Difference between revisions of "Water moccasin"

From NetHackWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(followup + formatting + copyedit pt. 1)
(pasto, finish page work now that the new year's in)
Line 23: Line 23:
 
A water moccasin has a single [[poison]]ous bite attack, and possesses [[poison resistance]].
 
A water moccasin has a single [[poison]]ous bite attack, and possesses [[poison resistance]].
  
A water moccasin [[corpse]] is poisonous to eat, but eating a snake corpse or tin has a roughly {{frac|3|11}} chance of conveying poison resistance.
+
A water moccasin [[corpse]] is poisonous to eat, but eating a water moccasin corpse or tin has a roughly {{frac|3|11}} chance of conveying poison resistance.
  
 
==Generation==
 
==Generation==
Line 31: Line 31:
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
Individually, water moccasins are similar enough to snakes that they can be dispatched through the same methods - however, the normal method of encountering moccasins will usually result in a character being surrounded by quite a few of them. This makes it a potent source of deaths for unsuspecting low-level characters - moccasins were once the fourth most frequent cause of death on [[nethack.alt.org]] (next to [[soldier ant]]s, [[jackal]]s, and [[wand]]s), and it is common for some users to exclaim "Go team fountain!" when a water moccasin death is announced in the #nethack channel on [[Libera]].
+
Individually, water moccasins are similar enough to snakes that they can be dispatched through the same methods - however, the normal method of encountering moccasins will usually result in a character being surrounded by quite a few of them. This makes it a potent source of deaths for unsuspecting low-level characters that gamble on fountains; moccasins are also a primary reason that characters seeking to dip for [[Excalibur]] will want poison resistance beforehand. Moccasins were previously the fourth most frequent cause of death on [[nethack.alt.org]] (after [[soldier ant]]s, [[jackal]]s, and [[wand]]s), and it is still common for some users to exclaim "Go team fountain!" when a water moccasin death is announced in the #nethack channel on [[Libera]].
  
One of the easiest ways for a character to deal with water moccasins is to simply avoid interacting with fountains until they have poison resistance and a means of effectively dealing with the snakes or escaping otherwise. [[Pool]]s of water generated previously by the same fountain can impede escape - engraving [[Elbereth]] can work as an escape tactic, the fountain square cannot be engraved on and moving to a free square may be enough time for one of the moccasins to poison a character. Water moccasins from the fountains in [[Delphi]] can easily trap the player, due to the lack of open adjacent squares.  
+
Engraving [[Elbereth]] is a good escape tactic for moccasin attacks, but the fountain square cannot be engraved on: in some cases, a character moving to a free square may also give the moccasins enough time to poison and/or kill them. [[Pool]]s of water generated previously by the same fountain can also impede escape, and water moccasins generated from the fountains in [[Delphi]] can also easily trap a character due to the lack of open squares.
 +
 
 +
One of the easiest ways for a character to deal with water moccasins is to simply avoid interacting with fountains until they are ready to fight off a swarm of snakes or even a [[water demon]].
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
The water moccasin first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]].
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
 
{{wikipedia|Water moccasin}}
 
{{wikipedia|Water moccasin}}
Water moccasins are a species of venomous snake well known in the southeastern United States.
+
Water moccasins are a species of venomous snake that are well known in the southeastern United States.
 +
 
 +
==Variants==
 +
===EvilHack===
 +
In [[EvilHack]], the deeper now-sewage levels of the [[Gnomish Mines]] may generate water moccasins in the watery areas at level creation.
  
 
==Encyclopedia entry==
 
==Encyclopedia entry==

Revision as of 12:01, 1 January 2024

A water moccasin, S, is a type of monster that appear in NetHack. It is a type of snake that is nearly identical to the standard snake, but is somewhat heavier. Water moccasins can swim and will hide under items like most snakes.

A water moccasin has a single poisonous bite attack, and possesses poison resistance.

A water moccasin corpse is poisonous to eat, but eating a water moccasin corpse or tin has a roughly 311 chance of conveying poison resistance.

Generation

Water moccasins are not randomly generated, and are always created hostile.

Water moccasins can only be generated by dipping or quaffing from a fountain, which has a 130 chance of generating a group of 2-6 water moccasins.[1] While water moccasins are designated as generating in large group, this only applies to random generation: in addition to water moccasins not using random generation, fountain generation is a separate set of code.

Strategy

Individually, water moccasins are similar enough to snakes that they can be dispatched through the same methods - however, the normal method of encountering moccasins will usually result in a character being surrounded by quite a few of them. This makes it a potent source of deaths for unsuspecting low-level characters that gamble on fountains; moccasins are also a primary reason that characters seeking to dip for Excalibur will want poison resistance beforehand. Moccasins were previously the fourth most frequent cause of death on nethack.alt.org (after soldier ants, jackals, and wands), and it is still common for some users to exclaim "Go team fountain!" when a water moccasin death is announced in the #nethack channel on Libera.

Engraving Elbereth is a good escape tactic for moccasin attacks, but the fountain square cannot be engraved on: in some cases, a character moving to a free square may also give the moccasins enough time to poison and/or kill them. Pools of water generated previously by the same fountain can also impede escape, and water moccasins generated from the fountains in Delphi can also easily trap a character due to the lack of open squares.

One of the easiest ways for a character to deal with water moccasins is to simply avoid interacting with fountains until they are ready to fight off a swarm of snakes or even a water demon.

History

The water moccasin first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.

Origin

Water moccasins are a species of venomous snake that are well known in the southeastern United States.

Variants

EvilHack

In EvilHack, the deeper now-sewage levels of the Gnomish Mines may generate water moccasins in the watery areas at level creation.

Encyclopedia entry

See the encyclopedia entry for snake.

References