Speed boots
Speed boots (also dubbed boots of speed) are a type of magical boots that appear in NetHack. They are made of leather, and have a randomized appearance when unidentified; the default one associated with them is a pair of "combat boots".[1]
Contents
Generation
In addition to random generation, general shops and antique weapons outlets can sell speed boots.
Player monsters, including those generated on the Astral Plane, have an effective ~8.01% chance of generating with speed boots.[2]
Description
While worn, speed boots grant 1 AC and extrinsic very fast speed. Changing speed from wearing or removing speed boots will auto-identify them.
Speed boots give the character an extra six movement points per turn, plus a 1⁄3 chance of an additional six movement points. This boosts the normal movement rate from 12 to 18 (150% normal speed, or 3 moves every 2 turns), with a 1⁄3 chance per turn of movement rate being 24 (200% normal speed, or 2 full moves per turn) - on average, this means 20 movement points per turn (167% normal speed, or 5 moves every 3 turns).
Monsters can also wear speed boots, with the same effect as a wand of speed monster, potion of speed or the haste self monster spell. Speed boots have no effect on a steed's movement speed while riding.
Strategy
Speed boots are the only source of extrinsic speed that doesn't time out, making them popular choice for an ascension kit. Very fast speed is a huge basic advantage for any character, moreso than even intrinsic fast speed - more actions per turn means more damage with weapons and spells, more reliable escape from combat, more effective use of hit and run tactics, and more chances to through gaps in groups of hostile monsters before being surrounded. Blessed fixed +2 or +3 speed boots are a common early wish, though gray or silver dragon scale mail is arguably a preferable option, depending on the character's circumstances.
Speed boots are of little use to humanoid pets that can wear them, since most such pets can pick up and use the wand or potion, and spellcasting pets can make themselves fast easily. Extrinsic speed is typically not necessary for dedicated riders, who prefer other types of boots - wearing jumping boots allow the steed to jump and can cover more distance than speed boots, while water walking boots can be a life saver if dismounted over water. Bear in mind that no steed is immortal, and a character should be prepared to continue on foot if necessary should an accident or unfortunate circumstance befall them.
Speed boots are a valuable item in turncount speedrunning, due to their ability to give the player multiple actions without advancing the turn counter - the air elemental polyself is even faster, though characters cannot wear boots in that form.
History
Speed boots are introduced in NetHack 3.0.0.
Messages
- You feel yourself speed up.
- You put on a pair of speed boots while at normal speed.
- You feel yourself speed up a bit more.
- You put them on while already at fast speed.
- Your quickness feels <more/less> natural.
- You either gained or lost intrinsic speed while wearing the boots.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Whisperfeet is an artifact pair of speed boots that acts as a luckstone and confers stealth when worn, and acts as the guaranteed first sacrifice gift for Tourists.
The black market shopkeeper, One-Eyed Sam, is always generated wearing an enchanted pair of speed boots; a guaranteed pair of speed boots also appears in The Spider Caves.
Due to the new create pool spell that monsters will cast, non-flying characters may prefer water walking boots to speed boots as their primary boots of choice in the late game.
NetHack brass
In NetHack brass, speed boots provide a boost to speed that can stack with other sources of speed, rather than setting the character's speed to very fast.
GruntHack
In GruntHack, armor can have the speed property, including non-speed boots, providing more sources of extrinsic speed.
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, the black market shopkeeper One-Eyed Sam is generated with an enchanted pair of speed boots as in SLASH'EM.
dNetHack
In dNetHack and notdNetHack, Whisperfeet is present with the same base item, but is chaotic and not tied to any specific role.
Asmodeus will always generate with speed boots, and xorn monks may also generate with them.
The November NetHack Tournament
In The November NetHack Tournament, the deathmatch opponent has a 1⁄2 chance of generating with a blessed fireproof +4 or +5 pair of speed boots if they represent a character that does not have boots.
EvilHack
EvilHack adds the helm of speed, which also provides extrinsic speed - the helm is an alternative for centaurs and tortles, who cannot wear speed boots or any kind of footwear.
SlashTHEM
In addition to SLASH'EM additions above, Duri generates with a pair of speed boots among other enchanted armor.
References
- ↑ src/objects.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 514
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 295:
mk_mplayer_armorselects boots from all available types listed in objects.c
