Strong
In NetHack, some monsters are considered strong. This property is boolean (i.e. monsters either possess it or do not), and is governed by the M2_STRONG monster flag.
Description
A strong monster has twice the carrying capacity as a non-strong monster of the same weight.
Strong monsters have a 1⁄4 to avoid being pulled around with a grappling hook, and will instead pull around the hero.[1]
Only strong monsters may wield two-handed weapons.[2] The default weapon pool for strong monsters differs from the one for non-strong monsters.
Effects for the hero
If your steed is strong and gets entangled in a spider web, it is treated as having a strength of 17 for the purpose of calculating its chance of breaking free (i.e. a 1⁄2 chance).[3]
Polymorphing into a strong monster sets your strength to a specific value[4], supplanting both higher and lower strength. Gauntlets of power override this value and continue to grant 25 strength. The values are as follows, assuming throughout that the specific monster species is strong:
| Monster | Strength |
|---|---|
| non-undead giant | 19 |
| G gnome, o orc (except o Uruk-hai and o orc-captain), M orc mummy | 18/50 |
| elf | 18 |
| all other monsters | 18/** |
Polymorphing into a non-strong monster species limits your strength to 18; gauntlets of power override this value as well.
List of strong monsters
The following monsters are strong:
- all tuCDEHJNOTUV
- d large dog
- d winter wolf
- d hell hound
- f large cat
- g gargoyle
- g winged gargoyle
- all living dwarves:
- h dwarf
- h dwarf lord
- h dwarf king
- h bugbear
- m giant mimic
- all o orcs except goblins and orc shamans
- all q quadrupeds except rothes
- all adult w worms
- all A angelic beings except Aleaxes
- M ettin mummy
- M giant mummy
- M orc mummy
- W Nazgul
- all Y apelike creatures except monkeys
- Z ettin zombie
- Z giant zombie
- Z skeleton
- : crocodile
- ; kraken
- ' flesh golem
- ' clay golem
- ' glass golem
- ' iron golem
- most @ human or elf monsters, with these exceptions:
- @ aligned priest
- @ elf (monster)
- @ Green-elf
- @ Grey-elf
- @ high priest
- @ nurse
- @ Oracle
- @ / d werejackal
- @ / r wererat
- @ / d werewolf
- @ Woodland-elf
- & sandestin
- & erinys
- & balrog
- & Asmodeus
- all three Riders
History
Prior to NetHack 5.0.0, polymorphing into a strong monster raised strength to 18/** regardless of species; the change was made to resolve the incongruity of orcish polyforms exceeding the natural strength cap of an orcish hero. Orc shamans and plain elves were strong, and orc mummies were not.
