Mask (dNetHack)

(
Name	mask
Appearance	mask of <a monster>
Base price	80 zm
Weight	10
Material	leather
Monster use	Will not be used by monsters.

A mask is a type of tool that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack. It is an item worn on the face that depicts a specific monster, and has a base material of leather.

The Mask of Tlaloc is an artifact mask of a god. The Stone Mask is an artifact mask of Shiro.

Generation

All Samurai start the game with a human mask that is made of mithril for yuki-onna and made of iron otherwise.

Lillends are frequently generated with a set of several masks: the two lillends generated in the lair of Lamashtu at level creation are always given a specific set of masks, while those generated on the Elemental Planes are given the masks of appropriate "nasties" for that plane - all other lillends are generated with six random generic masks.

Garo have a ¹⁄₁₀₀ chance of dropping a garo mask upon death.

Description

Applying a mask will put it on or remove it. Each mask is of a particular monster: if a hero is polymorphed while wearing a mask, they will transform into that monster if it is a valid polymorph form, and will otherwise turn into a random monster as normal. Worn masks cover the face and take up the "eyes" slot, preventing the use of other similar items such as a pair of lenses.

Certain monsters that wear masks, such as lillends, can use the same attack routines as the monster depicted on their worn mask.

Strategy

Worn masks can can be used to minimize damage from unexpected polymorph traps, and are often employed to hide marks from the hero binding spirits such as Andromalius and Astaroth.

Lillends are among the most dangerous mask wearers due to their ability to copy the attacks of the depicted monster - the ones generated on Lamashtu's level may carry masks of even more deadly monsters such as sartan tannin or even Demogorgon.

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