Polypiling
Polypiling is the action of polymorphing a pile of objects in hopes of getting some useful objects as a result. The pile is often referred to as polyfodder. The polyfodder often consists of junk.
Polymorphing potions will always yield potions, scrolls will polymorph into scrolls, etc. Unicorn horns are especially popular polyfodder because they may polymorph into other magical tools. Another useful thing to do if you gain polymorph in the early game is to polypile spellbooks.
Polypiling has its drawbacks. Trying to polypile too many objects of a same class at once, such as many scrolls, will cause the items to merge and creates a golem. Thus it is best to limit the amount of similar objects in a single pile and distribute your polyfodder into separate piles in a line that can still be polymorphed with just one zap.
Golem generation can be advantageous when polypiling for gems. This particular set-up tends to produce glass golems, which are guaranteed to drop worthless glass when they die. You can take advantage of this to identify glass and help further your gem-hoarding efforts.
Polymorphing may also randomly cause a system shock that makes some objects vanish. You will see a message about "shuddering" when this happens. This is more likely when there are many objects on the pile, so that is another reason not to make the piles too big. The system shock is less likely to happen in case the objects to be polymorphed are blessed. It is also more likely to happen to cursed items.
Contents
Probability of system shock, object merger and golem generation
The probability of an object being destroyed due to system shock ("shuddering") depends on its BUC status, unless it is a wand:
- Wands: 1/3
- Blessed other item: 1/12
- Uncursed other item: 1/8
- Cursed other item: 1/3
Note that stacks of more than 4 objects double the odds of system shock. A system shock has a 1/(luck + 45) probability of creating a golem from the destroyed item.
Also note that if the stack contains more than one object, there is a quantity/1000 probability that the stack merges into one single object.
Probability of item transformation
| Class | Magical -> Non-magical | Non-magical -> Magical |
|---|---|---|
| Armour | 54% | 0,60% |
| Gem | 92% | negligible |
| Potion | 1.70% | 41% |
| Spellbook | negligible | 95% |
| Tool | 60% | 0.30% |
| Wand | negligible | 93% |
Forbidden items
The following items cannot be produced by polymorph:
Also artifacts cannot be polymorphed.
References
- ↑ zap.c#line1319 (no magic lamps)
- ↑ zap.c#line1329 (no wands of wishing or polymorph)
- ↑ zap.c#line1338 (no potions of polymorph)
- ↑ zap.c#line1343 (no spellbooks of polymorph)
