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NetHack 3.0.0 is the fifth public release of NetHack and the first by the DevTeam. Izchak Miller published it to the Usenet newsgroup comp.sources.games and the moderator approved it in July 1989.

Availability[]

Google Groups has archived NetHack 3.0.0; but the original source is more easily obtained from UUNet at [1]. The partXX.Z files in that directory are NetHack 3.0.0; patch* files are the patches for succeeding versions through NetHack 3.0.10.

Ali Harlow[2] has a NetHack 3.0.0 distribution at [3]; this is also available on Wikihack for browsing and annotation: NetHack 3.0.0 source code.

Significant changes[]

NetHack 3.0.0 is a vastly expanded game over NetHack 2.3e. The bestiary is expanded over threefold. Many new objects and dungeon features are added.

The Oracle and Castle levels and an early form of the Astral Plane appear for the first time. The Stooges and their attendant level are removed.

Vlad the Impaler and his Tower appear for the first time, but the Candelabrum of Invocation does not.

The room with the Wizard of Yendor is redesigned. The Fake Tower levels in the modern NetHack are shaped like the 3.0.x room.

The modern system of alignment and gods is introduced. Some roles have different alignments than in the modern game.

Full support for IBMgraphics and DECgraphics in essentially their modern forms is provided.

Support for the Amiga and Atari ST is provided for the first time in an official distribution.

The adventurer[]

The player may choose from these roles:

Role Alignment
Archeologist Lawful
Barbarian Chaotic
Cave-(wo)man Lawful
Elf Lawful
Healer Lawful
Knight Lawful
Priest(ess) Neutral
Rogue Chaotic
Samurai Lawful
Tourist Neutral
Valkyrie Chaotic
Wizard Neutral

The Ninja class is removed in favor of the Rogue.

All classes permit male and female adventurers, except the Valkyrie which must be female.

The adventurer has experience, hit points, magical energy, armor class, alignment, and the six major attributes. He may advance to experience level 30.

The initial pet is a little dog for Cavemen, a kitten for Wizards, and a random choice of the two for all others.

Dungeon features[]

The dungeon in NetHack 3.0.0 has no branches; there is one way up and one way down. The first 25 levels or so consist of rooms, and beyond that, the adventurer encounters the Castle and then mazes. The deepest dungeon level is 50.

Medusa appears as '@' on the down-stairs of the level before the Castle. She does not have a special level, and is thus a snare for the unwary adventurer.

Dungeon levels below the Castle are designated as "Hell". Entering hell without fire resistance, or losing it once there, is an instadeath. This may happen by taking off an item that confers fire resistance (ring of fire resistance or red dragon scale mail), losing one's polymorph, or by being hit by a gremlin. One may still be saved if he has some other source of fire resistance. These levels have only up-stairs, and the only way to proceed beyond the first level after the Castle is by level teleportation.

Special rooms are:

Special features are:

Traps are:

The Amulet of Yendor is found in the posession of the Wizard of Yendor in a maze level. He is in a small room in the center of the maze, surrounded by water and accompanied by a hell hound and a vampire lord.

Fake Wizard rooms contain a random demon prince instead of the Wizard and a fake Amulet. If all demon princes have appeared, a demon lord appears instead; if all demon lords have appeared, the room contains a random ordinary demon. All eight modern named demons exist, but their modern lairs do not.

A wand of wishing is guaranteed in the Castle, in its modern position; but it lies exposed on the floor instead of being protected by a chest and Elbereth.

When ascending from level 1 with the Amulet of Yendor, one is transported immediately to the Astral Plane; the Elemental Planes do not yet exist. The Astral Plane is different from the modern game, having mazes and powerful monsters instead of the denizens of the modern version.

Bestiary[]

New monsters are indicated in boldface.

The following monsters may be encountered:

Name Symbol Notes
giant ant a
soldier ant a
fire ant a
giant beetle a
killer bee a
queen bee a
acid blob b
gelatinous cube b
quivering blob b
cockatrice c
little dog d
dog d
large dog d
jackal d
werejackal @/d called "jackalwere" in animal form
wolf d
werewolf @/d called "wolfwere" in animal form
winter wolf d
warg d
hell hound pup d
hell hound d Now has breath weapon
floating eye e
freezing sphere e
kitten f
housecat f
large cat f
jaguar f
gremlin g
hobbit h If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
bugbear h
dwarf h
dwarf lord h
dwarf king h
manes i
homunculus i
lemure i
imp i
quasit i Non-default in 2.3e
tengu i
kobold k
large kobold k
kobold lord k
kobold shaman k
lich l
demilich l
master lich l
small mimic m "mimic" in 2.3e
large mimic m "mimic" in 2.3e
giant mimic m "mimic" in 2.3e
red naga hatchling n
black naga hatchling n
golden naga hatchling n
guardian naga hatchling n
red naga n
black naga n
golden naga n
guardian naga n
goblin o
hobgoblin o
orc o
hill orc o "orc" in 2.3e
Mordor orc o If TOLKIEN defined at compile time; "orc" in 2.3e
Uruk-hai o If TOLKIEN defined at compile time; "orc" in 2.3e
orc shaman o "orc" in 2.3e
orc-captain o "orc" in 2.3e
rock piercer p "piercer" in 2.3e
iron piercer p "piercer" in 2.3e
rothe q
osquip q
mumakil q If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
leocrotta q
wumpus q Non-default in 2.3e
titanothere q
baluchitherium q
sewer rat r
giant rat r
rabid rat r
wererat @/r Called "ratwere" in animal form
rock mole r
cave spider s
scorpion s Non-default in 2.3e
giant spider s
lurker above t
trapper t
white unicorn u "unicorn" in 2.3e
grey unicorn u "unicorn" in 2.3e
black unicorn u "unicorn" in 2.3e
fog cloud v
dust vortex v
energy vortex v
ice vortex v
steam vortex v
fire vortex v
baby long worm w If WORM defined at compile time
baby purple worm w
long worm w If WORM defined at compile time
purple worm w
xan x
yellow light y
zruty z
ape A
carnivorous ape A
bat B
giant bat B
vampire bat B
plains centaur C "centaur" in 2.3e
forest centaur C "centaur" in 2.3e
mountain centaur C "centaur" in 2.3e
baby grey dragon D
baby red dragon D
baby white dragon D
baby blue dragon D
baby green dragon D
baby orange dragon D
baby black dragon D
baby yellow dragon D
grey dragon D
red dragon D
orange dragon D
white dragon D
black dragon D
blue dragon D
green dragon D
yellow dragon D
air elemental E
fire elemental E
earth elemental E
water elemental E
violet fungus F
brown mold F
yellow mold F
green mold F
red mold F
gnome G
gnome lord G
gnome king G
gnomish wizard G
ettin H
giant H
stone giant H "giant" in 2.3e
hill giant H "giant" in 2.3e
fire giant H "giant" in 2.3e
frost giant H "giant" in 2.3e
titan H
minotaur H
owlbear H
stalker I
blue jelly J
spotted jelly J
ochre jelly J
Keystone Kop K If KOPS defined at compile time
Kop Sergeant K If KOPS defined at compile time
Kop Lieutenant K If KOPS defined at compile time
Kop Kaptain K If KOPS defined at compile time
leprechaun L
kobold mummy M
gnome mummy M
orc mummy M
elf mummy M
human mummy M
ettin mummy M
giant mummy M
wood nymph N "nymph" in 2.3e
water nymph N "nymph" in 2.3e
mountain nymph N "nymph" in 2.3e
ogre O
ogre lord O
ogre king O
gray ooze P
brown pudding P
black pudding P
quantum mechanic Q
mad scientist Q
rust monster R
garter snake S
snake S
pit viper S
cobra S
python S
water moccasin S
troll T
ice troll T
rock troll T
water troll T
Olog-hai T If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
umber hulk U
vampire V
vampire lord V
Vlad the Impaler V
barrow wight W
wraith W
Nazgul W If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
xorn X
yeti Y
kobold zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
gnome zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
orc zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
elf zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
human zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
ettin zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
giant zombie Z "zombie" in 2.3e
straw golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
rope golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
leather golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
wood golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
flesh golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
clay golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
stone golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
iron golem ' If GOLEMS defined at compile time
human @
Woodland-elf @ If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
Green-elf @ If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
Grey-elf @ If TOLKIEN defined at compile time
elf-lord @
Elvenking @
nurse @
shopkeeper @
guard @
temple priest @ If ALTARS and THEOLOGY defined at compile time
temple priestess @ If ALTARS and THEOLOGY defined at compile time
unarmored soldier @ If ARMY defined at compile time
soldier @ If ARMY defined at compile time
sergeant @ If ARMY defined at compile time
lieutenant @ If ARMY defined at compile time
captain @ If ARMY defined at compile time
Wizard of Yendor @
Medusa @ If MEDUSA defined at compile time; "medusa" in 2.3e
oracle @ If ORACLE defined at compile time
ghost (space)
water demon &
demon & If HARD not defined at compile time (not in default build)
horned devil & If HARD defined at compile time
succubus & If HARD defined at compile time
incubus & If HARD defined at compile time
erinyes & If HARD defined at compile time
marilith & If HARD defined at compile time
barbed devil & If HARD defined at compile time
vrock & If HARD defined at compile time
hezrou & If HARD defined at compile time
bone devil & If HARD defined at compile time
nalfeshnee & If HARD defined at compile time
ice devil & If HARD defined at compile time
pit fiend & If HARD defined at compile time
balrog & If HARD defined at compile time
Juiblex & If HARD defined at compile time
Yeenoghu & If HARD defined at compile time
Orcus & If HARD defined at compile time
Geryon & If HARD defined at compile time
Dispater & If HARD defined at compile time
Baalzebul & If HARD defined at compile time
Asmodeus & If HARD defined at compile time
Demogorgon & If HARD defined at compile time
mail daemon & If MAIL defined at compile time
djinni &
giant eel ; Restored from NetHack 2.2a
electric eel ;
kraken ;
chameleon :
archeologist @
barbarian @
caveman @
cavewoman @
elf @
healer @
knight @
priest @
priestess @
rogue @
samurai @
tourist @
valkyrie @
wizard @

The Three Stooges were removed.

The attentive reader will note that no monster has the symbol j.

Objects[]

New objects are indicated in boldface.

Artifacts[]

NetHack 3.0.0 was the first version to have artifacts as such. Previous versions gave special significance to certain names applied to certain objects, but did not require these names to be unique. Furthermore, Excalibur was the only restricted name.

Artifacts in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Name Object Notes
Excalibur long sword
Snickersnee katana No longer user-nameable
Cleaver axe
Orcrist two-handed sword User-nameable
Sting elven dagger User-nameable; dagger if no TOLKIEN; formerly dagger or short sword
Frost Brand long sword
Fire Brand long sword
Stormbringer broadsword
Sunsword long sword
Dragonbane broadsword
Demonbane long sword
Werebane long sword
Giantslayer long sword
Ogresmasher lucern hammer
Thunderfist lucern hammer
Trollsbane morning star

Amulets[]

The entire class of amulets is new in NetHack 3.0.0, except the Amulet of Yendor and its cheap plastic imitation.

Amulets, including the Amulet of Yendor, are wearable for the first time. Wearing the Amulet of Yendor has no effect.

Amulets in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Food[]

Food items in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

The slice of pizza was removed; the nameable fruit takes its place.

Weapons[]

Weapons in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

The sling bullet is removed. The rock is now listed as a stone rather than a weapon.

Tools[]

Tools in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Keys have shapes that fit specific locks on chests and large boxes; the skeleton key fits all locks and can also open doors.

Armor[]

Armor items in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Potions[]

Potions in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

The method of obtaining holy or unholy water is different from modern versions. One drops a potion of water on an altar and it immediately becomes blessed, uncursed, or cursed for lawful, neutral, or chaotic altars, respectively.

Scrolls[]

Scrolls in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

The scroll of damage weapon is removed; the scroll of enchant weapon, when cursed, takes over its former role.

The scroll of genocide takes on its modern response to blessings and curses.

Wands[]

Wands in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Spellbooks[]

All spellbooks are present if and only if SPELLS is defined at compile time.

Spellbooks in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

Rings[]

Rings in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

NetHack 3.0.0 introduces the modern system of six abilities, and so the ring of adornment is useful for the first time.

Stones[]

Stones in NetHack 3.0.0 are:

and worthless pieces of white, blue, red, yellowish brown, and green glass. The rock is now a stone rather than a weapon.

Other items[]

Other items not appearing in the above categories are:

Blinding and acid venom are also listed as objects, but they only exist while in flight, or when a wizard mode wish requests them.

Iron chains now exist as true objects, dropped when an iron golem dies.


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