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| − | # | + | The '''atheist''' [[conduct]] requires the player to abstain from [[religion|religious]] activity in most ways. 4.0% of all winning accounts on [[NAO]] have an atheist ascension. |
| + | |||
| + | =Prohibited actions= | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[Pray]]er | ||
| + | * Using the [[Knight]] or [[Priest]]'s [[turn undead]] [[extended command]] | ||
| + | * [[Offer]]ing a [[corpse]] | ||
| + | * Dropping items on an [[altar]] while not [[blind]] | ||
| + | * [[Chat]]ting with an [[aligned priest]], regardless of the result | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Permitted actions= | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Being a [[Priest]] (or any [[role]]; all games start with all conducts intact) | ||
| + | * Casting [[clerical spell]]s, including [[spellbook of turn undead|turn undead]] | ||
| + | * [[Offering]] the [[Amulet of Yendor]] on a high altar (actions required to complete the game never break conducts) | ||
| + | * Dropping items on an altar while blind | ||
| + | * Entering a [[temple]] and taking advantage of [[sanctuary]] | ||
| + | * Sitting or engraving on an altar | ||
| + | * Fighting or killing an aligned priest | ||
| + | * Any interaction with holy or unholy [[potion of water|water]], other than creating it by praying at an altar | ||
| + | * Any interactions with [[unicorns]], other than offering the corpse of one | ||
| + | * Any interaction with [[Elbereth]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Strategy= | ||
| + | |||
| + | Most religious benefits can be replaced: | ||
| + | * [[Holy water]] [[Holy_water#Conduct_considerations|is most easily made]] with a confused blessed [[scroll of remove curse]], or [[wish]]ed for if also [[illiterate]]. Once created, (un)holy water can be replicated by [[dip]]ping uncursed water into it. | ||
| + | * [[Luck]] can be maximized by throwing valuable [[gem]]s at a coaligned [[unicorn]]. | ||
| + | * An [[artifact weapon]] can be [[wish]]ed for. Other sources include dipping for [[Excalibur]], finding one in [[bones]] or randomly generated, <!--an [[Archon]]'s starting weapon, -->or simply doing without. | ||
| + | * [[Intrinsic_protection|Divine protection]]: [[Scroll of enchant armor|enchant]] your armor to compensate partially. In theory, you can also [[Eating jewelry|eat rings of protection]]. | ||
| + | * [[curse-testing|Blessing/curse identification]] can either be done with a [[pet]] or by [[identification|formally identifying]] objects. Both methods have drawbacks that characterize an atheist game—see below. | ||
| + | * Emergency [[prayer]] is not a reliable substitute for an [[escape item]] to begin with, but atheists need to be especially well-prepared and cautious. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In absense of [[curse testing]] at an [[altar]], keep in mind the difference between formally known BUC and informally known BUC, and the implications for stacking and (un)cursing. | ||
| + | |||
| + | An "uncursed scroll of enchant armor" and a "scroll of enchant armor named uncursed" WILL NOT STACK FOR BLESSING, unless you formally BUC the second one. Formal and informal [[BUC]] together give you 10 states to worry about. Don't indiscriminately fully identify items, to make sure your inventory stacks appropriately. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Items which are formally IDed are formally BUCed, but an item can be formally BUCed without being formally IDed, e.g. by dipping it in (un)holy water.<!-- works even if blind, but not if it was already blessed/cursed--> | ||
| + | |||
| + | If the BUC of a formally BUCed item changes, you will know immediately (e.g. a [[lich]] curses it). If the item is merely informally BUCed, you will not get any warning. This makes spellcasting monsters and [[Wizard of Yendor|Rodney]]'s harrassment particularly nasty for atheists. It is a good idea to formally BUC your [[unicorn horn]], [[bag of holding]], and [[luckstone]]. At least retest your unicorn horn after a fight with a cursing monster. | ||
| + | |||
| + | List of ways to [[BUC]] [[item]]s without breaking atheist | ||
| + | * Everything in [[Curse-testing]] EXCEPT altar testing. Do not drop items on an altar. Do not even go near one. You do not want to drop something on it by mistake. | ||
| + | * [[Scroll of identify]]. If you [[identify]] an [[item]], it will no longer stack with unIDed [[item]]s of its type and [[BUC]]. A stack of "Q - 15 [[dagger]]s named +0 probably [[uncursed]], maybe [[blessed]]" ([[enchantment]] derived from [[price ID]]) will automatically merge with any more +0 [[uncursed]] [[dagger]]s you pick up, [[identify]]ing their [[BUC]] for free. If you [[identify]] your stack of [[dagger]]s "Q - 15 [[uncursed]] +0 [[dagger]]s", that won't happen. | ||
| + | * [[Scroll of remove curse]]. Read a [[uncursed]] one and none of your [[wear|worn]] or [[wield]]ed [[item]]s remain [[cursed]]. Read a [[blessed]] one and none of the [[item]]s in your [[inventory]] stay [[cursed]]. | ||
| + | * [[Uncursed]] [[potion of water|potions of water]] have a base cost of 5, [[blessed]] and [[cursed]] ones both have a base cost of 100. | ||
| + | * [[potion of water|Potions of water]] or [[potion of fruit juice|juice]] are uncursed if made by #[[dip]]ping a unicorn horn into [[potion of confusion|confusion]], [[potion of hallucination|hallucination]], [[potion of blindness|blindness]], or [[potion of sickness|sickness]]. Exception: a cursed horn makes cursed juice. | ||
| + | * [[Unicorn horn]]s dropped by [[unicorn]]s will always be [[uncursed]] (and +0). | ||
| + | * If you pick up a [[scroll of scare monster]] from the ground, you know for a fact that its [[uncursed]], though you don't know whether the scroll was blessed (and therefore safe to pick up once more). | ||
| + | * Use the [[item]] and see what it does. Don't do this unless you know it won't hurt you or waste resources unduly. | ||
| + | * Relative frequency. For most items, uncursed is more common. If you have two stacks of teleport scrolls, the stack of 15 is probably uncursed, whereas the stack of 2 is probably either cursed or blessed. | ||
| + | * Watch your stacks. "a [[scroll]] labeled HACKEM MUCHE" and "a [[scroll]] labeled HACKEM MUCHE" will stack, unless they are of different [[BUC]]. If you pay attention, and subsequently [[BUC]] one of the stacks, (say it turns out to be [[uncursed]]), then you know for a fact that the other is either [[blessed]] or [[cursed]] and can [[name]] it accordingly. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Conducts]] | ||
| + | {{nethack-366}} | ||
Revision as of 17:16, 10 May 2021
The atheist conduct requires the player to abstain from religious activity in most ways. 4.0% of all winning accounts on NAO have an atheist ascension.
Prohibited actions
- Prayer
- Using the Knight or Priest's turn undead extended command
- Offering a corpse
- Dropping items on an altar while not blind
- Chatting with an aligned priest, regardless of the result
Permitted actions
- Being a Priest (or any role; all games start with all conducts intact)
- Casting clerical spells, including turn undead
- Offering the Amulet of Yendor on a high altar (actions required to complete the game never break conducts)
- Dropping items on an altar while blind
- Entering a temple and taking advantage of sanctuary
- Sitting or engraving on an altar
- Fighting or killing an aligned priest
- Any interaction with holy or unholy water, other than creating it by praying at an altar
- Any interactions with unicorns, other than offering the corpse of one
- Any interaction with Elbereth
Strategy
Most religious benefits can be replaced:
- Holy water is most easily made with a confused blessed scroll of remove curse, or wished for if also illiterate. Once created, (un)holy water can be replicated by dipping uncursed water into it.
- Luck can be maximized by throwing valuable gems at a coaligned unicorn.
- An artifact weapon can be wished for. Other sources include dipping for Excalibur, finding one in bones or randomly generated, or simply doing without.
- Divine protection: enchant your armor to compensate partially. In theory, you can also eat rings of protection.
- Blessing/curse identification can either be done with a pet or by formally identifying objects. Both methods have drawbacks that characterize an atheist game—see below.
- Emergency prayer is not a reliable substitute for an escape item to begin with, but atheists need to be especially well-prepared and cautious.
In absense of curse testing at an altar, keep in mind the difference between formally known BUC and informally known BUC, and the implications for stacking and (un)cursing.
An "uncursed scroll of enchant armor" and a "scroll of enchant armor named uncursed" WILL NOT STACK FOR BLESSING, unless you formally BUC the second one. Formal and informal BUC together give you 10 states to worry about. Don't indiscriminately fully identify items, to make sure your inventory stacks appropriately.
Items which are formally IDed are formally BUCed, but an item can be formally BUCed without being formally IDed, e.g. by dipping it in (un)holy water.
If the BUC of a formally BUCed item changes, you will know immediately (e.g. a lich curses it). If the item is merely informally BUCed, you will not get any warning. This makes spellcasting monsters and Rodney's harrassment particularly nasty for atheists. It is a good idea to formally BUC your unicorn horn, bag of holding, and luckstone. At least retest your unicorn horn after a fight with a cursing monster.
List of ways to BUC items without breaking atheist
- Everything in Curse-testing EXCEPT altar testing. Do not drop items on an altar. Do not even go near one. You do not want to drop something on it by mistake.
- Scroll of identify. If you identify an item, it will no longer stack with unIDed items of its type and BUC. A stack of "Q - 15 daggers named +0 probably uncursed, maybe blessed" (enchantment derived from price ID) will automatically merge with any more +0 uncursed daggers you pick up, identifying their BUC for free. If you identify your stack of daggers "Q - 15 uncursed +0 daggers", that won't happen.
- Scroll of remove curse. Read a uncursed one and none of your worn or wielded items remain cursed. Read a blessed one and none of the items in your inventory stay cursed.
- Uncursed potions of water have a base cost of 5, blessed and cursed ones both have a base cost of 100.
- Potions of water or juice are uncursed if made by #dipping a unicorn horn into confusion, hallucination, blindness, or sickness. Exception: a cursed horn makes cursed juice.
- Unicorn horns dropped by unicorns will always be uncursed (and +0).
- If you pick up a scroll of scare monster from the ground, you know for a fact that its uncursed, though you don't know whether the scroll was blessed (and therefore safe to pick up once more).
- Use the item and see what it does. Don't do this unless you know it won't hurt you or waste resources unduly.
- Relative frequency. For most items, uncursed is more common. If you have two stacks of teleport scrolls, the stack of 15 is probably uncursed, whereas the stack of 2 is probably either cursed or blessed.
- Watch your stacks. "a scroll labeled HACKEM MUCHE" and "a scroll labeled HACKEM MUCHE" will stack, unless they are of different BUC. If you pay attention, and subsequently BUC one of the stacks, (say it turns out to be uncursed), then you know for a fact that the other is either blessed or cursed and can name it accordingly.
