Wand of draining
| Type | Wand |
|---|---|
| Name | wand of draining |
| Icon | 
|
| A magical device which throws a bolt of negative energy which drains the life essences of living creatures, but is useless against the undead, demons, artificial creatures and even living plants. |
A wand of draining is a "tier-1" attack wand which projects bolts of negative energy, similar to the spell Bolt of Draining. These deal damage and reduce the target's HD, rendering them weaker (and also less valuable in terms of XP).
Player Use
As usual for wands, the beam from a wand of draining zapped by the player has a power rating of (30 + 2d(Evocations skill)).
Monster Use
As with any other wand, the bolt of draining projected by a wand of draining in the hands of a monster uses a power rating of (30 + (monster hit dice)). This gives it a typical damage output of 3d8 when used by low-level monsters and 3d9 when used by mid-to-high level monsters, and the player needs EV 19 to have a 50% chance of evading the beam without Repel or Deflect Missiles in force.
Tips & Tricks
As a tier-1 attack wand, wands of draining provide a powerful backup attack. Melee characters should save them for living opponents that are unusually dangerous to engage in melee, such as hydras and acidic monsters. Ice Magic and Fire Magic users should use them as a backup or alternate attack against living opponents that resist their elemental attack spells; very few living monsters have any Life Protection at all.
History
Wands of draining will be removed in 0.18.
