Gnome (monster class)

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The gnome is a monster class that appears in NetHack, and is represented by the uppercase G glyph (G). Gnomes are designated internally by the macro S_GNOME.[1]

The monster class contains the following monsters:[2]

Common traits

Gnomes are small, omnivorous humanoid monsters that have infravision and can be seen with infravision. Naturally, all monsters in the monster class have the gnome monster attribute.

Hostile gnomes will collect items that they are capable of using, such as weapons, armor and wands.

Generation

Randomly generated monsters from the gnome monster class are always peaceful towards gnomish and dwarvish heroes, and will be hostile towards heroes of other races.

Several monsters from the gnome class are generated within the Gnomish Mines at level creation, including the following instances of random gnomes:

  • Two random G are generated on each of the filler levels for the Mines.
  • Many are generated in most maps of Minetown:
    • One G is generated in an ordinary room on the Alley Town and College Town maps.
    • One G is generated in the room to the west of Izchak's shop in Grotto Town, and another occupies the northern room between the temple and downstair.
    • An ordinary room on the Bazaar Town map has a 3⁄4 chance of containing a G.
  • For a dwarvish or gnomish character, two-thirds of the gnomes and other peaceful monsters will instead be replaced with random monsters.

Gnomes may appear among the hostile monsters that generate in throne rooms, as well the monsters randomly generated by looting a throne while confused and carrying gold (provided there is no chest on the level).[3]

Starting inventory

All monsters in the monster class are eligible for offensive items, defensive items, and miscellaneous items.

A gnome placed at level creation has a chance of being generated with a single candle: the chance is 1⁄20 if they are in the Gnomish Mines, and 1⁄60 otherwise.[4] The candle has a 3⁄4 chance of being tallow and a 1⁄4 chance of being wax, and will be lit if the gnome is generated in a dark area.

Gnomes with weapon attacks that are not generated on the Rogue level have a chance of being generated with one of the five default weapon sets: 3-14 darts, a crossbow and 3-14 crossbow bolts, a bow and 3-14 arrows, a stack of 3-5 daggers, or an aklys.[5] The chance is 5⁄14 for standard gnomes, 5⁄12 for gnome lords, and 1⁄2 for gnome kings.

Strategy

Gnomes appear in large numbers in the Gnomish Mines and are mostly slower than an unburdened character, but are still a frequent cause of death for the incautious and low-leveled, especially if they pick up certain wands and tools.

History

The gnome first appears in Hack for PDP-11, a variant of Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial bestiary for Hack 1.0 - the other gnome monsters first appear in NetHack 3.0.0.

Variants

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM adds several monsters to the monster class, including the gnolls:

For gnomish and dwarvish characters, the normally peaceful gnomes and other friendly monsters in the Mines are mostly replaced with hostile undead, with the following substitutions made for gnomish monsters generated at level creation:[6]

Note that these substitutions only affect monsters explicitly specified as part of level generation - if a random G is called for, that monster will be generated as normal, even if the monster chosen is one of the above monsters. Some of the substitutions are also quite rare:

  • Two gnomish wizards are generated in all variants of Minetown, as well as in The Gnome King's Wine Cellar variant of Mines' End. These wizards will be replaced with orc shamans, but otherwise this substitution will not be seen.
  • A gnome king is found in the Bazaar Town map of Minetown and The Gnome King's Wine Cellar and The Mimic of the Mines variants of Mines' End. These will be replaced with ogres, but the substitution is otherwise unused.

GruntHack

In GruntHack, gnomes are an eligible race for the various racial monsters that appear in the dungeon: gnomish wizards are replaced by mages, while gnome lords are replaced by lords and ladies, and gnome kings are replaced by kings and queens.

dNetHack

dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack expand the monster class to include gizmos: Gizmos are nonliving machine monsters that share the same glyph, but are not considered gnomish monsters and typically do not share traits with them (though some gnomes can create gizmo monsters). dNetHack and its variants add several other new monsters to the monster class as well:

The gnome lady and gnome queen are separate monsters from gnome lords and kings, rather than female versions of gnome lords and gnome kings.

SpliceHack

SpliceHack does not add any new monsters to the gnome monster class, but gives gnolls their own monster class and accompanying glyph, 9, rather than making them a part of the gnome monster class as in SLASH'EM and some other variants.

GnollHack

In GnollHack, the gnome monster class is merged into the gremlin monster class to make room for the gnoll monster class, which occupies their former glyph at G.

Encyclopedia entry

... And then a gnome came by, carrying a bundle, an old fellow three times as large as an imp and wearing clothes of a sort, especially a hat. And he was clearly just as frightened as the imps though he could not go so fast. Ramon Alonzo saw that there must be some great trouble that was vexing magical things; and, since gnomes speak the language of men, and will answer if spoken to gently, he raised his hat, and asked of the gnome his name. The gnome did not stop his hasty shuffle a moment as he answered 'Alaraba' and grabbed the rim of his hat but forgot to doff it.
'What is the trouble, Alaraba?' said Ramon Alonzo.
'White magic. Run!' said the gnome ..
                        [ The Charwoman's Shadow, by Lord Dunsany ]
 
"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry told Ron as they crossed the lawn.
"Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods..."
There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up. "This is a gnome," he said grimly.
"Geroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome.
It was certainly nothing like Santa Claus. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato. Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.

[ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J. K. Rowling ]

References

  1. ↑ include/monsym.h in NetHack 3.6.7, line 47
  2. ↑ src/monst.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1346
  3. ↑ src/mkroom.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 755
  4. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 777
  5. ↑ src/makemon.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 512: Default set of cases for monster weapon generation
  6. ↑ sp_lev.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 854
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