Elven cloak
[ elven cloak 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | faded pall |
| Slot | cloak |
| AC | 1 |
| Special | |
| Base price | 60 zm |
| Weight | 10 |
| Material | cloth |
An elven cloak is a type of magical cloak that appears in NetHack. It is made of cloth, and appears as a faded pall when unidentified.
Contents
Generation
Elven characters start the game with knowledge of the elven cloak's appearance.[1] Elven Rangers start the game with a +2 elven cloak in place of the role's standard cloak of displacement.[2][3]
In addition to random generation, general shops, used armor dealerships and quality apparel and accessories stores sell elven cloaks.
Non-undead elves have an effective 1⁄4 chance of being generated with an elven cloak.[4]
An elven cloak is generated in one of the niches around the upstair room on the first floor of Vlad's Tower at level creation.[5]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
As part of commit 20cbadcf - which strengthens quest leaders and makes it so that killing them no longer makes the game unwinnable - the Wizard quest leader Neferet the Green generates with a +5 elven cloak.Description
While worn, the elven cloak provides 1 point of AC, MC1 and stealth. Wearing or removing the cloak will auto-identify it if you do not have any other source of stealth.
Strategy
Elven cloaks can be a useful source of stealth for the Sokoban zoo and other special rooms that the player might encounter. However, another source like a ring of stealth may be preferred if you already have a viable cloak. In the absence of such a cloak, a decently-enchanted elven cloak will suffice for up to the late midgame.
Elven cloaks and elven boots are among the lightest and most common types of magical armor, and can be safely enchanted past +5 to +7 like all elven items - this makes them especially ideal for polypiling.
History
The elven cloak first appears in Hack for PDP-11, which is based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0.
From NetHack 3.0.0 to NetHack 3.3.1, Yendorian Army fighters can generate with an elven cloak; the leather cloak is introduced in 3.4.0 to replace them in the soldiers' starting inventory.
In NetHack 3.4.3 and earlier versions, including some variants based on those versions, the elven cloak grants MC3; wearing or removing the cloak would auto-identify it even if you already have stealth from another source - this is bug #C343-401, which is fixed in July 2010 via commit 8aecc662. NetHack 3.6.0 applies the bug fix and changes the elven cloak to confer MC1.
Messages
- You move very quietly.
- You put on an elven cloak and did not already have stealth; the cloak is auto-identified.
- You sure are noisy.
- You removed a worn elven cloak and did not already have stealth; the cloak is auto-identified.
Variants
Some variants may give elves (including the player) an AC bonus for wearing an elven cloak.
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, elven cloaks provide MC3, and live elven monsters have a 3⁄8 chance of generating with an elven cloak compared to 1⁄4 in NetHack.
Upgrading any cloak except for an oilskin cloak has a 1⁄2 chance of producing an elven cloak; upgrading an elven cloak can produce a cloak of protection, cloak of invisibility, cloak of magic resistance, or cloak of displacement, with an equal probability of each.
The ability to upgrade high-enchantment elven cloaks is commonly used when replacing equipment or even assembling ascension kits, and can very easily save a wish in the process.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, elven cloaks grant +1 AC to elven monsters that wear them, including elven players.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, an elven cloak grants 1 AC and 0 DR when worn, along with MC3 and stealth. It is always made of cloth.
Wizard driver Amm Kamerel have a 1⁄3 chance of generating with an elven cloak. The half-elf ranger of the rebel leader's party that serves as quest nemeses for the default Noble quest will always generate with an elven cloak.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, elven cloaks grant +1 AC to elven monsters that wear them, including elven players.
hobbit Rangers also start the game with a +2 elven cloak in place of the role's standard cloak of displacement.
Elven wizards have a 1⁄2 chance of generating with an elven cloak, and elven mercenaries will often generate with an elven cloak. The cloak also appears in the kits of some low-level player monster centaurs.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, elven cloaks are somewhat more rare compared to SLASH'EM. In addition to other SLASH'EM details, SlashTHEM incorporates the Noble role and its quest, including the half-elf ranger of the rebel leader's party that generates with an elven cloak.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, elven cloaks grant +1 AC to elven monsters that wear them, including elven players. Details for the elven cloak in EvilHack are applicable to Hack'EM.
Encyclopedia entry
The Elves next unwrapped and gave to each of the Company the clothes they had brought. For each they had provided a hood and cloak, made according to his size, of the light but warm silken stuff that the Galadrim wove. It was hard to say of what colour they were: grey with the hue of twilight under the trees they seemed to be; and yet if they were moved, or set in another light, they were green as shadowed leaves, or brown as fallow fields by night, dusk-silver as water under the stars.
References
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 832
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 200: A comment explains "the weaker cloak for elven rangers is intentional--they shoot better"
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 211: Elven substitutions for initial inventory
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 225
- ↑ dat/tower.des in NetHack 3.6.7, line 142
