Scroll strategy - Revision history

Furey: /* Always useful scrolls */ delete unneeded "unlucky"

2024-06-14T07:39:37Z

‎Always useful scrolls: delete unneeded "unlucky"

Ion frigate: version

2023-07-15T08:49:21Z

version

Ion frigate: added upcoming skill amnesia

2023-07-15T08:48:11Z

added upcoming skill amnesia

Aximili: /* Always useful scrolls */ scare monster version-dependent details

2023-07-15T06:48:13Z

‎Always useful scrolls: scare monster version-dependent details

Aximili: /* Always useful scrolls */ remove extra ]]

2023-07-15T06:43:15Z

‎Always useful scrolls: remove extra ]]

Ion frigate: Think this is worth putting in the lede: a flexible outlook here is good

2023-07-15T06:07:29Z

Think this is worth putting in the lede: a flexible outlook here is good

Ion frigate: link

2023-07-15T02:32:30Z

link

Ion frigate: stinking cloud

2023-07-15T02:32:08Z

stinking cloud

Ion frigate: food detection

2023-07-15T02:29:23Z

food detection

Ion frigate: scroll of earth

2023-07-15T02:22:55Z

scroll of earth

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 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The scroll of scare monster on the ground no longer scares any @ monster or any [[unique]] monster. The strategy advice should be updated as appropriate. ({{commit|dc9fe0d8bc96e006c119fa183c9c9a7c4cde2f53}})}}
-The [[scroll of remove curse]] can be used to remove curses on wielded and worn items if it is uncursed, uncursing the player's entire inventory when blessed.  Early on, a blessed or uncursed scroll can be used to rid onself of a highly undesirable cursed weapon or piece of armor; later on, the player will encounter many [[curse items|item-cursing spellcasters]], and blessed scrolls are more efficient than [[holy water]] at undoing their handiwork, although they cannot re-bless items such as [[luckstone]]s and [[unicorn horn]]s.  Read while confused, a blessed scroll is also useful for [[atheist]] or just unlucky characters looking to make holy or [[unholy water]].
+The [[scroll of remove curse]] can be used to remove curses on wielded and worn items if it is uncursed, uncursing the player's entire inventory when blessed.  Early on, a blessed or uncursed scroll can be used to rid onself of a highly undesirable cursed weapon or piece of armor; later on, the player will encounter many [[curse items|item-cursing spellcasters]], and blessed scrolls are more efficient than [[holy water]] at undoing their handiwork, although they cannot re-bless items such as [[luckstone]]s and [[unicorn horn]]s.  Read while confused, a blessed scroll is also useful for [[atheist]] characters looking to make holy or [[unholy water]].
 ==Useful early- and mid-game scrolls==

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 The [[scroll of amnesia]] should be blanked. Its effect ([[amnesia]]) offers zero benefit to the player.
-{{upcoming|The scroll of amnesia causes the player to forget [[skill]]s.  This can actually be useful to players who wish to free up skill slots for a different skill.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|The scroll of amnesia causes the player to forget [[skill]]s.  This can actually be useful to players who wish to free up skill slots for a different skill.}}
 The [[scroll of light]] may see marginal use at the very beginning of the game, but is otherwise worthless. Its effect is easily superseded by any source of light, such as oil lamps, the wand of light, or candles. It is easy to identify and type name due to its unique base price of 50.

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 ==Nearly-useless to useless scrolls==
 The [[scroll of amnesia]] should be blanked. Its effect ([[amnesia]]) offers zero benefit to the player.
 The [[scroll of light]] may see marginal use at the very beginning of the game, but is otherwise worthless. Its effect is easily superseded by any source of light, such as oil lamps, the wand of light, or candles. It is easy to identify and type name due to its unique base price of 50.

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 The [[scroll of genocide]] is very powerful, and how you choose to use it depends on its BUC status. See [[genocide]]. It has potential utility at any point in the game, and can be used as an escape item, to produce dragons for their [[dragon scale mail]], or to wipe out entire classes of powerful monsters such as [[lich]]es and [[mind flayer]]s. Although its base scroll class of 300 can be very dangerous, all of them can be safely read identified if they are blessed.
-A [[scroll of scare monster]] is a powerful item indeed. Unlike most scrolls, its most powerful effect occurs when it is dropped, scaring all monsters except for [[A]] and the [[Riders]]. After the Elbereth nerf that occurred in 3.6.0, these can save your life against anything from killer bees to [[Demogorgon]]. It's a good idea to have one in a container that you can [[#tip]] in an emergency. There is a guaranteed scroll under the [[Sokoban]] prize - although it is cursed, and will crumble when you pick it up, it allows you to identify them easily.
+A [[scroll of scare monster]] is a powerful item indeed. Unlike most scrolls, its most powerful effect occurs when it is dropped, scaring almost all monsters. After the [[Elbereth]] nerf that occurred in [[3.6.0]], these can save your life against anything from killer bees to [[Demogorgon]]. It's a good idea to have one in a container that you can [[#tip]] in an emergency. There is a guaranteed scroll under the [[Sokoban]] prize - although it is cursed, and will crumble when you pick it up, it allows you to identify them easily.
 The [[scroll of remove curse]] can be used to remove curses on wielded and worn items if it is uncursed, uncursing the player's entire inventory when blessed.  Early on, a blessed or uncursed scroll can be used to rid onself of a highly undesirable cursed weapon or piece of armor; later on, the player will encounter many [[curse items|item-cursing spellcasters]], and blessed scrolls are more efficient than [[holy water]] at undoing their handiwork, although they cannot re-bless items such as [[luckstone]]s and [[unicorn horn]]s.  Read while confused, a blessed scroll is also useful for [[atheist]] or just unlucky characters looking to make holy or [[unholy water]].

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 The [[scroll of teleportation]] is a good [[escape item]], particularly in the early game where most levels do not prohibit teleporting. Cursed scrolls can be convenient if the player doesn't have another means of [[level teleportation]] or [[branchport]]ing. They're extremely common as a [[defensive item]] that monsters are eligible to carry, so most of them can be blanked. Monsters are likely to identify this scroll for you early on.
-The [[scroll of genocide]] is very powerful, and how you choose to use it depends on its BUC status. See [[genocide]]. It has potential utility at any point in the game, and can be used as an escape item, to produce dragons for their [[dragon scale mail]], or to wipe out entire classes]] of powerful monsters such as [[lich]]es and [[mind flayer]]s. Although its base scroll class of 300 can be very dangerous, all of them can be safely read identified if they are blessed.
+The [[scroll of genocide]] is very powerful, and how you choose to use it depends on its BUC status. See [[genocide]]. It has potential utility at any point in the game, and can be used as an escape item, to produce dragons for their [[dragon scale mail]], or to wipe out entire classes of powerful monsters such as [[lich]]es and [[mind flayer]]s. Although its base scroll class of 300 can be very dangerous, all of them can be safely read identified if they are blessed.
 A [[scroll of scare monster]] is a powerful item indeed. Unlike most scrolls, its most powerful effect occurs when it is dropped, scaring all monsters except for [[A]] and the [[Riders]]. After the Elbereth nerf that occurred in 3.6.0, these can save your life against anything from killer bees to [[Demogorgon]]. It's a good idea to have one in a container that you can [[#tip]] in an emergency. There is a guaranteed scroll under the [[Sokoban]] prize - although it is cursed, and will crumble when you pick it up, it allows you to identify them easily.

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-Scrolls are represented by {{white|?}} and have a weight of 5. Each one has a different effect when you read it,
+[[Scroll]]s are represented by {{white|?}} and have a weight of 5. Each one has a different effect when you read it,
-some effects highly desirable, some not. Most of them are useful in some way, and this page isn't comprehensive by any means. Be creative!
+some effects highly desirable, some not. Most of them are useful in some way, and this page isn't comprehensive by any means. Be creative!  See the individual pages for each scroll for more detailed information on their effects.
 == Always useful scrolls ==
-Scrolls of enchant weapon are common, useful, and easy to [[price ID]], with their unique base price of 60. Like most scrolls, they're better used when blessed, but the player's immediate survival is often much more important than hoarding resources for a future that might not come. Don't be afraid of "wasting" these before getting an [[artifact weapon]] or [[holy water]]. Weapons enchanted above +5 have a substantial chance of evaporating if you attempt to enchant them further.
+[[Scroll of enchant weapon|Scrolls of enchant weapon]] are common, useful, and easy to [[price ID]], with their unique base price of 60. Like most scrolls, they're better used when blessed, but the player's immediate survival is often much more important than hoarding resources for a future that might not come. Don't be afraid of "wasting" these before getting an [[artifact weapon]] or [[holy water]]. Weapons enchanted above +5 have a substantial chance of evaporating if you attempt to enchant them further.
 The [[scroll of enchant armor]] is one of the most valuable scrolls in the game. Better AC greatly reduces damage to the player and is one of the primary factors that influence player progression. Even without a powerful weapon, a player with a very good AC can last for quite a while. Early in the game, they're best used on items that you'll likely keep, such as any gloves or helm, or any magical armor such as a [[cloak of magic resistance]] or [[speed boots]]. If the player lacks [[magic resistance]] or [[polymorph control]], it is not advised to enchant items in the shirt, body armor, or cloak slot, as these can be destroyed if the player is unfortunate enough to step on a [[polymorph trap]]. Fortunately, like enchant weapon, enchant armor is very easy to price identify, only sharing its base cost of 80 with remove curse, a scroll that is also safe to read identify. Be sure to [[curse-test]] both this and the enchant weapon scroll before reading, though.

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 While near useless in the early game, the [[scroll of gold detection]] is valuable on the Elemental Planes to locate portals.
-Chaotic characters can make use of [[scrolls of stinking cloud]] to assassinate shopkeepers early on, but to most characters the scroll is too fiddly and too easily resisted to be all that useful.
+Chaotic characters can make use of [[scroll of stinking cloud|scrolls of stinking cloud]] to assassinate shopkeepers early on, but to most characters the scroll is too fiddly and too easily resisted to be all that useful.
 A [[scroll of create monster]] can be used to generate fodder for [[sacrifice]]. A cursed scroll creates more fodder, but is also more dangerous: make sure you have some escape option handy. Players trying to permanently eliminate the [[Riders]] will often read many of these scrolls while confused, in order to fill the entire level with harmless [[acid blob]]s.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:32, 15 July 2023
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	While near useless in the early game, the [[scroll of gold detection]] is valuable on the Elemental Planes to locate portals.		While near useless in the early game, the [[scroll of gold detection]] is valuable on the Elemental Planes to locate portals.
		+
		+	Chaotic characters can make use of [[scrolls of stinking cloud]] to assassinate shopkeepers early on, but to most characters the scroll is too fiddly and too easily resisted to be all that useful.

	A [[scroll of create monster]] can be used to generate fodder for [[sacrifice]]. A cursed scroll creates more fodder, but is also more dangerous: make sure you have some escape option handy. Players trying to permanently eliminate the [[Riders]] will often read many of these scrolls while confused, in order to fill the entire level with harmless [[acid blob]]s.		A [[scroll of create monster]] can be used to generate fodder for [[sacrifice]]. A cursed scroll creates more fodder, but is also more dangerous: make sure you have some escape option handy. Players trying to permanently eliminate the [[Riders]] will often read many of these scrolls while confused, in order to fill the entire level with harmless [[acid blob]]s.

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 Although it can be difficult to identify due to its common base price of 100, the [[scroll of confuse monster]] can be used in a pinch to attempt to confuse an attacker. It becomes far less useful later, serving only as a source of confusion for the player [[portal detection methods|should they need it]].
-A [[scroll of taming]] is rare and difficult to identify as well, but many earlygame monsters lack good monster MR, making them vulnerable to taming's charm monster effect. This can be used to get moderately powerful pets or just to escape a sticky situation.
+While also difficult to identify due to its base price of 100, the [[scroll of food detection]] can be very handy for roles (such as [[wizard]]s) that start with a poor food supply.  The [[food appraisal]] intrinsic gained from blessed scrolls can theoretically be useful later on, but because it is lost after a single use, it is not usually worth trying to keep around.
 ==Scrolls with specialized uses==

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:22, 15 July 2023
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	The [[scroll of destroy armor]] has some uses. If you are wearing cursed armor without a scroll of remove curse, you could drop all your other armor and read the scroll (this will not work if the scroll is cursed, it will lower the enchantment of the armor instead), destroying the armor. Later in the game, cursed scrolls of destroy armor can be used to [[fooproof]] armor if read when confused.		The [[scroll of destroy armor]] has some uses. If you are wearing cursed armor without a scroll of remove curse, you could drop all your other armor and read the scroll (this will not work if the scroll is cursed, it will lower the enchantment of the armor instead), destroying the armor. Later in the game, cursed scrolls of destroy armor can be used to [[fooproof]] armor if read when confused.
		+
		+	The [[scroll of earth]] is most useful for fixing mistakes in [[Sokoban]], where two are guaranteed to be found; note that doing so will incur a -1 [[Luck]] penalty if the level is not already solved. It can also be useful for bridging [[moat]]s, most notably at the [[Castle]], but overall a source of [[levitation]] or [[flying]] is preferable. Finally, scrolls of earth can be used to create [[boulder fort]]s, which have some specialized uses but are not very useful tactically, since they are unlikely to stop adjacent monsters.

	==Nearly-useless to useless scrolls==		==Nearly-useless to useless scrolls==