Usage fee

This page is a stub. Should you wish to do so, you can contribute by expanding this page.

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Need details of messages:"

If you use an item with limited uses in a shop before paying for it and in the presence of a shopkeeper, you will be charged a usage fee. This includes items with charges, spellbooks and non-permanent light sources.

Messages associated with usage fees

• "This is no free library, cad!" - spellbooks
• "That will cost you (n) zorkmids (Yendorian Fuel Tax)." - potions of oil
• "Usage fee, (n) zorkmids."; - anything else

Each of these messages has a one-in-three chance of being prefaced with "Hey!" or "Ahem."

Fees

Usages fees are a percentage (rounded down) of the item's normal cost:

Item class	Usage Fee	Notes
Magic lamp	See below	See below
Magic marker	50%	No matter how many charges are used, or even if the use was successful
Bag of tricks Horn of plenty	20%
Can of grease Tinning kit Expensive camera	10%
All other chargeable tools Wands	25%	Only if the item had any charges
Spellbook	80%
Potion of oil	20%

The usage fee of a magic lamp depends on how it is used:

• 'a'pplying it will be charged as if it had the price of an oil lamp
• #rubbing it will, if a djinni is released, have a usage fee of 133%

Strategy

In general, it is preferable to buy the item first (credit_cloning), or even buy&use&sell it. One exception are low-level spellbooks: By the time the spell expires, your character is most likely either dead or stinking rich.