Orcus - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit pass

2025-03-12T14:05:57Z

copyedit pass

Umbire the Phantom: hatnote, dnh, evil

2025-03-12T13:55:52Z

hatnote, dnh, evil

Umbire the Phantom: dnh

2025-03-12T13:05:41Z

dnh

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit

2024-06-21T11:38:05Z

copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: chance to:opportunity::chance of:probability

2024-02-19T13:31:36Z

chance to:opportunity::chance of:probability

Umbire the Phantom: /* EvilHack */ word choice

2024-02-14T11:42:13Z

‎EvilHack: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: typo

2024-02-13T11:03:43Z

typo

Umbire the Phantom: variant pass

2024-02-13T11:03:31Z

variant pass

Umbire the Phantom: formatting + copyedit pass

2024-02-13T10:33:39Z

formatting + copyedit pass

Mobileuser: EvilHack wand of orcus can be picked up

2024-01-24T13:13:04Z

EvilHack wand of orcus can be picked up

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   |frequency=Unique
   |genocidable=No
-  |attacks=Weapon 3d6 physical, claw 3d4 physical, claw 3d4 physical, [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 8d6 [[Mage spell|mage]], sting 2d4 [[poison]]ous
+  |attacks=Weapon 3d6 physical, claw 3d4 physical, claw 3d4 physical, [[Monster spell|spell-casting]] 8d6 mage, sting 2d4 [[poison]]ous
   |weight=1500
   |nutr=500
   |size=Huge
-  |resistances=Fire, poison
+  |resistances=[[Fire resistance]], [[poison resistance]]
   |resistances conveyed=None
   |attributes={{attributes|Orcus|nocorpse=1|hell=1|fly=1|seeinvis=1|pois=1|nopoly=1|demon=1|stalk=1|hostile=1|nasty=1|prince=1|male=1|collect=1|waitsforu=1|wantsamul=1|wantsbook=1|infravisible=1|infravision=1}}
-  |reference=[[monst.c#line2684]]
+  |reference=[[monst.c#line2503]]
 }}
 {{otheruses|the demon prince|the chaotic [[god]] of the [[Undertaker]] pantheon|Orcus (god)}}
-'''Orcus''', {{monsym|orcus}}, is a [[demon prince]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is a very powerful [[M2 DEMON|demon]] spellcaster with a [[poisonous]] body that is tied for the fifth-highest [[monster difficulty]] with [[Geryon]], and has the seventh-highest [[Monsters (by experience)|base experience]] in the game.
+'''Orcus''', {{monsym|orcus}}, is a [[unique]] [[monster]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is a very powerful [[demon prince]] that is tied for the fifth-highest [[monster difficulty]] with [[Geryon]], and has the seventh-highest [[Monsters (by experience)|base experience]] in the game. Orcus is capable of [[flight]], can [[see invisible]], has [[infravision]], can be seen via infravision, will pick up [[weapon]]s, [[food]] and other items he comes across, and can follow the [[hero]] to other levels if he is adjacent. Orcus is [[covetous]] and capable of warping, and desires both the [[Amulet of Yendor]] and the [[Book of the Dead]].
-Orcus has [[infravision]], the ability to [[see invisible]], possesses [[flight]], will pick up items, and can follow the [[hero]] to other levels if he is adjacent. He is [[covetous]] and wants both the [[Amulet of Yendor]] and the [[Book of the Dead]].
+Orcus has a weapon attack, two claw attacks, the ability to cast one mage [[monster spell]] per round of combat, and a poisonous sting attack. He possesses [[fire resistance]], [[poison resistance]], [[drain resistance]], [[death resistance]], and a weakness to [[silver]] like all [[major demon]]s.
-Orcus has a weapon attack, two claw attacks, will attempt to cast one mage [[monster spell]] per round of combat, and uses a poisonous sting attack. He possesses [[fire resistance]] and [[poison resistance]].
+Orcus is [[poisonous]] to consume, which primarily comes up if he is somehow [[digested]] by another monster.
 ==Generation==
-Orcus is always generated hostile, and is not a valid form for normal [[polymorph]].
+Orcus is always generated hostile, and is not a valid form for genocide or polymorph.
-Outside of [[bones]] files, Orcus will always generate meditating on the down [[stair]] of [[Orcus-town|his lair]] in [[Gehennom]].
+Orcus will always generate meditating on the down [[stair]] of [[Orcus-town|his lair]] in [[Gehennom]] at level creation, unless he has been generated elsewhere or his lair has a [[bones]] level loaded.
 Orcus [[Monster starting inventory|always generates with]] a [[wand of death]].
 ==Strategy==
-For characters without [[magic resistance]], Orcus poses a dual threat of [[instadeath]] through his wand of death and the [[touch of death]] spell - [[reflection]] can deflect rays from the former, but cannot protect against the latter. For any character ''with'' magic resistance, Orcus can still deal significant damage via [[psi bolt]]s and has full access to the rest of the mage spell arsenal, including the standard trouble spells: [[curse items]], [[summon nasties]], [[Destroy armor (monster spell)|destroy armor]], and so on. He is fairly slow at 9 [[speed]] (or 12 once he casts [[Haste self (monster spell)|haste self]]), but has a strong -6 [[AC]] and high [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] of 85.
+For heroes without [[magic resistance]], Orcus poses a dual threat of [[instadeath]] through his wand of death and the [[touch of death]] spell&mdash;[[reflection]] can deflect rays from the former, but cannot protect against the latter. For any hero ''with'' magic resistance, Orcus can still deal significant damage via [[psi bolt]]s and has full access to the rest of the mage spell arsenal, including the standard trouble spells: [[curse items]], [[summon nasties]], [[Destroy armor (monster spell)|destroy armor]], and so on. He is fairly slow at 9 [[speed]] (or 12 once he casts [[Haste self (monster spell)|haste self]]), but has a strong -6 [[AC]] and a very high [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] of 85.
-The main priority is often relieving Orcus of his wand without destroying it or letting him waste several charges, especially for characters that plan to use it against non-immune threats like the [[Wizard of Yendor]]. Orcus can also use his melee attack to [[Demon gating|gate in]] major demons, and can even summon [[Demogorgon]] or [[Yeenoghu]] (the latter of whom can summon Demogorgon in turn) - the possibility of Demogorgon arriving is often the prime motivator to kill Orcus as fast as possible in either case, or else avoid fighting him directly in melee.
+The main priority is often relieving Orcus of his wand without destroying it or letting him waste several charges, especially for heroes that plan to use it later against non-immune threats like the [[Wizard of Yendor]]. Orcus can also use his melee attack to [[Demon gating|gate in]] major demons, and can even summon [[Demogorgon]] or [[Yeenoghu]] (the latter of whom can summon Demogorgon in turn)&mdash;the possibility of Demogorgon arriving is often the other prime motivator to kill Orcus as fast as possible in either case, or else avoid fighting him directly in melee.
-Skipping Orcus is technically possible, though it is more ideal to dispose of him if the character is at all capable of doing so - for those that cannot avoid fighting him directly, the options to block the up [[stair]] and prevent his escape are as follows:
+Skipping Orcus is technically possible, though it is more ideal to dispose of him if the hero is at all capable of doing so; for those that cannot avoid fighting him directly, the options to block the up [[stair]] and prevent his escape are as follows:
 * As with most covetous monsters, use the down stair in Orcus-town while Orcus is adjacent: the up stair is always on the opposite end of the map, and the level is [[no-teleport]]. This is most easily arranged by digging down upon reaching the level, then taking the up stair - it is also easier if [[Gehennom mapping#Demon mapping|mapping Gehennom starting from the bottom]].
 * Create a [[boulder fort]] on or near the stair, then get the attention of Orcus, e.g. with a cursed [[potion of invisibility]]; [[missile]] weapons are the most ideal offense for this strategy, as many spells and wands will be blunted by his 85 MR. Moving a [[boulder]] onto the up stair will prevent him from actually using it.
-Orcus is not immune to [[stoning]] or [[disintegration]]: hitting him with a [[footrice]] [[corpse]] or [[egg]] will instantly kill him, and Orcus may summon a [[cockatrice]] alongside other nasties; the [[breath]] attack of a [[black dragon]] will also wipe him out instantly if he is in the line of fire, and is best done with a [[tame]] or [[conflict]]ed black dragon. Another option is to wield a [[potion of paralysis]] and strike with it while wearing a [[ring of free action]], then try to finish Orcus as quickly as possible - this may likely require multiple potions. Finally, a [[Knight]] on a [[steed]] with high [[luck]] and Expert [[skill]] in [[lance]] can potentially [[joust]] Orcus to death, with the [[stun]] from jousting impeding his escape.
+Orcus is not immune to [[stoning]] or [[disintegration]], so hitting him with a [[footrice]] [[corpse]] or [[egg]] will instantly kill him, and the [[breath]] attack of a [[black dragon]] will also wipe him out instantly if he is in the line of fire. Orcus may summon a [[cockatrice]] and [[black dragon]] with the summon nasties spell, which can be turned against him via [[conflict]], and a [[tame]] black dragon can also do the job. Another option is to wield a [[potion of paralysis]] and strike with it while wearing a [[ring of free action]], then try to finish Orcus as quickly as possible&mdash;this will likely require a few potions if the hero is not fortunate enough to roll long-lasting paralysis. Finally, a [[Knight]] on a [[steed]] with high [[luck]] and Expert [[skill]] in [[lance]] can potentially [[joust]] Orcus to death, with the [[stun]] from jousting impeding his escape.
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Covetous monsters now pick a particular stair to teleport to. Monsters will also avoid using wands if they see that you are immune to them: this means it is easier to preserve the charges of Orcus's wand, but also means that he will start using "proper" attacks on you much sooner.}}
@@ Line 55: / Line 57: @@
 Orcus is among the most well-known and mighty demon princes of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' settings - he physically appears as a fat and immense humanoid demon anywhere between 15-20 ft (4.6-6.1 m) in size, with the horned, tusked and decayed skull of a ram for a head; Orcus also has the legs and hooves of a goat, the wings of a bat, and a long and spiny poison-tipped tail. His most iconic [[artifact]] by far is the "[[Wand of Orcus]]": a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being, represented by the literal wand of death he holds in ''NetHack''.
-As Prince of the Undead, Orcus seeks to extinguish life throughout all universes, and is at constant war for the Abyss with rivals such as Demogorgon; among the ranks of his armies and followers are [[zombie]]s, [[Vampire (monster class)|vampires]] and [[shade]]s (referred to as shadows). Orcus is one of the Abyssal powers most often worshipped as a deity, and has attained actual divinity once previously: after doing so, he eventually abandoned the war for the Abyss and became lazy and careless, culminating in his death at the hands of the ambitious drow demi-goddess, Kiaransalee. Despite her efforts, Orcus was eventually resurrected by one of his foremost high priests in a blasphemous ritual and took back his wand and the title of Prince of the Undead, resuming his war for the Abyss.
+As Prince of the Undead, Orcus seeks to extinguish life throughout all universes, and is at constant war for the Abyss with rivals such as Demogorgon; among the ranks of his armies and followers are [[zombie]]s, [[Vampire (monster attribute)|vampires]] and [[shade]]s (referred to as shadows). Orcus is one of the Abyssal powers most often worshipped as a deity, and has attained actual divinity once previously: after doing so, he eventually abandoned the war for the Abyss and became lazy and careless, culminating in his death at the hands of the ambitious drow demi-goddess, Kiaransalee. Despite her efforts, Orcus was eventually resurrected by one of his foremost high priests in a blasphemous ritual and took back his wand and the title of Prince of the Undead, resuming his war for the Abyss.
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], Orcus has his difficulty raised to 39.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], Orcus has his [[Monster difficulty|difficulty]] raised to 39.
-While Orcus is still capable of summoning Demogorgon, each demon lord and prince has their own lair within Gehennom - as a result, characters will eventually face Demogorgon themselves sooner or later, but will still want to avoid Orcus and/or Yeenoghu springing the demon prince on them unexpectedly.
+While Orcus is still capable of summoning Demogorgon, each demon lord and prince has their own lair within Gehennom, so all heroes characters will eventually face Demogorgon themselves sooner or later&mdash;they will still want to avoid Orcus and/or Yeenoghu springing the demon prince on them unexpectedly.
 ===dNetHack===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{monster
   |name=Orcus
@@ Line 20: / Line 19: @@
   |reference=[[monst.c#line2684]]
 }}
 '''Orcus''', {{monsym|orcus}}, is a [[demon prince]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is a very powerful [[M2 DEMON|demon]] spellcaster with a [[poisonous]] body that is tied for the fifth-highest [[monster difficulty]] with [[Geryon]], and has the seventh-highest [[Monsters (by experience)|base experience]] in the game.
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 {{main|Orcus (dNetHack)}}
 In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], Orcus is one of the demon princes whose lair can appear as the second Abyss level, and he is heavily buffed compared to ''NetHack''.
 ===xNetHack===
@@ Line 82: / Line 80: @@
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], Orcus is always among the four demon lords and princes whose lairs appear in Gehennom - the other three are chosen from a set pool of lairs for each tier. Orcus-town is most likely to be the third demon ruler lair in order of appearance.
+{{main|Orcus (EvilHack)}}
+In [[EvilHack]], Orcus is always among the four demon lords and princes whose lairs appear in Gehennom, and he is significantly buffed compared to ''NetHack''.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]], [[notnotdNetHack]], Orcus is one of the demon princes whose lair can appear as the second Abyss level.
+{{main|Orcus (dNetHack)}}
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], Orcus is one of the demon princes whose lair can appear as the second Abyss level, and he is heavily buffed compared to ''NetHack''.
 Orcus also generates with an [[artifact]] wand of death fittingly called [[The Wand of Orcus (dNetHack)|The Wand of Orcus]]: it is a huge-sized chaotic wand that is intelligent and [[bloodthirsty]], uses the [[mace]] skill in melee, and has +d20 to-hit and +d12 [[life drain]]ing damage, along with the ability to drain [[experience level]]s. Seeing Orcus will confer the "suicidal" permanent [[madness]], which intermittently causes severe AC reduction and consistently causes the character to take extra damage in combat.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
   |reference=[[monst.c#line2684]]
 }}
-'''Orcus''', {{monsym|orcus}}, is a [[demon prince]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is a very powerful [[M2_DEMON|demon]] spellcaster with a [[poisonous]] body that is tied for the fifth-highest [[monster difficulty]] with [[Geryon]], and has the seventh-highest [[Monsters (by experience)|base experience]] in the game. Orcus has [[infravision]], the ability to [[see invisible]], possesses [[flight]], will pick up items, and can follow the [[player]] character to other levels if he is adjacent. Orcus is [[covetous]] and wants both the [[Amulet of Yendor]] and the [[Book of the Dead]].
+'''Orcus''', {{monsym|orcus}}, is a [[demon prince]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. He is a very powerful [[M2 DEMON|demon]] spellcaster with a [[poisonous]] body that is tied for the fifth-highest [[monster difficulty]] with [[Geryon]], and has the seventh-highest [[Monsters (by experience)|base experience]] in the game.
 Orcus has a weapon attack, two claw attacks, will attempt to cast one mage [[monster spell]] per round of combat, and uses a poisonous sting attack. He possesses [[fire resistance]] and [[poison resistance]].
@@ Line 32: / Line 34: @@
 ==Strategy==
-For characters without [[magic resistance]], Orcus poses a dual threat of [[instadeath]] through his wand of death and the [[touch of death]] spell - [[reflection]] can deflect rays from the former, but cannot protect against the latter. For any character ''with'' magic resistance, Orcus can still deal significant damage via [[psi bolt]]s and has full access to the rest of the mage spell arsenal, including the standard trouble spells: [[curse items]], [[summon nasties]], [[Destroy armor (monster spell)|destroy armor]], and so on. He is fairly slow at 9 [[speed]] (or 12 once he casts [[haste self]]), but has a strong -6 [[AC]] and high [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] of 85.
+For characters without [[magic resistance]], Orcus poses a dual threat of [[instadeath]] through his wand of death and the [[touch of death]] spell - [[reflection]] can deflect rays from the former, but cannot protect against the latter. For any character ''with'' magic resistance, Orcus can still deal significant damage via [[psi bolt]]s and has full access to the rest of the mage spell arsenal, including the standard trouble spells: [[curse items]], [[summon nasties]], [[Destroy armor (monster spell)|destroy armor]], and so on. He is fairly slow at 9 [[speed]] (or 12 once he casts [[Haste self (monster spell)|haste self]]), but has a strong -6 [[AC]] and high [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]] of 85.
-The main priority is often relieving Orcus of his wand without destroying it or letting him waste several charges, especially if you plan to use it against non-immune threats like the [[Wizard of Yendor]]. Orcus can also use his melee attack to [[Demon gating|gate in]] major demons, and can even summon [[Demogorgon]] or [[Yeenoghu]] (who can also summon Demogorgon) - the possibility of Demogorgon arriving is often the prime motivator to kill Orcus as fast as possible in either case, or else avoid fighting him directly in melee.
+The main priority is often relieving Orcus of his wand without destroying it or letting him waste several charges, especially for characters that plan to use it against non-immune threats like the [[Wizard of Yendor]]. Orcus can also use his melee attack to [[Demon gating|gate in]] major demons, and can even summon [[Demogorgon]] or [[Yeenoghu]] (the latter of whom can summon Demogorgon in turn) - the possibility of Demogorgon arriving is often the prime motivator to kill Orcus as fast as possible in either case, or else avoid fighting him directly in melee.
-While skipping Orcus is technically possible, it is more ideal to dispose of him if at all possible. If you cannot avoid fighting him directly, then your options to block the up [[stair]] and prevent him escaping are as follows:
+Skipping Orcus is technically possible, though it is more ideal to dispose of him if the character is at all capable of doing so - for those that cannot avoid fighting him directly, the options to block the up [[stair]] and prevent his escape are as follows:
-* As with most covetous monsters, use the down stair in Orcus-town while Orcus is adjacent to you: the up stair is always on the opposite end of the map, and the level is [[no-teleport]]. This is most easily arranged by digging down upon reaching the level, then taking the up stair - it is also easier if you chose to [[Gehennom mapping#Demon mapping|map Gehennom starting from the bottom]].
+* As with most covetous monsters, use the down stair in Orcus-town while Orcus is adjacent: the up stair is always on the opposite end of the map, and the level is [[no-teleport]]. This is most easily arranged by digging down upon reaching the level, then taking the up stair - it is also easier if [[Gehennom mapping#Demon mapping|mapping Gehennom starting from the bottom]].
-* Create a [[boulder fort]] on or near the stair, then get the attention of Orcus, e.g. with a cursed [[potion of invisibility]]; [[missile]] weapons are the most ideal offense for this strategy, as many spells and wands will be blunted by his 85 MR. You can also move a [[boulder]] onto the up stair to prevent him actually using it.
+* Create a [[boulder fort]] on or near the stair, then get the attention of Orcus, e.g. with a cursed [[potion of invisibility]]; [[missile]] weapons are the most ideal offense for this strategy, as many spells and wands will be blunted by his 85 MR. Moving a [[boulder]] onto the up stair will prevent him from actually using it.
-Orcus is not immune to [[stoning]] or [[disintegration]]: hitting him with a [[footrice]] [[corpse]] or [[egg]] will instantly kill him, and Orcus may summon a [[cockatrice]] alongside other nasties; the [[breath]] attack of a [[black dragon]] will also wipe him out instantly if you can get him in the line of fire, and is best done with a [[tame]] or [[conflict]]ed black dragon. Another option is to wield a [[potion of paralysis]] and strike with it while wearing a [[ring of free action]], then try to finish Orcus as quickly as possible - this may likely require multiple potions. Finally, a [[Knight]] on a [[steed]] with high [[Luck]] and Expert [[skill]] in [[lance]] can potentially [[joust]] Orcus to death, with the [[stun]] from jousting impeding his escape.
+Orcus is not immune to [[stoning]] or [[disintegration]]: hitting him with a [[footrice]] [[corpse]] or [[egg]] will instantly kill him, and Orcus may summon a [[cockatrice]] alongside other nasties; the [[breath]] attack of a [[black dragon]] will also wipe him out instantly if he is in the line of fire, and is best done with a [[tame]] or [[conflict]]ed black dragon. Another option is to wield a [[potion of paralysis]] and strike with it while wearing a [[ring of free action]], then try to finish Orcus as quickly as possible - this may likely require multiple potions. Finally, a [[Knight]] on a [[steed]] with high [[luck]] and Expert [[skill]] in [[lance]] can potentially [[joust]] Orcus to death, with the [[stun]] from jousting impeding his escape.
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|Covetous monsters now pick a particular stair to teleport to. Monsters will also avoid using wands if they see that you are immune to them: this means it is easier to preserve the charges of Orcus's wand, but also means that he will start using "proper" attacks on you much sooner.}}
@@ Line 59: / Line 61: @@
 In [[SLASH'EM]], Orcus has his difficulty raised to 39.
-While Orcus is still capable of summoning Demogorgon, each demon lord and prince has their own lair within Gehennom - as a result, characters will eventually face Demogorgon yourself sooner or later, but will still want to avoid Orcus and/or Yeenoghu springing the demon prince on them.
+While Orcus is still capable of summoning Demogorgon, each demon lord and prince has their own lair within Gehennom - as a result, characters will eventually face Demogorgon themselves sooner or later, but will still want to avoid Orcus and/or Yeenoghu springing the demon prince on them unexpectedly.
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], Orcus is one of the demon princes whose lair can appear as the second Abyss level.
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]], [[notnotdNetHack]], Orcus is one of the demon princes whose lair can appear as the second Abyss level.
 Orcus is heavily buffed in dNetHack: his MR score is boosted even further to 99, rendering several spells and wands all but useless against him, and his base speed is buffed to 12, while his effective AC is boosted to -17 (with all 27 points in "natural" AC). Orcus no longer uses a stinging attack, and his spellcasting attack is ''weaker'' than in vanilla, but he has access to far more deadly and damaging spells in general, and favors the [[raise dead]] monster spell in combat.
-Orcus also generates with an [[artifact]] wand of death fittingly called [[The Wand of Orcus (dNetHack)|The Wand of Orcus]]: it is a huge-sized chaotic wand that is intelligent and [[bloodthirsty]], uses the [[mace]] skill in melee, and has +d20 to-hit and +d12 [[life drain]]ing damage, along with the ability to drain [[experience level]]s. Seeing Orcus will confer the "suicidal" permanent [[madness]], which intermittently causes severe AC reduction and consistently causes you to take extra damage in combat.
+Orcus also generates with an [[artifact]] wand of death fittingly called [[The Wand of Orcus (dNetHack)|The Wand of Orcus]]: it is a huge-sized chaotic wand that is intelligent and [[bloodthirsty]], uses the [[mace]] skill in melee, and has +d20 to-hit and +d12 [[life drain]]ing damage, along with the ability to drain [[experience level]]s. Seeing Orcus will confer the "suicidal" permanent [[madness]], which intermittently causes severe AC reduction and consistently causes the character to take extra damage in combat.
 ===xNetHack===
@@ Line 78: / Line 80: @@
 * The [[drain strength]], [[stun]] and touch of death monster spells bypass player magic resistance.
-The archfiends in xNetHack also apply debuffs if they are not killed prior to obtaining the Amulet of Yendor: Orcus in particular inflicts a fluctuating penalty that increases your spellcasting power costs, and you may randomly fail to write scrolls and spellbooks (including known ones) some of the time.
+The archfiends in xNetHack also apply debuffs if they are not killed prior to obtaining the Amulet of Yendor: Orcus in particular inflicts a fluctuating penalty that increases your spellcasting power costs, and characters may randomly fail to write scrolls and spellbooks (including known ones) some of the time.
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], Orcus is always among the four demon lords and princes whose lair you encounter in Gehennom; the other three are chosen from a set pool of lairs for each tier. Orcus-town is most likely to be the third demon ruler lair in order of appearance.
+In [[EvilHack]], Orcus is always among the four demon lords and princes whose lairs appear in Gehennom - the other three are chosen from a set pool of lairs for each tier. Orcus-town is most likely to be the third demon ruler lair in order of appearance.
-Orcus is significantly buffed: his speed is raised to 15, and he has two weapon attacks and a [[withering]]-inducing claw attack; his spellcasting dice are weakened slightly, but he has access to far more dangerous spells, and his poisonous sting is still present. Like all other large monsters, Orcus gains more HP and AC from his massive size.
+Orcus is significantly buffed: his speed is raised to 15, and he has two weapon attacks and a [[withering]]-inducing claw attack; his spellcasting dice are weakened slightly, but he has access to far more dangerous spells, and his poisonous sting is still present. Like all other large monsters, Orcus gains more HP and AC from his huge size.
 Like in dNetHack, he is always generated with his trademark [[Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)|Wand of Orcus]], which is implemented much differently in EvilHack: the Wand is an artifact weapon [[rod]] that has +1d5 [[to-hit]] and +1d6 damage against living monsters, and can additionally drain the maximum HP of a victim - if they are not magic resistant, it has a chance of killing them outright.

@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 Orcus is significantly buffed: his speed is raised to 15, and he has two weapon attacks and a [[withering]]-inducing claw attack; his spellcasting dice are weakened slightly, but he has access to far more dangerous spells, and his poisonous sting is still present. Like all other large monsters, Orcus gains more HP and AC from his massive size.
-Like in dNetHack, he is always generated with his trademark [[Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)|Wand of Orcus]], which is implemented much differently in EvilHack: the Wand is an artifact weapon [[rod]] that has +1d5 [[to-hit]] and +1d6 damage against living monsters, and can additionally drain the maximum HP of a victim - if they are not magic resistant, it has a chance to kill them outright.
+Like in dNetHack, he is always generated with his trademark [[Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)|Wand of Orcus]], which is implemented much differently in EvilHack: the Wand is an artifact weapon [[rod]] that has +1d5 [[to-hit]] and +1d6 damage against living monsters, and can additionally drain the maximum HP of a victim - if they are not magic resistant, it has a chance of killing them outright.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 In [[EvilHack]], Orcus is always among the four demon lords and princes whose lair you encounter in Gehennom; the other three are chosen from a set pool of lairs for each tier. Orcus-town is most likely to be the third demon ruler lair in order of appearance.
-The [[Wand of Orcus]] is an artifact weapon that is always generated in Orcus's possession, and cannot be [[wish]]ed for since it is guaranteed to appear in every game. Its [[base item]] is an ornate [[gemstone]] [[rod]], and it has +1d5 to-hit and +1d6 damage bonuses. Living monsters hit by the Wand will have their maximum hit points drained, and those without magic resistance have a small chance of being killed outright. Moreover, the Wand of Orcus can never be picked up by the player in EvilHack and will harm them if they try; only another NPC demon is capable of even touching the Wand.<!--due to change soon!-->
+The [[Wand of Orcus]] is an artifact weapon that is always generated in Orcus's possession, and cannot be [[wish]]ed for since it is guaranteed to appear in every game. Its [[base item]] is an ornate [[gemstone]] [[rod]], and it has +1d5 to-hit and +1d6 damage bonuses. Living monsters hit by the Wand will have their maximum hit points drained, and those without magic resistance have a small chance of being killed outright. The Wand of Orcus can be used by the player or other monsters, but at a cost – health regeneration is suppressed when wielded, and it will autocurse itself when wielded, dropped, or at random when wielded if uncursed. Can be invoked to tame nearby undead monsters.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==