Drain strength - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: formatting, copyedit, updating

2025-03-16T11:51:30Z

formatting, copyedit, updating

Ion frigate: Rephrase a bit: they can be restored through the normal means (potions of (extra|full) healing), it's just that restoring the attribute doesn't do it; also future-proofing (change unihorn to !restore ability)

2022-11-01T02:53:11Z

Rephrase a bit: they can be restored through the normal means (potions of (extra|full) healing), it's just that restoring the attribute doesn't do it; also future-proofing (change unihorn to !restore ability)

Ion frigate: Oh it was already there

2022-10-27T21:30:14Z

Oh it was already there

Ion frigate: works better in second paragraph

2022-10-27T21:29:53Z

works better in second paragraph

Ion frigate: Put half-spell damage effect in "Effects"; as a strategy in vanilla, it's very obscure (you'd have to get the Orb of Fate without getting a source of MR)

2022-10-27T21:28:53Z

Put half-spell damage effect in "Effects"; as a strategy in vanilla, it's very obscure (you'd have to get the Orb of Fate without getting a source of MR)

Umbire the Phantom: /* Messages /

2022-10-27T21:13:30Z

‎Messages: *

Umbire the Phantom: rw

2022-10-27T19:13:25Z

Loggers: veery minor change

2022-10-27T17:10:21Z

veery minor change

Umbire the Phantom at 06:59, 6 March 2022

2022-03-06T06:59:50Z

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy */

2021-09-07T03:03:40Z

‎Strategy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Drain strength''' is a [[monster spell]] in ''[[NetHack]]'' that reduces your [[strength]] attribute.
+{{otheruses|the monster spell|the elemental damage type that drains strength by default|poison}}
-==Effects==
+==Description==
-The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].
+Drain strength is a melee-range spell that can be used by any [[monster]] which casts [[mage spell]]s and is at least [[Monster level|level]] 7, and is only used against the [[hero]].{{refsrc|src/mcastu.c|15|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/mcastu.c|118|nethack=3.6.7}} When cast, the hero loses [[strength]] equal to 1d(''ML'' - 6), where ''ML'' is the caster's level, and the die size is halved (rounded up) if the hero has [[half spell damage]]{{refsrc|src/mcastu.c|451|nethack=3.6.7}}&mdash;the minimum strength a hero can be drained to this way is 3, and any further strength loss beyond that point instead deals 6 points of damage to their current and maximum HP per lost point of strength.{{refsrc|src/mcastu.c|456|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/attrib.c|221|nethack=3.6.7}}
-Magic resistance completely negates the effects of this spell; [[half spell damage]] will halve the number of points of strength it attempts to drain. A [[ring of sustain ability]] will stop the loss of strength, but you still take damage to your current and max HP if that casting would have drained your strength below 3.
+[[Magic resistance]] completely nullifies the spell's effects.{{refsrc|src/mcastu.c|448|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Sustain ability]] stops actual strength loss from occurring, though it will not prevent damage to HP if the attempted strength drain would have taken the hero below 3 strength.
 ==Strategy==
-This spell, along with the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way are not restored when your strength is restored (e.g., via a [[potion of restore ability]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
+The drain strength spell is a major reason not to engage in melee combat with hostile spellcasting monsters in the mid-game without a source of magic resistance: while not as obviously deadly as the [[touch of death]], significant strength loss from the spell can hamper damage, [[carrying capacity]] and movement [[speed]] all at once&mdash;unlike the strength loss itself, any maximum HP loss cannot be reversed with a [[unicorn horn]], [[potion of restore ability]] or similar [[attribute]]-restoring items.
 ==Messages==
-{{message|You suddenly feel weaker!|A monster cast this spell at you, and you lost at least one point of strength from it. This is still displayed even if the stat loss is blocked through a ring of sustain ability.}}
+{{message|You suddenly feel weaker!|A monster cast this spell at you, and you do not have magic resistance; this is displayed even if the stat loss is blocked.}}
 {{message|You feel momentarily weakened.|As above, but nothing happened because you have magic resistance}}.
-{{nethack-366}}
 [[Category:Monster spells]]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ==Strategy==
-This spell, along with the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way cannot be restored even if your strength is subsequently raised back to normal (e.g., via [[unicorn horn]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
+This spell, along with the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way are not restored when your strength is restored (e.g., via a [[potion of restore ability]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].
-Magic resistance completely negates the effects of this spell; [[half spell damage]] will halve the number of points of strength it attempts to drain. A [[ring of sustain ability]] will stop the loss of strength, but you still take damage to your current and max HP if that casting would have drained your strength below 3.  [[Half spell damage]] halves the strength drain, potentially preventing any HP loss.
+Magic resistance completely negates the effects of this spell; [[half spell damage]] will halve the number of points of strength it attempts to drain. A [[ring of sustain ability]] will stop the loss of strength, but you still take damage to your current and max HP if that casting would have drained your strength below 3.
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Effects==
-The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].  [[Half spell damage]] halves the strength drain, potentially preventing any HP loss.
+The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Effects==
-The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].
+The spell is a melee-range mage spell; if cast at you and you do not have [[magic resistance]], the spell will inflict <var>1d(x &minus; 6)</var> points of strength damage, where <var>x</var> is the monster's level. Any strength drain that would take you below 3 strength is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum [[hit points]].  [[Half spell damage]] halves the strength drain, potentially preventing any HP loss.
 Magic resistance completely negates the effects of this spell; [[half spell damage]] will halve the number of points of strength it attempts to drain. A [[ring of sustain ability]] will stop the loss of strength, but you still take damage to your current and max HP if that casting would have drained your strength below 3.
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Strategy==
 This spell, along with the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way cannot be restored even if your strength is subsequently raised back to normal (e.g., via [[unicorn horn]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Strategy==
-This spell, apart from the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way cannot be restored by the usual means (such as a [[unicorn horn]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
+This spell, along with the [[touch of death]], is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR - high-level casters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and maximum HP lost this way cannot be restored by the usual means (such as a [[unicorn horn]]). For example, a 70 HP character with 15 strength being attacked by a level 25 [[arch-lich]] will lose d19 strength from the spell - in the worst-case scenario, our character's strength will go to 3 and he will also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him thoroughly hampered at 28 max HP.
 Magic resistance will completely prevent strength loss, and half spell damage can mitigate it by lowering the maximum potential reduction. A [[ring of sustain ability]] provides partial protection: it will stop the loss of strength, but if the monster would have drained your strength below 3 with its spell, you still suffer the appropriate loss in current and max HP.