# Zombie

Wikipedia has an article about:
Zombie 

Members of the Z zombie monster class are undead creatures often found in graveyards or in the main dungeon. Zombies leave corpses that are already old, so they are unfit for sacrificing (except for same-race sacrifices). They are also likely to be tainted even if eaten immediately. You can tin a zombie's corpse to attempt to gain whatever intrinsic would normally be added by consuming a normal corpse of the same monster type. More dangerously, eating a zombie corpse and then curing the sickness is also possible.
Ghouls and skeletons are also represented by Z, but are not technically zombies.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

Zombies and liches can now raise monsters killed by them without a weapon as zombies, unless they are cancelled. The corpse will rise 5-20 turns after death if it has a corresponding zombie type. You can also do this if polymorphed into a zombie or lich. Zombies and liches will now fight living monsters that can be turned into zombies.
Contents

1 Types of zombies

1.1 Kobold zombie
1.2 Gnome zombie
1.3 Orc zombie
1.4 Dwarf zombie
1.5 Elf zombie
1.6 Human zombie
1.7 Ettin zombie
1.8 Giant zombie

2 Variants

2.1 dNetHack

2.1.1 Drow zombie
2.1.2 Half-dragon zombie

2.2 FIQHack

3 Origin
4 Encyclopedia entry
5 References

Types of zombies
Kobold zombie

Z kobold zombie 

Difficulty

1

Attacks

Claw 1d4

Z kobold zombie 

Difficulty

1

Attacks

Claw 1d4

Base level

0

Base experience

1

Speed

6

Base AC

10

Base MR

0

Alignment

-2 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

400

Nutritional value

50

Size

Small

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

A kobold zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 is poisonous to eat.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 can leave an old kobold corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2113

These monsters are coveted by neutral protection racketeers because they provide a boost to alignment record with only minimal gain in experience.  This is helpful to  improve the outcome of prayer without gaining unnecessary levels.  This is true for lawful protection racketeers as well, though their options are so common that it's rarely an issue.

Gnome zombie

Z gnome zombie 

Difficulty

2

Attacks

Claw 1d5

Z gnome zombie 

Difficulty

2

Attacks

Claw 1d5

Base level

1

Base experience

8

Speed

6

Base AC

10

Base MR

0

Alignment

-2 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

650

Nutritional value

50

Size

Small

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

A gnome zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 is poisonous to eat.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is a gnome.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 can leave an old gnome corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2120

Orc zombie

Z orc zombie 

Difficulty

3

Attacks

Claw 1d6

Z orc zombie 

Difficulty

3

Attacks

Claw 1d6

Base level

2

Base experience

17

Speed

6

Base AC

9

Base MR

0

Alignment

-3 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

850

Nutritional value

75

Size

Medium

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

An orc zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 is poisonous to eat.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is an orc.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 normally appears in small groups.

 can leave an old orc corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2127

Orc zombies, along with orc mummies and other live orcs, are detected by Sting when wielded. Strangely, they may also appear among the named orcs that can be found in the Gnomish Mines and other levels in a game that has the Orcish Town variant of Minetown, and will even be generated carrying the appropriate loot.

Dwarf zombie

Z dwarf zombie 

Difficulty

3

Attacks

Claw 1d6

Z dwarf zombie 

Difficulty

3

Attacks

Claw 1d6

Base level

2

Base experience

17

Speed

6

Base AC

9

Base MR

0

Alignment

-3 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

900

Nutritional value

150

Size

Medium

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

A dwarf zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 is poisonous to eat.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is a dwarf.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 normally appears in small groups.

 can leave an old dwarf corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2134

Elf zombie

Z elf zombie 

Difficulty

4

Attacks

Claw 1d7

Z elf zombie 

Difficulty

4

Attacks

Claw 1d7

Base level

3

Base experience

28

Speed

6

Base AC

9

Base MR

0

Alignment

-3 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

850

Nutritional value

170

Size

Medium

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

Sleep (67%)

An elf zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is an elf.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 normally appears in small groups.

 can leave an old elf corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2141

Elf zombies leave old elf corpses. These may be tinned and then eaten for the sleep resistance intrinsic, which they have a 67% chance of giving. The high chance comes from the fact that the base level of the elf monster is considerably higher than other base race monsters. If you have an immediate means of curing food poisoning but no tinning kit, it may even be worth it to eat one raw.

Human zombie

Z human zombie 

Difficulty

5

Attacks

Claw 1d8

Z human zombie 

Difficulty

5

Attacks

Claw 1d8

Base level

4

Base experience

41

Speed

6

Base AC

8

Base MR

0

Alignment

-3 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

1450

Nutritional value

200

Size

Medium

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

A human zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 normally appears in small groups.

 can leave an old human corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2149

Reviving an aligned priest corpse with will instead produce a human zombie.

Ettin zombie

Z ettin zombie 

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d10, claw 1d10

Z ettin zombie 

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d10, claw 1d10

Base level

6

Base experience

73

Speed

8

Base AC

6

Base MR

0

Alignment

-4 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

1700

Nutritional value

250

Size

Huge

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

None

An ettin zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 is strong.

 has infravision.

 can leave an old ettin corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2157

Players generally encounter Ettin zombies well before encountering normal Ettins.

Giant zombie

Z giant zombie 

Difficulty

9

Attacks

Claw 2d8, claw 2d8

Z giant zombie 

Difficulty

9

Attacks

Claw 2d8, claw 2d8

Base level

8

Base experience

113

Speed

8

Base AC

6

Base MR

0

Alignment

-4 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

2050

Nutritional value

375

Size

Huge

Resistances

Cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

Increase strength (50%)

A giant zombie:

 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is a giant.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 is strong.

 has infravision.

 can leave an old giant corpse.

Reference

monst.c#line2165

Giant zombies leave rotten giant corpses. These may be tinned and then eaten for the strength gain.

Variants
dNetHack
dNetHack adds two new types of zombie: the Drow zombie and half-dragon zombie.
Also, dNethack zombies can now rise from the dead similar to GruntHack zombies.  However, they lack the sickness inducing bite.  All non-undead will attack zombies on sight.  Any monster killed by a zombie will eventually revive as one if a corpse is left, however the player will not (as of yet).
In dNetHack, the Z class also includes the skeletal pirate, gnoll ghoul, and dread seraph.

Drow zombie

Z drow zombie File:Drow zombie.png

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d6 fire, Passive 1d6 barbs

Z drow zombie File:Drow zombie.png

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d6 fire, Passive 1d6 barbs

Base level

5

Base experience

61

Speed

6

Base AC

9

Base MR

0

Alignment

-5 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

800

Nutritional value

175

Size

medium

Resistances

cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

A drow zombie:

 can survive underwater.
 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is male.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 has infravision.

 appears only in Gehennom.

 normally appears in small groups.

 never leaves a corpse.

 resists death magic.

 cannot be tamed.

 does not naturally regenerate HP.

Half-dragon zombie

Z half-dragon zombie File:Half-dragon zombie.png

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d6 fire, Passive 4d6 half-dragon breath

Z half-dragon zombie File:Half-dragon zombie.png

Difficulty

7

Attacks

Claw 1d6 fire, Passive 4d6 half-dragon breath

Base level

5

Base experience

66

Speed

6

Base AC

9

Base MR

0

Alignment

-5 (chaotic)

Frequency (by normal means)

1 (Very rare)

Genocidable

Yes

Weight

800

Nutritional value

175

Size

medium

Resistances

cold, sleep, poison

Resistances conveyed

A half-dragon zombie:

 can survive underwater.
 does not breathe.

 is mindless.
 has a head, a couple of arms, and a torso.

 does not eat. (*)
 is undead.

 is male.

 is normally generated hostile.

 can follow you to other levels.

 appears only in Gehennom.

 normally appears in small groups.

 never leaves a corpse.

 resists death magic.

 cannot be tamed.

 does not naturally regenerate HP.

Even in death, the half-dragon zombie retains the half-dragon breath attack it had in life.

FIQHack
Zombies in FIQHack can be much more dangerous to the inattentive or careless player.  First, zombies can revive other corpses.  If there is a zombie variant of the corpse, it will become a zombie of that type.  If there is not a zombie variant of the corpse, it will become an enslaved monster.  This is indicated by the use of 'enslaved' in messages, for example 'the enslaved kitten hits!'
Every time a zombie successfully strikes a living player, it will cause (or increase) zombification 
disease[1]
.  This is not immediately a problem as minor zombification disease will go away over time.  Zombification disease is implemented as a delayed instadeath timer starting at 100.  Each successful hit reduces the timer by 10[2].  If the timer remains above 50, zombification disease will eventually wear off and will never kill the player.  However, if the timer goes below 50[3], the disease will never wear off and will kill the player when the timer reaches 0.  This is made very clear in status messages.
Zombification disease can be cured similarly to other sickness (a unicorn horn is very helpful!).  Note it is considered a major trouble for the purposes of praying.
Zombification also prevents HP regeneration.
Finally, the undead and the living in FIQHack are mortal enemies and will always attempt to destroy each other.

Origin
The zombie is a mindless animated corpse. It originates from Haitian folklore. The etymology comes from African or Caribbean creole of related concepts.
The folklore of the ghoul is a bit unclear, but it is not considered a Zombie.

Encyclopedia entry

The zombi ... is a soulless human corpse, still dead, but taken from the grave and endowed by sorcery with a mechanical semblance of life, -- it is a dead body which is made to walk and act and move as if it were alive.

[ W. B. Seabrook ] 

References

↑ https://github.com/FredrIQ/fiqhack/blob/33e95f977761f66186a1f9aea1ca5e5d262912a2/libnethack/src/uhitm.c#L1626

↑ https://github.com/FredrIQ/fiqhack/blob/33e95f977761f66186a1f9aea1ca5e5d262912a2/libnethack/src/mhitm.c#L1903

↑ https://github.com/FredrIQ/fiqhack/blob/33e95f977761f66186a1f9aea1ca5e5d262912a2/libnethack/include/prop.h#L13

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