View source for Scroll of gold detection

{{scroll
 |name=gold detection
 |cost=100
 |ink=4-7
}}

The '''scroll of gold detection''' finds all gold on the current level. It can also be used to find traps.

==Effects==

Reading an uncursed scroll will reveal [[gold piece]]s, [[gold golem]]s and any gold hidden in containers (including containers in your inventory), buried, or embedded in rock. A blessed scroll will also detect objects made of gold; currently the only objects that can be made of gold are the gold [[ring]] and the [[Candelabrum of Invocation]]. 

Reading scrolls of gold detection while [[confused]] will instead detect traps. If the scroll was [[non-cursed]], all [[trap]]s on the level will be revealed to the player with the [[Trap|{{gray|^}}]] or [[Web|{{gray|"}}]] symbols (of the appropriate color). If the scroll was [[cursed]], regardless if you are confused or not, all traps on the level will be marked with a [[Zorkmid|{{yellow|$}}]] as if the scroll was detecting gold.

==Messages==
{{message|You feel very greedy, and sense gold!|You read an uncursed or blessed scroll and found gold (or a gold object, if blessed) on the level.}}
{{message|You notice some gold between your feet.|You read an uncursed or blessed scroll and there is gold on the level (or a gold object if blessed), but only on your square.}}
{{message|You feel worried about your future financial situation.|You read an uncursed or blessed scroll and there was no gold anywhere on the level except in your inventory.}}
{{message|You feel materially poor.|You read an uncursed or blessed scroll, and there is no gold in the level or in your inventory.}}
{{message|You feel like a million zorkmids!|You read an uncursed or blessed scroll, you are currently polymorphed into a gold golem, and there is no gold (or gold objects if blessed) on the level.}}
{{message|You feel very greedy.|You read a cursed scroll, confused or not, and there are traps on the level.}}
{{message|You feel entrapped.|You read a blessed or uncursed scroll while confused, and there are traps on the level.}}
{{message|Your ''<toes>'' itch.|The scroll is cursed, or you read any beatitude while confused, and detected a trap on the level but only on your square. Replace "toes" with the appropriate [[body part]] extremity if polymorphed.}}
{{message|Your ''<toes>'' stop itching.|The scroll is cursed, or you read any beatitude while confused, but detected no traps on the level. Replace "toes" with the appropriate [[body part]] if polymorphed.}}
{{message|You have a strange feeling for a moment, then it passes.|You are a [[beginner]], and have not detected any gold or gold objects (if blessed), or traps on the level (if cursed and/or confused). Replace "strange" with "normal" if [[hallucinating]].}}

==Strategy==
You can use this scroll to ascertain the location of [[vaults]] quickly. In addition, the presence of large rectangular or square concentrations of gold usually means there is a [[leprechaun hall]] or a [[treasure zoo]] on the level. However, usually there is more than enough gold in the game, large collections of gold are heavier than collections of [[gems]], and finding vaults is not particularly difficult anyway, so [[trap]] detection is this scroll's key benefit.

This special ability of the scroll of gold detection — trap detection — comes in especially handy on the [[Elemental Planes]], as a quick way to find the portal to the next plane. ([[Crystal ball]]s are another method of doing this, albeit a heavy one). A non-[[illiterate]] character can bring four of these scrolls and a source of confusion to make the elemental planes as painless as possible.

In the early game or as a low-level [[pacifist]], you might want to use this scroll to quickly detect [[polymorph trap]]s to preempt high level monsters by securing the trap, or to improve your pets. This goes especially for the lower mines levels, any place you hear typical sounds, and some [[quest]]s. For example, the six random traps on the [[Wizard quest]] home add up to a slightly less than 60% chance of a [[polymorph trap]]. (There is also a guaranteed one in the locate level.)

==Variants==

In [[UnNetHack]] and [[DynaHack]], reading a non-cursed scroll of gold detection while confused detects a random object class (glyph). This makes it useless for portal detection, which in turn makes the Elemental Planes more difficult to navigate.

[[Category:Scrolls|Gold detection]]
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