Fight

In NetHack, the hero fights by attacking monsters, which makes up the bulk of combat encountered in the game.

Description

A hero can attack monsters in melee range via one of two methods:

1. Moving into a hostile monster will automatically perform an attack.
2. Using the fight command by pressing F and then pressing in one of eight directions will perform an attack towards the adjacent square in that direction.

Fighting and moving

A hero that walks into a hostile monster, moves towards a square where a monster was sensed (which is marked with an I), or moving into any monster while wielding a bloodthirsty weapon (i.e. Stormbringer) will automatically perform an attack with their wielded weapon targeted at the monster's square.

A hero that is confused, stunned, hallucinating, or wielding Stormbringer will automatically attack any monster they move into regardless of their hostility, and a hallucinating hero will not be able to distinguish as easily between a hostile monster and a peaceful or tame one. Wielding Stormbringer while in the middle of travel will also cause the hero to automatically attack monsters in their path.

Attacking with Cleaver and hitting a monster directly will strike in an arc that hits the squares to a 45-degree angle on each side of that monster in the attack's direction—this strike will hit any monsters occupying those squares regardless of hostility, and will not occur if a hero wielding Cleaver attacks an empty square or a square marked with an I that does not contain a monster.

Force-fighting

Fighting by using the F key is known as force-fighting, and this command is used to attack monsters in melee while bypassing any prompts or chances of displacement that would occur otherwise. Force-fighting in the direction of a location where a monster was sensed and marked with an I will hit any unseen monster occupying the square: if there is no monster, the hero will "attack thin air" and clear any I marker on that square instead. Force-fighting with Cleaver will not strike in an arc if the attack is directed at an empty square or a square marked with an I that does not contain a monster.

A leprechaun that dodges a hero's attack from force-fighting will not cause the hero to move onto its former square.

Fighting at a distance

The hero is also capable of attacking monsters at a distance by means such as throwing or shooting projectiles, pounding with polearms and similar weapons such as lances, zapping wands, and casting spells.

Directing a pounding attack towards a peaceful or tame monster will give the player a 'yes/no' message prompt to confirm if they want to attack—this prompt will not occur when zapping wands, throwing or shooting projectiles, or casting spells, and as with normal "bump" attacks it will not occur if the hero is confused, stunned or hallucinating.

Strategy

Force-fighting is generally employed in specific situations where directional control is insufficient, e.g. attacking a location where you know a concealed or invisible monster to be without wasting an action. This is also used to carefully direct attacks when the hero is hallucinating or blind, or else to use a wielded potion against a hostile monster (e.g. paralysis or sleeping) or even a tame one (e.g. to restore their HP with a potion of healing).

For heroes attempting to move onto a space without attacking its occupant, using m before selecting a direction will safe-move in that direction.

Messages

You attack thin air.

You attacked a square that did not contain a monster by force-fighting.

Really attack <the monster>?

You attempted to walk into a peaceful monster, triggering this yes/no prompt - 'n' for "no" is the default answer.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, a hero in the form of a monster with a bite attack or tentacle attack will have the attack(s) automatically suppressed against hazardous targets such as cockatrices, unless they are performing an unarmed attack.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, force-fighting suppresses the following additional attacks that can trigger automatically:

• The tentacle attack of illithids.
• The sting attack of crowned Infidels.
• The extra kick attack that Monks gain from reaching at least Master skill in martial arts.
• The shield bashes that any hero with Basic skill or higher in shields can perform.

Monks that force-fight in the direction of an adjacent boulder or statue with Skilled or higher in martial arts will shatter it.

Force-fighting to suppress extra attacks is useful to avoid destroying applicable armor as a result of passive disintegration, or else to avoid being displaced when fighting a monster with displacement.

Encyclopedia entry

"Fight", "melee" and "combat" share the same encyclopedia entry:

[Scene: Mr. Moon and Gilbert enter tavern and discover many corpses strewn about the place; Blind Pew is sole survivor.]
Blind Pew: Evening. Sounded as though there has been a bit of a squabble.
Mr. Moon: Squabble? They're all dead.
Blind Pew: Oh. Must have been more of a tiff then.

[ Yellowbeard, directed by Mel Damski, screenplay by Graham Chapman, Peter Cook, Bernard McKenna ]