View source for Scroll of fire

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{{scroll
 |name=fire
 |cost=100
 |ink=4&ndash;7
}}

A '''scroll of fire''' is a type of [[Magical item|magical]] [[scroll]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''.

==Generation==
[[Monk]]s may be given a scroll of fire as the random scroll in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|89|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Wizard]]s may be given a scroll of fire as any of the three random scrolls in their starting inventory.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|167|nethack=3.6.7}}

Scrolls of fire make up {{frac|13|200}} (6.5%) of all randomly-generated scrolls. General [[store]]s, second-hand bookstores and rare books shops can sell scrolls of fire.

Writing a scroll of fire with a [[magic marker]] takes up 4 to 7 charges.

==Description==
{{float right|{{caption|{{circleradiussquared6|r=31|inside={{yellow|C}}}}|Spots you can center the explosion on}}}}
[[Reading]] a scroll of fire causes it to explode in a tower of flame that covers a 3&times;3 square area, with the location dependent on the scroll's [[beatitude]]: a blessed scroll uses up the scroll and allows the [[hero]] to center the explosion on a square within a circular area around them that covers a roughly 5.6-square radius, while cursed and uncursed scrolls center the explosion on the reader;{{refsrc|src/read.c|1628|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/read.c|1642|nethack=3.6.7}} a scroll that is read while underwater will always center its explosion on the reader.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1625|nethack=3.6.7}} Reading the scroll or seeing it being read will [[auto-identify]] it&mdash;{{refsrc|src/read.c|1607|nethack=3.6.7}} for a hero reading a blessed scroll above-water, an identifying message is also printed before they are prompted to select a target square.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1629|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Monster]]s will read this scroll if they are attempting to cure [[sliming]] inflicted on them, and cannot target the explosion for a blessed scroll as the hero can;{{refsrc|src/muse.c|2490|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/muse.c|2560|nethack=3.6.7}} there is deferred code that allows monsters to use the scroll offensively by reading it if they are fire resistant and the hero is adjacent to them.{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1217|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/muse.c|1496|nethack=3.6.7}}

Monsters that do not have [[fire resistance]] and are caught in the scroll's explosion (including the hero) take fire damage, with the damage doubled for monsters with a [[vulnerability]] to fire. The explosion of fire cures sliming for a hero or monster caught in it, and affects items on the ground as well as the inventory of any monsters within the explosion, including worn [[armor]]. The scroll itself cannot be destroyed by fire damage of any kind.

The damage dealt by the explosion varies depending on who reads the scroll:{{refsrc|src/read.c|1604|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/muse.c|2502|nethack=3.6.7}} For a hero reading the scroll, an uncursed scroll deals 4 points of fire damage {{frac|3}} of the time and 3 points otherwise, while a cursed scroll deals 1-3 points of fire damage with an equal chance of each value; a blessed scroll deals 20 points of fire damage {{frac|3}} of the time and 25 points otherwise.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1628|nethack=3.6.7}} For a monster reading the scroll, a blessed scroll deals 4 points of fire damage {{frac|3}} of the time and 5 points otherwise, and scrolls of other beatitude deal the same damage as they do for the hero reading the scroll.

Reading a scroll of fire while [[confused]] will always ignite the scroll in the reader's hands:{{refsrc|src/read.c|1609|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/muse.c|2492|nethack=3.6.7}} this deals 1 HP of damage to a hero reading the scroll (but ''not'' for monsters), and has no effect on the reader's [[gloves]] or their other inventory.{{refsrc|src/read.c|1621|nethack=3.6.7}}

==Strategy==
The scroll of fire is one of many scroll types that make randomly read-testing scrolls a [[bad idea]], since it can burn up much of a hero's inventory and rack up further damage that can weaken flammable armor and threaten or even kill lower-level heroes&mdash;additionally, doing so in a shop is especially unwise, since a hero that survives doing so will also likely incur debt for any wares they damage or destroy.

Known blessed scrolls of fire can be useful to damage a group of hostile monsters, similar to a much weaker version of the [[fireball]] spell. Scrolls of any beatitude can also be kept as a cure for sliming: the scrolls are immune to fire damage themselves, allowing a hero to carry them within their open inventory in [[Gehennom]], where sliming is most likely to occur.

===Identification===
The scroll of fire has a base cost of 100 [[zm]], which is shared with many other scrolls including the dangerous [[scroll of destroy armor]]. If you decide you want to read-test a 100zm scroll, it may be a good idea to remove worn armor and stash any scrolls, spellbooks and potions on hand (or drop them at least a couple of squares away) and make sure you are not in a shop or adjacent to any tame or peaceful monsters before reading.

==History==
The scroll of fire first appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, which are based on [[Jay Fenlason's Hack]], and is included in the initial item list for [[Hack 1.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.0]], including variants based on those versions, a blessed scroll of fire dealt 3-5 points of fire damage and behaved as the uncursed scroll&mdash;outside of curing sliming, it is considered to be a prime candidate for [[blanking]] in those versions.

The ability for a hero to target the explosion from a blessed scroll is added in [[NetHack 3.6.1]].

==Messages==
{{message|This is a scroll of fire!|You read a blessed scroll of fire while not underwater.}}
{{message|Where do you want to center the explosion?|A blessed scroll of fire prompted you to select a nearby square.}}
{{message|The scroll erupts in a tower of flame!|You read a non-blessed scroll of fire.}}
{{message|The water around you vaporizes violently!|You read a scroll of fire while underwater.}}
{{message|The slime that covers you is burned away!|You cured sliming with a read scroll of fire.}}

{{message|The scroll catches fire and you burn your <hands>.|You read the scroll while confused and are not fire-resistant.}}
{{message|Oh, look, what a pretty fire in your <hands>.|As above, while fire-resistant.}}
{{message|You feel a pleasant warmth in your <hands>.|As above, while also [[blind]].}}

==References==
<references/>
{{nethack-367}}
[[Category:Scrolls|Fire]]