Spellbook of haste self

spellbook of +   haste self
Appearance	random
Abundance	3.3%
Base price	300 zm
Weight	50
Turns to read	8
Ink to write	15–29
Spell type	escape
Level	3
Power cost	15 Pw
Direction	non-directional
Equivalent	potion of speed
Special for	barbarian

In NetHack, the spellbook of haste self can be read to learn the spell of haste self. It is a level 3 escape spell, and the spellbook takes 10 actions (roughly 8 turns) to read. It is the special spell for Barbarians.

Generation

Wizards may be given a spellbook of haste self as the secondary spellbook in their starting inventory.

Spellbooks of haste self make up ³³⁄₁₀₀₀ (3.3%) of all randomly-generated spellbooks. General stores, second-hand bookstores and rare books stores can sell spellbooks of haste self.

Writing a spellbook of haste self with a magic marker uses up 15 to 29 charges.

Description

When cast, the spell mostly duplicates the effects of a potion of speed, which exercises dexterity and gives the hero several turns of very fast speed that can stack with any existing duration of very fast speed. The number of turns given depends on the hero's skill level in escape spells: casting the spell at Basic or lower adds 100–109 more turns, while casting it at Skilled or higher adds 160–169 more turns.The spell exercises dexterity when cast successfully, though it will not heal wounded legs.

Strategy

Most heroes will prefer speed boots as their source of very fast speed, especially if they have no need for any other type of boots, but those that desire both very fast speed and jumping (e.g., on the Astral Plane) can combine this spell or potions of speed with a pair of jumping boots or other source of jumping. Using the spell for this purpose generally requires a spellcasting-capable hero with a low failure rate for the spell and plenty of energy to spare, while potions of speed are more plentiful, though they are also heavier.

A hero with The Eye of the Aethiopica or the Mitre of Holiness can cast haste self on themselves several times, eventually obtaining enough turns of speed to last for a majority (if not the entirety) of the game: this allows them to free up an armor slot for a different pair of boots, e.g. water walking boots, and the process can be easily repeated well before the effect completely wears off on its own. Beware that any effects which remove speed, such as stoning or slowing attacks, will remove all accumulated turns of speed.

Despite being their special spell, haste self is difficult for most Barbarians to use due to their role's spellcasting penalty—while the spell is possible to cast for late-game and end-game Barbarians with sufficient skill and a robe, they may instead opt to combine speed boots with the less power-intensive jumping spell.

History

The spellbook of haste self and its spell first appear in NetHack 1.3d.

The ability of all roles to reach at a minimum of Basic skill in their special spell's school is introduced in NetHack 3.6.2.

Variants

SLASH'EM

In SLASH'EM, the spell of haste self is re-categorized to a level 3 body spell.

Grund's Stronghold has a ¹⁄₃ chance of generating a spellbook of haste self in a well-hidden chest in the northwestern corner at level generation - the book will always be accompanied by an amulet of magical breathing.

dNetHack

In dNetHack, knowledge of the spell of haste self is required to play the charge song, unless the hero is a Troubadour or has the spirit Orthos bound.

The Black Crystal grants knowledge of the haste self spell and a bonus to its success rate while carried.

FIQHack

In FIQHack, the spellbook of haste self is replaced with the spellbook of speed monster.

notdNetHack

In notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, in addition to dNetHack details, the spell of haste self is the special spell of the etherealoid starting race.

SlashTHEM

In SlashTHEM, in addition to SLASH'EM details, the spell of haste self is also the special spell of the Officer role.