The Wand of Orcus (dNetHack) - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: tweak

2026-01-10T07:25:04Z

tweak

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ word choice

2025-12-14T10:29:44Z

‎Generation: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: some copyedit

2025-12-14T10:28:46Z

some copyedit

Umbire the Phantom: not quite what I want for the material but it's more than sufficient

2025-04-10T09:36:56Z

not quite what I want for the material but it's more than sufficient

Umbire the Phantom: nndnh, potholes, etc.

2025-03-12T13:11:13Z

nndnh, potholes, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: cats, word choice

2024-04-20T14:49:34Z

cats, word choice

Umbire the Phantom: thanks riker

2024-02-14T22:57:27Z

thanks riker

EasterlyIrk: clarify base damage and to-hit

2024-02-14T22:44:46Z

clarify base damage and to-hit

Umbire the Phantom: create

2024-02-14T12:45:12Z

create

New page

{{artifact weapon
|name=The Wand of Orcus
|tile= 
|base=wand of death
|skill=mace
|size=two-handed
|smalldmg=1d4 '''+1d12'''
|largedmg=1d4 '''+1d12'''
|tohit='''+1d20'''
|bonusversus=<ul><li>non-[[drain resistant]]</li></ul>
|affiliation=<ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>[[Orcus]]</li><li>[[intelligent]]</li></ul>
|whencarried=<ul><li>always [[Charging|chargeable]]</li><li>cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]]</li>
|whenwielded=<ul><li>[[bloodthirsty]]</li><li>[[level drain]] on hit</li></ul>
|wheninvoked=<ul><li>fires [[death ray]] even without charges</li><li>
|cost=8000
|weight=varies with appearance
|material=varies with appearance
}}
{{for|the artifact in EvilHack|Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)}}

'''The Wand of Orcus''' is an [[artifact]] that appears in [[dNetHack]] and [[notdNetHack]]. It is [[chaotic]]-aligned, and its [[base item]] is a huge-sized [[wand of death]].

==Generation==
[[Orcus]] is always generated with the uncursed Wand in his possession - the Wand of Orcus cannot be [[wish]]ed for, and will revert to a normal [[wand of death]] if left in [[bones]].

==Description==
The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that has the default 1d4 base damage for non-weapon objects as well as +1d20 [[to-hit]], and deals +1d12 damage against non-[[drain resistant]] targets and drains a level on hit. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn. As an artifact wand of death, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charge]]d indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]] - [[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if no charges are currently left.

==Origin==
The Wand of Orcus is the trademark weapon of Orcus, one of the most well-known and mighty demon princes, in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' - it appears as a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being.

==Encyclopedia entry==
{{encyclopedia|
"Your sad excuse for a third-year Defence textbook will suggest to you that you
expose the mountain troll to sunlight, which will freeze it in place. This, my
young apprentices, is the sort of useless knowledge you will never find in my
lessons. You do not encounter mountain trolls in open daylight! The idea that
you should use sunlight to stop them is the result of foolish textbook authors
trying to show off their mastery of minutia at the expense of practicality.
Just because there is a ridiculously obscure way of dealing with mountain
trolls does not mean you should actually try to use it! The Killing Curse is
unblockable, unstoppable, and works every single time on anything with a brain."
[ Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky ]
}}
{{variant-343}}
[[Category:dNetHack artifacts]]
[[Category:notdNetHack artifacts]]

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 ==Description==
-The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a wand of huge size, it has a base damage die of 1d8 against both small and large monsters, as well as a base [[to-hit]] of -8 due to being awkwardly-sized&mdash;it also cannot be enchanted, and gains no to-hit or damage bonuses from [[enchantment]]s or [[charge]]s.
+The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a wand of huge size, it has a base damage die of 1d8 against both small and large monsters, as well as a base [[to-hit]] of -8 due to being awkwardly-sized&mdash;it also cannot be [[Scroll of enchant weapon|enchanted like a weapon]], and gains no to-hit or damage bonuses.
 As an artifact, The Wand of Orcus has +1d20 [[to-hit]] when used as a weapon, and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and inflicts [[level drain]] against non-[[drain resistant]] targets. It uses the [[mace]] skill for melee attacks and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 The Wand of Orcus cannot be [[wish]]ed for, and will revert to a normal [[wand of death]] if left in [[bones]].
-[[Orcus (dNetHack)|Orcus]] is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] the uncursed Wand in his possession.
+[[Orcus (dNetHack)|Orcus]] is [[always generated with]] the uncursed Wand of Orcus in his possession.
 ==Description==

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 }}
 {{for|the artifact in EvilHack|Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)}}
+'''The Wand of Orcus''' is an [[artifact]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. It is [[chaotic]]-aligned, and its [[base item]] is a [[Item size (dNetHack)|huge-sized]] [[wand of death]].
 ==Generation==
@@ Line 26: / Line 25: @@
 ==Description==
-The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a wand of huge size, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized&mdash;it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]] when used as a weapon, and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and inflicts [[level drain]] against non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee attacks and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
+The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a wand of huge size, it has a base damage die of 1d8 against both small and large monsters, as well as a base [[to-hit]] of -8 due to being awkwardly-sized&mdash;it also cannot be enchanted, and gains no to-hit or damage bonuses from [[enchantment]]s or [[charge]]s.
-Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charged]] indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]]&mdash;[[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if it currently has no charges left.
+Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be charged indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]]&mdash;[[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if it currently has no charges left.
 ==Origin==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
   |cost=8000
   |weight=varies with appearance
-  |material=varies with appearance
+  |material=randomized appearance
 }}
 {{for|the artifact in EvilHack|Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)}}
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 ==Description==
-The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a huge wand, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized - it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]], and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and inflicts [[level drain]] on non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
+The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a wand of huge size, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized&mdash;it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]] when used as a weapon, and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and inflicts [[level drain]] against non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee attacks and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
-Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charge]]d indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]] - [[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if it currently has no charges left.
+Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charged]] indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]]&mdash;[[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if it currently has no charges left.
 ==Origin==

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ==Description==
-The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a huge wand, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized - it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]], and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and drains one level from non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
+The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a huge wand, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized - it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]], and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and inflicts [[level drain]] on non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
-Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charge]]d indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]] - [[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if no charges are currently left.
+Unlike other wands, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charge]]d indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]] - [[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if it currently has no charges left.
 ==Origin==
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 }}<!--yeah I know, probably thought it sounded cool-->
 {{variant-343}}
-[[Category:dNetHack artifacts]]
+[[Category:dNetHack artifacts|Wand of Orcus]]
-[[Category:notdNetHack artifacts]]
+[[Category:notdNetHack artifacts|Wand of Orcus]]

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
   |tohit='''+1d20'''
   |bonusversus=<ul><li>non-[[drain resistant]]</li></ul>
-  |affiliation=<ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>[[Orcus]]</li><li>[[intelligent]]</li></ul>
+  |affiliation=<ul><li>[[chaotic]]</li><li>[[Orcus (dNetHack)|Orcus]]</li><li>[[intelligent]]</li></ul>
   |whencarried=<ul><li>always [[Charging|chargeable]]</li><li>cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]]</li>
   |whenwielded=<ul><li>[[bloodthirsty]]</li><li>[[level drain]] on hit</li></ul>
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 {{for|the artifact in EvilHack|Wand of Orcus (EvilHack)}}
-'''The Wand of Orcus''' is an [[artifact]] that appears in [[dNetHack]] and [[notdNetHack]]. It is [[chaotic]]-aligned, and its [[base item]] is a huge-sized [[wand of death]].
+'''The Wand of Orcus''' is an [[artifact]] that appears in [[dNetHack]], [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]]. It is [[chaotic]]-aligned, and its [[base item]] is a huge-sized [[wand of death]].
 ==Generation==
-[[Orcus]] is always generated with the uncursed Wand in his possession - the Wand of Orcus cannot be [[wish]]ed for, and will revert to a normal [[wand of death]] if left in [[bones]].
+The Wand of Orcus cannot be [[wish]]ed for, and will revert to a normal [[wand of death]] if left in [[bones]].
 ==Description==
@@ Line 29: / Line 31: @@
 ==Origin==
-The Wand of Orcus is the trademark weapon of Orcus, one of the most well-known and mighty demon princes, in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' - it appears as a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being.
+The Wand of Orcus is the trademark weapon of Orcus, one of the most well-known and mighty demon princes, in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'': it appears as a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==
@@ Line 47: / Line 49: @@
 [[Category:dNetHack artifacts|Wand of Orcus]]
 [[Category:notdNetHack artifacts|Wand of Orcus]]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
   |base=wand of death
   |skill=mace
- |size=two-handed
+  |smalldmg=1d8 '''+1d12'''
-  |smalldmg=1d4 '''+1d12'''
+  |largedmg=1d8 '''+1d12'''
   |tohit='''+1d20'''
   |bonusversus=<ul><li>non-[[drain resistant]]</li></ul>
@@ Line 25: / Line 24: @@
 ==Description==
-The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a blunt melee weapon when wielded. It has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized, and deals bludgeoning damage. As an artifact, it has a bonus +1d20 [[to-hit]], and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and drains one level against non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn. As an artifact wand of death, The Wand of Orcus can be [[charge]]d indefinitely and cannot be [[wrest]]ed or [[Breaking wands|broken]] - [[invoking]] the Wand allows it to be zapped as a wand of death without consuming a charge, even if no charges are currently left. Because it is a wand, it cannot be enchanted - and the number of charges contained will not affect the damage done in melee.
+The Wand of Orcus is an [[intelligent artifact]] that acts as a bludgeoning melee weapon while wielded. As a huge wand, it has a base damage of 1d8 to both small and large monsters, as well as a -8 to-hit penalty due to being awkwardly sized - it also cannot be enchanted and gains no bonuses from enchantments or charges. As an artifact, it has +1d20 [[to-hit]], and on a hit deals +1d12 damage and drains one level from non-[[drain resistant]] targets. The Wand uses the [[mace]] skill for melee and is [[bloodthirsty]], with a base {{frac|4}} chance of passively attacking adjacent monsters each turn.
 ==Origin==