Medusa (EvilHack) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: bit more lede work

2026-04-20T00:08:17Z

bit more lede work

Umbire the Phantom: some strategy work on the side

2026-04-20T00:04:38Z

some strategy work on the side

Umbire the Phantom: /* Origin */ snip + detail

2026-04-19T23:53:06Z

‎Origin: snip + detail

Umbire the Phantom: some TLC

2026-04-19T23:51:57Z

some TLC

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2025-04-19T21:29:19Z

pothole

Umbire the Phantom: create

2025-04-19T21:29:04Z

create

New page

{{ monster
|name=Medusa
|difficulty=28
|level=24
|experience=984
|speed=12
|AC=-8
|MR=50
|align=-15
|frequency=Unique
|genocidable=No
|attacks=Weapon 4d4 physical, Tentacles 2d6 [[poison]], Gaze 0d0 [[stoning]], [[Bite]] 4d4 stoning
|resistances conveyed=[[poison resistance]] (100%)
|resistances=[[poison resistance]], [[stoning resistance]]
|attributes={{attributes|Medusa|fly=1|swim=1|amphibious=1|humanoid=1|pois=1|omnivore=1|nopoly=1|hostile=1|strong=1|pname=1|female=1|nasty=1|waitforu=1|infravisible=1|m4_vulnerable_fire=1}}
|size=Large
|nutr=400
|weight=1450
|reference=[https://github.com/k21971/EvilHack/blob/0.9.0/src/monst.c#L3406 EvilHack 0.9.0 - src/monst.c, line 3406]
}}

In [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]], '''[[Medusa]]''' is made significantly stronger from her appearance in ''[[NetHack]]''. She cannot be [[tamed]] or even pacified, and retains all of her other traits from ''NetHack''.

Medusa has a [[passive attack]]-like [[gaze]] that activates once per round and can [[Stoning|turn victims to stone]]. Her weapon attack is made stronger, and her claw attack is replaced with two attacks tied to her snake-filled hair: a "tentacle" attack that can [[poison]] victims and drain [[strength]], and a [[bite]] attack that can induce gradual stoning.

Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze, and a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect it back at her and turn her to stone unless she also has a source of reflection or cannot see the hero or monster reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', she will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, putting them at risk of stoning, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time—the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Combat|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.

Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and [[digest]]ing her or biting into her [[corpse]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsics|additional poison resistance]].

==Generation==
{{main|Medusa's Island}}
Medusa is always generated hostile, and is not a valid genocide target or polymorph form.

Medusa is always found in the [[Dungeons of Doom]] on [[Medusa's Island|her special level]], which is located between the level containing the [[magic portal]] to the [[Quest]] and the [[Castle]]. She is always generated asleep, and her exact location depends on the map used for the levels:

* The first variant will place her on the down [[stair]] within the central room of the middle island's structure, along with a [[statue]] of [[Perseus]].
* The second variant will place her on the down stair within the central room of the eastern island's structure, along with a statue of Perseus.
* The third [[raven]]-populated variant has 3 eligible squares spread across the islands and their structures for Medusa and the downstairs to both be generated on.
* The [[Snake (monster class)|snake]]-infested fourth variant will place her within the structure on the largest western island, with four eligible squares inside for Medusa and the downstairs to both be generated on.

As a result of the level appearing in every game, Medusa will never directly appear in a [[bones]] file.

Medusa is [[always generated with]] an [[orcish bow]] and 25-40 [[poisoned]] [[orcish arrow]]s.

==Strategy==
While it is still possible to reflect Medusa's gaze and instantly turn her to stone, doing so is more difficult: Medusa can use her bow and arrows to damage players trying to stay out of melee range, and the stoning bite ensures that becoming a statue remains a danger for a player with reflection.

==Encyclopedia entry==
{{encyclopedia|
Medusa, one of the three Gorgons or Graeae, is the only one
of her sisters to have assumed mortal form and inhabited the
dungeon world.

When Perseus was grown up Polydectes sent him to attempt the
conquest of Medusa, a terrible monster who had laid waste the
country. She was once a beautiful maiden whose hair was her
chief glory, but as she dared to vie in beauty with Minerva,
the goddess deprived her of her charms and changed her
beautiful ringlets into hissing serpents. She became a cruel
monster of so frightful an aspect that no living thing could
behold her without being turned into stone. All around the
cavern where she dwelt might be seen the stony figures of men
and animals which had chanced to catch a glimpse of her and
had been petrified with the sight. Perseus, favoured by
Minerva and Mercury, the former of whom lent him her shield
and the latter his winged shoes, approached Medusa while she
slept and taking care not to look directly at her, but guided
by her image reflected in the bright shield which he bore, he
cut off her head and gave it to Minerva, who fixed it in the
middle of her Aegis.
[ Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch ]
}}{{stub|Part of his page was automatically generated by a modified version of nhtohtml version 2.05w}}
[[Category:EvilHack monsters]]
[[Category:Hack'EM monsters]]

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Medusa has a [[passive attack]]-like [[gaze]] that activates once per round and can [[Stoning|turn victims to stone]]. Her weapon attack is made stronger, and her [[claw attack]] is replaced with two attacks tied to her snake-filled hair: a [[Tentacle attack|"tentacle" attack]] that can [[poison]] victims and drain [[strength]], and a [[bite attack]] that can induce gradual stoning. She (or rather the snakes making up her hair) will also emit a hiss when biting not unlike a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]. [[Cancellation]] will nullify all the stoning effects of Medusa's attacks.
-Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze: a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect Medusa's gaze back at her and turn her to stone, ''unless'' she also has a source of reflection or else cannot see the hero or monster that is reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', Medusa will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Strategy|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
+Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], and also has [[stoning resistance]] '''except''' against her own gaze: a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect Medusa's gaze back at her and turn her to stone, ''unless'' she also has a source of reflection or else cannot see the [[hero]] or [[monster]] that is reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', Medusa will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Strategy|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
-Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and biting into her [[corpse]] or attempting a [[digestion attack]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
+Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and biting into her [[corpse]] or attempting a [[digestion attack]] will also turn the eater to stone. A hero or monster that eats her corpse or [[tin]] while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
 ==Generation==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 Medusa has a [[passive attack]]-like [[gaze]] that activates once per round and can [[Stoning|turn victims to stone]]. Her weapon attack is made stronger, and her [[claw attack]] is replaced with two attacks tied to her snake-filled hair: a [[Tentacle attack|"tentacle" attack]] that can [[poison]] victims and drain [[strength]], and a [[bite attack]] that can induce gradual stoning. She (or rather the snakes making up her hair) will also emit a hiss when biting not unlike a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]. [[Cancellation]] will nullify all the stoning effects of Medusa's attacks.
-Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze: a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect Medusa's gaze back at her and turn her to stone, ''unless'' she also has a source of reflection or else cannot see the hero or monster that is reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', Medusa will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Combat|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
+Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze: a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect Medusa's gaze back at her and turn her to stone, ''unless'' she also has a source of reflection or else cannot see the hero or monster that is reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', Medusa will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Strategy|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
 Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and biting into her [[corpse]] or attempting a [[digestion attack]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 ==Strategy==
 While it is still possible to reflect Medusa's gaze and instantly turn her to stone, doing so is more difficult: Medusa can use her bow and arrows to damage players trying to stay out of melee range, and the stoning bite ensures that the risk of stoning remains a danger even for a hero with reflection.
 ==Origin==

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 In the tale of Perseus, he is sent to fetch Medusa's head by King Polydectes of Seriphus, who wanted to marry Perseus's mother Danaë and get rid of Perseus under the guise of having him fetch a gift. The gods were well aware of this, and gave Perseus divine assistance in the form of a [[Shield of reflection|mirrored shield]] (from [[Athena]]), [[Levitation boots|gold winged sandals]] (from [[Hermes]]), a [[Scimitar|sword]] forged by Hephaestus, and Hades's helm of darkness (both given by Zeus). These items were entrusted to the Hesperides, who also gave him a [[Sack|knapsack]] to safely contain Medusa's head.
-Perseus viewed Medusa safely using her reflection on the mirrored shield, then used it to guide his sword and behead her. As she was beheaded while pregnant with Poseidon's children, those children sprang from the neck of her headless body: [[Pegasus]], the winged horse, and [[wikipedia:Chrysaor|Chrysaor]], named for the golden blade he was born wielding. Perseus then bagged Medusa's head and used the helm of darkness to escape the other two Gorgons; upon returning to Seriphus and discovering that his mother was taking refuge from Polydectes's violent advances, Perseus saved her by revealing the head of Medusa, which turned Polydectes and his attendant nobles to stone. In popular culture, Medusa's "weakness" to reflection is often made more direct, with games such as ''NetHack'' making her vulnerable to her own reflected gaze.
+Perseus viewed Medusa safely using her reflection on the mirrored shield, then used it to guide his sword and behead her. As she was beheaded while pregnant with Poseidon's children, those children sprang from the neck of her headless body: [[Pegasus]], the winged horse, and [[wikipedia:Chrysaor|Chrysaor]], named for the golden blade he was born wielding. Perseus then bagged Medusa's head and used the helm of darkness to escape the other two Gorgons; upon returning to Seriphus and discovering that his mother was taking refuge from Polydectes's violent advances, Perseus saved her by revealing the head of Medusa, which turned Polydectes and his attendant nobles to stone. In popular culture, Medusa's "weakness" to reflection is often made more direct, with games such as ''NetHack'' making her vulnerable to her own reflected gaze&mdash;EvilHack in particular makes Medusa a tougher opponent with the ability for her to avert her own gaze from the source of reflection.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze, and a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect it back at her and turn her to stone unless she also has a source of reflection or cannot see the hero or monster reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', she will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, putting them at risk of stoning, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Combat|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
-Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and [[digest]]ing her or biting into her [[corpse]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsics|additional poison resistance]].
+Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and [[digest]]ing her or biting into her [[corpse]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
 ==Generation==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   |frequency=Unique
   |genocidable=No
-  |attacks=Weapon 4d4 physical, Tentacles 2d6 [[poison]], Gaze 0d0 [[stoning]], [[Bite]] 4d4 stoning
+  |attacks=Weapon 4d4 [[Physical damage|physical]], [[Tentacle attack|tentacle]] 2d6 [[poison]] (strength), [[Gaze attack|gaze]] 0d0 [[stoning]], [[Bite attack|bite]] 4d4 stoning
   |resistances conveyed=[[poison resistance]] (100%)
   |resistances=[[poison resistance]], [[stoning resistance]]
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
   |reference=[https://github.com/k21971/EvilHack/blob/0.9.0/src/monst.c#L3406 EvilHack 0.9.0 - src/monst.c, line 3406]
 }}
 In [[EvilHack]] and [[Hack'EM]], '''[[Medusa]]''' is made significantly stronger from her appearance in ''[[NetHack]]''. She cannot be [[tamed]] or even pacified, and retains all of her other traits from ''NetHack''.
-Medusa has a [[passive attack]]-like [[gaze]] that activates once per round and can [[Stoning|turn victims to stone]]. Her weapon attack is made stronger, and her claw attack is replaced with two attacks tied to her snake-filled hair: a "tentacle" attack that can [[poison]] victims and drain [[strength]], and a [[bite]] attack that can induce gradual stoning.
+Medusa has a [[passive attack]]-like [[gaze]] that activates once per round and can [[Stoning|turn victims to stone]]. Her weapon attack is made stronger, and her [[claw attack]] is replaced with two attacks tied to her snake-filled hair: a [[Tentacle attack|"tentacle" attack]] that can [[poison]] victims and drain [[strength]], and a [[bite attack]] that can induce gradual stoning. She (or rather the snakes making up her hair) will also emit a hiss when biting not unlike a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]. [[Cancellation]] will nullify all the stoning effects of Medusa's attacks.
-Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze, and a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect it back at her and turn her to stone unless she also has a source of reflection or cannot see the hero or monster reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', she will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, putting them at risk of stoning, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Combat|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
+Medusa possesses [[poison resistance]], as well as [[stoning resistance]] ''except'' against her own gaze: a [[mirror]] or a source of [[reflection]] can reflect Medusa's gaze back at her and turn her to stone, ''unless'' she also has a source of reflection or else cannot see the hero or monster that is reflecting it. Unlike ''NetHack'', Medusa will attempt to avert her eyes from her reflected gaze where possible: this requires a hero or monster with reflection or a mirror to move closer to her, and there is a low chance each turn that she will not avert her eyes in time&mdash;the chance is {{frac|12}} with a source of a reflection, and is {{frac|25}} with an applied mirror. See [[#Combat|the combat strategy section]] for further details on the gaze attack and how to handle it.
-Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and [[digest]]ing her or biting into her [[corpse]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
+Medusa is poisonous to [[eat]], and biting into her [[corpse]] or attempting a [[digestion attack]] will also turn the eater to stone. A [[hero]] that eats her corpse while they have stoning resistance gains {{frac|6}} (+16%) [[Partial intrinsic|additional poison resistance]].
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 37: / Line 36: @@
 * The second variant will place her on the down stair within the central room of the eastern island's structure, along with a statue of Perseus.
 * The third [[raven]]-populated variant has 3 eligible squares spread across the islands and their structures for Medusa and the downstairs to both be generated on.
-* The [[Snake (monster class)|snake]]-infested fourth variant will place her within the structure on the largest western island, with four eligible squares inside for Medusa and the downstairs to both be generated on.
+* The [[Snake (monster class)|snake-populated]] fourth variant will place her within the structure on the largest western island, with four eligible squares inside for Medusa and the downstairs to both be generated on.
 As a result of the level appearing in every game, Medusa will never directly appear in a [[bones]] file.
-Medusa is [[always generated with]] an [[orcish bow]] and 25-40 [[poisoned]] [[orcish arrow]]s.
+Medusa is [[always generated with]] an [[orcish bow]] and 25-40 [[Poisoned weapon|poisoned]] [[orcish arrow]]s.
 ==Strategy==
-While it is still possible to reflect Medusa's gaze and instantly turn her to stone, doing so is more difficult: Medusa can use her bow and arrows to damage players trying to stay out of melee range, and the stoning bite ensures that becoming a statue remains a danger for a player with reflection.
+While it is still possible to reflect Medusa's gaze and instantly turn her to stone, doing so is more difficult: Medusa can use her bow and arrows to damage players trying to stay out of melee range, and the stoning bite ensures that the risk of stoning remains a danger even for a hero with reflection.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==
 {{encyclopedia|
-	Medusa, one of the three Gorgons or Graeae, is the only one
+Medusa, one of the three Gorgons or Graeae, is the only one
-	of her sisters to have assumed mortal form and inhabited the
+of her sisters to have assumed mortal form and inhabited the
-	dungeon world.
+dungeon world.
-	When Perseus was grown up Polydectes sent him to attempt the
+When Perseus was grown up Polydectes sent him to attempt the
-	conquest of Medusa, a terrible monster who had laid waste the
+conquest of Medusa, a terrible monster who had laid waste the
-	country.  She was once a beautiful maiden whose hair was her
+country.  She was once a beautiful maiden whose hair was her
-	chief glory, but as she dared to vie in beauty with Minerva,
+chief glory, but as she dared to vie in beauty with Minerva,
-	the goddess deprived her of her charms and changed her
+the goddess deprived her of her charms and changed her
-	beautiful ringlets into hissing serpents.  She became a cruel
+beautiful ringlets into hissing serpents.  She became a cruel
-	monster of so frightful an aspect that no living thing could
+monster of so frightful an aspect that no living thing could
-	behold her without being turned into stone.  All around the
+behold her without being turned into stone.  All around the
-	cavern where she dwelt might be seen the stony figures of men
+cavern where she dwelt might be seen the stony figures of men
-	and animals which had chanced to catch a glimpse of her and
+and animals which had chanced to catch a glimpse of her and
-	had been petrified with the sight.  Perseus, favoured by
+had been petrified with the sight.  Perseus, favoured by
-	Minerva and Mercury, the former of whom lent him her shield
+Minerva and Mercury, the former of whom lent him her shield
-	and the latter his winged shoes, approached Medusa while she
+and the latter his winged shoes, approached Medusa while she
-	slept and taking care not to look directly at her, but guided
+slept and taking care not to look directly at her, but guided
-	by her image reflected in the bright shield which he bore, he
+by her image reflected in the bright shield which he bore, he
-	cut off her head and gave it to Minerva, who fixed it in the
+cut off her head and gave it to Minerva, who fixed it in the
-	middle of her Aegis.
+middle of her Aegis.
-		[ Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch ]
+|[ Bulfinch's Mythology, by Thomas Bulfinch ]
-}}{{stub|Part of his page was automatically generated by a modified version of nhtohtml version 2.05w}}<!--{{variant-36X}}-->
+}}<!--{{variant-36X}}-->
 [[Category:EvilHack monsters]]
 [[Category:Hack'EM monsters]]