Wand of magic missile - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2026-01-10T19:31:24Z

pothole

JASON10668: /* Description */ typo fix

2025-04-02T16:46:51Z

‎Description: typo fix

Umbire the Phantom: mention spell, start variants

2025-03-31T00:33:15Z

mention spell, start variants

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ one last thing

2025-03-31T00:07:17Z

‎History: one last thing

Umbire the Phantom: formatting treatment

2025-03-31T00:04:21Z

formatting treatment

JASON10668: Add languages template.

2025-01-08T13:00:26Z

Add languages template.

Furey: /* Description */ linkify "rebound"

2024-06-18T00:46:30Z

‎Description: linkify "rebound"

Umbire the Phantom: /* Strategy /

2023-03-24T10:48:54Z

‎Strategy: *

Umbire the Phantom: refsrc

2023-03-24T10:43:34Z

refsrc

Umbire the Phantom: /* Description */ touch-up

2023-03-24T10:39:44Z

‎Description: touch-up

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 A '''wand of magic missile''' is a type [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
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 [[Engraving]] with a wand of magic missile will give a unique [[#Message|message]] if the hero is not blind, but does not auto-identify the wand.{{refsrc|src/engrave.c|708|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name=doknown|comment=the case for <tt>WAN_MAGIC_MISSILE</tt> does not set doknown}}
-[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a [[charged]] wand of magic missile by [[applying]] it&ndash;or else wresting one last charge from an applied wand&ndash;will cause an explosion that deals anywhere between 1 and (4&times;<charges>) damage, which is blocked by magic resistance and auto-identifies the wand.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3353|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3378|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a charged wand of magic missile by [[applying]] it&ndash;or else wresting one last charge from an applied wand&ndash;will cause an explosion that deals anywhere between 1 and (4&times;<charges>) damage, which is blocked by magic resistance and auto-identifies the wand.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3353|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3378|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==

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 [[Engraving]] with a wand of magic missile will give a unique [[#Message|message]] if the hero is not blind, but does not auto-identify the wand.{{refsrc|src/engrave.c|708|version=NetHack 3.6.7|name=doknown|comment=the case for <tt>WAN_MAGIC_MISSILE</tt> does not set doknown}}
-[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a [[charged]] wand of light by [[applying]] it&ndash;or else wresting one last charge from an applied wand&ndash;will cause an explosion that deals anywhere between 1 and (4&times;<charges>) damage, which is blocked by magic resistance and auto-identifies the wand.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3353|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3378|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+[[Breaking wands|Breaking]] a [[charged]] wand of magic missile by [[applying]] it&ndash;or else wresting one last charge from an applied wand&ndash;will cause an explosion that deals anywhere between 1 and (4&times;<charges>) damage, which is blocked by magic resistance and auto-identifies the wand.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3353|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|3378|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==

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 ==Strategy==
-Wands of magic missile are the least effective type of [[attack wand]], since they lack useful secondary effects beyond damage, and are best used liberally in the early game as a form of disposable [[ranged attack]]&mdash;the wand's damage can be increased to a somewhat respectable 4d6 by bouncing the ray off a wall behind your target. The wand also has a niche use for engraving [[Elbereth]] while [[levitating]] in order to save charges from a more useful wand such as {{of|wand|digging|fire|or=1|lightning}}, since engravings are less likely to erode while the hero is not standing directly on them.
+Wands of magic missile are the least effective type of [[attack wand]], since they lack useful secondary effects beyond damage, and are best used liberally in the early game as a form of disposable [[ranged attack]]&mdash;the wand's damage can be increased to a somewhat respectable 4d6 by bouncing the ray off a wall behind your target. The wand also has a niche use for engraving [[Elbereth]] while [[levitating]] in order to save charges from a more useful wand such as {{of|wand|digging|fire|or=1|lightning}}, since engravings are less likely to erode while the hero is not standing directly on them. Otherwise, the {{+ of|magic missile}} spell is superior for practically every other use case.
 Some players improvise a late-game use for the wand by [[throwing]] it at an intelligent monster and hoping they pick it up to use over any of their innate attacks or ranged weaponry: most late-game players will have either magic resistance or reflection to render the rays harmless, and reflection additionally deals damage to non-resistant monsters in the ray's path (sometimes including the one zapping the wand).
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 ==Variants==
 In several [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'', engraving with a wand of magic missile will auto-identify it.
 ==References==

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 ==History==
-The wand of magic missile has been present in the game since Hack 1.21, a variant of [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]].
+The wand of magic missile appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and is also included in the initial item list for [[Hack 1.0]].
 ==Origin==

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 }}
-The  '''wand of magic missile''' is a [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
+A '''wand of magic missile''' is a type [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
 ==Generation==
-A [[Wizard]] may receive a wand of magic missile as part of their starting inventory.
+[[Wizard]]s may be given a wand of magic missile as the random wand in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|164|nethack=3.6.7}}
-There is a 5% chance that a [[Wand#Generation|randomly-generated wand]] within the dungeon and its branches will be a wand of magic missile. Monsters may generate with the wand as a random [[offensive item]].
+Wands of magic missile make up {{frac|20}} (5%) of all randomly-generated wands. General [[store]]s and "quality apparel and accessories" shops can sell wands of magic missile.
 [[Shopkeeper]]s have a {{frac|4}} chance of being generated with a wand of magic missile.{{refsrc|src/makemon.c|678|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 ==Description==
-[[Zap]]ping the wand in a given direction will fire a [[ray]] of magic missiles that damages monsters in its path - unlike the [[spell of magic missile]], the wand only deals 2d6 damage and does not scale with the user's level. The ray can [[rebound]] off walls and monsters with [[reflection]]. [[Magic resistance]] negates this damage, as does reflection.
+[[Zapping]] the wand in a given cardinal direction will [[auto-identify]] the wand and fire a [[ray]] of [[magic missile]]s that deals 2d6 to any [[hero]] or monster in its path&mdash;the ray can [[rebound]] off walls, can be blocked and rebounded by [[reflection]] and is also nullified by [[magic resistance]]; reflection takes effect before magic resistance in the event that a target has both properties. Monsters will use this wand, and hostile monsters will zap it at the hero.
-[[Engraving]] with a wand of magic missile will give a unique [[#Message|message]], but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.{{refsrc|src/engrave.c|712|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=the case for WAN_MAGIC_MISSILE does not set doknown|name=doknown}}
+A hero zapping the wand at themselves takes 4d6 damage unless they have magic resistance, auto-identifying it.{{refsrc|src/zap.c|2349|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==
-Wands of magic missile are the least effective [[attack wand]], dealing only 2d6 damage and lacking useful secondary effects - they are best used liberally in the early game as a form of disposable [[ranged attack]] as it will soon be almost worthless. The wand's damage can be increased to a somewhat respectable 4d6 by bouncing the ray off a wall behind your target.
+Wands of magic missile are the least effective type of [[attack wand]], since they lack useful secondary effects beyond damage, and are best used liberally in the early game as a form of disposable [[ranged attack]]&mdash;the wand's damage can be increased to a somewhat respectable 4d6 by bouncing the ray off a wall behind your target. The wand also has a niche use for engraving [[Elbereth]] while [[levitating]] in order to save charges from a more useful wand such as {{of|wand|digging|fire|or=1|lightning}}, since engravings are less likely to erode while the hero is not standing directly on them.
-It is possible to use a wand of magic missile to engrave in the dust while [[levitation|levitating]]. If you're already levitating and want to engrave [[Elbereth]], you can use this to save a charge from a more useful [[wand of digging]], [[wand of fire|fire]] or [[wand of lightning|lightning]], since engravings will not erode while you are levitating.
+Some players improvise a late-game use for the wand by [[throwing]] it at an intelligent monster and hoping they pick it up to use over any of their innate attacks or ranged weaponry: most late-game players will have either magic resistance or reflection to render the rays harmless, and reflection additionally deals damage to non-resistant monsters in the ray's path (sometimes including the one zapping the wand).
 ==History==
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 ==Origin==
-The canonical [[D&D]] spell of ''[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicMissile.htm Magic Missile]'' was a stereotypically puny level one wizard spell that quickly became a staple of the wizard class, as it was effectively a homing attack with each bullet doing its own damage roll; this can easily rack up significant damage, short of the target having magic resistance. The magic missiles of ''NetHack'' lack this homing property.
+{{main|Magic missile}}
+In [[Rogue (game)|Rogue]], a wand of magic missile deals ''1d4+1'' damage unless a given monster saves vs. magic ("The missile vanishes in a puff of smoke").<ref>http://rogue.rogueforge.net/vade-mecum/#glossary</ref> In [[Hack]], the wand always has the appearance of an aluminum wand and deals ''2d6'' damage;<ref>[http://homepages.cwi.nl/~aeb/games/hack/uni87a/part1. Hack 1.02 Files Part 1]</ref><ref>[http://homepages.cwi.nl/~aeb/games/hack/uni87a/part9. Hack 1.02 Files Part 9]</ref> the latter trait was carried over into ''NetHack''.
 ==Messages==
 {{message|The floor is riddled by bullet holes!|You engraved on the floor with a wand of magic missile.<ref name="doknown"/>}}
 ==Variants==
-In several variants, engraving with a wand of magic missile will auto-identify it.
+In several [[variant]]s of ''NetHack'', engraving with a wand of magic missile will auto-identify it.
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-366}}
+{{nethack-367}}
 [[Category:Wands|Magic missile]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:00, 8 January 2025
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 It is possible to use a wand of magic missile to engrave in the dust while [[levitation|levitating]]. If you're already levitating and want to engrave [[Elbereth]], you can use this to save a charge from a more useful [[wand of digging]], [[wand of fire|fire]] or [[wand of lightning|lightning]], since engravings will not erode while you are levitating.
-Arguably the best use of a wand of magic missile in the late game is to [[throw]] it at an intelligent monster. They may elect to pick it up and use it over any more deadly innate attacks or ranged weaponry that they possess, and most late-game players will have [[reflection]], rendering it harmless while damaging the zapping monster and/or other surrounding monsters if they are not resistant.
+Arguably the best use of a wand of magic missile in the late game is to [[throw]] it at an intelligent monster. They may elect to pick it up and use it over any more deadly innate attacks or ranged weaponry that they possess, and most late-game players will have [[reflection]], rendering it harmless while damaging the zapping monster along with other monsters in the ray's path that are not resistant.
 ==History==

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 ==Description==
-[[Zap]]ping the wand in a given direction will do a fixed 2d6 damage to monsters in its path, unlike the [[spell of magic missile]]; the ray can rebound off wall and hit targets repeatedly. [[Magic resistance]] negates this damage, as does [[reflection]].
+[[Zap]]ping the wand in a given direction will fire a [[ray]] of magic missiles that damages monsters in its path - unlike the [[spell of magic missile]], the wand only deals 2d6 damage and does not scale with the user's level. The ray can rebound off walls and monsters with [[reflection]]. [[Magic resistance]] negates this damage, as does reflection.
-[[Engraving]] with a wand of magic missile will give a unique message, but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.{{refsrc|src/engrave.c|712|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
+[[Engraving]] with a wand of magic missile will give a unique [[#Message|message]], but does not [[auto-identify]] the wand.{{refsrc|src/engrave.c|712|version=NetHack 3.6.7}}
 ==Strategy==