Eating Corpses For Food And Intrinsics

Based on the table by Catherine Darrow.
Compiled for NetHack 3.4.3 by David Corbett.
Last changed 7 July, 2004.

Table of monsters and intrinsics
Effects of eating corpses
Old and tainted corpses, and food poisoning
Monsters not leaving corpses

This spoiler details the nutrition, intrinsics and other effects of eating corpses.

Table of monsters and intrinsics

Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
abbot	400	Human	Hallucination
acid blob	10 V!	Acidic
acolyte	400	Human
aligned priest	400	Human
ape	500
apprentice	400	Human
Arch Priest	400	Human
archeologist	400	Human
attendant	400	Human
baby black dragon	500
baby blue dragon	500
baby crocodile	200
baby gray dragon	500
baby green dragon	500	Poisonous
baby long worm	250
baby orange dragon	500
baby purple worm	250
baby red dragon	500
baby silver dragon	500
baby white dragon	500
baby yellow dragon	500	Acidic
baluchitherium	800
barbarian	400	Human
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
bat	20		Stun (30)
black dragon	1500			Disintegration: 100%
black naga	400	Acidic		Poison: 53%
black naga hatchling	100	Acidic		Poison: 20%
black pudding	250	Acidic		Cold: 22%, Shock: 22%, Poison: 22%
black unicorn	300			Poison: 27%
blue dragon	1500			Shock: 100%
blue jelly	20 V!			Cold: 13%, Poison: 13%
brown mold	30 V!			Cold: 3%, Poison: 3%
brown pudding	250 V	Acidic		Cold: 11%, Shock: 11%, Poison: 11%
bugbear	250
captain	400	Human
carnivorous ape	550
cave spider	50			Poison: 7%
caveman	400	Human
cavewoman	400	Human
centipede	50			Poison: 13%
chameleon	100		Polymorph
chickatrice	10	Petrify		Poison: 27%
chieftain	400	Human
Chromatic Dragon	1700	Poisonous		Fire: 17%, Cold: 17%, Sleep: 17%, Shock: 17%, Poison: 17%, Disintegration: 17%
cobra	100	Poisonous		Poison: 40%
cockatrice	30	Petrify		Poison: 33%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
coyote	250
crocodile	400
Croesus	400	Human
Cyclops	700		Strength
Death	1	DIE
dingo	200
disenchanter	200
dog	200	Aggravate
doppelganger	400	Human	Polymorph
dwarf	300	Dwarf
dwarf king	300	Dwarf
dwarf lord	300	Dwarf
electric eel	250			Shock: 47%
elf	350	Elf		Sleep: 67%
elf-lord	350	Elf		Sleep: 53%
Elvenking	350	Elf		Sleep: 60%
ettin	500
Famine	1	DIE
fire ant	10			Fire: 20%
fire giant	750		Strength	Fire: 30%
flesh golem	600			Fire: 12%, Cold: 12%, Sleep: 12%, Shock: 12%, Poison: 12%
floating eye	10			Telepathy: 100%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
forest centaur	600
fox	250
frost giant	750		Strength	Cold: 33%
gargoyle	200
garter snake	60
gecko	20
gelatinous cube	150 V!	Acidic		Fire: 10%, Cold: 10%, Sleep: 10%, Shock: 10%
giant	750		Strength
giant ant	10
giant bat	30		Stun (60)
giant beetle	10	Poisonous		Poison: 33%
giant eel	250
giant mimic	500		Mimic (50)
giant rat	30
giant spider	100	Poisonous		Poison: 33%
glass piercer	300
gnome	100	Gnome
gnome king	150	Gnome
gnome lord	120	Gnome
gnomish wizard	120	Gnome
goblin	100
golden naga	400			Poison: 67%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
golden naga hatchling	100			Poison: 20%
Grand Master	400	Human
gray dragon	1500
gray ooze	250 V	Acidic		Fire: 7%, Cold: 7%, Poison: 7%
gray unicorn	300			Poison: 27%
green dragon	1500	Poisonous		Poison: 100%
green mold	30 V!	Acidic
green slime	150 V	Slime, Poisonous, Acidic
Green-elf	350	Elf		Sleep: 33%
gremlin	20	Poisonous		Poison: 33%
Grey-elf	350	Elf		Sleep: 40%
guard	400	Human
guardian naga	400	Poisonous		Poison: 80%
guardian naga hatchling	100			Poison: 20%
guide	400	Human
healer	400	Human
hell hound	300			Fire: 80%
hell hound pup	200			Fire: 47%
high priest	400	Human
hill giant	700		Strength
hill orc	200
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
Hippocrates	400	Human
hobbit	200
hobgoblin	200
homunculus	100	Poisonous		Sleep: 7%, Poison: 7%
horse	300
housecat	200	Aggravate
human	400	Human
hunter	400	Human
ice troll	300			Cold: 60%
iguana	30
imp	10
iron piercer	300
Ixoth	1600			Fire: 100%
jabberwock	600
jackal	250
jaguar	300
jellyfish	20	Poisonous		Poison: 20%
Keystone Kop	200	Human
killer bee	5	Poisonous		Poison: 30%
King Arthur	400	Human
kitten	150	Aggravate
knight	400	Human
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
kobold	100	Poisonous
kobold lord	200	Poisonous
kobold shaman	150	Poisonous
Kop Kaptain	200	Human
Kop Lieutenant	200	Human
Kop Sergeant	200	Human
kraken	1000
large cat	250	Aggravate
large dog	250	Aggravate
large kobold	150	Poisonous
large mimic	400		Mimic (40)
leocrotta	500
leprechaun	30			Teleportitis: 50%
lichen	200 V!
lieutenant	400	Human
little dog	150	Aggravate
lizard	40	Cure stoning	Reduce stunning, confusion
long worm	500
Lord Carnarvon	400	Human
Lord Sato	400	Human
Lord Surtur	850		Strength	Fire: 50%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
lurker above	350
lynx	300
Master Assassin	400	Human
Master Kaen	400	Human		Poison: 100%
master mind flayer	400		Intelligence: 50%	Telepathy: (if no Intelligence gain)
Master of Thieves	400	Human
mastodon	800
Medusa	400	Petrify, Poisonous		Poison: 100%
mind flayer	400		Intelligence: 50%	Telepathy: (if no Intelligence gain)
minotaur	700
monk	400	Human
monkey	50
Mordor orc	200
mountain centaur	500
mountain nymph	300			Teleportitis: 30%
mumak	500
neanderthal	400	Human
Neferet the Green	400	Human
newt	20		Energy: 67%
ninja	400	Human
Norn	400	Human
nurse	400	Human	Heal	Poison: 73%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
ochre jelly	20 V!	Acidic
ogre	500
ogre king	750
ogre lord	700
Olog-hai	400
Oracle	400	Human
orange dragon	1500			Sleep: 100%
orc	150
orc shaman	300
orc-captain	350
Orion	400	Human
owlbear	700
page	400	Human
panther	300
Pelias	400	Human
Pestilence	1	DIE
piranha	30
pit viper	60	Poisonous		Poison: 40%
plains centaur	500
pony	250
priest	400	Human
priestess	400	Human
prisoner	400	Human
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
purple worm	700
pyrolisk	30			Fire: 20%, Poison: 20%
python	100
quantum mechanic	20	Poisonous		Speed Toggle
quasit	200			Poison: 20%
queen bee	5	Poisonous		Poison: 60%
quivering blob	100 V!			Poison: 33%
rabid rat	5	Poisonous
ranger	400	Human
raven	20
red dragon	1500			Fire: 100%
red mold	30 V!			Fire: 3%, Poison: 3%
red naga	400			Fire: 20%, Poison: 20%
red naga hatchling	100			Fire: 10%, Poison: 10%
rock mole	30
rock piercer	200
rock troll	300
rogue	400	Human
roshi	400	Human
rothe	100
rust monster	250
salamander	400	Poisonous		Fire: 53%
samurai	400	Human
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
sasquatch	750
scorpion	100	Poisonous		Poison: 50%
Scorpius	350	Poisonous		Poison: 100%
sergeant	400	Human
sewer rat	12
Shaman Karnov	400	Human
shark	350
shopkeeper	400	Human
shrieker	100 V!			Poison: 20%
silver dragon	1500
small mimic	200		Mimic (20)
snake	80	Poisonous		Poison: 27%
soldier	400	Human
soldier ant	5	Poisonous		Poison: 20%
spotted jelly	20 V!	Acidic
stalker	400		Stun (60)	Invisibility
stone giant	750		Strength
storm giant	750		Strength	Shock: 50%
student	400	Human
tengu	200			Poison: 13%, Teleportitis: 20%, Teleport control: 17%
thug	400	Human
tiger	300
titan	900
titanothere	650
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
tourist	400	Human
trapper	350
troll	350
Twoflower	400	Human
umber hulk	500
Uruk-hai	300
valkyrie	400	Human
vampire bat	20	Poisonous
violet fungus	100 V!		Hallucination	Poison: 20%
warg	350
warhorse	350
warrior	400	Human
watch captain	400	Human
watchman	400	Human
water moccasin	80	Poisonous		Poison: 27%
water nymph	300			Teleportitis: 30%
water troll	350
werejackal	400	Human, Poisonous		Lycanthropy: 100%
wererat	400	Human, Poisonous		Lycanthropy: 100%
werewolf	400	Human, Poisonous		Lycanthropy: 100%
white dragon	1500			Cold: 100%
white unicorn	300			Poison: 27%
Name	Nutrition	Initial effects	Final effects	Intrinsics
winged gargoyle	300
winter wolf	300			Cold: 47%
winter wolf cub	200			Cold: 33%
wizard	400	Human
Wizard of Yendor	400	Human		Fire: 25%, Poison: 25%, Teleportitis: 25%, Teleport control: 25%
wolf	250
wood nymph	300			Teleportitis: 30%
woodchuck	30
Woodland-elf	350	Elf		Sleep: 27%
wraith	0		Gain level
wumpus	500
xan	300	Poisonous		Poison: 47%
xorn	700
yellow dragon	1500	Acidic
yellow mold	30 V!	Poisonous	Hallucination	Poison: 7%
yeti	700			Cold: 33%
zruty	600

Zombies and the like are not listed in this table, since technically a dwarf zombie doesn't leave a dwarf zombie corpse, it leaves an old dwarf corpse. Monsters that don't leave corpses at all are listed in a separate table.

The "Nutrition" column shows how many nutrition points are gained from eating a corpse.
The nutrition points from a tin varies on the type of tin: see Dylan O'Donnell's food spoiler for more details.
Those monsters marked 'V' are suitable for vegetarians. Those marked '!' are suitable for vegans.

Effects of eating corpses

Initial effects:

The "Initial effects" column shows the effects that occur on the first bite of a corpse.

Tinned food is eaten in one turn, so both initial and final effects (including intrinsic gains) happen on the same turn, the initial effects happening first.

Acidic	Acidic corpses deal 1 to 15 damage to you if not acid-resistant. If turning to stone, you are cured. Tins of acidic monsters deal no acid damage, but still stop you turning to stone.
Poisonous	80% chance to deal 1 to 15 damage to you and reduce your strength by 1 to 4, if not poison-resistant. Tins of monsters are not poisonous.
Cannibalism (Human, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome)	If you eat a member of your own race, and are not a Caveman, you gain aggravate monster and lose 2 to 5 luck.
Aggravate	Eating this monster gives you aggravate monster. Orcs and Cavemen are exempt.
Slime	Eating a green slime makes you begin turning into slime, killing you in 10 turns, unless you have unchanging or you are a green slime, a fire elemental, flaming sphere, fire vortex or salamander.
Petrify	Eating a chickatrice, cockatrice or Medusa instantly petrifies you, unless stoning-resistant. If you are a golem, you become a stone golem, otherwise petrification kills you.
DIE	Eating Death, Famine or Pestilence instantly kills you.
Cure stoning	Eating lizard meat cures you if turning to stone.

Eating meat (those monsters not marked 'V' in the "Nutrition" column) results in a -1 penalty to alignment, if you are a Monk.

Final effects:

The "Final effects" column shows the effects that occur after finishing a corpse.

Stun	You become stunned for the number of turns shown.
Polymorph	You change form, unless you have unchanging.
Hallucination	You hallucinate for 200 (more) turns.
Mimic	You mimic a pile of gold (or an orange if hallucinating) for the number of turns shown (falling off your steed, if applicable), unless you have unchanging.
Reduce stunning, confusion	Eating a lizard reduces stunning and confusion counts to 2 turns, if higher.
Strength	Eating a giant makes you gain strength, potentially as high as your racial maximum. (You can also gain an intrinsic at the same time, if appropriate.) If you had less than 18 strength, then you have a 19/24 chance of gaining one point, or a 1/24 chance each of gaining 2 to 6 points. If you had 18 strength or more, then you gain 1 to 10 points (equally likely). If you had strength 18/85 or more, gain just one point, up to 18/**.
Intelligence	Gain 1 intelligence.
Gain level	Eating a wraith corpse makes you gain a level, unless the corpse rots away before you finish (which will happen, for instance, if you are interrupted while eating it).
Energy	Eating a newt may give you 1 to 3 energy (100% chance if current energy is two-thirds or less of maximum energy). If this puts you above your maximum energy, you have a one-third chance to gain 1 maximum energy.
Heal	Eating a nurse heals you to maximum hit points.

Intrinsics:

The "Intrinsics" column shows the intrinsics that can be gained after finishing a corpse, with their probability of being conferred.

Fire, Cold, Shock, Poison, Sleep, Disintegration	Gain the corresponding resistance, with the probability shown.
Telepathy, Teleport Control, Teleportitis	Gain the corresponding intrinsic.
Invisibility	If not already invisible, you become temporarily invisible, else you gain permanent invisibility and see invisible.
Lycanthropy	You become a lycanthrope of the same kind as the corpse eaten.
Speed toggle	If you have intrinsic speed, you lose it. If you don't have it, you gain it.

The chances of receiving an intrinsic (e.g., poison: 33%) imply that eating the corpse has that chance of conferring the intrinsic (i.e., corpses that can give multiple intrinsics have already had that accounted for). If you already have one of the possible intrinsics from a corpse, the others do not become more likely. You will never gain more than one intrinsic from a corpse.

Tins of monsters confer intrinsics with the same probabilities as the corpses of the monster. Whether a corpse or tin is blessed or cursed has no effect on the chances.

For more information on the effects of intrinsics and the associated messages when gaining them, see Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers:
For the effects of fire, cold, shock, poison, sleep and disintegration resistance, see the dragon intrinsics spoiler.
For the effects of teleportitis, teleport control, see invisible, invisibility, and aggravate monster, see the ring intrinsics spoiler.
For the effects of speed, telepathy and lycanthropy, see the miscellaneous intrinsics spoiler.

Old and tainted corpses, and food poisoning

Corpses that have been left too long may give you food poisoning.

Lizard and lichen corpses never rot.
Corpses left on ice age half as quickly, corpses in iceboxes do not age at all.
Corpses left by mummies, zombies and vampires are 100 turns old when they die. The corpse will be of the monster's base race (vampires are human).

For corpses other than lizards and lichen, the possibility of getting food poisoning from a corpse is as follows:

The age of the corpse is divided by a random number between 10 and 29, and rounded down.
Add 2 if the corpse is cursed, subtract 2 if blessed.
If the result is more than 5, and not an acid blob, it is tainted. The corpse disappears, conveying no nutrition or intrinsics. If you are not sickness-resistant, it gives you food poisoning. This will kill you in 11 to 20 turns if it is not cured.
Otherwise, if the result is more than 3, and you are not sickness-resistant, there is an 80% chance of the corpse being too old. You take 1 to 8 points of damage.

Food poisoning may be cured by:

the spell "cure sickness"
a non-cursed potion of extra or full healing, or blessed potion of healing
using a non-cursed unicorn horn
eating a non-cursed eucalyptus leaf
praying for divine intervention
a potion of holy water (but not if chaotic or polymorphed into a demon or undead monster)
#invoking the Staff of Aesculapius
a nurse's healing "attack"
polymorphing into your own form, or a sickness-resistant monster (a ghoul or any F)

Monsters not leaving corpses

air elemental	Aleax	Angel	arch-lich	Archon
Ashikaga Takauji	Asmodeus	Baalzebub	balrog	barbed devil
barrow wight	black light	bone devil	clay golem	couatl
Dark One	demilich	Demogorgon	Dispater	djinni
dust vortex	earth elemental	energy vortex	erinys	fire elemental
fire vortex	flaming sphere	fog cloud	freezing sphere	gas spore
Geryon	ghost	ghoul	glass golem	gold golem
grid bug	hezrou	horned devil	ice devil	ice vortex
incubus	iron golem	Juiblex	ki-rin	leather golem
lemure	lich	mail daemon	manes	marilith
master lich	Minion of Huhetotl	nalfeshnee	Nalzok	Nazgul
Orcus	paper golem	pit fiend	rope golem	sandestin
shade	shocking sphere	skeleton	steam vortex	stone golem
straw golem	succubus	Thoth Amon	Vlad the Impaler	vrock
water demon	water elemental	wood golem	Yeenoghu	yellow light

References

Original table of monsters and intrinsics by Catherine Darrow. (catherine[AT]tomandcatherine[DOT]com)
Dylan O'Donnell's spoilers on dragon, ring and miscellaneous intrinsics, and food.
Kate Nepveu's Demogorgon spoiler.

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