Telepathy

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The range of unblind extrinsic telepathy is indicated by flags. In comparison, the range of warning is slightly greater, and is indicated by question marks.

Telepathy is a passive ability that allows players and monsters to detect non-mindless creatures, regardless of whether or not they can be seen visually. Telepathy comes in two types: the less powerful intrinsic telepathy and the more powerful extrinsic telepathy. Intrinsic telepathy only works when you are blind, and detects all non-mindless creatures on the level. Extrinsic telepathy does the same thing as intrinsic telepathy, but, moreover, works while unblind, to a maximum range of 8 squares.[1][2]

Acquiring telepathy

Intrinsic telepathy can (sometimes) be acquired by eating the corpse of telepathic monsters, eating an amulet of ESP, or polymorphing into a monster with telepathy. Note that eating a (master) mind flayer will not grant you intrinsic telepathy if it grants you a boost to your intelligence. While floating eyes will grant intrinsic telepathy with 100% probability. Intrinsic telepathy can also be gained after #praying to your god under certain circumstances.

Extrinsic telepathy can be acquired by wearing an amulet of ESP (including the The Eye of the Aethiopica) or a helm of telepathy. It can also be acquired by carrying one of the following artifacts:

Note that it is possible to have both intrinsic and extrinsic telepathy at the same time. In this case, the more powerful extrinsic telepathy is used.

Losing telepathy

Intrinsic telepathy can be lost through the Gremlin intrinsic-stealing attack at night time, or it can be lost by committing murder as a lawful or neutral character.

Extrinsic telepathy can, as is usually the case with extrinsic properties, be lost by removing from main inventory or unequipping (depending on type) the item granting telepathy.

Telepathic monsters

Mindless monsters

Main article: Mindless

Mindless monsters (occasionally referred to as "brainless") cannot be detected by telepathy. See the "Mindless" article for a list of mindless monsters.

Downsides to telepathy

Mind flayers and master mind flayers can detect the location of telepathic players, and attack them with a long-distance attack dealing d15 damage ("A wave of psychic energy pours over you! It locks onto your telepathy!").

Mindless monsters, such as golems, can easily sneak up on and attack unsuspecting players while they are blind and using telepathy.

Note

As the article says at the beginning. Extrinsic telepathy behaves the same way as intrinsic telepathy when blind.

Some players may come to think that extrinsic telepathy doesn't grant telepathy over the whole level when blind. Usually, extrinsic telepathy is acquired well after intrinsic telepathy, and this can confuse some people. In variants, with more monsters competing with floating eyes for spawning, acquiring extrinsic telepathy first is less improbable.

References