Scroll of scare monster
? 
| |
|---|---|
| Name | scare monster |
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 100 zm |
| Weight | 5 |
| Ink to write | 10-19 |
| Monster use | Will not be used by monsters. |
The scroll of scare monster causes monsters in your visual range to flee, though some may resist. When it is on a square, monsters treat that square as if Elbereth were written on it (meaning monsters that don't respect Elbereth won't respect scare monster). If you pick up a blessed scroll of scare monster, it will become uncursed. If you try to pick up a cursed one, it will disintegrate. An uncursed one will set an internal flag the first time you pick it up, and disintegrate the next time unless blessed. The game will report "The scroll turns to dust as you pick it up." [1]
Scrolls of scare monster in shops can get you in trouble in the early game. If you pick up a scroll in a shop and it disintegrates, you owe the shopkeeper for it; if you can't afford it, you'll have to sell your other items or risk angering the shopkeeper. Be careful picking up scrolls in shops until you have a decent amount of gold. A safer alternative is to #chat while standing on an unidentified scroll; if you price id the scroll as scare monster then only pick it up if you can afford to pay for it.
If you need to move a scroll of scare monster without destroying it, try kicking it, or have your pets pick it up. If you only want a scroll class item, kick it into a pool of water. A pet picking up the scroll will not cause the same detrimental effects that occur when you pick up the scroll, nor will stealing the scroll from a pet or other monster that is carrying the scroll while you are polymorphed into a nymph. This is the only way to pick up a cursed scroll of scare monster, however in vanilla nethack only a hostile archon or a blind monster that normally picks up scrolls will pick up a cursed scroll of scare monster.
Messages
Reading it will result in one of the following messages:
- You hear maniacal laughter close by.
- at least one creature was affected
- You hear maniacal laughter in the distance.
- no creature was affected (excluding pets[2])
History
The scroll of scare monster originated in Rogue, where it had the same effect (although b/u/c distinctions did not exist).
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 Information on this page may be out of date.
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