Dungeon fern spore (UnNetHack)
| e dungeon fern spore (No tile) | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Attacks |
Explode 2d4 physical, On-death explosion 2d4 physical |
| Base level | 1 |
| Base experience | 0 |
| Speed | 3 |
| Base AC | 5 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 0 (Not randomly generated) |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 10 |
| Nutritional value | 10 |
| Size | Small |
| Resistances | Poison resistance |
| Resistances conveyed | None |
|
A dungeon fern spore:
| |
| Reference | UnNetHack commit 4b5df73 - src/monst.c, line 3829 |
A dungeon fern spore, e, is a type of monster that appears in UnNetHack. The dungeon fern spore is a form of sphere-like monster that is very similar to a gas spore and shares most of the same attributes—these spores act as a means of reproduction for the dungeon fern, and will target the hero and other monsters in the dungeon, while monsters that are not other ferns, fern sprouts or Devil's Snare have a mutual grudge and will attack the spores themselves to prevent ferns from spreading, per the encyclopedia entry.
Dungeon fern spores have two attacks: an explosion attack that deals physical damage to a single target and leaves behind a small group of poison clouds, and an on-death explosion that covers a 3x3 square centered on its former location and deals physical damage to any hero or monster caught in this range. These explosions have a 1⁄3 chance of creating another fern if the spore was over a square of normal floor or muddy swamp: the fern created has a 1⁄6 chance of being a full-grown dungeon fern, and will otherwise be a dungeon fern sprout.
Dungeon fern spores possess poison resistance.
Generation
Dungeon fern spores are not randomly generated, and normally-created ones are always hostile. They are not a valid polymorph form or genocide target.
Dungeon fern spores can only be generated by the spore-making "gaze attack" of dungeon ferns and their sprouts, which occurs with a 1⁄2 chance (50%) for ferns and a 1⁄4 chance (25%) for sprouts during each of their turns—this attack is only used if they are not cancelled and the hero is within roughly 10 squares of them.
Dungeon fern spores never leave a corpse upon death.
History
The dungeon fern and its spore first appears in version 5.1.0 via commit 3aaf76d, and commit 76bc877 makes it possible for them to create dungeon fern sprouts and fully-grown ferns.
Origin
Ferns are a group of real plants with characteristic leaves. They are primitive, having neither seeds nor flowers; they reproduce with spores, hence the spore attack in the game.
Encyclopedia entry
These dreadful weeds have been driven to extinction on the
surface, yet deep within the dark and damp of the dungeon
they still flourish. When it detects the motion of nearby
creatures, the dungeon fern releases a deadly, poisonous
spore, which quickly detonates to propagate the species.
Residents of the dungeon have learned how not to disturb
the dungeon fern, and will attack its spores on sight to
keep them from overtaking their home.
More than one variety of this plant is known to exist.
