Difference between revisions of "Straitjacket"

From NetHackWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (Escaping a cursed straitjacket: Links)
(punc, word choice)
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
The '''straitjacket''' ("long-sleeved jacket") is a type of torso "armor" that appears in [[dNetHack]].
+
{{armor
 +
|color=white
 +
|name=straitjacket
 +
|appearance=long-sleeved jacket
 +
|cost=10
 +
|slot=body armor
 +
|ac=0 + 1 DR
 +
|special=<ul><li>[[Magic cancellation (3.4.3)|MC2]]</li><li>restrains arms if [[cursed]]</li></ul>
 +
|weight=15
 +
|material=cloth
 +
}}<!--this'll have to do until we can prep a formal dnh armor template-->
  
== Use as armor ==
+
A '''straitjacket''' is a type of [[body armor]] that appears in [[dNetHack]] and [[notdNetHack]]. It is made of [[cloth]] and appears as a '''long-sleeved jacket''' when unidentified.
  
As armor, the straitjacket (unusually for armor in the torso slot) protects the upper body and arms. It provides MC 2 and no extrinsic.
+
==Generation==
 +
[[Madpeople]] start each game with a worn [[cursed]] straitjacket.
  
However, a straitjacket should never actually be used as armor, due to the risk of becoming trapped in the armor should it become cursed.
+
The monsters inhabiting the cells on the floors above the home level of the [[Madman quest]] are generated with straitjackets.
  
== Effects of a cursed straitjacket ==
+
The [[Stranger]] has a unique [[dNetHack monster spells|monster spell]] known as "incarcerate" that has a {{frac|2|3}} chance of attempting to trap the character in a cursed straitjacket, if they are [[humanoid]] in shape and not wearing any body armor.
  
A cursed straitjacket prevents the use of the hands, acting as if your hands were welded to a [[Two-handed#Strategy|cursed two-handed weapon]], notably preventing donning and doffing armor, opening doors, and casting spells. Additionally, a cursed jacket prevents any attack that uses the upper limbs, notably including the player-character's default melee attack. While stuck in a jacket, the PC will fall back on their [[kick]] attack if possible, becoming completely unable to attack if their kick attack is somehow blocked (such as by standing in shallow water).
+
==Description==
 +
While worn, a straitjacket covers the upper body and arms, and confers 0 base [[AC]], 1 base [[DR]], and grants [[Magic cancellation (3.4.3)|MC2]].
  
== Escaping a cursed straitjacket ==
+
A worn cursed straitjacket has several adverse effects: the use of the character's hands are prevented similar to that of a cursed [[two-handed]] weapon, and any actions that use the upper limbs - e.g., the default melee attack, casting spells, wearing and removing armor and other objects, and opening doors - are completely prevented. A character in a cursed straitjacket can only attack in melee by [[kick]]ing if their form allows it, and cannot attack at all if anything would prevent kicking, such as standing in [[shallow water]] or being at [[stressed]] levels of encumbrance or worse. A character in a straitjacket cannot take deep breaths, and so any [[breath weapon]] that they may have is weakened, with the number of damage dice and their size halved (rounded up), and the range reduced to 3-5 squares (compared to the usual 7-13).
  
Because the jacket is stuck to itself, weld-proof-ness offers no protection against a cursed straitjacket. There are, however, numerous methods of escape. Some more frequent methods are as follows (see [[curse removal]] for a complete list):
+
[[Weldproof]]ing does not prevent any of these effects, as the straitjacket is stuck to itself rather than the character's body.
* Prayer. The gods recognize being stuck in a jacket as a major [[trouble]], and so are quite likely to free you (note that [[Madman (dNetHack role)|Madmen]], who start the game stuck in a jacket, also start with [[anger|angry]] gods!).
 
* A scroll of remove curse or an [[effigy]] will lift the curse and allow escape.
 
* A scroll of destroy armor will destroy the jacket as normal.
 
* Shopkeepers sometimes offer curse removal as a [[Shopkeeper_services|shop service]]. Gaining access to a shop may require waiting for an intelligent monster to open the door for you!
 
* Allowing the jacket to be stolen by a [[nymph]] (amusingly, the nymph may proceed to trap herself in the jacket, preventing further theft attacks!).
 
* Allowing the jacket to be removed by a [[foocubus]].
 
* Polymorphing to a form that breaks or shrinks out of the jacket.
 
* A [[magic trap]] may uncurse the jacket (4.8% chance).
 
  
 +
==Strategy==
 +
Though it confers some minimal non-zero level of protection and uniquely covers the arms as well as the upper body, straitjackets should not be worn as armor due to the significant drawbacks of a worn one becoming cursed.
  
[[Category:dNethack Items]]
+
Similar to the [[Convict]], removing the cursed straitjacket is one of the primary tasks for a starting Madperson - various standard methods of [[curse removal]] and removing armor are viable to this end, though some may be less practical than others depending on the circumstances:
 +
 
 +
* Successful [[prayer]] can uncurse the jacket, as your [[god]] considers this a major [[trouble]] - unfortunately, Madpeople start the game with an [[angry]] god, and must appease them prior to praying or seeking any other form of favor from their deity.
 +
* A [[scroll of remove curse]] or an [[effigy]] will uncurse the jacket.
 +
* A [[scroll of destroy armor]] can destroy the jacket - be sure to remove any other worn armor prior to reading a scroll you suspect to be or have identified as destroy armor.
 +
* Some [[shopkeeper]]s offer curse removal as a [[Shopkeeper services|service]], though gaining access to the [[shop]] often requires waiting for an [[intelligent monster]] to open the door.
 +
* A [[Nymph (monster class)|nymph]] that seduces you can remove the jacket as normal, and an encounter with a [[foocubus]] allows them to remove the jacket as well.
 +
** Amusingly, a nymph that steals or picks up a cursed straitjacket may proceed to trap herself in the jacket, preventing further theft attacks.
 +
** Yuki-onna characters are immune to seduction from other nymphs, though they can still initiate encounters with foocubi. In notdNetHack, they also have the added hurdle of a worn [[ring of protection from shape changers]]: yuki-onna cannot shift to their [[snow cloud]] form without removing the ring, which in turn requires removing the jacket.
 +
* [[Polymorph]]ing into a form of a different size can destroy the straitjacket or shrink the character out of it.
 +
* A [[magic trap]] has a 4.8% chance of applying a [[remove curse]] effect, which can uncurse the straitjacket.
 +
 
 +
===The Stranger===
 +
The Stranger's incarcerate monster spell can only trap your character in a cursed straitjacket if they are humanoid and not wearing body armor: to this end, if your character ''has'' body armor, the spell can also randomly select worn armor and turn it yellow, with [[metallic]] armor transmuted to [[Gold (material)|gold]] if possible; if the spell targets armor that is already yellow, it is stolen and warped directly into the Stranger's inventory, potentially opening you up to being trapped in the straitjacket.
 +
 
 +
Though the incarcerate spell can be potentially game-ruining, it has an effective {{frac|27}} chance of occurring per casting: it will take at least five castings of the spell (if not several more) for the Stranger to stick a straitjacket onto a character that was fully equipped with non-yellow gear prior to the fight. A sufficiently-prepared character should be able to escape and make it to a cache of replacement armor in the absolute worst case.
 +
{{variant-343}}
 +
[[Category:dNetHack body armor]]
 +
[[Category:notdNetHack body armor]]

Latest revision as of 01:27, 22 March 2024

[   straitjacket  
Appearance long-sleeved jacket
Slot body armor
AC 0 + 1 DR
Special
Base price 10 zm
Weight 15
Material cloth

A straitjacket is a type of body armor that appears in dNetHack and notdNetHack. It is made of cloth and appears as a long-sleeved jacket when unidentified.

Generation

Madpeople start each game with a worn cursed straitjacket.

The monsters inhabiting the cells on the floors above the home level of the Madman quest are generated with straitjackets.

The Stranger has a unique monster spell known as "incarcerate" that has a 23 chance of attempting to trap the character in a cursed straitjacket, if they are humanoid in shape and not wearing any body armor.

Description

While worn, a straitjacket covers the upper body and arms, and confers 0 base AC, 1 base DR, and grants MC2.

A worn cursed straitjacket has several adverse effects: the use of the character's hands are prevented similar to that of a cursed two-handed weapon, and any actions that use the upper limbs - e.g., the default melee attack, casting spells, wearing and removing armor and other objects, and opening doors - are completely prevented. A character in a cursed straitjacket can only attack in melee by kicking if their form allows it, and cannot attack at all if anything would prevent kicking, such as standing in shallow water or being at stressed levels of encumbrance or worse. A character in a straitjacket cannot take deep breaths, and so any breath weapon that they may have is weakened, with the number of damage dice and their size halved (rounded up), and the range reduced to 3-5 squares (compared to the usual 7-13).

Weldproofing does not prevent any of these effects, as the straitjacket is stuck to itself rather than the character's body.

Strategy

Though it confers some minimal non-zero level of protection and uniquely covers the arms as well as the upper body, straitjackets should not be worn as armor due to the significant drawbacks of a worn one becoming cursed.

Similar to the Convict, removing the cursed straitjacket is one of the primary tasks for a starting Madperson - various standard methods of curse removal and removing armor are viable to this end, though some may be less practical than others depending on the circumstances:

  • Successful prayer can uncurse the jacket, as your god considers this a major trouble - unfortunately, Madpeople start the game with an angry god, and must appease them prior to praying or seeking any other form of favor from their deity.
  • A scroll of remove curse or an effigy will uncurse the jacket.
  • A scroll of destroy armor can destroy the jacket - be sure to remove any other worn armor prior to reading a scroll you suspect to be or have identified as destroy armor.
  • Some shopkeepers offer curse removal as a service, though gaining access to the shop often requires waiting for an intelligent monster to open the door.
  • A nymph that seduces you can remove the jacket as normal, and an encounter with a foocubus allows them to remove the jacket as well.
    • Amusingly, a nymph that steals or picks up a cursed straitjacket may proceed to trap herself in the jacket, preventing further theft attacks.
    • Yuki-onna characters are immune to seduction from other nymphs, though they can still initiate encounters with foocubi. In notdNetHack, they also have the added hurdle of a worn ring of protection from shape changers: yuki-onna cannot shift to their snow cloud form without removing the ring, which in turn requires removing the jacket.
  • Polymorphing into a form of a different size can destroy the straitjacket or shrink the character out of it.
  • A magic trap has a 4.8% chance of applying a remove curse effect, which can uncurse the straitjacket.

The Stranger

The Stranger's incarcerate monster spell can only trap your character in a cursed straitjacket if they are humanoid and not wearing body armor: to this end, if your character has body armor, the spell can also randomly select worn armor and turn it yellow, with metallic armor transmuted to gold if possible; if the spell targets armor that is already yellow, it is stolen and warped directly into the Stranger's inventory, potentially opening you up to being trapped in the straitjacket.

Though the incarcerate spell can be potentially game-ruining, it has an effective 127 chance of occurring per casting: it will take at least five castings of the spell (if not several more) for the Stranger to stick a straitjacket onto a character that was fully equipped with non-yellow gear prior to the fight. A sufficiently-prepared character should be able to escape and make it to a cache of replacement armor in the absolute worst case.