Difference between revisions of "Couatl"

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A '''couatl''', {{monsym|couatl}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It has the lowest level and difficulty among [[angelic being]]s, making them likely to be the first type a player encounters.
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A '''couatl''', {{monsym|couatl}}, is a type of [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It has the lowest [[monster level]] and [[difficulty]] among [[angelic being]]s, making them likely to be the first type [[you]] encounter.
  
The coautl is capable of [[flight]] and is an eligible choice of steed. It has a pair of bite attacks, with the first being stronger and [[poison]]ous, followed by a holding attack that acts as a [[drowning attack]] if the coautl is flying over a [[moat]]. Like other angelic beings, it ignores [[Elbereth]].
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The coautl is a serpent capable of [[flight]] and is eligible for [[riding]]. Couatls have a pair of bite attacks, the first being stronger and [[poison]]ous, followed by a holding attack that acts as a [[drowning attack]] if the coautl is over a [[moat]]. It has [[poison resistance]], and like other angelic beings it ignores [[Elbereth]].
  
 
==Generation==
 
==Generation==
Randomly generated couatls may appear in small groups of 2 to 4, and are peaceful towards [[lawful]] player characters. A couatl is generated on the [[Plane of Air]] at level creation.
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Randomly generated couatls may appear in small [[group]]s of 2 to 4, and are peaceful towards [[lawful]] player characters; they will never generate randomly in [[Gehennom]], with the exception of Vlad's Tower. A couatl is generated on the [[Plane of Air]] at level creation.
  
Couatls serve as [[minion]]s for lawful [[god]]s, who may generate hostile couatl if you [[anger]] them (e.g. with excessive prayer) or convert one of their altars. Hostile couatls can also appear via the [[summon nasties]] [[monster spell]] used by a lawful spellcasting monster.
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Couatls serve as [[minion]]s for lawful [[god]]s, who may send hostile couatls after you if you [[anger]] them (e.g. with excessive prayer) or rarely when you convert one of their [[altar]]s through [[sacrifice]]. Hostile couatls can also be created via the [[summon nasties]] [[monster spell]] used by a lawful spellcasting monster.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
Couatl are somewhat slow at 10 speed, but remain something of a danger for mid-game characters: their holding attack and tendency to generate in groups may result in you being surrounded unless you are careful, and encountering them near moats introduces the risk of [[instadeath]] by drowning. They are the only other non-[[sea monster]] alongside the [[python]] that is capable of drowning players.
+
Couatl are somewhat slow at 10 speed, but remain something of a danger for mid-game characters: their holding attack and tendency to generate in groups may result in you being surrounded unless you are careful, and encountering them near moats introduces the risk of [[instadeath]] by drowning. Though among the weaker of the lawful monsters that can be generated by a summon nasties spell, couatls will not be driven off by Elbereth like other nasties - they are also the only other non-[[sea monster]] alongside the [[python]] that are capable of drowning you.
  
 
As a steed, a couatl is not especially remarkable - among the mounts capable of flight, it is only faster than a [[dragon]], which has better [[AC]] alongside a breath attack and is generally much stronger.
 
As a steed, a couatl is not especially remarkable - among the mounts capable of flight, it is only faster than a [[dragon]], which has better [[AC]] alongside a breath attack and is generally much stronger.
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==History==
 
==History==
 
The couatl is introduced alongside the other angelic beings in [[NetHack 3.1.0]].
 
The couatl is introduced alongside the other angelic beings in [[NetHack 3.1.0]].
 +
 +
From [[NetHack 3.4.1]] to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including many variants based on these versions, couatls were able to wear amulets, boots, shields, and gloves despite being non-humanoid - this was [[Bug#C341-18|bug C341-18]], and also affected the much stronger [[ki-rin]].
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
The word ''coatl'' or ''couatl'' (plural ''cocoah'') originated from classical and Central Nahuatl, where the word means "serpent" or "twin". The Aztec god [[Quetzalcoatl]] derives his name from this word: it translates literally to "Precious Serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent". Quetzalcoatl is said to appear in the form of a feathered, rainbow-winged serpent, and feathered serpent deities occurred in the iconography and worship of many Mesoamerican cultures. The couatl as it appears in ''NetHack'' comes from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', where it debuts in ''Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry'' (1976) for the first edition of the game.
+
The word ''couatl'', more commonly spelled as ''coatl'' (plural ''cocoah'') comes from the classical and Central Nahuatl languages and means "serpent" or "twin". The name of the Aztec god [[Quetzalcoatl]] is derived form this word and translates literally to "Precious Serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent": Quetzalcoatl is said to appear in the form of a feathered, rainbow-winged serpent, and feathered serpent deities occurred in the iconography and worship of many Mesoamerican cultures. The couatl as it appears in ''NetHack'' comes from ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', where it debuts in ''Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry'' (1976) for the first edition of the game.
 +
 
 +
The couatl of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (which is sometimes pluralized as "'''couatls'''" there and in ''NetHack'') is a feathered serpent with a pair of rainbow-colored wings that originated from ancient clans of creator-race reptilians known as saurians (or sarrukh). More than 35,000 years before the present age, these sarrukh clans once controlled a mighty empire; as the empire fell, these clans became nomadic and migrated from plane to plane, slowly embracing their darker natures. Some of their kindred despaired at this, and chose to pray to Jazirian - a deity and fragment of the World Serpent - who aided them by transforming them into the first couatls.
  
The couatl of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (sometimes pluralized as "couatls") is a feathered serpent with a pair of rainbow-colored wings that originated from ancient clans of creator-race reptilians known as saurians, or sarrukh. More than 35,000 years before the present age, these sarrukh clans once controlled a mighty empire; as the empire fell, these clans became nomadic and migrated from plane to plane, slowly embracing their darker natures. Some of their kindred despaired at this, and chose to pray to Jazirian - a fragment of the World Serpent - who aided them by transforming them into the first couatls. In the present age, couatls are rarely seen and tend to avoid interfering in mortal affairs, but are very highly intelligent and powerful, and inhabit warm, jungle-like regions; some of them are considered gods, and they are regarded with awe by the inhabitants of their homelands.
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In the present age of the various ''Dungeons & Dragons'' settings, couatls are rarely seen and tend to avoid interfering in mortal affairs, but are highly [[Intelligent monster|intelligent]] and powerful creatures, and inhabit warm, jungle-like regions; some of them are considered gods, and they are regarded with awe by the inhabitants of their homelands.
  
==Variant==
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==Variants==
 
===SLASH'EM===
 
===SLASH'EM===
In [[SLASH'EM]], the encyclopedia entry for the couatl is expanded.
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In [[SLASH'EM]], tame couatl can be given as [[minion]]s to [[lawful]] players at [[experience level]] 7 or lower via sacrifice or [[prayer]], though minions cannot be saddled or ridden. The couatl's [[#Encyclopedia entry|encyclopedia entry]] is also expanded.
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The couatl's difficulty is raised to 14, and it [[Monsters with need +x weapon to hit (SLASH'EM)|requires a +2 weapon or better to be hit]]; while it does not have [[Monsters with hits creatures as a +x weapon (SLASH'EM)|the "hits as +X" flag]] explicitly, its enchantment resistance gives it an implicit ability to hit as a +2 weapon.
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 +
===EvilHack===
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In [[EvilHack]], couatl have [[sleep resistance]] and [[shock resistance]], making them somewhat harder to fend off or slow down; minions are dispatched much more often when altars are converted.
  
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
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[ 2nd ed. Monstrous Compendium, by TSR, Inc. ]
 
[ 2nd ed. Monstrous Compendium, by TSR, Inc. ]
 
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{{nethack-360}}
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{{nethack-366}}
 
[[Category:Monsters]]
 
[[Category:Monsters]]

Revision as of 09:43, 31 October 2022

A couatl, A, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. It has the lowest monster level and difficulty among angelic beings, making them likely to be the first type you encounter.

The coautl is a serpent capable of flight and is eligible for riding. Couatls have a pair of bite attacks, the first being stronger and poisonous, followed by a holding attack that acts as a drowning attack if the coautl is over a moat. It has poison resistance, and like other angelic beings it ignores Elbereth.

Generation

Randomly generated couatls may appear in small groups of 2 to 4, and are peaceful towards lawful player characters; they will never generate randomly in Gehennom, with the exception of Vlad's Tower. A couatl is generated on the Plane of Air at level creation.

Couatls serve as minions for lawful gods, who may send hostile couatls after you if you anger them (e.g. with excessive prayer) or rarely when you convert one of their altars through sacrifice. Hostile couatls can also be created via the summon nasties monster spell used by a lawful spellcasting monster.

Strategy

Couatl are somewhat slow at 10 speed, but remain something of a danger for mid-game characters: their holding attack and tendency to generate in groups may result in you being surrounded unless you are careful, and encountering them near moats introduces the risk of instadeath by drowning. Though among the weaker of the lawful monsters that can be generated by a summon nasties spell, couatls will not be driven off by Elbereth like other nasties - they are also the only other non-sea monster alongside the python that are capable of drowning you.

As a steed, a couatl is not especially remarkable - among the mounts capable of flight, it is only faster than a dragon, which has better AC alongside a breath attack and is generally much stronger.

History

The couatl is introduced alongside the other angelic beings in NetHack 3.1.0.

From NetHack 3.4.1 to NetHack 3.4.3, including many variants based on these versions, couatls were able to wear amulets, boots, shields, and gloves despite being non-humanoid - this was bug C341-18, and also affected the much stronger ki-rin.

Origin

The word couatl, more commonly spelled as coatl (plural cocoah) comes from the classical and Central Nahuatl languages and means "serpent" or "twin". The name of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl is derived form this word and translates literally to "Precious Serpent" or "Quetzal-feathered Serpent": Quetzalcoatl is said to appear in the form of a feathered, rainbow-winged serpent, and feathered serpent deities occurred in the iconography and worship of many Mesoamerican cultures. The couatl as it appears in NetHack comes from Dungeons & Dragons, where it debuts in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976) for the first edition of the game.

The couatl of Dungeons & Dragons (which is sometimes pluralized as "couatls" there and in NetHack) is a feathered serpent with a pair of rainbow-colored wings that originated from ancient clans of creator-race reptilians known as saurians (or sarrukh). More than 35,000 years before the present age, these sarrukh clans once controlled a mighty empire; as the empire fell, these clans became nomadic and migrated from plane to plane, slowly embracing their darker natures. Some of their kindred despaired at this, and chose to pray to Jazirian - a deity and fragment of the World Serpent - who aided them by transforming them into the first couatls.

In the present age of the various Dungeons & Dragons settings, couatls are rarely seen and tend to avoid interfering in mortal affairs, but are highly intelligent and powerful creatures, and inhabit warm, jungle-like regions; some of them are considered gods, and they are regarded with awe by the inhabitants of their homelands.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, tame couatl can be given as minions to lawful players at experience level 7 or lower via sacrifice or prayer, though minions cannot be saddled or ridden. The couatl's encyclopedia entry is also expanded.

The couatl's difficulty is raised to 14, and it requires a +2 weapon or better to be hit; while it does not have the "hits as +X" flag explicitly, its enchantment resistance gives it an implicit ability to hit as a +2 weapon.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, couatl have sleep resistance and shock resistance, making them somewhat harder to fend off or slow down; minions are dispatched much more often when altars are converted.

Encyclopedia entry

A mythical feathered serpent. The couatl are very rare.

SLASH'EM

A mythical feathered serpent. The couatl are very rare. The couatl are feathered serpents of myth and lore. It is believed that they are distant relatives of dragons, though this remains unproven. So rare as to be considered legendary, the couatl are some of the most beautiful creatures in existence. A couatl has the body of a long serpent and feathered wings the colour of the rainbow. Occasionally sent as messengers from the gods to their erring servants, a couatl will always seek to punish those who deserve it.
[ 2nd ed. Monstrous Compendium, by TSR, Inc. ]