Amulet of reflection
An amulet of reflection is an amulet that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
A randomly generated amulet has a 7.5% chance to be an amulet of reflection - it appears uncursed 90% of the time, blessed 5% of the time, and cursed for the remaining 5%.[1]
The Sokoban prize has a 50% chance to be a normally-generated amulet of reflection.[2][3]
Upon reaching the Astral Plane, if you are not generating conflict, the tame guardian Angel created next to you will have an amulet of reflection if it does not generate with a shield of reflection (i.e., with a 75% chance).[4][5]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.
Sokoban floor 4a has a 25% chance for an amulet of reflection, and 4b has a 75% chance.Effects
When worn, the amulet conveys extrinsic reflection - reflecting a ray or passive gaze while wearing the amulet without any other source of reflection will auto-identify it. Some monsters can also wear this amulet, and it is the only other amulet they will actively wear besides an amulet of life saving.
Eating an amulet of reflection will have no effect.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.
Monsters may now wear the amulet of guarding as well, making this amulet slightly more difficult to identify.Strategy
The amulet of reflection is a valuable item for any player, and is a powerful defense against wand-wielding monsters and breath attacks. As such, it naturally factors into several ascension kits - compared to other sources, it does not severely penalize spellcasting like a shield of reflection, but is not as high-priority a wish as silver dragon scale mail. The amulet of reflection is sometimes replaced upon procuring another source of reflection in order to open the amulet slot for life saving or magical breathing.
Players keeping the amulet of reflection usually combine it with gray dragon scale mail and any magical cloak that is not a cloak of magic resistance - e.g., they may choose to further augment defense via a cloak of protection, and some casters using this combination may supplement their spellcasting with a robe. The amulet is also a primary source of reflection for Monks avoiding body armor and shields, as well as conduct players - vegetarians and vegans covering resistances, nudist and/or wishless players, etc. Sokoban's potential for an amulet of reflection makes it an enticing early-game destination once a player has established an adequate starting kit, especially if they fit any of the above play styles.
Informally identifying an amulet of reflection is somewhat tricky - in practice, confirmation usually comes in the form of a typically-undesirable ray hitting you. A wand of magic missile is the least harmful wand to have used against you; you may also prefer to zap it at a wall and see if it hits you on the rebound. One risky potential means of testing for an amulet of reflection is using a floating eye, where you are positioned in a manner that no other monsters can get to you if you are paralyzed - if you attack the eye in melee and its passive gaze is reflected by the amulet, it will auto-identify.
Beware of monsters possibly wearing the amulet, especially around the Sokoban zoo - an empty prize closet means one of the monsters has grabbed the amulet, and you should ideally avoid reflectable wands and spells if possible until you track it down.
History
The amulet of reflection first appears in NetHack 3.0.0.
From version 3.0.0 to NetHack 3.4.3, Sokoban Level 4b was the only final Sokoban map that would contain an amulet of reflection, effectively making it a 50/50 - some variants based on these older versions retain this. As of NetHack 3.6.0, both this and the other final map of Sokoban have a 50% chance to generate either the amulet or an uncursed bag of holding as the prize.
Versions prior to 3.6.0 also allowed ki-rin to wear amulets, with the amulet of reflection being a common choice for those with tamed ki-rin.
Messages
- But it reflects from your medallion!
- A ray was reflected by an amulet of reflection; this will auto-identify it.
- But it reflects from <foo>'s amulet!
- A ray was reflected from an amulet of reflection worn by a monster.
- The floating eye's gaze is reflected by your medallion.
- You attacked a floating eye in melee, and its passive gaze was reflected; this will auto-identify the amulet and prevent you from being paralyzed.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, an amulet of reflection is the Sokoban prize for Level 4b and Level 4d. The Sokoban amulet is also made more valuable by the ability to upgrade a sack or oilskin sack into a bag of holding.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, Sokoban has the same choice of prizes for each final level of the branch, and the prize amulet has a 1⁄3 to be an amulet of reflection. The presence of chromatic dragon scale mail can also free up an amulet slot used by this item for replacement with another, e.g. an amulet of flying.
NetHack Fourk
In NetHack Fourk, Sokoban has an amulet of reflection as the prize for the floors Upon Further Reflection, Collecting Marbles, and Back At Ya if you do not already possess one.
NetHack brass
In NetHack brass, the Sokoban prize amulet is always an amulet of reflection, with the other two choices being a cloak of magic resistance and a bag of holding. Non-artifact items that provide magic resistance or reflection can wear out from repeated resistance or reflection, making duplicate reflection sources a good idea to choose for the latter case.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, the Sokoban zoo closets have a prize behind each door, with one possible prize type being an amulet - the amulet has a 50% chance to be an amulet of reflection. Like other sources of reflection in EvilHack, the amulet also no longer fully protects you from the effects of rays while reflecting them, but still significantly reduces their impact.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, you can create a shield of reflection at a furnace using an amulet of reflection and a large shield.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, minor spire map inclusion can generate an amulet of reflection alongside a robe and one of the following sets of items:
- A silver khakkara
- A mithril plate mail, a silver wand, and a mithril buckler; this can only occur if Soulmirror has already been generated
