NotdNetHack
notdNetHack is a variant of dNetHack, aiming to improve the shortcomings and balance of dNetHack, while also adding new content.
The full changelog can be found at https://github.com/demogorgon22/notdnethack/blob/master/changelog.txt
Contents
New races
Adds Salamander, Ent and Etherealoid as playable races.
New roles
Adds the Illithanachronounbinder role.
Illithanachronounbinder
They can be humans, orcs, dwarves, elves, drows, gnomes, half-dragons, incantifiers, ents or salamanders. They always start as lawful.
You play as a mind flayer of your chosen race, having all of the abilities of your race plus the mind flayer ones. They are immune to madness and insanity, their sanity is always locked at 100 and they can not contract madnesses.[1]
A key mechanic is that you need to summon spirits to be able to level up. Additionally, they are always lawful and can not change their alignment in any way. Due to their god being fallen, praying and sacrificing is impossible. BUC-testing on altars still works as usual, though.
Abilities
The following abilities are gained by levelling up:
- XL 1: ESP, tentacle attack, mind blast ability
- The tentacle attack automatically triggers in melee, giving nutrition to the user if the target has a brain. Additionally it may kill the target by brainlessness. You can not choke or vomit by getting nutrition this way.
- Mind blast works identically to the ability madmen have but is stronger due to the player being a mind flayer.
- XL 4: Psionic pulse ability
- Psionic pulse is a directional psionic attack which deals damage and is able to knock monsters back.
- XL 7: Psionic echolocation
- Psionic echolocation works identically to the chiropteran echolocation ability.
- XL 10: Flying
- XL 12: Psionic craze ability
- Psionic craze allows you to "psionically torture" a monster, which may make it flee.
- XL 14: Reflection
- XL 15: Telekinesis ability
- Telekinesis allows picking up items from a distance.
- XL 17: Teleport control
- XL 20: All thrown items return
Rank titles
The status line shows you to be one of the following ranks when you reach the specified experience level:
- XL 1–2: Exorcist
- XL 3–5: Unbinder
- XL 6–9: Vestige Vanquisher
- XL 10–13: Spirit Killer
- XL 14–17: Mind Flayer
- XL 18–21: Psionaut
- XL 22–25: Void Voider
- XL 26–29: Telekinetic
- XL 30: Keeper of the Gate
Spirits
In order to be able to level up, you need to summon spirits. When spirits are vanquished, they will drop useful things. Once summoned, they do not need to be killed in order to be able to advance to the next XL.
The role starts with knowing Ahazu's and Amon's seal and will learn more in alphabetical order by gaining levels.
- XL 1: Ahazu drops 4-5 food rations.
- XL 1: Amon drops a frost horn, with a high chance of it having a non-standard material (such as gold or mithril).
- XL 2: Andrealphus drops a sensor pack and a can of grease.
- XL 3: Andromalius drops 5-15 daggers and a sack.
- XL 4: Astaroth drops 2-3 upgrade kits.
- XL 5: Balam drops two large daggers and a large robe.
- XL 6: Berith drops the Crown Of Berith, a golden helmet which prevents brainsucking attacks (useful for the quest) and is able to be enchanted to +7.
- XL 7: Buer drops a regular amulet of life saving and The Talisman of Buer, an amulet of life saving which confers sustain ability and health regeneration when worn. It can be invoked for healing, just like Release from Care.
- XL 8: Chupoclops drops a large number of cave spider eggs.
- XL 9: Dantalion drops the Dread of Dantalion, an intelligent, lawful two-handed sword with +1d10 damage that acts like a scroll of scare monster when dropped.
- XL 10: Echidna
- XL 11: Eden, drops branchporting Eden's Scales
- XL 12: Enki
- XL 13: Eurynome drops fancy shoes
- XL 14: Eve
- XL 15: Fafnir
- XL 16: Huginn and Muninn
- XL 18: Iris
- XL 19: Jack
- XL 20: Malphas
- XL 21: Marionette
- XL 22: Mother
- XL 23: Naberius
- XL 24: Orthos
- XL 25: Ose
- XL 26: Otiax
- XL 27: Paimon
- XL 28: Shiro
- XL 29: Simurgh
- XL 30: Tenebrous
- XL 31: Ymir (?)
Quest
The Ulitharid sees you fighting Menzoberranzan for the Elder Cerebral Fluid, a dilithium crystal which does not do anything on its own.
There will be many hostile mind flayers ("adversaries") and so-called vilithids, which are vampire mind flayers. They can drain your levels in addition to sucking your brain.
Dungeon changes
The village
Dungeon level 4 is guaranteed to be a village of friendlies of your own race. It contains a couple of houses, a fountain and the travelling wizard.
The fountain will be replaced with a magic portal after talking with the wizard.
Chatting with the peaceful inhabitants of the village will give you hints about what is waiting in the adventure branches.
Adventure branches
The stairs to the Gnomish Mines are replaced with a magic portal to a branch the player chose while taking to the travelling wizard. Each of the branches contains a unique reward, a different set of enemies and obstacles.
The chosen branch will affect how the base level of the windowless tower and minetown will look.
Ice Caves
Enemies: Mainly cold-themed, including White naga hatchlings, white nagas, brown molds, chill bugs, baby white dragons, ice vortices
Minetown: Shopkeepers are frost giants or ice trolls instead of humans. The altar is being watched over by two hostile ice devils and fenced in with iron bars. The corner of said cage are trees. A river is flowing through the town.
Boss: Abominable Snowman
Reward: The Abominable Veil: a Cloak of displacement conveying cold resistance.
Windowless tower: Trees replaced with walls, the floor is ice.
Black Forest
Enemies: Werecreatures, bugbears, horses, plants (mainly razorwines and weeping willows)
Boss: Tulip Poplar
Reward: Quarterstaff with 2d6 extra damage.
Gnomish Mines
Almost unchanged from the original. Mines End was replaced with a maze-like but static structure of corridors and a throne room containing Raggo in the southeast. The corridors contain gems and gold.
Dismal Swamp
Enemies: Snakes, kobolds, some orcs and birds (mostly parrots and ravens).
Minetown: Swampy, has two shops and a large stone structure on the northern part of the level, housing both a temple and the stairs down.
Boss: Kroo the Kobold King
Reward: Ring of alacrity conveying poison resistance.
Windowless tower: Swampy, but mostly traversible.
Archipelago
Enemies: Snakes, parrots, monkeys
Minetown: Very small. The whole area will flood if any of the outer walls are damaged, swallowing loot and monsters alike.
Boss: Archipelago Ancient
Reward: The Gillystone, an emerald which conveys magical breathing and swimming when carried.
Windowless tower: Sand and lots of water.
