Spellbook of charm monster
| spellbook of + charm monster 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Abundance | 2.03% |
| Base price | 300 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Turns to read | 6 |
| Ink to write | 15–29 |
| Spell type | enchantment |
| Level | 3 |
| Power cost | 15 Pw |
| Direction | non-directional |
| Equivalent | scroll of taming |
| Special for | tourist |
Allows you to learn the charm monster spell. It is the special spell for tourists.
Casting Effects
This spell has the basic effect of an uncursed scroll of taming, turning adjacent monsters into pets. Covetous or humanoid monsters will be pacified instead. Monsters have a chance of resisting it, increasing with the monster's MR and decreasing with your level. There is no functional difference between different skill levels.
Some NetHack monsters have such a high level and MR that you usually cannot pacify them at all, e.g. arch-liches.
The taming effect will also pacify any angry shopkeepers and aligned priests it affects.
Strategy
Charm monster is one of the most useful spells NetHack has to offer. Its most obvious use is to acquire pets. Some very powerful monsters, including minotaurs and mastodons, will never resist it. However, it is also quite useful as an emergency spell, particularly in the early game, where few monsters have appreciable magic resistance. It is much better to have that soldier ant become your pet than your killer.
Charm monster is useful for any role which can gain skill in enchantment spells. Tourists in particular will find it useful, as it is their special spell, and unlike special spells for some other roles, they have a good chance of being able to cast it.
