Difference between revisions of "Turn undead"
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The '''turn undead''' feature comes in two forms: as a spell, from a [[spellbook of turn undead]] or [[wand of undead turning]], and as an [[extended command]] '''#turn'''. | The '''turn undead''' feature comes in two forms: as a spell, from a [[spellbook of turn undead]] or [[wand of undead turning]], and as an [[extended command]] '''#turn'''. | ||
| − | The name comes from [[ | + | The name comes from [[Dungeons and Dragons]], where it is a specific supernatural ability for causing undead beings to turn and flee. There are some unfortunate linguistic ambiguities associated with it in NetHack; for instance, the #turn command has the description "Turn undead", which might make a beginning player assume that it causes their character to become an undead creature! |
== Turn undead spell == | == Turn undead spell == | ||
Revision as of 01:52, 7 September 2006
The turn undead feature comes in two forms: as a spell, from a spellbook of turn undead or wand of undead turning, and as an extended command #turn.
The name comes from Dungeons and Dragons, where it is a specific supernatural ability for causing undead beings to turn and flee. There are some unfortunate linguistic ambiguities associated with it in NetHack; for instance, the #turn command has the description "Turn undead", which might make a beginning player assume that it causes their character to become an undead creature!
Turn undead spell
Turn undead is a level 6 clerical spell, and the bonus spell of the Knight. It causes undead monsters in a single direction to take damage and possibly flee, and will resurrect corpses.
A wand of undead turning has the same effects as the spell.
Turn undead command
Knights and Priests have the innate ability to turn undead. This can be invoked with the #turn extended command.
This command is quite different from the spell or the wand. In fact, it's a prayer to your god, not a spell.
Using the #turn command has the following effects[1]:
- Exercises wisdom.
- Turns all hostile undead monsters that you can see with a base range of 5 squares. Range increases by 1 square every 5 levels. If your level is higher than 15, hostile demons are turned as well. Affected monsters have a chance to resist.
- These monsters are woken if they are sleeping.
- If you are lawful or neutral, certain undead monsters may be killed instantly. If you are chaotic, they may become peaceful. These monsters are, in increasing order of difficulty: zombie, mummy, wraith, vampire, ghost, lich.
- Demons and those undead who are not getting killed will flee. Unless you are confused, in which case it removes fleeing and paralysis effects from those monsters instead.
- You become helpless for 5 turns while you are praying. (Ouch!)
Unless one of the following cases are true:
- If you are polymorphed into an undead or a demon, bad stuff will happen. Not recommended.
- Your god isn't accessible in Gehennom, so it won't work there.
Strategy
The turn undead spell can be used to resurrect a dead pet.
The #turn command's helplessness side-effect limits this ability's usefulness, especially since it's only likely to kill undead less powerful than yourself. Use with caution. It would probably clear a graveyard pretty fast if you're high enough level, though.
