Ring of aggravate monster - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: variant lede, word choice

2026-07-02T01:17:20Z

variant lede, word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ retain older pointers

2026-07-01T14:34:55Z

‎Strategy: retain older pointers

Umbire the Phantom: properly update to nh5

2026-07-01T14:32:58Z

properly update to nh5

Darth l33t: /* Description */ missing reference

2026-06-26T16:47:49Z

‎Description: missing reference

Darth l33t: 5.0.0 update

2026-06-26T16:46:22Z

5.0.0 update

MZero: /* Strategy */ Added a sentence noting the ring's interaction with the Create Familiar spell

2026-05-26T04:45:15Z

‎Strategy: Added a sentence noting the ring's interaction with the Create Familiar spell

MZero: /* Description */ Added info unique to 5.0.0 along with a code citation.

2026-05-26T04:41:16Z

‎Description: Added info unique to 5.0.0 along with a code citation.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ correction, dnh

2025-10-12T22:22:18Z

‎Variants: correction, dnh

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ tailor upcoming

2025-05-06T19:53:25Z

‎Strategy: tailor upcoming

Umbire the Phantom: upcoming + copyedit

2025-05-05T15:19:09Z

upcoming + copyedit

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property, which doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s, up to a cap of 50 after being doubled.{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2081|nethack=5.0.0}} Monsters will not wear this ring.
-A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic{{refsrc|src/eat.c|2280|nethack=5.0.0}}&mdash;this does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is exclusive to the extrinsic aggravate monster property.
+A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic{{refsrc|src/eat.c|2280|nethack=5.0.0}}&mdash;this does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is exclusive to the extrinsic property.
 ==Strategy==
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
 In [[SLASH'EM]], the ring of aggravate monster behaves as it does in [[NetHack 3.4.3]]. [[Flame Mage]]s, [[Ice Mage]]s, [[Necromancer]]s, and [[Wizard/SLASH'EM|Wizards]] will never be given a ring of aggravate monster as the random ring(s) in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|u_init.c|1544|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 The ring of aggravate monster is undesirable in the great majority of circumstances, and typically relegated to [[polypile]] fodder. However, there are a few niche cases where generating more dangerous monsters is actually useful:
 * For players attempting to generate a [[ki-rin]] or [[Archon]] to tame, one obstacle is the fact that these monsters do not generate in [[Gehennom]], but are often too difficult for the [[Dungeons of Doom]]&mdash;wearing the ring solves this problem by not only making them eligible, but much more likely to generate.
 * Similarly, the higher difficulty monster generation also affects what is produced by the {{+ of|create familiar}}.
 * For characters trying to reach [[experience level]] 14 to begin the [[Quest]], more difficult monsters grant more experience points.
 * Because level difficulty is capped at 50 after doubling, the ring can actually decrease level difficulty in very deep dungeon levels; [[Moloch's Sanctum]], for example, can generate as deep as level 53. Similarly, in the [[End Game]], the natural level difficulty is generally higher than 50 due to your experience level being a factor. The practical effect is fairly minor, however.
 ==History==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
   |cost=150
 }}
 A '''ring of aggravate monster''' is a type of [[ring]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
 ==Generation==
-[[Wizard]]s will never receive a ring of aggravate monster as either of the two random rings in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|165|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1008|nethack=3.6.7}}
+[[Wizard]]s will never receive a ring of aggravate monster as either of the two random rings in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|171|nethack=5.0.0}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1146|nethack=5.0.0}}
-{{frac|9|10}} of rings of aggravate monster are generated cursed, and the rest are uncursed or blessed with equal probability. General [[store]]s and jewelers shops can sell rings of aggravate monster.
+{{frac|9|10}} of rings of aggravate monster are generated cursed, and the rest are uncursed or blessed with equal probability. General [[store]]s and jewelers shops can stock rings of aggravate monster.
 ==Description==
-A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property. Wearing the ring doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2081|nethack=5.0.0}}; the difficulty is capped at 50 after being doubled. Monsters will not wear this ring.
+A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property, which doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s, up to a cap of 50 after being doubled.{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2081|nethack=5.0.0}} Monsters will not wear this ring.
-A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic. This does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is only a property of extrinsic aggravate monster.
+A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic{{refsrc|src/eat.c|2280|nethack=5.0.0}}&mdash;this does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is exclusive to the extrinsic aggravate monster property.
 ==Strategy==
 The ring of aggravate monster is undesirable in the great majority of circumstances, and typically relegated to [[polypile]] fodder. However, there are a few niche cases where generating more dangerous monsters is actually useful:
-* For players attempting to generate a [[ki-rin]] or [[Archon]] to tame, one obstacle is the fact that these monsters do not generate in [[Gehennom]], but are often too difficult for the [[Dungeons of Doom]]: wearing the ring solves this problem by not only making them more eligible, but much more likely to generate.
+* For players attempting to generate a [[ki-rin]] or [[Archon]] to tame, one obstacle is the fact that these monsters do not generate in [[Gehennom]], but are often too difficult for the [[Dungeons of Doom]]&mdash;wearing the ring solves this problem by not only making them eligible, but much more likely to generate.
-* Similarly, the higher difficulty monster generation also affects what is produced by the spell of [[create familiar]].
+* Similarly, the higher difficulty monster generation also affects what is produced by the {{+ of|create familiar}}.
-* More difficult monster [[sacrifice]]s are needed to receive the higher-tier [[sacrifice gift]]s, and can also raise [[luck]] higher than weaker monsters.
+* Monster [[sacrifice]]s of higher [[Monster difficulty|difficulty]] are needed to receive the higher-tier [[sacrifice gift]]s, and can also raise [[luck]] higher than sacrificing weaker monsters.
 * For characters trying to reach [[experience level]] 14 to begin the [[Quest]], more difficult monsters grant more experience points.
 * Because level difficulty is capped at 50 after doubling, the ring can actually decrease level difficulty in very deep dungeon levels; [[Moloch's Sanctum]], for example, can generate as deep as level 53. Similarly, in the [[End Game]], the natural level difficulty is generally higher than 50 due to your experience level being a factor. The practical effect is fairly minor, however.
@@ Line 29: / Line 28: @@
 The ring of aggravate monster first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and is included in the initial item list for [[Hack 1.0]]. The ring also appears previously in ''[[Rogue (game)|Rogue]]'', where it makes up {{frac|10}} of random rings and causes monsters to attack more aggressively.
-The modifier to level difficulty was added in [[NetHack 5.0.0]]. For a brief time in development, the ring augmented difficulty by a fixed 15 levels.
+The ring's modifier to level difficulty is added in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|720c62c3401cfbb2504b4db416c055a4a21d916b}}, where it initially augmentes difficulty by a fixed 15 levels in development versions: an unidentified ring being worn could prove lethal outright for this reason, even when non-cursed, while also being of negligible effect in the late game. This is changed to its current implementation via {{commit|d88f0cfeeee52cca3934580ffd824bc44a792ed7}}.
 ==Messages==
@@ Line 36: / Line 35: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], [[Flame Mage]]s, [[Ice Mage]]s, [[Necromancer]]s, and [[Wizard/SLASH'EM|Wizards]] will never be given a ring of aggravate monster as the random ring(s) in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|u_init.c|1544|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the ring of aggravate monster behaves as it does in [[NetHack 3.4.3]]. [[Flame Mage]]s, [[Ice Mage]]s, [[Necromancer]]s, and [[Wizard/SLASH'EM|Wizards]] will never be given a ring of aggravate monster as the random ring(s) in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|u_init.c|1544|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the ring of aggravate monster will never have the randomized appearance of a [[black signet ring]].
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], the ring of aggravate monster behaves as it does in NetHack 3.4.3 and will never have the randomized appearance of a [[black signet ring]].
 ===SpliceHack===

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ==Description==
-A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property. Wearing the ring doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s; the difficulty is capped at 50 after being doubled. Monsters will not wear this ring.
+A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property. Wearing the ring doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2081|nethack=5.0.0}}; the difficulty is capped at 50 after being doubled. Monsters will not wear this ring.
 A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic. This does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is only a property of extrinsic aggravate monster.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ==Description==
-A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property. [[Monster]]s will not wear this ring.
+A hero [[putting on]] the ring gains the [[aggravate monster]] extrinsic property. Wearing the ring doubles the effective [[level difficulty]] used to generate [[monster]]s; the difficulty is capped at 50 after being doubled. Monsters will not wear this ring.
-A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic.
+A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic. This does not grant the doubled level difficulty, which is only a property of extrinsic aggravate monster.
 ==Strategy==
-While the ring of aggravate monster is generally considered undesirable and frequently used as [[polypile]] fodder, it still has a few niche uses: [[Knight]]s can use it to awaken certain monsters and avoid caitiff penalties to [[alignment record]], and any character trying to lure monsters (such as fodder for [[sacrifice]] on an [[altar]] or [[wraith]]s whose [[corpse]]s they want) can wear the ring temporarily, even while [[invisible]].
+The ring of aggravate monster is undesirable in the great majority of circumstances, and typically relegated to [[polypile]] fodder. However, there are a few niche cases where generating more dangerous monsters is actually useful:
-The ring can be used deliberately for this effect by players skilled in out-of-depth combat with their hero to raise the odds of high-difficulty monsters generating for the purpose of sacrifice; this is especially useful for chaotic heroes, whose [[god]]s require higher-difficulty corpses to mollify if they are [[angry]]. The aforementioned commit makes it slightly harder to do so early on, but ring usage for this end becomes much more consistent later in the game.
+* For players attempting to generate a [[ki-rin]] or [[Archon]] to tame, one obstacle is the fact that these monsters do not generate in [[Gehennom]], but are often too difficult for the [[Dungeons of Doom]]: wearing the ring solves this problem by not only making them more eligible, but much more likely to generate.
+* Similarly, the higher difficulty monster generation also affects what is produced by the spell of [[create familiar]].
-Per {{commit|d87cadaf}} and {{commit|c2c797fa357bef663fa3d962850196350a9cdb3b}}, artifacts are rebalanced such that more powerful ones require sacrifices of stronger monsters to be gifted, and are given two additional internal stats&mdash;the minimum [[sacrifice]] value required to obtain them by sacrificing (which is usually just the [[Monster difficulty|difficulty rating]] of the monster sacrificed), and a flat number added to the weapon's [[enchantment]] when it is either randomly generated or gifted. A ring of aggravate monster can be used as described above to increase the odds of higher-value monsters generating for sacrifice gifts, at the obvious risk of the hero's life and/or inventory.
+* More difficult monster [[sacrifice]]s are needed to receive the higher-tier [[sacrifice gift]]s, and can also raise [[luck]] higher than weaker monsters.
+* For characters trying to reach [[experience level]] 14 to begin the [[Quest]], more difficult monsters grant more experience points.
-For players attempting to generate a [[ki-rin]] or [[Archon]] to tame, one obstacle is the fact that these monsters do not generate in [[Gehennom]], but are often too difficult for the [[Dungeons of Doom]]: wearing the ring solves this problem by not only making them more eligible, but much more likely to generate.
+* Because level difficulty is capped at 50 after doubling, the ring can actually decrease level difficulty in very deep dungeon levels; [[Moloch's Sanctum]], for example, can generate as deep as level 53. Similarly, in the [[End Game]], the natural level difficulty is generally higher than 50 due to your experience level being a factor. The practical effect is fairly minor, however.
 ==History==
 The ring of aggravate monster first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and is included in the initial item list for [[Hack 1.0]]. The ring also appears previously in ''[[Rogue (game)|Rogue]]'', where it makes up {{frac|10}} of random rings and causes monsters to attack more aggressively.
 ==Messages==
@@ Line 58: / Line 51: @@
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-367}}
+{{nethack-500}}
 [[Category:Rings|Aggravate monster]]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 A hero [[Eating jewelry|eating the ring]] has a {{frac|3}} chance of successfully absorbing its magic and granting the property as an intrinsic.
-{{upcoming|3.7.0|Per {{commit|720c62c3401cfbb2504b4db416c055a4a21d916b}}, wearing the ring also increases [[level difficulty]] by 15. Per {{commit|d88f0cfeeee52cca3934580ffd824bc44a792ed7}}, this is changed to instead double the current level difficulty.}}
+====NetHack 5.0.0====
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 If dealing with an unwanted cursed ring, any source of [[stealth]] can override the worst of the ring's effects until you find a means to remove it.
-{{upcoming|3.7.0|The ring becomes much more perilous to wear even when identified, due to the likelihood of generating monsters that would be out of depth otherwise&mdash;prior to {{commit|d88f0cfeeee52cca3934580ffd824bc44a792ed7}}, an unidentified ring being worn could prove lethal outright for this reason, even when non-cursed, while also being of negligible effect in the late game. After this commit, the ring can still be used deliberately for this effect by players skilled in out-of-depth combat with their hero to raise the odds of high-difficulty monsters generating for the purpose of sacrifice; this is especially useful for chaotic heroes, whose [[god]]s require higher-difficulty corpses to mollify if they are [[angry]].
+{{upcoming|3.7.0|The ring becomes much more perilous to wear even when identified, due to the likelihood of generating monsters that would be out of depth otherwise&mdash;prior to {{commit|d88f0cfeeee52cca3934580ffd824bc44a792ed7}}, an unidentified ring being worn could prove lethal outright for this reason, even when non-cursed, while also being of negligible effect in the late game.
 Per {{commit|d87cadaf}} and {{commit|c2c797fa357bef663fa3d962850196350a9cdb3b}}, artifacts are rebalanced such that more powerful ones require sacrifices of stronger monsters to be gifted, and are given two additional internal stats&mdash;the minimum [[sacrifice]] value required to obtain them by sacrificing (which is usually just the [[Monster difficulty|difficulty rating]] of the monster sacrificed), and a flat number added to the weapon's [[enchantment]] when it is either randomly generated or gifted. A ring of aggravate monster can be used as described above to increase the odds of higher-value monsters generating for sacrifice gifts, at the obvious risk of the hero's life and/or inventory.