Polymorph trap - Revision history

Tomsod: /* Preventing monster use */ upcoming: reword

2026-04-18T05:03:19Z

‎Preventing monster use: upcoming: reword

Tomsod: /* Preventing monster use */ update strategy

2026-04-16T00:42:30Z

‎Preventing monster use: update strategy

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ upcoming

2026-04-15T00:42:01Z

‎Description: upcoming

Tomsod: upcoming iron shoes

2026-03-24T12:27:38Z

upcoming iron shoes

Phol ende wodan: /* Description */ 3.7: explodes upon being dug

2024-12-17T22:07:23Z

‎Description: 3.7: explodes upon being dug

Tomsod: /* Generation */ >=8, not >8!

2024-09-06T10:41:47Z

‎Generation: >=8, not >8!

Phyban: Magic resistance does not prevent pet steed polymorph when magic whistle is used.

2024-07-31T02:56:09Z

Magic resistance does not prevent pet steed polymorph when magic whistle is used.

Umbire the Phantom: start here too

2024-05-08T19:28:09Z

start here too

Umbire the Phantom: de-specify

2024-03-10T14:54:18Z

de-specify

Umbire the Phantom: lede, potholes

2024-03-10T14:54:02Z

lede, potholes

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 Polymorph traps are a resource, but they can also be quite dangerous if you leave them lying around unprotected: some weak but intelligent monsters will willingly jump into the trap to likely become something stronger (luckily including pets), which can be a bad thing depending on how much stronger it becomes. In [[NetHack 3.4.3]], you could protect a polymorph trap by dropping an item and engraving [[Elbereth]] on it. This would prevent most monsters from stepping onto the trap. Alternatively, if you didn't have protection from the trap, you could drop an item and engrave Elbereth on each tile adjacent to the trap. You can also dig down on the polymorph trap with a [[pick-axe]]: since only one [[trap]] can exist on a square, the resultant [[pit]] will remove the polymorph trap. Pushing a [[boulder]] on the trap will only protect it from most monsters &ndash; notably, tiny ones can still use it. (In case no boulders are handy, you can make a boulder fall down stairs by throwing a non-rock object onto it.)
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The trap's interaction with iron shoes gives it an additional use as a source of magical [[polyfodder]]; players that specifically desire kicking boots may even hunt for a polytrap while wearing their best-enchanted shoes.  While normally only one pair of boots can be produced per trap, an enterprising player can re-use the same trap by luring monsters wearing the shoes on it instead of triggering the effect themselves.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The trap's interaction with iron shoes gives it an additional use as a source of magical [[polyfodder]]; players that specifically desire kicking boots may even hunt for a polytrap while wearing their best-enchanted shoes.  While normally only one pair of boots can be produced per trap, an enterprising player can re-use the same trap by luring monsters wearing the shoes on it instead of triggering the effect personally.}}
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 Polymorph traps are a resource, but they can also be quite dangerous if you leave them lying around unprotected: some weak but intelligent monsters will willingly jump into the trap to likely become something stronger (luckily including pets), which can be a bad thing depending on how much stronger it becomes. In [[NetHack 3.4.3]], you could protect a polymorph trap by dropping an item and engraving [[Elbereth]] on it. This would prevent most monsters from stepping onto the trap. Alternatively, if you didn't have protection from the trap, you could drop an item and engrave Elbereth on each tile adjacent to the trap. You can also dig down on the polymorph trap with a [[pick-axe]]: since only one [[trap]] can exist on a square, the resultant [[pit]] will remove the polymorph trap. Pushing a [[boulder]] on the trap will only protect it from most monsters &ndash; notably, tiny ones can still use it. (In case no boulders are handy, you can make a boulder fall down stairs by throwing a non-rock object onto it.)
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The trap's interaction with iron shoes gives it an additional use as a source of magical armor: by the time polymorph traps start to appear, the player is likely to have found at least one pair of well-enchanted iron shoes, which will have a good chance to be turned into something lighter and more useful, possibly even [[speed boots]].  Even if they end up as [[fumble boots]] or something equally undesirable, the result can at least be used as magical [[polyfodder]].  It's even possible to do this without expending the trap, by luring monsters wearing the shoes on it.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The trap's interaction with iron shoes gives it an additional use as a source of magical [[polyfodder]]; players that specifically desire kicking boots may even hunt for a polytrap while wearing their best-enchanted shoes.  While normally only one pair of boots can be produced per trap, an enterprising player can re-use the same trap by luring monsters wearing the shoes on it instead of triggering the effect themselves.}}
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 A polymorph trap that successfully polymorphs a character disappears afterward - magic resistance and unchanging protect the character and preserve the trap, while a character's magic resistance also protects their [[steed]]. Note that although magic resistance protects the steed when the trap is first entered, the use of a magic whistle while on the trap will cause the steed to polymorph, and if the new pet is not ridable, cause you to fall off (at least in 3.4.3).
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation, or digging down on them. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation, or digging down on them, causing the trap to [[explode]] in a 3x3 square that deals 23-38 damage.
-Per {{commit|b6df17f34252a2e3170acd2e42edacab10a6a5eb}}, wearing [[iron shoes]] will cause the trap to polymorph the shoes (and then disappear) instead of its usual effects; this occurs even with magic resistance or unchanging.  The resulting boots will always be [[magical item|magical]]: each magical boot type has a {{frac|7}} chance to be picked.  This effect also applies to monsters, except the trap won't disappear.}}
+Per {{commit|b6df17f34252a2e3170acd2e42edacab10a6a5eb}}, a hero or monster wearing [[iron shoes]] or [[kicking boots]] that steps on a polymorph trap will polymorph only that footwear, turning them into a pair of [[Magical item#Boots|magical boots]] (with an equal probability for each type of magical boots to occur). Per {{commit|89473216ae083b14f876532aec8ee30b3689eef9}}, this is reworked so that iron shoes will only polymorph into kicking boots and vice versa.}}
 ==Use by monsters==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 A polymorph trap that successfully polymorphs a character disappears afterward - magic resistance and unchanging protect the character and preserve the trap, while a character's magic resistance also protects their [[steed]]. Note that although magic resistance protects the steed when the trap is first entered, the use of a magic whistle while on the trap will cause the steed to polymorph, and if the new pet is not ridable, cause you to fall off (at least in 3.4.3).
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation, or digging down on them. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation, or digging down on them. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.
 ==Use by monsters==
@@ Line 55: / Line 57: @@
 ===Preventing monster use===
 Polymorph traps are a resource, but they can also be quite dangerous if you leave them lying around unprotected: some weak but intelligent monsters will willingly jump into the trap to likely become something stronger (luckily including pets), which can be a bad thing depending on how much stronger it becomes. In [[NetHack 3.4.3]], you could protect a polymorph trap by dropping an item and engraving [[Elbereth]] on it. This would prevent most monsters from stepping onto the trap. Alternatively, if you didn't have protection from the trap, you could drop an item and engrave Elbereth on each tile adjacent to the trap. You can also dig down on the polymorph trap with a [[pick-axe]]: since only one [[trap]] can exist on a square, the resultant [[pit]] will remove the polymorph trap. Pushing a [[boulder]] on the trap will only protect it from most monsters &ndash; notably, tiny ones can still use it. (In case no boulders are handy, you can make a boulder fall down stairs by throwing a non-rock object onto it.)
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 A polymorph trap that successfully polymorphs a character disappears afterward - magic resistance and unchanging protect the character and preserve the trap, while a character's magic resistance also protects their [[steed]]. Note that although magic resistance protects the steed when the trap is first entered, the use of a magic whistle while on the trap will cause the steed to polymorph, and if the new pet is not ridable, cause you to fall off (at least in 3.4.3).
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation, or digging down on them. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.}}
 ==Use by monsters==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Generation==
-Polymorph traps are only generated on floors below dungeon level 8 in any [[dungeon branch]], with the exception of [[bones]].{{refsrc|mklev.c|1231|polymorph traps not generated if dlvl < 8}}
+Polymorph traps are only generated on floors starting from dungeon level 8 in any [[dungeon branch]], with the exception of [[bones]].{{refsrc|mklev.c|1231|polymorph traps not generated if dlvl < 8}}
 A polymorph trap is always generated on the locate level of the [[Wizard quest]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-A '''polymorph trap''' is a type of [[trap]] that [[polymorph]]s monsters into a new species.
+A '''polymorph trap''' is a type of [[trap]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'', and [[polymorph]]s monsters that move onto its square, including the [[hero]].
 ==Generation==
-They will not be generated on dungeon levels 1 to 7.{{refsrc|mklev.c|1231|polymorph traps not generated if dlvl < 8}} The only guaranteed polymorph trap is on the [[wizard quest]] locate level.
+A polymorph trap is always generated on the locate level of the [[Wizard quest]].
-==Effects==
+==Description==
+If a character steps on a polymorph trap and does not have either [[magic resistance]] or [[unchanging]], the following will occur:
 * If you have [[polymorph control]], you get to choose which monster to become.
@@ Line 21: / Line 19: @@
 This transformation will destroy your shirt, body armor and cloak if you polymorph into something large or bigger, a non-humanoid medium or bigger, or a [[winged gargoyle]] or [[marilith]] (wings and extra arms don't fit).
-The trap then disappears.
+A polymorph trap that successfully polymorphs a character disappears afterward - magic resistance and unchanging protect the character and preserve the trap, while a character's magic resistance also protects their [[steed]].
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Polymorph traps can be removed by zapping them with the spell or wand of cancellation. The trap will explode for 23 to 38 damage.}}
@@ Line 57: / Line 55: @@
 ===Preventing monster use===
 Polymorph traps are a resource, but they can also be quite dangerous if you leave them lying around unprotected: some weak but intelligent monsters will willingly jump into the trap to likely become something stronger (luckily including pets), which can be a bad thing depending on how much stronger it becomes. In [[NetHack 3.4.3]], you could protect a polymorph trap by dropping an item and engraving [[Elbereth]] on it. This would prevent most monsters from stepping onto the trap. Alternatively, if you didn't have protection from the trap, you could drop an item and engrave Elbereth on each tile adjacent to the trap. You can also dig down on the polymorph trap with a [[pick-axe]]: since only one [[trap]] can exist on a square, the resultant [[pit]] will remove the polymorph trap. Pushing a [[boulder]] on the trap will only protect it from most monsters &ndash; notably, tiny ones can still use it. (In case no boulders are handy, you can make a boulder fall down stairs by throwing a non-rock object onto it.)
 ==References==
 <references/>
 {{nethack-343}}
 [[Category:Traps]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:54, 10 March 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	A '''polymorph trap''' is a type of [[trap]] that [[polymorph]]s ~~the [[player]] character~~ into a new species.	+	A '''polymorph trap''' is a type of [[trap]] that [[polymorph]]s monsters into a new species.

	==Generation==		==Generation==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-A '''[[polymorph]] [[trap]]''' changes you to a new species, in the same manner as a polymorph [[spell]], [[potion]] or [[wand]].
+A '''polymorph trap''' is a type of [[trap]] that [[polymorph]]s the [[player]] character into a new species.
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 Monsters can [[Magic resistance (monster)|resist]] polymorph traps.{{refsrc|trap.c|1253|comment= monsters may resist polymorph traps}} Polymorph traps count as a wand for these purposes (level 12).
-Monsters may deliberately jump onto polymorph traps if their [[difficulty]] is at most five, or simply blunder onto them.{{reffunc|muse.c|find_misc}}{{reffunc|muse.c|use_misc}}{{refsrc|monmove.c|1049}} Even if monsters deliberately jump onto the trap, they still have a greater chance of becoming out-of-depth monsters than if they had used an item of polymorph.{{refsrc|muse.c|1789}}
+Monsters may deliberately jump onto polymorph traps if their [[monster difficulty]] is at most five, or simply blunder onto them.{{reffunc|muse.c|find_misc}}{{reffunc|muse.c|use_misc}}{{refsrc|monmove.c|1049}} Even if monsters deliberately jump onto the trap, they still have a greater chance of becoming out-of-depth monsters than if they had used an item of polymorph.{{refsrc|muse.c|1789}}
 For this reason, it's safest not to traverse the lower areas of the [[Gnomish Mines]] until one has [[magic resistance]] and is sufficiently powerful to deal with monsters like [[jabberwock]]s, [[lich]]es, and [[vampire]]s that can potentially be created by these traps.