Tasmanian devil
z Tasmanian devil 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 11 |
| Attacks |
Claw 3d4, Claw 3d4, Bite 3d6 |
| Base level | 9 |
| Base experience | 186 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 8 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 500 |
| Nutritional value | 250 |
| Size | Small |
| Resistances | None |
| Resistances conveyed | None |
|
A Tasmanian devil:
| |
| Reference | SLASH'EM_0.0.7E7F2/monst.c#line1894 |
A Tasmanian devil, z, is a type of monster that appears in SLASH'EM, SlashTHEM, SpliceHack, and Hack'EM. It is an omnivorous zouthern animal that is capable of eating organic items and engulfing non-organic ones similar to a gelatinous cube. A Tasmanian devil has two claw attacks and a bite attack.
Strategy
In SLASH'EM, the Tasmanian devil's level and difficulty rating belies the dangers posed by its strong attacks, especially since it moves at the same speed as an unhasted and unburdened hero. Damage reduction from negative AC is the best defense against them, as their damage output is fairly evenly distributed across their three attacks, and characters with any source of speed can put distance between them and the devils to retreat and heal as needed.
The Tasmanian devil's primary weakness is a lack of AC and MR score similar to the other zouthern animals, which should be exploited when possible via ranged attacks and spells to maintain an edge against them. Be very careful not to use valuable wooden projectiles against a Tasmanian devil!
Origin
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae that was formerly present across mainland Australia, but became extinct there around 3,500 years ago; they are still found in all habitats on the island of Tasmania, including the outskirts of urban areas, and are distributed throughout the Tasmanian mainland and on Robbins Island (which is connected to mainland Tasmania at low tide). The Tasmanian is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world as of the extinction of the thylacine in 1936.
The Tasmanian devil is the size of a small dog, characterised by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odour, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when feeding. It hunts prey and scavenges on carrion, and its large head and neck allow it to generate a bite force that is among the strongest of any extant predatory land mammal. Despite its rotund appearance, it is capable of surprising speed and endurance, and can climb trees and swim across rivers. Although usually solitary, devils sometimes eat together in a communal location.
The Tasmanian devil is an iconic symbol of Tasmania: many organizations, groups and products associated with the state use the animal in their logos, and it is seen as an important draw for tourists to the island. The devil has also received worldwide attention from the Looney Tunes character of the same name (often known simply as Taz) - in particular, his tendency to eat anything and everything is the basis for the behavior of the monster in variants of NetHack.
