Witch (dNetHack) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ potholes

2026-03-23T23:07:04Z

‎Generation: potholes

Umbire the Phantom: lede

2026-03-23T23:06:37Z

lede

Furey: /* Generation */ Neutral Quest (dNethack) -> Neutral Quest (dNetHack). Fixes a redlink.

2024-06-16T15:08:43Z

‎Generation: Neutral Quest (dNethack) -> Neutral Quest (dNetHack). Fixes a redlink.

ScienceBall: /* Strategy */ Typo

2024-02-07T12:22:09Z

‎Strategy: Typo

Umbire the Phantom: strat

2024-02-07T10:06:49Z

strat

Umbire the Phantom: starting inventory

2024-02-05T04:14:07Z

starting inventory

Umbire the Phantom: and deux

2024-02-05T03:37:01Z

and deux

New page

{{monster
|name=witch
|symbol={{black|@}}
|tile=
|difficulty=13
|level=10
|experience=266
|speed=12
|AC=6
|MR=45
|align=0
|frequency=0
|genocidable=No
|attacks=Weapon 1d6 physical, Magic 1d6 [[clerical spell]]
|weight=1450
|nutr=400
|size=medium
|resistances=
|resistances conveyed=
|attributes={{attributes|A witch|fly=1|humanoid=1|omnivore=1|nopoly=1|human=1|female=1|strong=1|collect=1|magic=1|infravisible=1}}
|reference=
}}

A '''witch''', {{black|@}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[dNetHack]] and [[notdNetHack]]. The witch is a [[strong]] [[Human (monster attribute)|human]] woman that is capable of [[flight]] and [[dNetHack monster spells|spellcasting]], can be seen via [[infravision]] and will seek out and collect items, particularly [[magical item]]s.

A witch has a single weapon attack, and will attempt to cast spells clerically once during each of her turns: she can cast [[psi bolt]], [[acid rain]], [[Evil eye (monster spell)|evil eye]], and [[curse items]] with an equal probability of each. A witch can only cast spells if [[Witch's familiar|her familiar]] is present, but is able to do so without any cooldown, and will summon another familiar if hers is killed.

==Generation==
Witches are not randomly generated, and are not a valid form for polymorph. An [[apprentice witch]] can grow up into a regular witch.

At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNethack)|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.

==Origin==
{{wikipedia|Witchcraft}}
{{wikipedia|The Dreams in the Witch House}}
Witchcraft refers to the alleged use of supernatural or magic powers primarily to inflict harm and misfortune upon others, with practitioners of the art known as "witches". European belief in witchcraft traces back to classical antiquity, with medieval and early modern European cultures playing host to [[Wikipedia:Witch hunt|witch hunting]]: the accused "witches" were usually women believed to have used black magic or maleficium against their own community, with the accusations borne of social tensions and believed by some anthropologists to have been focused on supposed enemies of the Church. Witchcraft is also generally considered malevolent in many indigenous belief systems, with people seeking healers and medicine people for protection against witchcraft. Believed to be driven by evil spirits or substances, suspected historical witches were intimidated, banished, attacked or outright killed - often they would be formally prosecuted and punished if they considered or simply believed to be guilty, resulting in tens of thousands of executions.

Witchcraft in its modern context generally refers to followers of certain types of modern paganism, who self-identify as witches and use the term witchcraft for their beliefs and practices, though some other neo-pagans avoid the term due to its negative connotations. Witches are also depicted in various forms of media as practitioners of magic that can range from empowered humans to almighty sorcerers to monstrous hag-like beings, and there are many instances of a witch "species" separate from mundane humanity. Witches in fairy tales and cartoons, particularly of the "monster" variety, are often depicted as long-nosed crones that are malevolent and seen as hideous witch croaky voices and shrieking laughs - they often wear distinct pointed brimmed hats and are sometimes depicted taking flight, with the stereotypical witch using a broom; many of these qualities are sometimes omitted or even subverted in modern depictions.

The witches of ''dNetHack'' are mostly based on cultists from the [[Cthulhu Mythos]], such as Keziah Mason from the 1933 [[H.P. Lovecraft]] short story "The Dreams in the Witch House", who is depicted as a servant of the alien [[wikipedia:Outer Gods|"Outer Gods"]]. Keziah Mason was an old woman who lived in a house in Arkham during the 1692 Salem witch trials, and was one of the many accused witches arrested - in her testimony to the judge, Keziah spoke of "lines and curves that could be made to point out directions leading through the walls of space to other spaces beyond", as well as describing a pitch-black man later revealed to be an avatar of Nyarlathotep. Keziah later disappeared mysteriously from Salem Gaol, leaving behind "curves and angles smeared on the grey stone walls with some red, sticky fluid" that were inexplicable even to the most studied clergymen of the time. Protagonist Walter Gilman, who moved into her former home, begins having bizarre dreams where he falls under Keziah's influence.
{{variant-343}}
[[Category:dNetHack monsters]]
[[Category:notdNetHack monsters]]
[[Category:Cthulhu Mythos]]

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 ==Generation==
-Witches are not randomly generated, and are not a valid form for polymorph. An [[apprentice witch]] can grow up into a regular witch.
+Witches are not randomly generated, and are not a valid form for polymorph. An [[apprentice witch]] can [[grow up]] into a regular witch.
 At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNetHack)|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.
-A witch is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Plain cloak|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac|9|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac|10}} chance).
+A witch is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Leather cloak|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac|9|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac|10}} chance).
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 Witches are not randomly generated, and are not a valid form for polymorph. An [[apprentice witch]] can grow up into a regular witch.
-At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNethack)|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.
+At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNetHack)|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.
 A witch is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Plain cloak|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac|9|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac|10}} chance).

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ==Strategy==
-Witches are likely to be quite an annoyance on their own, even without their familiars' [[open wounds]] spells all but forcing you to avoid line-of-sight when approaching the witch coven. Though a familiar's casting abilities and importance to her witch should make the them a priority target in theory, only the witches are capable of flying - in practice, this results in them leaving the familiars behind to cast at your from across the river. Dealing with the witch battalion generally requires that characters have a high amount of HP and a source of [[half spell damage]].
+Witches are likely to be quite an annoyance on their own, even without their familiars' [[open wounds]] spells all but forcing you to avoid line-of-sight when approaching the witch coven. Though a familiar's casting abilities and importance to her witch should make the them a priority target in theory, only the witches are capable of flying - in practice, this results in them leaving the familiars behind to cast at you from across the river. Dealing with the witch battalion generally requires that characters have a high amount of HP and a source of [[half spell damage]].
 ==Origin==

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:06, 7 February 2024
Line 32:		Line 32:

	A witch is [[Monster starting inventory\|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Plain cloak\|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac\|9\|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac\|10}} chance).		A witch is [[Monster starting inventory\|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Plain cloak\|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac\|9\|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac\|10}} chance).
		+
		+	==Strategy==
		+	Witches are likely to be quite an annoyance on their own, even without their familiars' [[open wounds]] spells all but forcing you to avoid line-of-sight when approaching the witch coven. Though a familiar's casting abilities and importance to her witch should make the them a priority target in theory, only the witches are capable of flying - in practice, this results in them leaving the familiars behind to cast at your from across the river. Dealing with the witch battalion generally requires that characters have a high amount of HP and a source of [[half spell damage]].

	==Origin==		==Origin==

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:14, 5 February 2024
Line 30:		Line 30:

	At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNethack)\|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.		At level creation, three witches are generated accompanying their apprentices and the coven leader in the Temples of the Old Gods within the [[Neutral Quest (dNethack)\|Neutral Quest]]. A witch's familiar is generated alongside each witch, at the same level as her.
		+
		+	A witch is [[Monster starting inventory\|always generated with]] black [[high boots]], a [[plain dress]], a black [[Plain cloak\|cloak]], a black [[pair of gloves]], a [[witch hat]], and either a [[stiletto]] ({{frac\|9\|10}} chance) or an [[athame]] ({{frac\|10}} chance).

	==Origin==		==Origin==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
   |reference=
 }}
+A '''witch''', {{black|@}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. The witch is a [[strong]] [[Human (monster attribute)|human]] woman that is capable of [[flight]] and [[dNetHack monster spells|spellcasting]], can be seen via [[infravision]] and will seek out and collect items, particularly [[magical item]]s.
 A witch has a single weapon attack, and will attempt to cast spells clerically once during each of her turns: she can cast [[psi bolt]], [[acid rain]], [[Evil eye (monster spell)|evil eye]], and [[curse items]] with an equal probability of each. A witch can only cast spells if [[Witch's familiar|her familiar]] is present, but is able to do so without any cooldown, and will summon another familiar if hers is killed.