Scroll of torment

Version 0.23: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Type	Scroll
Name	Scroll of torment
Icon

A scroll that calls on the powers of darkness to inflict great pain on any nearby creature -- including the reader! This halves the resilience of all living creatures, although it is never directly fatal.

Reading a scroll of torment inflicts torment on yourself and all monsters in your line of sight, cutting their HP in half. Demons and the undead are immune, while each rank of rN+ offers the victim 5% resistance.

This scroll is considered evil, so the good gods forbid its intentional use.

Strategy

• A scroll of torment coupled with some decent healing items is an excellent ace-in-the-hole item, allowing you to mangle enemies far out of your league if found and identified in the early game. If you happen to have torment immunity (mummy, ghoul, bloodless vampire, and characters in lichform or Tree Form as a result of drinking a potion of lignification), it becomes an excellent nuke.
• Tormenting The Royal Jelly is effective, but will still create many high-level jellies. These can be blown up, either with a scroll of immolation or Ignition. Read a 2nd scroll of torment before immolating if you want to create even more cannon fodder, cutting TRJ's health to a quarter - and watch the fireworks.
• Worshippers of Kikubaaqudgha with sufficiently high piety have a chance to receive some protection from torment effects, sometimes preventing the damage altogether.
• Use of this item without means to heal yourself or escape from the situation is generally ill-advised, unless you have some significant torment protection from being a gargoyle or in Statue Form, worshipping Kikubaaqudgha, or being a mummy, ghoul or bloodless vampire, who are completely immune.