Wand of cold - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ forgot a detail for Fourk/FIQ

2025-02-08T02:24:45Z

‎Variants: forgot a detail for Fourk/FIQ

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ cite broken wand

2025-02-08T02:03:07Z

‎Description: cite broken wand

Umbire the Phantom: potholes, clarify monster offensive usage

2025-02-07T16:37:09Z

potholes, clarify monster offensive usage

Umbire the Phantom: use Fourk since it came first

2025-02-07T16:26:44Z

use Fourk since it came first

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ damage per potion

2025-02-07T02:36:17Z

‎Description: damage per potion

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ typo

2025-02-06T18:25:19Z

‎Description: typo

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ word choice

2025-02-06T18:21:49Z

‎Description: word choice

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ pothole

2025-02-05T22:51:25Z

‎Description: pothole

Umbire the Phantom: and finish it out

2025-02-05T22:46:23Z

and finish it out

Umbire the Phantom: formatting, copyedit, updating, detailing - everything up to variants

2025-02-05T22:17:34Z

formatting, copyedit, updating, detailing - everything up to variants

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ===NetHack Fourk===
-In [[NetHack Fourk]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold deals the lesser between 3d6 or {{frac|2|5}} of the target's maximum HP in cold damage, and the wand behaves as in ''NetHack'' at all other skill levels. This also applies to [[FIQHack]].
+In [[NetHack Fourk]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold deals the lesser between 3d6 or {{frac|2|5}} of the target's maximum HP in cold damage, and does not destroy items&mdash;the wand behaves as in ''NetHack'' at all other skill levels. This also applies to [[FIQHack]].
 ===SpliceHack===

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 [[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will cause burned engravings to vanish, and always prints a distinct message after finishing the engraving action, but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.
-[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a wand of cold by [[applying]] it will create a damaging magical explosion of cold in a 3×3 square centered on the hero, auto-identifying the wand and dealing cold damage equal to (remaining charges)*d8, while also destroying potions in the open inventory of affected monsters.
+[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a wand of cold by [[applying]] it will create a damaging magical explosion of cold in a 3×3 square centered on the hero, auto-identifying the wand and dealing cold damage equal to (remaining charges)*d8, while also destroying potions in the open inventory of affected monsters.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3371|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 [[Asmodeus]] is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] a wand of cold.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|772|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-Randomly created [[intelligent monster]]s may be [[Monster starting inventory|generated with]] a wand of cold as a [[offensive item]].{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1611|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+Randomly created [[intelligent monster]]s may be generated with a wand of cold as a [[offensive item]].{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1611|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 Wands of cold are created with 4 to 8 charges.
 ==Description==
-[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a given direction emits a [[ray]] of [[cold]] that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have a cold [[vulnerability]] (i.e. they have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance).{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory, with additional damage dealt for each one. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor.
+[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a given direction emits a [[ray]] of [[cold]] that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have a cold [[vulnerability]] (i.e. they have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance).{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory, with additional damage dealt for each one. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor. [[Monster]]s can use this wand, and hostile ones will zap it at the [[hero]].
 [[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will cause burned engravings to vanish, and always prints a distinct message after finishing the engraving action, but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.
-[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a wand of cold by [[applying]] it will create a damaging magical explosion of cold in a 3×3 square centered on the [[hero]], auto-identifying the wand and dealing cold damage equal to (remaining charges)*d8, while also destroying potions in the open inventory of affected monsters.
+[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a wand of cold by [[applying]] it will create a damaging magical explosion of cold in a 3×3 square centered on the hero, auto-identifying the wand and dealing cold damage equal to (remaining charges)*d8, while also destroying potions in the open inventory of affected monsters.
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 A wand of cold with 16 charges is generated in the locked chamber within the Cloud Bank of the [[Lawful Quest]] at level creation.
-===FIQHack===
+===NetHack Fourk===
-In [[FIQHack]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold deals the lesser between 3d6 or {{frac|2|5}} of the target's maximum HP in cold damage, and the wand behaves as in ''NetHack'' at all other skill levels. This also applies to [[NetHack Fourk]].
+In [[NetHack Fourk]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold deals the lesser between 3d6 or {{frac|2|5}} of the target's maximum HP in cold damage, and the wand behaves as in ''NetHack'' at all other skill levels. This also applies to [[FIQHack]].
 ===SpliceHack===

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ==Description==
-[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a given direction emits a [[ray]] of [[cold]] that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have a cold [[vulnerability]] (i.e. they have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance).{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor.
+[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a given direction emits a [[ray]] of [[cold]] that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have a cold [[vulnerability]] (i.e. they have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance).{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory, with additional damage dealt for each one. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor.
 [[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will cause burned engravings to vanish, and always prints a distinct message after finishing the engraving action, but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ==Description==
-[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a cardinal direction emits a [[ray]] of cold that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} {{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattrering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor.
+[[Zapping]] a wand of cold in a cardinal direction emits a [[ray]] of cold that deals 6d6 damage to monsters that it hits unless they have [[cold resistance]], while dealing an additional +6d3 bonus damage to monsters that have a cold [[vulnerability]] (i.e. they have [[fire resistance]] but not cold resistance).{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3642|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/zap.c|3649|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The ray also has a {{frac|3}} chance of freezing and shattrering [[potion]]s in the victim's open inventory. Like most rays, a wand of cold's rays will bounce when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]&mdash;it will also freeze any water it travels over into [[ice]], destroys [[door]]s hit by the blast and cools and solidifies [[lava]] into normal rock floor.
 [[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will cause burned engravings to vanish, and always prints a distinct message after finishing the engraving action, but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The wand of cold is a very strong offensive item against most monsters, but it is also dangerous for the hero to encounter early on when most characters do not have a readily-identifiable source of cold resistance. Even for a hero with the wand, they should be careful of rebounds as with many other wand rays; rebounds can also be used deliberately to rack up damage against vulnerable monsters, especially ones with cold weaknesses.
+The wand of cold is a very strong offensive item against most monsters, but it is also dangerous for the hero to encounter early on when most characters do not have a readily-identifiable source of cold resistance. Even for a hero with the wand, they should be careful of rebounds as with many other wand rays; rebounds can also be used deliberately to rack up damage against vulnerable monsters, especially ones with cold weaknesses. The wand remains applicable well into the late game, especially since most of [[Gehennom]]'s denizens have a vulnerability to cold.
 Wands of cold also have multiple uses outside of combat: destroying doors with rays of cold does not produce [[noise]], allowing a hero to enter the [[Sokoban]] [[treasure zoo]] or similar rooms without waking the inhabitants. A wand of cold can also be used to construct land bridges across water or lava if the hero lacks a [[levitation]] source or [[water walking boots]], e.g., gaining entrance to the [[Castle]], entering the throne room in [[Fort Ludios]] or crossing the lower floors of the [[Valkyrie quest]]. When crossing water or lava using this wand, try to make the shortest ice bridges possible in order to conserve charges&mdash;for much larger crossings such as [[Medusa's Island]], zapping a [[wand of digging]] downward may be a better idea. Additionally, ice squares will cause the hero to make noise while traversing them unless they are a [[Valkyrie]] or wearing [[snow boots]], and most of them will eventually melt away: [[Fire (element)|fire]] rays can melt them prematurely while you are still crossing, so be careful not to end up [[drowned]]!
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 ==Variants==
-In many variants, engraving with the wand of cold will auto-identify it.
+In many [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'', engraving with the wand of cold will auto-identify it.
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], [[Ice Mage]]s start the game with a wand of cold.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], [[Ice Mage]]s start each game with a wand of cold.{{refsrc|u_init.c|98|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}
 ===FIQHack===
-In [[FIQHack]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold chooses the lesser of two values to deal as damage: 3d6 or 40% max HP damage.
+In [[FIQHack]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold deals the lesser between 3d6 or {{frac|2|5}} of the target's maximum HP in cold damage, and the wand behaves as in ''NetHack'' at all other skill levels. This also applies to [[NetHack Fourk]].
-===NetHack Fourk===
+===SpliceHack===
-In [[NetHack Fourk]], which incorporates the [[Wands Balance Patch]], unskilled usage of a wand of cold also chooses the lesser of two values to deal as damage: 3d6 or 40% max HP damage.
+In [[SpliceHack]], a wand of cold can be combined with a [[tooled horn]] at a [[furnace]] to create a [[frost horn]].
 ==References==

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 }}
-The '''wand of cold''' is a [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
+A '''wand of cold''' is a type of [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
 ==Generation==
-A [[Wizard]] may receive a wand of cold as part of their starting inventory.
+[[Wizard]]s may be given a wand of cold as the random wand in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|164|nethack=3.6.7}}
-There is a 4% chance that a [[Wand#Generation|randomly-generated wand]] within the dungeon and its branches will be a wand of cold. Monsters may generate with the wand as a random [[offensive item]].
+Wands of cold make up {{frac|25}} (4%) of all randomly-generated wands. General [[store]]s and "quality apparel and accessories" shops can sell wands of cold.
-[[Asmodeus]] [[Monster starting inventory|will always generate with]] a wand of cold and a [[wand of fire]].{{refsrc|makemon.c|643}}{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|772|version=NetHack 3.6.6}}
+[[Asmodeus]] is [[Monster starting inventory|always generated with]] a wand of cold.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|772|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-==Effects==
+Randomly created [[intelligent monster]]s may be [[Monster starting inventory|generated with]] a wand of cold as a [[offensive item]].{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1611|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
-[[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will cause a few ice cubes to drop from the wand; this message is unique to the wand, but does not [[auto-identify]] it. Doing so over a burned engraving will make it vanish.
+Wands of cold are created with 4 to 8 charges.
-[[Apply]]ing a wand of cold to break it will create a damaging magical explosion of cold in a 3×3 square centered on you. See [[breaking wands]] for details.
+==Description==
 ==Strategy==
-:''See also: [[Wand strategy]]''
+The wand of cold is a very strong offensive item against most monsters, but it is also dangerous for the hero to encounter early on when most characters do not have a readily-identifiable source of cold resistance. Even for a hero with the wand, they should be careful of rebounds as with many other wand rays; rebounds can also be used deliberately to rack up damage against vulnerable monsters, especially ones with cold weaknesses.
-In the event of much larger crossings, such as [[Medusa's Island]] in most cases, zapping a [[wand of digging]] downward is usually a better idea. You might even choose to continue to the Castle, collect its loot and the [[wand of wishing]], and come back up through Medusa's downstair with better equipment;<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_frm/thread/5249395885b1cbbe A ttyrec about the Castle drawbridge] by [[User:Eidolos|Eidolos]]</ref> very rarely, you may want to head even further down to [[Vlad's Tower]] for the guaranteed water walking boots.
+Wands of cold also have multiple uses outside of combat: destroying doors with rays of cold does not produce [[noise]], allowing a hero to enter the [[Sokoban]] [[treasure zoo]] or similar rooms without waking the inhabitants. A wand of cold can also be used to construct land bridges across water or lava if the hero lacks a [[levitation]] source or [[water walking boots]], e.g., gaining entrance to the [[Castle]], entering the throne room in [[Fort Ludios]] or crossing the lower floors of the [[Valkyrie quest]]. When crossing water or lava using this wand, try to make the shortest ice bridges possible in order to conserve charges&mdash;for much larger crossings such as [[Medusa's Island]], zapping a [[wand of digging]] downward may be a better idea. Additionally, ice squares will cause the hero to make noise while traversing them unless they are a [[Valkyrie]] or wearing [[snow boots]], and most of them will eventually melt away: [[Fire (element)|fire]] rays can melt them prematurely while you are still crossing, so be careful not to end up [[drowned]]!
-A wand of cold can be used to destroy the [[door]] to the [[Sokoban]] zoo without waking up ''all'' of its inhabitants. The wand can also serve as a valuable offensive/escape item against [[sea monster]]s such as [[Giant eel|giant]] and [[electric eel]]s while crossing water: freezing the water they're in will strand them on the surface, weakening them - and in the eels' cases, rendering them unable to [[drown]] you - until they re-enter water. Additionally, wand of cold can also be used to retrieve any of the [[invocation item]]s from moats of water or [[lava]] by freezing it - the invocation item will then appear on top.
+The wand of cold is a valuable offensive and/or escape item against [[sea monster]]s: freezing the water they occupy will strand them on the surface, weakening them and preventing [[Giant eel|giant]] and [[electric eel]]s from being able to drown the hero until they re-enter water. The wand can also be used to retrieve items from water or lava by freezing their squares&mdash;this is especially useful for retrieving any of the [[invocation item]]s, which will automatically appear on top of ice or floor created this way.
 ==History==
-The wand of cold has been present in the game since Hack 1.21, a variant of [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]].
+The wand of cold first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and is included in the initial item list for [[Hack 1.0]].
 ==Message==
-{{message|A few ice cubes drop from the wand.|You engraved something on the floor with a wand of cold.}}
+{{message|A few ice cubes drop from the wand.|You engraved on the floor with a wand of cold.}}
 ==Variants==
@@ Line 56: / Line 57: @@
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-366}}
+{{nethack-367}}
 [[Category:Wands|Cold]]