have intrinsic lycanthropy - other monsters will not get lycanthropy from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse of a werecreature (though the corpse being [[poisonous]] can deter a [[pet]] from eating it).
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 ==History==
 The full-inventory "retouch" from being given lycanthropy was introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Lycanthropy''' is an [[intrinsic]] property that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
-Lycanthropy is conveyed through being bitten by a [[werecreature]] &ndash; a werejackal, wererat, or werewolf, as well as eating their [[corpse]]s; if you are human, eating a werecreature corpse is considered [[cannibalism]]. Being given lycanthropy from an attack abuses your [[constitution]].
+Lycanthropy is conveyed through being bitten by a [[werecreature]] &ndash; a werejackal, wererat, or werewolf &ndash; as well as eating their [[corpse]]s. Wielding [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from being transferred via bites. Being given lycanthropy from an attack abuses your [[constitution]], and eating a werecreature corpse is considered [[cannibalism]] if you are [[Human (starting race)|human]].
-==Effects==
+==Description==
-Lycanthropy transforms you into your animal form at regular intervals: during daytime hours, you have a 1/80 chance each turn to change forms, and during the night, the chance is 1/60.{{refsrc|allmain.c|267}} Quaffing a potion of [[holy water]] will cure the lycanthropy and return you to your normal form if possible; quaffing [[unholy water]] will immediately cause you to shift to your animal form. Inhaling the vapors of either potion will shift you to your normal form or animal form, respectively. [[Polymorph]]ing with lycanthropy will toggle between both forms.
+Lycanthropy confers intrinsic [[drain resistance]] and hungerless [[regeneration]], and also transforms you into your animal form at regular intervals: during daytime hours, you have a {{frac|80]} chance each turn to change forms, and during the night you have a {{frac|60}} chance each turn.{{refsrc|allmain.c|267}} Depending on the animal form, you will shrink out of your [[armor]] and even break some of it, and your animal forms also have much lower [[carrying capacity]]; being killed while in animal form will return you to your normal form until the next transformation.
-As an animal, the player has low carrying capacity, and werewolves will destroy their shirt, cloak, and body armor when transforming to animal form.
+Werecreatures are the only monsters to have intrinsic lycanthropy - other monsters will not get lycanthropy from being bitten by a werecreature or eating one's corpse of a werecreature (though the corpse being [[poisonous]] can deter a [[pet]] from eating it).
-===Silver hating===
+[[Quaff]]ing a potion of [[holy water]] will cure the lycanthropy and return you to your normal form if possible;{{refsrc|potion.c|467|comment=Code path for chaotics}}{{refsrc|potion.c|483|comment=Code path for nonchaotics}} quaffing [[unholy water]] will immediately cause you to shift to your animal form. Inhaling the [[vapor]]s of either potion will shift you to your normal form or animal form, respectively. [[Polymorph]]ing with lycanthropy will toggle between both forms.
-===Summoning fellow monsters===
+===Silver-hating===
-While in animal form, using the [[Monster (command)|#monster command]] will call for help by summoning a few monsters of the same species, the same as a NPC werecreature's skill (e.g. using #monster so as a werejackal will call [[jackal]]s, [[coyote]]s and [[fox]]es). Calling for help this way requires a certain amount of [[power]] to use, and exercises [[wisdom]] when done successfully.
+Lycanthropes are also [[silver-hating]] creatures: if a player is given lycanthropy, they become vulnerable to damage from [[silver]] weapons and other objects. Additionally, they cannot handle any silver-based items in either form - any silver items being worn or wielded when the player is afflicted with lycanthropy will be forcibly dropped, with 1d10 points of damage dealt for each silver item. This check will also cause the player to "retouch" everything in their inventory, meaning that they may also take [[artifact blast]] damage as well if they are carrying any cross-aligned or cross-role [[artifact]]s.
-===Drain resistance===
+===Animal abilities===
-Lycanthropy confers [[drain resistance]].
+As an animal, the player has much lower carrying capacity than normal and cannot wear any armor; werejackals and wererats will be forced out of their armor and drop it, while werewolves will destroy their shirt, cloak, and body armor and drop any remaining armor. Even after shedding your armor, your [[encumbrance]] level  will often be at strained or worse, and it is not uncommon to end up overloaded as a result.
 ==Strategy==
-Lycanthropy is generally considered undesirable due to low carrying capacity while polymorphed, and destroying armor for werewolves.
+===Prevention===
-=== Prevention ===
+In lieu of reliable protection, high [[magic cancellation]] (e.g. from a [[cloak of protection]]) can significantly reduce the chances of infection. Another good prevention method is to kill werecreatures before they can reach melee range - more often than not, many characters will find a suitable [[projectile]] weapon or attack [[wand]] before they encounter one. Silver weapons are typically quite rare, but can deal enough damage to dispatch a werecreature quickly even if you lack skill in that weapon. [[Pet]]s are also a valuable resource in keeping a werecreature off your back, especially if you can get them between you and the hostile monster.
-To prevent catching lycanthropy when bitten, you can wear a [[ring of protection from shape changers]], or reduce the chance with [[magic cancellation]]. Attacking werecreatures with ranged weapons is also wise, especially while they are in animal form. [[Werebane]] prevents lycanthropy from infecting you while wielded.
+===Curing and mitigation===
-If you cannot prevent catching lycanthropy, it is wise to use silver weapon when fighting, as it swiftly kills the werecreature, thus reducing chance to catch lycanthropy.
+The following methods can cure lycanthropy:
-You may also want to avoid fighting lycanthropes when you cannot safely pray, preventing the situation where you catched lycanthropy and cannot use it.
+* [[Eat]]ing a [[sprig of wolfsbane]].{{refsrc|eat.c|1681}}
-=== Cure or treatment ===
+If all else fails, you can force yourself to transform back from animal form by dropping your HP to zero, e.g. [[kick]]ing a wall repeatedly, then gradually make your way forward until you can wait out any prayer timeout or else find a means of stopping or curing the transformations. Letting monsters kill you in animal forms is possible but tricky, due to lycanthropy giving intrinsic regeneration. Unfortunately, you will also have to consider leaving behind much if not all of your current inventory, in order to avoid being immobilized by its weight if another shift occurs.
-To cure lycanthrophy, you can [[pray]] to your god, as it counts as a major trouble.{{refsrc|pray.c|169}} You can also eat a [[sprig of wolfsbane]]{{refsrc|eat.c|1681}} or quaff a potion of [[holy water]].{{refsrc|potion.c|467|comment=Code path for chaotics}}{{refsrc|potion.c|483|comment=Code path for nonchaotics}}
+===Lycanthropy and pets===
-As long as you wear an [[amulet of unchanging]], you never transform into your animal form. If you have [[polymorph control]] from wearing or eating a [[ring of polymorph control]], you may avoid transforming into your animal form as long as you are conscious and not stunned, asleep, or confused.<ref>[https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Source:NetHack_3.6.1/src/were.c#you_were were.c in Nethack 3.6.1, you_were function]</ref>  This leaves only silver hatred in terms of adverse effects, although this will also take up a ring or amulet slot you may want to use down the line.
+==History==
+The full-inventory "retouch" from being given lycanthropy was introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].
 ==Origin==
 The word "[[wikt:lycanthrope|lycanthrope]]" (from ancient Greek λύκος [''lýkos'', "wolf"], άνθρωπος [''ánthropos'', "man"]) simply means "werewolf". In ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', which ''NetHack'' heavily borrows from, the term is extended to apply to all shape-shifting were-creatures.
 ==Messages==
@@ Line 63: / Line 62: @@
 ==References==
 <references/>
+{{nethack-366}}
 [[Category:Properties]]