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 | mage spell | Halves damages. Stacks with magic resistance to quarter damage. |
| Stun (monster spell) | mage spell | Halves duration. |
| Drain strength | mage spell | Halves strength reduction. |
| Open wounds | clerical spell | Halves damage. Stacks with magic resistance to quarter damage. |
| Confuse (monster spell) | clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Paralyze (monster spell) | clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Blind (monster spell) | clerical spell | Halves duration. |
| Lightning (monster spell) | clerical spell | Halves damage. |
| Fire pillar | clerical spell | Halves damage. |
| Ray | any ray minus breath weapons | Halves damage. |
| Cone of cold (monster spell) | Asmodeus | Halves damage.[3] |
| Mind blast | special ability of mind flayers and master mind flayers | 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:
- Magic missile monster spells[9]
- The geyser monster spell
- Breath weapons
Strategy
Half spell damage is a useful supplement to magic resistance for lowering damage from various magical attacks, as well as reducing the amount of items cursed by a curse items spell or harassment from the Wizard of Yendor.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, the Yeoman quest artifact, the Crown of Saint Edward, grants half spell damage while carried.
See also
References
- Jump up ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 292: function mcastu
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3892: 20 to 29 and -20 to -29 are breath types
- Jump up ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 292
- Jump up ↑ src/monmove.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 517
- Jump up ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1257
- Jump up ↑ src/muse.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1519
- Jump up ↑ src/sit.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 356: rndcurse function
- Jump up ↑ src/trap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1429
- Jump up ↑ src/mcastu.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 315: case AD_MAGM recalculates damage after half spell damage was applied
