Elf (starting race)
- For other uses, see elf.
You can play NetHack as an elf @. Elves are always chaotic. They can be Priests, Rangers, or Wizards. Playing as a random elf is a good way to focus on a small number of roles.
Contents
Racial benefits and restrictions
Elves have intrinsic infravision and they receive sleep resistance at experience level 4. From an attribute perspective, elves excel mentally, with the highest intelligence and wisdom of all races. Their strength is capped at 18, the lowest of all races. They also have the lowest constitution of all races, capped at 16. The following table outlines their maximum (unaided) attribute levels.
Character Race |
Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elf | 18 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Elven items
Nethack defines several elven objects. They are listed below. The weapon damage figures are copied from weap-343.txt, the armor class figures are from armr-343.txt.
- Elven arrow (runed arrow) - d7/d6
- Elven spear (runed spear) - d7/d8
- Elven dagger (runed dagger) - d5/d3
- Elven short sword (runed short sword) - d8/d8
- Elven broadsword (runed broadsword) - d6+d4/d6+1
- Elven bow (runed bow) - d2/d2
- Elven leather helm (leather hat) - AC 1
- Elven mithril-coat - AC 5
- Elven cloak (faded pall) - AC 1
- Elven shield (blue and green shield) - AC 2
- Elven boots (randomized appearance) - AC 1
You can use the above list to identify if any item is elven, except for the elven boots. All runed weapons are elven except for Stormbringer and its base weapon, the runesword. Basic runeswords are never randomly generated.
Elven items have a reputation for high quality. (Those crude orcish items have the opposite reputation.) For example, the elven dagger does more damage than a normal dagger. Elves also make their blades from wood (others are iron), so elven daggers and swords will never become rusty or corroded, but they might be burnt or rotted.
As an exception, the dwarvish mithril-coat gives one more point of AC protection than the elven mithril-coat; however, the elven coat can be enchanted two points higher than the dwarvish equivalent without the risk of item destruction, for one net point of superior protection.
Elven armor can be safely enchanted if its current enchantment is +5 or less, compared to +3 or less for most other armor.
Strategy
Elves' low strength and constitution can make them more difficult to play than other races; these restrictions limit both their carrying capacity and their damage bonus.
Long after an elf reaches his cap, other players will be eating giant corpses and otherwise raising their strength far above 18, toward 18/50 or 18/**. Meanwhile, the weight limit will force the elf to make difficult decisions regarding inventory management, and which items to keep in his bag of holding, or leave behind altogether in a stash.
Therefore it is beneficial to have gauntlets of power. They boost strength to 25, and might make a good wish, but they are not an option for those who like to wear gauntlets of dexterity, such as some elf Wizards.
History
In older versions of NetHack, the elf was actually a separate role. All other roles belonged to humans. The quest artifact of an elf was a crystal ball called the Palantir of Westernesse; it does not exist in the current version.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, elves are always lawful or neutral, and they have access to far more roles than in vanilla. If you want a chaotic version of the Elf, you play as a different race, the drow.
Encyclopedia entry
The Elves sat round the fire upon the grass or upon the sawn rings of old trunks. Some went to and fro bearing cups and pouring drinks; others brought food on heaped plates and dishes. "This is poor fare," they said to the hobbits; "for we are lodging in the greenwood far from our halls. If ever you are our guests at home, we will treat you better." "It seems to me good enough for a birthday-party," said Frodo. Pippin afterwards recalled little of either food or drink, for his mind was filled with the light upon the elf-faces, and the sound of voices so various and so beautiful that he felt in a waking dream. [...] Sam could never describe in words, nor picture clearly to himself, what he felt or thought that night, though it remained in his memory as one of the chief events of his life. The nearest he ever got was to say: "Well, sir, if I could grow apples like that, I would call myself a gardener. But it was the singing that went to my heart, if you know what I mean." [ The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien ]
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