Displacer beast

From NetHackWiki
Revision as of 13:32, 28 January 2024 by Noisytoot (talk | contribs) (dNetHack doesn't have the annoying displacers-actually-displace-you interface screw)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The displacer beast, f, is a feline monster that first appears in SLASH'EM, and also appear in dNetHack, SlashTHEM and xNetHack. They have natural displacement.

Across variants, each time you attempt to attack a displacer beast in melee, you have around a 50% chance of merely displacing it like a pet. Using F to force an attack will not move you or the displacer beast, and results in attacking "thin air" if you would have displaced it. In dNetHack they cannot actually displace you, you will just miss.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.

Displacer beasts have been introduced to vanilla in the upcoming NetHack 3.7, with the same traits as detailed in the xNetHack tab below.

Description

Displacer beasts can pose a real problem in combat - in addition to their intrinsic displacement rendering around half your melee attacks harmless, they also have a very low AC and high HP, and can do quite a bit of damage. Luckily, they are not fast, and a player with speed should be able to outrun them. This is particularly advisable if there are other hostile monsters around, since missed attacks leave you open to retaliation from them and the displacer beast itself.

Amusingly, you can displace a displacer beast into water or lava, killing it instantly.
In dNetHack, displacer beasts have flight, and thus cannot be killed by displacement into water or lava. They additionally can turn traitor when tame. When you miss a displacer beast (or other displacing monster) due to its displacement, you do not swap places with it.
No changes have been made to displacer beasts from SLASH'EM to SlashTHEM.

In xNetHack, displacer beasts are eligible to be summoned with the summon nasties monster spell. Eating displacer beast meat confers intrinsic displacement for 6d6 turns.


Origin

The displacer beast is a Dungeons & Dragons, monster that projects a displaced image a few feet from where it actually stands. It is the source mythology for the displacement provided by the cloak of displacement.