View source for User:Tomsod/YANIs and patches/Infidel

{{patch
 |name=Infidel role
 |author=Tomsod
 |download=https://pastebin.com/E1iPM3zZ
}}

'''Infidels''' are a role that specializes in offensive magic, with some similarities to [[Priest]]s, and to [[Flame Mage]]s from [[SLASH'EM]].  They can be [[Human (starting race)|humans]] or [[Orc (starting race)|orcs]]; like Priests, they have a random pantheon, but Infidels always follow [[Moloch]].  The Infidel role offers a slightly unusual game, as they start with the [[Amulet of Yendor]] and are initially tasked with returning it to [[Moloch's Sanctum]].  There are a number of other quirks as well.

The [[EvilHack]] implementation of the Infidel role is heavily based on this patch, but there's a number of (sometimes important) differences, which this page ''currently'' doesn't document.  Refer to the [[EvilHack#New player roles|respective section]] of the variant's wiki page for a more up-to-date info.

== Starting equipment ==

* 250 to 500 [[gold piece]]s
* the uncursed [[Amulet of Yendor]]
* an uncursed +1 [[dagger]] ([[orcish dagger]] for orcs)
* a cursed fireproof +1 [[leather jacket]]
* a cursed fireproof +0 [[cloak of protection]]
* if an orc, two random [[comestible]]s
* an uncursed [[spellbook of drain life]]
* another random uncursed [[spellbook]] (at most level 3, not drain life, not from a [[restricted]] school)
* 3 potions of [[unholy water]]
* an uncursed [[fire horn]]
* an uncursed [[magic marker]]

In addition, all Infidels know the appearance of the [[scroll of charging]], although they don't start with any.  Their starting pet is a [[homunculus]].

== Intrinsics ==

* XL 1: [[Fire resistance]]
* XL 15: [[Warning]]
* XL 20: [[Shock resistance]]

== Skills ==

<!-- This table was generated using [[NetHackWiki:Skill table generator]].  Props to the guy who wrote it. -->
{| class="prettytable"
! colspan="2" style="font-size:larger" | Infidel skills
|-
! Max !! Skills
|-
| Basic
|
* ''Weapons:'' [[broadsword|broadsword]], [[saber|saber]], [[club|club]], [[hammer|hammer]], [[spear|spear]], [[trident|trident]], [[sling|sling]], [[dart|dart]]
* ''Spells:'' [[enchantment spells|enchantment]]
|-
| Skilled
|
* ''Weapons:'' [[short sword|short sword]], [[scimitar|scimitar]], [[quarterstaff|quarterstaff]], [[polearms|polearms]], [[crossbow|crossbow]], [[whip|whip]]
* ''Combat:'' [[bare hands|bare hands]], [[riding|riding]]
* ''Spells:'' [[divination spells|divination]]
|-
| Expert
|
* ''Weapons:'' [[dagger|dagger]], [[knife|knife]]
* ''Spells:'' [[attack spells|attack]], [[clerical spells|clerical]]
|}

Infidels start with ''Basic'' skill in ''Dagger'' and ''Attack spells''.  Their [[special spell]] is [[spellbook of fireball|fireball]].  Spell success is determined by [[wisdom]].

== Special rules ==

Infidels are partially immune to curses ("weldproof" in [[dNetHack]] terms): using [[cursed]] weapons, armor, jewelry, or [[loadstone]]s does not stick them to their persons, so they can be freely unequipped and dropped.  Other detrimental effects of cursed items take place as usual, however.

Infidels are penalized for wearing [[blessed]] armor: for each worn blessed piece of armor, their [[Spellcasting#Calculating spell success rate|spellcasting penalty]] is increased by 2.  Blessed weapons and jewelry do not have this effect.  Wearing cursed armor reduces this extra penalty by 1 per cursed item, but never below zero.  (This is why the starting armor is cursed.)

Since Infidels are expected to carry the [[Amulet of Yendor|Amulet]] with them for most of the game, the energy drain is much more merciful on them, increasing cast spells' cost by at most 50%.

Infidels suffer a [[multishot]] penalty for all weapons except [[dagger]]s.

Most other quirks are due to Infidels being ''unaligned'' (followers of [[Moloch]]); wearing a [[helm of opposite alignment]] temporarily negates all the peculiarities listed below.

=== Unaligned ===

Unaligned [[alignment]] can be succinctly described as "more strongly [[chaotic]]": unaligned Infidels can still commit [[murder]] and [[sacrifice]] their own race, and may also sacrifice pets and attack [[peaceful]] creatures with impunity; they take 4d6 damage from [[holy water]] (compared to chaotics' 2d6), and [[unholy water]] heals them for the same amount; like chaotics, their sacrifices reduce [[prayer timeout]] more and divine [[anger]] less (Moloch needs a sacrifice of value 16 or more to be mollified).

The most important difference is the unreliability of [[prayer]] in the early game: when praying to Moloch above [[Gehennom]], not on an unaligned [[altar]] and without your [[quest artifact]], the prayer has a 80% chance to fail.  This doesn't increment the prayer timeout, but neither does it provide [[invulnerability]].  On the other hand, praying to Moloch in Gehennom will always succeed.

Similarly, [[convert]]ing aligned altars is much more difficult as well, having the same 80% chance to fail outright under the aforementioned conditions.  However, same-race sacrifice is still guaranteed to convert lawful and neutral (but not chaotic) altars to Moloch.

Another important bit is that Moloch expects regular sacrifices to him.  After turn 6000, if you haven't yet performed a [[sacrifice]] to Moloch, your [[alignment record]] begins to drain at an increasing rate; reaching negative values has a chance to increment Moloch's [[anger]] as well.  Successfully performing a sacrifice delays this effect for 500 turns per point of sacrifice value; this delay is not cumulative, and if the previous remaining delay was higher, it isn't affected.  Any sacrifice to Moloch counts, including same-race sacrifice and sacrifice on a cross-aligned altar (as long as you're actually trying to convert the altar and not yourself).  You will be warned when you're due for a sacrifice, both through a message and in the [[base attributes]] window.

Moloch's [[Prayer#Favors and gifts|prayer boons]] are also infernal-themed: instead of blessing and repairing the wielded weapon, Moloch curses and repairs a random worn piece of armor; [[water prayer]] to Moloch always produces [[unholy water]]; and the uncursing aura will not uncurse said water and will unbless carried armor instead of uncursing it.

[[Chaotic]] monsters can be [[peaceful]] to unaligned characters, but the chance of this is halved compared to truly chaotic heroes.  Also, [[Elf (monster attribute)|elves]] will never be peaceful, not even to humans.  On the other hand, [[major demon]]s have a chance to start peaceful to Infidels, and carrying the [[Amulet of Yendor]] has no effect on monster hostility.  Peaceful chaotic monsters are not considered truly [[co-aligned]], so Infidels don't get penalties for killing them.

Unaligned Infidels are entirely exempt from the [[mysterious force]].

Infidels are discouraged from using [[Elbereth]]: scaring monsters this way incurs a -5 alignment penalty.  On the other hand, attacking under the protection of Elbereth does not (but the engraving will still disappear).

Infidels cannot peacefully interact with [[aligned priest]]s of other gods: merely entering a cross-aligned temple makes the priest hostile; in Minetown, this also makes the [[Watch]] angry.

Wearing a [[helm of opposite alignment]] temporarily makes Infidels [[lawful]]; a permanent conversion is not possible.

== First gift ==
{{artifact weapon
|name = Secespita
|base = knife
|smalldmg = 1d3 '''+1'''
|largedmg = 1d2 '''+1'''
|tohit = '''+1d5'''
|bonusversus = living
|affiliation = <ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>(Infidel)</li></ul>
|whenwielded = improved [[sacrifice]]
|cost = 1000
|weight = 5
|material = iron
}}

The first artifact Moloch gifts you is a slightly improved [[knife]] called '''Secespita'''.  It's primarily an utility artifact: wielding it while sacrificing a [[corpse]] improves its sacrifice value by 50%, rounded down.  This makes it very useful in allaying Moloch's anger, as it lowers the minimum required monster difficulty from 15 to 10.

In combat, Secespita has a modest bonus against living targets (that is, not [[undead]], [[golem]]s or [[vortices]]).  More importantly, if you manage to kill such an enemy with this knife, it will restore some of your [[energy]] (approximately half again the late monster's level).  As it's a very poor weapon, this effect may be difficult to trigger, however.

For Infidels, Secespita will be unaligned; in non-Infidel games, it's chaotic, continuing the proud tradition of shitty chaotic sacrifice gifts.

Further gifts from Moloch are limited to unaligned artifacts.

== Crowning ==

[[Crowning]] as a result of a prayer to Moloch needs a special mention, as it's very different from regular crowning.  Instead of merely giving you [[intrinsic]]s, Moloch permanently transforms you into a [[major demon]], changing your race from human or orcish to ''demonic''.  You do get intrinsic [[see invisible]], [[poison resistance]] and [[fire resistance]] permanently (although Infidels already have the last one), but the rest of unique demonic traits only persist as long as you're not [[polyself|polymorphed]], those being:

* [[Infravision]].
* [[Drain resistance]].
* Immunity to death magic.
* Intrinsic [[slow digestion]], effectively, as demons are [[inediate]].
* [[Flight]] that is blocked by most [[body armor]] (which constricts your wings).
** [[Leather jacket]]s and [[dragon scales]] (''not'' [[DSM]]) are allowed.
* An extra sting melee attack which can [[poison]] your enemies.  (It won't trigger against [[footrice]]s.)
* Vulnerability to [[silver]].  Like in vanilla, you cannot wear or wield silver items as a demon.

Demons have very good maximum stats:

{|class="prettytable"
!Character<br />[[race]]
!Strength
!Dexterity
!Constitution
!Intelligence
!Wisdom
!Charisma
|-
|Demon
|18/**
|20
|20
|18 ''or'' 16
|18 ''or'' 16
|18
|}
The limits on Intelligence and Wisdom are inherited from your former race; thus, former orcs will have a maximum of 16, while former humans will have 18.

Besides their attributes, demons also have higher [[HP]] and [[energy]] growth than any other race; you may want to [[Polymorph#Polymorphing into your own race|polyself into your own race]] or otherwise re-roll level-up bonuses after crowning.

Orcs and fellow major demons will often be peaceful to demonic Infidels, but the other races are hostile.  Unlike demon [[polyself]], you cannot gate other demons by [[bare-handed combat]].

In addition to losing access to silver items, the downsides to this kind of crowning are inability to perform a same-race sacrifice (as all demons are [[corpseless]]), and for former orcs, a penalty for cannibalism (which is mostly relevant only if polymorphed).  You will also be unable to pray to the lawful and neutral gods (if you wanted to for some reason).

The crowning gift is always a [[spellbook of fireball]], as Moloch doesn't have an associated artifact weapon.  If you already knew ''fireball'' before crowning, the wielded weapon will also be unrestricted.

It's still possible to get crowned the regular way as an Infidel, by praying while wearing a [[helm of opposite alignment]].  Regular crowning and Moloch crowning are mutually exclusive.

== Quest ==
{{main|User:Tomsod/YANIs and patches/Infidel/Quest}}

In the Infidel quest you travel to the Howling Forest to duel the Paladin for the Idol of Moloch.  The Paladin is intended to be a tough opponent, and you're encouraged to use guile to defeat her.  The quest monsters are '''agents''' and '''champions'''; like [[ninja]], they're unique to Infidel games, but they can also spawn in the main dungeon (if you're an Infidel); due to their lowered difficulty, this can happen fairly early.

=== Quest artifact ===
{{artifact
|color = mineral color
|glyph = (
|name = The Idol of Moloch
|base = figurine
|affiliation = <ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>Infidel</li><li>[[intelligent artifacts|intelligent]]</li></ul>
|whencarried = <ul><li>[[magic resistance]]</li><li>[[half spell damage]]</li><li>''(special)''</li></ul>
|used = applied
|whenused = <ul><li>summons a [[major demon]]</li></ul>
|wheninvoked = <ul><li>converts an [[altar]]</li></ul>
|cost = 4000
|weight = 50
}}

The quest reward is '''the Idol of Moloch''', an artifact [[figurine]] of a horned devil (representing [[Moloch]] himself).  It will be unaligned to Infidels, but for wishing and bones purposes it's chaotic, giving chaotics a way to obtain slotless [[magic resistance]] and [[half spell damage]].  In addition to these two properties, Infidels will benefit from improved [[energy]] regeneration while carrying it, but only if they're [[alignment record|piously unaligned]].  If their alignment is lower, but still positive, this effect will be proportionately reduced; for Infidels in bad standing with Moloch (or with [[helm of opposite alignment|changed alignment]]), and for all other roles, the energy regeneration will not be improved at all.

In addition, carrying this item removes the penalties Infidels have when converting altars and praying above Gehennom.  Invoking the Idol while standing on an altar instantly converts it to Moloch; invoking or applying it otherwise summons a random [[major demon]], much like an ordinary [[figurine]], except the Idol will not be expended.  These two powers respect an [[invoke|invocation timeout]].

In Infidel games only, the Idol is nearly indestructible and cannot be put into [[container]]s, in the manner of an [[unique item]].  If it's still somehow destroyed or lost, the game becomes [[unwinnable]].

== Ascension ==

Infidels have slightly different winning conditions: they cannot ascend by offering the Amulet of Yendor; given that that they start with it, it would make for a very short game otherwise!  Instead, they first need to bring the Amulet, along with their quest artifact (the Idol), to the [[Sanctum]]'s high altar.  (For Infidels, many Sanctum monsters, including the [[high priest]], will be peaceful.)  There, Moloch will imbue the Idol with most of the Amulet's properties, and afterwards Infidels have an almost ordinary [[ascension run]], but with the Idol instead of the Amulet (and without the [[mysterious force]]).

The [[Astral Plane]] lacks the guardian angel and the [[minion]]s of Moloch in Infidel games; all the monsters are hostile.  The goal is to [[invoke]] the Idol while standing on the correct high altar.  Guessing the altar wrong will subject you to the relevant god's wrath, including a [[wide-angle disintegration beam]].  It's possible to determine the correct altar in advance.