Absolute Zero
 Absolute Zero
| |
|---|---|
| Level | 9 |
| School1 | Ice |
| Source(s) | |
| Casting noise | 9 |
| Spell noise | 40 |
| Entirely removes the heat from the enemy nearest the caster, instantly freezing it into a block of solid ice. The spell is unnaturally loud, but becomes quieter as the caster's power increases. |
Absolute Zero is a Level 9 Ice Magic spell that instantly kills the closest enemy in range regardless of its current health, resistances, or defenses. If two or more creatures are equally close, the target is chosen at random from among them. Creatures slain with Absolute Zero become blocks of ice.
Absolute Zero makes an extremely loud noise, but becomes quieter with higher spell power.
Strategy
What strategy? Be it an orb of fire, the Royal Jelly, or even the mightiest lords of Pandemonium or Hell, Absolute Zero will infallibly kill the closest creature in a single shot. Even Lehudib's Crystal Spear often requires multiple shots to bring down such dangerous foes — Absolute Zero does it in fewer turns, uses less MP, and only has one spell school (so debatably requires less skill investment).
Sarcasm aside, there are a few caveats. As a level 9 spell, Absolute Zero is often impractical to cast in a 3-rune game unless you worship Vehumet or wear a ring of wizardry. And unlike the other level 9 spells, Absolute Zero is less effective when used in any situation involving multiple monsters, and many of the most dangerous creatures in the game are made so by coming with allies or being able to summon reinforcements (or both). You may have to engage in some decidedly odd positioning or continually flee and return to fights in order to ensure that your intended target is the one that dies.
Even with all these downsides, Absolute Zero remains an absolutely devastating one-hit kill machine in the late and extended game.
Ozocubu's Refrigeration complements Absolute Zero quite nicely: it is also pure Ice Magic and does an excellent job of clearing out the lesser monsters around your target.
History
- This spell was replaced by Maxwell's Capacitive Coupling in 0.27.
- Absolute Zero was added in 0.25, replacing Glaciate.
