Cone of cold (monster spell)

Cone of cold is a monster spell that appears in NetHack, and behaves somewhat similar to the basic version of the cone of cold spell available to the hero.

The cone of cold is cast exclusively by Asmodeus.

Description

The spell has two different effects that deal cold damage, depending on whether it is used against the hero in melee range or at a distance:

• When used while adjacent to the target, it deals damage based on the monster's level plus any additional damage dice provided.
• When zapped at range, it deals damage according to the dice specified by the monster using it in their monst.c entry—like other cold rays, it can freeze and shatter potions in the inventory of any monsters it hits, and can be blocked by reflection.

Half spell damage halves damage inflicted by the spell in either form, and cold resistance completely negates damage to the hero from the spell in either form.

The following information pertains to an upcoming version (NetHack 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.

If Asmodeus observes that the hero has cold resistance, he will stop using the attack.

Per commit 6b8079a1, the cone of cold freezes a pool or lava square that it targets in melee.

Strategy

When used by Asmodeus in melee, the cone of cold spell can deal upwards of 186 points of damage against a target that lacks cold resistance: this damage is reduced by half spell damage and completely nullified by cold resistance, but makes Asmodeus highly perilous to face without a source of the latter property

History

The cone of cold monster spell is introduced along with Asmodeus in NetHack 3.0.0.

Messages

You are covered in frost!

You were hit by the cone of cold spell in melee range.

But you resist the effects.

This is added to the above if you resisted the spell.

Variants

Variants of NetHack often give the cone of cold spell to other monsters.