Difference between revisions of "Bat"

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(Cut some superfluous parts out, but this article still needs trimming. Any help?)
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The '''bat''', {{monsym|bat}}, is also the weakest monster of this class.  Other bats include the {{monsymlink|giant bat}} and the {{monsymlink|vampire bat}}. Note that one [[bird]], the {{monsymlink|raven}}, also uses the same symbol.
 
The '''bat''', {{monsym|bat}}, is also the weakest monster of this class.  Other bats include the {{monsymlink|giant bat}} and the {{monsymlink|vampire bat}}. Note that one [[bird]], the {{monsymlink|raven}}, also uses the same symbol.
  
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[[You]] should not eat bat corpses. Eating a bat corpse [[stun]]s you; it is not worth only 20 [[nutrition]]. Note that [[pet]]s will eat bat corpses, and stunning does not seem to affect them; do not follow your pets' example.
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Eating a bat corpse is a bad idea.  It [[stun]]s you, and the corpse itself is worth only 20 [[nutrition]]. [[Pet]]s, however, are for some reason immune to stunning, and can easily eat bat corpses.
  
 
Bats [[growing up|grow up]] to be giant bats.
 
Bats [[growing up|grow up]] to be giant bats.
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== Commentary ==
 
== Commentary ==
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The bat is to [[NetHack]] as the [http://angband.oook.cz/monsters.php?q=insect+swarm&t=&s=&v= insect swarm] is to [[Angband|Zangband]]. The bat appears early in the game; a melee-oriented character or a [[Wizard]] with [[force bolt]] can dispatch it quickly; bats are thus easier to fight than those dreaded [[soldier ant]]s. However, if you do not kill it quickly, then it can bite you to death because it moves faster than you do. ''Kill it quick or it kills you.'' The speed of a bat gives it multiple bites per turn and also makes it difficult to run away. If you miss too often and your pet does not make the kill, then you might have to resort to dusting [[Elbereth]].
 
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Bats and [[giant bat]]s both appear early in the game, and individually the giant bats are actually more dangerous. The danger with the bat is that it often brings a partner. Survive one bat and the ''second bat'' could finish you.
 
Bats and [[giant bat]]s both appear early in the game, and individually the giant bats are actually more dangerous. The danger with the bat is that it often brings a partner. Survive one bat and the ''second bat'' could finish you.
  
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What about bats?
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Bats have only a melee attack, and you have [[night vision]] of radius 1, so you can always see them when they attack you. Bats are [[infravisible]], so [[race]]s with infravision can even spot them through dark corridors.  The bats of NetHack stay within melee range, making them easy targets for many players.
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[[Real life]] bats are nocturnal. They thrive in the night and sleep in caves and other dark places. Bats probably feel at home in the [[Mazes of Menace]]. One can imagine though, then bats would have a dislike for those perpetually lit rectangular [[dungeon]] rooms. Death to a bat in a dark [[corridor]] is more realistic than death to a bat in a well lit room, is that not so? Actually, bats do not dislike light; they would just sometimes prefer not to be seen. Bats have only a melee attack, and you have [[night vision]] of radius 1, so you can always see them when they attack you. Bats are [[infravisible]], so [[race]]s with infravision can even spot them through dark corridors.
 
  
 
The reason while (real life) bats like the night is because it gives them cover from other creatures while the bats apply [[echolocation]], employing sound to discover the positions of things. NetHack does not implement echolocation (though the [[biodiversity patch]] does, at least if you polymorph into a bat); in fact NetHack gives very little [[artificial intelligence]] to most monsters that do not use [[item]]s and have only [[melee attack]]s, making them only approach the hero and whack them repeatedly.
 
The reason while (real life) bats like the night is because it gives them cover from other creatures while the bats apply [[echolocation]], employing sound to discover the positions of things. NetHack does not implement echolocation (though the [[biodiversity patch]] does, at least if you polymorph into a bat); in fact NetHack gives very little [[artificial intelligence]] to most monsters that do not use [[item]]s and have only [[melee attack]]s, making them only approach the hero and whack them repeatedly.
  
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Take comfort then, if you actually find a bat but are too weak to kill it before it kills you, that you are not playing [[Dungeon Crawl]]. The bats of Crawl are smart enough to dash in, bite once, then fly out of melee range before your turn. (The bats of [http://roguebasin.roguelikedevelopment.org/index.php?title=CastlevaniaRL CastlevaniaRL] adopt a slightly different tactic; their attacks bounce you away from them, so that you often must retaliate with a ranged attack.) It is a good idea for Crawl players to carry around some daggers, darts or other ranged weapons to throw at bats; it helps that the upper levels of Crawl are completely lit, leaving bats vulnerable unless they go behind a corner or pillar. The bats of NetHack stay in melee range, so that if you are a good fighter then it is trivial to defeat them.
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Throwing something at a bat (even it if it is infravisible down the corridor) is most likely a waste of a turn if you happen to be unskilled or restricted in that weapon. Players who early wield an unskilled weapon to trade can encounter trouble. They think that they see an easy bat and try to kill it, only to miss too often and fear wasting a turn to wield a different weapon.
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What trips some players, what causes them to have their new character die to a bat, is NetHack's #[[enhance]] system. Throwing something at a bat (even it if it is infravisible down the corridor) is most likely a waste of a turn if you happen to be unskilled or restricted in that weapon. Players who early wield an unskilled weapon to trade can encounter trouble. They think that they see an easy bat and try to kill it, only to miss too often and fear wasting a turn to wield a different weapon.
 
  
 
Alas, bats preexisted the #enhance command. Bats have annoyed adventurers seeking the [[Amulet of Yendor]] since the days of [[Hack]], back when eating a dead bat would cause [[confusion]] because [[stun]] was not yet distinct.
 
Alas, bats preexisted the #enhance command. Bats have annoyed adventurers seeking the [[Amulet of Yendor]] since the days of [[Hack]], back when eating a dead bat would cause [[confusion]] because [[stun]] was not yet distinct.

Revision as of 21:52, 1 July 2008

B bat Bat.png
Difficulty 2
Attacks

Bite 1d4

Base level 0
Base experience 6
Speed 22
Base AC 8
Base MR 0
Alignment 0 (neutral)
Frequency (by normal means) Very rare, appears in small groups
Genocidable Yes
Weight 20
Nutritional value 20
Size Tiny
Resistances None
Resistances conveyed

None


The bat is a class of NetHack monster represented by the overall symbol B. They are all extremely fast and can fly, as one would expect.

The bat, B, is also the weakest monster of this class. Other bats include the B giant bat and the B vampire bat. Note that one bird, the B raven, also uses the same symbol.

Eating a bat corpse is a bad idea. It stuns you, and the corpse itself is worth only 20 nutrition. Pets, however, are for some reason immune to stunning, and can easily eat bat corpses.

Bats grow up to be giant bats.

Players polymorphed into bats are permanently stunned.

Commentary

Bats and giant bats both appear early in the game, and individually the giant bats are actually more dangerous. The danger with the bat is that it often brings a partner. Survive one bat and the second bat could finish you.

Bats have only a melee attack, and you have night vision of radius 1, so you can always see them when they attack you. Bats are infravisible, so races with infravision can even spot them through dark corridors. The bats of NetHack stay within melee range, making them easy targets for many players.

The reason while (real life) bats like the night is because it gives them cover from other creatures while the bats apply echolocation, employing sound to discover the positions of things. NetHack does not implement echolocation (though the biodiversity patch does, at least if you polymorph into a bat); in fact NetHack gives very little artificial intelligence to most monsters that do not use items and have only melee attacks, making them only approach the hero and whack them repeatedly.

Throwing something at a bat (even it if it is infravisible down the corridor) is most likely a waste of a turn if you happen to be unskilled or restricted in that weapon. Players who early wield an unskilled weapon to trade can encounter trouble. They think that they see an easy bat and try to kill it, only to miss too often and fear wasting a turn to wield a different weapon.

Alas, bats preexisted the #enhance command. Bats have annoyed adventurers seeking the Amulet of Yendor since the days of Hack, back when eating a dead bat would cause confusion because stun was not yet distinct.

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.4.3. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-343}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.

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