Intrinsics

Intrinsics are traits or states posessed by monster or granted by item. Most often these are binary in nature meaning you have it all or nothing although there are few exceptions. SporkHack measures resistances in percentages. Angband allows few resistances to combine if one is temporary and other comes from equipment. ADOM extends this to almost all its intrinsics making internal intrinsic cumulative with gained through worn items.

Most common intrinsics are:

• various resistances, vulnerabilities and immunities,
• conditions like invisible, poisoned, hasted, paralysed, deaf or turning to stone,
• representing abilities: can walk on liquid bodies, able to see invisible.

Gaining

There several ways to acquire an intrinsic. Roguelikes are famous for eating a corpse to receive qualities characteristic for slain foe. It is known as a rule "You are what you eat". Often there will be a percentage chance of granting intrinsic.

Another way is to cast a spell on oneself or use consumable item. The effect is often only temporary.

Onc can rely on equipment to provide desired properties. Each worn or wielded enchanted item grants its intrinsics to wielder. Artifacts are very notable in this regard as these often provide several qualities but sometimes also have negative effects.

Lastly, one may risk getting mutated hoping that advantageous genetic change provides needed trait.

Duration

Whether intrinsic is temporary or permament depends mostly on game in question. ADOM and NetHack go with permament changes while in POWDER eating corpses benefits (or penalizes) you only for a duration.