Cancellation - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: tweaks

2026-05-19T00:29:55Z

tweaks

Umbire the Phantom: /* EvilHack */ word choice

2026-01-08T21:30:17Z

‎EvilHack: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: finish fragment, variants lede, evilhack

2026-01-08T20:29:39Z

finish fragment, variants lede, evilhack

Umbire the Phantom: touch-ups, mostly focused on variants - finally move that note over

2026-01-08T20:17:52Z

touch-ups, mostly focused on variants - finally move that note over

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2025-01-29T16:19:58Z

pothole

Umbire the Phantom: potholes, earmark

2025-01-16T15:06:25Z

potholes, earmark

Ashpool: Add a note about erosion and fooproofing being unaffected by cancellation.

2024-11-06T02:09:48Z

Add a note about erosion and fooproofing being unaffected by cancellation.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Abilities not stopped by cancellation */ potholes

2024-10-03T03:17:43Z

‎Abilities not stopped by cancellation: potholes

Joes: /* Abilities not stopped by cancellation */ sickness

2024-10-02T11:58:01Z

‎Abilities not stopped by cancellation: sickness

Umbire the Phantom: /* Abilities stopped by cancellation */ not a bite attack

2024-08-07T19:55:13Z

‎Abilities stopped by cancellation: not a bite attack

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 == Cancellation of objects ==
 Cancellation has the following effects on objects:
-* the object becomes [[uncursed]]
+* The object becomes [[uncursed]]
-* the object's enchantment is set to +0 (applies to [[weapon]]s, [[weapon-tool]]s, and [[armor]])
+* The object's enchantment is set to +0 (applies to [[weapon]]s, [[weapon-tool]]s, and [[armor]])
-* all charges are removed from the object if it is magical ([[wand]]s to (x:-1), magical [[tool]]s to (x:0), [[ring]]s to +0); non-magical tools, the [[wand of nothing]], and the [[wand of cancellation]] do not lose charges
+* All charges are removed from the object if it is magical ([[wand]]s to (x:-1), magical [[tool]]s to (x:0), [[ring]]s to +0); non-magical tools, the [[wand of nothing]], and the [[wand of cancellation]] do not lose charges
-* [[scroll]]s and [[spellbook]]s (except the [[scroll of mail]] and [[spellbook of cancellation]]) are blanked
+* [[Scroll]]s and [[spellbook]]s (except the [[scroll of mail]] and [[spellbook of cancellation]]) are blanked
-* most [[potion]]s are converted to uncursed water
+* Most [[potion]]s are converted to uncursed water:
-** [[potions of see invisible]] and {{! of|sickness}} become uncursed [[fruit juice]]
+** [[Potions of see invisible]] and {{! of|sickness}} become uncursed [[fruit juice]]
-** potions of [[potion of booze|booze]], [[potion of fruit juice|fruit juice]], and [[potion of oil|oil]] are unchanged except for their BUC status
+** Potions of {{! of|booze|fruit juice|and=1|oil}} are set to uncursed and otherwise unchanged
 ''"In short, cancellation is quite thorough."''
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 * a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]'s hiss that can induce gradual [[stoning]] - direct skin contact with it or its corpse still causes immediate stoning as well.
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|In addition to the changes to trolls above, a [[displacer beast]]'s natural [[displacement]] defense is also unaffected by cancellation.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|In addition to the changes to trolls above, a [[displacer beast]]'s natural [[Displacement (property)|displacement]] defense is also unaffected by cancellation.}}
 ===Notes===

@@ Line 129: / Line 129: @@
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], the [[Cancellation (monster spell)|cancellation]] [[monster spell]] is available to especially-strong spellcasting monsters, and allows them to cancel the hero and/or monsters as well as some of their inventory.
+In [[EvilHack]], the [[Cancellation (monster spell)|cancellation]] [[monster spell]] is available to especially-strong spellcasting monsters, and allows them to cancel a target that they are directly lined up with as well as some of their inventory.
 [[Dragon-scaled armor]] made with [[gray dragon scales]] has a {{frac|14|15}} chance of blocking all cancellation effects. Magic resistance and [[half spell damage]] can partly block cancellation from a zapped wand of cancellation or the cancellation monster spell.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{otheruses|the  |the ability of armor to block the special cancellation effects caused by armor|Magic cancellation}}
+{{otheruses|the removal of magic and other qualities from items and monsters|the ability of armor to block the special cancellation effects caused by armor|Magic cancellation}}
 '''Cancellation''' is the term for removing magical charges and [[BUC|blessed/cursed]] status from an object or disabling the special attack of a monster. The most common source of cancellation is the [[wand of cancellation]]. A few are able to use the [[spellbook of cancellation]]. [[Magicbane]] can sometimes cancel things it hits. [[Foocubi]] can spontaneously become cancelled. Some [[potion]]s can be transformed by dipping [[unicorn horn|thin]][[amethyst stone|gs]] in them, but this is not quite cancellation. [[Gremlin]]s can also use their intrinsic-stealing attack to cancel other monsters.
@@ Line 117: / Line 118: @@
 ==Variants==
-Many ''NetHack'' [[variant]]s make it possible for the hero to be cancelled.
+Some ''NetHack'' [[variant]]s make it possible for the hero to be cancelled and may give monsters the ability to cancel the hero or their items, e.g. by zapping a wand of cancellation&mdash;see [[Wand of cancellation#Variants|the appropriate section on that article]] to learn which variants allow monster usage of the wand in particular.
 ===SLASH'EM===
@@ Line 126: / Line 127: @@
 ===FIQHack===
 In [[FIQHack]], a hero that is cancelled cannot utilize several of their abilities, including any that require energy.<!--need to be a bit more specific--> This can be cured by successful [[prayer]] (where it is considered a [[major trouble]]), or by any means of obtaining energy: [[quaffing]] a non-cursed [[potion of gain energy]], [[read]]ing a non-cursed [[scroll of charging]] while confused, or being caught in an exploding [[magic trap]].
 ==References==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{For|the cancellation effects caused by armor|Magic cancellation}}
+{{otheruses|the  |the ability of armor to block the special cancellation effects caused by armor|Magic cancellation}}
 '''Cancellation''' is the term for removing magical charges and [[BUC|blessed/cursed]] status from an object or disabling the special attack of a monster. The most common source of cancellation is the [[wand of cancellation]]. A few are able to use the [[spellbook of cancellation]]. [[Magicbane]] can sometimes cancel things it hits. [[Foocubi]] can spontaneously become cancelled. Some [[potion]]s can be transformed by dipping [[unicorn horn|thin]][[amethyst stone|gs]] in them, but this is not quite cancellation. [[Gremlin]]s can also use their intrinsic-stealing attack to cancel other monsters.
@@ Line 10: / Line 9: @@
 * [[scroll]]s and [[spellbook]]s (except the [[scroll of mail]] and [[spellbook of cancellation]]) are blanked
 * most [[potion]]s are converted to uncursed water
-** potions of [[potion of see invisible|see invisible]] and [[potion of sickness|sickness]] become uncursed [[potion of fruit juice|fruit juice]]
+** [[potions of see invisible]] and {{! of|sickness}} become uncursed [[fruit juice]]
 ** potions of [[potion of booze|booze]], [[potion of fruit juice|fruit juice]], and [[potion of oil|oil]] are unchanged except for their BUC status
@@ Line 118: / Line 117: @@
 ==Variants==
-Monsters in [[GruntHack]], [[SLASH'EM]], [[FIQHack]], and [[EvilHack]] can zap wands of cancellation at the player. Study the [[wand of cancellation]] article for more details.
+Many ''NetHack'' [[variant]]s make it possible for the hero to be cancelled.
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], [[gypsies]] are cancelled after they gave a wish, and cannot be [[#Un-cancelling|un-cancelled]].
+In [[SLASH'EM]], [[gypsies]] will become cancelled after they give the hero a wish, and cannot be uncancelled.
 Cancelling a monster by any means also has a chance of cancelling some of its items.
 ==References==

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 The following attacks and special abilities are entirely stopped by cancellation:
 * Everything [[magic cancellation]] protects against, and passive versions of the same:
-** [[Fire]] (e.g., a [[fire ant]]'s burning attack)
+** [[Fire (element)|Fire]] (e.g., a [[fire ant]]'s burning attack)
 ** [[Cold]] (e.g., a [[winter wolf]]'s breath)
 ** [[Shock]] (e.g., an [[electric eel]]'s bite)

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 * [[Petrification]] attacks
 * [[Acid]] attacks
-* [[Seduction]] of [[succubus|succubi]] and [[incubus|incubi]] (by attack or #[[chat]])
+* [[Seduction]] from [[foocubi]] (by attack or #[[chat]])
 * [[Leprechaun]] gold stealing
-* [[Nymph]] item stealing
+* [[Nymph (monster class)|nymph]] item stealing
 * [[Gremlin]] intrinsic-stealing
 * [[Xan]] leg attack
@@ Line 99: / Line 99: @@
 ===Un-cancelling===
-It is possible to un-cancel most monsters by stoning them and then casting [[stone to flesh]] on their statue, though this does not work on a [[foocubus]] or a [[nymph]].{{refsrc|zap.c|511}} Also, some monsters have [[stoning resistance]], and [[tiny-sized]] monsters will turn into [[rock]]s or [[meatball]]s in the process. You can also un-cancel most [[monster]]s if they die and leave a [[corpse]] by [[zapping]] a [[wand of undead turning]] - it will come back to life uncancelled.
+It is possible to un-cancel most monsters by stoning them and then casting [[stone to flesh]] on their statue, though this does not work on a foocubus or a nymph.{{refsrc|zap.c|511}} Also, some monsters have [[stoning resistance]], and [[tiny-sized]] monsters will turn into [[rock]]s or [[meatball]]s in the process. You can also un-cancel most [[monster]]s if they die and leave a [[corpse]] by [[zapping]] a [[wand of undead turning]] - it will come back to life uncancelled.
 ==Cancelling the floor==

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 ''"In short, cancellation is quite thorough."''
-Except for certain scrolls, spellbooks, and potions, cancelled objects do not change type. Cancelling a [[bag of holding]] or [[magic lamp]] will merely uncurse it, not turn it into a [[sack]] or [[oil lamp]]. Cancelling an [[artifact]] will not turn it into a non-artifact. Cancellation has no effect on the objects inside a [[container]].
+Except for certain scrolls, spellbooks, and potions, cancelled objects do not change type. Cancelling a [[bag of holding]] or [[magic lamp]] will merely uncurse it, not turn it into a [[sack]] or [[oil lamp]]. Cancelling an [[artifact]] will not turn it into a non-artifact. Cancellation has no effect on the objects inside a [[container]]. [[Erosion]] and fooproofing are not affected by cancellation.
 Cancelled wands end up with (x:-1) charges. Cancelled wands can be recharged subject to normal restrictions on wand charging, but cannot be wrested; if they are zapped or engraved with, they will turn to dust.

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 * [[Grabbing attack]]s (e.g., an [[owlbear]]'s hug)
 * [[Engulfing]]
-* the [[disease]] attack of Demogorgon, Juiblex, Scorpius, and Pestilence
+* the [[disease]] attack of [[Demogorgon]], [[Juiblex]], [[Scorpius]], and Pestilence
 * The [[Wizard of Yendor]]'s amulet stealing
-* corpses of [[Troll (monster class)|trolls]] and the [[Riders]] returning to life
+* corpses of [[Troll (monster class)|trolls]] and the Riders returning to life
-* a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]'s hiss that can induce gradual [[stoning]] - direct physical contact with it or its corpse will still cause immediate stoning.
+* a [[cockatrice]] or [[chickatrice]]'s hiss that can induce gradual [[stoning]] - direct skin contact with it or its corpse still causes immediate stoning as well.
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|In addition to the changes to trolls above, a [[displacer beast]]'s natural [[displacement]] defense is also unaffected by cancellation.}}

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 ** [[Paralysis]] (e.g., a [[guardian naga]]'s bite)
 ** [[Drain life]] (e.g., a [[vampire]]'s bite)
-** [[Sticky attack]] (e.g., a [[large mimic]]'s bite)
+** [[Sticky attack]] (e.g., a [[large mimic]]'s claw)
 ** [[Lycanthropy]] (e.g., a [[werejackal]]'s bite while it is in animal form)
 ** [[Slowing attack]] (e.g., a [[shade]]'s touch)