Wand of speed monster

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Name speed monster
Appearance random
Abundance 5%
Base price 150 zm
Weight 7
Type beam
Maximum charges 8
Monster use May be used by monsters as misc items.

The wand of speed monster is a wand that appears in NetHack.

Generation

Randomly generated monsters may receive a wand of speed monster as a miscellaneous item: if a speed item is chosen for that monster's starting inventory, it has a 16 chance of receiving the wand unless it is a guard.[1]

Description

Zapping the wand at yourself or a monster gives the target(s) intrinsic speed; gaining intrinsic speed by zapping yourself also exercises dexterity.[2] Monsters can zap the wand at themselves, and observing them doing so will auto-identify it. Monsters that you zap with this wand are capable of resisting its effect, dependent on a check against their magic resistance value, and zapping a peaceful monster will anger it - this check does not occur for monsters zapping the wand at themselves.

Engraving with a wand of speed monster gives a unique message if you are not blind, but does not auto-identify the wand.[3]

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

As of commit 95972d7, zapping yourself with a wand of speed monster gives 50–74 turns of very fast speed (as from worn speed boots), and does not give permanent intrinsic speed; monsters still get permanent speed.

Strategy

Roles that do not gain intrinsic speed through experience levels will want the wand of speed monster to zap themselves once for the intrinsic. A few spare wands are best kept in the main inventory (ideally in a bag) for speeding up pets and steeds, as well as restoring speed lost to delayed stoning from a footrice or the slowing attacks of skeletons and shades.

Pets may resist the wand's effect like any other monster, particularly if they are a high-MR score monster like a vampire lord - you can leave the wand on the floor for such a pet to pick up, since a monster zapping itself with the wand does not check against their MR score. If zapping your pet does not generate a message, they may have resisted or else already have intrinsic speed; you can check to see if a pet has intrinsic speed by applying a stethoscope. High-level spellcasting pets such as Archons have no need for the wand, as they can cast haste self and will reapply the spell if they ever lose their speed.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 3.7.0). If this version is now released, please verify that it is still accurate, then update the page to incorporate this information.

The changes to the wand makes it more useful for you in the long term: The temporary speed can be used to escape from a dire situation, or else close in quickly on a particularly troublesome monster to kill it faster, making it a potential alternative to speed boots.

History

The wand of speed monster appears in Hack 1.21 and Hack for PDP-11, both based on Jay Fenlason's Hack. It is included in the initial item list for Hack 1.0.

Messages

The bugs on the floor speed up!
You engraved with a wand of speed monster.[3]
You speed up.
You gained intrinsic speed by zapping yourself with the wand.
Your quickness feels more natural.
As above, while you were wearing a source of extrinsic speed.
<Foo> is suddenly moving faster.
A monster was zapped with this wand and either became fast or is no longer slow.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, two wands of speed monster can be found in the outside area of Grund's Stronghold, and the statue trap of an arch-lich found in the Lawful Quest contains a wand of speed monster with a single charge. This also applies to SlashTHEM.

NetHack brass

In NetHack brass, the wand of speed monster's effects are temporary.

UnNetHack

In UnNetHack, Durin's Bane is generated with a wand of speed monster in its inventory.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, the wand instead grants temporary very fast speed when zapping yourself, and its effects on monsters are unchanged.

xNetHack

In xNetHack, the wand gives you temporary very fast speed, making the wand in general more useful. The temporary speed can be used to escape from a dire situation, or else close in quickly on a particularly troublesome monster to kill it faster. The potion of speed now grants intrinsic speed, as well as temporary very fast speed.

SpliceHack

In SpliceHack, the extraplanar merchants that inhabit the City of Brass may generate with a wand of speed monster.

EvilHack

In EvilHack, you can use the #loot extended command to give a pet the wand, which they will use to give themselves intrinsic speed. This is useful for high-MR score pets without spell casting.

Hack'EM

In Hack'EM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, the wand grants you temporary very fast speed as in dNetHack and xNetHack.

References