Throne
In NetHack, a throne, \, is a special dungeon feature that occurs in throne rooms and in special areas such as the Castle, Fort Ludios, and Vlad's Tower.
Half the quests have one throne somewhere along the path. Those that have none are the Caveman quest, the Monk quest, the Priest quest, the Rogue quest, the Samurai quest, and the Valkyrie quest.
You have a nearly 3⁄40 (7.5%) chance of obtaining at least one wish if you #sit on a throne until it gets destroyed.[1][2]
Contents
Sitting on a throne
- This section is based on thrn-343.txt.
The usual way to interact with a throne is to sit on it. As with all dungeon features, you cannot sit on a throne if you are mounted, levitating, or engulfed, or if there are objects in the square.
When you sit on a throne, there is a 2⁄3 chance that nothing happens.
- "You feel somehow out of place..."
- "You feel very comfortable here." (If you are polymorphed into a queen bee, dwarf king, gnome king, ogre king, or Elvenking)
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Thrones will also give this message to a crowned player.Otherwise, there is a 1⁄3 chance of one of the following:
| 1 |
If (natural Luck + d5 − 1) is zero or positive, you get to make a wish. Natural Luck is your Luck without any bonuses from carrying a luckstone. Otherwise, your Luck is increased by one.
|
| 2 |
You get to genocide one species, as for an uncursed scroll of genocide.
|
| 3 |
You can identify items from your inventory, as with a blessed scroll of identify.[3] However, you do not lose illiterate conduct, and positive Luck does not increase one item to two. It will identify 1, 2, 3, 4, or all items; each of these has an equal 20% probability.
|
| 4 |
If you are within 5 hit points of maximum, your max HP is increased by 4. Your hit points are then restored to maximum whether increased or not. Also cures all blindness, all sickness, and wounded legs.
|
| 5 |
If your Luck is non-negative and you don't already have intrinsic see invisible, you acquire that intrinsic.
Otherwise, if the level can be magic-mapped, it is.
Or, if the level cannot be mapped, you are confused for d30 (more) turns.
|
| 6 |
You add 1 point to a random attribute.
|
| 7 |
You lose d4+2 points from a random attribute, and d10 hit points.
|
| 8 |
If shock resistant, you lose d6 hit points.
Otherwise, you lose d30 hit points.
In both cases, your constitution is abused. Items in inventory are not at risk of explosion.[4] |
| 9 |
If you have any gold in your main inventory, it all disappears.
Otherwise, no effect.
|
| 10 |
d10 throne room monsters appear around you.
|
| 11 |
If your Luck is strictly positive, you are blinded for 250–349 (more) turns; otherwise, your inventory is randomly cursed (as for a "malignant aura").
|
| 12 |
If you have negative Luck, you wake all monsters on the level.
Otherwise, you are teleported within the level.
|
| 13 |
You are confused for 15+d7 (more) turns.
|
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
- "Your eyes tingle."
- You gained see invisible while blind.
Whether anything happens or not, if you are still sitting on the throne (haven't teleported away), there is a 1⁄3 chance that the throne will then disappear.
- "The throne vanishes in a puff of logic."
The phrase "vanishes in a puff of logic" is taken from the Douglas Adams comedy series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. To be precise, it comes from an aside where Oolon Colluphid uses the Babel Fish argument to convince God that He doesn't exist, and God "promptly vanishes in a puff of logic."
Kicking a throne
It is also possible to #kick a throne, in the hopes of knocking loose some gold and valuable gems. However, the potential advantages of sitting on a throne far outweigh the benefits of additional treasure.
If you have negative Luck, or treasure has previously been kicked from the throne, there is a 1⁄3 chance of destroying the throne, which will exercise dexterity and leave behind d200 gold pieces.
- "CRASH! You destroy the throne."
- "CRASH! You destroy it." (if blind)
If you have positive Luck, and treasure has not already been kicked from the throne, there is a 1⁄3 chance of dislodging some loot: 201 to 500 gold pieces, and a number of gems equal to your Luck + 1, up to a maximum of 6. Note that these are not necessarily valuable gems.
- "You kick loose some ornamental coins and gems!"
- "You kick something loose!" (if blind)
If neither of the above effects occur, there is a 1⁄4 chance that you may trigger a (hidden, and untriggerable any other way) trap door.
- "The floor opens up under you!" followed by "The hole in the ceiling above you closes up."
If you didn't get any of the above, you get a hurt foot; your dexterity and strength are abused, there is a 1⁄3 chance of your right leg being hurt for 6 to 10 turns, and you lose d5 HP (d3 HP if your constitution is greater than 15).
- "Ouch! That hurts!"
Looting a throne
A throne can be farmed: Attempting to loot a throne while confused and carrying gold generates a throne room monster and deposits a random amount (up to all) of your gold in its inventory ("The exchequer accepts your contribution"). However, if there is a chest on the level, the gold is put in that without creating a monster ("Thank you for your contribution to reduce the debt"). Large boxes do not count. The throne is not destroyed in the process, and looting takes no in-game time to perform.
"Throne room monsters" are a special set of monsters generated when a throne room is created, or when a throne is looted while the player character is confused and there is also not a chest on the current level.
Throne room monsters are chosen randomly from a hobgoblin, a bugbear, or a monster from any of the monster classes D (dragon), H (giant), T (troll), C (centaur), o (orc), G (gnome), or k (kobold) with the percentage probability listed in the table below. Extinct or genocided monsters will be replaced with ordinary random monster generation, except in the case of bugbears and hobgoblins where extinction is not respected.[5]
In 3.6.0, #looting a throne while confused has a 10% chance of marking the throne as looted[6]. This will prevent the throne from generating any new throne monsters, preventing endless farming. This is the same looted flag that determines if the throne has been kicked or not to generate gems. Additionally, confused looting now consumes a turn.
Court monster probability
The numbers in this table are the percentage probabilities that the specified monster class or monster type will be selected when generating a throne room monster on a given dungeon level (depth). Deeper levels are skewed toward harder monsters.
Throne room monsters appear with the following percent probability per level:
| Dungeon level (depth) | k class (kobold) | G class (gnome) | hobgoblin | bugbear | o class (orc) | C class (centaur) | T class (troll) | H class (giant humanoid) | D class (dragon) |
| 5 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 24.88 | 10.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 12.59 | 24.9 | 25 | 24.9 | 12.5 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 10.79 | 24.2 | 25 | 24.92 | 14.28 | 0.79 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 9.44 | 23.05 | 25 | 24.93 | 15.62 | 1.94 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 8.39 | 21.6 | 25 | 24.93 | 16.66 | 3.39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | 7.55 | 19.94 | 25 | 24.94 | 17.5 | 4.72 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 6.86 | 18.18 | 24.94 | 24.94 | 18.18 | 5.8 | 1.06 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | 6.29 | 16.66 | 24.53 | 24.95 | 18.74 | 6.71 | 2.08 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | 5.81 | 15.38 | 23.8 | 24.95 | 19.23 | 7.47 | 3.2 | 0.12 | 0 |
| 14 | 5.39 | 14.28 | 22.81 | 24.96 | 19.64 | 8.13 | 4.16 | 0.59 | 0 |
| 15 | 5.03 | 13.33 | 21.62 | 24.96 | 20 | 8.7 | 5 | 1.11 | 0.22 |
| 16 | 4.72 | 12.5 | 20.31 | 24.93 | 20.31 | 9.2 | 5.72 | 1.56 | 0.72 |
| 17 | 4.44 | 11.76 | 19.11 | 24.64 | 20.58 | 9.64 | 6.37 | 1.96 | 1.47 |
| 18 | 4.19 | 11.11 | 18.05 | 24.1 | 20.83 | 10.03 | 6.94 | 2.31 | 2.4 |
| 19 | 3.97 | 10.52 | 17.1 | 23.36 | 21.05 | 10.38 | 7.45 | 2.63 | 3.5 |
| 20 | 3.77 | 10 | 16.25 | 22.44 | 21.25 | 10.69 | 7.91 | 2.91 | 4.74 |
| 21 | 3.59 | 9.52 | 15.47 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 10.97 | 8.33 | 3.17 | 6.11 |
| 22 | 3.43 | 9.09 | 14.77 | 20.42 | 21.33 | 11.23 | 8.71 | 3.4 | 7.57 |
| 23 | 3.28 | 8.69 | 14.13 | 19.54 | 21.06 | 11.47 | 9.05 | 3.62 | 9.13 |
| 24 | 3.14 | 8.33 | 13.54 | 18.72 | 20.6 | 11.68 | 9.37 | 3.81 | 10.76 |
| 25 | 3.02 | 8 | 12.99 | 17.97 | 19.97 | 11.88 | 9.66 | 4 | 12.46 |
| 26 | 2.9 | 7.69 | 12.49 | 17.28 | 19.23 | 12.05 | 9.93 | 4.16 | 14.23 |
| 27 | 2.79 | 7.4 | 12.03 | 16.64 | 18.51 | 12.03 | 10.18 | 4.32 | 16.04 |
| 28 | 2.69 | 7.14 | 11.6 | 16.05 | 17.85 | 11.84 | 10.41 | 4.46 | 17.91 |
| 29 | 2.6 | 6.89 | 11.2 | 15.49 | 17.24 | 11.49 | 10.63 | 4.59 | 19.82 |
| 30 | 2.51 | 6.66 | 10.83 | 14.98 | 16.66 | 11.11 | 10.72 | 4.72 | 21.77 |
| 31 | 2.43 | 6.45 | 10.48 | 14.49 | 16.12 | 10.75 | 10.64 | 4.83 | 23.76 |
| 32 | 2.36 | 6.24 | 10.15 | 14.04 | 15.62 | 10.41 | 10.41 | 4.94 | 25.78 |
| 33 | 2.28 | 6.06 | 9.84 | 13.61 | 15.15 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 4.99 | 27.82 |
| 34 | 2.22 | 5.88 | 9.55 | 13.21 | 14.7 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 29.9 |
| 35 | 2.15 | 5.71 | 9.28 | 12.84 | 14.28 | 9.52 | 9.52 | 4.76 | 31.9 |
| 36 | 2.09 | 5.55 | 9.02 | 12.48 | 13.88 | 9.25 | 9.25 | 4.62 | 33.79 |
| 37 | 2.04 | 5.4 | 8.78 | 12.14 | 13.51 | 9 | 9 | 4.5 | 35.58 |
| 38 | 1.98 | 5.26 | 8.55 | 11.82 | 13.15 | 8.77 | 8.77 | 4.38 | 37.28 |
| 39 | 1.93 | 5.12 | 8.33 | 11.52 | 12.82 | 8.54 | 8.54 | 4.27 | 38.88 |
| 40 | 1.88 | 5 | 8.12 | 11.23 | 12.49 | 8.33 | 8.33 | 4.16 | 40.41 |
Strategy
Given these possibilities, it is safest to take the following precautions before sitting on a throne:
- Drop all your gold, or stash it in a container, so it won't be taken away. This should be easy as a throne room normally contains a chest that you can temporarily use to stash your coins.
- Have a unicorn horn so that you can undo bad effects such as blindness and attribute loss.
- Have positive Luck.
- Be able to deal with several monsters if they appear.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Unicorn horns can no longer restore reduced attributes. Alternatives include potions of restore ability, the restore ability spell, prayer, or finding a way to exercise or increase that attribute again.In addition, it can be helpful to do the following:
- Heal to within 5 points of maximum.
- Take out any items you would like identified.
- Stow any items you would prefer unidentified.
- Decide what you would like to wish for.
- Decide which single species you would like to genocide.
- Put on a ring of teleport control if you have one available and don't otherwise have teleport control.
If the throne causes you to teleport and you have teleport control, you should choose to teleport to a different square rather than remain on the throne. This eliminates the chance that the throne will disappear from that use.
Confused looting (with gold and without a chest) is fairly safe and cheap. It can be a great source of dragons and things that they provide (scales, corpses (resistances), loot, pets).
A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:
"The below contradicts the information above regarding the effects of kicking the throne. Which is correct (in 3.6/3.7)?"
If you have positive Luck, kicking the throne to obtain the gems and gold is always safe (except from a bones pile), as the throne can always be looted exactly once in this way. Because the number of gems created this way is not random, it can be used to determine your Luck if it is under 5. Additionally, because a non-cursed luckstone will increase your Luck by 3, it is possible to identify a gray stone as luckstone if your base Luck is 0; if you are able to knock loose 4 gems, then you are carrying a luckstone.
Since 3.6.0, if you are unsure or cannot remember whether you have already gotten valuables from this throne try picking it up. An unlooted throne gives message:
- "It must weigh a ton!"
After you knock treasure off it, the message becomes slightly different:[7]
- "It must weigh almost a ton!"
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, Nobles, deepest ones, and shadow ogres also qualify for the "You feel very comfortable here" message.
Sitting on a throne can only grant a wish if your Luck is at least 7. If your Luck is not high enough, your Luck will be increased by 5 rather than by 1.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, sitting on a throne can unrestrict one of your skills (you get to choose which one), similar to being gifted an artifact weapon, but this effect can also uniquely unrestrict non-weapon skills like spellcasting schools. However, another new random effect can strip you of an intrinsic, similar to a gremlin's attack.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, when you would normally be granted a wish, the effect requires a further 1-in-5 probability check to pass, for an overall probability of about 1.5% per throne effect. A throne always vanishes if it grants a wish. If the check doesn't pass, you get the effect that either maps the level or grants see invisible.
If your Luck is strictly positive when you get the "A curse upon you" effect, in addition to being blinded, your Luck is reduced by 1–2 points (to a minimum of 0).
Being granted an insight identifies items in your inventory as well as in containers you are carrying.
A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:
"Add note of XNethack showing "comfort" messages for crowned players, which was also merged into the upcoming 3.7.0, and make sure the page reflects any recent mechanical change prior to actually changing the version template"
Encyclopedia entry
Methought I saw the footsteps of a throne
Which mists and vapours from mine eyes did shroud--
Nor view of who might sit thereon allowed;
But all the steps and ground about were strown
With sights the ruefullest that flesh and bone
Ever put on; a miserable crowd,
Sick, hale, old, young, who cried before that cloud,
"Thou art our king, O Death! to thee we groan."
Those steps I clomb; the mists before me gave
Smooth way; and I beheld the face of one
Sleeping alone within a mossy cave,
With her face up to heaven; that seemed to have
Pleasing remembrance of a thought foregone;
A lovely Beauty in a summer grave!
See also
References
- ↑ chance destroyed without wish in one #sit: p1 = (2⁄3+1⁄3×11⁄13)×1⁄3 = 37⁄117 (nothing+(no wish, no teleport)); chance not destroyed and no wish in one #sit: p2 = (2⁄3+1⁄3×11⁄13)*2⁄3+1⁄3×1⁄13 = 77⁄117 ((nothing+(no wish, no teleport))+teleport); total chance no wish until destroyed: p3 = p1+p2×p3, p3 = 37⁄40; so chance of at least one wish: p = 1−p3 = 3⁄40
- ↑ point 5. in the "General Wishing Guidelines" section of http://nh.gmuf.com/wish.html
- ↑ sit.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 256
- ↑ sit.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 173
- ↑ courtmon in mkroom.c
- ↑ pickup.c in NetHack 3.6.0, line 1827
- ↑ src/hack.c in NetHack 3.6.0, line 2346: Looted throne is a tad lighter
This page is based on a spoiler by Dylan O'Donnell. The original license is:
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