Dwarf (monster)
h dwarf 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 4 |
| Attacks |
Weapon 1d8 |
| Base level | 2 |
| Base experience | 22 |
| Speed | 6 |
| Base AC | 10 |
| Base MR | 10 |
| Alignment | 4 (lawful) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 3 (Rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 900 |
| Nutritional value | 300 |
| Size | Medium |
| Resistances | None |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
A dwarf:
| |
| Reference | monst.c, line 446 |
A dwarf, h, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. They are the most basic type of dwarf, as well as the most basic humanoid, and they will usually be the first of the monster class that you encounter.
A dwarf is a strong, omnivorous humanoid monster with infravision that is capable of tunneling around a level if they have a digging tool - hostile dwarves will also pick up gold, jewels and other items.
Generation
Randomly-generated dwarves are always peaceful towards dwarven and gnomish characters, and will mostly be peaceful towards other lawful characters. Dwarves are not a valid form for polymorph. A dwarf can grow up into a dwarf lord.
In addition to random generation, dwarves are especially easy to find in the Gnomish Mines:
- Two dwarves are generated on each of its filler levels at level creation.
- At least one dwarf is generated in all variants of Minetown at level creation, minus Orcish Town:
- One dwarf is generated outside of the main area in Town Square, Alley Town, College Town, and Bazaar Town at level creation.
- Three dwarves are randomly placed on the level in Grotto Town and Bustling Town at level creation.
- At least three dwarves are generated in 1 The Mimic of the Mines and The Gnome King's Wine Cellar variants of Mines' End at level creation.
Dwarf zombies and dwarf mummies leave behind aged dwarf corpses upon death.
A dwarf can be generated with each of the following items:[1]
- A 6⁄7 chance of a pair of iron shoes and an independent 6⁄7 chance of a dwarvish cloak.
- A 1⁄4 chance of a dwarvish short sword and dwarvish iron helm, combined with an equal probability of either of the following:
- A dwarvish mattock, or
- A dwarvish roundshield paired with either a dwarvish spear or an axe, with an equal probability for each weapon.
- Dwarves that receive a dwarvish short sword and dwarvish iron helm also have a further 1⁄3 chance of receiving a dwarvish mithril-coat.
- Dwarves that are not given a dwarvish short sword and dwarvish iron helm will instead receive either a pick-axe (1⁄3 chance) or a dagger (2⁄3 chance).
Strategy
A dwarf is generally much slower than an unburdened character, but has the potential to be well-equipped. For early characters that are lawful, dwarven or gnomish, this can make dwarves difficult to kill using pets, especially when they are peaceful; doing so also carries no direct consequences for you outside of the pet being killed. Conversely, angering and killing them directly may be worthwhile, but puts you more directly at risk: on top of the dwarf being sufficiently-armored or carrying a strong enchanted weapon, attacking a peaceful dwarf will anger every peaceful monster that witnesses it, which is particularly dangerous in Minetown, and incurs alignment penalties that an early character may not be able to afford.
Even so, it may sometimes be worth this risk in order to obtain a digging tool and some solid early armor, including the prized dwarvish mithril-coat that grants 6 base AC and MC2 on its own. When on the lookout for dwarves' armor, pay particular attention to which weapons they use: dwarves using a dwarvish short sword, axe, mattock, or dwarvish spear tend to have better armor on average.
History
The dwarf first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.
Encyclopedia entry
Dwarfs have faces like men (ugly men, with wrinkled, leathery skins), but are generally either flat-footed, duck-footed, or have feet pointing backwards. They are of the earth, earthy, living in the darkest of caverns and venturing forth only with the cloaks by which they can make themselves invisible, and others disguised as toads. Miners often come across them, and sometimes establish reasonably close relations with them.... The miners of Cornwall were always delighted to hear a bucca busily mining away, for all dwarfs have an infallible nose for precious metals.
Among other things, dwarfs are rightly valued for their skill as blacksmiths and jewellers: they made Odin his famous spear Gungnir, and Thor his hammer; for Freya they designed a magnificent necklace, and for Frey a golden boar. And in their spare time they are excellent bakers. Ironically, despite their odd feet, they are particularly fond of dancing. They can also see into the future, and consequently are excellent meteorologists. They can be free with presents to people they like, and a dwarvish gift is likely to turn to gold in the hand. But on the whole they are a snappish lot.
