Difference between revisions of "Baalzebub"

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'''Baalzebub''', {{monsym|baalzebub}}, is one of the [[demon prince]]s who appears in [[Gehennom]]. He will be found in his [[Baalzebub's Lair|lair]], if you do not encounter him earlier.  He is quite easy to defeat, though many consider him annoying because of his repeated use of a stunning [[Gaze attack|gaze]]. [[Blindfold]] yourself and fight him on the up staircase; [[Elbereth]] is usually not necessary.  
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'''Baalzebub''', {{monsym|baalzebub}}, is a [[demon prince]] who appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is guaranteed to appear in [[Gehennom]].
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==Generation==
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Under normal circumstances, Baalzebub is generally encountered [[Baalzebub's Lair|in his lair]], situated in a passage at the very back next to the stairs.
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==Strategy==
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As with [[Asmodeus]] before him, Baalzebub will appear before you once you attract his attention; if you were not wielding [[Excalibur]] upon entering the lair, he will demand a portion of your visible [[gold]] as [[Bribe|payment for safe passage]]. If you were wielding [[Excalibur]] or [[Demonbane]] at the time of level creation, refuse the bribe when he asks, or else he fails to see where you are, Baalzebub will become hostile.{{refsrc|monmove.c|384}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|1333|version=NetHack 3.6.6}}
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Giving Baalzebub the desired gold will cause him to disappear from the level, allowing you to continue forward; this is the ideal strategy if you are [[Speed ascension|in a hurry]] or else want to conserve resources. As always, unwield Excalibur or Demonbane before walking down to his lair if you plan to pay him off.
  
If you have enough gold, and if you are not wielding [[Excalibur]], Baalzebub will ask you for money for safe passage. If he fails to see where you are he will attack you out of general principle{{refsrc|monmove.c|384}}.
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Baalzebub is quite easy to defeat, especially compared to Asmodeus; while he is almost as [[Magic resistance (monster)|magic-resistant]], Baalzebub's primary methods of attack are his poisonous sting and stunning [[gaze attack]], which can be easily countered. [[Blindfold]]ing yourself protects from his somewhat annoying gaze, and most players will have poison resistance by the time they encounter him, or else have other ways to render [[strength]] loss a non-issue. Fighting him on the up staircase with your best weapons is usually enough.
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
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{{wikipedia|Beelzebub}}
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Baalzebub is borrowed from [[Dungeons and Dragons]] (which actually uses the spelling '''Baalzebul'''), and in turn is inspired by Christian demonology. Beelzebub was the name of a Philistine god formerly worshipped in Ekron, whose name was associated with the Canaanite god Baal; he was later adopted by some Abrahamic religions as a major demon. In some predominantly-Christian theological sources, Beelzebub is another name for Satan.
  
Yet another [[Dungeons and Dragons]] monster. D&D actually uses the spelling "Baalzebul".
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Baalzebub is known in demonology as one of the seven princes of Hell. The Dictionnaire Infernal describes Beelzebub as a being capable of flying, known as the "Lord of the Flyers", or the "Lord of the Flies". This is considered to be the result of mistranslating of the Hebrew ''Ba'alzevuv'' (Greek ''Beelzebub''), and as the encyclopedia entry hints, the name may have been mis-transliterated in turn.
 
 
The encyclopedia entry comes from the novel ''Lord of the Flies''. As the entry says, Baalzebub is a confused Bible term, translated as "lord of the flies", from which the famous novel takes its title. In Christian demonology he is described as a demonic fly.
 
  
The D&D Baalzebul appears as a giant slug-like creature which trails feces and garbage wherever he goes. Flies crawl over his body at all times, and his arms are tiny and malformed.
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Beelzebub is generally depicted as a demonic fly; this is reflected in the shape of his lair in ''NetHack'', which The encyclopedia entry comes from the novel ''Lord of the Flies'', named after Baalzebub.
  
You may find representations of him as a dark-skinned humanoid with compound insect eyes. According to D&D, he initially looked like that, but later he was punished by [[Asmodeus]] into his current form.
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In D&D, Baalzebul appears as a giant slug-like creature which trails feces and garbage wherever he goes. Flies crawl over his body at all times, and his arms are tiny and malformed. He also has a dark-skinned humanoid form with compound insect eyes, which is said to be his initial form prior to being transformed as a punishment by Asmodeus.
  
 
== Encyclopedia entry ==
 
== Encyclopedia entry ==
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[[Category:Unique monsters]]
 
[[Category:Unique monsters]]
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Revision as of 06:42, 18 April 2021

Baalzebub, &, is a demon prince who appears in NetHack. He is guaranteed to appear in Gehennom.

Generation

Under normal circumstances, Baalzebub is generally encountered in his lair, situated in a passage at the very back next to the stairs.

Strategy

As with Asmodeus before him, Baalzebub will appear before you once you attract his attention; if you were not wielding Excalibur upon entering the lair, he will demand a portion of your visible gold as payment for safe passage. If you were wielding Excalibur or Demonbane at the time of level creation, refuse the bribe when he asks, or else he fails to see where you are, Baalzebub will become hostile.[1][2]

Giving Baalzebub the desired gold will cause him to disappear from the level, allowing you to continue forward; this is the ideal strategy if you are in a hurry or else want to conserve resources. As always, unwield Excalibur or Demonbane before walking down to his lair if you plan to pay him off.

Baalzebub is quite easy to defeat, especially compared to Asmodeus; while he is almost as magic-resistant, Baalzebub's primary methods of attack are his poisonous sting and stunning gaze attack, which can be easily countered. Blindfolding yourself protects from his somewhat annoying gaze, and most players will have poison resistance by the time they encounter him, or else have other ways to render strength loss a non-issue. Fighting him on the up staircase with your best weapons is usually enough.

Origin

Baalzebub is borrowed from Dungeons and Dragons (which actually uses the spelling Baalzebul), and in turn is inspired by Christian demonology. Beelzebub was the name of a Philistine god formerly worshipped in Ekron, whose name was associated with the Canaanite god Baal; he was later adopted by some Abrahamic religions as a major demon. In some predominantly-Christian theological sources, Beelzebub is another name for Satan.

Baalzebub is known in demonology as one of the seven princes of Hell. The Dictionnaire Infernal describes Beelzebub as a being capable of flying, known as the "Lord of the Flyers", or the "Lord of the Flies". This is considered to be the result of mistranslating of the Hebrew Ba'alzevuv (Greek Beelzebub), and as the encyclopedia entry hints, the name may have been mis-transliterated in turn.

Beelzebub is generally depicted as a demonic fly; this is reflected in the shape of his lair in NetHack, which The encyclopedia entry comes from the novel Lord of the Flies, named after Baalzebub.

In D&D, Baalzebul appears as a giant slug-like creature which trails feces and garbage wherever he goes. Flies crawl over his body at all times, and his arms are tiny and malformed. He also has a dark-skinned humanoid form with compound insect eyes, which is said to be his initial form prior to being transformed as a punishment by Asmodeus.

Encyclopedia entry

The "lord of the flies" is a translation of the Hebrew Ba'alzevuv (Beelzebub in Greek). It has been suggested that it was a mistranslation of a mistransliterated word which gave us this pungent and suggestive name of the Devil, a devil whose name suggests that he is devoted to decay, destruction, demoralization, hysteria and panic...

[ Notes on _Lord of the Flies_, by E. L. Epstein ]

References