Potion of paralysis
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|---|---|
| Name | paralysis |
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 300 zm |
| Weight | 20 |
| Monster use | May be used offensively by monsters. |
A potion of paralysis is a type of potion that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a potion of paralysis as any of the three random potions in their starting inventory.[1]
Potions of paralysis make up 21⁄500 (4.2%) of all randomly-generated potions. General stores and liquor emporiums can sell potions of paralysis.
Randomly generated monsters may receive a potion of paralysis as an offensive item.[2]
Description
Quaffing a potion of paralysis will paralyze the hero for a number of turns and abuse their dexterity unless they have free action, with the duration dependent on the potion's beatitude:[3] the hero is paralyzed for 13-22 turns if the potion is blessed, 25-34 turns if the potion is uncursed, and 37-46 turns if the potion is cursed.[4]
Vapors from a thrown or boiled potion of paralysis that the hero breathes or gets in their eyes will paralyze them for up to 5 turns and abuse dexterity, unless they have free action or are polymorphed into a monster that is unbreathing and eyeless.[5][6] Quaffing the potion or being paralyzed by its vapors will auto-identify the potion.
Monsters will throw the potion at the hero as an offensive item, with the same effects as the potion's vapors. Monsters that are not already paralyzed and are subjected to the effects of a thrown or wielded potion of paralysis will be paralyzed for up to 25 turns.[7]
Strategy
Potions of paralysis are quite dangerous for a hero to be hit with directly, and even the lower duration of paralysis from a thrown potion that misses can be fatal if there are fast or strong enough hostile monsters nearby - this remains a potential source of YASD well into the late game and even during the ascension run, and makes finding a source of free action valuable.
The hero can also turn this against other monsters, up to and including powerful monsters such as their quest nemesis, demon lords and princes or even the Wizard of Yendor, by throwing the potion at their target or wielding it and hitting them. Thrown potions require high dexterity to reliably hit specific monsters, and potions that break near the hero will paralyze them with their vapors, so the wielded potion is generally paired with a ring of free action. The paralysis is often enough for a hero to kill strong monsters without retaliation, or at least make a sizable dent in HP before they regain the ability to move.
Identification
Potions of paralysis are one of many potions that make it a bad idea to randomly quaff unidentified potions. It is the only 300zm potion to always have a negative effect when quaffed, and is the only one that monsters will throw at the hero.
History
The potion of paralysis first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0.
Messages
- Your <feet> are frozen to the <ground>!
- You quaffed a potion of paralysis and were paralyzed.
- You are frozen in place!
- As above, while you are riding a steed.
- You are motionlessly suspended.
- As above, while you are levitating or else are on the Plane of Air or Plane of Water.
- Something seems to be holding you.
- You were hit by a thrown potion or subjected to its vapors.
- You stiffen momentarily.
- You would have been paralyzed by a potion or its vapors, but have free action.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, the Lawful Quest has a 2⁄5 chance of generating a cursed potion of paralysis among the items found in the Chamber of Junk.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, Durin's Bane is generated with a cursed potion of paralysis.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, weapons and black signet rings can be dipped into a potion of paralysis to apply a paralyzing poison. Weapons poisoned this way become envenomed and apply their poison upon hitting, while signet rings become venom-injecting and apply the poison when the hero performs an unarmed attack while wearing the ring and no gloves.
Hyposprays can be used to apply paralysis ampules (the future equivalent of potions) to other monsters.
