Half spell damage
Half spell damage is an extrinsic property that occurs in NetHack, and reduces damage taken from certain magical attacks and effects.
This property is conferred by carrying the Orb of Detection, the Platinum Yendorian Express Card, the Orb of Fate or the Eye of the Aethiopica. Carrying more than one of these objects does not further affect spell damage.
Description
Half spell damage reduces damage from many monster spells[1], ray attacks (but not breath attacks),[2], other magical attacks, and a few magical effects that are not attacks.
| Attack or Effect | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Psi bolt | monster mage spell | Halves damages. Stacks with magic resistance to quarter damage. |
| Stun (monster spell) | monster mage spell | Halves duration. |
| Drain strength | monster mage spell | Halves strength reduction. |
| Open wounds | monster clerical spell | Halves damage. Stacks with magic resistance to quarter damage. |
| Confuse (monster spell) | monster clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Paralyze (monster spell) | monster clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Blind (monster spell) | monster clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Lightning (monster spell) | monster clerical spell | Halves damage. |
| Fire pillar | monster clerical spell | Halves damage. |
| Ray | any ray (but not breath) | Halves damage. |
| Magical cold attack | such as that of Asmodeus | Halves damage.[3] |
| Mind blast | monster special ability | Halves damage.[4] |
| Wand of striking | zapped by a monster | Halves damage.[5] |
| Scroll of fire | read by a monster | Halves damage.[6] |
| Curse items | monster spell, throne effect, harassment effect | Reduces number of items cursed.[7] |
| Antimagic trap | triggered by hero | If hero has magic resistance, increases hit point damage by 1d4.[8] |
Half spell damage does not reduce damage from:
Strategy
Many magical attacks and effects are already defended by the resistances available from crowning (plus magic resistance), or easily fixed with a noncursed unicorn horn. Those which are not are:
- Monster spells: psi bolt, open wounds, and curse items
- Mind blast attacks
- Item cursing effect from harassment
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, the Yeoman quest artifact, the Crown of Saint Edward, also confers half spell damage.
See also
References
- ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 292: function mcastu
- ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3892: 20 to 29 and -20 to -29 are breath types
- ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 292
- ↑ src/monmove.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 517
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1257
- ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1519
- ↑ src/sit.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 356: function rndcurse
- ↑ src/trap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1429
- ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 315: case AD_MAGM recalculates damage after half spell damage was applied
