Difference between revisions of "Floating eye"

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A '''floating eye''', {{monsym|floating_eye}} ({{monsym|floating_eye (UnNetHack)}} in UnNetHack), can be one of the most dangerous [[NetHack]] [[monster]]s if handled incorrectly — it possesses a [[passive attack|passive]] [[paralysis]] gaze attack.
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A '''floating eye''', {{monsym|floating eye}}, is a particularly dangerous [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It is the only [[intelligent monster]] and non-explosive member of the [[sphere]] [[monster class]].
  
The [[DevTeam]] does not consider the lack of any warnings about hitting a floating eye to be a [[bug#C343-120|bug]].<ref>[http://www.nethack.org/v343/bugs.html#C343-120 Bug #C343-120] not a bug</ref> The encyclopedia entry does warn even unspoiled players of the danger.
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The floating eye is extremely slow and does not attack, but each time it is attacked in melee there is a {{frac|2|3}} chance of it using a [[Passive attack|passive]] [[Paralysis|paralyzing]] [[gaze attack]] that immobilizes the attacker, unless that attack kills the floating eye.{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2874|version=NetHack 3.6.6}} If [[you]] are paralyzed by a floating eye, the length of time you are immobilized depends on your [[Wisdom]] and the floating eye's level - if your wisdom is 12 or lower, there is a {{frac|4}} chance of being paralyzed for exactly 127 turns; otherwise, the duration (<var>lvl</var>&nbsp;+&nbsp;1)d70 turns.{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2897|version=NetHack 3.6.6|comment=paralysis duration}} Floating eyes are the indirect cause of many [[YASD]]s this way.
  
== Gaze attack ==
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Eating a floating eye [[corpse]] conveys intrinsic [[telepathy]].
  
The floating eye has a passive gaze attack which causes paralysis.  Every time you attack a floating eye with a [[melee]] attack, there is a 2/3 chance that it will use its gaze attack against you if your attack did not kill it. If the floating eye has been [[Cancellation|cancelled]], is [[blind]], or if you cannot see the floating eye, it cannot use its gaze attack.  If you have [[reflection]] or [[free action]], the paralysis will not affect you. {{refsrc|uhitm.c|2256|comment=details of gaze attack}}
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==Generation==
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Floating eyes are typically encountered early in the dungeon after you gain a few [[experience level]]s. Three floating eyes are generated on the [[Plane of Air]].
  
There is a 1/500 chance that you will lose one point of [[Luck]] if you attack a blind floating eye.{{refsrc|uhitm.c|2275|comment=luck penalty}}
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Floating eyes may generate carrying [[defensive item]]s like other monsters, but have no limbs to use them with; they are also excluded from receiving a [[wand of digging]] this way.
  
=== Paralysis ===
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Only 50% of floating eyes will leave a [[corpse]] upon death.
The length of paralysis depends on your [[wisdom]] and LEV (the floating eye's level, typically 2 or 3). You are [[Paralysis|paralysed]] for (LEV + 1)d70 turns if your wisdom is greater than 12. Otherwise, there is a 75% chance of the same length of paralysis and a 25% chance of being paralysed for exactly 127 turns{{refsrc|uhitm.c|2270|comment=paralysis duration}}.
 
  
== Telepathy ==
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==Strategy==
{{main|Telepathy}}
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As indicated above, and in-game via the [[encyclopedia]] entry, the floating eye is dangerous to attack in melee, but its gaze will not trigger if attacked outside of melee range. Additionally, it does not occur if the floating eye has been [[Cancellation|cancelled]] or [[blind]]ed; note that there is a {{frac|500}} chance that you will lose one point of [[Luck]] if you attack a blind floating eye.{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2907|comment=luck penalty|version=NetHack 3.6.6}} A source of [[reflection]] or [[free action]] will completely prevent paralysis;{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2882|version=NetHack 3.6.6}}{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2892|version=NetHack 3.6.6}} [[hallucination]] will cause you to ignore the passive gaze {{frac|3|4}} of the time.{{refsrc|src/uhitm.c|2885|version=NetHack 3.6.6}} While you can apply a [[mirror]] to paralyze a floating eye, this does not prevent its passive gaze from paralyzing you.
  
Eating a floating eye [[corpse]] always conveys [[telepathy]]. Only 50% of floating eyes will leave a corpse.
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Any ranged attacks - [[dagger]]s, [[polearm]]s, [[spell]]s, etc. - can safely dispose of floating eyes, and even throwing junk weapons or rocks will suffice. If fighting one inside a room, you can wait for it to move so that you can retrieve your thrown weapons if desired. Alternately, you can blind yourself by [[apply]]ing an appropriate item, such as a [[blindfold]], [[towel]] or a [[cream pie]] - as long as you cannot see the floating eye, you can attack it without consequence. Another option is to make the floating eye [[invisible]], e.g. with a [[wand of make invisible]] (unless you have the [[see invisible]] intrinsic).
  
The [[intrinsic]] telepathy acquired in this manner is permanent, but one can lose it by [[Murder|murdering]] as a neutral or lawful, or having a [[gremlin]] steal it.
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If you are facing a floating eye in a corridor without any means of ranged attack, and wasting turns is not an issue, you can place yourself between the floating eye and an obstacle of some sort (such as a locked door, boulder, or passive creature) so the paralysis will cause no lasting damage other than wasting turns; however, you will then likely have to contend with hunger instead.
  
Upon getting the intrinsic power, '''"You feel a strange mental acuity"''' (or '''"You feel in touch with the cosmos"''' if hallucinating).
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Pets will not attack floating eyes in melee most of the time; a [[leather drum]] can unfreeze a pet that is paralyzed as a result of attacking one.
  
==Strategy==
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Floating eyes are a commonly sought out source of telepathy - many players make and/or seek out [[tin]]s of floating eye meat as a means of re-gaining telepathy if is lost later on (e.g. through an accidental murder). [[Zen]] players usually have the explicit goal of finding and killing a floating eye in order to eat it and make navigation safer, as most of the dungeon's inhabitants will become visible to them. [[Monk]]s may be tempted to break the [[vegan]]/[[vegetarian]] conducts by eating one, though they can gain the comparable [[warning]] intrinsic by reaching experience level 7, and it is possible to receive telepathy as a boon from your [[god]] via [[prayer]].
If you are affected by the floating eye's gaze, you will be paralyzed for many turns, during which you are likely to be killed by even the weakest monsters such as [[newt]]s or [[grid bug]]s. Because of this, floating eyes are the cause of many [[YASD]]s. Nonetheless, if you avoid hitting them in melee they are entirely harmless, although they are not [[peaceful]].
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==History==
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The floating eye has been present in the game since PDP-11, a variant of [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]]. It was also one of many monsters featured in pre-5.3 versions of ''[[Rogue (game)|Rogue]]'', before it was replaced with the ice monster (seemingly due to copyright issues involving ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'').
  
To kill a floating eye, it is best to use ranged weapons, [[polearm]]s, or spells. If you do not have a powerful ranged attack, [[throw]] junk weapons or rocks.  If you are in a room with the floating eye (rather than a corridor) and no other monsters are around, you can keep throwing your melee weapon at it and waiting for it to move so that you can retrieve your weapon. Finally, if wasting turns is not an issue, you can place yourself between the floating eye and an obstacle of some sort (locked door, boulder, a passive creature, et cetera) so the paralysis will cause no lasting damage other than wasting turns.
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The floating eye was subject to a [[NetHack 3.4.3]] [[Bugs in NetHack 3.4.3#C343-120|bug report]], citing the lack of warnings present when attacking one; the [[DevTeam]] closed this issue as "not a bug", clarifying that this is intentional.
  
Floating eyes cannot harm you if you are [[blind]]. Thus you may kill them in melee if you just first blind yourself, for example by wearing a [[blindfold]] or [[towel]]. Blinding the floating eye is also effective, but there is a 1/500 chance of a -1 Luck penalty for hitting a blind floating eye. Another option is to zap it with a [[Wand of make invisible]] or otherwise make it [[invisible]], as long as you cannot [[see invisible]].
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==Origin==
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The floating eye may have been inspired by a similarly-named monster in the 1st Edition Monster Manual of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''. The floating eyes of ''AD&D'' are portrayed as an unusual type of saltwater fish, possessing transparent bodies and a single large eye with a three-inch diameter. Any creature gazing at it must make a saving throw versus paralysis, and failing results in being hypnotized into remaining stationary, usually leaving them at the mercy of any nearby predators; this is very similar to the gaze employed by the floating eye of ''NetHack'', though ''AD&D'' floating eyes are not restricted to passive behavior.
  
You can apply a [[mirror]] to paralyse a floating eye, but this is not particularly useful as it will still be able to paralyse you. (''They say that a mirror will freeze a floating eye but you can still see it,'' from [[rumors.tru]].)
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==Variants==
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===UnNetHack===
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In [[UnNetHack]], floating eyes use a different glyph, {{monsym|floating eye (UnNetHack)}}. Ravens will attack floating eyes as part of UnNetHack's modified [[grudge]] system.
  
If you have a source of [[reflection]] or wear a [[ring of free action]], floating eyes will be unable to paralyse you.
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===NetHack brass===
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In [[NetHack brass]], floating eyes can additionally freeze attackers using polearms against them.
  
Floating eyes can also be [[Cancellation | cancelled]] with a [[Wand of cancellation | wand]] or [[spellbook of cancellation | spell]] of cancellation.
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===dNetHack===
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In [[dNetHack]], the duration of the paralysis effect is shortened to 2d6 turns, making them less dangerous to melee. However, it is still safest to attack them at range, as 12 turns is still enough time for other monsters to appear and kill a character.
  
==Variants==
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Floating eyes may appear in the audience of a [[Special room (dNetHack)|throne room]] ruled by a [[vampire lord]].
===dNethack===
 
The duration of the paralysis effect is shortened to 2 - 12 (2d6) turns in this variant, making them safer to melee.  However, it is still safest to attack them from range, as 12 turns is still enough time for other weak monsters to appear and kill a character.
 
  
===NetHack4===
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===FIQHack===
In NetHack 4, the floating eye will not paralyze players who accidentally move into it, however, it is impossible to attack it in melee without being protected from its gaze in some way. Monsters can still attack floating eyes normally and suffer paralysis. This was implemented to prevent aggravating deaths from early game movement mistakes, as an accidental button press would often mean instant death.
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In [[FIQHack]], floating eyes instead have an area-of-effect slowing attack; hitting one in melee no longer paralyzes you, but instead has a harsher passive slowing effect which will typically last well after you leave the former attack's area of effect and/or killing the floating eye.
  
===UnNetHack/xNetHack===
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[[Raven]]s will attack floating eyes as part of FIQHack's modified grudge system.
Floating eyes are given as a light green e in [[UnNetHack]] and as a light blue e in [[xNetHack]] in order to improve visibility. In other regards, they are unchanged.
 
  
===Slash'EM Extended===
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===NetHack 4===
Eating a floating eye in [[SLASH'EM Extended]] is not guaranteed to give telepathy. The paralysis effect from attacking them also has a much shorter time in this variant, making it much less dangerous to melee them.
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In [[NetHack 4]], it is impossible to attack a floating eye in melee without being protected from its gaze in some way; monsters can still attack floating eyes normally and suffer paralysis. This was implemented to prevent aggravating deaths from early-game movement mistakes, as an accidental button press would often mean instant death.
  
== Encyclopedia entry ==
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===xNetHack===
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In [[xNetHack]], floating eyes are given a more visible glyph, {{cyan|e}}.
  
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==Encyclopedia entry==
 
{{encyclopedia|<poem>
 
{{encyclopedia|<poem>
Floating eyes, not surprisingly, are large, floating eyeballs
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Floating eyes, not surprisingly, are large, floating eyeballs which drift about the dungeon.  Though not dangerous in and of themselves, their power to paralyse those who gaze at their large eye in combat is widely feared.  Many are the tales of those who struck a floating eye, were paralysed by its mystic powers, and then nibbled to death by some other creature that lurked around nearby.
which drift about the dungeon.  Though not dangerous in and
 
of themselves, their power to paralyse those who gaze at
 
their large eye in combat is widely feared.  Many are the
 
tales of those who struck a floating eye, were paralysed by
 
its mystic powers, and then nibbled to death by some other
 
creature that lurked around nearby.
 
 
</poem>}}
 
</poem>}}
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
<references />
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<references/>
 
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{{nethack-366}}
 
[[Category:Monsters]]
 
[[Category:Monsters]]
{{nethack-361}}
 

Latest revision as of 07:17, 20 July 2022

A floating eye, e, is a particularly dangerous monster that appears in NetHack. It is the only intelligent monster and non-explosive member of the sphere monster class.

The floating eye is extremely slow and does not attack, but each time it is attacked in melee there is a 23 chance of it using a passive paralyzing gaze attack that immobilizes the attacker, unless that attack kills the floating eye.[1] If you are paralyzed by a floating eye, the length of time you are immobilized depends on your Wisdom and the floating eye's level - if your wisdom is 12 or lower, there is a 14 chance of being paralyzed for exactly 127 turns; otherwise, the duration (lvl + 1)d70 turns.[2] Floating eyes are the indirect cause of many YASDs this way.

Eating a floating eye corpse conveys intrinsic telepathy.

Generation

Floating eyes are typically encountered early in the dungeon after you gain a few experience levels. Three floating eyes are generated on the Plane of Air.

Floating eyes may generate carrying defensive items like other monsters, but have no limbs to use them with; they are also excluded from receiving a wand of digging this way.

Only 50% of floating eyes will leave a corpse upon death.

Strategy

As indicated above, and in-game via the encyclopedia entry, the floating eye is dangerous to attack in melee, but its gaze will not trigger if attacked outside of melee range. Additionally, it does not occur if the floating eye has been cancelled or blinded; note that there is a 1500 chance that you will lose one point of Luck if you attack a blind floating eye.[3] A source of reflection or free action will completely prevent paralysis;[4][5] hallucination will cause you to ignore the passive gaze 34 of the time.[6] While you can apply a mirror to paralyze a floating eye, this does not prevent its passive gaze from paralyzing you.

Any ranged attacks - daggers, polearms, spells, etc. - can safely dispose of floating eyes, and even throwing junk weapons or rocks will suffice. If fighting one inside a room, you can wait for it to move so that you can retrieve your thrown weapons if desired. Alternately, you can blind yourself by applying an appropriate item, such as a blindfold, towel or a cream pie - as long as you cannot see the floating eye, you can attack it without consequence. Another option is to make the floating eye invisible, e.g. with a wand of make invisible (unless you have the see invisible intrinsic).

If you are facing a floating eye in a corridor without any means of ranged attack, and wasting turns is not an issue, you can place yourself between the floating eye and an obstacle of some sort (such as a locked door, boulder, or passive creature) so the paralysis will cause no lasting damage other than wasting turns; however, you will then likely have to contend with hunger instead.

Pets will not attack floating eyes in melee most of the time; a leather drum can unfreeze a pet that is paralyzed as a result of attacking one.

Floating eyes are a commonly sought out source of telepathy - many players make and/or seek out tins of floating eye meat as a means of re-gaining telepathy if is lost later on (e.g. through an accidental murder). Zen players usually have the explicit goal of finding and killing a floating eye in order to eat it and make navigation safer, as most of the dungeon's inhabitants will become visible to them. Monks may be tempted to break the vegan/vegetarian conducts by eating one, though they can gain the comparable warning intrinsic by reaching experience level 7, and it is possible to receive telepathy as a boon from your god via prayer.

History

The floating eye has been present in the game since PDP-11, a variant of Jay Fenlason's Hack. It was also one of many monsters featured in pre-5.3 versions of Rogue, before it was replaced with the ice monster (seemingly due to copyright issues involving Dungeons & Dragons).

The floating eye was subject to a NetHack 3.4.3 bug report, citing the lack of warnings present when attacking one; the DevTeam closed this issue as "not a bug", clarifying that this is intentional.

Origin

The floating eye may have been inspired by a similarly-named monster in the 1st Edition Monster Manual of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. The floating eyes of AD&D are portrayed as an unusual type of saltwater fish, possessing transparent bodies and a single large eye with a three-inch diameter. Any creature gazing at it must make a saving throw versus paralysis, and failing results in being hypnotized into remaining stationary, usually leaving them at the mercy of any nearby predators; this is very similar to the gaze employed by the floating eye of NetHack, though AD&D floating eyes are not restricted to passive behavior.

Variants

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, floating eyes use a different glyph, e. Ravens will attack floating eyes as part of UnNetHack's modified grudge system.

NetHack brass

In NetHack brass, floating eyes can additionally freeze attackers using polearms against them.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, the duration of the paralysis effect is shortened to 2d6 turns, making them less dangerous to melee. However, it is still safest to attack them at range, as 12 turns is still enough time for other monsters to appear and kill a character.

Floating eyes may appear in the audience of a throne room ruled by a vampire lord.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, floating eyes instead have an area-of-effect slowing attack; hitting one in melee no longer paralyzes you, but instead has a harsher passive slowing effect which will typically last well after you leave the former attack's area of effect and/or killing the floating eye.

Ravens will attack floating eyes as part of FIQHack's modified grudge system.

NetHack 4

In NetHack 4, it is impossible to attack a floating eye in melee without being protected from its gaze in some way; monsters can still attack floating eyes normally and suffer paralysis. This was implemented to prevent aggravating deaths from early-game movement mistakes, as an accidental button press would often mean instant death.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, floating eyes are given a more visible glyph, e.

Encyclopedia entry

Floating eyes, not surprisingly, are large, floating eyeballs which drift about the dungeon. Though not dangerous in and of themselves, their power to paralyse those who gaze at their large eye in combat is widely feared. Many are the tales of those who struck a floating eye, were paralysed by its mystic powers, and then nibbled to death by some other creature that lurked around nearby.


References