Monster spell

In NetHack, a monster spell is a category of spell that only spell-casting monsters can make use of. Some are unique to this category, while others share properties with other magical items.

Description

Monsters can only cast spells if they are not cancelled and at least level one, and can only cast once every (10 − (monster's level)) turns to a minimum of two turns; they will attempt to cast spells if these conditions are not met, producing a "curse" message. Even with these conditions satisfied, there is a 2 in (monster's level) chance of the spell failing (with five times that chance if the monster is confused).

Monsters that are scared (e.g., by Elbereth) or are not adjacent to you will not use directed spells. If a monster uses a directed spell at you, but you are on a different square than the monster expected, the spell will fail and produce a "curse" message.

Monsters will never cast spells (even not directed at you) if they're more than 7 squares away from you.

List of spells

There are three categories of spells that monsters can cast: ray-type spells, mage spells, and clerical spells. No monster will cast spells in more than one category. With the exception of Double Trouble (which is exclusive to the Wizard of Yendor) and ray-type spells, monsters that cast spells from a given category can use any spell in that category that is available at or below their current level. A monster subjected to any form of life drain can lose its ability to cast higher-level spells; however, many higher-level spellcasters are immune, and those that aren't generally have a very high MR score. Stormbringer and the Staff of Aesculapius bypass monster MR, with the caveat that it is possible to kill a non-resistant target before any effect on their spellcasting is noticeable.

In the tables below, Min. level refers to the minimum level required for the monster to be able to cast that spell. The monsters that use the type of spells in each table are listed in the two Monsters column. In the Monsters (at lowest level) column, we assume that the monster is generated at its base level minus one, which is the lowest possible level at which a monster will be randomly generated. In the Monsters (at highest level) column, we assume that the monster is generated at its base level times 1.5, which is the highest possible level at which a monster will be randomly generated. In both cases, each monster can cast the spell on the line it appears, as well as every spell above it.

As an example, a golden naga is guaranteed to cast psi bolt, cure self, haste self, stun, disappear, drain strength and destroy armor. It may be able to cast curse items and aggravate, if it is generated at a high enough level. Monsters are capable of casting spells that appear below their names in the table, provided they drink enough potions of gain level.

Mage spells

Spell	Min. level	Directed	Monsters (at lowest level)	Monsters (at highest level)
Psi bolt	1	Y	kobold shaman
Cure self	2		barrow wight, orc shaman, gnomish wizard
Haste self	3			kobold shaman
Stun	4	Y	guide, apprentice	barrow wight, orc shaman, gnomish wizard
Disappear	5
Drain strength	7	Y		guide, apprentice
Destroy armor	9	Y	golden naga, lich, nalfeshnee
Curse items	11	Y	demilich
Aggravate	14		ki-rin, titan, Ixoth, Dark One, Minion of Huhetotl, Thoth Amon, Chromatic Dragon, Nalzok	golden naga
Summon nasties	16		master lich, Archon, Neferet the Green	lich, nalfeshnee
Touch of death	21	Y	arch-lich, Orcus, Dispater, Demogorgon	demilich, master lich, arch-lich, ki-rin, titan, Archon, Ixoth, Dark One, Minion of Huhetotl, Thoth Amon, Chromatic Dragon, Nalzok, Neferet the Green, Orcus, Dispater, Demogorgon
Double Trouble	19/unique		Wizard of Yendor	Wizard of Yendor

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

As part of a rework to make them better emulate their inspirations in the Furies, commit f930a12f gives erinyes the ability to cast mage monster spells among the traits and properties they can gain if a character commits enough alignment abuse.

Clerical spells

Spell	Min. level	Directed	Monsters (at lowest level)	Monsters (at highest level)
Open wounds	1	Y
Cure self	2
Confuse	3	Y	abbot, acolyte
Paralyze	5	Y
Blind	6	Y		abbot, acolyte
Summon insects	9
Curse items	10	Y	aligned priest
Lightning	12	Y
Fire pillar	13	Y
Geyser	14	Y	high priest, Grand Master, Master Kaen, Arch Priest	aligned priest, high priest, Grand Master, Master Kaen, Arch Priest

Ray-type spells

Ray-type spells come in three varieties (though only two are in use). They can be cast from afar, and when used this way, act the same as wands or breath weapons. When cast from an adjoining square, they act as melee attacks and cannot be reflected, but the appropriate resistance will still nullify them.

• Three monsters use magic missile: Angels, Yeenoghu and the Oracle (the Oracle's version is passive and will only occur in response to a melee attack). Magic resistance completely blocks this attack.
• Asmodeus has a cold attack. Cold resistance nullifies it.
• The source code supports an unused fire attack. Fire resistance nullifies it.

Messages

<Monster> points at you, then curses.

<Monster> points all around, then curses.

The monster attempted to cast a spell before they were able to do so.

<Monster> points and curses in your general direction.

As above, but the monster cannot see you.

<Monster> points and curses at your displaced image.

As above, but you are displaced.

You hear a mumbled curse.

As above, but you cannot see the monster.

The air crackles around <monster>.

The monster cast a spell when able to do so, but the spell failed.

<Monster> casts a spell!

<Monster> casts a spell at you!

The monster successfully cast a spell.

<Monster> casts a spell at a spot near you!

As above, but the monster cannot see you.

<Monster> casts a spell at your displaced image!

As above, but you are displaced.

You are hit by a shower of missiles!

A monster used a magic missile attack against you.

The missiles bounce off!

As above, but you have magic resistance.

You are covered in frost!

You were hit by the cold ray spell.

You are enveloped in flames!

You were hit by the fire ray spell.

Variants

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM has many new spellcasting monsters, including fire vampires which use the previously-unimplemented fire ray spell. It also introduces two new mage spells:

• Call undead, which can be used by all liches (and no other monsters);
• Create pool, which can be used by monsters of level 13 or higher.

GruntHack

In GruntHack, mages and other similar casters have the ability to cast the same spells available to the player, with their spell repertoire dependent on their level. This turns weaker hostile casters such as gnomish mages (which replace gnomish wizards) from virtual pushovers to fairly dangerous threats, and stronger casters such as liches and vampire mages become even more powerful threats that can deal significant damage with the spell of acid blast or even zap the spell of cancellation at you.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, monster spellcasting is divided into three broad categories: magical casting, divine casting, and psionic casting. In addition to basic spell lists, many spellcasting monsters also have specific lists of spells that they can cast with varying probabilities - these lists are consistent for a given monster type, and vary between monster types; monster spell type is a factor for interactions with various items and madnesses. Most regular spellcasting monsters have a cooldown on their ability to cast spells frequently, while much stronger casters (including most unique spellcasters) are able to cast without any cooldown. A list of monster spells and the monsters that can cast them is available in the linked article above.

Divine monster spells largely consist of the clerical spells from NetHack and are cast by clerical monsters, while magical monster spells are usually the domain of various demon casters and magicians. A relatively small portion of spells are psionic 'spells', which is typically the domain of eldritch and/or extraplanar beings such as star spawn and certain insight monsters. A character polymorphed into a monster can cast that monster's spells as part of their attack chain if they have the appropriate amount of energy: relatively unique or niche spells are replaced with fallbacks.

In addition to cancellation, monster spellcasting can be blocked via the following methods:

• Antimagic rifts block magical casting for several turns, which includes the character's own casting if they use intelligence as their spellcasting attribute. The base duration of an antimagic rift is 50 turns, with additional rifts adding an amount of turns equal to ¹⁄₁₀ of the previous duration rounded down, i.e. 50 turns, then 55, 60, 66, etc.
• Catapsi vortices block psionic casting for several turns, which includes the character's own casting if they use charisma as their spellcasting attribute. The base duration of a catapsi vortex is 100 turns, with additional vortices adding an amount of turns equal to ¹⁄₁₀ of the previous duration.
• Misotheistic pyramids and misotheistic fragments block clerical casting for several turns, which includes the character's own casting if they use wisdom as their spellcasting attribute. The base duration of misotheistic pyramids and fragments are 33 turns, and additional pyramids and fragments add an amount of turns equal to ¹⁄₁₀ of the previous item's duration, which is shared between both item types. If a misotheistic item is used anywhere that your god's influence can be felt normally, your god will have their anger increased by 1 and smite you. If used by a Binder that is Void-aligned (i.e., not using a helm of opposite alignment), or else it is used within Gehennom or another area where the gods' influence is already blocked, your god will not be angered; the Void in particular cannot become angry by any means.
  • If a misotheistic pyramid is used, you are given a form of darkvision that overrides all other sight-based intrinsic forms of vision for that duration, while excluding x-ray vision and other senses such as smell.
  • If a misotheistic fragment is used, it will cause 'Shattering' for the duration of that effect, which gives monsters that are killed a ¹⁄₂ chance of "fracturing": this resurrects the monster and applies the 'fractured' monster template, making them unbreathing, undead and always hostile while boosting their current level by 4, and also gives them a weakness to the Elder Sign ward. Fractured monsters will remain fractured regardless of whether Shattering is active, and have the same ¹⁄₂ chance to resurrect when killed unless they are cancelled.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, monsters use the same spellcasting system as the player, and can also read spellbooks to acquire new spells. This makes higher-level spellcasting monsters much more dangerous. Low-level spellcasting monsters (kobold shamans, orc shamans and gnomish wizards) no longer approach you due to lacking melee ability, and will instead attempt to line up with you in order to cast spells.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, many new monster spells are added:

• Mage spells
  • acid blast
  • cancellation
  • fire bolt
  • ice bolt
  • protection
  • reflection
  • stone to flesh
• Clerical spells
  • summon minion
  • vulnerability

Some existing spells also have changes made:

• The cure self spell is not directly altered, but the spell is made a priority if the spellcasting monster's hit points drop to a life-threatening level.
• The touch of death deals 8d6 damage against a target with magic resistance and drains maximum HP, and half spell damage can reduce HP and max HP damage.
• The destroy armor spell erodes a target piece of armor, destroying it upon inflicting enough erosion, and can also remove erosion-proofing even from inherently proofed materials such as dragonhide and mithril. One to three levels of erosion can occur per casting, with magic resistance lowering the armor damage to one level per casting. Blessed armor has a small chance of resisting, while crystal plate mail and quest artifact armors are immune.
• The geyser spell can rust any unprotected worn armor, and certain monsters will cast a variation that deals cold damage and affects inventory.
• The summon insects spell will create hostile arachnid or centipede monsters instead of insects if cast by Lolth or a drow monster.

Several new spellcasting monsters are added, and some existing spellcasters also have their attack routines adjusted to make them stronger.

Monsters can use their spells in combat against other monsters, but tame and peaceful monsters will not cast any spell that summons or aggravates monsters. Polymorphing into a spellcasting monster and attacking in melee will cast a random monster spell, with the same attack order as that monster would have normally; the spellcasting attack fails if you do not have enough power.

See also

• List of monster spells

References

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It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.4.3. Information on this page may be out of date.

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