Scroll of destroy armor
- This article is about the scroll. For the monster spell that shares many similar messages, see Destroy armor (monster spell).
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| |
|---|---|
| Name | destroy armor |
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 100 zm |
| Weight | 5 |
| Ink to write | 5-9 |
| Monster use | Will not be used by monsters. |
A scroll of destroy armor is a type of scroll that appears in NetHack. The random label associated with it in objects.c is JUYED AWK YACC.[1]
Contents
Generation
Monks may be given a scroll of destroy armor as the random scroll in their starting inventory.[2] Wizards may be given a scroll of destroy armor as any of the three random scrolls in their starting inventory.[3]
Scrolls of destroy armor make up 9⁄200 (4.5%) of all randomly-generated scrolls. General stores, second-hand bookstores and rare books shops can sell scrolls of destroy armor.
Writing a scroll of destroy armor with a magic marker takes up 5 to 9 charges.
Description
Reading a scroll of destroy armor of any beatitude will target and attempt to destroy one piece of the hero's worn armor, with the scroll auto-identifying if it manages to destroy any armor.[4][5] The piece of armor is targeted at random, and only the outermost layer of armor on the torso is eligible for that slot.[6] Reading a cursed scroll that targets cursed armor lowers that armor's enchantment by one to a minimum of -7 instead of destroying it, and stuns the hero for 10-19 turns.[7]
Reading a non-cursed scroll of destroy armor while confused removes erosion-proofing on a piece of armor, targeted in the same way as above.[8] Reading a cursed scroll while confused instead applies erosion-proofing to a piece of armor[9]—unlike reading the scroll of enchant armor while confused, this does not repair any damage.
Reading the scroll while the hero is not wearing armor abuses strength and constitution, and auto-identifies the scroll unless the hero is a beginner.[10][11]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that the information below is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate it.
Per commit e23e6ef2, the blessed scroll of destroy armor will prompt the player to select which armor to destroy, which is adapted from xNetHack with some changes.Strategy
The scroll of destroy armor is a typical example of what makes randomly read-testing unidentified scrolls a bad idea—once identified, it can actually be fairly useful in some cases: non-cursed scrolls can be used to destroy unwanted cursed armor after finding a safe place to disrobe, and cursed scrolls can be saved to read while confused; in return for the confused effect not repairing existing damage when erosion-proofing, the hero can save their scrolls of enchant armor for actual enchantments, and scrolls of destroy armor also take less magic marker ink to write.
Identification
Wearing only non-cursed, disposable armor can make the scroll of destroy armor safer to read and identify; though wearing no armor at all and reading the scroll also prints a unique message, this may be less preferable depending on how willing the hero is to tolerate stat abuse at that point.
In terms of price identification, the scroll of destroy armor shares its 100zm base cost with seven other scrolls including the scroll of fire, which is similarly (if not more) perilous to a random scroll reader and warrants dropping flammable objects nearby before read-testing a 100zm scroll. Such a read-testing is also best done after identifying the scroll of teleportation in some manner to eliminate any chance of being separated from critical inventory.
History
The scroll of destroy armor first appears in Hack for PDP-11, which is based on Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0—Hack 1.21 has the similar "scroll of rust armor".
From NetHack 3.0.0 to NetHack 3.4.3, including some variants based on those versions, using a cursed scroll of destroy armor on a worn cursed helm of brilliance or a worn cursed pair of gauntlets of dexterity reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the hero's affected attributes, and removing them permanently increases those attributes and allows them to temporarily surpass their racial maximums. This is known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to HoB).
Messages
- Your cloak crumbles and turns to dust!
Your armor turns to dust and falls to the <floor>!
Your shirt crumbles into tiny threads and falls apart!
Your helmet turns to dust and is blown away!
Your gloves vanish!
Your boots disintegrate!
Your shield crumbles away! - One of your worn pieces of armor was destroyed from reading the scroll.
- Your <armor> vibrates.
- You read a cursed scroll of destroy armor and it targeted a piece of cursed armor you were wearing.
- Your skin itches.
- You read the scroll while wearing no armor.
- Your bones itch.
- As above, while confused.
- Your <armor> glows purple for a moment.
- You read the scroll while confused.
- Your <armor> vibrates for a moment.
- As above, while also blind.
Variants
In variants that incorporate the Convict patch, Convicts can use the scroll of destroy armor to potentially dispose of their starting striped shirt.
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, the scroll of destroy armor can be used by Convicts and Madpeople to get rid of their starting armor.
xNetHack
In xNetHack, reading the blessed scroll of destroy armor allows the hero to select which worn piece of armor to destroy. This also applies to Hack'EM.
References
- ↑ src/objects.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 829
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 89
- ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 167
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1157
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1187
- ↑ src/do_wear.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2241: some_armor
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1188
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1167
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1176
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1160
- ↑ src/read.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1180
