Vampire bat - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: tweaks

2026-04-20T04:11:00Z

tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: lede

2025-07-01T16:13:03Z

lede

Umbire the Phantom: variant quickie

2025-07-01T16:12:00Z

variant quickie

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ coypedit

2025-07-01T16:08:37Z

‎History: coypedit

Umbire the Phantom: simplify

2025-07-01T16:08:04Z

simplify

MrSurvivor1997: /* Origin */ Added more info on vampire bats.

2025-07-01T15:48:33Z

‎Origin: Added more info on vampire bats.

Umbire the Phantom: lede, vampshifting, etc.

2025-03-27T05:01:19Z

lede, vampshifting, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: lede

2025-03-27T04:30:46Z

lede

Umbire the Phantom: punc

2024-12-16T06:07:51Z

punc

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit, potholes in preparation for article moves

2024-12-14T06:01:34Z

copyedit, potholes in preparation for article moves

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   |frequency=2
   |genocidable=Yes
-  |attacks=[[Bite]] 1d6 [[Physical damage|physical]], Bite 0d0 [[poison]] ([[strength]])
+  |attacks=[[Bite]] 1d6 [[Physical damage|physical]], bite 0d0 [[poison]] ([[strength]])
   |resistances conveyed=None
   |resistances=[[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]]
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
   |reference=[[monst.c#line1058]]
 }}
 A '''vampire bat''', {{monsym|vampire bat}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The vampire bat is an [[omnivorous]] [[flying]] animal that is the strongest type of [[bat]], and possesses enhanced [[regeneration]]. Like other bats, vampire bats wander while moving, with a {{frac|3}} chance of moving in a random direction during each of its turns.{{refsrc|src/monmove.c|915|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 All [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] are capable of [[Shapeshifter|shifting]] into vampire bat form, retaining most of their base traits (e.g. being [[undead]] and weak to [[silver]]), and will resurrect into their base form if killed as bats. [[Vlad the Impaler]] will not shift to bat form while he has the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]].{{refsrc|src/mon.c|3373|nethack=3.6.7}}
-A vampire bat has two bite attacks, with the second being [[poison]]ous, and possesses [[poison resistance]] and [[sleep resistance]].
+A vampire bat has two bite attacks, with the second inflicting [[strength]]-draining [[poison]], and it possesses [[poison resistance]] and [[sleep resistance]].
 A vampire bat [[corpse]] is poisonous to eat, and eating a vampire bat corpse or [[tin]] does not [[stun]] the [[hero]] as with other species of bat.
@@ Line 30: / Line 29: @@
 A hero [[polymorph]]ed into a vampire bat is intrinsically stunned for the duration of the polyself.{{refsrc|include/youprop.h|79|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} A hero polymorphed into any form of vampire can turn into a vampire bat if they are polymorphed again or use the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] [[extended command]], and can decline to do so if they have [[polymorph control]]&mdash;as vampire bats lack a special ability, hero that shapeshift from vampires into bats this way cannot use the command to turn back at will.
-{{upcoming|3.7.0|Per {{commit|a27ca52b0354b58e2f498c21865f18d725e75480}}, a hero polymorphed into a vampire that shifts into bat or [[fog cloud]] form can use #monster in those forms to shapeshift again.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Per {{commit|a27ca52b0354b58e2f498c21865f18d725e75480}}, a hero polymorphed into a vampire that shifts into bat or [[fog cloud]] form can use #monster in those forms to shapeshift again.}}
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 42: / Line 41: @@
 Vampire bats are generally weak, but their 20 [[speed]] and erratic movement make them hard to hit and deal with, and their bites can severely damage or even kill an early character lacking poison resistance. Once the property is obtained, they become little more than a relative nuisance.
-Vampires disguised as vampire bats can be revealed by using any means of probing (e.g. a [[wand of probing]] or a [[stethoscope]]), or else attacking them with a [[silver]] weapon - though this form is weak and can be easily killed, the vampire will then resurrect in their base form with full HP. Careful tracking of their health can be exploited to avoid having to kill a vampire "twice": weaken them in bat form, allow them to return to base form of their own accord, then finish them off quickly. The vampire bat form is a nuisance for players looking to keep pet vampires, since a [[ring of protection from shape changers]] is required to prevent them from shifting into bats and dropping any worn armor and wielded weapons.
+Vampires disguised as vampire bats can be revealed by using any means of probing (e.g. a [[wand of probing]] or a [[stethoscope]]), or else attacking them with a [[silver]] weapon&mdash;though this form is weak and can be easily killed, the vampire will then resurrect in their base form with full HP. Careful tracking of their health can be exploited to avoid having to kill a vampire "twice": weaken them in bat form, allow them to return to base form of their own accord, then finish them off quickly. The vampire bat form is a nuisance for players looking to keep pet vampires, since a [[ring of protection from shape changers]] is required to prevent them from shifting into bats and dropping any worn armor and wielded weapons.
-{{upcoming|3.7.0|Poison no longer causes instadeath, but will inflict significant damage and lower [[attribute]]s; [[unicorn horn]]s cannot restore lost attributes.
+Per {{commit|43d331c4ebe7bcd30a7cab7d4228957e283584c2}}, unicorn horns cannot restore drained attributes. Alternatives include {{! of|restore ability|or=1|gain ability}} potions, the {{+ of|restore ability}} spell, or [[prayer]].
-Vampires can be fed [[corpses]] while they are in the form of bats, allowing them to gain intrinsics.}}
+Per {{commit|8d2407f1f21cc60ac99e08f00233975b32321eef}}, monsters can gain intrinsics by eating corpses, and vampire monsters can thus gain intrinsics by consuming corpses while they are in vampire bat form.}}
 ==History==

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 }}
-A '''vampire bat''', {{monsym|vampire bat}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is an [[omnivorous]] [[flying]] animal that is the strongest type of [[bat]], and possesses enhanced [[regeneration]]. Like other bats, the vampire bat wanders while moving, with a {{frac|3}} chance of moving in a random direction during each of its turns.{{refsrc|src/monmove.c|915|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+A '''vampire bat''', {{monsym|vampire bat}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. The vampire bat is an [[omnivorous]] [[flying]] animal that is the strongest type of [[bat]], and possesses enhanced [[regeneration]]. Like other bats, vampire bats wander while moving, with a {{frac|3}} chance of moving in a random direction during each of its turns.{{refsrc|src/monmove.c|915|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-All [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] are capable of [[Shapeshifter|shifting]] into vampire bat form, retaining most of their base traits, and will resurrect into their base form if killed. [[Vlad the Impaler]] will not shift to bat form while he has the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]].{{refsrc|src/mon.c|3373|nethack=3.6.7}}
+All [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] are capable of [[Shapeshifter|shifting]] into vampire bat form, retaining most of their base traits (e.g. being [[undead]] and weak to [[silver]]), and will resurrect into their base form if killed as bats. [[Vlad the Impaler]] will not shift to bat form while he has the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]].{{refsrc|src/mon.c|3373|nethack=3.6.7}}
 A vampire bat has two bite attacks, with the second being [[poison]]ous, and possesses [[poison resistance]] and [[sleep resistance]].

@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], vampire bats are classified as [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampiric]] monsters: they qualify as monsters of the same race for [[Vampire (starting race in SLASH'EM)|vampire characters]], and are weak to silver weapons.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], vampire bats are classified as [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampiric]] monsters: they qualify as monsters of the same race for [[Vampire (starting race in SLASH'EM)|vampire]] heroes, and are weak to silver weapons.
 Vampire bats appear among the random {{white|B}} that are part of the first quest [[monster class]] for [[Necromancer]]s and make up {{frac|24|175}} of the monsters randomly generated on the [[Necromancer quest]].
 ===UnNetHack===
-In [[UnNetHack]], a [[Potion of vampire blood (UnNetHack)|potion of vampire blood]] quaffed by non-vampire heroes will polymorph them depending on beatitude: a cursed potion will turn them into a vampire bat. Neutral heroes incur a −3 alignment penalty, while lawful heroes and [[Monk]]s take a −15 alignment penalty and [[anger]] their [[god]]. The polymorph is "semi-permanent" and will last until the hero's HP is reduced to 0.
+In [[UnNetHack]], a [[Potion of vampire blood (UnNetHack)|potion of vampire blood]] quaffed by non-[[Vampire (starting race in UnNetHack)|vampire]] heroes will polymorph them depending on beatitude: a cursed potion will turn them into a vampire bat. Neutral heroes incur a −3 alignment penalty, while lawful heroes and [[Monk/UnNetHack|Monks]] take a −15 alignment penalty and [[anger]] their [[god]]. The polymorph is "semi-permanent" and will last until the hero's HP is reduced to 0.
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], tame vampires will not shapeshift into bats or other forms - this makes them much more useful as pets, but makes it difficult to pass on intrinsics.
+In [[EvilHack]], tame vampires will not shapeshift into bats or other forms&mdash;this makes them much more useful as pets, but makes it far more difficult to pass on intrinsics.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 ==History==
-The vampire bat first appears in Hack 1.21, which is based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and uses the {{white|b}} glyph. It makes its vanilla ''NetHack'' debut in [[NetHack 3.0.0]], under its current glpyh.
+The vampire bat first appears in Hack 1.21, which is based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and uses the {{white|b}} glyph. It makes its vanilla ''NetHack'' debut in [[NetHack 3.0.0]], under its current glyph.
-The vampire's ability to transform into a vampire bat is introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].
+The ability of the vampire monster class to transform into vampire bats is introduced in [[NetHack 3.6.0]].
 ==Origin==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   |frequency=2
   |genocidable=Yes
-  |attacks=[[Bite]] 1d6 physical, Bite 0d0 [[poison]]
+  |attacks=[[Bite]] 1d6 [[Physical damage|physical]], Bite 0d0 [[poison]] ([[strength]])
   |resistances conveyed=None
   |resistances=[[sleep resistance]], [[poison resistance]]
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 ==Origin==
 {{wikipedia}}
-Vampire bats are leaf-nosed bats that are members of the subfamily ''Desmodontinae'', and are primarily found in Central and South America. They are named for the fact that a primary food source is the blood of other animals, a dietary trait called [[Wikipedia:hematophagy|hematophagy]]. Three extant bat species feed solely on blood: the common vampire bat (''Desmodus rotundus''), the hairy-legged vampire bat (''Diphylla ecaudata''), and the white-winged vampire bat (''Diaemus youngi''), the saliva of a vampire bat has anticoagulant properties, so the bite bleeds more, allowing easier feeding.
+Vampire bats are leaf-nosed bats that are members of the subfamily ''Desmodontinae'', and are primarily found in Central and South America&mdash;three of these extant bat species feed solely on blood: the common vampire bat (''Desmodus rotundus''), the hairy-legged vampire bat (''Diphylla ecaudata''), and the white-winged vampire bat (''Diaemus youngi'').
-Vampire bats are typically portrayed in popular culture as a secondary form for vampires, in which the vampires can easily fly to another location before transforming back into their primary form, hence the vampires ability to [[polymorph]] into vampire bats in NetHack.
+Vampire bats are so named for the fact that their primary food source is the blood of other animals, a dietary trait called [[Wikipedia:hematophagy|hematophagy]]&mdash;the saliva of these bats has anticoagulant properties, so the bite bleeds more and allows easier feeding. The name is also partly due to the portrayal of vampires in various cultures as being able to transform into bats in order to feed on the blood of humans, in turn giving vampire bats a reputation of being more dangerous to humans than they truly are; while vampire bats are a common carrier of rabies, the risk of exposure to the human population is lower than the risk to livestock, and the unique properties of vampire bat saliva have found some positive use in medicine.
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 A vampire bat [[corpse]] is poisonous to eat, and eating a vampire bat corpse or [[tin]] does not [[stun]] the [[hero]] as with other species of bat.
-A character [[polymorph]]ed into a vampire bat is intrinsically stunned for the duration of the polyself.{{refsrc|include/youprop.h|79|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} A player polymorphed into any form of vampire will turn into a vampire bat if they are polymorphed again or use the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] [[extended command]], and can decline to do so if they have [[polymorph control]] - as vampire bats lack a special ability, players turned into bats this way cannot use the command to turn back at will.
+A hero [[polymorph]]ed into a vampire bat is intrinsically stunned for the duration of the polyself.{{refsrc|include/youprop.h|79|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} A hero polymorphed into any form of vampire will turn into a vampire bat if they are polymorphed again or use the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] [[extended command]], and can decline to do so if they have [[polymorph control]]&mdash;as vampire bats lack a special ability, hero that shapeshift from vampires into bats this way cannot use the command to turn back at will.
-{{upcoming|3.7.0|Per {{commit|a27ca52b0354b58e2f498c21865f18d725e75480}}, a character polymorphed into a vampire that shifts into bat or [[fog cloud]] form can use #monster in those forms to shapeshift again.}}
+{{upcoming|3.7.0|Per {{commit|a27ca52b0354b58e2f498c21865f18d725e75480}}, a hero polymorphed into a vampire that shifts into bat or [[fog cloud]] form can use #monster in those forms to shapeshift again.}}
 ==Generation==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 A '''vampire bat''', {{monsym|vampire bat}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is an [[omnivorous]] [[flying]] animal that is the strongest type of [[bat]], and possesses enhanced [[regeneration]]. Like other bats, the vampire bat wanders while moving, with a {{frac|3}} chance of moving in a random direction during each of its turns.{{refsrc|src/monmove.c|915|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-All [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] are capable of [[Shapeshifter|shifting]] into bat form, and will resurrect into their base form if killed; [[Vlad the Impaler]] will not shift to bat form while he has the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]].{{refsrc|src/mon.c|3373|nethack=3.6.7}}
+All [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] are capable of [[Shapeshifter|shifting]] into vampire bat form, and will resurrect into their base form if killed. [[Vlad the Impaler]] will not shift to bat form while he has the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]].{{refsrc|src/mon.c|3373|nethack=3.6.7}}
 A vampire bat has two bite attacks, with the second being [[poison]]ous, and possesses [[poison resistance]] and [[sleep resistance]].