NerfHack - Revision history

Joes: /* Dhampir */ two bits

2026-05-18T15:38:34Z

‎Dhampir: two bits

Joes: add races, shift nemesis block

2026-02-15T10:52:29Z

add races, shift nemesis block

Joes: /* Undead Slayer */ nemesis stats

2025-05-24T09:49:37Z

‎Undead Slayer: nemesis stats

Joes: prettify

2025-05-20T11:04:33Z

prettify

Joes: /* Undead Slayer */ fix links

2025-05-20T10:46:12Z

‎Undead Slayer: fix links

Joes: /* Undead Slayer */ fix premature push

2025-05-19T14:17:17Z

‎Undead Slayer: fix premature push

Joes: undead slayer role

2025-05-19T13:48:15Z

undead slayer role

Joes: /* Major changes */ include missing entries

2025-05-17T12:11:45Z

‎Major changes: include missing entries

Joes: add major changes

2025-05-17T11:30:47Z

add major changes

Joes: design goals

2025-05-15T09:45:57Z

design goals

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 == Roles and races ==
 ===Dhampir===
-Dhampirs can only ever gain 50% resistance. They start with [[drain resistance]], [[death resistance]], [[breathless]]ness, [[infravision]], resistance to [[lycanthropy]], warning of humans/elves and [[voracious hunger]].
+Dhampirs start with [[drain resistance]], [[death resistance]], [[breathless]]ness, [[infravision]], resistance to [[lycanthropy]], warning of humans/elves and [[voracious hunger]]. They can only ever gain 50% resistance to the elements.
-Most food items are replaced with potions of blood and they can't eat corpses either, but they can bite monsters to drain them for nutrition, health and maybe even intrinsics.
+Most food items (juice and food rations) are replaced with potions of blood and they can't eat corpses either, but they can bite monsters to drain them for nutrition, health and maybe even intrinsics (but do not attack cockatrice while impaired!).
 ===Grung===

@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 * the [[Quest]] can be started at XL10
-== Undead Slayer ==
+== Roles and races ==
-This role was modified from [[SLASH'EM]]. Compared to their appearance there, in NerfHack they aren't guaranteed a first sacrifice gift, have no special #[[technique]]s, cannot [[turn undead]], have no [[multishot]] capability and are restricted in many skills; however their hit points were slightly buffed.
+===Dhampir===
-Also imported were [[stake]]s, which can instakill vampires, and [[holy wafer]]s, which stop you [[withering]].
+Dhampirs can only ever gain 50% resistance. They start with [[drain resistance]], [[death resistance]], [[breathless]]ness, [[infravision]], resistance to [[lycanthropy]], warning of humans/elves and [[voracious hunger]].
+Most food items are replaced with potions of blood and they can't eat corpses either, but they can bite monsters to drain them for nutrition, health and maybe even intrinsics.
-Undead Slayers have to-hit and damage bonuses against [[demon]]s and undead, which always spawn hostile to them. They have a special ability to destroy [[zombie]] corpses so that they can't revive. Drinking a [[potion of vampire blood]] or eating a [[wraith]] corpse carries an alignment penalty, the latter also reducing [[Luck]].
+===Grung===
-Undead Slayers gain the following properties at the specified experience levels:
+They have poisonous passive (blocked by heavy armour) and bare hands attacks and can poison weapons.
-Their starting pet is a [[revenant pup]], a [[phasing]] undead. [[Chat]]ting with it increases [[apport]] and can also tame hostile ones.
+They start with [[poison resistance]], [[searching]] and [[swimming]], gain [[jumping]] at XL5 and [[speed]] at XL7.
-Their special spell is protection.
+Their biggest concern is staying hydrated. The timer starts at 6000 turns, with speed and combat penalties below 1000, below 250 being a major trouble (prayer restores 1000) and death at 0. Fire, heat and dry environments (Gehennom, Plane of Fire, dust vortex) speed it up, fire resistance slow it. Drinking, sitting in or being splashed by water restores 100-199 turns, submerging restores 1000 per turn, and a [[scroll of flood]] restores 4500-6000 turns.
-The [[Quest]] was redone, inspired by the one of [[Binder]]s, and sees you reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
+=== Undead Slayer ===
 {{monster
   |name=The First Evil
@@ Line 119: / Line 107: @@
   |refline=
 }}
 The starting weapon skill can always be trained to Expert; getting the shortsword also allows training longswords to Skilled, and getting the whip also allows Master [[martial arts]].

@@ Line 96: / Line 96: @@
 The [[Quest]] was redone, inspired by the one of [[Binder]]s, and sees you reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
 ''The Argent Cross'' is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and [[withering]] resistance when worn and is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will instead [[aggravate monster]]s.
-''The First Evil'' is a [[shade]] that can cast mage spells. Its touch attacks can paralyze, slow, freeze and shock. It is resistant to cold, disintegration, petrification, sleep, poison, acid and shock.
+''The First Evil'' is a [[shade]] that can cast mage spells. It is an undead.
 The starting weapon skill can always be trained to Expert; getting the shortsword also allows training longswords to Skilled, and getting the whip also allows Master [[martial arts]].

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''NerfHack''' is a [[variant]] of NetHack 3.7.0 created by [[User:hackemslashem]]. It is the successor to '''[[Hack'EM]]''', which was a modernized variant of [[SLASH'EM]] based on [[EvilHack]]. Unlike Hack'EM, NerfHack starts fresh from NetHack 3.7.0 and is designed to be a significantly more challenging variant than vanilla NetHack. While it incorporates many features and mechanics from Hack'EM, it is not a full port, introducing numerous new changes in both content and design. By drawing inspiration from various NetHack variants and carefully fine-tuning different aspects of gameplay, key pain points have been identified and addressed to refine the difficulty curve — resulting in a more treacherous and rewarding dungeon.
 == Design goals ==
-* Usurp assumptions and approaches to the game
+* usurp assumptions and approaches to the game
-*Discourage and prevent farming
+*discourage and prevent farming
-*encourage exciting and creative gameplay (pet theft, price ID, unihorns, purple rain)
+*encourage exciting and creative gameplay
 *give value to underutilized features
-*create resource scarcity (item destruction, wishes, altars, healing, death drops)
+*create resource scarcity (altars, healing, death drops)
 *introduce new threats: more monsters, behaviours, monster spells, traps; worse impairments and curses
 *smooth out power spikes: spread out wishes, partial resistances
-*introduce Quality-of-Life features: auto-ID, weapon familiarity, lookup
+*introduce quality-of-life features: auto-ID, weapon familiarity, monster lookup
 *emphasize role and race uniqueness: no QA wishing, racial armour
-*introduce new and innovative features: [[Cartomancer]] and [[Undead Slayer]] roles, Dhampir and Grung races, new branches, weapon effects
+*introduce new and innovative features: [[Cartomancer]] and Undead Slayer roles, Dhampir and Grung races, new branches, weapon effects
 *follow the feature uniqueness principle
 *make it easy to variant-hop
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 * no pet theft
 * no [[price identification]]
-* endgame: after the invocation, monsters spawn at the upstairs. Levelporting in Gehennom causes pain
+* after the Invocation, monsters spawn at the upstairs. Levelporting in Gehennom causes pain
 * nerf farming
 * changed skill and experience curves
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 * replace WoW with scrolls
 * [[magic marker]]s don't generate randomly
-* unihorns only reduce the timeout
+* unicorn horns only reduce the timeout and don't restore attributes
 * [[mirror]]s grant [[reflection]]
-* new items: heavy sword, (shimmering dragon scales), anti-magic shield, bronze gauntlets, gauntlets of force, freedom boots, leather bracers, bracers of integrity, bracers, of sleep resistance, bracers vs. shapechangers, bracers of unchanging, bracers vs. stone, ring of withering, potion of milk, potion of phasing, scroll of zapping, spellbook of flesh to stone, spellbook of waterproofing, spellbook of sacred vision, spellbook of divine reckoning, foulstone
+* new items: heavy sword, (shimmering dragon scales), anti-magic shield, bronze gauntlets, gauntlets of force, freedom boots, leather bracers, bracers of integrity, bracers of sleep resistance, bracers vs. shapechangers, bracers of unchanging, bracers vs. stone, ring of withering, potion of milk, potion of phasing, scroll of zapping, spellbook of flesh-to-stone, spellbook of waterproofing, spellbook of sacred vision, spellbook of divine reckoning, foulstone
 *new artifacts: Load Brand, Mayhem, Serenity, The Lenses of Truth, Thunderfists, Oathfire, The Argent Cross, The Glyph Shard
-* new monsters:
+* new monsters: [[revenant hound]], warg pup, leper, spiked orc, compsognathus, (baby) [[shimmering dragon]], Wintercloak, arch-vile, like-like, orb weaver, gorgon hulk, dhampir, The First Evil, familiar, grung
 * all [[stoning]] is delayed
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 * monsters use more items and equipment
-* flanking, berserking, withering, rabid monsters
+* [[flanking]], [[berserk]]ing, [[withering]], rabid monsters
 * new monster spells
-* role changes: Cav start with dragon scales, Hea see wounds, Monks get a marker on crowning, Tou have all shop items identified, Wiz start with [[cloak of protection]] and sense magic fountains.
+* role changes: Cavepeople start with dragon scales, Healers can see monster wounds, Monks get a marker on crowning, Tourists have all shop items identified, Wizards start with a [[cloak of protection]] and sense magic fountains.
-* new roles: [[Cartomancer]] and [[Undead Slayer]]
+* new roles: [[Cartomancer]] and Undead Slayer
 * race changes: remove [[infravision]], orcs start with negative alignment and the watch and priests are hostile, unlock some new role combinations. Favour racial equipment
-* new races: [[dhampir]] and [[grung]]
+* new races: dhampir and grung
 * spellcasting is more difficult for fighters
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 * the Castle wand has decoys
 * less items in Gehennom
-* Sokoban can have a CoMR or a marker
+* Sokoban can also have a [[cloak of magic resistance]] or [[magic marker]] as the prize
 * [[Delphi]] always has an altar
 * add the [[Temple of Moloch]], [[Lost Tomb]] and [[Wyrm Caves]]

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 == Undead Slayer ==
-This role was modified from [[Slash'Em]]. Compared to their appearance there, NerfHack Undead Slayers aren't guaranteed a first sacrifice gift, have no special #[[technique]]s, cannot [[turn undead]], have no [[multishot]] capability and are restricted in many skills; however their hit points were slightly buffed.
+This role was modified from [[SLASH'EM]]. Compared to their appearance there, in NerfHack they aren't guaranteed a first sacrifice gift, have no special #[[technique]]s, cannot [[turn undead]], have no [[multishot]] capability and are restricted in many skills; however their hit points were slightly buffed.
-Also imported were [[stak]]es, which can instakill vampires, and [[holy wafer]]s, which stop you [[withering]].
+Also imported were [[stake]]s, which can instakill vampires, and [[holy wafer]]s, which stop you [[withering]].
 They can be played as a human, gnome, elf or dhampir of any alignment.
-Undead Slayers have to-hit and damage bonuses against [[demon]]s and undead, which always spawn hostile to them. They have a special ability to destroy [[zombie]] corpses so that they can't revive. Drinking [[potions of vampire blood]] and eating [[wraith]] corpses carries an alignment penalty, the latter also reducing [[Luck]].
+Undead Slayers have to-hit and damage bonuses against [[demon]]s and undead, which always spawn hostile to them. They have a special ability to destroy [[zombie]] corpses so that they can't revive. Drinking a [[potion of vampire blood]] or eating a [[wraith]] corpse carries an alignment penalty, the latter also reducing [[Luck]].
 Undead Slayers gain the following properties at the specified experience levels:
@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 The [[Quest]] was redone, inspired by the one of [[Binder]]s, and sees you reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
+''The Argent Cross'' is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and [[withering]] resistance when worn and is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will instead [[aggravate monster]]s.
-The Argent Cross is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and [[withering]] resistance when worn, that is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will instead [[aggravate monsters]].
+''The First Evil'' is a [[shade]] that can cast mage spells. Its touch attacks can paralyze, slow, freeze and shock. It is resistant to cold, disintegration, petrification, sleep, poison, acid and shock.
 The starting weapon skill can always be trained to Expert; getting the shortsword also allows training longswords to Skilled, and getting the whip also allows Master [[martial arts]].
@@ Line 105: / Line 103: @@
 ! skill level !! weapon
 |-
-| Basic || [[crossbow]], [[longsword]], [[shortsword]], [[spear]], [[whip]]; clerical, escape
+| Basic || [[crossbow]], [[long sword]], [[short sword]], [[spear]], [[whip]]; [[clerical]] and [[escape spells]]
 |-
 | Skilled || [[hammer]], [[mace]], [[polearms]], [[unicorn horn]]; [[matter spells]]; [[bare hands]], shield, [[riding]]

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 == Undead Slayer ==
-This role was modified from Slash'Em. Differences:
+This role was modified from [[Slash'Em]]. Compared to their appearance there, NerfHack Undead Slayers aren't guaranteed a first sacrifice gift, have no special #[[technique]]s, cannot [[turn undead]], have no [[multishot]] capability and are restricted in many skills; however their hit points were slightly buffed.
-* no guaranteed first sacrifice gift, have no techniques(?), cannot turn undead and have no [[multishot]] capability.
+Also imported were [[stak]]es, which can instakill vampires, and [[holy wafer]]s, which stop you [[withering]].
-Undead Slayers can be played as a human, gnome, elf or dhampir of any alignment.
+They can be played as a human, gnome, elf or dhampir of any alignment.
-*to-hit/damage bonus against undead and demons, which are always hostile
+Undead Slayers have to-hit and damage bonuses against [[demon]]s and undead, which always spawn hostile to them. They have a special ability to destroy [[zombie]] corpses so that they can't revive. Drinking [[potions of vampire blood]] and eating [[wraith]] corpses carries an alignment penalty, the latter also reducing [[Luck]].
 {| class="wikitable"
 |-
@@ Line 90: / Line 85: @@
 | 1 || [[drain resistance]], [[sickness resistance]], warned of undead, [[stealth]], slow (10)
 |-
-| 10 || speed
+| 10 || [[speed]]
 |-
 | 15 || [[poison resistance]]
 |}
-The starting pet is a [[revenant pup]], a phasing undead. Chatting with it increases apport and can also tame hostile ones.
+Their starting pet is a [[revenant pup]], a [[phasing]] undead. [[Chat]]ting with it increases [[apport]] and can also tame hostile ones.
-*stakes can instakill vampires
+Their special spell is protection.
-The Quest reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
+The [[Quest]] was redone, inspired by the one of [[Binder]]s, and sees you reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
-The Argent Cross is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and withering resistance when worn that is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will ]]aggravate monsters]].
+The Argent Cross is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and [[withering]] resistance when worn, that is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will instead [[aggravate monsters]].
 The First Evil is a [[shade]] that can cast mage spells. Its touch attacks can paralyze, slow, freeze and shock. It is resistant to cold, disintegration, petrification, sleep, poison, acid and shock.
@@ Line 112: / Line 105: @@
 ! skill level !! weapon
 |-
-| Basic || crossbow, longsword, shortsword, spear, whip; clerical, escape
+| Basic || [[crossbow]], [[longsword]], [[shortsword]], [[spear]], [[whip]]; clerical, escape
 |-
-| Skilled || hammer, mace, polearms, unicorn horn; [[matter spells]]; [[bare hands]], shield, [[riding]]
+| Skilled || [[hammer]], [[mace]], [[polearms]], [[unicorn horn]]; [[matter spells]]; [[bare hands]], shield, [[riding]]
 |-
 | Expert || [[dagger]], [[flail]], [[morning star]]
 |}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:48, 19 May 2025
Line 69:		Line 69:
	* add grass, puddles, [[forge]]s, [[toilet]]s, blood, new traps		* add grass, puddles, [[forge]]s, [[toilet]]s, blood, new traps
	* the [[Quest]] can be started at XL10		* the [[Quest]] can be started at XL10
		+
		+	== Undead Slayer ==
		+	This role was modified from Slash'Em. Differences:
		+	* no guaranteed first sacrifice gift, have no techniques(?), cannot turn undead and have no [[multishot]] capability.
		+	*buffed HP growth
		+	*boomerang, bow, club, dart, quarterstaff, shuriken and sling skills are restricted.
		+
		+	Undead Slayers can be played as a human, gnome, elf or dhampir of any alignment.
		+
		+	*to-hit/damage bonus against undead and demons, which are always hostile
		+	*can destroy zombie corpses
		+	*Luck and alignment penalty for eating wraiths, alignment for drinking vampire blood
		+
		+	Their special spell is protection.
		+
		+	{\| class="wikitable"
		+	\|-
		+	! XL !! properties
		+	\|-
		+	\| 1 \|\| [[drain resistance]], [[sickness resistance]], warned of undead, [[stealth]], slow (10)
		+	\|-
		+	\| 10 \|\| speed
		+	\|-
		+	\| 15 \|\| [[poison resistance]]
		+	\|}
		+
		+	The starting pet is a [[revenant pup]], a phasing undead. Chatting with it increases apport and can also tame hostile ones.
		+
		+	*stakes can instakill vampires
		+	* holy wafers stop withering
		+
		+	The Quest reclaim The Argent Cross from The First Evil, travelling from the Desecrated Monastery through the Haunted Catacombs to the Abyssal Vaults.
		+	(inspired by dnh Binder)
		+
		+	The Argent Cross is an [[amulet of reflection]] granting [[half spell damage]], [[disintegration resistance]] and withering resistance when worn that is also a light source. If blessed, it will [[turn undead]] every 15-45 turns; if cursed, your god is angry, or you are non-chaotic and polymorphed into an evil form it will ]]aggravate monsters]].
		+
		+	The First Evil is a [[shade]] that can cast mage spells. Its touch attacks can paralyze, slow, freeze and shock. It is resistant to cold, disintegration, petrification, sleep, poison, acid and shock.
		+
		+	The starting weapon skill can always be trained to Expert; getting the shortsword also allows training longswords to Skilled, and getting the whip also allows Master [[martial arts]].
		+	{\| class="wikitable"
		+	\|-
		+	! skill level !! weapon
		+	\|-
		+	\| Basic \|\| crossbow, longsword, shortsword, spear, whip; clerical, escape
		+	\|-
		+	\| Skilled \|\| hammer, mace, polearms, unicorn horn; [[matter spells]]; [[bare hands]], shield, [[riding]]
		+	\|-
		+	\| Expert \|\| [[dagger]], [[flail]], [[morning star]]
		+	\|}

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:30, 17 May 2025
Line 16:		Line 16:
	*follow the feature uniqueness principle		*follow the feature uniqueness principle
	*make it easy to variant-hop		*make it easy to variant-hop
		+
		+	== Major changes==
		+	*resistances and reflection are only partial
		+	* [[slow digestion]] only halves the rate
		+
		+	* [[quest artifact]]s are unwishable
		+	* scrolls of exile ("genocide") are restricted to a single species and a single floor when blessed
		+	* [[Luck]] always times out
		+	* no pet theft
		+	* no [[price identification]]
		+	<!-- endgame, farming, AC, skills -->
		+
		+	* objects can be destroyed by [[erosion]]
		+	* weapons can be enchanted much higher
		+	* slashing/piercing weapons can be poisoned
		+	* dtsund DSM
		+	* [[gem alchemy]]
		+	* nerf scrolls of genocide and gold detection
		+	* replace WoW with scrolls
		+	* [[magic marker]]s don't generate randomly
		+	* unihorns only reduce the timeout
		+	* [[mirror]]s grant [[reflection]]
		+	* many new items, artifacts and monsters
		+
		+	* all [[stoning]] is delayed
		+	* more dangerous zombies
		+	* dragons are fast
		+	* [[Medusa]] has a petrifying bite
		+
		+	* monsters use more items and equipment
		+	* flanking, berserking, withering, rabid monsters
		+	* new monster spells
		+
		+	* role changes: Cav start with dragon scales, Hea see wounds, Monks get a marker on crowning, Tou have all shop items identified, Wiz start with [[cloak of protection]] and sense magic fountains.
		+	* new roles: [[Cartomancer]] and [[Undead Slayer]]
		+	* race changes: remove [[infravision]], orcs start with negative alignment and the watch and priests are hostile, unlock some new role combinations. Favour racial equipment
		+	* new races: [[dhampir]] and [[grung]]
		+
		+	* spellcasting is more difficult for fighters
		+	* remove the [[mysterious force]]
		+	* less secret doors and no secret corridors
		+	* more special levels
		+	* the Castle wand has decoys
		+	* less items in Gehennom
		+	* Sokoban can have a CoMR or a marker
		+	* [[Delphi]] always has an altar
		+	* add the [[Temple of Moloch]], [[Lost Tomb]] and [[Wyrm Caves]]
		+	* add grass, puddles, [[forge]]s, [[toilet]]s, blood, traps...