Spellbook of drain life - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: copyedit

2026-01-10T13:39:31Z

copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: /* SLASH'EM */ pothole

2025-07-04T00:02:30Z

‎SLASH'EM: pothole

Umbire the Phantom: /* SLASH'EM */ missed this

2025-07-03T23:56:20Z

‎SLASH'EM: missed this

Umbire the Phantom: correction

2025-07-02T19:39:27Z

correction

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ detailing and citations - thanks ais523

2025-06-28T11:42:14Z

‎Description: detailing and citations - thanks ais523

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ spacing

2025-06-27T20:44:05Z

‎dNetHack: spacing

Umbire the Phantom: detail history

2025-06-27T20:43:39Z

detail history

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ more pasto'd cites...

2025-06-27T18:47:17Z

‎Generation: more pasto'd cites...

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ properly detail HP loss, etc.

2025-06-27T18:43:51Z

‎Description: properly detail HP loss, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ stray cite

2025-06-27T18:18:25Z

‎Generation: stray cite

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 [[Wizard]]s may be given a spellbook of drain life as the secondary spellbook in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|169|nethack=3.6.7}}
-Spellbooks of drain life make up {{frac|100}} (1%) of all randomly-generated spellbooks. General [[store]]s, second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can stock spellbooks of drain life.
+Spellbooks of drain life make up {{frac|100}} (1%) of all spellbooks randomly generated on the ground, in general [[shop]]s or as [[death drop]]s. Second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can also stock spellbooks of drain life.
 Writing a spellbook of drain life with a [[magic marker]] uses up 10 to 19 charges.
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 Successfully [[cast]]ing the spell prompts the player for a cardinal direction to fire the [[beam]] in:{{refsrc|src/zap.c|428|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} [[monster]]s in the path of the beam that do not have [[drain resistance]] must pass a roll against their [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]]{{refsrc|src/zap.c|436|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|5160|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=<tt>resist()</tt> function}}&mdash;a monster that fails the roll has one [[Monster level|level]] drained and loses an amount of HP corresponding to that level, with the default being 1d8 maximum HP and twice that much in current HP;{{refsrc|src/zap.c|431|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> in <tt>makemon.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|438|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="draindamage"|comment=level drain does not occur if monster resists via MR score}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|445|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|956|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|960|nethack=3.6.7}} a monster that successfully resists via MR score will not lose a level, and the damage they take is halved rounded up.<ref name="draindamage"/>{{refsrc|src/zap.c|5204|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} Spell damage bonuses apply to the spell's damage in both cases, and a [[Knight]] carrying the [[Magic Mirror of Merlin]] in open inventory deals double damage to monsters when casting the spell.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|142|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|432|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|434|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-A cloaked [[mimic]] hit by the spell of drain life will uncloak and take damage as normal.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|429|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Golem]]s lose maximum HP equal to the quotient of the HP that type of golem is normally generated with divided by that individual golem's level.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|963|nethack=3.6.7}} Monsters at level 50 or higher lose 4-8 maximum HP, though in practice monsters with a level that high (i.e. [[demon lords and princes]]) cannot be subjected to level drain.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|966|nethack=3.6.7}} Adult [[dragon]]s outside of the [[Elemental Planes]] and [[Astral Plane]] lose 4-9 maximum HP.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|969|nethack=3.6.7}} Though the function called by the level draining code has an HP amount defined for level 0 monsters, any monster that has its level drained while at level 0 or has their maximum HP drained to 0 will always die as a result of the spell.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|443|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|973|nethack=3.6.7}}
+A cloaked [[mimic]] hit by the spell of drain life will uncloak and take damage as normal.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|429|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Golem]]s lose maximum HP equal to the quotient of the HP that type of golem is normally generated with divided by that individual golem's level.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|963|nethack=3.6.7}} Monsters at level 50 or higher lose 4-8 maximum HP, though in practice monsters with a level that high (i.e. [[demon lords and princes]]) cannot be subjected to level drain.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|966|nethack=3.6.7}} Adult [[dragon]]s outside of the [[Elemental Planes]] and [[Astral Plane]] lose 4-9 maximum HP.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|969|nethack=3.6.7}} Though the function called by the level draining code has an HP amount defined for level 0 monsters, any monster that has its level drained by the spell while at level 0 or has their maximum HP drained to 0 by the spell will always suffer an [[instadeath]] as a result.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|443|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|973|nethack=3.6.7}}
-Objects in the path of a beam from the drain life spell will have their [[charge]]s or [[enchantment]] reduced by 0 to a minimum of 1, with no effect on negatively-enchanted items.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1992|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1102|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1109|nethack=3.6.7}} Doing so with items owned by a shop will incur additional charges.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1119|nethack=3.6.7}} Items will resist this effect {{frac|9|10}} of the time if they are [[artifact]]s and {{frac|10}} of the time otherwise, and will always resist the effect if they grant drain resistance while carried or [[wielded]].{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1114|nethack=3.6.7}}
+Objects in the path of a beam from the drain life spell will have their [[charge]]s or [[enchantment]] reduced by 1 to a minimum of 0, with no effect on negatively-enchanted items.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1992|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1102|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1109|nethack=3.6.7}} A hero draining charges or enchantments from items owned by a shop will be billed for those items.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1119|nethack=3.6.7}} Items will resist this effect {{frac|9|10}} of the time if they are [[artifact]]s and {{frac|10}} of the time otherwise, and will always resist the effect if they grant drain resistance while carried or [[wielded]].{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1114|nethack=3.6.7}}
-A hero casting the spell at themselves will drain one [[experience]] level unless they have drain resistance, reducing their current and maximum HP by 1d8, and will [[die]] if they are drained below level 1.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2374|nethack=3.6.7}} Casting the spell downward while [[riding]] will affect the steed as with any other monster.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2709|nethack=3.6.7}}
+A hero casting the spell at themselves will drain one [[experience level]] unless they have drain resistance, which reduces their current and maximum HP by 1d8 and will cause instant death if they are drained below level 1.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2374|nethack=3.6.7}} Casting the spell downward while [[riding]] will affect the steed as with any other monster.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2709|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], the spell of drain life is changed to a level 3 attack spell.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the spell of drain life is [[Spellcasting (SLASH'EM)|re-categorized]] to a level 3 attack spell.
 [[Necromancer]]s always start the game with a blessed spellbook of drain life as their third spellbook.{{refsrc|u_init.c|141|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Wizards have their starting inventory changed so that their spellbooks are given from four different pre-determined sets, and so cannot receive the spellbook of drain life this way.{{refsrc|u_init.c|248|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|u_init.c|1257|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], [[Necromancer]]s always start the game with a blessed spellbook of drain life as their third spellbook.{{refsrc|u_init.c|141|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} Wizards have their starting inventory changed so that their spellbooks are given from four different pre-determined sets, and so cannot receive the spellbook of drain life this way.{{refsrc|u_init.c|248|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|u_init.c|1257|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the spell of drain life is changed to a level 3 attack spell.
 The [[wand of draining]] is an item that has the same effect as the spell when [[zapped]].

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
   |level=2
   |type=attack
-  |turns=2
+  |turns=4
   |direction=beam
   |abundance=1%
 }}
-In ''[[NetHack]]'', the '''spellbook of drain life''' can be read to learn the '''spell of drain life'''. It is a level 2 [[attack spell]], and the [[spellbook]] takes 4 actions (roughly 2 turns) to [[read]].
+In ''[[NetHack]]'', the '''spellbook of drain life''' can be read to learn the '''spell of drain life'''. It is a level 2 [[attack spell]], and the [[spellbook]] takes 4 actions to [[read]].
 ==Generation==

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ==Description==
-Successfully [[cast]]ing the spell prompts the player for a cardinal direction to fire the [[beam]] in:{{refsrc|src/zap.c|428|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} [[monster]]s in the path of the beam that do not have [[drain resistance]] must pass a roll against their [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]]{{refsrc|src/zap.c|436|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|5160|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=<tt>resist()</tt> function}}&mdash;a monster that fails the roll has one [[Monster level|level]] drained and loses an amount of HP corresponding to that level, with the default being 1d8 current HP and 1d8 maximum HP;{{refsrc|src/zap.c|431|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> in <tt>makemon.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|438|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|445|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|956|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|960|nethack=3.6.7}} a monster that successfully resists via MR score will not lose a level and takes halved damage.
+Successfully [[cast]]ing the spell prompts the player for a cardinal direction to fire the [[beam]] in:{{refsrc|src/zap.c|428|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} [[monster]]s in the path of the beam that do not have [[drain resistance]] must pass a roll against their [[Magic resistance (monster)|MR score]]{{refsrc|src/zap.c|436|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|5160|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=<tt>resist()</tt> function}}&mdash;a monster that fails the roll has one [[Monster level|level]] drained and loses an amount of HP corresponding to that level, with the default being 1d8 maximum HP and twice that much in current HP;{{refsrc|src/zap.c|431|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> in <tt>makemon.c</tt>}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|438|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name="draindamage"|comment=level drain does not occur if monster resists via MR score}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|445|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|956|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>monhp_per_level()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|960|nethack=3.6.7}} a monster that successfully resists via MR score will not lose a level, and the damage they take is halved rounded up.<ref name="draindamage"/>{{refsrc|src/zap.c|5204|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} Spell damage bonuses apply to the spell's damage in both cases, and a [[Knight]] carrying the [[Magic Mirror of Merlin]] in open inventory deals double damage to monsters when casting the spell.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|142|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|432|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|434|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-A cloaked [[mimic]] hit by the spell of drain life will uncloak and take damage as normal.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|429|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Golem]]s lose current and maximum HP equal to the amount that the golem's type is normally generated with, divided by that specific golem's level.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|963|nethack=3.6.7}} Monsters at level 50 or higher lose 4-8 current and maximum HP, though in practice no monster with a level that high can be subjected to level drain.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|966|nethack=3.6.7}} Adult [[dragon]]s outside of the [[Elemental Planes]] and [[Astral Plane]] lose 4-9 current and maximum HP.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|969|nethack=3.6.7}} Though the function called by the level draining code has an HP amount defined for level 0 monsters, any monster that has its level drained while at level 0 or has their maximum HP drained to 0 will always die as a result.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|443|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|973|nethack=3.6.7}}
+A cloaked [[mimic]] hit by the spell of drain life will uncloak and take damage as normal.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|429|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Golem]]s lose maximum HP equal to the quotient of the HP that type of golem is normally generated with divided by that individual golem's level.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|963|nethack=3.6.7}} Monsters at level 50 or higher lose 4-8 maximum HP, though in practice monsters with a level that high (i.e. [[demon lords and princes]]) cannot be subjected to level drain.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|966|nethack=3.6.7}} Adult [[dragon]]s outside of the [[Elemental Planes]] and [[Astral Plane]] lose 4-9 maximum HP.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|969|nethack=3.6.7}} Though the function called by the level draining code has an HP amount defined for level 0 monsters, any monster that has its level drained while at level 0 or has their maximum HP drained to 0 will always die as a result of the spell.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|443|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|973|nethack=3.6.7}}
 Objects in the path of a beam from the drain life spell will have their [[charge]]s or [[enchantment]] reduced by 0 to a minimum of 1, with no effect on negatively-enchanted items.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1992|nethack=3.6.7|comment=calls <tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1102|nethack=3.6.7|comment=<tt>drain_item()</tt> function}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1109|nethack=3.6.7}} Doing so with items owned by a shop will incur additional charges.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1119|nethack=3.6.7}} Items will resist this effect {{frac|9|10}} of the time if they are [[artifact]]s and {{frac|10}} of the time otherwise, and will always resist the effect if they grant drain resistance while carried or [[wielded]].{{refsrc|src/zap.c|1114|nethack=3.6.7}}
-A hero casting the spell at themselves will drain one [[experience]] level unless they have drain resistance, reducing their current and maximum HP by 1d8, and will [[die]] if they are drained below level 1.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2374|nethack=3.6.7}}
+A hero casting the spell at themselves will drain one [[experience]] level unless they have drain resistance, reducing their current and maximum HP by 1d8, and will [[die]] if they are drained below level 1.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2374|nethack=3.6.7}} Casting the spell downward while [[riding]] will affect the steed as with any other monster.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2709|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], female [[drow Healer]]s start the game having forgotten the spell of drain life. These variants also include the wand of draining, which behaves as in SLASH'EM.
+In [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], female [[drow Healer]]s start the game having forgotten the spell of drain life.
 ===FIQHack===

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==History==
-The spellbook of drain life and its spell are introduced in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], "drain for gain" strategies involving the spell are also used to obtain massive amounts of maximum HP and [[energy]].
+The spellbook of drain life and its spell are introduced in [[NetHack 3.3.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, "drain for gain" strategies involving the spell are also used to obtain massive amounts of maximum HP and [[energy]] as well as protection.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Generation==
-[[Wizard]]s may be given a spellbook of drain life as the secondary spellbook in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|168|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|166|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1016|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1050|nethack=3.6.7}}
+[[Wizard]]s may be given a spellbook of drain life as the secondary spellbook in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|169|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1016|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1050|nethack=3.6.7}}
 Spellbooks of drain life make up {{frac|100}} (1%) of all randomly-generated spellbooks. General [[store]]s, second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can stock spellbooks of drain life.