Wand of opening
| / | |
|---|---|
| Name | opening |
| Appearance | random |
| Abundance | 2.5% |
| Base price | 150 zm |
| Weight | 7 |
| Type | beam |
| Maximum charges | 8 |
| Spell | knock |
| Monster use | Will not be used by monsters. |
A wand of opening is a type of wand that appears in NetHack.
Contents
Generation
Wizards may be given a wand of opening as the random wand in their starting inventory.[1]
Wands of opening make up 1⁄40 (2.5%) of all randomly-generated wands. General stores and "quality apparel and accessories" shops can sell wands of opening.
Description
Zapping the wand of opening has the same effects as a spell of knock: the wand emits a beam in the prompted direction that opens and/or unlocks any drawbridges, lockable containers and doors it makes contact with, as well as revealing affected secret doors hidden in room walls[2][3][4][5][6][7]—an iron chain that connects a heavy iron ball to a punished hero will be removed if hit by the beam.[8] Containers with broken locks and doors that were being "dug" through with a pick-axe or dwarvish mattock will be repaired if zapped.[9]
A hero that zaps the wand at a web or beartrap they or a monster are trapped in will release the trap's victim.[10] A hero zapping the wand down while over a trap door or falling rock trap will activate it, and a hero zapping the wand down while trapped in a pit or spiked pit will be freed from that pit.[11][12] If a hero is standing on the down stair of a Quest branch home level that they do not yet have access to, zapping the wand down will print a unique message with no other effect.[13]
A hero that zaps the wand at a monster engulfing them will cause that monster to expel the hero.[14] Zapping the wand at a monster wearing a saddle will cause it to fall off and land on its square, throwing the hero off and causing wounded legs if they were riding that monster.[15][16] A hero zapping the wand downward while they are sinking into lava or trapped in the floor from cooling lava will be freed, though in the former case they will immediately begin sinking again.[17]
Monsters zapped with the wand will never be awakened from sleep.[18]
Applying a wand of opening to break it has no effect.[19]
The following information pertains to an upcoming version (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.
Per commit 149cb960, a cloaked mimic hit by the wand's beam will uncloak.Strategy
Similar to the knock spell, the wand can be used to unlock doors and containers and open drawbridges from a distance, and does so instantaneously where an unlocking tool can sometimes require multiple actions. The wand can also be used to escape engulfing monsters, though unlike the wand of digging it does no damage—this gives it a slight advantage in cases where a hero wishes to escape from a non-hostile engulfer that is confused or under conflict, such as a pet purple worm. It can also be used by the hero to quickly and painlessly free themselves from a floor they were stuck in as a result of cooled lava.
The wand can be used with with the wizard lock spell or wand of locking to weaponize the Castle drawbridge. Unlike the spells, using one or both wands requires less energy and skill investment or even none at all, making it more feasible for less spellcasting-inclined heroes; instead, it is limited by the amount of charges available for each wand, and the hero may need multiple wands depending on how many monsters they plan to kill this way.
History
The wand of opening first appears in NetHack 3.0.0, along with the spellbook of knock.
Messages
- Klick!
- A container was unlocked by the wand's beam.
- The door unlocks!
- A door was unlocked by the wand's beam.
- A door appears in the wall!
- The wand revealed a secret door.
- Your chain quivers for a moment.
- A zapped wand of opening hit an iron chain connecting a heavy iron ball to you.
- You are released from the pit.
- You zapped the wand downward while in a pit, freeing yourself.
- <The monster> opens its mouth!
- You zapped a wand of opening while engulfed by an animal and got released.
- You feel a sudden rush of air!
- As above, while blind.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, the wand has no effect on the indestructible doors in Vlad's Tower.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, a wand of locking can be combined with a wand of opening at a furnace to create a wand of nothing.
EvilHack
In EvilHack, the wand of opening is one of a few ways to unlock an iron safe, and is one of a handful of methods that can unlock a locked crystal chest.
SlashTHEM
In SlashTHEM, the Locksmith role starts each game with a wand of opening.
References
- Jump up ↑ src/u_init.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 164
- Jump up ↑ src/lock.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 894
- Jump up ↑ src/lock.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 935
- Jump up ↑ src/lock.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1010
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2055
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2494
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3300
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 1882
- Jump up ↑ src/lock.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 904
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2853
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2515
- Jump up ↑ src/trap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 4648
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2845
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 330
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 346
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 2710
- Jump up ↑ src/trap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 4639
- Jump up ↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 329
- Jump up ↑ src/apply.c in NetHack 3.6.7, line 3362
