The Annulus
| ) The Annulus File:Chakram.png | |
|---|---|
| Base item | chakram |
| Damage vs. small | 1d9 x2 |
| Damage vs. large | 1d9 x2 |
| To-hit bonus | +1d5 |
| Bonus versus | (any) |
| Weapon skill | boomerang |
| Size | one-handed |
| Affiliation | |
| When carried | |
| When wielded |
(none) |
| When invoked |
|
| Base price | 3000 zm |
| Weight | 3 (varies) |
| Material | silver |
The Annulus is the Anachrononaut quest artifact in dNetHack and notdNetHack, and is the prize for completing the Anachrononaut quest. It is chaotic, and its base item is a chakram made of silver.
The Annulus is necessary for an Anachrononaut to obtain a full-scoring ascension.
Description
The Annulus is an artifact that has multiple forms, and invoking the Annulus can change it between forms at will or apply the form's current invoke effect via menu - its effects and 'secondary' invoke ability depend on its current form, and the 'secondary' effects are all subject to the same invoke timeout across forms. While carried in any of its forms, the Annulus confers half spell damage and magic resistance.
Chakram
In chakram form, the Annulus has +1d5 to-hit and doubles the enchantment bonus to damage - it returns to the hand when thrown, and can be thrown multiple times in one attack dependent on the character's skill in boomerangs. While wielded, a character has the ability to cast the force bolt and magic missile spells at 0% spell failure, and force bolt deals +d12 bonus damage for every two experience levels (XL⁄2 rounded up).
Invoking the Annulus in this form instantly kills all telepathic monsters in the character's line of sight, and spell-casting monsters must pass a check or else be killed instantly as well. Otherwise, it has a 1⁄5 chance of dealing 5d15 damage to all monsters on the level, stunning and confusing them. If you have intrinsic telepathy and invoke the effect to annul, you lose if and are stunned and confused for 5d15 (more) turns. Killing Lugribossk with this effect will immediately cause Maanzecorian to generate.
Invoking the Annulus in chakram form has a different effect on the Astral Plane if used atop the lawful high altar: the altar is destroyed, the Cerulean Sign is burnt on its former square, and the Annulus is destroyed - this signifies the purging of Ilsensine's influence on the the lawful gods of the present time, and the character can then ascend as normal having saved their future. This particular effect ignores the artifact's invocation timer.
Silver ring
In silver ring form, the Annulus has the same effect as whichever ring has the "silver ring" randomized appearance, and additionally doubles unarmed attack damage while adding a bonus equal to twice its enchantment; this effect stacks with other unarmed-attack-boosting items.
Khakkhara
In khakkhara form, the Annulus has +1d5 to-hit and doubles the enchantment bonus to damage, and deals up to three extra dice of +d20 silver damage. Invoking the Annulus in this form duplicates the effects of the Bell of Opening, including its role in the invocation ritual.
Lightsaber
In lightsaber form, the Annulus is a one-handed saber that appears to be made of a hollow silver pipe - it has +1d5 to-hit and +1 damage, and like all wielded lightsabers, it returns to the hand when thrown and deals three times its base dice and current enchantment in damage (i.e. 3d8 + 3x, where x is its current enchantment). The Annulus can also ignite a second medium-sized blade that extends from the hilt of the saber: this does not affect its one-handed status, and the enchantment bonus is doubled further in this form (i.e., 3d8 + 3d3 + 6x). Invoking the Annulus in this form causes it to charge itself dependent on its beatitude, somewhat similar to The Platinum Yendorian Express Card.
Firearm
In firearm form (commonly referred to as the "BFG form"), the Annulus has +1d5 to-hit and doubles the enchantment bonus to damage, and has extremely high multishot bonuses and the ability to shoot any form of item as ammunition, rather than just bullets, shotgun shells, grenades, and/or rockets. The default fire rate (i.e. before applying skill level and other bonuses) is 7 bullets, 5 shotgun shells, 4 grenades, or 2 rockets, and any other object fired is given a +4 multishot bonus. There are multiple modes of fire: fully-automatic, burst fire (1⁄3 fire rate) or single-shot.
Invoking the Annulus in this form can have two different effects aside from changing form:
- The Annulus will create ammo, generating silver bullets or rockets (which can be chosen from a menu) with a random enchantment and the same beatitude as the Annulus: this produces 32-60 bullets or rockets with a blessed Annulus, and 21-40 otherwise - if cursed, the ammo's enchantment will never be more than +0, and if blessed the ammo's enchantment will always be at least +0.
- The Annulus fires a disintegration ray, which behaves the same as a raygun set to "disintegrate".
