Poison - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: evil + infidels

2026-04-25T10:55:43Z

evil + infidels

Umbire the Phantom: /* Poison traps */ potholes, etc.

2026-04-24T10:35:09Z

‎Poison traps: potholes, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: section anchors + hack'em

2026-04-24T10:31:39Z

section anchors + hack'em

Umbire the Phantom: /* Messages */ fragment

2026-04-24T10:14:14Z

‎Messages: fragment

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ dnh

2026-04-24T10:12:48Z

‎Variants: dnh

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ spirits

2026-04-23T22:07:21Z

‎dNetHack: spirits

Umbire the Phantom: /* Poisoned spellbooks */ some ref tailoring to cap off the night

2026-04-20T07:19:58Z

‎Poisoned spellbooks: some ref tailoring to cap off the night

Umbire the Phantom: misc. tweaks

2026-04-20T07:12:02Z

misc. tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: grunt, spork, *dnh, evil

2026-04-20T03:55:57Z

grunt, spork, *dnh, evil

Umbire the Phantom: more expanding including overdue variant work - dnh stuff in particular I need some advising on, but this should do to start

2026-04-20T01:43:05Z

more expanding including overdue variant work - dnh stuff in particular I need some advising on, but this should do to start

Show changes

@@ Line 400: / Line 400: @@
 Some items can have the "venom" object property (not to be confused with the [[venom]] object or attacks that [[spit]] venom): weapons with the "venom" property deal +1d2 poison damage with a {{frac|10}} chance of 6-15 extra poison damage and a {{frac|10}} chance of inflicting instant death, unless the target has poison resistance. Armor with the venom property provides poison resistance while worn.
-Worn green [[dragon-scaled armor]] grants the wearer a poisonous passive attack, and green dragons also possess this ability naturally.
+Worn green [[dragon-scaled armor]] grants the wearer a poisonous passive attack similar to SporkHack, and green dragons also possess this ability naturally.
 EvilHack also adds the {{+ of|poison blast}} spell, which functions similar to the green dragon's breath weapon in current versions of ''NetHack''.
 ===SlashTHEM===

@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 * Container traps can release noxious gas which [[abuse]]s constitution, and will deal damage with a {{frac|3}} chance of lowering strength, a {{frac|15}} chance of being fatal and otherwise dealing {{rn1|10|6}} damage.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4905|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance prevents instadeath and blocks damage to HP or attributes, and there is a [[luck]]-dependent chance of the gas blowing away before it can do any harm.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4814|nethack=3.6.7|name="but_luckily"}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4837|nethack=3.6.7}}
-* Container traps can also fire a poisoned needle which [[abuse]]s constitution, and will deal damage with a {{frac|2}} chance of lowering constitution, a {{frac|10}} chance of being fatal and otherwise dealing {{rn1|10|6}} damage.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4905|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance prevents instadeath and blocks damage to HP or attributes, and there is a [[luck]]-dependent chance of the needle missing.<ref name="but_luckily"/>{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4831|nethack=3.6.7}}
+* Container traps can also fire a poisoned needle which abuses constitution, and will deal damage with a {{frac|2}} chance of lowering constitution, a {{frac|10}} chance of being fatal and otherwise dealing {{rn1|10|6}} damage.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4905|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance prevents instadeath and blocks damage to HP or attributes, and there is a luck-dependent chance of the needle missing.<ref name="but_luckily"/>{{refsrc|src/trap.c|4831|nethack=3.6.7}}
-* [[Dart trap]]s that activate and fire a dart at a hero or monster have a {{frac|6}} chance of the dart being poisoned{{refsrc|src/trap.c|997|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1002|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|2239|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|3989|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;as with thrown poisoned darts, they have a further {{frac|6}} chance of lowering constitution and a {{frac|30}} chance of being deadly, and otherwise deal up to 6 extra points of damage.<ref name="nonplayerdart"/> Poison resistance blocks all of these effects.
+* [[Dart trap]]s that activate and fire a dart at a hero or monster have a {{frac|6}} chance of the dart being poisoned{{refsrc|src/trap.c|997|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1002|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|2239|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/trap.c|3989|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;as with thrown poisoned darts, they have a further {{frac|6}} chance of lowering constitution and a {{frac|30}} chance of being deadly, and otherwise deal +1d6 damage.<ref name="nonplayerdart"/> Poison resistance blocks all of these effects.
-* [[Spiked pit]]s have a {{frac|6}} chance of poisoning the victim each time they fall into one, including falling into the same pit repeatedly{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1261|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;the poison from the spikes has a further {{frac|5|8}} chance of lowering strength and a {{frac|8}} chance of being fatal, and otherwise deals {{rn1|10|6}} damage, with strength loss occurring if [[life saving]] triggers in response to fatal poisoning or HP damage.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1268|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance blocks all of these effects.
+* [[Spiked pit]]s have a {{frac|6}} chance of poisoning the victim each time they fall into one, including falling into the same pit repeatedly{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1261|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;the poison from the spikes has a further {{frac|5|8}} chance of lowering strength and a {{frac|8}} chance of being fatal, and otherwise deals {{rn1|10|6}} additional points of damage, with strength loss occurring if [[life saving]] triggers in response to fatal poisoning or HP damage.{{refsrc|src/trap.c|1268|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance blocks all of these effects.
 ===Poisoned spellbooks===

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 As indicated above, poison damage can occur from several sources:
-* The [[#Poisonous attacks|venomous melee attacks]] and [[breath]] weapons of various monsters.
+* The {{sa|Poisonous attacks|venomous melee attacks}} and [[breath]] weapons of various monsters.
-* Being caught in [[#Poison clouds|clouds of poisonous gas]].
+* Being caught in {{sa|Poison clouds|clouds of poisonous gas}}.
-* Heroes and monsters using [[#Poisoned weapon|poisoned weapons]].
+* Heroes and monsters using {{sa|Poisoned weapon|poisoned weapons}}.
-* Failing to read a [[spellbook]] of level 6 or higher and being subjected to contact poison.{{refsrc|src/spell.c|147-L160|nethack=3.6.7|name="badbook"}}
+* Failing to read a [[spellbook]] of level 6 or higher and being subjected to {{sa|Poisoned spellbooks|contact poison}}.{{refsrc|src/spell.c|147-L160|nethack=3.6.7|name="badbook"}}
-* Falling victim to [[#Poison trap|spiked pits or certain other traps]].
+* Falling victim to {{sa|Poison traps|spiked pits or certain other traps}}.
-* [[Eating]] a [[#Poisonous monster|poisonous corpse]]&mdash;this is not to be confused with [[food poisoning]], which occurs independently from eating any corpse that is too old.
+* [[Eating]] a {{sa|Poisonous monsters|poisonous corpse}}&mdash;this is not to be confused with [[food poisoning]], which occurs independently from eating any corpse that is too old.
 * [[Quaffing]] a [[potion of sickness]], which can damage one of the hero's [[attribute]]s.
@@ Line 399: / Line 399: @@
 Some items can have the "venom" object property (not to be confused with the [[venom]] object or attacks that [[spit]] venom): weapons with the "venom" property deal +1d2 poison damage with a {{frac|10}} chance of 6-15 extra poison damage and a {{frac|10}} chance of inflicting instant death, unless the target has poison resistance. Armor with the venom property provides poison resistance while worn.
 EvilHack also adds the {{+ of|poison blast}} spell, which functions similar to the green dragon's breath weapon in current versions of ''NetHack''.
 ===SlashTHEM===
 In [[SlashTHEM]], in addition to SLASH'EM details, the chances of a polymorphed hero inflicting fatal poison with their form's attacks is reduced to {{frac|100}}.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 337: / Line 337: @@
 {{message|The poison doesn't seem to affect <you/the monster>.|A poisoned weapon hit you or a monster, but the victim had poison resistance.}}
-{{message|This <corpse> smells like it might be poisonous!  Eat it anyway?
+{{message|This <corpse> smells like it might be poisonous!  Eat it anyway?|You were warned of a poisonous corpse by [[food appraisal]].}}
 {{message|Ecch - that must have been poisonous!|You ate a corpse or item that was poisonous, and suffered HP damage and strength loss as a result.}}

@@ Line 370: / Line 370: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced:<!--with some of the many added monsters that have poison attacks listed as examples-->
+In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced:
-* The {{+ of|poison spray}} spell can be cast to fire rays of poison, similar to the poison blast spell in other variants&mdash;it can also be combined with the [[Eldritch style|eldritch knightly stance]] for a chance of dealing bonus poison damage with the hero's wielded weapon (which treats it as a poisoned weapon accordingly).
+* The {{+ of|poison spray}} spell can be cast by the hero to fire rays of poison, similar to the poison blast spell in other variants&mdash;it can also be combined with the [[Eldritch style|eldritch knightly stance]] for a chance of dealing bonus poison damage with the hero's wielded weapon (which treats it as a poisoned weapon accordingly).
-* Some attacks can cause [[intense pain]] that drains strength and possibly also constitution with a chance of being outright fatal, as well as making the victim scream for a few rounds after.
+* Some attacks can cause [[intense pain]] that drains strength and possibly also constitution with a chance of being outright fatal, as well as making the victim scream for a few rounds after. Monsters with such attacks include the jellyfish and the [[ancient of thought]].
-* [[Elemental poison]] is a form of poison damage that drains constitution and is only partly reduced by poison resistance.
+* Poison
-* [[Pyroclastic]] damage can inflict poison as one of its four possible effects.
+* [[Elemental poison]] is a form of poison damage that drains constitution and is only partly reduced by poison resistance. The only monsters with elemental poison attacks are the [[poison paraelemental]] and [[Naome]]&mdash;these are not to be confused with the poison attacks used by [[Bael]] and the [[Great Cthulhu]].<!--STILL need to figure out what that even means-->
-* [[Severe poison]] damage functions similar to standard poison damage, but can partially 'pierce' poison resistance.
+* Pyroclastic damage can inflict poison as one of its four possible effects. The only monster with a pyroclastic attack is the [[pyroclastic vortex]].
 Some [[dNetHack artifacts|artifacts]] and other items can deal poison damage, not counting the wider range of [[Poisoned weapon#dNetHack|poisoned weapons]] available:

@@ Line 370: / Line 370: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced<!--with some of the many added monsters that have poison attacks listed as examples-->:
+In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced:<!--with some of the many added monsters that have poison attacks listed as examples-->
 * The {{+ of|poison spray}} spell can be cast to fire rays of poison, similar to the poison blast spell in other variants&mdash;it can also be combined with the [[Eldritch style|eldritch knightly stance]] for a chance of dealing bonus poison damage with the hero's wielded weapon (which treats it as a poisoned weapon accordingly).
@@ Line 382: / Line 382: @@
 * [[Plague (dNetHack)|Plague]] is a chaotic [[bow]] that grants bonus poison damage to arrows fired from it, and such arrows will always be treated as poisoned.
 * [[The Scorpion Carapace]] grants the wearer an additional poison sting attack, which can be upgraded to automatically target hostiles.
 ===FIQHack===

@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 ===Poisoned spellbooks===
-While not mechanically a "trap" in the sense of the above list, one of the [[Spellbook#Failure effects|failure effects]] of reading a spellbook for a spell that is level six or higher is the hero being subjected to a "contact poison" on the spellbook:<ref name="badbook"/> this form of "trapping" cannot be detected preemptively like the others, and the hero loses up to 10 [[HP]] along with 3–6 points of strength, which is reduced to 1-6 HP and 1–2 points of strength if the hero has poison resistance&mdash;[[worn]] [[gloves]] will prevent damage to the hero, although the poison is potent enough to [[corrode]] worn [[gauntlets of power]].{{refsrc|src/spell.c|147-L160|nethack=3.6.7|name="badbook"}}
+While not mechanically a "trap" in the sense of the above list, one of the [[Spellbook#Failure effects|failure effects]] of reading a spellbook for a spell that is level six or higher is the hero being subjected to a "contact poison" on the spellbook:<ref name="badbook"/> as a randomized failure effect, this poison cannot be detected preemptively, and the hero loses up to 10 [[HP]] along with 3–6 points of strength&mdash;this is reduced to 1-6 HP and 1–2 points of strength if the hero has poison resistance, and while [[worn]] [[gloves]] will prevent any damage to the hero, the poison is potent enough to [[corrode]] worn [[gauntlets of power]].<ref name="badbook"/>
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 [[Poison resistance]] is a [[property]] that protects a hero or monster from poison damage by reducing or nullifying the amount of damage dealt, and it also prevents the possibility of instant death from exposure to poison.{{refsrc|src/attrib.c|292|nethack=3.6.7}} Poison resistance also lowers the severity of the effects from other sources of poison, such as quaffing a potion of sickness or being poisoned upon failing to read a spellbook.<ref name="badbook"/>
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|d0b11fd2c05dae5ebc7a3ff6425257e6ed372894}}, poison from weapons, attacks or traps no longer instantly kills the hero: severe poison instead deals an additional 6 + 4d6 damage, half of which is subtracted from the hero's maximum HP, and inflicts harsher lowering of attribute points.
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|d0b11fd2c05dae5ebc7a3ff6425257e6ed372894}}, poison from weapons, attacks or traps will not instantly kill the hero: severe poison instead deals an additional 6 + 4d6 damage, half of which is subtracted from the hero's maximum HP, and inflicts harsher lowering of attribute points.
 Per {{commit|8f7258dc35a92daaf530e9f5858c95ee114a0c99}}, Grimtooth is permanently poisoned, and each hit the [[artifact]] lands against targets without poison resistance has a {{frac|4}} chance of dealing harsher poison damage, with a further {{frac|10}} chance of causing [[instadeath]].}}
@@ Line 345: / Line 345: @@
 ==Variants==
-''NetHack'' [[variant]]s often add several other sources of poison damage, including various attacks and even [[object properties]], and may also adjust or remove its ability to instantly kill monsters and heroes.<!--keeping a running list of every single monster that has a poison attack isn't feasible for most variants, and any list we do keep should ideally be an exception--> They may also add additional methods of poisoning weapons and expand which weapon types can be poisoned&mdash;see the variant section in the article on [[poisoned weapon]]s for more information.
+''NetHack'' [[variant]]s often add several other sources of poison damage, including various attacks and even [[object properties]], and may also adjust or remove its ability to instantly kill monsters and/or heroes.<!--keeping a running list of every single monster that has a poison attack isn't feasible for most variants, and any list we do keep should ideally be an exception--> They may also add additional methods of poisoning weapons and expand which weapon types can be poisoned&mdash;see the variant section in the article on [[poisoned weapon]]s for more information.
 ===SLASH’EM===
@@ Line 370: / Line 370: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced:
+In [[dNetHack]], more types of poisonous attack are introduced<!--with some of the many added monsters that have poison attacks listed as examples-->:
 * The {{+ of|poison spray}} spell can be cast to fire rays of poison, similar to the poison blast spell in other variants&mdash;it can also be combined with the [[Eldritch style|eldritch knightly stance]] for a chance of dealing bonus poison damage with the hero's wielded weapon (which treats it as a poisoned weapon accordingly).
@@ Line 378: / Line 378: @@
 * [[Severe poison]] damage functions similar to standard poison damage, but can partially 'pierce' poison resistance.
-Some [[dNetHack artifacts|artifacts]] and other items can deal poison damage, not counting the wider range of poisoned weapons available:
+Some [[dNetHack artifacts|artifacts]] and other items can deal poison damage, not counting the wider range of [[Poisoned weapon#dNetHack|poisoned weapons]] available:
 * [[Plague (dNetHack)|Plague]] is a chaotic [[bow]] that grants bonus poison damage to arrows fired from it, and such arrows will always be treated as poisoned.
@@ Line 384: / Line 384: @@
 ===FIQHack===
-[[FIQHack]] eliminates poison instadeath and replaces it with permanent attribute damage, which cannot be fixed via [[restore ability]] or applying a unicorn horn. Additionally, poison resistance only halves poison damage, ensuring that it is never completely safe to eat a poisonous corpse; the chances of attribute reduction from being poisoned or eating a poisonous corpse with [[poison resistance]] are lowered to {{frac|3}}, and the attribute loss itself is reduced by {{frac|3}}.
+[[FIQHack]] removes poison instadeath and replaces it with permanent attribute damage, which cannot be fixed via [[restore ability]] or applying a unicorn horn. Additionally, poison resistance only halves poison damage, ensuring that it is never completely safe to eat a poisonous corpse; the chances of attribute reduction from being poisoned or eating a poisonous corpse with [[poison resistance]] are lowered to {{frac|3}}, and the attribute loss itself is reduced by {{frac|3}}.
 Since intrinsic poison resistance only partially protects the hero in FIQHack, the [[amulet versus poison]] and the [[ring of poison resistance]] are even more useful as they completely protect a hero wearing them from the effects of poison.
@@ Line 396: / Line 396: @@
 Worn green dragon scales and green [[dragon-scaled armor]] grants the wearer a poisonous passive attack, and green dragons also possess this ability naturally.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 359: / Line 359: @@
 * [[Plague (SLASH'EM)|Plague]] is an [[artifact]] [[Dark elven bow (SLASH'EM)|dark elven bow]] that grants poison damage to arrows fired from it.
 * [[Serpent's Tongue]] is an artifact dagger that does ''not'' inflict actual poison damage, but deals higher damage against targets that lack poison resistance and has a similar chance of causing instant death.
 ===UnNetHack===
@@ Line 371: / Line 377: @@
 * [[Pyroclastic]] damage can inflict poison as one of its four possible effects.
 * [[Severe poison]] damage functions similar to standard poison damage, but can partially 'pierce' poison resistance.
 ===FIQHack===
@@ Line 384: / Line 395: @@
 EvilHack also adds the {{+ of|poison blast}} spell, which functions similar to the green dragon's breath weapon in current versions of ''NetHack''.
-[[Dragon-scaled armor]] with [[green dragon scales]] grants the wearer a poisonous [[passive attack]].
+Worn green dragon scales and green [[dragon-scaled armor]] grants the wearer a poisonous passive attack, and green dragons also possess this ability naturally.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==