Reanimation

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, reanimation is a research path available to characters that have the vacuous thought slotted and with at least 27 insight, necessary to activate the thought. Lawful Undead Hunters start each game with the thought already slotted. It is also referred to as the philosophy of the college.

Description

To progress along the research path, a character must either research the fresh corpse (no older than 4 turns) of a monster that is not mindless and has eyes while at a workbench or using a dissection kit, or reanimate monsters with a portable electrode. For non-Undead Hunters, following the reanimation research path requires wishing for the thought and dissection kit.

The reanimation research path has 11 upgrades that may be obtained in any order, with the exceptions of the 3 weapon attunement upgrades, which require the hero to already have obtained the "conduct the arcane" upgrade beforehand, and the "catoptrics of the silver rays" upgrade, which requires the hero to have made contact with The Silver Flame, both of which can only be obtained once. At least 10 insight—and another 10 per claimed upgrade, up to at most 60—are required, and once enough research has been performed, a character may obtain a reanimation upgrade by applying a portable electrode at a workbench to the College or with a dissection kit in open inventory:

• Lightning resistance: Grants permanent intrinsic shock resistance.
• Water resistance: Grants permanent intrinsic waterproofing, protecting all items in open inventory.
• Clairvoyance: Grants permanent intrinsic clairvoyance, as with a Wizard wearing a cornuthaum.
• Blood clone: Once obtained, a potion of blood of a monster can be applied, while holding a bell in open inventory, to create a blood clone of the monster.
• Weapon skills: Increases 1–3 random weapon skills up to Expert, and formally identifies an Undead Hunter weapon.
• Adjust your weapon to conduct the arcane: For a weapon that did not already have it, conveys the antenna object property to the currently wielded weapon. Antenna weapons receive bonus shock damage scaling with intelligence. Can be claimed any number of times, adding the antenna property to the new weapon. Unlocks a set of three subsequent weapon upgrades, which will automatically be conveyed to any weapon that already has or receives the antenna property in the future:
  • Attune antennae to conduct errant thoughts: Weapons with the antenna upgrade deal +(1d15 + enchantment) damage to telepathic monsters.
  • Attune antennae to conduct electrical static: Weapons with the antenna upgrade deal +(1d10 + enchantment) shock damage, doubled against telepathic monsters.
  • Attune antennae to rebroadcast rejecting forces: Weapons with the antenna upgrade will knock back monsters directly behind the target monster.
• Reveal the insubstantial world: Grants phasing while holding a lit temporary light source in open inventory.
  • Only the following sources are considered temporary: candles (excluding candles of invocation), dwarvish helms, gnomish pointy hats, lanterns, lantern plate mails, oil lamps, potions of oil, shadowlander's torches, sunrods and torches.
• Study the catoptrics of the Silver rays: Allows Undead Hunters to ask for any of the major silver flame boon without meeting lifetime devotion thresholds, and any number of times.

Obtaining a reanimation upgrade will advance the hero in their research and grant an appropriate upgrade, while also reducing their current intelligence and wisdom scores by 1. Every third upgrade taken on the research path will also permanently reduce the maximum intelligence and wisdom possible for that character's race by 1. Fully advancing into the reanimation research path will thus reduce their intelligence and wisdom maximums by 3, superseded by helms of brilliance and the spirit Huginn and Munnin while it is bound.

Obtaining these upgrades counts towards making a "great breakthrough" and meeting the conditions for a full-scoring ascension, which requires a minimum of 6 upgrades total. While characters of other roles may still perform undead hunter research, they cannot ascend under an undead hunter ascension.

Messages

You feel well-shielded.

You obtained the lightning resistance upgrade, and now have permanent intrinsic shock resistance.

You feel very dry.

You obtained the water resistance upgrade.

You feel insightful.

You obtained the clairvoyance upgrade, and now have intrinsic clairvoyance.

The ancient knowledge sinks into your subconscious.

You obtained the weapon skills upgrade.

You tune your weapon.

You obtained the arcane upgrade.

You contact the errant thoughts.

You obtained the errant thoughts upgrade for all arcane weapons.

You hear the great static bolts.

You obtained the electrical static upgrade for all arcane weapons.

You harness rejecting forces.

You obtained the rejecting forces upgrade for all arcane weapons.

You hear the echoing void.

You obtained the insubstantial world upgrade, and can now phase.

You glimpse the source of the Silver Light!

You obtained the catoptrics of the Silver rays upgrade.

Self-inspect

You still have much to learn of reanimation.

You are a Lawful Undead Hunter or have the vacuous thought slotted and active, but claimed less than 6 reanimation upgrades

You have made a breakthrough in the philosophy of the college!

You have obtained 6 reanimation upgrades and qualify for the Undead Hunter ascension.

You are unable to devise further Galvanic experiments.
You must hunt the strange creatures of the veil to make progress.

You do not have enough insight to claim a new reanimation upgrade.

You are ready to conduct another experiment into the great animating thoughts pursued by the college.
Use your portable electrode while standing at a workbench-altar to the college.

You qualify to obtain a new reanimation upgrade.