What exactly does aggravate monster do?

[kurie]

I just found a nice randart mace, but it aggravates monsters. What exactly does that mean?

[Derakon]

It means that stealth is impossible. Every monster within a predefined radius of your character (I think it's 30 squares; it's greater than sight distance anyway) is automatically awake. Nasty stuff, but sometimes it's worthwhile. The thing about aggravate is that it doesn't stack, so if you're going to use one item with aggravate, you can use any number of items with aggravate. This makes more sense with standard artifacts since there are several that are "balanced" by giving them aggravation (c.f. Haradrim, Hammerhand, Doomcaller).

[kurie]

Oh man. Thats pretty much a no no for me than. I am playing NPP and I'm a brigand. I rely on stealth big time. It's dissapointing that this otherwise good weapon is pretty much useless to me. Thanks.

[Derakon]

Note by the way that this is different from the aggravation spell effect (e.g. shrieking mushroom patch, scrolls of aggravate monster). That wakes up every monster in a large radius around you, and then hastes all monsters in line of sight. Definitely make taking out shriekers, shambling mounds, and the like a priority, especially if there's anything else in the area.

[Timo Pietilä]

Oh man. Thats pretty much a no no for me than. I am playing NPP and I'm a brigand. I rely on stealth big time. It's dissapointing that this otherwise good weapon is pretty much useless to me. Thanks.

IIRC aggravation in NPP is deadly to you. In 4GAI systems in general if you alert monsters of your presence you are screwed big time. That is unless NPP has done something to aggravation.

[fyonn]

Note by the way that this is different from the aggravation spell effect (e.g. shrieking mushroom patch, scrolls of aggravate monster). That wakes up every monster in a large radius around you, and then hastes all monsters in line of sight. Definitely make taking out shriekers, shambling mounds, and the like a priority, especially if there's anything else in the area.

it hastes them as well?! I never knew that!