Spellbook of create familiar - Revision history

MZero: /* Nethack 5.0.0 */ Made the citation more specific

2026-05-26T04:35:09Z

‎Nethack 5.0.0: Made the citation more specific

MZero: /* Strategy */ Added a section for Nethack 5.0.0 without removing the original 3.6 text. Described an interesting interaction with the Ring of Aggravate Monsters

2026-05-26T04:30:53Z

‎Strategy: Added a section for Nethack 5.0.0 without removing the original 3.6 text. Described an interesting interaction with the Ring of Aggravate Monsters

MZero: /* Description */ Added more detailed 5.0.0 description of spell mechanics along with citations without removing original 3.6 description.

2026-05-26T04:14:08Z

‎Description: Added more detailed 5.0.0 description of spell mechanics along with citations without removing original 3.6 description.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ word choice

2025-07-12T10:56:32Z

‎Description: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ upcoming

2025-07-12T10:56:18Z

‎Description: upcoming

Umbire the Phantom: word choice

2025-07-04T21:53:31Z

word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* EvilHack */ word choice

2025-07-04T05:30:52Z

‎EvilHack: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: forgot the upcoming!

2025-07-04T05:22:46Z

forgot the upcoming!

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ word choice

2025-07-04T05:14:49Z

‎Strategy: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ detail + re-paragraph

2025-07-04T05:11:50Z

‎Strategy: detail + re-paragraph

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 ===Nethack 5.0.0===
-Although still difficult and expensive to cast, this spell now has a '''higher potential for better familiars'''. Interestingly, stronger familiars can be summoned by wearing a [[Ring of aggravate monster]], which causes random monsters to generate as if at a [[Dungeon level]] twice as deep as your current depth (capping at a simulated depth of 50).{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2027|nethack=5.0.0}}. However, this means wearing the ring will slowly offer diminishing returns after dungeon level 25, and will provide minimal benefit after finally descending all the way to the [[Amulet of Yendor]].
+Although still difficult and expensive to cast, this spell now has a '''higher potential for better familiars'''. Interestingly, stronger familiars can be summoned by wearing a [[Ring of aggravate monster]], which causes random monsters to generate as if at a [[Dungeon level]] twice as deep as your current depth (capping at a simulated depth of 50).{{refsrc|src/dungeon.c|2081|nethack=5.0.0|comment=effect of ring of aggravate monsters}}. However, this means wearing the ring will slowly offer diminishing returns after dungeon level 25, and will provide minimal benefit after finally descending all the way to the [[Amulet of Yendor]].
 ==History==

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:30, 26 May 2026
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	For heroes that ''do'' have sufficient skill in clerical spells, one advantage to using the spell over taming random monsters is that it does not require you to use up [[food]] you might want to keep for emergencies in the process. With a source of polymorph, the spell also makes it much easier to procure pets that can immediately be polymorphed into more desirable forms—[[polymorph trap]]s are a great resource in general for this purpose since they pose no risk of [[system shock]]. Even then, some pet types cannot be obtained at all via polymorph, making [[figurine]]s and the like more ideal for heroes that desire specific pets; the [[scroll of taming]], [[magic harp]] and/or the {{+ of\|charm monster}} spell can also be put to use in procuring particular pets.		For heroes that ''do'' have sufficient skill in clerical spells, one advantage to using the spell over taming random monsters is that it does not require you to use up [[food]] you might want to keep for emergencies in the process. With a source of polymorph, the spell also makes it much easier to procure pets that can immediately be polymorphed into more desirable forms—[[polymorph trap]]s are a great resource in general for this purpose since they pose no risk of [[system shock]]. Even then, some pet types cannot be obtained at all via polymorph, making [[figurine]]s and the like more ideal for heroes that desire specific pets; the [[scroll of taming]], [[magic harp]] and/or the {{+ of\|charm monster}} spell can also be put to use in procuring particular pets.
		+
		+	===Nethack 5.0.0===
		+	Although still difficult and expensive to cast, this spell now has a '''higher potential for better familiars'''. Interestingly, stronger familiars can be summoned by wearing a [[Ring of aggravate monster]], which causes random monsters to generate as if at a [[Dungeon level]] twice as deep as your current depth (capping at a simulated depth of 50).{{refsrc\|src/dungeon.c\|2027\|nethack=5.0.0}}. However, this means wearing the ring will slowly offer diminishing returns after dungeon level 25, and will provide minimal benefit after finally descending all the way to the [[Amulet of Yendor]].

	==History==		==History==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 When successfully [[cast]] at any [[skill]] level, the spell of create familiar creates a [[monster]] adjacent to the [[hero]]:{{refsrc|src/spell.c|1183|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>make_familiar()</tt> in <tt>dog.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/dog.c|70|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>make_familiar()</tt> function}} the monster has a {{frac|3}} chance of being an appropriate monster type for the role, or else a monster specified by the player's <tt>[[pettype]]</tt> option, and will be [[tame]] if either applies{{refsrc|src/dog.c|57|nethack=3.6.7|name="pet_type"|comment=<tt>pet_type()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/priest.c|95|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;otherwise, the spell will create a random monster and make it tame if possible, or make it peaceful if it cannot be tame normally.{{refsrc|src/priest.c|97|nethack=3.6.7}} For 'appropriate' pets, [[Cavepeople]], [[Ranger]]s and [[Samurai]] will create a [[little dog]], [[Knight]]s will create a [[pony]], [[Wizard]]s will create a [[kitten]], and all other roles will create either a kitten or little dog with equal probability.<ref name="pet_type"/>
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|8570421449c612bc28bf68cfc2286464c850460b}}, creating a random tamed monster by casting the spell will generate a monster with a higher [[Monster difficulty|difficulty]], using a value based on the hero's skill level in clerical spells and multiplying it by 3.}}
+=====NetHack 5.0.0=====
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 When successfully [[cast]] at any [[skill]] level, the spell of create familiar creates a [[monster]] adjacent to the [[hero]]:{{refsrc|src/spell.c|1183|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>make_familiar()</tt> in <tt>dog.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/dog.c|70|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>make_familiar()</tt> function}} the monster has a {{frac|3}} chance of being an appropriate monster type for the role, or else a monster specified by the player's <tt>[[pettype]]</tt> option, and will be [[tame]] if either applies{{refsrc|src/dog.c|57|nethack=3.6.7|name="pet_type"|comment=<tt>pet_type()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/priest.c|95|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;otherwise, the spell will create a random monster and make it tame if possible, or make it peaceful if it cannot be tame normally.{{refsrc|src/priest.c|97|nethack=3.6.7}} For 'appropriate' pets, [[Cavepeople]], [[Ranger]]s and [[Samurai]] will create a [[little dog]], [[Knight]]s will create a [[pony]], [[Wizard]]s will create a [[kitten]], and all other roles will create either a kitten or little dog with equal probability.<ref name="pet_type"/>
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|8570421449c612bc28bf68cfc2286464c850460b}}, creating a tamed random monster by casting the spell will generate a monster with a higher [[Monster difficulty|difficulty]], using a value based on the hero's skill level in clerical spells and multiplying it by 3.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|8570421449c612bc28bf68cfc2286464c850460b}}, creating a random tamed monster by casting the spell will generate a monster with a higher [[Monster difficulty|difficulty]], using a value based on the hero's skill level in clerical spells and multiplying it by 3.}}
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ==Description==
 When successfully [[cast]] at any [[skill]] level, the spell of create familiar creates a [[monster]] adjacent to the [[hero]]:{{refsrc|src/spell.c|1183|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>make_familiar()</tt> in <tt>dog.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/dog.c|70|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>make_familiar()</tt> function}} the monster has a {{frac|3}} chance of being an appropriate monster type for the role, or else a monster specified by the player's <tt>[[pettype]]</tt> option, and will be [[tame]] if either applies{{refsrc|src/dog.c|57|nethack=3.6.7|name="pet_type"|comment=<tt>pet_type()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/priest.c|95|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;otherwise, the spell will create a random monster and make it tame if possible, or make it peaceful if it cannot be tame normally.{{refsrc|src/priest.c|97|nethack=3.6.7}} For 'appropriate' pets, [[Cavepeople]], [[Ranger]]s and [[Samurai]] will create a [[little dog]], [[Knight]]s will create a [[pony]], [[Wizard]]s will create a [[kitten]], and all other roles will create either a kitten or little dog with equal probability.<ref name="pet_type"/>
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], female [[drow Healer]]s start the game having forgotten the spell of create familiar.
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], female [[drow Healer]]s can start the game having forgotten the spell of create familiar.
 The spell of create familiar cannot be cast while the effects of a [[dimensional lock]] are active.

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], the spell of create familiar is changed to a level 3 clerical spell.
+In [[EvilHack]], the spell of create familiar is changed to a level 3 clerical spell, making it significantly easier to cast.
 ===Hack'EM===

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:22, 4 July 2025
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	Writing a spellbook of create familiar with a [[magic marker]] uses up 30 to 59 charges.		Writing a spellbook of create familiar with a [[magic marker]] uses up 30 to 59 charges.
		+
		+	{{upcoming\|NetHack 3.7.0\|Per {{commit\|d42efcd}}, the [[spellbook of invisibility]] generated in a [[chest]] generated within a random closet on the middle level of [[Vlad's Tower]] may be randomly replaced with a spellbook of create familiar.}}

	==Description==		==Description==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The spell of create familiar is not likely to see frequent use, due to a combination of its spell school and spell level: only five roles can train clerical spells to Skilled or better, which is nearly a requirement to have any reliable chance at casting the spell; heroes of those roles are unlikely to do so ''solely'' for the sake of creating pets, when [[domestic animal]]s are easy to tame and transform via sources of [[polymorph]]. Though the [[Samurai]] is one of the aforementioned five roles, many Samurai players are highly unlikely to opt for spellcasting at all. A hero that finds the spellbook early can sell it for a nice amount of [[gold]], and later on can [[wet]] it to create a [[spellbook of blank paper]] for writing other desired spells with a magic marker.
+The spell of create familiar is not likely to see frequent use, due to a combination of its spell school and spell level: only five roles can train clerical spells to Skilled or better, which is nearly a requirement to have any reliable chance at casting the spell; heroes of those roles are unlikely to do so ''solely'' for the sake of creating pets, when [[domestic animal]]s are easy to tame and transform via sources of [[polymorph]]. Though the [[Samurai]] is one of the aforementioned five roles, many Samurai players are highly unlikely to opt for spellcasting at all. A hero that finds the spellbook early can sell it for a nice amount of [[gold]], and one found later on can be made into a [[spellbook of blank paper]] for writing other desired spells with a magic marker.
 For heroes that ''do'' have sufficient skill in clerical spells, one advantage to using the spell over taming random monsters is that it does not require you to use up [[food]] you might want to keep for emergencies in the process. With a source of polymorph, the spell also makes it much easier to procure pets that can immediately be polymorphed into more desirable forms&mdash;[[polymorph trap]]s are a great resource in general for this purpose since they pose no risk of [[system shock]]. Even then, some pet types cannot be obtained at all via polymorph, making [[figurine]]s and the like more ideal for heroes that desire specific pets; the [[scroll of taming]], [[magic harp]] and/or the {{+ of|charm monster}} spell can also be put to use in procuring particular pets.