High boots
[ high boots 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | jackboots |
| Slot | boots |
| AC | 2 |
| Special | (none) |
| Base price | 12 zm |
| Weight | 20 |
| Material | leather |
A pair of high boots is a set of boots that appear in NetHack. They are made of leather, and appear as jackboots when unidentified.
Contents
Generation
Barbarians, Knights, Monks, Samurai, and Valkyries start the game with knowledge of the pair of high boots' appearance.
High boots make up 3⁄200 (1.5%) of all armor randomly generated on the floor, in general shops or as death drops. Used armor dealerships and antique weapon outlets can also stock high boots.
Mercenaries have a 1⁄6 chance of being generated with a pair of high boots.[1] Quest guardians are commonly given high boots as well:
- Students, attendants, abbots, acolytes, guides, and apprentices have a 2⁄9 chance of generating with high boots.[2]
- Chieftains, pages, roshi, and warriors have a 1⁄4 chance of generating with high boots.[3]
Player monsters created on the Astral Plane have an effective ~10.02% chance of generating with high boots.[4][5]
Description
While worn, a pair of high boots grants 2 base AC, and protects against a xan's leg-wounding sting attack 4⁄5 of the time.[6]
Strategy
High boots are the only boots that give 2 AC and do not interfere with spellcasting, making them suitable until a character finds their desired pair of magical boots. Elven boots can be safely enchanted to +7 for 1 more point of AC compared to +5 high boots; speed boots and jumping boots are also frequent replacements, especially for ascension kits, and both can be polypiled from high-enchantment elven boots.
History
High boots are introduced in NetHack 3.0.0.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Yeomen start each game with a +0 pair of high boots.
Upgrading a pair of low boots successfully will produce a pair of high boots, and vice versa.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, Pirates, Rangers and Troubadours start with a pair of +0 high boots, while dwarf Binders start with a +0 pair of burnt high boots.
High boots grant 0 base AC and 2 DR while worn.
The cursed chest in the southeastern-most corner of the Convict quest goal level has a blessed +2 pair of high boots placed in it during level creation.
- Tengu that generate on the Samurai quest, or else with a 1⁄20 chance on other levels, are generated with a pair of high boots.
- Drow matrons that serve as temple priestesses to Lolth, Kiaransali and Ver'tas are always generated with high boots.
- Hedrow wizards and hedrow master-wizards always generate with high boots.
- A'salom is always generated with a pair of high boots.
- Mother, the Drow Noble quest leader, is always generated with a blessed and erosion-proofed +0 pair of high boots.
- Drow alienists are always generated with cursed and erosion-proofed +0 high boots.
- Sisters, the Drow Noble quest guardians, are always generated with high boots.
- Y-cultist fighters and Y-cultist wizards are always generated with high boots.
- Y-cultist matrons are always generated with rotted high boots.
- Y-cultist patrons are always generated with high boots that will have their initial enchantment raised by 2 points.
- Yochlol are always generated with cursed and erosion-proofed +2 high boots.
- Live drow that are generated with equipment have an effective 1⁄8 chance of being given a pair of high boots.
- Center of All is always generated with a large concordant +0 pair of high boots.
- Werewolves generated in human form within the Lost Cities will always generate with high boots.
- Shattered Ziggurat knights and wizards always generate with high boots.
- Witches, apprentice witches and their coven leader are always generated with black-colored high boots.
- Alhoons are always generated with an eroded pair of leather high boots.
- Xorn monks have a 3⁄16 chance of being generated with high boots.
- Mayor Cummerbund, the Pirate quest leader, and the quest guardian pirate brothers are generated with high boots.
- Wandering skeletal and gityanki pirates are generated with high boots.
- The Rebel Ringleader that serves as the Noble's quest nemesis for the default Noble quest is always generated with high boots, as is the half-elf ranger that is part of the rebel party.
- The Master of Thieves is always generated with a blessed +5 pair of high boots.
- Alliance vanguards, one of the Drow Healer quest guardians, are always generated with high boots.
- Disciples, the Kensei quest guardians, are always generated with high boots.
- Lady Constance, the apparent Madperson quest leader, is always generated with a pair of +3 high boots.
- Hunters, the Ranger quest guardians, are always generated with high boots.
- Vergers, the Undead Hunter quest guardians, are always generated with high boots.
- Pelias, the Barbarian quest leader, is always generated with a blessed pair of +5 high boots.
- Pindar, the Troubadour quest leader, is always generated with a blessed pair of +5 high boots.
- Lord Sato, the Samurai quest leader, is always generated with a blessed pair of +0 high boots.
- Vicar Amalia, the Undead Hunter quest leader, is always generated with a blessed pair of +5 white-colored high boots.
- Ninja are always generated with black-colored high boots.
- Male myrkalfar are always generated with white-colored high boots.
- Live elves that are generated in the future (i.e. the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest) and are not given monster-specific inventory will always be generated with white-colored high boots.
- Humans that are generated in the future (i.e. the Anachrononaut quest and Android quest) will always be generated with white-colored high boots.
- Legion devil grunts, soldiers and sergeants always generate with high boots.
- Bralani Eladrin are always generated with high boots.
- Firre Eladrin have a roughly 1⁄2 chance of generating with high boots.
- Caillea Eladrin are always generated with black-colored high boots that have the frosted and coldproof properties.
- Angels and minions that are lawful, neutral or chaotic and do not have monster-specific inventory have an effective 1⁄6 chance of generating with high boots.
- Androids are always generated with high boots.
- Daemon is always generated with cursed and erosion-proofed +9 high boots.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, Dragon Riders start each game with a +0 pair of high boots.
A pair of high boots can be combined with a ring of levitation at a furnace to create levitation boots.
notdNetHack
In notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, in addition to dNetHack details, Illithanachronounbinders will start with a pair of +0 high boots if their host body is humanoid. Salamander Rangers receive an additional 1-2 cram rations to replace the role's standard high boots, which they cannot wear due to their serpentine lower body.
Dantalion generates with a pair of high boots when he is summoned by an Illithanachronounbinder.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, giant Monks and Priests start with a pair of +1 high boots in place of the role's starting robe, and giant Druids start with a pair of +1 high boots in place of the role's starting plain cloak.
Some monsters are generated with high boots:
- The Rat King is always generated with a pair of high boots.
- Flinds have a 3⁄4 chance of generating with a pair of high boots.
- Cultists, the Infidel quest guardians, have a 2⁄9 chance of generating with high boots.
- The Paladin, the Infidel quest nemesis, is generated with high boots.
- Kathryn the Ice Queen is always generated with a pair of high boots.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, Pirates and Yeomen start each game with a +0 pair of high boots. Noble roles, including the monsters that generate with high boots.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, Pirates start with a pair of +0 high boots, similar to dNetHack. Centaur Yeomen start with a +0 helmet in place of the role's starting high boots.
Upgrading a pair of low boots successfully will produce a pair of high boots, and upgrading a pair of high boots successfully will produce a pair of dwarvish boots.
Encyclopedia entry
In Fantasyland these are remarkable in that they seldom or
never wear out and are suitable for riding or walking in
without the need of Socks. Boots never pinch, rub, or get
stones in them; nor do nails stick upwards into the feet from
the soles. They are customarily mid-calf length or knee-high,
slip on and off easily and never smell of feet. Unfortunately,
the formula for making this splendid footwear is a closely
guarded secret, possibly derived from nonhumans (see Dwarfs,
Elves, and Gnomes).
[ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ]
References
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 644
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 283
- ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 294
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 134: special is only set to true when generating player monsters on the Astral Plane
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 294: this line requires if (special) and selects boots from all available types listed in objects.c
- ↑ src/mhitu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1218: cases for AD_LEGS
