Talk:Pyrolisk

As a pet

I think pyrolisks are bad pets, and the corresponding section should be curtailed.

• Assasinating friendlies is an advantage all pets enjoy, and there are more effective choices.
• If the hero can't kill something, a pyrolisk won't help either. So the strategy advice reduces to "lock it up always", which really means "dump your pet pyrolisk".
• Factual error: Their gazes does miss, you just don't get a message. Wiz-test it with a peaceful elf lord and a stethoscope.
• Bad loot is a moot point because the only scrolls monsters ever get are teleport and create monster, and potions are mostly healing ones. Don'c onfuse this with death drops - they are created only after the player himself kills the monster.
• Your magic whistle is a very effective weapon with 4-7 archons, balrogs, master mind flayers, jabberwocks, vampires etc attached. Blowing it kills any early/mid-game monster before it can scratch you. Due to its weak gaze attack, a pet pyrolisk dilutes the squad and makes it unrealiable.
• Factual error: they never attack your quest leader or peacefuls unless confused or conflicted.
• Pyrolisks still obey the usual XP levels rules for attacking monsters. For example, they aren't exotic enough to gaze on the Wizard of Yendor. See Pacifist#High_level_monsters why you would bother.

In the end, it boils down to:

A pet pyrolisk has the unique advantage that its gaze attack will not provoke counterattack or wake up sleeping monsters. Since its d12 damage is insignificant, any good general-purpose pet is better.

If nobody speaks up, I'll update the article.--Tjr