Werecreature (SLASH'EM)
In SLASH'EM, werecreatures behave differently compared to their counterparts in NetHack.
Contents
List of monsters
The werecreatures in SLASH'EM consist of the following monsters, with new monsters in bold:
- @ / r wererat
- @ / d werejackal
- @ / d werewolf
- @ / f werepanther
- @ / f weretiger
- @ / s werespider
- @ / S weresnake
Common traits
Werecreatures in SLASH'EM are chaotic and omnivorous humans that have carnivorous animal forms, and most of the same traits as their NetHack counterparts apply:
- They can be seen via infravision and possess enhanced regeneration, poison resistance, drain resistance, and a weakness to silver.
- Werecreatures will involuntarily shapeshift at random intervals of at least a few turns, which causes them to drop worn armor and most items, and they will either shrink out of body armor or tear through it depending on their animal form's size.
- Both of the above points are applied to a hero with lycanthropy as well.
In human form, werecreatures attack using their fists or any weapons they are carrying, and will seek out and pick up other weapons and food. In animal form, they attack via bites that can infect a hero with the same type of lycanthropy they possess, and can also summon monsters of the same or similar species as them when in melee range; they also respect Elbereth in animal form. If a hero has protection from shape changers, werecreatures will still shapeshift, but immediately shift out of animal form on the next available turn, and are prevented from infecting the hero or generating monsters by calling for help.
Werecreature corpses are poisonous to eat, and a hero eating a werecreature corpse or tin will gain lycanthropy - other monsters cannot be given lycanthropy, but will avoid eating the corpse unless they have poison resistance or else can "eat" the corpse by engulfing, as with gelatinous cubes (which also have poison resistance anyway).
Due to the changes in SLASH'EM that make monster polymorph behave similarly to polymorphing for the hero, werecreatures killed in animal form will revert to their human forms when killed, though with much lower HP. This makes it possible for them to quickly turn back into their animal forms, meaning that a hero can end up "killing" the same werecreature several times before they truly expire.
Summoning help
A werecreature summoning help in SLASH'EM will generate 1d2 monsters as opposed to 1d5 in NetHack. This table displays the rates for the SLASH'EM specific werecreatures:[1]
| Werecreature | Summonable monsters | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Werepanther | Jaguar | 80% |
| Panther | 20% | |
| Weretiger | Jaguar | 80% |
| Tiger | 20% | |
| Weresnake | Snake | 80% |
| Pit viper | 20% | |
| Werespider | Cave spider | 80% |
| Recluse spider | 20% |
Strategy
One must be careful around even wererats in SLASH'EM. Although the early lycanthropes are not strong, the reversion property can make it so you have to kill them many times before they are gone. Because of this, they are about the most dangerous of SLASH'EM's early monsters. Like most introduced SLASH'EM monsters, the new lycanthropes are also far more dangerous than their vanilla counterparts. The werepanther is probably the greatest new threat, as it tends to appear somewhat early (often as early as the mall or Minetown, and often at the Oracle level); it hits very hard, summons hard-hitting panthers and jaguars, and at speed 15 it can outrun a player without speed boots. For this reason, you should always use the farlook command to identify any feline at a distance, and not be afraid at all to run away.
To fight lycanthropes in SLASH'EM, it is most important to be able to do damage quickly enough to destroy the human form before it reverts back (again) to animal form. In addition, there are some other techniques that are useful for fighting them. Luckily, no lycanthrope can follow you to other levels, so retreat is usually an option if you are close enough to the stairs.
Silver
Silver is one of the better ways of dealing with lycanthropes in SLASH'EM, as the d20 extra damage can wipe out a lower-level lycanthrope in one hit, and both human and animal forms of lycanthropes are affected by silver. Luckily, there are more types of silver weapons in SLASH'EM, and thus it is more likely to find one. Also keep in mind that silver non-weapon items or ammunition can be equally potent, provided you can hit with them. Note that silver rings will do silver damage when worn (not wielded) as long as you're not wearing gloves.
Ring of protection from shape changers
The ring of protection from shape changers is considerably more useful in SLASH'EM; while not necessarily easier to identify, it becomes a much more fortuitous discovery, as it forces all shapeshifters into their "natural" form, including lycanthropes. As such, you only have to kill them once; in addition, they are unable to confer lycanthropy or summon help in their human form.
Ranged weapons
Fighting lycanthropes at a distance is quite valuable, as not only are they unable to confer lycanthropy except through melee attacks, they also cannot summon help at a distance. With multishot bonuses, some roles might be able to do more damage fighting with a bow or daggers than a melee weapon; maximizing damage if of the utmost importance against lycanthropes. Silver arrows are a particularly potent option.
Elbereth
Although their human forms will not respect Elbereth, animal lycanthropes and their summoned friends will, so even an Elbereth written in the dust can give you breathing room and allow you to plan either your escape or the lycanthrope's demise.
Encyclopedia entry
In 1573, the Parliament of Dole published a decree, permitting the inhabitants of the Franche-Comte to pursue and kill a were-wolf or loup-garou, which infested that province, "notwithstanding the existing laws concerning the chase." The people were empowered to "assemble with javelins, halberds, pikes, arquebuses and clubs, to hunt and pursue the said were-wolf in all places where they could find it, and to take, burn, and kill it, without incurring any fine or other penalty." The hunt seems to have been successful, if we may judge from the fact that the same tribunal in the following year condemned to be burned a man named Giles Garnier, who ran on all fours in the forest and fields and devoured little children, "even on Friday." The poor lycanthrope, it appears, had as slight respect for ecclesiastical feasts as the French pig, which was not restrained by any feeling of piety from eating infants on a fast day.
