Difference between revisions of "Wand of cold"

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The '''wand of cold''' shoots bolts of ice, dealing 6d6 damage to non-[[cold resistance|cold resistant]] targets. The ray bounces when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]. It will also freeze any square of [[water]] that it crosses into [[ice]].
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The '''wand of cold''' is a [[wand]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.
  
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==Effects==
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Zapping the wand in a given direction will shoot a ray of ice that deals 6d6 damage to non-[[cold resistance|cold resistant]] targets and possibly freezing any [[potion]]s in their inventory, destroying them. The ray bounces when it hits walls or targets with [[reflection]]. It will also freeze any square of [[water]] that it crosses into [[ice]].
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[[Engraving]] with a wand of cold will give a unique message ("A few ice cubes drop from the wand."); this does not [[auto-identify]] the wand. Doing so over a burned engraving will make it vanish.
  
 
== Strategy ==
 
== Strategy ==
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The wand of cold can be especially deadly against vulnerable monsters if you have a means of rebounding or [[reflecting]] the ray back at them. In scenarios where a player lacks [[levitation]] or [[water walking boots]], a wand of cold with sufficient charges can be a last resort if you need to cross water, e.g. on [[Medusa's Island]]. Try to make the shortest ice bridges possible in order to conserve charges. Be careful of monsters with [[fire]] attacks, though! In addition, the ice will prove slippery, and as of [[3.6.0]] may potentially break, raising the possibility of being stranded, although the ice may become also permanent as well.
  
No [[levitation]] or [[water walking boots|water walking]]? A wand of cold with sufficient charges can be a last resort if you need to cross the water on [[Medusa's Island]]. Try to make the shortest ice bridges possible in order to conserve charges. If you have a [[frost horn]], it will work the same way. Be careful of monsters with fire attacks, though!
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If you need to use the wand of cold to reach Medusa's down [[staircase]], then zapping a [[wand of digging]] downward may be a better idea. You might even choose to zap down to the [[Castle]],<ref>  [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_frm/thread/5249395885b1cbbe A ttyrec about the Castle drawbridge] by [[User:Eidolos|Eidolos]]</ref> collect the loot and the [[wand of wishing]], and come back up with better equipment; rarely, you may want to head even further down to [[Vlad's Tower]] for the guaranteed water walking boots.
 
 
If you need to use the wand of cold to reach Medusa's down [[staircase]], then [[zap]]ping a [[wand of digging]] downward is a superior idea. You might even choose to zap down to the [[Castle]], as [[User:Eidolos|Eidolos]] does in the [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_frm/thread/5249395885b1cbbe ttyrec about the drawbridge]. You could collect the [[Castle]] loot and the [[wand of wishing]] and come back up with better equipment. Or you could even go down to [[Vlad's Tower]] for the guaranteed [[water walking boots]].
 
 
 
If, for some reason, you want to remove a burned [[engraving]] from the floor, engraving over it with a wand of cold will make it vanish. Note, however, that the wands of cancellation and make invisible will also do this.
 
  
 
[[Category:Wands|Cold]]
 
[[Category:Wands|Cold]]
{{nethack-360}}
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{{nethack-364}}

Revision as of 05:28, 21 January 2020

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Name cold
Appearance random
Abundance 4%
Base price 175 zm
Weight 7
Type ray
Maximum charges 8
Spell cone of cold
Monster use May be used offensively by monsters.

The wand of cold is a wand that appears in NetHack.

Effects

Zapping the wand in a given direction will shoot a ray of ice that deals 6d6 damage to non-cold resistant targets and possibly freezing any potions in their inventory, destroying them. The ray bounces when it hits walls or targets with reflection. It will also freeze any square of water that it crosses into ice.

Engraving with a wand of cold will give a unique message ("A few ice cubes drop from the wand."); this does not auto-identify the wand. Doing so over a burned engraving will make it vanish.

Strategy

The wand of cold can be especially deadly against vulnerable monsters if you have a means of rebounding or reflecting the ray back at them. In scenarios where a player lacks levitation or water walking boots, a wand of cold with sufficient charges can be a last resort if you need to cross water, e.g. on Medusa's Island. Try to make the shortest ice bridges possible in order to conserve charges. Be careful of monsters with fire attacks, though! In addition, the ice will prove slippery, and as of 3.6.0 may potentially break, raising the possibility of being stranded, although the ice may become also permanent as well.

If you need to use the wand of cold to reach Medusa's down staircase, then zapping a wand of digging downward may be a better idea. You might even choose to zap down to the Castle,[1] collect the loot and the wand of wishing, and come back up with better equipment; rarely, you may want to head even further down to Vlad's Tower for the guaranteed water walking boots.

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.4. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-364}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.