Monster template

Some variants of NetHack have a system of monster templates, which can be applied to existing monsters to modify them, granting new properties.

For example, in some variants, "undead" is a property that may be acquired by other creature types, instead of or in addition to being a hard-coded property of certain monsters. Monsters made undead in this way are known as derived undead.

dNetHack

dNetHack and notdNetHack feature monster templates. Each monster can only have 1 template. Most templates are displayed as prefixes or suffixes added to the names of the templated monsters.

Zombies

Zombies are found in groups throughout the Dungeons of Doom. Most natural monsters that leave corpses can be found as zombies. Zombies have a tendency to get up again after being killed (~50% chance), and the corpses of monsters injured by zombies will also rise from the dead as zombies. In addition, the dead walk in the presence of a dread seraph.

Zombies are resistant to piercing and bludgeoning weapons, and do double normal damage in melee. However, they tend to move slower than living monsters. Monsters with natural speeds greater than 6 will have their speed reduced by half, to a minimum of 6.

Zombies are mindless and immune to cold, sleep, and poison. Zombies are undead and therefore they take extra damage from blessed weapons. Zombies suffer a 2-point penalty to AC.

Skeletons

Skeletons are only found on a few special levels. Skeletons don't leave corpses when killed, so they will not revive. However, the corpses of monsters injured by skeletons may rise from the dead as zombies.

Skeletons are resistant to piercing and slashing weapons, and gain a slowing melee attack. However, they tend to move slower than living monsters. Monsters with natural speeds greater than 6 will have their speed reduced by ¹⁄₄, to a minimum of 6.

Skeletons are mindless and immune to cold, sleep, and poison. Skeletons are undead and therefore they take extra damage from blessed weapons. Skeletons receive a 2-point bonus to AC.

Crystal Dead (Vitreans)

Crystal Dead are only found on one special level. Vitreans leave glass statues when killed and don't rise from the dead.

Vitreans are resistant to piercing and slashing weapons, and gain an enhanced cold touch attack.

Vitreans are mindless and immune to cold, sleep, and poison. Vitreans are undead and therefore they take extra damage from blessed weapons. Vitreans receive a 6-point bonus to AC.

Witnesses of the Great Fracture (Witnesses)

Witnesses with a proper name are known as Name, Witness of the Fracture. Other Witnesses are known as fractured name.

Only Kamerel are eligible to become Witnesses, and Kamerel are not eligible to become zombies. Kamerel Witnesses can be found throughout the upper levels of the neutral quest. Witnesses do not leave corpses, but have intrinsic life saving which triggers 50% of the time. Each time a Witness is revived by its intrinsic life saving, it gains 4 levels.

Witnesses are undead and therefore they take extra damage from blessed weapons. Witnesses have claws of broken silver mirrors.

Pseudonatural

Pseudonatural monsters were touched by the Far Realms.

Tomb Herd

Tomb Herds with a proper name are known as Name of the Herd. Other Tomb Herds are known as name herd.

Tomb Herds are possessed statues.

Yith

The Yith template is not displayed in the names of monsters.

The Yith template is for monsters possessed by members of the Great Race of Yith, via their mental time travel.

Cranium Rat

The Cranium Rat template is not displayed in the names of monsters.

Mistweaver

Mistweavers with a proper name are known as Name, Daughter/Child of the Black Goat. Other Mistweavers are known as name dark daughter/child.

Mistweavers are daughters of The Black Mother.

Deloused

The Deloused template is not displayed in the names of monsters.

The Deloused template is for parasitized androids who have had their parasite killed. Although it is treated as a template by the game, it is in fact a marker indicating that the parasitized android in question should be converted into a standard android. Once the game completes this process, the Deloused template is removed.

Black Web and Great Web

These 2 templates are not displayed in the names of monsters.

These templates are for zombies with a shadow blade attack. The Great Web template grants a stronger shadow blade attack.

Fulvous

Fulvous monsters with a proper name are known as Name of Carcosa instead.

Fulvous monsters are a form of undead, primarily generated in some form by the Stranger.

Mad

Template for mad angels.

Fallen

Template for fallen angels.

Husk

Template for monsters whose brains have been eaten by mind flayers.

Poisoned

This template is not displayed in the names of monsters.

This template is for monsters who have been turned evil by poison.

Molydeus

The Molydeus template is for chaotic demon commanders. It is not displayed in the monster's name.

Monsters with this template have higher base levels and better defenses. They also have a snake growing from their neck, granting them a secondary 6d6 severe poison bite attack.

Plague-victim

This template is used for victims of a life-drain plague in the Healer quest and the Drow Healer quest.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps monsters with a proper name are known as Name's sporulating corpse instead.

Finger

Also known as the psurlon template and the "many wormy fingers entity" template. A monster with this template gains the following qualities: +6 to special AC and special DR; is always generated hostile; will pick up gold, gems and other items; may turn traitor while tame; is omnivorous; is especially nasty; increases the hero's insight and lowers their sanity on sight; is changed from an animal to a humanoid, and from a quadrupedal body with no hands or limbs to a slithy one; is changed from mindless to intelligent; is telepathic; can see via normal vision; is an alien; is considered a "great old one"; is a tunneler; and is wardable with an elder sign.

Constellation

The constellation template is used for monsters summoned by invoking the Star-Emperor's Ring. This template makes a monster insubstantial, mindless, unholy-hating, silent, and grants them all resistances and the ability to fly. It also boosts their speed, either setting it to a minimum of 12 or increasing it by 4 movement points, and removes any natural armor bonuses.

notdNetHack

In addition to the monster templates added in dNetHack, notdNetHack adds one more monster template:

Whispers

This template makes a monster unliving.

• Spoiler warning
• Role spoiler

The context in which this template appears is a major spoiler for the Illithanachronounbinder role. This spoiler can be accessed by selecting the "Role spoiler" tab.

If spirits are killed after being summoned, they 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. Many spirits of the near void are generated on the first and second floors of the branch, and they are created with the whispers template.

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