Vampire (starting race in SLASH'EM) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* Vampires and blood potions */ word choice

2025-08-23T21:55:49Z

‎Vampires and blood potions: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: todo

2025-08-23T21:54:33Z

todo

Umbire the Phantom: touch-ups

2025-08-20T17:49:08Z

touch-ups

Umbire the Phantom: fix

2025-08-20T16:27:00Z

fix

Umbire the Phantom: word choice, reorg

2025-08-20T14:05:11Z

word choice, reorg

Umbire the Phantom: that's THAT todo done

2025-08-19T05:37:05Z

that's THAT todo done

Umbire the Phantom: /* Dietary restrictions */ bit more reorganizing

2025-08-19T03:32:48Z

‎Dietary restrictions: bit more reorganizing

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */ tiny little bits, then show this to Ion

2025-08-19T03:04:32Z

‎Strategy: tiny little bits, then show this to Ion

Umbire the Phantom: I think it's... complete?

2025-08-19T02:30:04Z

I think it's... complete?

Umbire the Phantom: just the flying and stoning stuff to deal with now, I think

2025-08-19T01:55:58Z

just the flying and stoning stuff to deal with now, I think

Show changes

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 This makes [[protection racket]]s absurdly easier, since the hero can drain their levels after safely reaching the [[Minetown]] temple, and medical kits used for this purpose can be sold for a significant amount of [[gold]] as well once they have used enough phials from it&mdash;vampire Rogues are especially well-positioned for this due to their starting gold and [[oilskin sack]]. The technique can also be life-saving in general for a vampire hero that is close to dying of starvation, with the side benefit of a lower experience level making is less likely to encounter especially-dangerous monsters in the late early game and early mid-game.
-Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into diluted vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. Undead vampires encountered later in the dungeon (i.e., they are not [[Star vampire (SLASH'EM)|star vampires]] or [[fire vampire]]s) have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a potion of blood, which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being vampire blood instead, and are thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into diluted vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. Undead vampires encountered later in the dungeon (i.e., ones that are not [[Star vampire (SLASH'EM)|star vampires]] or [[fire vampire]]s) have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a blood-red potion which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being vampire blood and will otherwise be regular blood{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}&mdash;this makes them thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.
 ===Flying===

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:54, 23 August 2025
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	All monsters with the human and [[Vampire (monster attribute)\|vampire]] [[monster attribute]]s are considered the same race as a vampire hero for purposes such as [[cannibalism]] and [[same-race sacrifice]]. [[Elf (monster attribute)\|Elves]], [[Gnome (monster attribute)\|gnomes]], [[Dwarf (monster attribute)\|dwarves]], [[Hobbit (monster attribute)\|hobbits]], and [[Orc (monster attribute)\|orcs]] that are not [[undead]] will always generate as [[hostile]] for a vampiric hero.{{refsrc\|role.c\|712\|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampire heroes that [[Death (character)\|die]] and leave [[bones]] where they arise from the dead will resurrect as [[human mummies]] and [[human zombie]]s, depending on their killer{{refsrc\|role.c\|710\|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}—in practice, there is no means of killing any hero that causes them to rise as a zombie.		All monsters with the human and [[Vampire (monster attribute)\|vampire]] [[monster attribute]]s are considered the same race as a vampire hero for purposes such as [[cannibalism]] and [[same-race sacrifice]]. [[Elf (monster attribute)\|Elves]], [[Gnome (monster attribute)\|gnomes]], [[Dwarf (monster attribute)\|dwarves]], [[Hobbit (monster attribute)\|hobbits]], and [[Orc (monster attribute)\|orcs]] that are not [[undead]] will always generate as [[hostile]] for a vampiric hero.{{refsrc\|role.c\|712\|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampire heroes that [[Death (character)\|die]] and leave [[bones]] where they arise from the dead will resurrect as [[human mummies]] and [[human zombie]]s, depending on their killer{{refsrc\|role.c\|710\|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}—in practice, there is no means of killing any hero that causes them to rise as a zombie.
		+
		+	{{todo\|Check for vampshifting ability and see which traits carry over.}}

	===Dietary restrictions===		===Dietary restrictions===

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Vampire heroes are [[Human (monster attribute)|human]] [[undead]] that have many of the same traits as monster [[vampire]]s in ''[[NetHack]]''&mdash;[[Vampire (SLASH'EM)|the vampire monster itself]] is significantly changed in SLASH'EM, and is used to represent a vampire hero rather than a placeholder monster as with some other playable races. Vampires are among the physically stronger races and have stellar [[attribute]] caps, with their physical attributes on par with or even surpassing those of [[Dwarf (starting race)|dwarves]], while their mental attributes equal or even surpass those of [[Human (starting race)|humans]].{{refsrc|role.c|715|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2|name="caps"}}
-Vampire heroes possess a [[Drain life (monster attack)|life-draining]] [[bite]] attack that can also {{sa|Blood and lifeblood|drain lifeblood}} to raise nutrition.{{refsrc|uhitm.c|2030|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} This bite attack is automatically skipped when attacking a monster that would immediately stone a vampire hero by consuming their blood or lifeblood '''''if''''' that hero is wielding a weapon.
+Vampire heroes possess a [[Drain life (monster attack)|life-draining]] [[bite]] attack that can also {{sa|Blood and lifeblood|drain lifeblood}} to raise nutrition.{{refsrc|uhitm.c|2030|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} This bite attack is automatically skipped when attacking a monster that would immediately turn a vampire hero to stone by consuming their lifeblood '''''if''''' that hero is wielding a weapon.
 A vampire hero starts every game with [[infravision]], [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]], [[Regeneration (property)|regeneration]], [[unbreathing]], [[flight]], [[drain resistance]], and [[death resistance]], and they are also vulnerable to [[silver]]. As undead, they are additionally vulnerable to the double damage inflicted by [[Sunsword]]. These are all properties of the base vampire monster, meaning that they will be temporarily lost if a vampire hero should [[polymorph]] into another form.
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 When draining a corpse that grants an intrinsic, vampire heroes have only a {{frac|5}} chance of gaining that intrinsic compared to a hero of another race consuming that corpse:{{refsrc|eat.c|481|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} this is applied before any additional chance calculation restrictions on gaining the intrinsic apply, e.g. the {{frac|3}} chance of a [[newt]] corpse increasing a hero's maximum energy when they are full is {{frac|15}} for a vampire hero draining the corpse of blood, and [[Giant (monster attribute)|giant]] corpses that have a {{frac|4}} chance of increasing strength when eaten have a {{frac|20}} chance instead when drained.{{refsrc|eat.c|924|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1130|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
-A vampire drinking a potion of blood gains 30 nutrition for a blessed potion or 20 for an uncursed potion, while a cursed potion's contents will have congealed and give 0 nutrition, and a [[diluted]] potion gives half of the appropriate nutrition value.{{refsrc|potion.c|1042|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|potion.c|1049|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampire blood grants 800 nutrition for non-cursed potions (or 400 if [[diluted]]), and a blessed potion will additionally increase a vampire hero's current and maximum [[HP]] as if they had gained an [[experience level]], while a cursed potion's contents will have congealed and give 0 nutrition.{{refsrc|potion.c|1049|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|potion.c|1053|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampires subjected to the [[vapors]] of a broken potion of blood or vampire blood will [[abuse]] [[wisdom]].{{refsrc|potion.c|1642|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+A vampire drinking a potion of blood gains 30 nutrition for a blessed potion or 20 for an uncursed potion, while a cursed potion's contents will have congealed and give 0 nutrition, and a [[diluted]] potion gives half of the appropriate nutrition value.{{refsrc|potion.c|1042|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|potion.c|1049|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampire blood grants 800 nutrition for non-cursed potions (or 400 if diluted), and a blessed potion will additionally increase a vampire hero's current and maximum [[HP]] as if they had gained an [[experience level]], while a cursed potion's contents will have congealed and give 0 nutrition.{{refsrc|potion.c|1049|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|potion.c|1053|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampires subjected to the [[vapors]] of a broken potion of blood or vampire blood will [[abuse]] [[wisdom]].{{refsrc|potion.c|1642|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
 [[Tame]] vampires can drain meaty corpses with blood in a similar manner to a vampire hero, gaining {{frac|5}} of the usual nutrition and becoming immobile for {{frac|5}} the normal duration of a pet eating a corpse (which is also applied to "devouring" corpses as well).{{refsrc|dogmove.c|156|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|dogmove.c|170|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Non-player vampires can also quaff vampire blood, but will do so to heal themselves rather than gain nutrition:{{refsrc|muse.c|963|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} this has no effect if the potion is cursed, and otherwise raises the monster's current and maximum HP by 2-10.
@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 This makes [[protection racket]]s absurdly easier, since the hero can drain their levels after safely reaching the [[Minetown]] temple, and medical kits used for this purpose can be sold for a significant amount of [[gold]] as well once they have used enough phials from it&mdash;vampire Rogues are especially well-positioned for this due to their starting gold and [[oilskin sack]]. The technique can also be life-saving in general for a vampire hero that is close to dying of starvation, with the side benefit of a lower experience level making is less likely to encounter especially-dangerous monsters in the late early game and early mid-game.
-Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into [[diluted]] vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. [[Undead]] vampires encountered later in the dungeon have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a potion of blood, which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being vampire blood instead, and are thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into diluted vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. Undead vampires encountered later in the dungeon (i.e., they are not [[Star vampire (SLASH'EM)|star vampires]] or [[fire vampire]]s) have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a potion of blood, which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being vampire blood instead, and are thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
 ===Flying===

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 Vampire heroes cannot consume [[corpse]]s or other [[comestible]]s directly, and must instead drink blood to obtain a majority of their nutrition:{{refsrc|eat.c|135|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} this means that [[tin]]s are completely inedible for them. Similar dietary restrictions apply to [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampiric]] monsters (including polymorphed heroes) as well. Vampire heroes can safely quaff [[Potion of blood (SLASH'EM)|potions of blood]] and [[Potion of vampire blood (SLASH'EM)|vampire blood]], and any vampires in roles that start with [[potions of fruit juice]] or [[food ration]]s will have them replaced with blood and vampire blood respectively (applicable to all vampire heroes other than Rogues).{{refsrc|u_init.c|360|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
-A vampire hero can use the 'eat' command, {{kbd|e}}, on a meaty corpse to begin draining the blood from it.{{refsrc|eat.c|1508|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} A corpse with blood must be no more than about 3 turns old in order for its blood to be fresh, as it will coagulate unless it is drained quickly enough:{{refsrc|eat.c|1514|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1528|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} coagulation will not occur while the corpse is being drained, though it can occur during turns where the [[occupation]] is interrupted.{{refsrc|eat.c|444|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|456|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|2462|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Blood is assumed to constitute {{frac|5}} of a meaty corpse's nutrition and takes {{frac|5}} of the usual duration for a blood-drinking hero to consume fully, with the blood of [[poisonous]], [[acidic]] and/or [[hallucination]]-inducing corpses sharing those same properties.{{refsrc|eat.c|1596|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1615|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|obj.h|271|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} A corpse being partially or fully drained of blood has no impact on its eligibility for [[sacrifice]].
+A vampire hero can use the 'eat' command, {{kbd|e}}, on a meaty corpse to begin draining the blood from it.{{refsrc|eat.c|1508|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} A corpse with blood must be no more than about 5 turns old in order for its blood to be fresh, as it will coagulate unless it is drained quickly enough:{{refsrc|eat.c|1514|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1528|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} coagulation will not occur while the corpse is being drained, though it can occur during turns where the [[occupation]] is interrupted.{{refsrc|eat.c|444|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|456|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|2462|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Blood is assumed to constitute {{frac|5}} of a meaty corpse's nutrition and takes {{frac|5}} of the usual duration for a blood-drinking hero to consume fully, with the blood of [[poisonous]], [[acidic]] and/or [[hallucination]]-inducing corpses sharing those same properties.{{refsrc|eat.c|1596|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1615|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|obj.h|271|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} A corpse being partially or fully drained of blood has no impact on its eligibility for [[sacrifice]].
 When draining a corpse that grants an intrinsic, vampire heroes have only a {{frac|5}} chance of gaining that intrinsic compared to a hero of another race consuming that corpse:{{refsrc|eat.c|481|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} this is applied before any additional chance calculation restrictions on gaining the intrinsic apply, e.g. the {{frac|3}} chance of a [[newt]] corpse increasing a hero's maximum energy when they are full is {{frac|15}} for a vampire hero draining the corpse of blood, and [[Giant (monster attribute)|giant]] corpses that have a {{frac|4}} chance of increasing strength when eaten have a {{frac|20}} chance instead when drained.{{refsrc|eat.c|924|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|eat.c|1130|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 A vampire hero starts every game with [[infravision]], [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]], [[Regeneration (property)|regeneration]], [[unbreathing]], [[flight]], [[drain resistance]], and [[death resistance]], and they are also vulnerable to [[silver]]. As undead, they are additionally vulnerable to the double damage inflicted by [[Sunsword]]. These are all properties of the base vampire monster, meaning that they will be temporarily lost if a vampire hero should [[polymorph]] into another form.
 All monsters with the human and [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampire]] [[monster attribute]]s are considered the same race as a vampire hero for purposes such as [[cannibalism]] and [[same-race sacrifice]]. [[Elf (monster attribute)|Elves]], [[Gnome (monster attribute)|gnomes]], [[Dwarf (monster attribute)|dwarves]], [[Hobbit (monster attribute)|hobbits]], and [[Orc (monster attribute)|orcs]] that are not [[undead]] will always generate as [[hostile]] for a vampiric hero.{{refsrc|role.c|712|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Vampire heroes that [[Death (character)|die]] and leave [[bones]] where they arise from the dead will resurrect as [[human mummies]] and [[human zombie]]s, depending on their killer{{refsrc|role.c|710|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}&mdash;in practice, there is no means of killing any hero that causes them to rise as a zombie.
 ===Dietary restrictions===
@@ Line 108: / Line 108: @@
 ===Flying===
-A vampire hero's intrinsic [[flight]] allows them to pass over hazards while still being able to pick up items off the ground unlike [[levitation]], and will save them resources spent on equipment slots or other items&mdash;due to the versions of ''NetHack'' that SLASH'EM is based on, however, a hero that is flying cannot manually descend into [[pit]]s and [[spiked pit]]s using {{kbd|>}}: this makes it difficult to retrieve any items from those pits, since the property is intrinsic rather than given by an item the hero can remove or [[take off]].
+A vampire hero's intrinsic [[flight]] allows them to pass over hazards while still being able to pick up items off the ground unlike [[levitation]], and will save them resources spent on equipment slots or other items&mdash;however, due to how flight functions in the versions of ''NetHack'' that SLASH'EM is based on, a hero that is flying cannot manually descend into [[pit]]s and [[spiked pit]]s using {{kbd|>}}: this makes it difficult to retrieve any items from those pits, since the property is intrinsic rather than given by an item the hero can remove or [[take off]].
 Among the methods for a vampire hero to retrieve a pit-bound item, they can relocate the item with a [[wand of teleportation]] or use a [[fishing pole]], and can also [[dig]] downwards (e.g. using a [[pick-axe]] or [[wand of digging]]) and either use [[autopickup]] to grab the item or else hope it falls through the resulting [[hole]]; a flying hero ''can'' manually descend into holes with {{kbd|>}}. A vampire hero can also use a source of [[levitation]] such as worn [[levitation boots]] or putting on a [[ring of levitation]], then snag items from the pit with a [[bullwhip]]: this can also be used to pull items out of any [[moat]]s or pools that the hero comes across.

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 {{guidebook|Vampires strike fear into the heart of many. Their super-human strength, notorious dexterity and resilience make them difficult to defeat while their almost hypnotic charm makes them dangerous opponents. Even their own Gods treat vampires with some distaste.}}
 Vampires are always [[chaotic]], and can be played as [[Barbarian/SLASH'EM|Barbarians]], [[Ice Mage]]s, [[Necromancer]]s, [[Rogue/SLASH'EM|Rogues]], or [[Wizard/SLASH'EM|Wizards]].
 ==Racial benefits and restrictions==

@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 A majority of the gameplay for a vampire hero, especially in the early game, is primarily about nutrition management: On top of being restricted to drinking fresh blood unless you polymorph, vampire heroes cannot make [[wish]]es or [[pray]] safely before turn 600, and will need to kill a few non-chaotic monsters to gain positive alignment. The mechanics for intrinsic gain from blood also mean that a vampire hero's maximum strength of 19 will prove difficult to achieve, and critical intrinsics such as [[fire resistance]], [[cold resistance]], [[sleep resistance]], and [[telepathy]] are much more difficult to acquire. This also makes carnivorous [[pet]]s especially troublesome for vampires after the earliest stages of the game, since they will often eat corpses that you want to drain.
-On the upside, vampire heroes are exempt from cannibalism penalties, and a chaotic vampire hero will even gain alignment by draining blood from another vampire (which in practice is only possible with the fresh corpse of a [[vampire bat]]). This cannibalism exemption does ''not'' apply to heroes of other races polymorphed into vampires. Drained corpses still being eligible for sacrifice also eliminates much of the need for the hero to balance between keeping themselves sated and trying for sacrifice boons. Additionally, vampire heroes naturally have several vital resistances for an early game hero, including [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]] and [[death resistance]] from being undead; casting-focused builds can make use of [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)#Protection spells|protection spells]] such as {{+ of|endure heat}} and {{+ of|endure cold}} when necessary in lieu of obtaining the intrinsics directly and permanently.
+On the upside, vampire heroes are exempt from cannibalism penalties, and a chaotic vampire hero will even gain alignment by draining blood from another vampire (which in practice is only possible with the fresh corpse of a [[vampire bat]]); this cannibalism exemption does ''not'' apply to heroes of other races polymorphed into vampires. Drained corpses being eligible for sacrifice also eliminates much of the need for the hero to balance between keeping themselves sated and trying for sacrifice boons. Additionally, vampire heroes naturally have several vital resistances for an early game hero, including [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]] and [[death resistance]] from being undead; casting-focused builds can make use of [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)#Protection spells|protection spells]] such as {{+ of|endure heat}} and {{+ of|endure cold}} when necessary in lieu of obtaining the intrinsics directly and permanently.
 Regardless, it is common for a vampire hero to dive deep into the dungeon quickly in order to avoid starvation and maintain their nutrition levels until they either discover the ring of slow digestion through sheer fortune, or else reach a point where they can reliably land bites on monsters to get multiple feedings in, provided they can survive combat with such monsters. Typical strategies such as altar camping, establishing and retrieving stashes, farming, and returning to the Minetown temple for protection are all much more risky, since going through too many empty levels increases the risk of starvation. Similarly, [[amulet]]s and [[ring]]s are riskier to [[put on]] without formally identifying them, and even once identified they should only be put on when absolutely necessary.
@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 As a vampire hero's bites can also provide nutrition, they should think of every monster they encounter as an essential source of food, and will want to avoid killing them too quickly unless they pose a severe-enough danger: it is often worth fighting weaker monsters with [[bare hands]] or weak weapons such as [[knives]] in order to land as many bites as possible, especially since [[to-hit]] will increase with the hero's experience level. Methods of inflicting [[sleep]] (e.g. the [[potion of sleeping]] or the {{+ of|sleep}} spell) and other means to immobilize monsters are especially valuable to this end, including the [[dazzle]] technique naturally available to vampire heroes&mdash;take advantage of the vampire's intrinsic regeneration to drain corpses '''''before''''' you finish a battle.
-A [[wand of create monster]] or {{of|wand|create horde}} should be saved by a vampire hero to use its charges as a form of food source, especially once you have a decent artifact weapon: in a pinch, a couple of zaps can produce enough sources of blood and/or lifeblood to keep you sated long enough to find that next [[throne room]] or [[leprechaun hall]]. A vampire hero in a casting role will be in a much better position to survive if they learn the {{+ of|create monster}} spell and can reliably cast it frequently enough&mdash;vampire Wizards in general are well-positioned as spellcasters, since they will usually have the required [[intelligence]] for [[hungerless casting]] (or at least reduced-hunger casting).
+A [[wand of create monster]] or {{of|wand|create horde}} should be saved by a vampire hero to use its charges as a form of food source, especially once you have a decent artifact weapon: in a pinch, a couple of zaps can produce enough sources of blood and/or lifeblood to keep you sated long enough to find that next [[throne room]] or [[leprechaun hall]]. A vampire hero in a casting role will be in a much better position to survive if they learn the {{+ of|create monster}} spell and can reliably cast it frequently enough&mdash;vampire Wizards in particular are well-positioned as spellcasters, since they will usually have the required [[intelligence]] for [[hungerless casting]] (or at least reduced-hunger casting).
 ===Prayer===

@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 On the upside, vampire heroes are exempt from cannibalism penalties, and a chaotic vampire hero will even gain alignment by draining blood from another vampire (which in practice is only possible with the fresh corpse of a [[vampire bat]]). This cannibalism exemption does ''not'' apply to heroes of other races polymorphed into vampires. Drained corpses still being eligible for sacrifice also eliminates much of the need for the hero to balance between keeping themselves sated and trying for sacrifice boons. Additionally, vampire heroes naturally have several vital resistances for an early game hero, including [[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]] and [[death resistance]] from being undead; casting-focused builds can make use of [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)#Protection spells|protection spells]] such as {{+ of|endure heat}} and {{+ of|endure cold}} when necessary in lieu of obtaining the intrinsics directly and permanently.
-Regardless, it is common for a player with a vampire hero to dive deep into the dungeon quickly in order to avoid starvation and maintain their nutrition levels until they either discover the ring of slow digestion through sheer fortune, or else reach a point where they can reliably land bites on monsters to get multiple feedings in, provided they can survive combat with such monsters. Typical strategies such as altar camping, establishing and retrieving stashes, farming, and returning to the Minetown temple for protection are all much more risky, since going through too many empty levels increases the risk of starvation. Similarly, [[amulet]]s and [[ring]]s are riskier to wear without formally identifying them, and even once identified they should only be worn when absolutely necessary.
+Regardless, it is common for a vampire hero to dive deep into the dungeon quickly in order to avoid starvation and maintain their nutrition levels until they either discover the ring of slow digestion through sheer fortune, or else reach a point where they can reliably land bites on monsters to get multiple feedings in, provided they can survive combat with such monsters. Typical strategies such as altar camping, establishing and retrieving stashes, farming, and returning to the Minetown temple for protection are all much more risky, since going through too many empty levels increases the risk of starvation. Similarly, [[amulet]]s and [[ring]]s are riskier to [[put on]] without formally identifying them, and even once identified they should only be put on when absolutely necessary.
 Nutrition issues become somewhat easier to resolve as a vampire hero progresses in the game, due to the frequency and greater size of monsters that they will encounter. As vampire heroes are breathless, they cannot choke from overeating and instead [[vomit]] immediately if they become overstuffed from either draining a corpse or a monster's lifeblood&mdash;though this means being oversatiated is not immediately lethal, the duration a hero is immobilized for is enough that they risk death if this occurs in the middle of a combat situation, while any corpse they were draining will very likely have its blood coagulate.
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 ===Ring of slow digestion===
-The ring of slow digestion is an item already prized enough by general players that some running [[Wizard]]s in ''NetHack'' will [[start scum]] for them&mdash;for a vampire hero in SLASH'EM, the ring is a godsend that allows them to survive entirely on draining lifeblood through their bite attacks and/or draining corpses. One of the few drawbacks to the ring is becoming oversatiated as a result of constantly draining blood and lifeblood, which may induce vomiting and immobilize the hero as above; a hero may [[remove]] it if they are at or near satiated levels of nutrition and want to avoid [[dexterity]] [[abuse]]. They may also pair it with a [[ring of conflict]], {{= of|regeneration}} or even {{= of|hunger}}.
+The ring of slow digestion is an item already prized enough by general players that some running [[Wizard]]s in ''NetHack'' will [[start scum]] for them&mdash;for a vampire hero in SLASH'EM, the ring is a godsend that allows them to survive entirely on draining lifeblood through their bite attacks and/or draining corpses, and may even be worth an early wish. One of the few drawbacks to the ring is becoming oversatiated as a result of constantly draining blood and lifeblood, which may induce vomiting and immobilize the hero as above; a hero may [[remove]] it if they are at or near satiated levels of nutrition and want to avoid [[dexterity]] [[abuse]]. They may also pair it with a [[ring of conflict]], {{= of|regeneration}} or even {{= of|hunger}}.
-===Blood potions===
+===Stoning===
-While potions of blood and vampire blood are valuable nutrition resources, they are fairly weighty to keep on hand at 20 aum per potion, and are not generated randomly. Additionally, carrying potions in open inventory runs the risk of them being destroyed by [[Fire (element)|fire]] or [[cold]] damage without a [[container]] to keep them in.
+Since vampire heroes can only feed on fresh blood, [[lizard]] corpses cannot be used for their intended purpose of curing stoning by eating one, although such vampire heroes can still carry one or two to protect from the effects of the [[new moon]]. As an alternative cure, vampire heroes may opt to rely on [[potions of acid]], the [[stone to flesh]] spell, or a worn [[amulet versus stone]]&mdash;the amulet in particular should be kept non-cursed in order to prevent it being destroyed upon saving the hero from stoning.
-Vampire heroes may need to rely on [[medical kit]]s and the [[draw blood]] [[technique]] to drain some experience levels and create potions of vampire blood for maintaining nutrition down the line. The technique requires a phial from the medical kit (whose contents can by appraised by [[looting]] it while on the ground) and will drain an experience level from the hero and set them to the minimum [[experience point]]s required for that lower level, rather than the maximum as with many life-draining attacks. With the adjusted experience curve compared to corresponding versions of ''NetHack'', it is much easier to regain levels drained in the early game, while in the late game gaining levels past XL 15 will always take 50,000 XP per level.
+The draw blood technique requires a phial from the medical kit (whose contents can by appraised by [[looting]] it while on the ground) and will drain an experience level from the hero and set them to the minimum [[experience point]]s required for that lower level, rather than the maximum as with many life-draining attacks. With the adjusted experience curve compared to corresponding versions of ''NetHack'', it is much easier to regain levels drained in the early game, while in the late game gaining levels past XL 15 will always take 50,000 XP per level.
-This makes [[protection racket]]s absurdly easier, since  the hero can drain their levels after reaching [[Minetown]], and can  medical kits used for this purpose can be sold for a significant amount of money as well once they have used enough phials from it. The technique can also be life-saving in general for a vampire hero that is close to dying of starvation, with the side benefit of a lower experience level making is less likely to encounter especially-dangerous monsters in the late early game and early mid-game. Medical kits are popular to recommend as early wishes for vampire heroes for these reasons.
+This makes [[protection racket]]s absurdly easier, since the hero can drain their levels after safely reaching the [[Minetown]] temple, and medical kits used for this purpose can be sold for a significant amount of [[gold]] as well once they have used enough phials from it&mdash;vampire Rogues are especially well-positioned for this due to their starting gold and [[oilskin sack]]. The technique can also be life-saving in general for a vampire hero that is close to dying of starvation, with the side benefit of a lower experience level making is less likely to encounter especially-dangerous monsters in the late early game and early mid-game.
-Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into [[diluted]] vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. [[Undead]] vampires encountered later in the dungeon have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a potion of blood, which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being made into vampire blood instead, and are thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+Large stacks of [[fruit juice]] potions can be assembled and turned into [[diluted]] vampire blood via [[alchemy]], requiring one potion of vampire blood to be used up in the process; fruit juice can be created by dipping a [[unicorn horn]] into a [[potion of sickness]], or by [[canceling]] potions of sickness and {{! of|see invisible}}. [[Undead]] vampires encountered later in the dungeon have a {{frac|2}} chance of generating with a potion of blood, which has a chance equal to {{frac|[[Monster level|ML]]|30}} of being vampire blood instead, and are thus ideal targets to kill quickly and efficiently in order to claim the potions before they can be quaffed.{{refsrc|makemon.c|1150|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|makemon.c|1164|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
 ===Flying===
-Flying is fun. Whereas levitation allows you to avoid traps, water and lava, but keeps you too high up to pick things up or otherwise interact with objects on the ground, flying gives you the best of both worlds. You will sail over traps and water and across the [[Plane of Air]] without having to mess around with boots, spells, or rings (or the SLASH'EM item, [[amulet of flying]]). This is particularly convenient in the endgame as you race for the starting staircase.
+A vampire hero's intrinsic [[flight]] allows them to pass over hazards while still being able to pick up items off the ground unlike [[levitation]], and will save them resources spent on equipment slots or other items&mdash;due to the versions of ''NetHack'' that SLASH'EM is based on, however, a hero that is flying cannot manually descend into [[pit]]s and [[spiked pit]]s using {{kbd|>}}: this makes it difficult to retrieve any items from those pits, since the property is intrinsic rather than given by an item the hero can remove or [[take off]].
-===Stoning===
+Among the methods for a vampire hero to retrieve a pit-bound item, they can relocate the item with a [[wand of teleportation]] or use a [[fishing pole]], and can also [[dig]] downwards (e.g. using a [[pick-axe]] or [[wand of digging]]) and either use [[autopickup]] to grab the item or else hope it falls through the resulting [[hole]]; a flying hero ''can'' manually descend into holes with {{kbd|>}}. A vampire hero can also use a source of [[levitation]] such as worn [[levitation boots]] or putting on a [[ring of levitation]], then snag items from the pit with a [[bullwhip]]: this can also be used to pull items out of any [[moat]]s or pools that the hero comes across.
 ==References==