MAGICAL TREASURIES

As you travel about and encounter the monsters and puzzles that stand between you and finishing your various quests, you will find magic items to help you on your way. You can find magic items in a treasure by casting a detect magic spell using the DETECT command. To find out specifically what an item is, you must take it to a shop and have it identified.

Some magic items are in reality cursed and can do great harm. When a character readies a cursed item, a remove curse spell must be cast before the item can be dropped. Some magic items, such as wands or scrolls, may only be used by certain classes. Others may not work at all if certain other magic items are also in use.

Here are descriptions of some items that you may find. Remember: Some items are very rare, and you may not find all of them in your adventure.

Wands generally cast a set number of a given spell (for example, 10 fireballs or 15 magic missiles). Only experimentation or paying to have it identified tells what a wand does. The USE command allows a character to cast spells with a readied wand.

Potions may heal wounded characters, cause them to become hastened or invisible. or cause any number of other effects. The USE command allows a character to drink a readied potion.

Scrolls carry either clerical or magic-user spells. A magic-user may use SCRIBE to permanently transfer a scroll into his spell book if the spell is of a level that he can memorize. Magic-users and clerics can both cast spells directly from scrolls with the USE command, even if they could not otherwise memorize the spells. Scrolls disappear after they have been used or scribed. Magic-users must cast read magic, or have scrolls identified in a shop before scribing or casting from them. Also, thieves of 10th level or higher have a chance of casting spells from magic-user scrolls.

Enchanted Armor and Shields are created by skilled craftsmen and then enchanted with protective spells. The power of the magic on these items varies a great deal. Enchanted armor has the great advantage of offering improved protection with less encumbrance than the same type of mundane armor. To rise these items, ready them from the Items Menu.

Enchanted Weapons come in many sizes, shapes, and potencies. Sometimes a weapon will add between one and five to your THAC0 and damage. Some weapons may have other fantastic magical properties including extra bonuses against specific types of creatures. Once a magic weapon has been readied from the Items Menu, the character has it for all combats.

Enchanted Adornments such as bracers, necklaces, periapts, and especially rings are favorite objects for magical enchantment. These items may have any number of magical properties, Some items will help your AC, others may fire magic missiles, or offer protection from fire-based attacks. Once one of these items has been readied from the Items Menu, a character automatically gains all of its effects. The exception to this rule is that certain magical necklaces require the USE command to work.

Enchanted Clothing can be such commonplace items as gauntlets or cloaks, but they are imbued with powerful enchantments. A wide variety of these items are known to exist. To use these items, READY them from the Items Menu