NOT YET REVISED

Spellcasting

Spells and prayers are collected in books, nine for each realm. Four are readily available in stores, the other five are harder to find.

Getting spell information

You may browse books of your realm. Spells that you have cast successfully will display any power or damage information. Be aware that the true usefulness of some spells only becomes apparent with much experimentation.

Gaining new spells

You learn new spells by pressing 'G', choosing a spellbook with unlearnt spells that are not too high level for you, and either choosing a spell (mages, rogues, rangers) or having one granted to you (priests, paladins).

Casting spells

You may cast any previously learnt spell of your level or less. You cast spells by typing 'm' or 'p', choosing a spellbook, and then a spell. Casting a spell takes a full turn. The first time you suceesfully cast a spell, you gain experience.

If you don't have enough mana to cast that spell, you are more likely to fail; if you do succeed, you will faint from the exertion and sometimes lose a point of constitution.

Mana

Your mana depends on your level and your spell stat. All spellcasters lose a point of mana for each pound of worn armour above a certain weight; mages are most affected. In addition, mages, rogues, and rangers lose a chunk of mana if they wear gloves that do not provide free action or improve dexterity. Messages will warn you whenever this happens.

Spell failure chance

Your spell failure chance depends on the spell itself (some spells are inherently hard to cast), the minimum level required to cast the spell compared to your current level, and your spell stat. When stunned, all spells are harder to cast. Only mages and priests can ever have spell failure rates below 5%.

Priests suffer a substantial increase to prayer failure chance if they wield an unblessed edged weapon (a sword or polearm).

Hindering your foes

If it looks too tough to kill, perhaps you can knock it down a bit. Many low-level, non-unique monsters can be hindered in some way if you work hard enough at it.

• Sleep : Sleeping monsters can't hurt you - until they wake up again.
• Slow : If you can slow a monster, you are well on the way to killing it.
• Stun : Sound blasts and ice can stun monsters, effectively paralyzing them.
• Confuse : Monsters may be confused by bright light (blinding), confusion attacks, or spells of confuse monster. They move randomly about and cannot cast any spells until the effects wear off.
• Fear : Most monsters can be frightened. Those that are will attempt to teleport away (if they have such a spell) or run.

Spell projection types

The names of spells and magical devices sometimes give you information about what areas they affect, and what shapes they take.

"Bolt", "Missile"

Fires a magical bolt in a direction or at your chosen target. Bolts are stopped by the first monster or wall in their way. Some also "Beam" upon occasion.

"Beam", "Spear", "Lance", "Line", "Spark", "Cone"

Fires a beam of magic in the direction you choose, or towards your target. They are quite useful because they do full damage to every monster in a straight line. Wands and Rods of Light work this way.

"Ball", "Orb", "Storm" (storms have a larger radius)

If you target a specific monster, such spells explode centered at that location. Otherwise, they travel in the direction you choose, and explode as soon they hit a monster or wall, or reach their maximum range. These spells only do full damage to the single grid at the center of the explosion, but can affect monsters that can't see you.

"Dispel", "Confuse/Slow/Frighten/etc. Monsters"

A fair number of spells affect all monsters in line of sight (no walls or rubble between you and them, up to a range of 20).