Paralysis

Paralysis is a magically-induced inability to move, that can quite easily lead to your death as monsters close in and get free attacks on you.

Causes and Effect

Attacking a floating eye. There is a high chance you will frozen to the spot for a long, long time.

Attacking or being attacked by a gelatinous cube. This paralysis does not last as long.

Being attacked by a shade

Being hit by a thrown or wielded potion of paralysis. Will usually paralyse you for 1-5 turns.

Drinking a potion of paralysis. Not a great move, this will paralyse you for 13-46 turns depending on BUC.

Be attacked by the clerical spell Paralyze

It can also be caused by Magicbane hitting you, as opposed to hitting a monster. As with other forms of immobility, it wears off after a specific number of turns (as opposed to moves).

Wearing a ring of free action protects against paralysis. During any NetHack game, it is inevitable that a humanoid enemy will eventually be spawned with a potion of paralysis in their inventory. If they successfully use it, you are often in real danger.

Monsters can also be paralyzed in NetHack, e. g. non-reflecting pets fighting a floating eye. You can wake them up with nonmagical or uncharged drums or horns. Zapping make invisible on the eye helps prevent paralysis.

This is different from helplessness caused by engraving, a cursed spellbook, chatting with a skeleton, or hurtling through the air while levitating, as a ring of free action will not protect against that. Otherwise, these impairments are identical.

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