Fafnir

Fafnir, Jotunn Dragon is a spirit that appears in older versions of dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack.

In version 3.25.0 of dNetHack, the 2026.01.16 revision (January 16th, 2026) of notdNetHack and the 2026.01.18 revision (January 18th, 2026) of notnotdNetHack, Fafnir is replaced by the spirit Maegera.

Ritual, seal and taboo

Fafnir's binding ritual must be performed with his seal either inside a vault, or on a square with his seal that contains at least 1000 gold pieces for each experience level the hero has.

To remain bound to Fafnir, the hero must have at least 1 gold piece in their open inventory at all times. This includes immediately after the binding ritual: don't drop every single gold piece on his seal, and if in a vault be sure to dig or teleport out before the guard arrives!

Mark

A hero that has Fafnir bound has a ring-shaped burn scar on their right ring-finger that can only be seen close up. The scar can be disguised by wearing gloves or by putting on a ring specifically on the right hand.

Benefits

While Fafnir is bound, the hero has fire resistance and gains skill in pick-axes.

Fafnir's active powers are as follows:

• Breathe Poison: The hero can use this to create a plume of stinking clouds centered at the chosen location, as with a scroll of stinking cloud.
• Ruinous Strike: The hero can select a direction and will attack the adjacent square in that direction, dealing moderate damage to a nonliving monster on that square and instantly destroying golems. If there is no monster present, the target square will be dug out and untrapped.

Fafnir's passive powers are as follows:

• Flame Aura: Monsters that attack the hero in melee take one spirit die roll of fire damage unless they are resistant.
• Infravision: The hero gains infravision.
• Dragon's Hoard: The hero's carrying capacity increases by 1% per experience level.

As a monster

D Fafnir (No tile)
Difficulty	33
Attacks	Breath 3d8 poison (strength), claw 3d4 steals gold, claw 3d4 steals gold

D Fafnir (No tile)
Difficulty	33
Attacks	Breath 3d8 poison (strength), claw 3d4 steals gold, claw 3d4 steals gold
Base level	27
Base experience	1133
Speed	12
Base AC	-6
Base MR	50
Alignment	-2 (chaotic)
Frequency (by normal means)	0 (Not randomly generated)
Genocidable	No
Weight	4500
Nutritional value	1500
Size	gigantic
Resistances	fire resistance, poison resistance
Resistances conveyed	fire resistance, poison resistance
Fafnir: can fly. has no hands. has a thick hide. can see invisible creatures. is carnivorous. is not a valid polymorphable form. is male. is normally generated hostile. is strong. likes gold. likes gems. can pick up magical items. never leaves a corpse. cannot be tamed.

In older versions of notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Fafnir, D, also appears as a monster that can be summoned by an Illithanachronounbinder. Fafnir is a strong, carnivorous and thick-skinned dragon that is similar to other dragons (specifically a red dragon) in appearance, including his body shape and wings: he is capable of flight and will pick up gold, gems, magical items, and other objects that he comes across. He can track the hero and sense other monsters via catsight and scent, and can see invisible. Like many summoned spirits, Fafnir cannot be tamed.

Fafnir has a poisonous breath weapon that drains strength, a bite attack, two claw attacks that can steal gold, and an additional 4d10 tailslap attack that he will use once every global turn. Fafnir possesses fire resistance and poison resistance.

Fafnir can be warded by a fourfold-or-better Elder Elemental Eye.

Generation

Fafnir is first generated when summoned from her seal by an Illithanachronounbinder. He is always created hostile, and is not a valid polymorph form or genocide target.

Fafnir is always generated with (LD)d5 gold pieces and the uncursed Ruinous Strike, an artifact named for one of his spirit's powers: Ruinous Strike is a dragonbone pick-axe that grants fire resistance while wielded, has +1 to-hit and double damage bonuses against monsters without fire resistance, and can be invoked to create a plume of stinking clouds centered at the chosen location (as with the spirit power).

Fafnir does not leave a corpse upon death.

Strategy

Below this point, there are major spoilers for the Illithanachronounbinder role. They can be accessed by selecting the "Role spoiler" tab.

• Strategy
• Role spoiler

Fafnir essentially trades the red dragon's fiery breath and the better damage dice of its physical attacks for poison breath and a higher MR score (50 versus the standard 20)—unlike Eden, he is not nearly as much of a threat and lacks her defenses to boot, and will be unable to use the artifact that he generates with. Though his HP and damage are higher than Eve (whom an Illithanachronounbinder summoning Fafnir has likely just dealt with), he is not an especially dangerous opponent overall.

If Fafnir is killed after being summoned, he can be encountered again in the Void, a branch accessed by opening the high altar of Ilsensine the Fallen as an Illithanachronounbinder using the invoke effect of The Elder Cerebral Fluid. Fafnir is placed randomly along with many other spirits of the near void on the second floor of the branch, and is generated with the "whispers" template, which makes him nonliving.