Spellbook of remove curse
| spellbook of + remove curse 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Abundance | 2.54% |
| Base price | 300 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Turns to read | 10 |
| Ink to write | 15–29 |
| Spell type | clerical |
| Level | 3 |
| Power cost | 15 Pw |
| Direction | non-directional |
| Equivalent | scroll of remove curse |
| Special for | priest |
In NetHack, the spellbook of remove curse allows you to learn the spell of remove curse. It is an emergency spell, and is the special spell for Priests.
Generation
Priests have a chance of starting the game with a spellbook of remove curse as one of their two spellbooks. Wizards may also start the game with the spellbook of remove curse as their second spellbook.
Effects
At Basic level or lower, this spell acts identically to an uncursed scroll of remove curse; at Skilled or higher, it is identical to a blessed scroll.
Strategy
The spell of remove curse is a very useful utility spell that makes use-testing certain items less dangerous - you can uncurse most items within your inventory by wielding them and casting the spell. If your role permits it, consider enhancing clerical spells from Basic to Skilled if you intend to uncurse multiple items in your inventory simultaneously and save magic power. The spell of remove curse spell is outclassed only by the spell of identify, which can be cast beforehand to check items' BUC status as well as identifying them.
While the spell can uncurse weapons, doing so at Basic skill or lower requires that you have at least one hand free, so it is unwise to wield two-handed weapons for this purpose; one-handed weapons can be uncursed safely if you are not wearing a cursed shield in the other. Similarly, avoid putting on cursed armor that will significantly impair your ability to cast the spell, and beware of autocursing helms. Wielding amulets to uncurse them are much safer than wear-testing - a discovered cursed amulet of strangulation will prevent you from chanting the spell and cannot be removed (except via prayer).
As Priests have an innate knowledge of an item's beautitude, they can more readily spot cursed items - Priests thus excel at sorting through any bones files they encounter, allowing them to more efficiently prioritize and uncurse loot without spending precious holy water. The spell becomes especially useful during the mid- and late game for countering the curse items monster spell from enemy spellcasters (e.g., liches, some quest nemeses and the Wizard of Yendor); the scroll of remove curse remains a useful backup item, and one is best kept within a container to #tip out if you are prevented from casting.
