Difference between revisions of "Keystone Kop (monster class)"
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| − | + | {{otheruses||the monster|Keystone Kop}} | |
| + | The '''Keystone Kop''' ' is a [[monster class]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]'', and is represented by an uppercase [[K]] glyph ({{white|K}}). Keystone Kops are designated internally by the macro '''S_KOP'''.{{refsrc|include/monsym.h|51|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | ||
| − | + | The monster class contains the following monsters:{{refsrc|src/monst.c|1483|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} | |
| − | + | * {{monsym|Keystone Kop}} | |
| + | * {{monsym|Kop Sergeant}} | ||
| + | * {{monsym|Kop Lieutenant}} | ||
| + | * {{monsym|Kop Kaptain}} | ||
| − | == | + | ==Common traits== |
| − | Kops are | + | The Keystone Kops are all [[male]] [[human (monster attribute)|humans]] that can be seen via [[infravision]] - all of them pick up items and have a tendency to wander, and are [[strong]] except for the basic Kop. Unlike most other human monsters, Keystone Kops respect [[Elbereth]] and are the only humans to not use the {{white|@}} glyph. |
| − | + | ===Generation=== | |
| + | Keystone Kops are not randomly generated, and normally-created Kops are always generated hostile. | ||
| − | Each Kop has a {{frac|3}} chance of [[Monster starting inventory|generating with]] either a [[club]] or [[rubber hose]] with an equal probability of each, and a {{frac|4}} chance of generating with 3 to 4 [[cream pie]]s. Kops never generate with an [[offensive item]], [[defensive item]], [[miscellaneous item]], or [[gold]], and never leave [[death drop]]s. | + | Keystone Kops usually only appear if you have overtly stolen items from a [[shop]]: if you step outside but remain near the shop, one swarm is created around you; if you [[teleport]] a long distance away or leave the level, one swarm is created around the shopkeeper and another around the down stairs. If that [[shopkeeper]] is pacified, any live Kops vanish from the level along with their inventory, including any items they pick up. Each swarm of Kops consists of DL + d5 ordinary Kops, as well as {{frac|DL + d5|3}} + 1 Kop Sergeants, {{frac|DL + d5|6}} Kop Lieutenants, and {{frac|DL + d5|12}} Kop Kaptains, rounded down in all cases. |
| + | |||
| + | The [[Tourist quest]] goal level generates several Kops in a "police station" on the western half of the level at level creation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Each Kop has a {{frac|3}} chance of [[Monster starting inventory|generating with]] either a [[club]] or [[rubber hose]] with an equal probability of each, and a {{frac|4}} chance of generating with 3 to 4 [[cream pie]]s.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|389|nethack=3.6.7|}} Kops never generate with an [[offensive item]], [[defensive item]], [[miscellaneous item]], or [[gold]], and never leave [[death drop]]s. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keystone Kops are all valid forms for [[polymorph]], which is generally the only other means to encounter any of them outside of [[bones]]. They are also valid targets for [[genocide]], but cannot be rendered [[extinct]].{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|924|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<code>propagate</code> function never marks <code>G_NOGEN</code> monsters as extinct}} | ||
==Strategy== | ==Strategy== | ||
| − | + | While Keystone Kops are individually not very difficult to eliminate, their numbers are quite intimidating, and they can block your path long enough for more dangerous monsters to catch up with you. For daring players, the Kops are a very good source of experience and cream pies. | |
One minor strategy with shopkeepers is to steal a gold piece from the shop and leave for a distant corner of the dungeon; this will summon a slew of Kops and their equipment, followed by the shopkeeper. After slaughtering the Kops, pay or [[charm monster|pacify]] the shopkeeper. Note that Kops that evaporate in this way don't leave death drops. Warning! If you angered him by something else than stealing, it will take at least 1000 gold to pacify him; make sure you have that much cash. | One minor strategy with shopkeepers is to steal a gold piece from the shop and leave for a distant corner of the dungeon; this will summon a slew of Kops and their equipment, followed by the shopkeeper. After slaughtering the Kops, pay or [[charm monster|pacify]] the shopkeeper. Note that Kops that evaporate in this way don't leave death drops. Warning! If you angered him by something else than stealing, it will take at least 1000 gold to pacify him; make sure you have that much cash. | ||
Revision as of 05:08, 12 November 2023
- For the monster, see Keystone Kop.
The Keystone Kop ' is a monster class that appears in NetHack, and is represented by an uppercase K glyph (K). Keystone Kops are designated internally by the macro S_KOP.[1]
The monster class contains the following monsters:[2]
- K
- K
- K
- K
Contents
Common traits
The Keystone Kops are all male humans that can be seen via infravision - all of them pick up items and have a tendency to wander, and are strong except for the basic Kop. Unlike most other human monsters, Keystone Kops respect Elbereth and are the only humans to not use the @ glyph.
Generation
Keystone Kops are not randomly generated, and normally-created Kops are always generated hostile.
Keystone Kops usually only appear if you have overtly stolen items from a shop: if you step outside but remain near the shop, one swarm is created around you; if you teleport a long distance away or leave the level, one swarm is created around the shopkeeper and another around the down stairs. If that shopkeeper is pacified, any live Kops vanish from the level along with their inventory, including any items they pick up. Each swarm of Kops consists of DL + d5 ordinary Kops, as well as DL + d5⁄3 + 1 Kop Sergeants, DL + d5⁄6 Kop Lieutenants, and DL + d5⁄12 Kop Kaptains, rounded down in all cases.
The Tourist quest goal level generates several Kops in a "police station" on the western half of the level at level creation.
Each Kop has a 1⁄3 chance of generating with either a club or rubber hose with an equal probability of each, and a 1⁄4 chance of generating with 3 to 4 cream pies.[3] Kops never generate with an offensive item, defensive item, miscellaneous item, or gold, and never leave death drops.
Keystone Kops are all valid forms for polymorph, which is generally the only other means to encounter any of them outside of bones. They are also valid targets for genocide, but cannot be rendered extinct.[4]
Strategy
While Keystone Kops are individually not very difficult to eliminate, their numbers are quite intimidating, and they can block your path long enough for more dangerous monsters to catch up with you. For daring players, the Kops are a very good source of experience and cream pies.
One minor strategy with shopkeepers is to steal a gold piece from the shop and leave for a distant corner of the dungeon; this will summon a slew of Kops and their equipment, followed by the shopkeeper. After slaughtering the Kops, pay or pacify the shopkeeper. Note that Kops that evaporate in this way don't leave death drops. Warning! If you angered him by something else than stealing, it will take at least 1000 gold to pacify him; make sure you have that much cash.
Another option, if you are strong enough to deal with a mass of Kops but do not want to face an angry shopkeeper, is to push a boulder onto the doorway of the shop before you steal.
Origin
NetHack's Kops got their name from the Keystone Cops, an incompetent bunch of policemen featured in a series of films from 1912 to 1917.
Variants
In variants that incorporate the Convict patch, the Convict quest locate level has some Kops.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, when a Kop is killed, there is a 1/5 chance that another is summoned near the stairs and a 1/5 chance that one appears on a random part of the level. In addition, the Kops can no longer be genocided.
SpliceHack
SpliceHack adds a new Kop, the Korrupt Kop. It is exactly like the Kop Lieutenant, except that it can sometimes be randomly generated.
Encyclopedia entry
The Kops are a brilliant concept. To take a gaggle of inept
policemen and display them over and over again in a series of
riotously funny physical punishments plays equally well to the
peanut gallery and the expensive box seats. People hate cops.
Even people who have never had anything to do with cops hate
them. Of course, we count on them to keep order and to protect
us when we need protecting, and we love them on television shows
in which they have nerves of steel and hearts of gold, but in
the abstract, as a nation, collectively we hate them. They are
too much like high school principals. We're very happy to see
their pants fall down, and they look good to us with pie on
their faces. The Keystone Kops turn up--and they get punished
for it, as they crash into each other, fall down, and suffer
indignity after indignity. Here is pure movie satisfaction.
The Kops are very skillfully presented. The comic originality
and timing in one of their chase scenes requires imagination
to think up, talent to execute, understanding of the medium,
and, of course, raw courage to perform. The Kops are madmen
presented as incompetents, and they're madmen rushing around
in modern machines. What's more, the machines they were operating
in their routines were newly invented and not yet experienced
by the average moviegoer. (In the early days of automobiles,
it was reported that there were only two cars registered in all
of Kansas City, and they ran into each other. There is both
poetry and philosophy in this fact, but most of all, there is
humor. Sennett got the humor.)
References
- ↑ include/monsym.h in NetHack 3.6.7, line 51
- ↑ src/monst.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1483
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 389
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 924:
propagatefunction never marksG_NOGENmonsters as extinct
