Spellbook of light
| spellbook of + light 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Abundance | 4.5% |
| Base price | 100 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Turns to read | 1 |
| Ink to write | 5–9 |
| Spell type | divination |
| Level | 1 |
| Power cost | 5 Pw |
| Direction | non-directional |
| Equivalent | wand of light |
In NetHack, the spellbook of light can be read to learn the spell of light. It is a level 1 divination spell, and the spellbook takes 3 actions to read.
Contents
Generation
Priests may be given a spellbook of light as one of the two spellbooks in their starting inventory.[1][2][3] Wizards may be given a spellbook of light as the secondary spellbook in their starting inventory.[4][2]
Spellbooks of light make up 9⁄200 (4.5%) of all randomly-generated spellbooks. General stores, second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can stock spellbooks of light.
Writing a spellbook of light with a magic marker uses up 5 to 9 charges.
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit 5d3e237f, Izchak's lighting shop may occasionally stock spellbooks of light.
Per commit 319dfbda and commit 495a1a9b, Wizards start each game with knowledge of the spellbook of light's appearance.Description
At all skill levels, the spell of light has the same effect as zapping a wand of light:[5][6] when successfully cast, the spell permanently lights a 5-square radius area around the hero.[7][8][9][10]
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Gremlins caught in the light will take up to 5 points of damage.[11][12] The spell will not light anything if the hero is engulfed, underwater or on the Plane of Water.[13] On the Rogue level, casting the spell in an unlit room will always light the entire room.[14]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit 27adb7c7, the spell of light is a clerical spell for Priest characters.Strategy
The spell of light is one of the easiest to learn and cast, though unlike a scroll of light it cannot light a larger radius at higher skill levels as reading the blessed scroll can. While learning the spell is often cause for some players to reserve scrolls of light for blanking or polypiling later on, blessed scrolls of light can still be fairly useful for lighting up dark squares more thoroughly or quickly. Overall, the spell is a stellar utility for nearly any hero capable of casting it somewhat reliably, and has the 'side' benefit of training up skill in divination spells.
A hero that learns the spell can light their way through the Gnomish Mines and other dark areas if they have enough energy, using scrolls and wand charges to save energy where needed. The spell also serves various practical uses for specific character builds: mounted heroes can increase their practical range for pounding with lances and polearms, while casters can extend the range of their advanced fireball and/or cone of cold spells; it can also aid in creating a path for jumping through dungeon levels at various stages of the game, though due to taking a turn per use, it is slightly less powerful for this purpose than having an active light source. On the note of light sources, the spell can possibly help you save on oil lamp usage during protracted battles, especially on the stairs up where covetous monsters like to retreat.
History
The spellbook of light and its spell first appear in NetHack 1.3d.
In NetHack 3.4.3 and previous versions, including some variants based on those versions, the spell of light can be used to mark areas a hero has already searched for the vibrating square.
Messages
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, several roles can start with a spellbook of light:
- Archeologists have a 1⁄5 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their sole spellbook.[15]
- Flame Mages have a 1⁄2 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their tertiary spellbook.[16]
- Priests have a 1⁄9 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their secondary spellbook.[17]
- Wizards have a 1⁄5 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their tertiary spellbook.[18]
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, a drow hero casting the spell will always create darkness rather than light, similar to reading a cursed scroll of light.
Drow Healers of both genders can start the game having forgotten the spell of light.
The spell of light can be cast continuously via spell maintenance. Casting the spell to create light will extinguish any shadowlander's torches within the lit radius, while doing so to create darkness as a drow will instead extinguish other light sources within the radius.
A hero that has the spirit Tenebrous bound will unbind it if they create permanent light by casting the spell or any other means.
One of the invoke effects for the Rod of Seven Parts casts the light spell, which uses up 1 point from the artifact's current enchantment and requires a minimum enchantment of -6.
FIQHack
In FIQHack, the spell of light can be cast continuously via spell maintenance, similar to dNetHack and its derivatives.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, drow heroes will never start the game with a spellbook of light, though they can start with the wand or scroll since they create darkness if they are used while cursed.
If the spell of light is cast too close to monsters that can see, the light will blind them: this has a 1⁄3 chance of angering peaceful monsters blinded by the spell, and pets blinded by the spell have a 1⁄2 chance of losing a point of tameness.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, the Electric Mage has a 1⁄2 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their tertiary spellbook.
Hack'EM
In Hack'EM, Archeologists have a 1⁄5 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their sole spellbook, while Flame Mages have a 1⁄2 chance of starting with the spellbook of light as their tertiary spellbook.
References
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 107
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1020: all starting spellbooks have at most level 3 spells
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1050: no duplicate spellbooks
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 169
- ↑ src/spell.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1099: case explicitly calls weffects()
- ↑ src/spell.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1137: all spells with wand equivalents fall through to this specific line
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2157: calls litroom() in read.c
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1930: litroom() function
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1957: on boolean is always true for litroom() when called by the spell and wand
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1997
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2161
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2018
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1973
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1983
- ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1019
- ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1058
- ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1142
- ↑ u_init.c in SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2, line 1271
