Acronyms

A list of acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations of the NetHack community. Red links in this list probably need a redirect to the correct article, or maybe a new article. Also look in Category:Acronyms. For nicknames and item class abbreviations like "?oGD" for "scroll of gold detection", see Abbreviations.

• AC - armor class - Usually called AC, and displayed as AC on the status line.
• AoY or "oY - Amulet of Yendor - Everyone wants it. Also called "the Amulet". The cheap plastic imitation is a "fake AoY" or "fake Amulet".
• ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange - The character set from which NetHack finds those map symbols.
• BSD - Berkeley System Distribution - Once a popular operating system for the VAX machine, and the original platform for NetHack. Today "BSD" refers to the modern variants of the original BSD.
• BDSM - Probably an attempt to refer to black (or blue) dragon scale mail, in analogy to GSDM and SDSM. In non-NetHack contexts, or in certain jokes about nymphs or foocubi, BDSM may refer to...
• DSM - dragon scale mail - Without the color, if you remove the first letter from GDSM or SDSM.
• DYWYPI - Do you want your possesions identified? - The familiar message from the end of your game. Writing "DYWYPI?" is a way to imply that the hero died.
• E - Elbereth - In contexts like "Engrave E" or "Why didn't you E?", especially in IRC where participants remain too lazy to type Her name.
• FAQ - frequently asked questions - Many Usenet groups, including RGRN, periodically post a FAQ to explain the group.
• GDSM - gray dragon scale mail - Non-metal armor that provides good AC and magic resistance. Frequent wish, along with SDSM.
• GoD or [oD - gauntlets of dexterity - Sometimes an alternative to GoP in ascension kits.
• GoP or [oP - gauntlets of power - Common item in ascension kits, for boosting strength to 25.
• IRC - Internet Relay Chat - Online chat, divided into rooms called channels. Freenode has a #nethack channel for spoily discussion.
• LRS - Larn Revenue Service - NetHack mentions the LRS when you try to drop 2^32-n gold.
• NGPL - NetHack General Public License - Usually refers to the template {{NGPL}} on this wiki.
• NH - NetHack
• NHINRL - NetHack is not real life - Explanation for why NetHack does not always follow the physics of the real world.
• PYEC - the Platinum Yendorian Express Card - Tourist's quest artifact, and popular wish for other neutral characters who want to add charges to items.
• RGRN or rgrn - rec.games.roguelike.nethack - The game's discussion group on Usenet.
• RL - real life or roguelike - Usually in the phrase NHINRL. Some other roguelike games have RL in their names.
• S or S'EM - SLASH'EM - An "S" in the subject line of RGRN posts may indicate that the post is about SLASH'EM.
• SDSM - silver dragon scale mail - Non-metal armor that provides good AC and reflection. Frequent wish, along with GDSM.
• TDTTOE - The DevTeam Thinks Of Everything - The expression for when you try something strange in NetHack, and the game reacts appropriately.
• unihorn - unicorn horn - Important cure. A cursed unihorn is unhelpful for that, but a spare unihorn may help.
• WoW or /oW - wand of wishing - Everyone wants this. The WoW in the Castle is usually termed the "castle wand".
• WoY - Wizard of Yendor - More frequently terms for him are "Rodney" or "the Wizard". The WoY wants the AoY.
• YA... - yet another...
  • YAAD - Yet Another Annoying Death - Alternative to YASD, when the annoyed player blames the game, not a player's mistake, for the death of the hero.
  • YAAP - Yet Another Ascension Post - A post to RGRN announcing that a player won the game!
  • YAFAP - Yet Another First Ascension Post - A post to RGRN announcing a player's first win!
  • YAFM - Yet Another Funny Message - Because you did not expect the message, but TDTTOE.
  • YANC - Yet Another Newt Comic - A strip in which a newt appears and scares (and usually kills) Dudley.
  • YANI - Yet Another New Idea - A muse to add some feature to NetHack.
  • YASD - Yet Another Stupid Death - A mistake that causes the death of the hero.