Watchman - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* Angering the watch /

2023-04-24T06:41:29Z

‎Angering the watch: *

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ adjust wording

2023-04-24T06:41:06Z

‎Generation: adjust wording

Hexcoder: /* Sacrifice */ typo

2023-01-07T17:40:04Z

‎Sacrifice: typo

K2: Undo revision 149671 by MrSurvivor1997 (talk) it's already implied that the watch will not be angered when the player attacks hostile monsters

2023-01-06T20:30:50Z

Undo revision 149671 by MrSurvivor1997 (talk) it's already implied that the watch will not be angered when the player attacks hostile monsters

MrSurvivor1997: /* Angering the watch */ They won’t attack the player for killing a monster if it’s hostile to them.

2023-01-06T20:27:35Z

‎Angering the watch: They won’t attack the player for killing a monster if it’s hostile to them.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */

2022-04-18T21:28:35Z

‎Variants

Umbire the Phantom: /* Slash'EM Extended */

2022-04-18T21:28:00Z

‎Slash'EM Extended

Umbire the Phantom: /* Pacifying the watch */ per qt

2022-04-18T21:11:33Z

‎Pacifying the watch: per qt

Umbire the Phantom: /* Sacrifice */

2022-02-12T20:19:49Z

‎Sacrifice

Umbire the Phantom at 09:19, 9 November 2021

2021-11-09T09:19:01Z

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ==Angering the watch==
-While watchmen are always generated peaceful, they can become hostile through a number of [[player]] actions. All watchmen and watch captains on the current level will become hostile and try to kill you if you perform any of the following actions:
+While watchmen are usually generated peaceful, they can become hostile through a number of [[player]] actions. All watchmen and watch captains on the current level will become hostile and try to kill you if you perform any of the following actions:
 * Directly attacking a peaceful watchman, unless the attack kills them in a single hit.

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 ==Generation==
 {{main|Mercenaries}}
-Watchmen and watch captains are not randomly generated, instead appearing in set locations. Several watchmen and at least one watch captain will be generated in any version of Minetown, with the exception of Orcish Town (where only their corpses will be found); the Bustling Town variant will have two watch captains. Two watchmen will also be generated in the anterooms of the [[Archaeologist quest]] home level; two watchmen also sit outside the gates of the [[Tourist quest]] home level, and a third watchman can be found in the goal level. A watchman can [[grow up]] into a watch captain.
+Watchmen and watch captains are not randomly generated, instead appearing in set locations; they are generated peaceful (with exceptions listed below).
-The watch is always generated peaceful. As they are considered [[mercenaries]], they follow the special rules for [[monster starting inventory]] detailed in that article.
+Several watchmen and at least one watch captain will be generated in any version of Minetown, with the exception of Orcish Town (where only their corpses will be found); the Bustling Town variant will have two watch captains. Two watchmen will also be generated in the anterooms of the [[Archaeologist quest]] home level; two watchmen also sit outside the gates of the [[Tourist quest]] home level, and a third hostile watchman can be found in the goal level. A watchman can [[grow up]] into a watch captain.
 ==Angering the watch==

@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 ===Sacrifice===
-Directly killing watchmen to sacrifice them is not recommended, even if you are a chaotic non-human - angering and killing them results in a huge alignment hit, independent of any addiitonal penalties for [[murder]]. Early in the game, when you typically reach Minetown, your [[alignment record]] cap is low; even without murder penalties, your alignment will take enough of a hit that recovery can be long and tedious at absolute best. It is best to let your pet (particularly a non-carnivorous one) handle the job in these cases; if you are chaotic and lack a pet, but are still intent on sacrificing watchmen, it is wise to follow those up with other sacrifices to ensure your alignment is positive afterward, and confirm it through means such as a [[stethoscope]].
+Directly killing watchmen to sacrifice them is not recommended, even if you are a chaotic non-human - angering and killing them results in a huge alignment hit, independent of any additional penalties for [[murder]]. Early in the game, when you typically reach Minetown, your [[alignment record]] cap is low; even without murder penalties, your alignment will take enough of a hit that recovery can be long and tedious at absolute best. It is best to let your pet (particularly a non-carnivorous one) handle the job in these cases; if you are chaotic and lack a pet, but are still intent on sacrificing watchmen, it is wise to follow those up with other sacrifices to ensure your alignment is positive afterward, and confirm it through means such as a [[stethoscope]].
 ==History==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:30, 6 January 2023
Line 74:		Line 74:

	Breaking doors, chopping down trees, and digging through non-shop walls will not anger a watchman if they do not directly witness the act; drying up fountains and attacking priests and shopkeepers will still anger the watch, regardless of whether they are in sight.		Breaking doors, chopping down trees, and digging through non-shop walls will not anger a watchman if they do not directly witness the act; drying up fountains and attacking priests and shopkeepers will still anger the watch, regardless of whether they are in sight.
−
−	~~Watchmen will not attack the player for attacking or killing hostile monsters encountered in the [[Minetown]].~~

	==Strategy==		==Strategy==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:27, 6 January 2023
Line 74:		Line 74:

	Breaking doors, chopping down trees, and digging through non-shop walls will not anger a watchman if they do not directly witness the act; drying up fountains and attacking priests and shopkeepers will still anger the watch, regardless of whether they are in sight.		Breaking doors, chopping down trees, and digging through non-shop walls will not anger a watchman if they do not directly witness the act; drying up fountains and attacking priests and shopkeepers will still anger the watch, regardless of whether they are in sight.
		+
		+	Watchmen will not attack the player for attacking or killing hostile monsters encountered in the [[Minetown]].

	==Strategy==		==Strategy==

@@ Line 110: / Line 110: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===Convict patch===
-In the [[Convict]] role patch and variants that feature the role, watchmen will immediately turn hostile and attack a player Convict on sight.
+In the [[Convict]] role patch and variants that incorporate, watchmen will immediately turn hostile and attack a player Convict on sight.
-===EvilHack===
+===SLASH'EM===
-In [[EvilHack]], the watch is now composed of various [[racial monster]]s, as with all mercenaries.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the [[Mall]] has four watchmen and three watch captains in the area.
-===SLASH'EM===
+The home level of the [[Yeoman]] [[Yeoman quest|quest branch]] also has three watch captains and four watchmen, as well as a watchman corpse named [[wikipedia:Thomas Blood#Theft of the Crown Jewels|Talbot Edwards]].
 ===UnNetHack===
 In [[UnNetHack]], the [[Town]] branch also has its own watch patrolling the area.
 ===xNetHack===

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 ===Pacifying the watch===
-If you anger a watchman, you can use a [[scroll of taming]] or [[spell of charm monster]], which will pacify watchmen reliably due to their low [[monster magic resistance]]; this is especially useful if multiple watchmen are after you. As a low-level character, you are probably best off running and coming back later once you can fight them or have a means of pacifying them. [[Bribing]] watchmen is possible but not recommended, due to the amount of gold required for it to be reliable in any way; throwing gold at an already peaceful watchman will anger them.
+If you anger a watchman, you can use a [[scroll of taming]] or [[spell of charm monster]], which will pacify watchmen reliably due to their low [[monster magic resistance]]; this is especially useful if multiple watchmen are after you. As a low-level character, you are probably best off running and coming back later once you can fight them or have a means of pacifying them. Be mindful that [[bribing]] watchmen will always fail to pacify them.
 If you can manage it, stealing any (preferably inexpensive) item from a shop and then pacifying the shopkeeper will also pacify any watchmen, regardless of your original offenses.

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 While watchmen are always generated peaceful, they can become hostile through a number of [[player]] actions. All watchmen and watch captains on the current level will become hostile and try to kill you if you perform any of the following actions:
-*Directly attacking a peaceful watchman, unless the attack kills them in a single hit.
+* Directly attacking a peaceful watchman, unless the attack kills them in a single hit.
-*Directly attacking a peaceful [[shopkeeper]] or stealing from [[shop]]s.
+* Directly attacking a peaceful [[shopkeeper]] or stealing from [[shop]]s.
-*Attacking any peaceful monster in sight of the watchman.{{refsrc|src/mon.c|2725|NetHack=3.6.1}}
+* Attacking any peaceful monster in sight of the watchman.{{refsrc|src/mon.c|2725|NetHack=3.6.1}}
-*Attacking the [[aligned priest|priest]].
+* Attacking the [[aligned priest|priest]].
-*Cutting down or kicking [[tree]]s.
+* Cutting down or kicking [[tree]]s.
-*Destroying or drying up [[fountain]]s.
+* Destroying or drying up [[fountain]]s.
-*[[Dig]]ging through [[wall]]s and razing [[door]]s with a [[wand of digging|wand]] or [[spell of dig]]ging.
+* [[Dig]]ging through [[wall]]s and razing [[door]]s with a [[wand of digging|wand]] or [[spell of dig]]ging.
-*Kicking down doors.
+* Kicking down doors.
-*Improvising with a [[bugle]]; as watchmen are mercenaries, this will anger them and any other soldiers present on the level.
+* Improvising with a [[bugle]]; as watchmen are mercenaries, this will anger them and any other soldiers present on the level.
 The following actions will be interrupted if a watchman sees you, and will result in a warning (with some exceptions), followed by them turning hostile if you continue:
-*Digging through walls or doors with a [[pick-axe]].
+* Digging through walls or doors with a [[pick-axe]].
-*Dipping into or quaffing from a fountain; this is also signaled by the fountain's flow "reducing to a trickle", even if a watchman is not in sight.
+* Dipping into or quaffing from a fountain; this is also signaled by the fountain's flow "reducing to a trickle", even if a watchman is not in sight.
-**However, if you dip for [[Excalibur]] and successfully receive it, the fountain will dry up without warning, and the watch will become hostile whether or not they are in sight.
+** However, if you dip for [[Excalibur]] and successfully receive it, the fountain will dry up without warning, and the watch will become hostile whether or not they are in sight.
-*Spending multiple turns locking or unlocking doors; however, the watch will not object if the action takes one turn, which is more likely to happen with a skeleton key for non-Rogues. Getting warned will also cause the door to become trapped.
+* Spending multiple turns locking or unlocking doors; however, the watch will not object if the action takes one turn, which is more likely to happen with a skeleton key for non-Rogues. Getting warned will also cause the door to become trapped.
-**This is because NetHack stores the data "the player has been warned about this door" and "this door is booby trapped" in the same piece of memory; the developers made some notes in the code regarding the problem.{{refsrc|include/rm.h|352|version=NetHack 3.6.1}}{{refsrc|include/rm.h|320|version=NetHack 3.6.1}}
+** This is because NetHack stores the data "the player has been warned about this door" and "this door is booby trapped" in the same piece of memory; the developers made some notes in the code regarding the problem.{{refsrc|include/rm.h|352|version=NetHack 3.6.1}}{{refsrc|include/rm.h|320|version=NetHack 3.6.1}}
-**Note that attempting to unlock the door again ''immediately'' after will cause them to turn hostile, and unlocking a trapped door will give no warning. However, attempting to #[[untrap]] the door instead will not turn the watch hostile even if your attempt sets it off and destroys the door; the watchmen will only check for immediate attempts to pick the lock.
+** Note that attempting to unlock the door again ''immediately'' after will cause them to turn hostile, and unlocking a trapped door will give no warning. However, attempting to #[[untrap]] the door instead will not turn the watch hostile even if your attempt sets it off and destroys the door; the watchmen will only check for immediate attempts to pick the lock.
 Breaking doors, chopping down trees, and digging through non-shop walls will not anger a watchman if they do not directly witness the act; drying up fountains and attacking priests and shopkeepers will still anger the watch, regardless of whether they are in sight.