Nightgaunt (dNetHack)

B nightgaunt
Difficulty	unknown
Attacks	Claw tickle 1d6

B nightgaunt
Difficulty	unknown
Attacks	Claw tickle 1d6
Base level	15
Base experience	unknown
Speed	13
Base AC	-2
Base MR	50
Alignment	-6 (chaotic)
Frequency (by normal means)	1 (Very rare)
Genocidable	Yes
Weight	1300
Nutritional value	100
Size	Medium
Resistances	sleep, poison, cold
Resistances conveyed	cold (100%)
A nightgaunt: can fly. does not breathe. has no eyes. has a thick hide. regenerates HP quickly. can see invisible creatures. is poisonous to eat. is omnivorous. is normally generated hostile. wanders randomly. can follow you to other levels. is strong. can pick up weapons and food. can pick up magical items. has infravision. can be seen through infravision. normally appears in small groups. may turn against you when tame.

A nightgaunt is yet another Lovecraftian monster which debuted in SLASH'EM, from whence it was imported into dNethack. Small groups of them are found in later levels of both the Dungeons of Doom and Gehennom. They possess a unique tickling attack, with which they can strip you of your secondary weapon, your cloak, and your armor, as well as immobilizing you.

Strategy

The tickling attack is high dangerous. It is affected by MC, but is only partially mitigated. If the tickling attack is not resisted by your MC, you will be paralyzed for a short period, and may drop your wielded weapon(s). If the tickling attack is blocked by your MC, the nightgaunt will instead attempt to remove some of your equipment.

• If you are wearing a cloak, they will attempt to remove it and drop it in your square.
• If you aren't wearing a cloak, but have an alternate weapon readied, they will remove it from your inventory and drop it in their square.
• If you aren't wearing a cloak and don't have an alternate weapon readied, they will attempt to remove any body armor you are wearing.

Only one piece of equipment can be removed per attack.

They are somewhat hard to kill; having a base level of 15, even with your best weapon they may take quite a few hits. Since they are generated in groups and are quite fast, they can be a serious threat. They are vulnerable to death rays and are a valid genocide target. They can also be warded off by the Elder Sign, Elbereth (Elves only), or a Heptagram.