Difference between revisions of "Potion of unholy water"

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A '''potion of unholy water''' (unidentified, a "cursed clear potion") is the [[cursed]] version of the [[potion of water]]; it has the inverse effect of [[holy water]]:
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A '''potion of unholy water''' (unidentified, a "cursed clear potion" if BUC is known) is the [[cursed]] version of the [[potion of water]].
 +
 
 +
== Effect ==
 +
 
 +
Unholy water has the inverse effect of [[holy water]]:
  
 
* Dip a [[blessed]] object into unholy water to make it [[uncursed]].
 
* Dip a [[blessed]] object into unholy water to make it [[uncursed]].
 
* Dip an [[uncursed]] object into unholy water to make it [[cursed]].
 
* Dip an [[uncursed]] object into unholy water to make it [[cursed]].
 +
* Dip a [[cursed]] object into unholy water, and you get message "Interesting..."; the potion is not consumed.
  
 
Thus, using the #[[dip]] command together with unholy water allows you to make [[cursed]] objects.
 
Thus, using the #[[dip]] command together with unholy water allows you to make [[cursed]] objects.
  
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== Possible uses ==
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[[Quaff]]ing a potion of unholy water will polymorph you into your wereform if you have [[lycanthropy]].  Additionally, chaotic characters (or ones polymorphed into a [[M2_DEMON|demon]] or [[undead]]) heal 2d6 HP and [[exercise]] constitution, lawful characters take 2d6 damage instead, and neutral characters just [[abuse]] their constitution.
 +
 
 +
Potions of unholy water cannot be diluted (and therefore made uncursed) by dipping them in a [[fountain]] or [[moat]]. Other methods of uncursing items ([[cancellation]], [[scroll of remove curse]], etc.) will still work.
 +
 
 +
== Obtaining unholy water ==
 +
One way is to grab it from a [[bones]] pile: it is likely that water dropped from a previous player will be cursed, and thus unholy. Bones containing dead [[priest|priest(esse)s]] are especially good sources, as their starting potions of holy water might have become unholy.
 +
 
 +
With that first potion, it is easy to make more unholy water by dipping a stack of a few uncursed [[potion of water|potions of water]] into unholy water.
 +
 
 +
The safest way is to read a blessed [[scroll of remove curse]] while confused, which has a 25% chance of either blessing or cursing the uncursed items in your inventory, and hope that this curses some potions of water. To avoid accidentally cursing useful items, either drop all uncursed items you do not wish to make cursed or read a second blessed scroll of remove curse after dropping all unholy water. To increase your chances of getting unholy water, have many potions of water and individual-name each one with a different name so that they don't stack. This method has the added benefit of potentially created holy water, which is also useful.
  
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In general, unholy water is only useful for making cursed objects. An exception might be for intentionally healing a [[demon]], [[undead]], or [[lycanthrope]], such as a [[pet]], or a [[chaotic]] [[player]]. Although the vast majority of objects in the game are better when they are not cursed, there are some exceptions to this rule, and it is these exceptions that are of interest here.
+
Another method is to [[dip]] a BUC-identified potion into a [[fountain]] repeatedly. There is a chance that the (resulting) potion of water will get cursed. You don't get a message, so check it after each dip. Be prepared for the monsters this can summon.
  
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* Cursed [[scroll of teleportation|scrolls of teleportation]] allow a player to [[level teleport]], which is often more useful than normal teleportation.
+
[[Pray]]ing at an [[altar]] not of your alignment outside Gehennom with [[potion of water|potions of water]] on the altar will make unholy water, but this will [[anger]] your god with the usual consequences (at a minimum, losing any "purchased" divine protections). You can offset the anger point in a number of ways, such as by sacrificing a former pet on the cross-aligned altar (this neither converts the altar nor consumes the corpse nor angers a tending priest, but has its own disadvantages), but you will still have suffered the loss of any divine protection in addition to the harmful effects of being smitten.
 +
 
 +
Yet another way is to [[wish]] for cursed potions of water.
 +
 
 +
== Strategy ==
 +
In general, unholy water is only useful for making cursed objects. An exception might be for intentionally healing a pet demon, undead monster or lycanthrope, oor yourself if you are in any of those forms. such as a [[pet]], or a [[chaotic]] [[player]]. Although the vast majority of objects in the game are better when they are not cursed, there are some exceptions to this rule, and it is these exceptions that are of interest here.
 +
 
 +
* Cursed [[scroll of teleportation|scrolls of teleportation]] allow a player to [[level teleport]], which is often more useful than normal teleportation. Confused non-cursed scrolls also provide this, but confusion will likely negate the effect of [[teleport control]] unless you have high [[Luck]].
 
* Cursed [[scroll of genocide|scrolls of genocide]] allow a player to summon a number of monsters of his/her choice, which is occasionally useful (see [[reverse genocide]]).
 
* Cursed [[scroll of genocide|scrolls of genocide]] allow a player to summon a number of monsters of his/her choice, which is occasionally useful (see [[reverse genocide]]).
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* Cursed [[scroll of destroy armor|scrolls of destroy armor]] can produce [[fooproof]] armor.
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* Cursed [[scroll of destroy armor|scrolls of destroy armor]] can produce [[fooproof]] armor when read while confused.
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* Cursed [[scroll of gold detection|scrolls of gold detection]] can detect traps or magic portals. Note you can also get this effect from confused non-cursed gold detection, and the traps will not show up as gold.
+
* Cursed [[scroll of gold detection|scrolls of gold detection]] can detect traps or magic portals. Note that you can also get this effect from confused non-cursed gold detection, and the traps will not show up as gold.
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* Cursed [[scroll of enchant armor|scrolls of enchant armor]] or [[scroll of enchant weapon|scrolls of enchant weapon]] can lower the enchantment level of armor or weapons. This is occasionally useful if you want to (for example) raise a weapon's enchantment from +6 to +7, since the only safe way to do so requires first lowering the enchantment to +5. However, in most cases the best way to lower enchantments is to use #[[engrave|engraving]] or [[drain life (spell)|drain life]].
+
* Cursed [[scroll of enchant armor|scrolls of enchant armor]] or [[scroll of enchant weapon|scrolls of enchant weapon]] can lower the enchantment level of armor or weapons. This is occasionally useful if you want to (for example) raise a weapon's enchantment from +6 to +7, since the only safe way to do so requires first lowering the enchantment to +5. However, in most cases the best way to lower enchantments is to use #[[engrave|engraving]] or [[drain life (spell)|drain life]].
 
* Cursed [[potion of gain level|potions of gain level]] allow you to ascend dungeon levels.
 
* Cursed [[potion of gain level|potions of gain level]] allow you to ascend dungeon levels.
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* Cursed [[scroll of create monster|scrolls of create monster]] will create much more monsters (or acid blobs), useful for sacrifice.
+
* Cursed [[potion of acid|potions of acid]] do more damage when [[throw]]n.
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* Cursed [[scroll of confuse monster|scrolls of confuse monster]] will confuse [[you]]. Combined with a [[scroll of gold detection]], this is the safest way to detect the [[endgame]] [[portal]]s.
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* Cursed [[potion of invisibility|potions of invisibility]] wake up all monsters on the level, including [[Quest#Quest_leaders_and_nemeses|quest nemeses]] and [[Demon_lords_and_princes|Demon Lords/Princes]]. More specifically, you can quaff one while on the upstairs to gaurantee you'll be on them instead of the quest nemesis/demon.
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* Cursed potions with negative effects will have longer-lasting effects, making them more potent against monsters.{{fact}}
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** Cursed potions of invisibility are notably one of the only ways to fight the [[Master Assassin]], the [[rogue]] quest nemesis.
 +
* Cursed [[scroll of create monster|scrolls of create monster]] will create many more monsters (or acid blobs), useful for sacrifice.
 +
* Cursed [[scroll of confuse monster|scrolls of confuse monster]] will confuse [[you]]. Combined with a non-cursed [[scroll of gold detection]], this is the safest way to detect the [[endgame]] [[portal]]s.
 +
* Pets will not pick up cursed items and will avoid walking over squares containing cursed items. A stack of darts, arrows, or rocks can be cursed and used to activate many [[Elbereth]] squares without the risk of a pet picking up the item or smudging the engraving. This can also be used to temporarily block your pet from entering an area, e.g. out of Sokoban pits, or to protect a shopkeeper or priest from a strong pet. If only a single square needs to be blocked off then the potion of unholy water itself can be used.
 +
** Note that pets will sometimes move "reluctantly" over cursed items anyway. Worse, if some [[Diet#Pets|suitable food]] happens to appear in the same square of those cursed objects, pets will make a beeline for them, disregarding any cursed objects on those squares. Therefore, if cursed objects are to be used for blockading it may be best to drop multiple cursed objects in such a manner that a pet must pass through multiple cursed item squares to get past the blockade.
 +
* A cursed [[unicorn horn]] is an unlimited (albeit dangerous) source of [[confusion]] for illiterates and polyselfless speed runners. Forgotten spells are better for everyone else.
 +
* The cursed [[Book of the Dead]] can level up pet purple worms [[Farming#Wraith_farming|pretty fast]].
  
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== Obtaining unholy water ==
+
==Messages==
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One way is to grab it from a [[bones]] pile: it is likely that water dropped from a previous player will be cursed, and thus unholy. Bones containing dead [[priest]](esse)s are especially good sources, as their starting potions of holy water might have become unholy.
 
  
−
With that first potion, it is easy to make more unholy water by dipping a stack of a few uncursed [[potion of water|potions of water]] into unholy water.
+
{{message|This burns like acid!|You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are lawful.}}
 +
{{message|You feel full of dread.|You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are neutral.}}
 +
{{message|You feel quite proud of yourself.|You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are chaotic.}}
  
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[[Pray]]ing at an [[altar]] not of your alignment with [[potion of water|potions of water]] on the altar is another method to make unholy water, but comes with the usual consequences of praying on another god's altar. You could alleviate the resulting anger by immediately sacrificing a former pet. This neither converts the altar nor consumes the corpse nor angers a tending priest, but has its own disadvantages.
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After receiving any of these messages, you will be prompted to type-name the potion if you had not identified it already.
  
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The safest way is to read a blessed [[scroll of remove curse]] while confused, which randomly blesses or curses items in the inventory, and hope that it curses some potions of water. This is of course best to do only after dropping all items whose B/U/C status you do not want to change.  To increase your chances of getting unholy water, have many potions of water and individual-name each one with a different name so that they don't stack.
+
==SLASH'EM==
  
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Yet another way is to [[wish]] for cursed potions of water.
+
In [[SLASH'EM]], there is an additional way of obtaining unholy water, with [[shopkeeper services]]. While [[Confusion|confused]], use the uncursing service on a [[potion of water]]. "You accidentally ask for the item to be cursed!" and the shopkeeper will curse your potion of water.
  
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A final method is to [[dip]] a potion into a [[fountain]] twice in order to dilute it; there is a chance that the resulting potion of water will be cursed. Be prepared for the monsters this can summon.
+
Also, damage and healing from drinking the potion is increased to 6d6, making unholy water about as effective as [[potion of healing]] if you're chaotic.
  
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==Diluting Unholy Water==
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==See also==
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Unlike most cursed potions, dipping unholy water will not cause it to dilute and lose its cursed status (becoming an ordinary potion of water).
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* [[Holy water]], which shares many properties
 +
* [[Potion of water]]
 
[[Category:Potions|Unholy water]]
 
[[Category:Potions|Unholy water]]
 +
{{nethack-343}}

Latest revision as of 23:31, 17 April 2024

! Clear potion.png
Name unholy water
Appearance cursed clear potion
Base price 100 zm
Weight 20
Monster use Will not be used by monsters.

A potion of unholy water (unidentified, a "cursed clear potion" if BUC is known) is the cursed version of the potion of water.

Effect

Unholy water has the inverse effect of holy water:

  • Dip a blessed object into unholy water to make it uncursed.
  • Dip an uncursed object into unholy water to make it cursed.
  • Dip a cursed object into unholy water, and you get message "Interesting..."; the potion is not consumed.

Thus, using the #dip command together with unholy water allows you to make cursed objects.

Quaffing a potion of unholy water will polymorph you into your wereform if you have lycanthropy. Additionally, chaotic characters (or ones polymorphed into a demon or undead) heal 2d6 HP and exercise constitution, lawful characters take 2d6 damage instead, and neutral characters just abuse their constitution.

Potions of unholy water cannot be diluted (and therefore made uncursed) by dipping them in a fountain or moat. Other methods of uncursing items (cancellation, scroll of remove curse, etc.) will still work.

Obtaining unholy water

One way is to grab it from a bones pile: it is likely that water dropped from a previous player will be cursed, and thus unholy. Bones containing dead priest(esse)s are especially good sources, as their starting potions of holy water might have become unholy.

With that first potion, it is easy to make more unholy water by dipping a stack of a few uncursed potions of water into unholy water.

The safest way is to read a blessed scroll of remove curse while confused, which has a 25% chance of either blessing or cursing the uncursed items in your inventory, and hope that this curses some potions of water. To avoid accidentally cursing useful items, either drop all uncursed items you do not wish to make cursed or read a second blessed scroll of remove curse after dropping all unholy water. To increase your chances of getting unholy water, have many potions of water and individual-name each one with a different name so that they don't stack. This method has the added benefit of potentially created holy water, which is also useful.

Another method is to dip a BUC-identified potion into a fountain repeatedly. There is a chance that the (resulting) potion of water will get cursed. You don't get a message, so check it after each dip. Be prepared for the monsters this can summon.

Praying at an altar not of your alignment outside Gehennom with potions of water on the altar will make unholy water, but this will anger your god with the usual consequences (at a minimum, losing any "purchased" divine protections). You can offset the anger point in a number of ways, such as by sacrificing a former pet on the cross-aligned altar (this neither converts the altar nor consumes the corpse nor angers a tending priest, but has its own disadvantages), but you will still have suffered the loss of any divine protection in addition to the harmful effects of being smitten.

Yet another way is to wish for cursed potions of water.

Strategy

In general, unholy water is only useful for making cursed objects. An exception might be for intentionally healing a pet demon, undead monster or lycanthrope, oor yourself if you are in any of those forms. such as a pet, or a chaotic player. Although the vast majority of objects in the game are better when they are not cursed, there are some exceptions to this rule, and it is these exceptions that are of interest here.

  • Cursed scrolls of teleportation allow a player to level teleport, which is often more useful than normal teleportation. Confused non-cursed scrolls also provide this, but confusion will likely negate the effect of teleport control unless you have high Luck.
  • Cursed scrolls of genocide allow a player to summon a number of monsters of his/her choice, which is occasionally useful (see reverse genocide).
  • Cursed scrolls of destroy armor can produce fooproof armor when read while confused.
  • Cursed scrolls of gold detection can detect traps or magic portals. Note that you can also get this effect from confused non-cursed gold detection, and the traps will not show up as gold.
  • Cursed scrolls of enchant armor or scrolls of enchant weapon can lower the enchantment level of armor or weapons. This is occasionally useful if you want to (for example) raise a weapon's enchantment from +6 to +7, since the only safe way to do so requires first lowering the enchantment to +5. However, in most cases the best way to lower enchantments is to use #engraving or drain life.
  • Cursed potions of gain level allow you to ascend dungeon levels.
  • Cursed potions of acid do more damage when thrown.
  • Cursed potions of invisibility wake up all monsters on the level, including quest nemeses and Demon Lords/Princes. More specifically, you can quaff one while on the upstairs to gaurantee you'll be on them instead of the quest nemesis/demon.
    • Cursed potions of invisibility are notably one of the only ways to fight the Master Assassin, the rogue quest nemesis.
  • Cursed scrolls of create monster will create many more monsters (or acid blobs), useful for sacrifice.
  • Cursed scrolls of confuse monster will confuse you. Combined with a non-cursed scroll of gold detection, this is the safest way to detect the endgame portals.
  • Pets will not pick up cursed items and will avoid walking over squares containing cursed items. A stack of darts, arrows, or rocks can be cursed and used to activate many Elbereth squares without the risk of a pet picking up the item or smudging the engraving. This can also be used to temporarily block your pet from entering an area, e.g. out of Sokoban pits, or to protect a shopkeeper or priest from a strong pet. If only a single square needs to be blocked off then the potion of unholy water itself can be used.
    • Note that pets will sometimes move "reluctantly" over cursed items anyway. Worse, if some suitable food happens to appear in the same square of those cursed objects, pets will make a beeline for them, disregarding any cursed objects on those squares. Therefore, if cursed objects are to be used for blockading it may be best to drop multiple cursed objects in such a manner that a pet must pass through multiple cursed item squares to get past the blockade.
  • A cursed unicorn horn is an unlimited (albeit dangerous) source of confusion for illiterates and polyselfless speed runners. Forgotten spells are better for everyone else.
  • The cursed Book of the Dead can level up pet purple worms pretty fast.

Messages

This burns like acid!
You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are lawful.
You feel full of dread.
You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are neutral.
You feel quite proud of yourself.
You quaffed a potion of unholy water, and are chaotic.

After receiving any of these messages, you will be prompted to type-name the potion if you had not identified it already.

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, there is an additional way of obtaining unholy water, with shopkeeper services. While confused, use the uncursing service on a potion of water. "You accidentally ask for the item to be cursed!" and the shopkeeper will curse your potion of water.

Also, damage and healing from drinking the potion is increased to 6d6, making unholy water about as effective as potion of healing if you're chaotic.

See also

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.4.3. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-343}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.

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