Difference between revisions of "Nymph"

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While not a strong attacker, the '''nymph''' is nevertheless a very dangerous [[monster]]. The main danger of nymphs is that they will charm/seduce you and steal items.  Once they steal an item, they will attempt to [[teleport]] away.  They can and will use the most powerful items against you.
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The '''nymph''', {{mcsl|n}}, is a [[monster class]] in ''NetHack''. The class contains the three nymph species: '''water nymph''', '''wood nymph''', and '''mountain nymph'''.
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The three nymph species are '''water nymph''', '''wood nymph''', and '''mountain nymph'''. Together they form the {{white|n}} '''nymph''' [[monster class]].
 
  
 
==Generation==
 
==Generation==
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Nymphs have a 50% chance of carrying a [[mirror]] and an independent 50% chance of carrying a [[potion of object detection]].{{refsrc|makemon.c|636}}
 
Nymphs have a 50% chance of carrying a [[mirror]] and an independent 50% chance of carrying a [[potion of object detection]].{{refsrc|makemon.c|636}}
  
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Nymphs are generated asleep 80% of the time unless you have the [[Amulet of Yendor]] in which case they are guaranteed to be generated awake.{{refsrc|makemon.c|982|comment=chance of nymphs being generated asleep}} If you don't have a perfectly safe way to deal with one, the best idea is just to leave her asleep.
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Nymphs are generated asleep 80% of the time; if you have the [[Amulet of Yendor]], they are guaranteed to be generated awake.{{refsrc|makemon.c|982|comment=chance of nymphs being generated asleep}}
  
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==Strategy==
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==Common traits==
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While nymphs not strong attackers and have a weak base AC, they are nevertheless very dangerous [[monsters]] that teleport frequently while moving. Nymphs are capable of charming you into removing your armor and stealing items before attempting to [[teleport]] away. They are also capable of using said items, including putting on armor and amulets as well as zapping wands and quaffing potions. Eating a nymph's corpse has a chance of giving you [[teleportitis]].
  
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===Combat===
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The water nymph shares the same qualities and attributes as her other counterparts, but can also cross [[water]]; they are also guaranteed to appear in the [[Rogue quest]], and may be summoned with a 1/30 chance if you dip an item into or [[quaff]] from a [[fountain]].
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You shouldn't attack a nymph in melee unless you are strong enough to kill her in one hit, or fast enough to score multiple hits before she can react.  If you end up with one near you, e.g. because of drinking from a fountain, use [[Elbereth]] to ward her off. [[Polearm]]s or [[lance]]s may be effective if you are fast enough to keep them always one [[square]] away while you attack, but you will need to find a way to increase your [[speed]], as nymphs have the same speed as an unburdened, unhastened hero. [[Ranged attacks]] are the best choices against nymphs, as well as spells and wands. Another way to deal with an annoying nymph is, if your pet happens to be near you (like on a leash), as you run away it can engage and kill her. Beware, if your pet has weapons or armor the nymph may try to steal them. Because they carry mirrors, it is not a good idea to zap them with a [[wand of striking]] or a spell of {{spell of|force bolt}} because the mirrors will often break, resulting in a [[Luck]] penalty. Therefore, early game wizards will want to have their pet kill nymphs. Finally, you can put nymphs to sleep with a spell or wand and hopefully kill them before they wake up. Besides attacking them, you can also use [[cancellation]], which would make them harmless, although they do still retain their irritating ability to teleport away after unsuccessfully attempting to steal from you.
 
  
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You may want not to keep attack wands in your open inventory if you cannot resist them when a nymph is nearby as she may steal a wand and use it against you. The same applies to potions and scrolls you don't want to have used up, although these are often not as deadly as wands.
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==Strategy==
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Nymphs generally should not be approached unless you can reliably dispatch them before they steal any items; in most cases, it is preferable to leave them asleep if possible and avoid them. It may be advisable to place the items you least want stolen in a container such as a chest before nearing or pursuing a nymph. In the event you awaken one, e.g. due to a pet or spawning one from a fountain, a general point to remember is that that your unburdened character and a nymph move at the same rate without intrinsic speed. In a situation where a nymph nearby is awakened, [[Elbereth]] can ward her off and give you some valuable space. [[Apply]]ing a mirror at a nymph will cause her to steal it and nothing else, which can preserve your more valuable or dangerous items; nymphs also have a chance of being tamed using a [[wooden harp]], but this is not reliable.
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Similarly, if a nymph steals a wand of digging she may use the wand to escape by digging a hole in the floor.
 
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As a [[wizard]], do not let them steal your [[cloak of magic resistance]], as they will happily put it on and become immune to the majority of attack spells and wands, including [[wand of polymorph|polymorph]].
 
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A good tactic if there are no other monsters on the level is to drop everything or to put it in a chest before going after a nymph. If nothing dangerous was stolen and there is nothing dangerous on your person, a nymph can't hurt you. Kill her using your fists and remember to reclaim your things once you're done. This is a very [[bad Idea]] if there are any other creatures on the level.
 
  
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If you apply a mirror to a nymph she will steal that without taking anything else.
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Ranged attacks are the most ideal for killing nymphs before they can close in on you. The exception to this is the {{spell of|force bolt}} spell or [[wand of striking]]; these can kill the nymph, but will also affect the inventory she drops, including any stolen potions and especially the mirror they are often generated with. Breaking mirrors results in a -2 [[Luck]] penalty, which most characters cannot afford at the point they first encounter one. It is also ideal to keep your pet nearby and use them to hold the nymph at bay and hopefully kill her for you, though they can still steal items if your pet is holding any; early [[Wizard]]s in particular will want to go this route unless they have access to [[magic missile]] or an attack wand that can reliable kill or immobilize her.
  
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It is possible to use a [[wooden harp]] to pacify a nymph.
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A [[wand of sleep]] can stop a nymph long enough for you to kill them, hopefully before the combat awakens then; a wand of [[cancellation]] will render the nymph "plain", which renders them harmless, but they will still teleport away after unsuccessfully attempting to steal from you. However, wands in general are risky due to the chance that they can be stolen, if not used against you; worse, a [[wand of teleportation]] or {{wand of|digging}} all but ensures that she will escape you several times. [[Polearm]]s or [[lance]]s ''can'' be effective, but you will likely need fast speed or better to consistently keep them one [[square]] away while you attack.
  
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===Removing cursed items===
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===Removing unwanted items===
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Nymphs can be put to your need as well. When cursed items are worn or wielded, you can allow a nymph to take these items deliberately. This is done by firstly removing ''and'' dropping every item in your inventory (or put them in a stash, whatever fits the situation). The nymph will attempt to charm you, and steal the cursed worn or wielded item. This also works to remove the heavy iron ball when [[punished]].
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Nymphs and their theft attacks can be used to get rid of [[cursed]] items, usually by stashing or dropping every other item besides the ones you want removed. You can then let the nymph steal them, and optionally retrieve the items if you want to uncurse it later. [[Punished]] players can also use this to untether themselves from their [[heavy iron ball]].
  
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===Polymorph===
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===Polymorphing===
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You can polymorph into any species of nymph.  The polymorph is safe for your armor.  This gives you two unique abilities:
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As a [[polymorph]] form, becoming a nymph will not affect your armor, and grants two unique abilities:
  
 
*You can remove an [[iron chain]] with the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] command.
 
*You can remove an [[iron chain]] with the [[Monster (command)|#monster]] command.
 
*You can steal gear from monsters without killing them.
 
*You can steal gear from monsters without killing them.
  
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To steal, attack the monster.  If you are wielding a weapon, you will attack with that weapon and also make a steal attempt, but you will not attack bare handed if not wielding a weapon. If the theft attack [[To-hit|hits]] ("You smile at <monster> seductively"), you will steal from it - this does not anger peaceful monsters. If the attack misses ("You pretend to be friendly"), the monster will treat it like any other missed attack, meaning that it will probably get angry. Check the AC of pets or peaceful monsters before stealing from them.
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To steal, attack the monster: if you are wielding a weapon, you will attack with that weapon and also make a steal attempt, but you will not attack bare handed if not wielding a weapon. If the theft attack [[To-hit|hits]], you will steal from it - this does not anger peaceful monsters. ("You smile at <monster> seductively".) If the attack misses, the monster will treat it like any other missed attack, meaning that peacefuls will likely become angry. ("You pretend to be friendly".) Be sure to check the AC of pets or peaceful monsters before stealing from them.
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If you're [[invisible]] and the monster cannot [[see invisible|see you]], the seduction attack will not work{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|2336|nethack=3.6.1}}: you will still steal items, but also make a regular attack even without a weapon, possibly angering the monster.
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If you are [[invisible]] and the monster cannot [[see invisible|see you]], the seduction attack will not work;{{refsrc|src/mhitu.c|2336|nethack=3.6.1}} you will still steal items, but also make a regular attack even without a weapon, possibly angering the monster.
  
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====Messages====
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
!Message
 
!Message
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|}
  
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===Eating===
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===As pets===
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Eating nymphs can give you [[teleportitis]].  While there are some benefits to this, it should generally not be attempted without a means of teleport control.
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A tame nymph is not a particularly good pet due to her weak attributes, especially in a [[no-teleport level]], but is very occasionally used to steal items from other monsters, though this can often fail. When a nymph attempts to steal from a peaceful monster, it will attack her; since nymphs are incapable of attacking, she will just keep attempting to steal until successful, then [[teleport]] away. After teleporting away, she will quickly drop whatever she stole, requiring you to find her new location and retrieve the items; you may have to fight the monster in question regardless.
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===Pets===
 
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A tame nymph can attempt to steal an item from a monster, but often fails. When a nymph attempts to steal from a peaceful monster, it will become angry and attack her, but since nymphs are incapable of attacking, she will just keep attempting to steal until successful, then [[teleport]] away.
 
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After teleporting away, she will quickly drop whatever she stole so that you can take it. You only need to find wherever she teleported to. Meanwhile, you might need to fight and kill the monster in question anyway, because your nymph has not harmed it.
 
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A pet nymph is almost guaranteed to die, especially if you bring her to a [[no-teleport level]].
 
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==Individual information==
 
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===Water nymph===
 
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Water nymphs can traverse [[water]]. Sometimes a water nymph is summoned when you dip an item into, or [[quaff]] from a [[fountain]]. The chance of summoning a water nymph is 1/30 for both methods.
 
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===Wood nymphs and mountain nymphs===
 
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There is no real difference between wood nymphs and mountain nymphs. Their attributes are identical, and neither is generated specifically in any quest, unlike water nymphs, which are guaranteed during the [[Rogue quest]].
 
  
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
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{{nethack-364|offset=1}}
 
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[[Category:Monsters]]
 
[[Category:Monsters]]
 
[[Category:Monster classes]]
 
[[Category:Monster classes]]

Revision as of 06:16, 17 January 2020

Wikipedia
Wikipedia has an article about:
nnn nymph Water nymph.pngWood nymph.pngMountain nymph.png
Difficulty 5
Attacks

Claw steal item, Claw seduce

Base level 3
Base experience 28
Speed 12
Base AC 9
Base MR 20
Alignment 0 (neutral)
Frequency (by normal means) 2 (Quite rare)
Genocidable Yes
Weight 600
Nutritional value 300
Size Medium
Resistances None
Resistances conveyed

Causes teleportitis (30%)

A nymph:

A water nymph also:

Reference monst.c#line590

The nymph, n, is a monster class in NetHack. The class contains the three nymph species: water nymph, wood nymph, and mountain nymph.

Generation

Nymphs have a 50% chance of carrying a mirror and an independent 50% chance of carrying a potion of object detection.[1]

Nymphs are generated asleep 80% of the time; if you have the Amulet of Yendor, they are guaranteed to be generated awake.[2]

Common traits

While nymphs not strong attackers and have a weak base AC, they are nevertheless very dangerous monsters that teleport frequently while moving. Nymphs are capable of charming you into removing your armor and stealing items before attempting to teleport away. They are also capable of using said items, including putting on armor and amulets as well as zapping wands and quaffing potions. Eating a nymph's corpse has a chance of giving you teleportitis.

The water nymph shares the same qualities and attributes as her other counterparts, but can also cross water; they are also guaranteed to appear in the Rogue quest, and may be summoned with a 1/30 chance if you dip an item into or quaff from a fountain.

Strategy

Nymphs generally should not be approached unless you can reliably dispatch them before they steal any items; in most cases, it is preferable to leave them asleep if possible and avoid them. It may be advisable to place the items you least want stolen in a container such as a chest before nearing or pursuing a nymph. In the event you awaken one, e.g. due to a pet or spawning one from a fountain, a general point to remember is that that your unburdened character and a nymph move at the same rate without intrinsic speed. In a situation where a nymph nearby is awakened, Elbereth can ward her off and give you some valuable space. Applying a mirror at a nymph will cause her to steal it and nothing else, which can preserve your more valuable or dangerous items; nymphs also have a chance of being tamed using a wooden harp, but this is not reliable.

Ranged attacks are the most ideal for killing nymphs before they can close in on you. The exception to this is the force bolt spell or wand of striking; these can kill the nymph, but will also affect the inventory she drops, including any stolen potions and especially the mirror they are often generated with. Breaking mirrors results in a -2 Luck penalty, which most characters cannot afford at the point they first encounter one. It is also ideal to keep your pet nearby and use them to hold the nymph at bay and hopefully kill her for you, though they can still steal items if your pet is holding any; early Wizards in particular will want to go this route unless they have access to magic missile or an attack wand that can reliable kill or immobilize her.

A wand of sleep can stop a nymph long enough for you to kill them, hopefully before the combat awakens then; a wand of cancellation will render the nymph "plain", which renders them harmless, but they will still teleport away after unsuccessfully attempting to steal from you. However, wands in general are risky due to the chance that they can be stolen, if not used against you; worse, a wand of teleportation or digging all but ensures that she will escape you several times. Polearms or lances can be effective, but you will likely need fast speed or better to consistently keep them one square away while you attack.

Removing unwanted items

Nymphs and their theft attacks can be used to get rid of cursed items, usually by stashing or dropping every other item besides the ones you want removed. You can then let the nymph steal them, and optionally retrieve the items if you want to uncurse it later. Punished players can also use this to untether themselves from their heavy iron ball.

Polymorphing

As a polymorph form, becoming a nymph will not affect your armor, and grants two unique abilities:

  • You can remove an iron chain with the #monster command.
  • You can steal gear from monsters without killing them.

To steal, attack the monster: if you are wielding a weapon, you will attack with that weapon and also make a steal attempt, but you will not attack bare handed if not wielding a weapon. If the theft attack hits, you will steal from it - this does not anger peaceful monsters. ("You smile at <monster> seductively".) If the attack misses, the monster will treat it like any other missed attack, meaning that peacefuls will likely become angry. ("You pretend to be friendly".) Be sure to check the AC of pets or peaceful monsters before stealing from them.

If you are invisible and the monster cannot see you, the seduction attack will not work;[3] you will still steal items, but also make a regular attack even without a weapon, possibly angering the monster.

Messages

Message Reason
"You smile at <monster> seductively" The monster has eyes, is not blind, and is of the opposite gender
"You talk to <monster> seductively" The monster is blind or does not have eyes, and is of the opposite gender
"You smile at <monster> engagingly" The monster has eyes and is not blind, and is not of the opposite gender
"You talk to <monster> engagingly" The monster is blind or does not have eyes, and is not of the opposite gender
"You pretend to be friendly to <monster>" You missed on your stealing attack.

As pets

A tame nymph is not a particularly good pet due to her weak attributes, especially in a no-teleport level, but is very occasionally used to steal items from other monsters, though this can often fail. When a nymph attempts to steal from a peaceful monster, it will attack her; since nymphs are incapable of attacking, she will just keep attempting to steal until successful, then teleport away. After teleporting away, she will quickly drop whatever she stole, requiring you to find her new location and retrieve the items; you may have to fight the monster in question regardless.

Encyclopedia entry

A female creature from Roman and Greek mythology, the nymph
occupied rivers, forests, ponds, etc. A nymph's beauty is
beyond words: an ever-young woman with sleek figure and
long, thick hair, radiant skin and perfect teeth, full lips
and gentle eyes. A nymph's scent is delightful, and her
long robe glows, hemmed with golden threads and embroidered
with rainbow hues of unearthly magnificence. A nymph's
demeanour is graceful and charming, her mind quick and witty.

"Theseus felt her voice pulling him down into fathoms of
sleep. The song was the skeleton of his dream, and the dream
was full of terror. Demon girls were after him, and a bull-
man was goring him. Everywhere there was blood. There was
pain. There was fear. But his head was in the nymph's lap
and her musk was about him, her voice weaving the dream. He
knew then that she had been sent to tell him of something
dreadful that was to happen to him later. Her song was a
warning. But she had brought him a new kind of joy, one that
made him see everything differently. The boy, who was to
become a hero, suddenly knew then what most heroes learn
later -- and some too late -- that joy blots suffering and
that the road to nymphs is beset by monsters."

[ The Minotaur by Bernard Evslin ]

References

  1. ↑ makemon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 636
  2. ↑ makemon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 982: chance of nymphs being generated asleep
  3. ↑ src/mhitu.c in NetHack 3.6.1, line 2336


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Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-364}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.

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