Escape item

An escape item refers to any object that can instantly get you out of trouble. These are the ones you will search your inventory for when cornered by a tough monster, being pulled underwater, or something similar. As a general note, scrolls and potions can get destroyed, and some intelligent artifacts will blast you, so you might want to carry one of the less vulnurable cures to each trouble in your main inventory at all times. That is key to winning NetHack.

Some common escape items are:

Scroll of teleportation

An obvious one — teleports you out. A cursed scroll of teleportation is noteworthy as it will not only teleport you away from your current predicament but also place you on a different dungeon level.

Cursed potion of gain level

Moves you through the ceiling to an upper dungeon level.

The Eye of the Aethiopica

Opens a portal for you to any visited dungeon branch when #invoked.

This is not a reliable escape item because rnz might draw huge timeouts.

The Orb of Fate.

Can be invoked for level teleportation.

This is not a reliable escape item because rnz might draw huge timeouts.

Wand of digging

Zap this downwards and fall to the next dungeon level, or engrave Elbereth.

You won't fall if a monster is holding you.

Scroll of genocide

Can instantly kill the monster that is about to kill you.

Note that reading an uncursed scroll of genocide while confused is a very Bad Idea, and reading a cursed scroll of genocide will create even more monsters rather than getting rid of them.

Wand of teleportation

Same as the scroll, except that the wand gives you the choice of teleporting the monster instead, and a cursed wand won't teleport you to a different level. The wand is much more useful on no-teleport levels, as teleporting monsters will work even on no-teleport levels.

Wand of cold

If you are being pulled underwater, you can use this wand to freeze the water that the sea monster is swimming in, thus preventing it from drowning you. It also deals significant damage, and stands a pretty good chance of destroying most early-game threats in one strike.

Wand of fire or wand of lightning

can be used to engrave Elbereth permanently and quickly. The wand of lightning, however, will blind you, and there are monsters that don't respect Elbereth. Also, like the wand of cold, these can be used to simply nuke the attacking monster. Fire can also be used to cure sliming. Lightning will not explode if monsters zap you.

Non-cursed scroll of earth

You can use this one in an open space to create a boulder fort around you, possibly giving you the time to heal. If it is not blessed, one of the boulders will fall on your head, damaging you.

Wand of polymorph

Zap that monster that is about to kill you and change it into another (hopefully easier) monster, unless it resists. You can also zap yourself with it, using it as a makeshift healing device (if your HP reaches 0 when you are polymorphed, you change back to your original form instead of dying).

This should be your last resort, as the monster may very well become much tougher than whatever it was before, or you could kill yourself with system shock, not to mention that using this wand for polypiling is a much better use for it. Minotaurs and air elementals engulfing you are worthy targets, though.

Non-cursed athame, including Magicbane

You can engrave one Elbereth per turn as often as you need to. Wizards might want to melee fight on ELBerethELBerethELB, adding more single ELBereth as needed, once they have sacrificed for Magicbane.

Tooled horn or leather drum

Scares monsters, 80% chance, even those that don't respect Elbereth.

Expensive camera

May blind or scare seeing monsters, causing them to be less effective at attacking you and/or to flee.

Elbereth will not work on blinded monsters, but does work on eyeless ones.

Magic whistle

Summons your pet(s), which can then either attack the monster or block its path to you.

Wand of Death

Will kill most enemies in one turn. However, there is a slight chance to miss. (A)pply it if you are surrounded.

Lizard corpse or potion of acid

Not strictly for running away, but cures stoning in one turn. Note that tins of acidic monsters will also work, but take at least two turns to consume, and the spell of stone to flesh has other drawbacks. Don't choke on the lizard.

Amulet of life saving

Remember to put on another one when it's used up!

Strategy

You might want to assign fixed inventory letters to the following items and carry them in your main inventory at all times:

• a blessed unicorn horn the game shows as blessed
• a known-charged wand of teleport
• a lizard corpse
• a known-charged wand of digging
• a known-charged wand of lightning or fire

The above selection covers the most common or pressing problems without burdening you down too much.

NetHack is a game of risk management. That's why escape items are so important.

See also

• Things To Do If You're Going to Die Next Turn