Monsters

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There are many different kinds of Monsters in NetHack 3.1. Some are just ordinary Animals, some are Humans or humanoid creatures, some are strange beings from fantasy, myth, and legend. Some are Undead, revolting beings who refuse entirely to die when their time comes, or who have been re-animated by some powerful necromancer. And there are any number of unclassifiable creatures.

Some Monsters are Friendly, and may even help you out under some circumstances. Some Monsters are better than Friendly, they are Tame, and will follow you around and help you fight other Monsters; these are Pets. Most just want to chew your bones. Fight the Hostile ones, but not the Friendly or Tame ones! You will suffer grave (pardon me) consequences if you kill non-Hostile monsters.

Monsters you cannot see are not displayed on the Screen. Beware! You may suddenly come upon one in a dark place. Some magical items can help you locate them before they locate you, which some Monsters do very well.

Monster table

Here is tabulated all the Monster information the author could find using his heroic Healer character Doctor Kildeer (whose Stethoscope came out before his Frost brand left its scabbard in order to get you these statistics). For each species the statistics given are from the most formidable specimens encountered. For more complete information on any monster whose name appears in green, click on the name; you can also click on Table column headings.

A	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Acid blob	(see Blob)
Air elemental	(see Elemental)
Angelic being
Aleax	Yel	L	14	58	-2	Hit-Hit-Kick
Angel	Wht	N	16	70	-6		Weapon, Shield are Rustproof
"			19	88	-6
Archon	Pur		22	95	-8		Curses items; blinds you; has great equipment.
Couatl	Grn	L	12	59	5
Ant
Giant	Brn	N	3	13	3
Fire	Red	N
Ape
(common)		N	6	30	6
Carnivorous		N	6	24	6
"			9	39	6
Archon	(see Angelic being)
Asmodeus	(see Demon lord)
B	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Bat
Giant
Vampire	Gra	N	7	37	6
Bee
Killer	Yel	N	1	5	-1
Queen	Pur	N	13	61	-4		Found only in a Beehive
Beetle
Giant		N	7	31	4
Blob
Acid		N	1	4	8
Quivering		N	7	32	8	Touch
Bugbear		C	4	25	5	Hug
C	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Captain	(see Human)
Cat	Wht	N
Centaur
Forest		C	7	37	3	Kick
Plains
Mountain		C	9	42	2
Chameleon		N	15	65	5		Polymorphs into other Monsters
Cockatrice	Yel	N	7	46	6	Pertification
Couatl	(see Angelic being)
Crocodile	Red	N	9	45	5	Hit-Hit
D	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Demilich	(see Lich)
Demon
Djinni	Yel	N	10	44	4		Can come from Magic Lamp
Erinyes	Red	L	10	48	2
Hezrou	Red	C	13	53	-2
Incubus
Manes		C	1	8	7
Marilith	Red	C	10	20	-6
Nalfeshnee	Red	C	16	52	-1
Succubus	Gra	C	8	40	0		Sex with one may have various effects
Vrock	Red	C	12	51	0
Water demon	Blu	C	11	48	-4		Can come out of Fountains
Demon lord
Asmodeus	Pur	L	49	198	-7
Dispater	Pur	L	36	144	-2
Juiblex	Grn	C	22	88	-7
Dispater	(see Demon lord)
Djinni	(see Demon)
Dog
(grown)
Little		N	2	12	6
Dragon						Bite-Hit-Hit, or breath weapon
Black	Gra	C	15	60	-1	Breathes Disintegration	Eat to gain Disintegration Resistance
Gray	Gra	L	17	136	-1	Breathes blast of fragments
"			20	160	-1
Green	Grn	L	17	136	-1
Red	Red	C	20	160	-1
White
White, baby	Wht	N	11	66	2
Yellow
Yellow, baby	Yel		13	65	2
Orange	Org	L	20	160	-1	Breathes Sleep gas
Dwarf
(common)	L	3	23	8			Hard shoes, Pick-axe
Lord
King
E	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Eel
Giant	Cyn	N	7	43	-1		Lurks in Water, invisibly
Electric	Blu	N	10	51	-3
Elemental
Air	Cyn	N	12	63	2
Earth	Brn	N	12	46	2
Fire	Yel	N	12	51	2
Water	Blu	N	12	57	2
Elf
Elvenking	Pur	C	12	45	7		Has v/good armor item
Gray	Gra	C	9	43	5
Woodland	Grn	C	6	25	10
Erinyes	(see Demon)
Ettin		N	12	77	3	Hit-Hit	Two-headed Giant-like Monster
Eye
Floating	Blu	N	3	18	9	Paralysis	Eat to gain Telepathy
Radiation
F	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Feline	(see Cat, Tiger, Lion, Jaguar)
Fire ant	(see Ant)
Fog cloud	(see Vortex)
G	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Garter snake	(see Snake)
Gecko		N	1	4	8
Gelatinous cube		N	9	48	8	Engulfs objects
Giant							Eat to gain Strength
Hill		C	10	51	6	Throws boulders
"			12	61	6
Fire		L	12	55	4		Can use magic items
Frost	Wht	C	13	61	0
Gnome
(common)	Red	N
Gnomish wizard	Blu	N	4	17	4
Goblin		C	0	4	10
Golem
Clay		N	12	50	7		Turns to Rocks when dead
Flesh		N	10	40	9
Rope	Brn	N	6	30	8
Wood							Turns to Quarterstaffs when dead
Rock
Iron	Cyn	N	21	80	3	Breathes poison gas	Turns to Iron Chains when dead
Gremlin	Grn	C	7	41	2
Grid bug	Pur	N	0	1	9	Electric shock
H	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Hezrou	(see Demon)
Hell hound	Red	C	10	50	4
Hobbit	Grn	L	1	1	10	Sling	Eat to gain Dexterity or Constitution
Hobgoblin		C	1	7	10
Homunculus	Grn
Human
Captain	Blu	C	15	76	-2
"			18	79	-1
Guard	Gra
Lieutenant
Nurse	Wht	N	11	36	0		Attack heals armor-free 'victims' or gives more Hit points
Oracle	Wht	N	13	55	0		Can summon Monsters
Priest(ess)	Wht
Sergeant	Red	C	12	62	0
Shopkeeper	Wht
Soldier	Gra	C	9	53	5
I	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Iguana	Brn	N	3	9	7
Imp		C	4	24	2
Invisible stalker	Wht	N	12	49	3		Stuns you if you eat corpse
J	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Jabberwock	Org	N	14	74	-2	Bite-Bite-Hit-Hit
"			19	73	-1
Jackal		N	0	4	7
Jaguar		N	6	26	6
Jelly
Blue	Blu	N	6	30	8		Eat for Fire or Cold Resistance (?)
Ochre	Brn	N	9	52	8
Spotted	Grn	N	7	33	8
Juiblex	(see Demon lord)
K	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Kobold
(common)	Red
Large		C	1	2	10
Kraken	Red	C	21	93	6		A kind of sea monster (giant squid)
L	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Leocrotta		N	9	47	4	Gaze can Confuse or Stun (?)
Leprechaun	Grn	N	6	30	8		Steals Gold, then Teleports away
Lich
(common)
Demilich	Red	C	20	106	-2	Many spells
Master		C	16	80	4	Many spells
Lion
Lizard	Grn	N	7	29	6
Lurker above		N	11	38	3	Engulfs victim
"			13	62	3
Lycanthrope
Were-rat	Brn
Werewolf
M	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Medusa	Grn	C	23	110	2	Pertifying gaze
Mimic							Looks like Treasure until 'picked up'
Small	Brn	N	10	51	7
Large	Red	N	11	55	7
Giant	Pur	N	12	60	7
Mind flayer	Pur	C	13	73	-1	Sucks brain (steals Intelligence)
Minotaur	Brn	21	93	6			Found in Maze; has Wand of Digging
Mold
Brown
Green	Grn
Red						Fire
Yellow	Yel	N	1	4	9	Stuns victim when it hits	Hallucinogenic when eaten (?)
Mumak		C	7	26	0		Mammoth from J.R.R. Tolkien
N	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Naga
Black	Gra	L	12	71	2
Golden	Yel	L	15	68	2
Golden, hatchling	Yel	N	4	23	6
Guardian
Guardian, hatchling	Yel	N	4	26	6
Red	Red	C	9	44	4		Eat to gain Fire resistance
Red, hatchling	Red	N	4	27	6
Nalfeshnee	(see Demon)
Newt		N	0	4	8
Nymph							Steals magic items, then Teleports away
Mountain	Brn
Water	Blu	N	4	27	9
Wood	Grn	N	4	10	9
O	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Ogre
(common)
Lord		C	10	57	3
King		C	10	42	4
Olog-hai	(see Troll)
Ooze
Gray	Gra						Slow-moving
Oracle (of Delphi)	(see Human)
Orc
Hill	Yel	C	3	20	9
Uruk-hai		C	4	19	8
Mordor		C	4	20	2
Shaman	Blu	C	4	20	5	Many spells
Captain	Pur	C	7	33	8
Owlbear		N	7	37	5	Grab/Crush
P	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Piercer
Rock	Gra	N	4	24	3
Iron	Cyn	N	7	29	0
Pudding
Brown	Brn	N	7	34	8		Divides when hit
Spotted
Q	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Quantum mechanic		N	7	30	3
"			9	54	3
Quasit		C	4	19	2
Queen bee	(see Bee)
R	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Rat
Giant	Brn
Rabid	Brn	N	3	23	6
Sewer		N	0	4	7
Rothe	Gra	N	3	19	7
S	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Scorpion		N	7	32	3
Sergeant	(see Human)
Shrieker		N	2	9	7	No attacks	Shrieks when approached or hit, possibly attracting other monsters
Snake
(common)	Brn	N	6	30	3	Poisonous bite
Cobra
Garter	Grn	N	1	2	8		Eating one is said to be 'healthy'
Python
Water moccasin		N	6	24	3
Spider
Cave	Gra
Giant	Pur	N	7	32	4
Succubus	(see Demon)
T	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Tengu		L	9	47	5
Titan	Pur	L	20	81	-3
Tiger	Yel	N	8	40	6
			9	49	6
Trapper	Grn	N	16	62	3	Engulfs victim
Troll							Regenerates, even after death
(common)		C	9	29	4
"			10	47	4
Ice		C	12	64	2	Hit-Hit-Bite
Rock		C	10	44	0	Hit-Hit-Bite
"			11	64	0
Olog-hai	Pur	C	18	73	-4
U	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Umber hulk						Hypnotic gaze (?)
Unicorn							Throw Gems to it to improve your Luck
V	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Vortex						Engulfs victim
Dust	Brn	N	6	21	2	Blinds victim while engulfed
Energy		N	9	43	2	Shocks victim
Fog cloud	Gra					Pummels victim with debris
Vrock	(see Demon)
W	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Warg	(see Wolf)
Water moccasin	(see Snake)
Wight
Barrow		C	4	18	3
Wolf
(common)		N	7	39	4
Warg		C	9	48	4
Winter	Wht	N	9	44	4	Cold	Eat for Cold resistance
Worm
Long		N	11	64	5		Leaves Worm tooth when dead
Purple	Pur	N	16	73	4	Engulfs & digests victim
Wraith	Gra	C	7	10	4	Steals Experience	Eat to gain Experience level
Wumpus	Cyn	N	12	52	7
X	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Xan		N	10	40	-4	Stings legs to immobilize
Xorn	Red	N	10	50	-2	Hit-Hit-Hit-Bite	Travels through rock
"			11	57	-2
"			12	52	-2
Y	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Yellow light	Yel	N	4	22	0	Explodes to Blind victim
Yeti		N	7	34	6
Z	Colr	Ali	Lvl	HP	AC	Attacks	Comments
Zombie	(various types have differing characteristics; it varies by the original species)
Kobold zombie		C	0	1	10
Zruty		N	10	44	3
"			13	58	3

Key to table columns:

• (leftmost, lettered column) — the Name of this class or species of Monster.
• Colr — the Color the monster appears on a color Display.
• Ali — the Monster's Alignment.
• Lvl — the Experience level of the specimen cited in this entry.
• HP — how many Hit points the specimen cited had.
• AC — the Armor class of the specimen cited.
• Attacks — How many and what kind of Attacks the Monster gets in Combat.
• Comments — Some brief notes. For more complete details on a Monster, click on its Name.

Kildeer's Monstrous Encyclopedia

The Aleax is a type of Angelic being, apparently animal in form (they Kick). Look out — they can be formidable opponents. Their Armor class is very low, making them extremely hard to hit.

An Angel is your typical wings-harp-and-halo type celestial denizen. Note that they are not necessarily Lawful; they may be Chaotic! They certainly may be out to kill you. And they are extremely hard to hit!

Angels wield a Rustproof Sword and wear a rustproof Shield. One or the other may be Blessed. They are powerful fighters, but the Sword and Shield are very valuable, making it tempting to take one on. Be sure you are pretty powerful yourself!

An Archon is a high-ranking, powerful type of Angelic being. It uses Magic spells to Curse your items or Blinds you with its radiance. Its equipment is superb — it wields Demonbane, and is protected by the fabulously useful Shield of Reflection.

A Couatl is a sort of Angelic winged snake, taken from Middle American Indian mythos.

Ants may at times plague you.

• Giant ants are the ruination of every Dungeon explorer's picnic. No, seriously folks, they are big nasty bugs, and may come in bunches.
• Fire ants are much like ordinary Giant Ants, but seem to have some connection with Fire. the author does not know whether they are immune to Fire, but has fought many and they never used Fire against him.

There are two kinds of Apes in NetHack:

• Common Apes are apparently big gorillas (though they could be orang-utans or even grown chimps; an adult male chimpanzee is a large and dangerous animal, entirely unlike the small child chimps most people are familiar with).
• The Carnivorous ape is more dangerous than its relative, the common Ape, or at least its habits are more repulsive.

Bats in the Dungeons are enough to drive an adventurer batty. They're hard to hit because of their speed.

• The Giant bat is a difficult Monster to kill; its speed is such that it can dart in, attack you, then zip away from you so you can't retaliate without a missile weapon or a wand. Even then, it seems to retreat to squares you can't aim at (not on a vertical, horizontal, or 45° diagonal). Eating one will Confuse you.
• Vampire bats are similar to ordinary Giant bats, but more dangerous.

Bees can get troublesome, even in a dungeon!

• The Killer bee is a poisonous flying insect. They tend to come in swarms of several to a whole mess. The largest concentration of Killer Bees can be found in Beehives, where they protect their Queen bee. Due to their small size and high speed, Killer Bees are very difficult to hit.
• The Queen bee lives in a Beehives, surrounded by her swarm of Killer bees. Her 'treasure' consists of lumps of Royal jelly, a delicious food. It's even harder to hit a Queen bee than ordinary Killer bees.

The Giant beetle is a large, tough insect. The author seems to recall that its meat is Poisonous.

Quivering blobs are amorphous globs of protoplasm. They are easy to hit and damage, but their touch can temporarily Paralyze you; Missile or Magical attacks are better, as they do not expose you to its touch. If you eat one, you "feel healthy." The author thinks this indicates a Healing spell effect.

Bugbears are big, ugly goblinoids. They are capable of delivering a Hug, which keeps inflicting crushing Damage on the victim each turn until it is broken.

Cats and Kittens are occasionally found as wandering Monsters in the Dungeons. But they are usually encountered as Pets.

The Pet that a beginning Adventurer starts the game with may be a Kitten or a Little dog. Kittens, of course, grow into Cats with time... and Experience!

Centaurs are chimerae (mixed Monsters) from Greek mythology. They have the body of a horse, but where the horse's neck should be, a human torso rises; the upper body, arms, and head are essentially Human. Centaurs are powerful fighters, and some can use Magic spells.

• The Forest centaur, obviously, lives amongst the trees.
• The Mountain centaur lives in the craggy heights, far away from civilization (or what passes for it).
• The Plains centaur lives in the flatlands, and often interacts with civilized beings.

The Chameleon is a shape-shifter, but unlike Lycanthropes it can change freely from one type of Monster to another, exactly as if a Polymorph spell were used. Eating the corpse of a Chameleon will Polymorph you into another creature!

The Cockatrice, small as it is, is a dangerous Monster. Its gaze will Petrify anyone it falls upon! If you are Blinded, you cannot see it, and so cannot be killed (even if you have Telepathy, and so can still 'see' where it is). Touching it is also deadly, so don't attack with bare hands; also do not try to Tin its corpse unless you are wearing Gloves. Eating Cockatrice meat is every bit as petrifying as touching it.

You can kill it by normal means, or by reflecting its gaze upon itself by applying a Looking-glass in its direction. Its corpse can also be wielded using the w command (assuming you are wearing Gloves) and used as a Weapon to petrify Monsters.

Crocodiles are (for game purposes) pretty much like big Lizards. Only meaner, of course…

The variety of Demons in NetHack is quite wide:

• Djinni (singular ought to be Djinn, but NetHack gets it wrong) are Demons. They may come from a Magic lamp when it is rubbed, in which case they will be Tame; in essence, they are then Pets. The author cannot figure out any way to extract Wishes from the Djinni.
• Erinyes are (or is?) a type of Demon.
• The Hezrou is a type of Demon.
• The Incubus is a species of Demon, the male form of the Succubus. An Incubus will approach a female character and become seductive. If you agree to remove all your Armor, a romantic encounter will result. This may have the effect of gaining you an Experience level immediately, or losing one instead. You may be restored to full health. Or you may just 'feel good enough to do it again!' In addition to any of these, the Incubus may demand payment in Gold for his services. You can do this until you reach the 30th Experience Level; after that, Incubi will 'have a headache' or simply attack you on sight.
• Manes are a type of Demon.
• The Marilith is a type of Demon.
• Nalfeshnee are yet another type of Demon.
• The Succubus is a type of Demon. It is the female aspect of what is, in its male form, called an Incubus. Unlike most Demons, you can gain a great deal from it. Often a Succubus will approach a male character and become seductive. If you agree to remove all your Armor, a romantic encounter will result. This may have the effect of gaining you an Experience level immediately, or losing one instead. You may be restored to full health. Or you may just 'feel good enough to do it again!' In addition to any of these, the Succubus may demand payment in Gold for her services. You can do this until you reach the 30th Experience Level; after that, Succubi will 'have a headache' or simply attack you on sight.
• The Vrock is a rather low-level Demon.
• Water demons are low-level Demon. They may issue forth from a Fountain when you quaff from it. They will generally (though not invariably) be hostile.

Dogs are usually Pets, but hostile Dogs may also be encountered as Monsters. When you begin the game, your initial Pet may be either a Little dog or a Kitten. As a Little dog gains Experience, it will become more powerful, growing into (what else) a Large dog.

Dragons are among the most formidable Monsters in NetHack. They are available in many lovely colors to match any Dungeon's decor.

All Dragons get three attacks (Bite-Hit-Hit) per round of fighting, plus a powerful Breath weapon that differs from species to species. Many are intelligent enough to use Magic spells or Magic items.

• The Black dragon's breath weapon is a blast of Disintegration gas. This will rot many kinds of equipment, not to mention Damaging you!
• The Gray dragon blows out a blast of fragments similar to a Magic Missile spell, which strike for physical Damage.
• Red dragons are the standard Fire-breathing sort. This attack does Damage, as well as possibly damaging equipment.
• The Orange dragon breathes Sleep gas, like that found in Sleep Gas Traps.
• The Yellow dragon has a breath weapon too, but the author forgets what it is… possibly Poison gas?
• Green dragons spit a spray of Acid, which will disintegrate equipment as well as causing Damage.
• The White dragon's breath weapon is a freezing blast of Cold. This does normal Damage and may also freeze or shatter items of equipment.

Dwarves are short but very heavily built humanoids.

• The ordinary kind of Dwarf usually fight with Axes and wear metal Armor. They usually carry a Pick-axe for mining.
• A Dwarf lord is just a rich, powerful Dwarf with better equipment.
• A Dwarf king is a high-level Dwarf, equipped with the very finest in Dwarven equipment.

The Eels are large fishes; accordingly they live in the Water.

• The Giant eel cannot attack squares not adjacent to the Water it is in, but often that's bad enough.
• Electric eels live in the Water, and can attack only enemies in squares adjacent to the Water. They can attack as ordinary Giant eels do, and they can also Shock victims using electricity.

Elementals are creatures of the four elemental planes: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. They have a dim intelligence but are not truly sapient. Nonetheless, they can make you into mincemeat if you aren't powerful enough!

• Air elementals are like great, semi-intelligent whirlwinds from the Elemental Plane of Air. They can pummel you with rocks and garbage, or they can Engulf you and toss you about.
• Earth elementals are powerful, semi-intelligent rocky Monsters from the Elemental Plane of Earth. They can smite mightily.
• Fire elementals are powerful towers of Fire hailing, of course, from the Elemental Plane of Fire. They can attack with Fire.
• Water elementals are semi-intelligent animated waves from the Elemental Plane of Water. They can Engulf you and try to drown you.

Elves are much like Humans, but usually more slightly built.

• The typical common Elf tends to live in rustic surroundings and dislike urban life.
• An Elvenking is a wealthy, powerful Elven ruler, with high-quality equipment.
• The Gray-elves are of the high and ancient stock of Elvenkind; they are more dignified and refined, more 'high-class', than Woodland elves.
• Woodland elves are the common variety of Elf. They are plentiful in the forests, and often come to the Dungeons to try their luck.

Ettins are two-headed Ogre-like Monsters.

Two kinds of Eyes float around the Dungeons, making your life more difficult. But some troublesome creatures can have beneficial uses.

• The Floating eye is a strange creature that flies slowly about the Dungeons. Its gaze can Paralyze victims, freezing them in place, unable to attack (or do anything else) for several turns. Eating the corpse of one may confer Intrinsic Telepathy upon the eater.
• Radiation eyes look similar to Floating eyes, but have a much more damaging attack.

I know of only one kind of Fungus, but there may be others.

• Violet fungusis a relatively innocuous Monster, but if you kill one and eat the corpse, you will Hallucinate for several turns.

Gelatinous cubes slide slowly along corridors, sweeping up objects and absorbing them. Striking a Gelatinous Cube may splash the attacker with Acid.

Ghosts are Undead Monsters. They represent the spirits of departed Adventurers such as yourself… in fact, you may even meet your own Ghost if you save and restore games to get around dying!

Ghosts are not terribly fast, so you can usually outrun them; they are fairly difficult to kill, so you may need to run away. Every Ghost has as its Treasure all the possessions the character had when it died. Some of these items may very well be Cursed, so beware when going through the things left behind by deceased Ghosts!

Giants are large to enormous humanoids. They often hurl Boulders; some can use Magic spells and Magic items. Eating Giant corpses may add one or more points to your Strength.

• Hill giants are fairly large. They hurl Boulders at enemies, then fight powerfully hand-to-hand.
• Fire giants are larger and stronger than Hill giants. They are immune to Fire-based attacks.
• Frost giants are large Giants who attack using Cold. They are immune to Cold themselves.
• Storm giants are exceptionally large Giants. They can attack with Lightning, and are immune to electrical attacks.

Gnomes are small humanoids who love to mine the earth,

• The common Gnome is continually mining the Dungeon Walls, making new passages with his or her Pick-axe and leaving heaps of Rocks all over the place.
• A Gnomish wizard will attack using his or her Magic spells. Many of these are intended to damage or destroy your equipment.

Goblins are small spiteful humanoids, somewhat similar to small Orcs. Individually they are not terribly dangerous, but in groups they can cause low-level characters some concern.

Golems are pseudo-living creatures from medieval Jewish legend; they are made by a powerful magician and imbued by their maker with life of a sort. They can be made of various materials.

• Clay golems are artificial humanoids made from earthen materials animated by a mage. When killed, they decay into a heap of Rocks.
• Flesh golem was the name of a popular Sci-Fi comic-strip hero of the 1930's. No, no — that was Flash Gordon. My mistake! Flesh Golems are like Frankenstein's monster, artificial beings stitched together from the remains of dead Humans.
• Rope golems are artificial humanoids made primarily from (what else?) Ropes.
• A Wood golem is an artificial humanoid creature made of wooden parts. When killed, it falls apart into a pile of Quarterstaffs.
• Rock golems are synthetic humanoids composed of hard minerals (as opposed to the softer Clay Golem). When destroyed they fall apart into a heap of Rocks.
• An Iron golem is essentially a magical robot. It is an artificial humanoid made of metal and given synthetic 'life'.

Gremlins are hateful little creatures that delight in torture and inflicting pain. They may be able to multiply in certain circumstances (the author is not certain of this).

The Grid bug is a strange insect that uses electric discharge to zap its enemies. They are not terribly dangerous unless you are a low-level character, in which case trying to fight several at once might spell doom.

Hell hounds are formidable Dogs that have a Breath weapon — they can spout Fire! The Pups may be trainable (try throwing Tripe rations to the Pup to make it a Pet). But remember that a Pet that belches flame can be inconvenient at times…

Hobbits, or Halflings, are small humanoids who usually prefer the comforts of home and hearth to the rigors of Dungeon exploration. However, there are a few mavericks who defy community standards and go off to get into trouble. These tend to be very dexterous, and especially good with projectile weapons. They typically carry (and use) a Sling.

Eating dead Hobbits, though somewhat repulsive to contemplate, is not considered cannibalism for game purposes; you may gain a point of Dexterity, or of Constitution (or even both).

A Hobgoblin is similar to a Goblin, but much larger and more powerful.

The Homunculus is a small demon-like being. It bites for ordinary physical Damage, but it can also use Magical items and may have Scrolls or Potions.

Humans are Just Ordinary Folks like you or me (unless you happen to be playing an Elf, that is). They may come from many walks of life.

• A Captain is a leader of the Guards, higher-ranking than a Lieutenant, and having better equipment and more Hit points.
• The Guard is a Soldier who patrols a Town keeping the order, or who guards the Vaults of Croesus and arrests robbers. Like all Guards in all times, he is bored, underfed, underpaid... but just chat (À-C) to one and he'll tell you all about it.
• Lieutenants lead a group of Guards or Soldiers. They have somewhat better equipment than those under them.
• Nurses are unusual 'Monsters' — they increase your Hit points when they hit, if you are not wearing any Armor or wielding any Weapon! Remove all your Armor, wield nothing, and stand there while your Hit Points go up. Note that this will not only heal hits lost to Damage, but will also raise your maximum Hit Points permanently, a very beneficial effect indeed! Try chatting with them using the À-C command.
  After a number of rounds of Hit-Point raising, the Nurse will get bored, or hear the call of duty elsewhere perhaps, and Teleport away to a random location on the same Dungeon level.
• The Oracle of Delphi is a Human Priestess transported into the Dungeons straight from ancient Greece. She will dispense valuable (or perhaps not so valuable) bits of information about the game… for just a few Gold pieces! Minor consultations are the same as the hints you get from Fortune cookies, and cost only 50 Gold pieces. Major consultations are whole paragraphs, couched in annoyingly cute "archaic" jargon, which provide major hints toward solving the game. They cost a lot more (the exact cost seems to vary, perhaps according to your character's Experience level or Charisma?).
  The Oracle can be found in her own garden, surrounded by Fountains and Statues.
• A Priest or Priestess is a Human like you (unless of course you are an Elf!), trying to make a living in service to some deity or other. They are usually found attending an Altar and Temple. You can make donations to your favorite deity by chatting to the Priest or Priestess. After doing this, pray at the Altar and you may gain a benison. Just be sure the Altar is dedicated to your god, not another!
• Sergeants are Humans in charge of a small group of Guards or Soldiers. They have somewhat better equipment than those in their charge.
• Shopkeepers are powerful Humans who keep the various Shops in the Dungeon and the Town. They can See invisible, and don't allow Invisible customers into their Shops if they can avoid it. If you fail to pay a Shopkeeper he or she will not let you out. They will fight if they have to, and they are high-level characters, make no mistake!
• Soldiers are ordinary military men, working a tough day for a few zorkmids. They have a fair amount of gear, but of only fair quality. They tend to travel in groups, often accompanied by a Sergeant or even a Lieutenant.

Iguanas are similar to Lizards.

Imps are little Demon-like creatures, bent on mischief and evil.

Invisible stalkers are, of course, invisible. They stalk you. 'Nuff said.

Oh, yes — eating the corpse of one will Stun (or Confuse?) you.

Jabberwocks are huge, bat-winged, long-necked, claw-bedecked high-level Monsters taken from the works of Lewis Carroll. Tenniel's illustration of this horrendous beast in Through The Looking-Glass, the second of the Alice books, is the only picture known to have been drawn from nature. In deference to Victorian mores, the Monster is shown wearing a waistcoat and spats. (AD&D players might notice a distinct similarity to the illustrations of the Quasit in that game's Monster Manual.)

Jaguars are large jungle cats. They claw and bite.

Jackals are wild Dog-like Animals. They are not too difficult to defeat, and yield edible (if not terribly tasty) meat.

Jellies are amorphous, amoeba-like blobs of living plasm that creep along slowly enough to avoid, but are nasty enough when you attack them! They come in various types, each with its own distinctive attack method:

• Blue jellies are big amoeboids that can Shock victims with electricity.
• Ochre jelly is yet another of the amoeboid Jelly family. The author does not recall its characteristics at the moment.
• Spotted jelly is related to the Blue and Ochre Jellies. It splashes attackers with Acid. Other than that the author is uncertain as to its exact characteristics, but it is safe to say that it is (1) less blue or ochre and (2) more spotted than its cousins.

The Leocrotta is a bizarre quadruped with a badger's head, stag's body, lion's tail, and cloven hooves; its 'teeth' are in reality jagged bony ridges. It can imitate the Human voice; a Pet Leocrotta will impersonate you if you chat to it, a real novelty!

The Leprechaun is a thief of Gold. It will steal your money, then Teleport away leaving you fuming.

Liches are a class of an Undead Monster who were once extremely powerful chaotic magic-users or clerics who refused to die, preferring instead to use their magics to become creatures neither living nor dead.

• The common Lich is bad enough; its strike is very damaging, and they are hard to defeat.
• A Demilich is an unusually powerful variety of Lich.
• A Master lich is an even meaner, extra-strong variety of Lich.

Lions are large plains cats, fully capable of devouring the average Adventurer for a snack. Be sure you are an above-average Adventurer before taking on a Lion.

Lizards are simply large, formidable reptiles. Eating Lizard meat can cure Confusion.

The Lurker above is a Dungeon dweller that imitates a portion of the Ceiling. When you pass beneath it, it drops and envelops you.

The Medusa (there is only one, and a good thing too) is a horrid Monster from Greek mythology. She looks like a Human woman, but instead of hair she has Snakes growing from her scalp. These can bite victims, but the Medusa's main weapon is her gaze. The sight of the Medusa is so terrifying the the victim is Petrified. The only way to avoid this is not to look — being Blind (temporarily, of course) is essential.

The Medusa can be killed by conventional methods, but the best and most satisfying (not to mention mythologically correct) way to kill her is to reflect her gaze upon her in a Looking-glass (the author thinks this works, but it has been a while).

A Mimic is a camouflaged Monster. It looks exactly like some piece of Treasure until you try to pick it up; then it suddenly reveals its true nature and attacks. They come in various sizes, the larger the more formidable.

Mind flayers are horrible, more-or-less humanoid psychic Monsters that can attack physically, but their main attack mode is to use the squid-like tentacles around its mouth to suck at your head. Successful attacks suck your brain out, decreasing your Intelligence (but in no way rendering you unfit to run for public office). As the Mind Flayer gets multiple attacks per round, this can have a devastating effect. The safest thing to do is stand a few squares away and blast the vile thing with Magic or Missile weapons.

Molds are as annoying in a Dungeon as in real life — maybe even more so. But they certainly do brighten up any subterranean adventurer's surroundings!

• Brown mold is similar to Red mold, but it attacks using Cold instead of Fire.
• Green mold is another in a family of generally hostile fungoid growths. This one attacks with Acid; it may also splash you with Acid if you hit it. If you eat a dead one you will get an 'acid stomach.'
• Red mold is a form of subterranean fungus that can attack using Fire.
• Yellow mold is a dangerous underground fungus that can Stun you if it hits. Eating the corpse of a Yellow Mold will make you Hallucinate.

Mumaks are a type of Mammoth or Mastodon, great prehistoric elephants, as described in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, in which the Easterlings (or is it the Haradrim?) use them as war-beasts.

Naga are supernatural beings with the bodies of serpents but Human-like heads. They are intelligent and can use Magic spells. Sometimes you'll also encounter their Hatchlings. Naga come in many varieties.

• Black naga
• Golden naga
• Guardian naga
• Red naga

Nymphs are slight, Elf-like female creatures from Greek mythology who typically inhabit rustic scenes. For some reason, a few are found in the Dungeon. Perhaps this unusual setting makes them bitter; in any case, they will pretend to be friendly, get seductive, then steal one of your pieces of equipment. This done, they Teleport away, leaving you feeling stupid.

• Mountain nymphs are just like their sisters, the Water nymphs — thieving scoundrels to the core, intent on stealing the valuable possessions of male characters, then Teleporting away.
• Water nymphs are usually found near Fountains. Quaffing from a Fountain or otherwise using it may attract a Water nymph, who will try to steal some equipment and Teleport away.
• The Wood nymph is another sort of Nymph, reputed not to have the thieving propensities of her sister, the Water nymph. The author is unsure about this.

Ogres are huge humanoids, similar to Giants but not so big. They are wild savages, and eat meat; they like it best still squirming.

• Common Ogres are simply big bad dudes who eat Adventurer for supper when they can get it fresh. (More or less fresh, that is)
• Ogre lords are just larger-than-usual, extra-high-level Ogres. They will be equipped better than the usual Ogre, which isn't saying much.
• An Ogre king is the leader of a tribe of Ogres; he will be better equipped than an Ogre or Ogre lord, and more powerful in general.

Gray ooze is one of the many shapeless blob-like Monsters in the Dungeons. It is slow, but can move. It attacks by biting with its many mouth-like openings.

Orcs are hate-filled, distorted, sadistic creatures bred for battle. They often serve as slave-soldiers to powerful monsters, though many form roving bands. They come from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

• Hill orcs are the common, run-of-the-mill Orcs. They are not hard to defeat.
• The Uruk-hai are an exceptionally strong breed of Orc. They can withstand daylight better than ordinary Orcs, and are more powerful in general.
• Mordor orcs are more powerful than their commoner Orc brethren, and may be better equipped.
• An Orc shaman may accompany a group of Orcs, or it may be found on its own. Like all Shamans, it will cast detrimental Magic spells at you in an attempt to defeat you by ruining your equipment, slowing you down, and so forth. It can also hurl harmful Potions at you.
• An Orc captain leads a band of Orcs in battle. It will be more powerful than ordinary Orcs, and better equipped.

The Owlbear is a bizarre mixed monster; it has a bear-like body, a thick tail, and a strange beak. It can bite or claw, and is able to hug its victims to crush them.

Piercers resemble stalactites that occur naturally in Dungeons and Caverns. They can be virtually Invisible (due to their camouflage) until they attack by dropping on their victims, skewering them.

Piercers come in two disagreeable species:

• The Rock piercer is the less dangerous of the species of Piercers.
• The Iron piercer is the more powerful kind of Piercer.

Puddings are not as innocuous in the Dungeon as the ones you may be used to on your dining table.

• Brown puddings are gigantic amoeba-like Monsters that bite at their enemies. As if that were not bad enough, they may also divide in two when hit, yielding two Monsters where there was one! Eating the corpse of a Brown Pudding will give you Acid stomach, but may be 'healthy', probably meaning it acts as a Healing spell.
• Spotted pudding has probably been left in the refrigerator too long. No, seriously: it is a glob-like Monster that attacks by sliming you. It may also divide when hit, increasing your danger.

A Quantum mechanic is an unusual creature. It looks Human enough, but seems to be from another universe. It can Teleport if threatened. Eating the corpse of one causes your speed to be 'uncertain' (it may be increased or decreased).

These properties are taken from subatomic physics. In the field of quantum mechanics, it is explained that one can never know both the position and the speed of any particle to any degree of accuracy; because the act of measuring one drastically alters the other, and vice versa.

Quasits are minor Demons transformed into a small, Imp-like form. They often serve as familiars to powerful chaotic Wizards.

Rats come larger and more dangerous when you're in the Mazes. Here are some of the virulent varieties:

• Giant rats are just what they sound like — huge rats! Other than their great size, they are just Animals, and pose no threat to advanced characters; still, they could kill a beginner.
• Rabid rats are rats who have contracted the dreaded disase rabies. If they bite you, there's a chance you will get sick as well. Don't let it happen!
• Sewer rats are filthy rodents; they may spew forth when you try to use Fountains. Sewer Rats may cause Disease.

The Rothe is another nondescript quadruped. Its precise characteristics are obscure, but it shares with most Monsters the desire to destroy adventurers…

Rust monsters are the bane of every Adventurer who carries metal items. They attack by Rusting your metal Armor and Weapons, making them useless.

You can guard against them in several ways:

1. Wear only non-metallic Armor and use only non-metallic Weapons (Leather Armor and a Club or Bullwhip is cheap; Crystal Plate Mail and a Crysknife not so much so).
2. Rustproof all your metallic equipment (requires considerable magic but gives you really nice equipment).
3. Use a Genocide spell to get rid of all Rust monsters.

Scorpions are Poisonous relatives of the Spiders. Scorpions can attack with their two claws, and their tail ends with a poisoned sting.

Snakes range from ordinary serpents through Poisonous species, and come in many sizes.

• Common snakes are not too dangerous, but low-level adventurers should avoid them if they can.
• Cobras are a variety of Snake. They may be able to spit their Venom as a missile weapon (the Doctor's not sure).
• The common Garter snake is a relatively non-dangerous variety of Snake; it seems to have no poison but it can bite for normal Damage.
• Pythons are huge Snakes that can constrict for crushing Damage, or can Poison victims with their bite.
• Water moccasins are poisonous Snakes often found around Fountains; quaffing from a Fountain or otherwise using it may cause a nest of Moccasins to appear; they will be agitated because of the disturbance!

You can find Spiders underground; they're usually dangerous.

Cave spiders are often discovered hiding under items of Treasure. They bite you if you approach too closely.

Giant spiders are huge arachnids; they are often found hiding under items of Treasure, and attack when you try to pick the items up (or maybe if you're just standing nearby). They may weave Webs, which can entrap weaker adventurers.

Tengu are supernatural beings from another plane of existence. They can Teleport. Eating a Tengu corpse may give you intrinsic Involuntary teleportation, or it may give you Teleport control.

Titans are powerful Giant-like Monsters from Greek myth. They were the original rulers of the Earth, but were overthrown by the 'present' gods. Titans will use Magic spells, often to Curse your equipment or otherwise render you less fit for combat. If at all possible, drop your equipment somewhere safe and duke it out with your fists. They are nasty!

Tigers are big, orange-and-black striped jungle cats. They claw and bite to attack. They can make good Pets if you can tame them; the author's Healer character Doctor Kildeer has a Pet Tiger named Hobbes.

Trolls of all sorts can Regenerate, even coming back to life after being killed. In fact, even if you start eating a Troll corpse, it might revive and resume fighting (though it will have been damaged by your chewing).

• The common Troll is a humanoid character similar in some respects to an Ogre, but with the added toughness that comes with their Regenerative ability.
• Ice trolls are an unusual, northern breed of Troll. They attack with Cold, and are themselves immune to Cold.
• Rock trolls are similar to ordinary Troll, but their skin is very tough, giving them a very good Armor class.
• Olog-hai are unusually strong Trolls, taken from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Unicorns are fantastic Monsters that look mostly like horses, but with a lion-like tail and a long, pointed horn coming from their foreheads. They come in Black, White, and Gray varieties.

Vampires are dreaded Undead Monsters that live by drinking the blood of living victims. They can drain Experience levels away if they hit.

• The common Vampire is the familiar fellow who turns into a Bat. He vants to drink your blood!
• Vampire lords are ultra-powerful Vampires — as if the usual sort weren't dangerous enough!

A Vortex is a whirling tornado of Dust, Energy or some other substance. Vortices can attack you in the usual way, or they can Engulf you.

• A Dust vortex is a whirlwind filled with dust, grit, and rocks. If it Engulf you, you will be choked by dust and pummeled by flying debris; the dust may temporarily Blind you.
• An Energy vortex is like a little tornado with lightning flashing throughout it. It can ingest enemies; engulfed victims are zapped by electricity.
• The Fog cloud is a type of (or close relative of) Vortex. It can Engulf you, whereupon it pummels you with debris for normal physical Damage.

Were-rats are a species of Lycanthrope; they are able magically change from Human to Giant rat form and back. If you eat a Were-Rat corpse you will be infected with Lycanthropy and become a Were-Rat yourself; most Adventurers would prefer to avoid this.

The Werewolf is a type of Lycanthrope that shifts shape between that of a Human and a Wolf. If you eat the corpse of a Werewolf you will become a Werewolf too.

Barrow-wights are Undead monsters that prefer to live near burial mounds (barrows). They scavenge among the corpses for edibles, but are not above helping the occasional adventurer to become carrion…

Wolves are wild relatives of Dogs. They roam the Dungeons looking for meat — and they think thatyou're it!

• Wargs are terrible Dire Wolves from J.R.R. Tolkien's works. They are more intelligent than ordinary animals, and thus more dangerous. They are Chaotic, indicating that they are more than mere beasts (who are always Neutral).
• Winter wolves are similar to ordinary Wolves, but can breathe a Dragon-style blast of Cold; they are insensitive to Cold attacks themselves, and eating the corpse of one may confer this ability on you too.

Long worms are dungeon-dwelling relatives of the Sandworms of Arrakis, or Dune. They are the only monsters in NetHack that occupy more than one square of floor space — the head occupies one square, and there may be one or more body segments trailing after it. The safest way to kill a Long Worm is to attack the rear, so the head can't bite at you. When a Long Worm dies, it may leave behind a Worm tooth.

The Purple worm haunts the Dungeons looking for adventurers to eat. It can ingest opponents and digest them for Acid Damage.

Wraiths are high-level Undead Monsters that can drain away Experience levels with just a touch. They can also make physical attacks. Eating a Wraith corpse may raise your Experience by one level. Note that the corpse is too insubstantial to Tin or otherwise keep; you must eat it right away or its potential benefit will be wasted.

The Xan is a monstrous, mythical mosquito mentioned in the Popul Vuh, the grisly holy writings of the ancient Maya Indians of Mexico. It attacks by biting your legs, slowing you and making it hard (or even impossible) for you to move. This effect gradually wears off… if you survive!

The Xorn is a massive creature from the Elemental Plane of Earth. It can move through rock as if it were not there, and often attacks from within the walls. Due to its rock-like skin, it is extremely hard to hit.

The Yellow light is a reclusive creature that floats stationary (or nearly so) in the Dungeon darkness — until it is disturbed. Then its annoyance is so great that it explodes with a brilliant yellow light (hence the name). If you chance to detonate a Yellow Light you will be Blinded for several turns.

Yeti are mysterious creatures, sometimes identified with the legendary Abominable Snowman. They are sort of a combination Ape and Ogre, and very fierce.

Zombies are Undead creatures made by necromantically re-animating dead bodies. They are not as powerful as the Monsters they were made from, but still pretty dangerous to the beginner.

The Zruty is a large, nondescript quadruped, apparently invented to have another Monster beginning with the letter 'Z'.

Classes of Monsters

Angelic beings are supernatural, religious-inspired beings. They come in many kinds, from the familiar to the exotic, from the mythoi of different civilizations. Note that just because such a being is of the same alignment as you, you can't assume it will be friendly toward you! Angelic Beings, like their opposites, are generally rather powerful and dangerous.

The Angelic Beings the author knows about include: Aleax, Angel, Archon, Couatl

Animals are simply that: dumb (in both the senses of "unable to speak" and "no Intelligence rating") beasts. There are many sorts, including: Bat, Cat, Dog, Jackal, Jaguar, Lion, Tiger, Wolf

Demons are creatures from the Underworld, usually hostile. They can pop up in the Dungeons, though, especially when certain things are disturbed that might better have been left alone. When (and if) you travel to Hades, you will encounter Demons aplenty.

Among the sorts of Demons found in NetHack are: Djinni, Erinyes, Hezrou, Incubus, Manes, Marilith, Nalfeshnee, Succubus, Vrock, Water demon

There exists in the game a Sword called Demonbane; this may be extra-powerful against Demons (it seems logical, doesn't it?).

Lycanthropes (also called Shape-changers) are were-Monsters. They alternate between a two forms, one Human and one Animal. In fact the name comes from ancient Greek roots meaning "wolf" and "man".

Among the sorts of Lycanthropes found in NetHack are: Were-rat, Werewolf.

The author is uncertain whether the class of "Shape-changers" is construed to include the following Monsters: Chameleon, Mimic. These two definitely do not qualify as Lycanthropes, though.

Undead are disgusting Monsters that are neither living nor truly dead. Some are formerly dead creatures that have been reanimated by powerful necromantic magic. Others are high-level magicians who refuse to let Death stop them from doing what they want! Whatever their origins, the Undead are repulsive and some of the higher-level ones are extremely dangerous.

Priests and Priestesses have the ability to Turn the Undead, which effectively destroys them and is treated as such in the game.

Types of Undead found in NetHack include: Zombie, Skeleton, Wraith, Vampire, Lich, Ghost.

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