Index wolf
| d index wolf (No tile) | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 24 |
| Attacks |
3d8+1 lycanthropy-inducing bite, |
| Base level | 18 |
| Base experience | 721 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | -2
|
| Alignment | -7 (chaotic) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 0 (Not randomly generated) |
| Genocidable | no |
|
| |
| Size | large |
| Resistances | Poison |
| Resistances conveyed | none. |
|
The index wolf:
| |
The index wolf, Template:Monsym/index wolf, is the Undead Hunter quest nemesis in dNetHack, notdNetHack, and notnotdNetHack. He is a large one-eyed, demihuman wolf that guards the Stake of Withering and the Bell of Opening. He is an undead werecreature, though he does not possess a human form and has a "long headed" body shape and animal body plan, suited to fit barded armor.
The index wolf possesses a strong lycanthropy-inducing bite, a claw attack, and a shocking touch attack. As a werecreature, he takes additional damage from silver weapons and attacks as well as extra damage from blessed and holy weapons, especially those made of gold from being undead. However, he does not have another form he can shift into. Instead, whenever his transformation would occur, the index wolf is healed for a 1⁄4 of his maximum hp and will shrug off any paralysis and sleeping effects currently affecting him. Though he is generated meditating, even if the transformation triggers, this won't awaken him, and wearing a ring of protection from shape changers will always stop the effect from occurring. Eating the index wolf's corpse grants no resistances but does not induce lycanthropy. However, leaving his corpse to decay is guaranteed to leave behind a columnar chunk.
Generation
The index wolf awaits you in the small hovel in the center of the goal level. He is generated meditating and carrying the Bell of Opening. Once killed, he will rip both the Stake of Withering and portable electrode free from his flesh, which are then generated on his square as death drops.
Strategy
The index wolf does not possess any particularly strong attacks and can be taken on early in the game. A blessed silver, or even gold, weapon will deal additional damage to him, with werebane granting slotless detection of him and other werecreatures. He can be warded by a heptagram, gorgoneion, circle of acheron, or carved toustefna stave, which can be permanently engraved on the upstairs to minimize the risks of engaging him early on, though there may still be some danger from mist wolves randomly generating on the level. Having a cure for lycanthropy on hand is advisable and can even be sourced from the previous level's elven monsters, who may occasionally drop potions of starlight.
The hovel is surrounded by traps and is open on the west and south, which may give the index wolf line of sight of you before you can enter effective melee range and may be partially sectioned off from the rest of the level, depending on how the randomly generated forest sections are laid out. It is also possible, depending on the level generation, to only take the guaranteed evelyn, chikage, columnar chunk, and nightmare's bullet mold generated on the level without disturbing the index wolf. For reanimation Undead Hunters, it is necessary to first kill the wolf before claiming the portable electrode needed to claim their upgrades or else to source one from a workbench elsewhere in the dungeon, which is subject to chance.
After he has been killed, the moon's phase will be permanently set to full moon, and zombies—and rarely liches— will start to generate on the goal level.
Encyclopedia entry
This wolf is apparently the index case of the plague of beasts threatening your city. It is a mangy, mutalated thing, with a wooden stake driven deep into the right side of its head and a metalic electrode hammered through its left paw.
Messages
- The index wolf's fur ripples!
- The index wolf was healed for 1⁄4 of his maximum hp and had any lingering sleep and paralysis effects removed.
- The moon waxes full.
- You killed the index wolf and had pierced the veil and had at least 15 wisdom.
