Chat

#chat is an extended command which enables you to talk to a monster. This command can give amusing results (see talking to vampires for an example) and is occasionally a hindrance (for example, when chatting with skeletons), but it also has a number of practical uses.

• Talking to your pet may give you some information about its welfare, according to its nutrition and tameness levels. When tameness is less than 5, cats will yowl, dogs will whine, and horses will neigh; for cats and dogs, these messages also appear when confused, scared, or trapped. Dogs also whine when hungry; cats will meow when hungry, and horses will whinny. Tame dogs and cats also have special messages for being particularly non-hungry (yipping and purring respectively); if none of the other cases applies, cats will mew, dogs (other than dingos) will bark, and horses will whicker. Humanoid pets will say "I'm hungry" when hungry, and will also moan when at less than 1/4 of their maximum HP and ask for a potion of healing when at less than 1/2 maximum HP.
• #chat-ting when standing on an item in a shop will tell you its price. Picking the item up will give the same information but can be dangerous (for example, a scroll of scare monster might turn to dust, and the shopkeeper will ask you to pay for it).
• Talking to a temple priest gives you the opportunity to donate, if you are carrying gold. Depending on how much you donate, you may get clairvoyance or protection.
• #chat-ting while hallucinating can help you tell monsters apart, since their responses are not distorted. For example, any monster that purrs or yips must be your pet cat or dog.
• Talking to an opposite-sex foocubus will initiate an encounter with it. This can be useful if the foocubus is tame or peaceful, or if it has trouble hitting you through your AC.
• #chat-ting to your quest leader will cause him/her to roam about. This is useful if you want to get Neferet the Green off the throne before you have quest permission. Work the speed system, as she will whisk you out on her turn if you are adjacent and not yet "worthy".
• Talking to a monster you zapped with a wand of sleep will tell you if it is actually sleeping.