Nazgul
W Nazgul 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 17 |
| Attacks |
Weapon 1d4 drain life, breath 2d25 sleep |
| Base level | 13 |
| Base experience | 376 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 0 |
| Base MR | 25 |
| Alignment | −17 (chaotic) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 0 |
| Size | Medium |
| Resistances | Cold, sleep, poison |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
A Nazgul:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line1895 |
The Nazgul, W, is a monster that appears in NetHack. They share the life draining ability of other wraiths, and they can also breathe dangerous sleeping gas. The Nazgul is not a valid form for polymorph.
Contents
Generation
Nazgul are are generated with cursed rings of invisibility, and also receive a knife and long sword, similar to the barrow wight.[1][2] They become extinct after nine of them have been generated.[3]
A player killed by a Nazgul may appear as a wraith instead of a ghost in their bones file.
Strategy
The sleeping gas can catch some players off-guard if they lack sleep resistance, allowing the Nazgul to close in and attack mercilessly, likely resulting in drained levels or even a quick death.
Many souvenir hunters #name the Nazgul's rings and attempt to ascend with a set of all nine.
History
The Nazgul first appears in NetHack 3.0.0 as one of many monsters who presence could be toggled with the TOLKIEN compile-time option.
Origin
The Nazgûl (from Black Speech nazg, "ring", and gûl, "wraith, spirit") are derived from the world of Middle-earth created by J. R. R. Tolkien. They are introduced as "Black Riders" and also called Ringwraiths, Dark Riders, the Nine Riders, or simply the Nine. They were originally nine mortal humans who had succumbed to Sauron's power through wearing Rings of Power, which gave them immortality at the cost of reducing them to invisible wraiths bound to the power of the One Ring and completely under Sauron's control; this is the basis for the cursed rings of invisibility they spawn with in NetHack, as well as why only nine ever generate in a given game.
In their early forays, Nazgûl rode on black horses, and they later ride flying monsters that Tolkien described as "pterodactylic". They used fear as their main weapon, though they have also been seen carrying ordinary swords as well as Morgul-knives that reduce their victims to wraiths (hence why players slain by Nazgûl in NetHack arise as wraiths.
Variants
Many variants grant the Nazgul additional traits derived from the works of Tolkien that they appeared in, including their mutual grudge against hobbits from Nephi's grudge patch.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Nazgul can hit as a +2 weapon, and require a +1 weapon to hit.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, the Nazgul a short-ranged screaming attack that stuns you if you are close enough to one. Nazgul will attack any hobbits they see, and vice versa.
Players killed by a Nazgul will instead arise as a barrow wight if a bones file is created.
SporkHack
In SporkHack, Nazgul also have a mutual grudge against hobbits; the range of their scream attack covers the entire level, making them a prime target for genocide.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, Nazgul and hobbits will attack each other.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, Nazgul have a screaming attack, and Nazgul and hobbits will also attack each other.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, Nazgul are made stronger and generate riding fell beasts as steeds, which are dangerous creatures in their own right; a Nazgul's scream can also shatter any glass objects in open inventory that have not been fixed. Nazgul and hobbits will also attack each other.
Encyclopedia entry
Immediately, though everything else remained as before, dim and dark, the shapes became terribly clear. He was able to see beneath their black wrappings. There were five tall figures: two standing on the lip of the dell, three advancing. In their white faces burned keen and merciless eyes; under their mantles were long grey robes; upon their grey hairs were helms of silver; in their haggard hands were swords of steel. Their eyes fell on him and pierced him, as they rushed towards him. Desperate, he drew his own sword, and it seemed to him that it flickered red, as if it was a firebrand. Two of the figures halted. The third was taller than the others: his hair was long and gleaming and on his helm was a crown. In one hand he held a long sword, and in the other a knife; both the knife and the hand that held it glowed with a pale light. He sprang forward and bore down on Frodo.
|[ The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien ]
