Arggh! Bug or feature? (SLASH'EM)

Prometheus77

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May 14, 2013, 9:16:44 AM5/14/13

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(polymorphed into a fire vampire)
You kill the ice troll!
But wait...the ice troll turns into a chickatrice!
You bite the chickatrice.
You turn to stone.
You die.

A bit of explanation is warranted here. In SLASH'EM, monster polymorph works similar to player polymorph. If you kill a polymorphed monster, it reverts to its original form. It's part of what makes chameleons, doppelgängers, and werecreatures so dangerous. It makes the game tougher, but adds flavor and consistency, not unlike crushed bacon bits.

However, probably as an accommodation to the new vampire race, SLASH'EM normally turns off extra attacks such as biting and brain sucking against 'trices and other creatures with a passive stoning attack.

However, and here is where my YASD came into play, it seems that when attacking a footrice, etc. polymorphed into something else, it fails to disable subsequent attacks, so if an initial attack causes it to revert, you still attack with your bite/claw/suck (etc) and be stoned as in Vanilla.

This feels like a bug. Any thoughts?

Prometheus

wumpus

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May 14, 2013, 12:53:16 PM5/14/13

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Your analysis seems right on. Whether it is a bug or intentional is hard to say - perhaps someone thought it would make sense that a sudden polymorph in the midst of your attacks would be too sudden to react to? I've killed poor Pegasus under similar circumstances at least once. It certainly adds another column to the instadeath chart, which is probably not really necessary.

Thanks for the warning, BTW, as this is not one of the ways I've managed to die yet. Though given that I don't do a lot of polyself, I'm unlikely to manage it without already being screwed over by the RNG into a biting monster via polytrap.

Alex

PS - My latest lycanthrope was getting ready to make his way down to Sam's when he encountered a sabre-toothed cat. I will be taking them more seriously in the future - it did something on the lines of 120 points of damage to me in, like, 4 rounds, killing my wolf form twice and then my human form. Maybe the next try will find a magic lamp at Izchak's...

Prometheus77

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May 14, 2013, 2:12:49 PM5/14/13

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On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 11:53:16 AM UTC-5, wumpus wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 6:16:44 AM UTC-7, Prometheus77 wrote:
>
> > (polymorphed into a fire vampire)
>
> > You kill the ice troll!
> > But wait...the ice troll turns into a chickatrice!
> > You bite the chickatrice.
> > You turn to stone.
> > You die.

(snip)

> > This feels like a bug. Any thoughts?
>
> Your analysis seems right on. Whether it is a bug or intentional is hard to
> say - perhaps someone thought it would make sense that a sudden polymorph in
> the midst of your attacks would be too sudden to react to? I've killed poor
> Pegasus under similar circumstances at least once.

That *definitely* seems like a bug.

> It certainly adds another column to the instadeath chart, which is probably
> not really necessary.

Seriously.

> Thanks for the warning, BTW, as this is not one of the ways I've managed to
> die yet. Though given that I don't do a lot of polyself

That's probably because you haven't tried fire vampires. I had just discovered how awesome they are. Speed *24*, like a warhorse, only then you can wear speed boots on top of that and go 32! They absolutely kick butt in the midgame with their fire touch attack, *and* they fly, regenerate, etc. The best part is that they can wear body armor, so there's no risk of tearing anything when you poly, no need to take things off and put them back on like you would if you wanted to play as a crystal golem (another favorite of mine). And they're low enough level that you can stay as one for a long time.

Ah, unless you happen to bump into a polymorphed cockatrice.

It was so fun, though, that I think I'll try my luck again as soon as I find another double-ring set of polymorph control and polymorph. After all, what are the chances *that* will happen again? (maniacal laughter in the distance)

> PS - My latest lycanthrope was getting ready to make his way down to Sam's
> when he encountered a sabre-toothed cat. I will be taking them more
> seriously in the future - it did something on the lines of 120 points of
> damage to me in, like, 4 rounds

Yes, those things are serious business. It sucks that you can't engrave E in wolf form. They only get speed of 12, though, so if you're unburdened and careful (or hasted) you should be able to outrun them. Best of luck, hope you make Sam's next time!

-Prometheus