Spellbook of create monster
| spellbook of + create monster 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Abundance | 3.56% |
| Base price | 200 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Turns to read | 3 |
| Ink to write | 10–19 |
| Spell type | clerical |
| Level | 2 |
| Power cost | 10 Pw |
| Direction | non-directional |
| Equivalent | scroll of create monster wand of create monster |
Allows you to learn the create monster spell. Casting this spell is the same as reading an uncursed scroll of create monster; it has a 72/73 chance of creating a single monster, and a 1/73 chance of creating 2-5 monsters. The monsters will almost always have a difficulty level at or below your current level. A group of monsters normally generated in groups (such as orcs or ants) will count as a single monster for the purposes of this spell, so it is occasionally possible that many more than 5 monsters will be generated.
Strategy
The Spellbook of create monster is a very useful utility spell with several uses:
- It most removes the threat of death by starvation; summoned monsters still leave corpses, allowing you to cast this spell to generate food. This allows for a much more leisurely game. You can also feed pets in this manner.
- In the same vein, summoned monster's corpses will also grant intrinsics. Thus the spell can be farmed for useful corpses, like Giants, Wraiths, Lizards, Black Dragons, Eyeballs, and Tengus, as well as for monster that grant an intrinsic you do not yet have.
- They can be farmed for XP and/or items:for instance to reach level 14 just before the quest level, or generating elves for their Elven leather helms. Late game wizards can spam create monster in the hopes of generating a wraith or potion of gain level; in the late game this will allow you to level up faster then you could otherwise.
- If an altar is nearby, it can be used to create monsters for sacrificing. As you can generate an unlimited number of corpses to sacrifice, you can make yourself extremely lucky, and receive weapons or favors.
- This is the central spell for extinctionist players, as it is by far the most reliable method to create large amounts of monsters for the challenge.
The one downside is that, as spells can't be cast while confused, you can't use this spell to create hordes of acid blobs as you can with the scroll of create monster.
If you plan on using this spell heavily, note and account for the fact that it may generate up to 5 monsters immediately next to you, which is potentially very dangerous and can result in YASD. Thus, always have a backup plan (a wand of teleportation or scroll of teleportation being the best choices), and if you are planning to farm in place, be sure to burn Elbereth into the ground before continuing, wear a ring of conflict if you have one, and drop a scroll of scare monster on the stairs to escape if needed.
Also, if you have pets, be careful of any doppelgangers or chameleons, which will change your pet in an undesirable way if they eat their corpses. This is not a problem if they do not eat corpses (ae. are vegetarian or do not eat). Also watch out for blue jellies, which a pet may suicide on before you can kill them.
