Potion of gain ability
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| |
|---|---|
| Name | gain ability |
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 300 zm |
| Weight | 20 |
| Monster use | Will not be used by monsters. |
A potion of gain ability is a type of magical potion that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a potion of gain ability as any of the three random potions in their starting inventory.[1]
Potions of gain ability make up 21⁄500 (4.2%) of all randomly-generated potions. General stores and liquor emporiums can sell potions of gain ability.
Mixing a potion of gain energy or potion of gain level with a potion of full healing will produce a diluted potion of gain ability.
Description
Quaffing a non-cursed potion of gain ability will auto-identify the potion and increase the hero's attributes:[2]
- Quaffing an uncursed potion increases one attribute at random by one point - if the randomly selected attribute is already at its maximum, the game will re-select until it either finds an attribute that is not at its maximum or it has attempted to select an attribute six times total (at which point it will try and fail to raise the maximized stat).[3]
- Quaffing a blessed potion increases all of the hero's attributes by one point.[4]
Quaffing a cursed potion has no effect, as does quaffing the non-cursed one while wearing a ring of sustain ability, and the potion will not be identified.[5][6]
Inhaling vapors from a broken potion of gain ability restores 1 lost point to a random attribute if the potion was uncursed, and restores 1 lost point to all applicable attributes if it was blessed.[7] Vapors from a cursed potion of gain ability has no effect beyond printing a message or two.[8]
A monster hit by a thrown potion of gain ability is restored to full HP and has any blindness cured.[9]
Strategy
Potions of gain ability are quite useful once identified, and should ideally be blessed before quaffing unless a hero has several stats already at their maximum. Alchemizing to make them is typically unnecessary unless the hero has a significant surplus of full healing potions, since keeping them is usually preferable and there are many other opportunities to raise attributes, e.g. by consorting with foocubi or hunting for magic fountains.
History
The potion of gain ability is formally introduced in NetHack 3.0.0 - in previous versions, the potion is known as the potion of gain strength, since strength is the only attribute the hero has in these versions.
Messages
- Ulch! That potion tasted foul!
- You quaffed a cursed potion of gain ability.
- Ulch! That potion smells terrible!
- You smelled the vapors from a cursed potion.
- Your <eyes> sting!
- This message is added to the above if you are in a form that has eyes.
- You have a peculiar feeling for a moment, then it passes.
- You quaffed a non-cursed potion while having sustain ability.
Variants
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, both the uncursed and blessed potion of gain ability raise a single attribute by 1 point - an uncursed potion will try up to 3 times to find an attribute that is not at its maximum, while a blessed potion will try around a thousand times, usually ensuring it can find an attribute to raise.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, a blessed potion of gain ability prompts the player to choose an attribute, and increases the chosen attribute increases it by 1–2 points. An uncursed potion will not randomly choose an attribute that is already at its innate maximum.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, brewing a potion of gain ability with a chemistry set uses up 3 charges.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, quaffing a cursed potion of gain ability has a 1⁄2 chance per attribute to decrease each of the hero's attributes by one.
References
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 166
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 915
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 921
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 929
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 916
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 919
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1638
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1627
- ↑ src/potion.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1433
