Monster spell spoiler
Compiled for NetHack
3.4.2 by David Corbett
Last updated for 3.4.3 on 31 March, 2004.
This spoiler details the spells cast by monsters, and minion summoning.
Contents
Casting magical or clerical spells
The type of spell cast depends on the circumstance.
- If the monster is attacking you, pick a useful spell.
- If the monster (mistakenly) thinks it's attacking you (because you're
invisible or displaced), pick a useful spell. If the spell is directed it has
no effect.
- If the monster is not attacking, pick a spell at random. If the spell is
directed, or not useful, no spell is cast.
Monsters more than 7 squares
away from you will not cast spells.
A number from 0 to ML-1 is selected, where ML is the monster's level.
A spell is chosen according to the number picked: Magical spells, Clerical spells.
The following spells will not be used:
- Aggravate, Summon Nasties and Summon Insects will not be cast by peaceful
creatures.
- Haste Self will not be cast by a monster that is already fast.
- Cure Self will not be cast by a monster at full hit points.
- Disappear will not be cast by a monster that is already invisible, or by a
peaceful monster if you don't have see invisible.
- Summon Nasties or Summon Insects won't be cast if the monster doesn't
think you're around.
- Blind won't be cast if you're already blind.
- Clone will only be cast by the Wizard of Yendor, and only if there is just
one of him already.
The spell always fails if the monster is cancelled.
When a monster
successfully casts a magical or clerical spell, it is prevented from casting
spells for 10-ML or 2 turns, whichever is larger. Any spell attempted by the
monster in this time will fail.
The spell is fumbled (has no effect) if
d(10*ML) <= 20 (100 if confused).
"The air crackles around
<monster>."
Messages for failed spells:
"<monster>
points all around, then curses." (undirected spell)
"<monster> points
at you, then curses." (directed spell)
"<monster> points and curses in
your general direction." (invisible)
"<monster> points and curses at
your displaced image." (displaced)
"You hear a mumbled curse." (monster is
unseen by you)
Messages for misdirected
spells:
"<monster> casts a spell at thin air!" (directed spell
cast at the wrong place)
"<monster> casts a spell at empty water!" (if
the monster aimed over water)
"<monster> casts a spell at a spot near
you!" (invisible)
"<monster> casts a spell at your displaced image!"
(displaced)
"Something" if you can't see the monster.
Note on monster levels:
The base level is the normal level of the monster when generated. The actual
level may be higher or lower depending on the dungeon level and your experience
level. The Wizard of Yendor gains one level each time he is generated, up to a
maximum of 49.
Monsters can normally reach a maximum level of 3/2 times their base level but
by drinking potions of gain level or eating wraith corpses, a monster may reach
level 49. Demon lords and princes may reach level 50.
Magical spells
Directed spells are marked with
(!).The following monsters can cast magical spells:
Monster name |
Base level |
Monster name |
Base level |
Monster name |
Base level |
kobold shaman |
2 |
titan |
16 |
Ixoth |
15 |
orc shaman |
3 |
master lich |
17 |
Minion of Huhetotl |
16 |
gnomish wizard |
3 |
Archon |
19 |
Thoth Amon |
16 |
barrow wight |
3 |
arch-lich |
25 |
Chromatic Dragon |
16 |
golden naga |
10 |
Wizard of Yendor |
30 |
Nalzok |
16 |
nalfeshnee |
11 |
Orcus |
30 |
Neferet the Green |
20 |
lich |
11 |
Dispater |
36 |
guide |
5 |
demilich |
14 |
Demogorgon |
50 |
apprentice |
5 |
ki-rin |
16 |
Dark One |
15 |
|
|
Spell effects:
Psi Bolt
- Does damage of (1+(ML/2))d6. Halved if you have magic resistance. (*)
"You get a slight headache." (damage 5 or less)
"Your brain is on
fire!" (damage 6 to 10)
"Your head suddenly aches painfully!" (damage 11
to 20)
"Your head suddenly aches very painfully!" (damage 21 or more)
Cure Self
- Monster gains 3d6 hit points, or is healed to maximum.
"<monster>
looks better."
Haste Self
- Monster becomes fast.
"<monster> is suddenly moving
faster."
Stun
- If you have magic resistance or free action, stunned for 1 turn.
"You
feel momentarily disoriented."
- Otherwise stuns you for 4d4 turns (6d4 if Dexterity is less than 12). (*)
"You
struggle to keep your balance." (already stunned)
"You reel..." (not
already stunned)
Disappear
- Monster becomes invisible.
"<monster> suddenly disappears!"
"<monster> suddenly turns transparent!" (if you have see
invisible)
Drain Strength
- If you have magic resistance, no effect.
"You feel momentarily
weakened."
- Otherwise reduces strength by a random number between 1 and (ML-6) (*).
"You suddenly feel weaker!"
Destroy Armor
- If you have magic resistance, no effect.
"A field of force surrounds
you!"
- If you aren't wearing armor, no effect.
"Your skin itches."
- Otherwise, destroys one piece of armor.
Curse Items
- Randomly curses some inventory items.
"You feel as if you need some
help."
- If wielding Magicbane, 95% of the time the curse will be absorbed.
"You feel a malignant aura surround the magic-absorbing blade."
- Otherwise, chooses up to 6 inventory items (3 if you have magic resistance
or half spell damage, 2 if you have both)
- Blessed items become uncursed, uncursed items become cursed.
- Intelligent artifacts have an 80% chance to resist.
Aggravate
- You briefly aggravate monsters.
"You feel that monsters are aware of
your presence."
- Each monster on the level has a 20% chance of becoming awake and
unfrozen.
Summon Nasties
- Summons "nasty" monsters.
- If in Gehennom, 10% chance that a minion is summoned.
- Otherwise, randomly chosen "nasty" monsters are summoned. The number of
monsters will be up to one-third your current level, rounded down (minimum 1).
"Monsters
appear from nowhere!"
"Destroy the thief, my pets!" (if the summoner is
the Wizard of Yendor)
- Spellcasters of the same or higher level as the summoner will not be
summoned.
- Genocided monsters won't be summoned, extinct monsters may be.
- The monsters will be awake and hostile.
- The following monsters are "nasty":
cockatrice |
gremlin |
winged gargoyle |
master mind flayer |
ochre jelly |
leocrotta |
baluchitherium |
purple worm |
xan |
zruty |
couatl |
red dragon |
black dragon |
green dragon |
yellow dragon |
stalker |
fire elemental |
fire giant |
ettin |
minotaur |
jabberwock |
arch-lich |
ogre king |
green slime |
disenchanter |
rock troll |
Olog-Hai |
umber hulk |
vampire lord |
xorn |
carnivorous ape |
owlbear |
captain |
elf-lord |
Elvenking |
iron golem |
Clone
- A clone of the Wizard of Yendor appears.
"Double Trouble..."
- The clone has a 50% chance of carrying a cheap plastic imitation of the
Amulet of Yendor.
Touch of Death
- "Oh no, <monster>'s using the touch of death!"
- If polymorphed into a demon or nonliving monster, no effect.
"You seem
no deader than before."
Nonliving monsters are undead, golems, vortices or
manes.
- There is a 13-in-(ML) chance of the spell failing.
- If you have magic resistance, no effect.
"Lucky for you, it didn't
work!"
- If hallucinating, no effect.
"You have an out of body experience."
- Otherwise, you die.
NOTE: Death's touch attack is not magical and
is unrelated.
Clerical spells
Directed
spells are marked with (!).Clerical spells may be cast by:
Monster name |
Base level |
aligned priest |
12 |
high priest |
25 |
Master Kaen |
25 |
Arch Priest |
25 |
Grand Master |
25 |
abbot |
5 |
acolyte |
5 |
Spell effects:
Open Wounds
- Does damage of (1+(ML/2))d6. Halved if you have magic resistance. (*)
"Your skin itches badly for a moment." (damage 5 or less)
"Wounds
appear on your body!" (damage 6 to 10)
"Severe wounds appear on your
body!" (damage 11 to 20)
"Your body is covered with painful wounds!"
(damage 21 or more)
Cure Self
- Monster gains 3d6 hit points, or is healed to maximum.
"<monster> looks better."
Confusion
- If you have magic resistance, no effect.
"You feel momentarily dizzy."
- Otherwise, you are confused for (ML) turns. (*)
"You feel confused!"
"You feel trippy!" (hallucinating)
Paralyze
- If you have free action or magic resistance, you are frozen for 1 turn.
"You stiffen briefly."
- Otherwise, you are frozen for 4+(ML) turns. (*)
"You are frozen in place!"
Blind
- You are blinded for 200 turns, or 100 if you have half spell damage.
"Scales cover your eyes!"
Summon Insects
- Summons insects ('a') around you (or where the monster thinks you
are).
"<monster> summons insects!"
- The number summoned is up to (ML/2), but with a minimum of 3.
- If insects are extinct or genocided, attempts to summon snakes ('S')
instead.
"<monster> transforms a clump of sticks into snakes!"
- If snakes are extinct or genocided, no effect.
"<monster> casts
at a clump of sticks, but nothing happens."
- The summoned monsters are awake and hostile.
Curse Items
- Randomly curses some inventory items.
"You feel as if you need some
help."
- If wielding Magicbane, 95% of the time the curse will be absorbed.
"You feel a malignant aura surround the magic-absorbing blade."
- Otherwise, chooses up to 6 inventory items (3 if you have magic resistance
or half spell damage, 2 if you have both)
- Blessed items become uncursed, uncursed items become cursed.
- Intelligent artifacts have an 80% chance to resist.
Lightning
- Casts a lightning bolt at you.
"A bolt of lightning strikes down at
you from above!"
- If you have reflection, it bounces off with no effect.
"It bounces off
your (armor, shield, amulet)."
- Otherwise, deals 8d6 damage. (*)
- If you have shock resistance, no damage.
- May destroy wands and rings.
Pillar of Fire
- "A pillar of fire strikes all around you!"
- Causes 8d6 damage (*) if not fire resistant.
- Cures sliming. May destroy scrolls, potions and books and burn
armor.
Geyser
- Causes a geyser to hit you, dealing 8d6 damage.
"A sudden geyser slams
into you from nowhere!"
- Damage is halved if you have half physical damage.
Other magic attacks:
Cold:
Cast by Asmodeus (base level
49).
Normal attack:
- "Asmodeus casts a spell!"
"You're covered in frost."
- No damage if cold resistant.
"But you resist the effects."
- Otherwise, does damage of (6+(ML/2))d6. (*)
Distance
attack:
- "Asmodeus zaps you with a bolt of cold!"
- No damage if cold resistant.
"You resist the effects!"
- Otherwise, does 6d6 damage. (*)
Magic missiles:
Cast by Angels (base level 14),
Yeenoghu (base level 25).
Normal attack:
- "<monster> casts a spell!"
"You are hit by a shower of
missiles!"
- No damage if magic resistant.
"The missiles bounce off!"
- Otherwise, deals damage of (1+(ML/2))d6.
Distance attack:
- "<monster> zaps you with a magic missile!"
- No damage if magic resistant.
"The missiles bounce off!"
- Otherwise, does 1d6 damage from Angels, 2d6 from Yeenoghu.
There is a 2/3 chance a monster with a cold or magic missile magic attack
will attack you from distance if in line with you.
They will not use such
attacks if cancelled.
The Wizard of Yendor:If you
have killed the Wizard of Yendor, or have performed the invocation ritual, every
51 to 250 turns one of the following will happen:
There is a one-third chance
of the message "You feel vaguely nervous." This has no game
effect.
Otherwise, one of the following happens, with equal probability:
- Curse Items
"You notice a black glow surrounding you." (if not blind)
- Aggravate
- Summon Nasties
No messages.
- The Wizard of Yendor is resurrected.
A voice booms out... "So thou
thought thou couldst kill me, fool."
If on the Astral Plane, one of the
following will occur, with equal probability:
Minion summoning:Demons
(except balrogs, incubi and succubi) have a 1-in-13 chance of summoning a minion
each turn, unless they are cancelled. All demons summoned will be of the same
alignment as the summoner.
When spellcasters, including the Wizard of Yendor,
summon minions with the Summon Nasties spell, they do so as demon princes,
except that they may summon demons of any alignment.
- Demon princes:
- 5% chance of summoning another demon prince.
- Otherwise, a 25% of summoning a demon lord.
- Otherwise, they summon a major demon (&). (+)
- Demon lords:
- 2% chance of summoning a demon prince.
- Otherwise, a 5% chance of summoning another demon lord.
- Otherwise, they summon a major demon. (+)
- Major demons:
- 5% chance of summoning a demon lord.
- Otherwise, 1/6 chance of summoning a random major demon.
- Otherwise, they summon another demon of their own
type.
(+) There is a 25% chance that two will be summoned
instead of one.
For several
spells, having half spell damage reduces the spell's effects. Half spell damage
is obtained by carrying one of the following artifacts:
- The Orb of Detection
- The Platinum Yendorian Express Card
- The Orb of Fate
- The Eye of the Aethiopica
(*) If you have half spell damage, this
number becomes (x+1)/2.
References:
Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers
J.
Ali Harlow's Monster Manual
Kate Nepveu's Demogorgon FAQ
Correction
and clarifications provided by David Gale, Dylan O'Donnell, Seraphim.
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