Statue trap
` statue trap 
| |
|---|---|
| Generates | level 8+ |
| Effect | Statue on its space comes to life |
The statue trap looks like a normal statue, but is actually a trap that can cause statues to come to life.
Contents
Generation
Trap statues contain the inventory a monster normally starts with. Unlike ordinary statues, they cannot contain spellbooks. Randomly generated trap statues are extremely unlikely to depict a co-aligned unicorn.[1]
Effects
When you walk on the trap, it will transform the topmost statue on the trap into the monster it depicts.[2][3] A statue trap can also be activated by searching, zapping force bolt, or applying a pick-axe. Technically, stone to flesh doesn't activate the trap, it just reanimates the statue if the monster was fleshy, otherwise it turns it in to a meatball. A stethoscope will give a revealing message to healers only, but will not activate the trap.
Monsters will never set off these traps.[4]
Removal
These traps are removed if you set them off.
Strategy
Because of these traps it is a good idea to far look any statue you see. If the statue is of a monster you would rather not fight, don't step on it. If you have automatic searching, don't even go near it. However, you can throw another statue, preferably one of a weaker monster, onto the trap and then activate it. The new statue will come to life, leaving the old one inanimate. Zapping the trap with a wand of teleportation will teleport the statue without activating it. A wand of polymorph will not set it off either.
