Upgrading objects

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 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.

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 great daggers 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	4⁄5 chance of oilskin sack, 1⁄5 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". 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.

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