Monster spell spoiler

Compiled for NetHack 3.4.2 by David Corbett
Last updated for 3.4.3 on 27 March, 2006.

Contents

• Casting magical or clerical spells
• Magical spells
• Clerical spells
• Other magic attacks
• The Wizard of Yendor
• Minion summoning
• Half spell damage

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:

Messages for misdirected spells:

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.

Number	Magical spell
0, 23+ (!)	Psi Bolt
1	Cure Self
2	Haste Self
3 (!)	Stun
4-5	Disappear
6-7 (!)	Drain Strength
8-9 (!)	Destroy Armor
10-12 (!)	Curse Items
13-14	Aggravate
15-17	Summon Nasties
18-19	Clone
20-22 (!)	Touch of Death

Directed spells are marked with (!).

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:

• Deals damage based on monster level (in each case, x=ML/2).
  • Orcus, Demogorgon: (8+x)d6
  • Dispater: (6+x)d6
  • Archon, golden naga: (4+x)d6
  • ki-rin: (2+x)d6
  • Neferet the Green: (2+x)d8
  • All other monsters: (1+x)d6
• Damage is halved if you have half spell damage, halved again 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)

• Monster gains 3d6 hit points, or is healed to maximum.
  "<monster> looks better."

• Monster becomes fast.
  "<monster> is suddenly moving faster."

• 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)
• Time is halved if you have half spell damage.

• Monster becomes invisible.
  "<monster> suddenly disappears!"
  "<monster> suddenly turns transparent!" (if you have see invisible)

• 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!"
• Reduction is halved if you have half spell damage.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• "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.

Number	Clerical spell
0, 14+ (!)	Open Wounds
1	Cure Self
2-3 (!)	Confusion
4-5 (!)	Paralyze
6-7 (!)	Blind
8	Summon Insects
9-10 (!)	Curse Items
11 (!)	Lightning
12 (!)	Pillar of Fire
13 (!)	Geyser

Directed spells are marked with (!).

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:

• Deals damage based on monster level (in each case, x=ML/2).
  • high priest, Arch Priest, Grand Master: (2+x)d8
  • other monsters: (1+x)d6
• Damage is halved if you have half spell damage, halved again 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)

• Monster gains 3d6 hit points, or is healed to maximum.
  "<monster> looks better."

• 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)
• Time is halved if you have half spell damage.

• 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!"
• Time is halved if you have half spell damage.

• You are blinded for 200 turns, or 100 if you have half spell damage.
  "Scales cover your eyes!"

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.
• Damage is halved if you have half spell damage.
• If you have shock resistance, no damage.
• May destroy wands and rings.

• "A pillar of fire strikes all around you!"
• Causes 8d6 damage.
• Damage is halved if you have half spell damage.
• If you have fire resistance, no damage.
• Cures sliming. May destroy scrolls, potions and books and burn armor.

• 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.

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.
• Damage is halved if you have half spell damage.

• "Asmodeus zaps you with a bolt of cold!"
• No damage if cold resistant.
  "You resist the effects!"
• Otherwise, does 6d6 damage.
• Damage is halved if you have half spell 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 from Angels, (2+(ML/2))d6 from Yeenoghu.

• "<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.

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."

• Summon Nasties
• Aggravate
• Curse Items
• "You feel vaguely nervous."

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.

Half spell damage:

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

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, Martin Read, Seraphim.