Difference between revisions of "Ray"

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Non-standard rays include digging and fireball. A [[wand of digging]] cuts through walls and doors to its maximum range, while fireballs explode on impact.
 
Non-standard rays include digging and fireball. A [[wand of digging]] cuts through walls and doors to its maximum range, while fireballs explode on impact.
  
−
==Wands==
+
A ray will travel 7 to 13 squares.{{refsrc|zap.c|3308|comment=ray wand range}} For each monster hit range decreases 2.{{refsrc|zap.c|3434|comment=ray hit monster}} If fire passes over water or a fountain, or cold passes over water or lava, range may decrease 1, 3, or the ray may stop entirely. If fire passes over scrolls or spellbooks, some may burn, but range isn't decreased.{{reffunc|zap.c|zap_over_floor}} Each time it bounces off a wall range decreases by 1.{{refsrc|zap.c|3483|comment=ray bounce}} Reflection off a monster or you reverses the direction of travel, but range doesn't decrease.{{refsrc|zap.c|3346|comment=reflecting ray}}
−
*[[Wand of cold]]
 
−
*[[Wand of death]]
 
−
*[[Wand of digging]] (Does not reflect)
 
−
*[[Wand of fire]]
 
−
*[[Wand of lightning]]
 
−
*[[Wand of magic missile]]
 
−
*[[Wand of sleep]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Spells==
 
−
* [[Spellbook of cone of cold]]
 
−
* [[Spellbook of dig]] (Does not reflect)
 
−
* [[Spellbook of finger of death]]
 
−
* [[Spellbook of fireball]] (Does not reflect)
 
−
* [[Spellbook of magic missile]]
 
−
* [[Spellbook of sleep]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Horns==
 
−
* [[Fire horn]]
 
−
* [[Frost horn]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Breath attacks==
 
−
* A [[winter wolf]]'s cold breath.
 
−
* A [[hellhound]]'s fire breath
 
−
* A [[blue dragon]]'s lightning breath
 
−
* A [[black dragon]]'s [[disintegration]] breath
 
−
* A [[gray dragon]]'s magic missile breath
 
−
* A [[green dragon]]'s [[poison]] breath
 
−
* An [[orange dragon]]'s sleep breath
 
−
* A [[red dragon]]'s fire breath
 
−
* A [[silver dragon]] or [[white dragon]]'s cold breath
 
−
* A [[yellow dragon]]'s [[acid]] breath
 
  
 
==Bouncing rays==
 
==Bouncing rays==
Line 42: Line 11:
  
 
===Straight reflections===
 
===Straight reflections===
−
Hitting a wall straight on will cause the ray to always bounce straight back, useful to hit a monster twice with the effect of the ray. Just beware of it also hitting you! A diagram will help:
+
A ray hitting a wall straight on will move one square into the wall and then bounce straight back, meaning it may hit a monster twice, even one standing against the wall hit. Just beware of it also hitting you!
  
 
  |......        |......        |......
 
  |......        |......        |......
Line 48: Line 17:
 
  |......        |......        |......
 
  |......        |......        |......
 
  Initial ray    Straight      Ray headed
 
  Initial ray    Straight      Ray headed
−
  direction      bounce        back at you
+
  direction      bounce        back at @
  
 
===Angled reflections===
 
===Angled reflections===
−
If a ray hits a wall at an angle, the reflection is slightly different. Rather than reflecting immediately from the square containing the wall, the ray appears to "penetrate" the wall one square and reflect accordingly. Note that the penetration does not affect something on the other side of the wall but will hit something IN the wall (like a [[xorn]]):
+
If a ray hits a wall at an angle, it usually penetrates the wall one square and reflects accordingly. Note that the penetration does not affect something on the other side of the wall but will hit something ''in'' the wall (like a [[xorn]]).
  
 
  |......        |......        |.../..
 
  |......        |......        |.../..
Line 74: Line 43:
 
  |\.....        |\.....        |\.....
 
  |\.....        |\.....        |\.....
 
  |.\....        |......        |.\....
 
  |.\....        |......        |.\....
−
  |..@...        |..@...        |..\...
+
  |..@...        |..@...        |..%...
−
  Ray heading    Ray hits      Ray hits you
+
  Ray heading    Ray hits      Ray hits @
 
  up-left        wall, turns     
 
  up-left        wall, turns     
 
                 around
 
                 around
  
 
===Corner reflections===
 
===Corner reflections===
−
If a ray hits a (90 degree) corner, there are two cases: Concave or convex corners. Concave (or "internal") corners will always reflect the ray back at the original direction.
+
If a ray hits a concave (or "internal") corner, it will always reflect the ray back towards its point of origin.
  
 
  ┌----          \----          ┌----
 
  ┌----          \----          ┌----
 
  |\...          |\...          |\...
 
  |\...          |\...          |\...
 
  |.\..          |....          |.\..
 
  |.\..          |....          |.\..
−
  |..@.          |..@.          |..@.
+
  |..@.          |..@.          |..%.
 
  Ray heading    Hits wall      Ray also will
 
  Ray heading    Hits wall      Ray also will
 
  up-left        starts heading hit @ if able
 
  up-left        starts heading hit @ if able
 
                 down-right
 
                 down-right
  
−
If the ray hits a convex (or "external") corner, the ray reflects randomly between 3 cases: 1/20 of the time it reflects straight back (which acts like the concave reflection above), otherwise there is an equal chance it will reflect 90 degrees off to the left or 90 degrees to the right.{{refsrc|zap.c|3490}}
+
If the ray hits a convex (or "external") corner, the ray reflects randomly between 3 cases: it has 1/20 chance of reflecting straight back; a 19/40 chance of reflecting left, and a 19/40 chance of reflecting right.{{refsrc|zap.c|3490}}
  
 +
Reflecting back
 +
    ┌----          ┌----
 +
    |..a.          |..a.
 +
    |....          |....
 +
    |....          |....
 +
┌---┘....      ┌---\....             
 +
|....\...      |....\...
 +
|.....\..      |.....\..
 +
|b.....@.      |b.....%.
 +
                Ray is returned
 +
                to its sender
 
  Reflecting left
 
  Reflecting left
 
     ┌----          ┌----  
 
     ┌----          ┌----  
Line 101: Line 81:
 
  |.....\..      |./...\..
 
  |.....\..      |./...\..
 
  |b.....@.      |%.....@.
 
  |b.....@.      |%.....@.
−
                 Ray reflecting
+
                 Ray reflects
−
                 90 degrees "left"
+
                 90 degrees "left",
 
                 hitting b
 
                 hitting b
 
   
 
   
Line 114: Line 94:
 
  |.....\..      |.....\..
 
  |.....\..      |.....\..
 
  |b.....@.      |b.....@.
 
  |b.....@.      |b.....@.
−
                 Ray reflecting
+
                 Ray reflects
 
                 90 degrees "right"
 
                 90 degrees "right"
 
                 hitting a
 
                 hitting a
 +
 +
==Sources==
 +
===Wands===
 +
*[[Wand of cold]]
 +
*[[Wand of death]]
 +
*[[Wand of digging]] (Does not reflect)
 +
*[[Wand of fire]]
 +
*[[Wand of lightning]]
 +
*[[Wand of magic missile]]
 +
*[[Wand of sleep]]
 +
 +
===Spells===
 +
* [[Spellbook of cone of cold]] (at skill levels below Skilled)
 +
* [[Spellbook of dig]] (Does not reflect)
 +
* [[Spellbook of finger of death]]
 +
* [[Spellbook of fireball]] (at skill levels below Skilled) (Does not reflect)
 +
* [[Spellbook of magic missile]]
 +
* [[Spellbook of sleep]]
 +
 +
===Horns===
 +
* [[Fire horn]]
 +
* [[Frost horn]]
 +
 +
===Breath attacks===
 +
* A [[winter wolf]]'s cold breath.
 +
* A [[hellhound]]'s fire breath
 +
* A [[blue dragon]]'s lightning breath
 +
* A [[black dragon]]'s [[disintegration]] breath
 +
* A [[gray dragon]]'s magic missile breath
 +
* A [[green dragon]]'s [[poison]] breath
 +
* An [[orange dragon]]'s sleep breath
 +
* A [[red dragon]]'s fire breath
 +
* A [[silver dragon]] or [[white dragon]]'s cold breath
 +
* A [[yellow dragon]]'s [[acid]] breath
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 10:55, 6 June 2015

Rays are directional attacks produced by certain wands, spells, horns, and monster attacks.

The ray attack is animated on screen, and a horn or wand will auto-identify if you are not blind. A standard ray will bounce if it hits a wall or a creature with reflection. Rays are halted by doors, although many will destroy the door in the process. The ray characteristics allow you to attack enemies without reply in the right situation. In the wrong situation you may be unable to use your powerful ray attacks for fear of shooting yourself.

Non-standard rays include digging and fireball. A wand of digging cuts through walls and doors to its maximum range, while fireballs explode on impact.

A ray will travel 7 to 13 squares.[1] For each monster hit range decreases 2.[2] If fire passes over water or a fountain, or cold passes over water or lava, range may decrease 1, 3, or the ray may stop entirely. If fire passes over scrolls or spellbooks, some may burn, but range isn't decreased.[3] Each time it bounces off a wall range decreases by 1.[4] Reflection off a monster or you reverses the direction of travel, but range doesn't decrease.[5]

Bouncing rays

Rays that intersect with a wall will bounce, if they have sufficient range to continue to affect squares.

Straight reflections

A ray hitting a wall straight on will move one square into the wall and then bounce straight back, meaning it may hit a monster twice, even one standing against the wall hit. Just beware of it also hitting you! 

|......        |......        |......
|<--@..        <--.@..        -->.@..
|......        |......        |......
Initial ray    Straight       Ray headed
direction      bounce         back at @

Angled reflections

If a ray hits a wall at an angle, it usually penetrates the wall one square and reflects accordingly. Note that the penetration does not affect something on the other side of the wall but will hit something in the wall (like a xorn). 

|......        |......        |.../..
|..c...        |..c...        |..%...
|......        |./....        |./....
|b.....        |%.....        |%.....
|a.....        \a.....        |a..... 
|\.....        |\.....        |......
|.\....        |......        |......
|..@...        |..@...        |..@...
Ray heading    Ray hits       Ray also will
up-left        wall, misses   hit c if able
               a, hitting b

1/20 of the time, the ray will instead bounce straight back in the direction it came from.[6] 

|......        |......        |......
|..c...        |..c...        |..c...
|......        |......        |......
|b.....        |b.....        |b.....
|a.....        \a.....        |a..... 
|\.....        |\.....        |\.....
|.\....        |......        |.\....
|..@...        |..@...        |..%...
Ray heading    Ray hits       Ray hits @
up-left        wall, turns    
               around

Corner reflections

If a ray hits a concave (or "internal") corner, it will always reflect the ray back towards its point of origin. 

┌----          \----          ┌----
|\...          |\...          |\...
|.\..          |....          |.\..
|..@.          |..@.          |..%.
Ray heading    Hits wall      Ray also will
up-left        starts heading hit @ if able
               down-right

If the ray hits a convex (or "external") corner, the ray reflects randomly between 3 cases: it has 1/20 chance of reflecting straight back; a 19/40 chance of reflecting left, and a 19/40 chance of reflecting right.[7] 

Reflecting back
    ┌----           ┌---- 
    |..a.           |..a.
    |....           |....
    |....           |....
┌---┘....       ┌---\....              
|....\...       |....\...
|.....\..       |.....\..
|b.....@.       |b.....%.
                Ray is returned
                to its sender
Reflecting left
    ┌----           ┌---- 
    |..a.           |..a.
    |....           |....
    |....           |....
┌---┘....       ┌---\....              
|....\...       |../.\...
|.....\..       |./...\..
|b.....@.       |%.....@.
                Ray reflects
                90 degrees "left",
                hitting b

Reflecting right
    ┌----           ┌---- 
    |..a.           |..%.
    |....           |./..
    |....           |/...
┌---┘....       ┌---\....            
|....\...       |....\...
|.....\..       |.....\..
|b.....@.       |b.....@.
                Ray reflects
                90 degrees "right"
                hitting a

Sources

Wands

Spells

Horns

Breath attacks

References

  1. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3308: ray wand range
  2. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3434: ray hit monster
  3. ↑ zap_over_floor in zap.c
  4. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3483: ray bounce
  5. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3346: reflecting ray
  6. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3486
  7. ↑ zap.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 3490

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