Ring of regeneration
A ring of regeneration is a type of ring that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a ring of regeneration as one of the two random rings in their starting inventory.[1]
General stores and jewelers shops can sell rings of regeneration.
Description
A hero putting on the ring gains the regeneration extrinsic, which enhances their natural hit point regeneration and restores one HP on any turn that they would not normally regain HP[2]—this property cannot be stacked, and regeneration from the ring also burns 1 point of nutrition on every odd-numbered turn in addition to ring hunger.[3] Monsters will not wear this ring.
A hero eating the ring has a 1⁄3 chance of successfully absorbing its magic and gaining intrinsic regeneration, which functions as described above and still drains nutrition (minus ring hunger).[4]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit f3408b87, the HP recovery formula is now simply a (xlevel + Con)% chance of recovering 1 HP each turn, and the regeneration property heals 1 HP unconditionally on all turns, rather than any turn where a hero did not recover HP.Strategy
A known ring of regeneration can be valuable to put on for recovery from low-HP states, though it may be wise to remove when at full HP due to the nutrition burn—this depends on whether there is a scarcity of food, especially in the early game, or if the hero is trying to make room for a particular a corpse (which is more common in the mid-to-late game). The ring is also useful for heroes that plan to spend a significant amount of time polymorphed into a form without intrinsic regeneration, which otherwise heals only 1 HP every 20 turns[5][6]—certain speed run builds may be especially reliant on this type of polyself.
A late-game hero with a high constitution and experience level will often have enough innate hit point regeneration to the point where the ring will be of little use to put on, except as a means of burning off excess nutrition to avoid becoming satiatied or to supplement natural healing in combat-heavy scenarios.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
The above changes to healing rate and regeneration make the ring much more useful in the late game, where a hero is not remotely guaranteed to walk through several consecutive combat encounters without taking significant damage.Identification
The ring of regeneration shares its base price of 200zm with six other rings, though only one of these (the ring of levitation) will auto-identify when put on or removed. Thankfully, it is somewhat easier to test for than other rings by wearing an uncursed 200zm ring while significantly below maximum HP and not in danger of being attacked: the ring's healing rate acceleration should immediately become apparent. A hero can also throw an object upwards with < and examine how quickly they heal from the minor damage. Additionally, they can test using duplicate 200zm rings by dropping one down a sink, as like most other rings a ring of regeneration prints a distinct message when dropped this way.[7]
History
The ring of regeneration 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
- The sink looks as good as new.
- You dropped a ring of regeneration down a sink. This prompts you to type-name it.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Flame Mages, Ice Mages and Necromancers may be given a ring of regeneration as the random ring in their starting inventory.[8][9][10]
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, the regeneration property from a ring of regeneration only drains nutrition when restoring the hero's HP, and and the ring will auto-identify when they take damage.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, a ring of regeneration can be used to repair the medical subsystem of imperial elven body armor, granting fast healing for 1 HP a turn that is hungerless and stacks with the regeneration property while the armor is worn.
FIQHack
In FIQHack, hunger from the regeneration property of a worn ring of regeneration only applies while the hero is not at maximum HP.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, the ring prints a message and auto-identifies when put on or removed.
- You feel invigorated!
- You put on a ring of regeneration.
- You feel ennervated!
- You removed a ring of regeneration.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, Acid Mages, Corsairs, Electric Mages, Nobles, and Pirates may be given a ring of regeneration as the random ring in their starting inventory.
References
- Jump up ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 165
- Jump up ↑ src/allmain.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 508
- Jump up ↑ src/eat.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2806
- Jump up ↑ src/eat.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1959
- Jump up ↑ src/allmain.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 465
- Jump up ↑ src/allmain.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 475
- Jump up ↑ src/do.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 497
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 69
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 99
- Jump up ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 136
