ADOM Guidebook
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Spells - Learning mechanics - Spells table - Writing scrolls -
Mindcraft - Confusion blast - Mindcraft abbreviations
Spells and Mindcraft - description and usefulness
0.5.1 Spells
There is a description of available spells except Wish in the ADOM Manual. The range and
damage information has been removed from the manual in ADOM 1.1.x+. Accordingly
they are tabulated below.
Wizards, Priests, Druids, and Necromancers are 10 times more likely to find spellbooks. Paladins 2,5 times.
0.5.1.1 Casting
Note that spells become more costly to cast (in terms of PP) as the number of
available castings decreases. Thus a spell will increase in cost as the number
of available castings decreases below 100 or so, becoming very noticeable as
the number drops below about 30. This is class dependent but will affect all
classes to differing extents. Note also that the number of available castings
is not a simple "decrement by one each time the spell is cast" type of formula.
Again depending on class, the difficulty of casting the spell and probably other
factors this will vary. For example, casting Light with 1000 castings available
to a level 40 Wizard may decrease the available castings by one, while casting
Death Ray with 20 castings available with a level 30 Archer may reduce the
available castings to zero. These are purely hypothetical examples but should
give an idea of the trends.
0.5.1.2 Ball spells
Ball spells are extraordinarily useful since no
monsters shrug them off. They are wonderful when the PC is surrounded, of course.
It is worth switching to Coward tactics and waiting to be completely surrounded
before casting. Since they are relatively costly in terms of PP, it is useful to
destroy the maximum number of enemies with each casting. Fire magic is
particularly effective against cold-based creatures and undead including mummies.
Cold magic is particularly effective against fire-based creatures.
The diameter of ball spells is dependent upon Willpower / 8.
However, this diameter only increases as a multiple of sixteen since ball spells radiate
symmetrically; the minimum diameter is two. Therefore getting Willpower to 24,
for instance, does not increase the diameter. Willpower must be increased to
32 for the diameter to increase to four, 48 for the diameter to increase to six,
64 for the diameter to increase to eight, 80 for diameter of 10, and 96 for diameter of 12.
0.5.1.3 Wish
Wish is a unique spell. It is very difficult to learn,
probably impossible if the PC has teleportitis. Such PC's must travel to a location
where teleportation is impossible, such as the the Assassin's Guild, the Tomb of the
High Kings or the elemental temples (the desirability is in that order due to background
corruption in all of those locations). Furthermore, PC's will usually reach Starving!
status while attempting to learn Wish. Tactics to deal with this include eating a
blessed stomfillia to become Bloated, waiting just until the PC returns to Satiated,
then eating another blessed stomfillia. It may be necessary to drink additional
satiating potions, such as potions of toughness or potential toughness, even when the
double blessed stomafillia tactic is used. Alternatively, PC's without teleportitis
can use a room that has the "rich flavour" special effect, where PC's will never
become hungry. Wish is extraordinarly expensive to cast and also drains a random
stat by -10 when cast. If the PC must cast it, be prepared for the stat drain.
Plan to cast it in a special room that lowers spell costs, and on Silvernight or
Darknight, if possible, according to the PC's alignment.
0.5.1.4 Other spells
Bless damages undead. Healing spells can be cast at monsters including companions (but don't
use them on slaves!). Lightning, Magic Missile, Stun Ray and Death Ray bolts will bounce off
the walls, but not doors.
Nothing is resistant to a Magic Missile. Magic Lock will close and lock a door in one turn.
Anywhere Earthquake generates rocks will be turned into a normal ground tile - this can be used
to destroy water tiles and make them passable.
Some spell durations stack. Bless, Strength of Atlas, Invisibility and Farsight all stack.
Calm Monster doesn't work on monsters generated in tension rooms, threat rooms and vaults.
It just results in "The [monster] ignores your spell". In addition, arena opponents and
Keethrax' animals won't be affected by the Calm Monster spell.
0.5.1.5 Learning spells mechanics
Book charges
Books start with 2d3 charges and disappear when it reaches 0. The number charges left is hidden to
the player. Successfully reading a book deducts one charge.
Learning spells
Reading a spellbook takes 3 + Cost turns, succeed or fail. "Shelves of books" room effect
halves this time. There are 11 possible bonuses to learning a spell:
- We start off with class. Priests and Wizards have +30, Mindcrafters -40, other classes in between.
- Learning is counted in next; +1/8*Le for Barbarians, +3*Le for Wizards, and in between for others.
- Next comes the difficulty based on the specific spellbook (Darkness and Light are lowest with +6, Wish is highest -100)
- Pure spellcasters (except Elementalists) attempting to learn purely arcane spells get -10, other combinations get +10.
- You are penalized -1 per remaining turn of drunkenness.
- You are rewarded +20 for a blessed book and penalized -20 for cursed.
- You are rewarded for your level. Pure spellcasters get +Min(75,2*level). All other non-Mindcrafter non-trolls get +1*level.
Mindcrafters and Troll non-casters get nothing.
- +Concentration/5.
- +Literacy/10.
- Druids and Necromancers receive +40 for their specific starting book, lightning bolt and frost bolt, respectively.
- Characters born under Book receive +20.
All of this combines together for some kind of BaseValue. Now you
choose whether to cast or read the book. If you read it, there's a
straight up Literacy roll. Basically, your Literacy
skill is a percentage chance of successfully reading the book. If you
fail the check, you 'cannot decipher the runes' and nothing else
happens (even with 100 Literacy there is 1% chance of automatic failure).
Now if BaseValue > 1d100 you succeed in learning the spell. Otherwise, you fail.
SuccessMargin = BaseValue-1d100 previously rolled.
On success
You gain castings and train Learning. Learning training is 2*Cost, or Cost/2 if you had
some castings already.
If ExistingCastings < 30, then CastingsGained =
Min(200 + Le*4, Max(20, Max(5, SuccessMargin - ExistingCastings) * Max(1, Le/4)));
else CastingsGained = Max(5, Max(1, Le/8) * SuccessMargin).
CastingsGained is then reduced by ExistingCastings and level -
CastingsGained *= (100 - 3 * (ExistingCastings/50 + lvl/3)) / 100.
Reduction is never worse than 25% of previous value and never reduces CastingsGained
below 1.
Next, Cup is +20% CastingsGained, Good and Great Book Learner talents are each +10%.
On failure
If you fail to read the book successfully, it depends on SuccessMargin (negative in this case) plus a base
value for each class (shown below) your chances of the book doing something nasty
versus your chances to just not learning anything.
- 50 - Wizard, Elementalist
- 40 - Priest, Necromancer
- 35 - Healer
- 30 - Bard, Druid
- 25 - Paladin, Ranger
- 20 - Thief, Assassin, Monk, Weaponsmith, Beastfighter, Merchant
- 15 - Fighter, Archer
- 10 - Farmer
- -10 - Mindcrafter
- -20 - Barbarian
If the value is now positive, nothing happens. Otherwise, you get a random penalty from the 11 equally
probable effects:
Failed spellbook reading
| # | Message | Effect
|
|---|
| 1 | The spellbook is suddenly gone! | spellbook dissappears
|
| 2 | The spellbook bursts into flames and is destroyed!
|
| 3 | You are stunned by the power of the runes! | stunned for 4d(Cost/2) turns
|
| 4 | You suddenly feel very confused. | confused for 5dCost turns
|
| 5 | Your eyes refuse to further concentrate on this spellbook! | blinded for 2dCost turns
|
| 6 | The magical energies drain your healh! | -1 To
|
| 7 | The power of the spell partially drains your life force! | 1dCost damage
|
| 8 | The spellbook explodes into a ball of fire! | fireball - 4d(Cost/4) fire damage to PC, equipment and inventory; spellbook is destroyed
|
| 9 | Suddenly you stand somewhere else. | teleportation
|
| You feel dizzy. | would have teleported, but the dungeon level doesn't allow it - so confuse for 5d5 turns instead
|
| 10 | Your feel your power draining away! | reduce PP by 2*Cost
|
| You feel hollow. | would have reduced PP, but PP is already 0, so no effect
|
| 11 | Suddenly a pit opens beneath your feet. You fall into it! | pit is created [1]; some HP might be lost during the fall
|
| The ground suddenly rumbles! | would have created a pit, but the dungeon level doesn't allow it (wilderness); no effect
|
[1] If you're standing on a grave, it'll dig the grave. Gravedigging is always a chaotic act though, even when done in this way.
Summary
To sum up, chance of successfuly learning a spell predominantly depends on class (pretty self explanatory to the extent
spellcasters read better). Also birthsign (Book helps), whether you're drunk, the
difficulty of the spellbook, whether you're a Mindcrafter/Troll, B/U/C status of the spellbook, Learning, Concentration, Literacy,
and the PC's level factor in - the higher of these the better.
0.5.1.6 Spell list
Notation for spells:
- W - Willpower of the PC.
- M - Mana of the PC.
- L - Level of the PC.
- E - Spell Effectiveness for the given spell.
- R - Maximum range (as determined by the range formula).
- r - Remaining range points when target is hit.
- M{x, y} - take the maximum of x and y
- m{x, y} - take the minimum of x and y
For Darkness, Light, and ball spells, "Range" means "Diameter". Chance
is relative probability of a spellbook to be generated. It also hints at spell difficulty.
Spells
| Spell | Base cost | Range | Damage | Duration | Chance
|
|---|
| Acid Ball / Rain Of Sorrow (A) | 35 | M{2, W / 8} | M{3, L / 4 + 2}d9 + L + E | | 40
|
| Acid Bolt (A,C) | 15 | W / 4 + L / 4 + 2 | M{4, (L + E) / 3}d8 + r | | 40
|
| Bless (C) | 8 | | | 1d{W} + (M + E) * 2 | 40
|
| Burning Hands / Baptism of Fire (A,C) | 8 | | m{15, L}d3 + L + E | | 100
|
| Calm Monster (A,C) | 8 | | | | 100
|
| Create Item / Divine Favour (A,C) | 250 | | | | 4
|
| Cure Critical Wounds (C) | 15 | | cures 4d8 + 4 + E | | 20
|
| Cure Disease (C) | 8 | | | | 40
|
| Cure Light Wounds (C) | 5 | | cures 1d8 + 1 + E | | 100
|
| Cure Serious Wounds (C) | 10 | | cures 2d10 + 2 + E | | 20
|
| Darkness (A,C) | 4 | 1 + M{4, (W + E) / 4} / 2 | | | 300
|
| Death Ray / Greater Divine Touch (A,C) | 100 | M{2, m{16, (W + E) / 8}} | | | 20
|
| Destroy Undead / Dispel Undead (C) | 8 | | {L + 1}d6 + W + E | | 20
|
| Disarm Trap (C) | 10 | | | | 40
|
| Earthquake (C) | 80 | | | | 4
|
| Farsight (A,C) | 17 | | | (M + E) * 10 | 40
|
| Fire Bolt / Hellish Flames (A,C) | 10 | W / 4 + L / 4 + 2 | M{4, (L + E) / 3}d6 + r | | 100
|
| Fireball / Major Punishment (A) | 20 | M{2, W / 8} | M{3, L / 4 + 2}d6 + L + E | | 40
|
| Frost Bolt / Nether Bolt (A,C) | 12 | W / 4 + L / 4 + 2 | M{4, (L + E) / 3}d6 + r | | 100
|
| Greater Identify / Greater Enlightment (A,C) | 100 | | | | 4
|
| Heal (C) | 40 | | cures 10d6 + 10 + E | | 4
|
| Ice Ball / Freezing Fury (A) | 25 | M{2, W / 8} | M{3, L / 4 + 2}d7 + L + E | | 40
|
| Identify / Enlightenment (A,C) | 75 | | | | 4
|
| Improved Fireball / Invoked Devastation (A) | 30 | M{2, W / 8} | {2 + (L + E) / 5}d8 + L | | 20
|
| Invisibility / Veil Of The Gods (A) | 10 | | | {L + E + 3}d6 | 100
|
| Knock / Divine Key (A) | 12 | | | | 200
|
| Know Alignment (C) | 10 | | | | 40
|
| Light (A,C) | 3 | 1 + M{4, (W + E) / 4} / 2 | | | 300
|
| Lightning Ball / Heavenly Fury (A) | 30 | M{2, W / 8} | M{3, L / 4 + 2}d8 + L + E | | 40
|
| Lightning Bolt / Divine Wrath (A,C) | 13 | W / 4 + L / 4 + 2 | M{4, (L + E) / 3}d6 + r | | 100
|
| Magic Lock / Seal of the Spheres (A) | 8 | | | | 100
|
| Magic Map / Knowledge of the Ancients (A,C) | 40 | | | | 40
|
| Magic Missile / Minor Punishment (A) | 8 | W / 4 + L / 4 + 2 | M{2, (L + E) / 3}d4 + r | | 200
|
| Mystic Shovel / Divine Digger (A,C) | 100 | M{2, m{10, (W + E) / 5}} | | | 20
|
| Neutralize Poison (C) | 10 | | | | 40
|
| Petrification (C) | 120 | | | | 4
|
| Remove Curse (A,C) | 50 | | | | 40
|
| Revelation (C) | 33 | | | | 40
|
| Scare Monster / Holy Awe (A,C) | 12 | | | (L)d4 + E | 40
|
| Slow Monster (A) | 7 | | | 3d{W + E} | 200
|
| Slow Poison (C) | 6 | | | | 100
|
| Strength Of Atlas / Lordly Might (A) [1] | 10 | | | (W + E) * 20 | 100
|
| Stun Ray / Lesser Divine Touch (A,C) | 8 | M{3, m{12, (W + E) / 4}} | | | 100
|
| Summon Monsters (A,C) | 30 | | | | 20
|
| Teleportation / Ethereal Bridge (A) | 22 | | | | 100
|
| Web (A) | 12 | M{3, m{12, (W + E) / 4}} | | | 100
|
| Wish / Divine Intervention (A,C) | 3000 | | | | 1
|
[1] Increases carrying capacity by Mana * 1000.
0.5.2 Writing scrolls
Scrolls can be written if the PC is literate, has seen an example of the scroll, has
a magical writing set and a blank scroll to write on. Blank scrolls can be found in the
dungeons (usually an unlabeled scroll, although this is not guaranteed), or they can be
created by dipping other scrolls into *normal* water - not holy water or unholy water.
Be aware that the cost for writing scrolls of chaos resistance is high - there is a
permanent loss of two or three Mana points for *Wizards*, apparently depending on the
blessed vs uncursed status of the magical writing set. The Mana cost for non-wizards is
significantly higher, ten Mana points is typical. In addition, any combination of a
blessed MWS with an uncursed blank scroll or an uncursed MWS with a blessed or uncursed
blank scroll will result in a loss of hitpoints. This loss ranged from 70 to 145 HP with
a WADOMF'd experience level one Wizard PC. The HP loss may go down with increasing
experience level for Wizards, but this has not been tested. The HP consequences for
non-wizards may be more dramatic (i.e. deadly).
Writing other scrolls does not have such drastic consequences, though the exact effects
have yet to be worked out. Scrolls which are particularly hard to write (in order of
decreasing difficulty) include: scroll of chaos resistance (*10 Mana cost), scroll of education (*7), scroll of protection/defense (*6),
scroll of increase melee accuracy/damage (*5), scroll of item creation (*4). Monks don't lose Mana
when creating scrolls.
- Using Blessed equipment reduces the cost (both scroll and writing set). Cursed equipment increases it.
- if Literacy < 1d130 the cost is increased; later you need to pass a straight Literacy roll to succeed at writing at all
- Wizards get a difficulty reduction here (halved, before scroll type is factored in).
- Monks don't suffer the negative effects of writing a difficult scroll like other classes do. Wizards and Priests suffer the effects less than others (/2, /4).
- Writing scrolls costs PP, and if your PP is too low you'll take damage.
0.5.3 Mindcraft
ADOM Manual has a section describing Mindcraft. Malte Helmert
contributed the following table regarding Mindcraft PP cost.
Mindcraft
| Level | TPC | COB | COW | MBL | MSH | MWV | TBL | EOM | GMB | GTB | REG | TPS | TPO | GMW
|
|---|
| 1 | N/A | 8
|
| 2 | N/A | 8
|
| 3 | N/A | 7 | 24
|
| 4 | N/A | 7 | 24
|
| 5 | N/A | 7 | 24
|
| 6 | N/A | 6 | 23 | 18
|
| 7 | N/A | 6 | 23 | 18
|
| 8 | N/A | 6 | 23 | 18
|
| 9 | N/A | 5 | 22 | 17 | 5/T
|
| 10 | N/A | 5 | 22 | 17 | 4/T
|
| 11 | N/A | 5 | 22 | 17 | 4/T
|
| 12 | N/A | 4 | 21 | 16 | 4/T
|
| 13 | N/A | 4 | 21 | 16 | 4/T | 47
|
| 14 | N/A | 4 | 21 | 16 | 4/T | 46
|
| 15 | N/A | 3 | 20 | 15 | 3/T | 45 | 30
|
| 16 | N/A | 3 | 20 | 15 | 3/T | 44 | 28
|
| 17 | N/A | 3 | 20 | 15 | 3/T | 43 | 26
|
| 18 | N/A | 3 | 19 | 14 | 3/T | 42 | 24 | 6
|
| 19 | N/A | 3 | 19 | 14 | 3/T | 41 | 22 | 6
|
| 20 | N/A | 3 | 19 | 14 | 2/T | 40 | 20 | 6
|
| 21 | N/A | 3 | 18 | 13 | 2/T | 39 | 18 | 5
|
| 22 | N/A | 3 | 18 | 13 | 2/T | 38 | 18 | 5
|
| 23 | N/A | 3 | 18 | 13 | 2/T | 37 | 18 | 5
|
| 24 | N/A | 3 | 17 | 12 | 2/T | 36 | 18 | 4
|
| 25 | N/A | 3 | 17 | 12 | 2/T | 35 | 18 | 4 | 27
|
| 26 | N/A | 3 | 17 | 12 | 2/T | 34 | 18 | 4 | 27
|
| 27 | N/A | 3 | 16 | 11 | 2/T | 33 | 18 | 3 | 26
|
| 28 | N/A | 3 | 16 | 11 | 2/T | 32 | 18 | 3 | 26
|
| 29 | N/A | 3 | 16 | 11 | 2/T | 31 | 18 | 3 | 26
|
| 30 | N/A | 3 | 15 | 10 | 2/T | 30 | 18 | 3 | 25 | 60
|
| 31 | N/A | 3 | 15 | 10 | 2/T | 29 | 18 | 3 | 25 | 58
|
| 32 | N/A | 3 | 15 | 10 | 2/T | 28 | 18 | 3 | 25 | 56
|
| 33 | N/A | 3 | 14 | 9 | 2/T | 27 | 18 | 3 | 24 | 54
|
| 34 | N/A | 3 | 14 | 9 | 2/T | 26 | 18 | 3 | 24 | 52
|
| 35 | N/A | 3 | 14 | 9 | 2/T | 25 | 18 | 3 | 24 | 50 | 5/T
|
| 36 | N/A | 3 | 13 | 8 | 2/T | 24 | 18 | 3 | 23 | 48 | 5/T
|
| 37 | N/A | 3 | 13 | 8 | 2/T | 23 | 18 | 3 | 23 | 46 | 5/T
|
| 38 | N/A | 3 | 13 | 8 | 2/T | 22 | 18 | 3 | 23 | 44 | 5/T
|
| 39 | N/A | 3 | 12 | 7 | 2/T | 21 | 18 | 3 | 22 | 42 | 5/T
|
| 40 | N/A | 3 | 12 | 7 | 2/T | 20 | 18 | 3 | 22 | 40 | 4/T | 35
|
| 41 | N/A | 3 | 12 | 7 | 2/T | 19 | 18 | 3 | 22 | 38 | 4/T | 35
|
| 42 | N/A | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2/T | 18 | 18 | 3 | 21 | 36 | 4/T | 35
|
| 43 | N/A | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2/T | 17 | 18 | 3 | 21 | 34 | 4/T | 35
|
| 44 | N/A | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2/T | 16 | 18 | 3 | 21 | 32 | 4/T | 35
|
| 45 | N/A | 3 | 10 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 30 | 4/T | 35 | 35
|
| 46 | N/A | 3 | 10 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 28 | 4/T | 35 | 35
|
| 47 | N/A | 3 | 10 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 26 | 4/T | 35 | 35
|
| 48 | N/A | 3 | 9 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 19 | 25 | 4/T | 35 | 35
|
| 49 | N/A | 3 | 9 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 19 | 25 | 4/T | 35 | 35
|
| 50 | N/A | 3 | 9 | 5 | 2/T | 15 | 18 | 3 | 19 | 25 | 3/T | 35 | 35 | 50
|
N/A: this is for free
x/T: x per turn
0.5.3.1 Confusion blast
Note that Confusion Blast, available to experience level one Mindcrafters, works analogously to Ventriloquism
(see section 0.4).
It confuses a monster who then does not alert other monsters on the level.
It has a range of 3 + (Willpower + Level) / 8 squares. If it hits an undead monster, the PC takes 4d4 damage (4d4/2 at level 50)
and no further effect. Mindless monsters, including insects and the Eternal Guardian, are immune, as are all unlife.
Corrupting monsters will corrupt the PC as for a single melee hit (divided by 4 at level 32); however they ARE affected normally.
The monster will not be affected if it passes a spell resistance save with an attack power of Level. If it is affected, it
will be confused for Level + 1dWi-1 turns.
0.5.3.2 Mindcraft abbreviations
| Abbr | Meaning
|
|---|
| TPC | Teleport Control
|
| COB | Confusion Blast
|
| COW | Confusion Wave
|
| MBL | Mind Blast
|
| MSH | Mental Shield
|
| MWV | Mind Wave
|
| TBL | Telekinetic Blast
|
| EOM | Eyes of the Mind
|
| GMB | Greater Mental Blast
|
| GTB | Greater Telekinetic Blast
|
| REG | Regeneration
|
| TPS | Teleport Self
|
| TPO | Teleport Other
|
| GMW | Greater Mental Wave
|
Please note that this is an unofficial and unauthorised copy of
Andy William's ADOM Guidebook.
For further information on the legal and moral challenges raised against this
Improved ADOM Guidebook please see rec.games.roguelike.adom.
Updated April 14th, 2010