How can I tell if a corpse is safe to eat?

[BACK]
How can I tell if a corpse is safe to eat?
Posted On: July 9, 2020

I am a human wizard, and I just killed a monster, leaving a corpse on the ground. How do I tell whether it is safe to eat the corpse?


I left the monster unspecified because I am interested in "how can I figure out whether this is edible," rather than whether any particular monster is edible. Likewise, I would prefer to avoid having to look up or memorize a list of every single monster (but rules for particular symbols are great).


Question from user Larry Wang at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

First off, no matter the corpse, never eat unless you just made that corpse or you have a method of preservation (tinning, icebox). Rotten corpses cause food poisoning (unless you're a fungus or a ghoul), and it doesn't take very long for a corpse to rot. And there isn't a visual indication of rotting, either, so the safe bet is to never eat something you didn't just kill. Most undead corpses are automatically rotten, as well. (See below for a more technical explanation.).


If the monster has poison or acid attacks, or is made of poison or acid, then there's a very high chance that you'll be poisoned or take acid damage. Both of these can be fatal, the former even instantly so, but poison and acid resistance will protect against this. Note that most poisonous corpses will chance to give you poison resistance, so this can be something to risk if you have enough health. Other elemental effects like fire, cold, and electricity are traditionally safe.


If the monster causes you to be stunned, hallucinating, or confused by natural attacks (as opposed to casting a spell), then it is highly likely you will be tripping after you eat its corpse. Some of these are very obvious. Actually, most creatures with negative effects like petrification will also carry over that effect with their corpse. .


While it won't directly kill you, the corpses of teleporting creatures like imps, nymphs, tengu, and leprechauns will often give you teleportitis. Note that tengu do have a chance of giving you teleport control, so it's a good idea to start eating those when you do get stuck with teleportitis.


Unless you are of the Caveman profession or the Orc race, you are not a cannibal. This means that eating a member of your own race will give you a penalty in the form of the "Aggravate Monster" intrinsic (which is as bad as it sounds) and a penalty to your Luck. This penalty will also show up for non-Caveman, non-Orcs when eating any domestic dogs and cats (the line of creatures you can get as a starting pet, generally). Horses are fine to eat.


For specific exceptions, off the top of my head: kobolds are always poisonous but never grant resistant. Bats cause stunning. Wraiths are safe to eat despite being undead. All adult Dragons are safe to eat, as well as most babies, but baby green dragons are poisonous unlike their adult counterpart. Lichen and Lizards do not rot over time and carry no negative effects that some other members of the same creature class might, so they make excellent backup food. .


The rotting process is a little bit complicated and based on luck more than anything. Every 10 to 29 turns, a corpse gains a degree of rottenness. For a blessed corpse, 2 degrees are subtracted, while for a cursed one 2 degrees are added.


When it reaches a rottenness of 4, it is considered old. When you eat an old corpse, there's a 20% chance you will lose 1-8 hp, and a 1/7 chance of it being rotten (as in rotten food, not deadly.) When it reaches a rottenness of 6, it will give you fatal food poisoning, killing you in 11-19 turns.


So, put more simply, a corpse is definitely safe to eat in all cases for 32 turns, and it can cause food poisoning after a minimum of 48. Everything beyond that is just random chance.


Undead corpses start out with an age of 100 turns, which is why they are almost always already rotten.


Attributions for information provided within comments to:.


WillfulWizard for reminding about teleporting monsters.


ire_and_curses for corrections on non-rotting lizards and poisonous baby green dragons.


Kaestur Hakarl, who investigated and discovered the safe measures for cannibalism.


Answer from user Grace Note at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]
How can I tell if a corpse is safe to eat?
Posted On: July 9, 2020

I am a human wizard, and I just killed a monster, leaving a corpse on the ground. How do I tell whether it is safe to eat the corpse?


I left the monster unspecified because I am interested in "how can I figure out whether this is edible," rather than whether any particular monster is edible. Likewise, I would prefer to avoid having to look up or memorize a list of every single monster (but rules for particular symbols are great).


Question from user Larry Wang at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

First off, no matter the corpse, never eat unless you just made that corpse or you have a method of preservation (tinning, icebox). Rotten corpses cause food poisoning (unless you're a fungus or a ghoul), and it doesn't take very long for a corpse to rot. And there isn't a visual indication of rotting, either, so the safe bet is to never eat something you didn't just kill. Most undead corpses are automatically rotten, as well. (See below for a more technical explanation.).


If the monster has poison or acid attacks, or is made of poison or acid, then there's a very high chance that you'll be poisoned or take acid damage. Both of these can be fatal, the former even instantly so, but poison and acid resistance will protect against this. Note that most poisonous corpses will chance to give you poison resistance, so this can be something to risk if you have enough health. Other elemental effects like fire, cold, and electricity are traditionally safe.


If the monster causes you to be stunned, hallucinating, or confused by natural attacks (as opposed to casting a spell), then it is highly likely you will be tripping after you eat its corpse. Some of these are very obvious. Actually, most creatures with negative effects like petrification will also carry over that effect with their corpse. .


While it won't directly kill you, the corpses of teleporting creatures like imps, nymphs, tengu, and leprechauns will often give you teleportitis. Note that tengu do have a chance of giving you teleport control, so it's a good idea to start eating those when you do get stuck with teleportitis.


Unless you are of the Caveman profession or the Orc race, you are not a cannibal. This means that eating a member of your own race will give you a penalty in the form of the "Aggravate Monster" intrinsic (which is as bad as it sounds) and a penalty to your Luck. This penalty will also show up for non-Caveman, non-Orcs when eating any domestic dogs and cats (the line of creatures you can get as a starting pet, generally). Horses are fine to eat.


For specific exceptions, off the top of my head: kobolds are always poisonous but never grant resistant. Bats cause stunning. Wraiths are safe to eat despite being undead. All adult Dragons are safe to eat, as well as most babies, but baby green dragons are poisonous unlike their adult counterpart. Lichen and Lizards do not rot over time and carry no negative effects that some other members of the same creature class might, so they make excellent backup food. .


The rotting process is a little bit complicated and based on luck more than anything. Every 10 to 29 turns, a corpse gains a degree of rottenness. For a blessed corpse, 2 degrees are subtracted, while for a cursed one 2 degrees are added.


When it reaches a rottenness of 4, it is considered old. When you eat an old corpse, there's a 20% chance you will lose 1-8 hp, and a 1/7 chance of it being rotten (as in rotten food, not deadly.) When it reaches a rottenness of 6, it will give you fatal food poisoning, killing you in 11-19 turns.


So, put more simply, a corpse is definitely safe to eat in all cases for 32 turns, and it can cause food poisoning after a minimum of 48. Everything beyond that is just random chance.


Undead corpses start out with an age of 100 turns, which is why they are almost always already rotten.


Attributions for information provided within comments to:.


WillfulWizard for reminding about teleporting monsters.


ire_and_curses for corrections on non-rotting lizards and poisonous baby green dragons.


Kaestur Hakarl, who investigated and discovered the safe measures for cannibalism.


Answer from user Grace Note at gaming.stackexchange.com.



[BACK]

This is terrible in Hogwarts Legacy This is terrible in Hogwarts Legacy

Posted On: August 10, 2023
I just started playing today and after pretty much playing all day and after getting to the map chamber my computer said low battery so i plugged it in and went and did some stuff and i came back and ...[More]


Is it possible to do a 100% playthrough with a single save file? Is it possible to do a 100% playthrough with a single save file?

Posted On: October 4, 2023
I was thinking of doing my next playthrough to complete 100% of the game (I sort of rushed my first time), on the highest difficulty. Do I need to have multiple saves for branching scenarios, or is it...[More]


Is there any difference between Super Mario Wonders characters? Is there any difference between Super Mario Wonders characters?

Posted On: November 4, 2023
The game explains that choosing any Yoshi or Nabbit lets you play an easier version since you can't be damaged. But what about the other characters? In Super Mario 3D World each one had a special ...[More]


Can I play a single-player game alongside a multi-player party without one affecting the other? Can I play a single-player game alongside a multi-player party without one affecting the other?

Posted On: August 7, 2023
I'm already playing a multiplayer game in BG3. What I want to know is. Can i NOW start a singe-player game by clicking NEW GAME on the main menu. If so, will this allow me to play my single-player...[More]


How do I open the seal door? How do I open the seal door?

Posted On: April 14, 2024
I'm playing "Darkness Within" (PC via Steam.) I'm in the hidden rooms underneath Edward Braunbell's mansion, trying to solve the puzzle to get through the door with the seals.I've collected all 3 seal...[More]


In Factorio What fuel should I use for my flamethrower turrets? In Factorio What fuel should I use for my flamethrower turrets?

Posted On: May 4, 2023
Version 0.13 adds flamethrower turrets to the game. They can be operated with crude oil, heavy oil or light oil. Does the choice of oil have any impact on their performance? Also, which one is the mor...[More]


How Do I Enchant a disenchanted item in Elder Scrolls? How Do I Enchant a disenchanted item in Elder Scrolls?

Posted On: March 7, 2023
I'm asking because when I disenchant an item, the enchantment shows a stat such as "10% frost damage". However, when I disenchant the item to learn its effects and apply them to another ...[More]


Floo Flames in Hogwarts Legacy Floo Flames in Hogwarts Legacy

Posted On: March 24, 2023
LoL anybody else in here make it a point to visit every last floo flame on the map shortly after u got ur broom? I'm like 16 hours into the game and barely %25 done with the game  Question...[More]


Why Does My Ancient Magic Bar Deplete Upon Save and Exit in Hogwarts Legacy? Why Does My Ancient Magic Bar Deplete Upon Save and Exit in Hogwarts Legacy?

Posted On: February 18, 2023
I have upgraded my Ancient Magic bar to 4. It builds up normally through combat. But all full 4 bars deplete to 2 bars upon saving and exiting the game. I would like to save all 4 full bars for tough ...[More]


Is there a way to tell a Steam shortcut to open in big picture mode? Is there a way to tell a Steam shortcut to open in big picture mode?

Posted On: June 15, 2023
I have a monitor and a TV side by side. Sometimes I want to game from my couch and sometimes I want to sit and game at the computer. When I'm gaming at my desktop I don't have the TV on. Wh...[More]