Spellbook of endure cold
| spellbook of + endure cold 
| |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Base price | 200 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Turns to read | 4 |
| Ink to write | 10–19 |
| Spell type | protection |
| Level | 2 |
| Power cost | 10 Pw |
| Direction | non-directional |
In SLASH'EM and SlashTHEM, the spellbook of endure cold allows the hero to learn the spell of endure cold. It is a level 2 protection spell, and the spellbook takes 4 actions to read.
Generation
Wizards have a 1⁄9 chance of receiving a spellbook of endure cold as their fourth spellbook.[1]
Spellbooks of endure cold comprise approximately 1.52% of all spellbooks randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops.[2] Second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can also stock spellbooks of endure cold.
Writing a spellbook of endure cold with a magic marker uses up 10 to 19 charges.
Description
Successfully casting the spell gives the hero temporary cold resistance for 500 to 1499 (more) turns—this does not interfere with gaining fire resistance normally, e.g. through eating appropriate corpses. It has no effect if the hero casts it while they already have intrinsic cold resistance.
Strategy
Compared to the spells of resist sleep and resist poison, the spell of endure cold is noticeably less useful: its spellbook is rarer, it costs twice as much power to use, and it is not as immediately applicable against sources of cold compared to those spells and their protection against the dangers that sleep and poison present. Even so, it is an important property to have, if not an urgent one, and monsters with a frost horn, wand of cold or cold-based attacks (e.g. an ice troll or ice vortex) can provide cause to utilize the spell (though reflection can block cold rays).
Note that the spell does not protect against inventory damage and destruction, e.g. it will not prevent potions in open inventory from freezing and shattering if the hero is subjected to cold damage. Once the hero gains a long-term source of cold resistance, the spellbook becomes a prime candidate for blanking.
Heroes adhering to a food-restricting conduct, e.g. vegetarian or foodless may find this spell to be useful for a longer duration, though there are also more vegan-friendly sources of cold resistance in SLASH'EM and SlashTHEM. The spell is also especially useful if a player is observing atheist conduct alongside the given conducts, which prevents crowning to obtain the intrinsic.
History
The spellbook of endure cold first appears in NetHack Plus and SLASH 6, ancestors of SLASH'EM.
Messages
- You feel warmer.
- You cast the spell, gaining temporary intrinsic cold resistance.
- You feel a little cooler.
- Your temporary cold resistance timed out.
