Upgrading objects

From NetHackWiki
(Redirected from Upgrade)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is about the upgrading process in SLASH'EM and related variants. For item in dNetHack and its variants, see upgrade kit.

In SLASH'EM, SlashTHEM and Hack'EM, items may be upgraded into other objects.

Description

Upgrading is done by dipping an object into a potion of gain level[1] or using the gnomish tinker technique. If an object has multiple possible upgrades, each one is equally likely unless otherwise noted. Artifacts cannot be upgraded.

Upgrading objects does not break polymorphless conduct, and upgraded objects do not need to be dipped in a potion of restore ability to make the upgrade permanent as with polymorphed objects.

The list of items that can be upgraded depends on the variant - for SLASH'EM, much of the information is taken from (with thanks to) Eva Myers's spoiler.[2]

SLASH'EM and SlashTHEM

Weapons and ammunition

Daggers

Old Object New Object
Orcish dagger Dagger
Dagger elven dagger, or
dark elven dagger
Great dagger
Elven dagger Great dagger
Dark elven dagger

This is a good source of great daggers, since they are never randomly generated - remember that great daggers will not stack normally, and throwing or dropping any greats dagger created from an upgraded stack will not merge back.

Short swords

Old Object New Object
Orcish short sword Short sword
Elven short sword Dwarvish short sword
Dark elven short sword
Short sword
Dwarvish short sword elven short sword, or
dark elven short sword

Bows

Old Object New Object
Elven bow Bow
Dark elven bow
Yumi
Orcish bow
Bow elven bow,
dark elven bow, or
yumi

Arrows

Old Object New Object
Elven arrow Arrow
Dark elven arrow
Ya
Orcish arrow
Arrow elven arrow,
dark elven arrow, or
ya

Other weapons

Old Object New Object
Knife Stiletto
Stiletto Knife
Axe Battle-axe
Battle-axe Axe
Pick-axe Dwarvish mattock
Dwarvish mattock Pick-axe
Broadsword Elven broadsword
Elven broadsword Broadsword
Club Aklys
Aklys Club
War hammer Heavy hammer
Heavy hammer War hammer

Armor

Cloaks

Old Object New Object
Cloak of protection oilskin cloak, or
elven cloak
Cloak of invisibility
Cloak of magic resistance
Cloak of displacement
Dwarvish cloak
Orcish cloak
Oilskin cloak cloak of protection,
cloak of invisibility,
cloak of magic resistance, or
cloak of displacement
Elven cloak

Helmets

Old Object New Object
Fedora Elven leather helm
Elven leather helm Fedora
Dented pot Orcish helm
Orcish helm Dwarvish iron helm
Helm of brilliance
Helm of telepathy
Dwarvish iron helm helm of brilliance, or
helm of telepathy
Cornuthaum Dunce cap
Dunce cap Cornuthaum

Gloves

Old Object New Object
Leather gloves gauntlets of swimming, or
gauntlets of dexterity
Gauntlets of swimming Leather gloves
Gauntlets of dexterity

Shields

Old Object New Object
Elven shield Uruk-hai shield, or
orcish shield
Uruk-hai shield Elven shield
Orcish shield
Dwarvish roundshield Large shield
Large shield Dwarvish roundshield

Robes

Old Object New Object
Robe robe of protection, or
robe of power
Robe of protection Robe
Robe of power

Other armor

Old Object New Object
Elven mithril-coat Dark elven mithril-coat
Dark elven mithril-coat Elven mithril-coat
Orcish chain mail Chain mail
Chain mail Orcish chain mail
Studded leather armor Leather armor
Leather jacket
Leather armor Studded leather armor
Low boots High boots
High boots Low boots

Tools

Containers

Old Object New Object
Large box Chest
Ice box
Chest Ice box
Sack 45 chance of oilskin sack,
15 chance of bag of holding
Oilskin sack Bag of holding
Bag of holding Oilskin sack

Magical tools

Old Object New Object
Tin whistle Magic whistle
Magic whistle Tin whistle
Wooden flute Magic flute (10-14 charges)
Magic flute Wooden flute
Tooled horn frost horn, fire horn, or
horn of plenty
Horn of plenty Tooled horn
Fire horn
Frost horn
Wooden harp Magic harp (10-14 charges)
Magic harp Wooden harp
Crystal ball Magic marker
Magic marker Crystal ball (3-12 charges, unless marker had fewer)

Mundane tools

Old Object New Object
Towel Blindfold
Blindfold Towel
Credit card Skeleton key
Lock pick
Skeleton key Lock pick
Leash Saddle
Saddle Leash
Tin opener Tinning kit (70-99 charges)
Tinning kit Tin opener
Tallow candle Wax candle
Wax candle Tallow candle
Oil lamp Brass lantern
Brass lantern Oil lamp

Food

Old Object New Object
K-ration cram ration, or
food ration
C-ration
Lembas wafer
Food ration Lembas wafer
Cram ration

Stones

Old Object New Object
Loadstone Flint stone
Flint stone luckstone, or
healthstone

Hack'EM

Hack'EM incorporates the ability to upgrade items, but modifies the list to accommodate items from other variants, and attempts to fix certain logical and exploitation problems.

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Separate by object types when possible."

  • "->" Indicates a one-way transformation path
  • "<->" indicates the two items upgrade back-and-forth.
item 1 to item 2
orcish arrow -> arrow
arrow -> elven arrow
elven arrow -> orcish arrow
ya <-> light arrow
boomerang <-> chakram
orcish spear -> spear
spear -> elven spear
elven spear -> dwarvish spear
dwarvish spear -> orcish spear
orcish dagger -> dagger
dagger -> elven dagger
elven dagger -> stake
stake -> great dagger
great dagger -> orcish dagger
knife <-> stiletto
axe <-> throwing axe
dwarvish bearded axe <-> battle axe
pick-axe <-> dwarvish mattock
orcish short sword -> short sword
short sword -> elven short sword
elven short sword -> dwarvish short sword
dwarvish short sword -> orcish short sword
orcish scimitar <-> scimitar
saber <-> rapier
broadsword <-> elven broadsword
orcish long sword -> long sword
long sword -> elven long sword
elven long sword -> orcish long sword
mace <-> heavy mace
morning star <-> orcish morning star
war hammer <-> heavy war hammer
club <-> aklys
orcish bow -> bow
bow -> elven bow
elven bow -> orcish bow
quarterstaff <-> silver capped staff
staff of escape <-> staff of matter
staff of war <-> staff of divination
staff of necromancy <-> staff of healing
cornuthaum <-> dunce cap
fedora <-> elven helm
orcish helm <-> dwarvish helm
helm of madness <-> helm of brilliance
helm of telepathy <-> tinfoil hat
dwarvish chain mail <-> elven chain mail
chain mail <-> orcish chain mail
splint mail <-> large splint mail
ring mail <-> orcish ring mail
light armor <-> jacket
robe <-> large robe
robe of weakness -> robe of power
robe of power -> robe of protection
robe of protection -> robe of weakness
striped shirt <-> t-shirt
mummy wrapping <-> plain cloak
orcish cloak -> dwarvish cloak
dwarvish cloak -> elven cloak
elven cloak -> orcish cloak
poisonous cloak <-> alchemy smock
orcish shield <-> dwarvish roundshield
large shield <-> tower shield
small shield <-> elven shield
gauntlets of fumbling <-> gauntlets of dexterity
low boots <-> high boots
fumble boots <-> elven boots
levitation boots <-> water walking boots
sack <-> oilskin sack
oilskin sack <-> bag of holding
bag of rats <-> bag of holding
bag of tricks <-> bag of holding
bag of holding <-> sack
skeleton key <-> lock pick
mirror <-> expensive camera
eight ball <-> crystal ball
lenses <-> goggles
towel <-> blindfold
leash <-> saddle
tin opener <-> tinning kit
pea whistle <-> magic whistle
flute <-> magic flute
tooled horn <-> horn of plenty
fire horn <-> frost horn
harp <-> magic harp
leather drum <-> drum of earthquake
whetstone <-> luckstone
loadstone <-> healthstone

Strategy

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Account for Hack'EM specific strategies and section article accordingly."

In SLASH'EM, upgrading objects, either by potions of gain level or the tinker techinque, is the "poor hacker's polypiling".[3] It can be used to get some good items without many of the risks of polypiling. Most of the transformations are also reversible, although polypiling in SLASH'EM is by default reversible, since objects revert after some time. Also note that most of the magical items transform into other magical items, and mundane items change into other mundane items. Thus, with a few exceptions, it is not a viable way to make more magical items for polypiling. However, many useful items can be obtained, including helms of brilliance, healthstones, tinning kits, and magic markers.

Cost and safety

One potion is used up per item (or stack of items) transformed, if using a potion of gain level. If using the tinker technique, much more time passes, using up nutrition and spawning enemies. Thus, gnomes can save on potions, but must find a safe place to tinker, so they are neither interrupted or killed. Boulder forts work well, but may be hard to come by early in the game. Shops work very well in the early game, with the door locked. If you lack a way of (un)locking the door, you can also pick up an unpaid item and let the shopkeeper block the door. Be sure not to stand in a straight line from the door, so monsters can't shoot you, and beware tunneling monsters.

Upgrading a container does not destroy its contents as polymorphing does, but upgrading a container to a bag of holding will cause it to explode if it contains an item that would cause an explosion.[4]

Enchanted armor and weapons

One good use of upgrading is to get highly-enchanted armor or weapons. A +5 orcish helm may be upgraded into a +5 helm of brilliance. Also, since many transformations are reversible, the player may change a highly enchanted piece of armor from one type to another. For example, a wizard has less use of a +3 helm of telepathy than a +3 helm of brilliance. Similarly, a player could upgrade a +2 orcish dagger into a +2 great dagger, for two-weaponing with (or skill-training for) Magicbane. Additionally, Elven armor can be enchanted, fairly reliably, to +7 and then upgraded. For example, a +7 elven cloak can become something more useful like a cloak of magic resistance.

Polyfodder

Objects may also be upgraded for use in polypiling. Most magical items transform into other magical items, and most mundane items transform into other mundane items. Thus, upgrading objects for polyfodder will often be a waste of potions or time spent tinkering. The exceptions are mundane items which transform into magical items:

  • flint stones
  • dwarvish helms
  • orcish helms
  • dented pots
  • dwarvish cloaks
  • orcish cloaks
  • leather gloves
  • robes
  • tin whistles
  • wooden harps
  • wooden flutes
  • tooled horns
  • sacks

References