Blade Hands (spell)
 Blade Hands
| |
|---|---|
| Level | 5 |
| School1 | Transmutation |
| Source(s) | |
| Casting noise | 4 |
| Spell noise | 0 |
| Causes long, scythe-shaped blades to grow from the caster's hands, increasing melee damage significantly.
While transformed, any equipped weapons are melded, and casting spells becomes somewhat more difficult. |
Blade Hands was a level 5 Transmutations spell that greatly increased your damage in Unarmed Combat.
Useful Info
Casting this spell gives you the Blade Hands status for a spellpower-dependent duration. You'll gain the following:
Combat Bonuses
- Unarmed Combat: 22 base damage.
- Your off-hand punch gains +6 damage.
Restrictions
- Melded Gear: Weapon, shield, and gloves. Claws are also melded.
- You can't throw items.
- Makes spells harder to cast (increases raw spell failure rate by +20%).
Blade Hands does not block mutations (other than claws), does not change your size, and gives no innate bonus to HP / AC. It is considered its own form, so it'll end other statuses like Ice Form or Dragon Form.
Strategy
Blade Hands is essentially two-handed Unarmed Combat. Even at 0 Unarmed Combat skill, you'll hit as hard as a giant spiked club, while keeping the off-hand punch and swinging faster. It's certainly strong. However, the spell takes quite a bit of investment to get running, especially if you want to use heavy body armour. And if you're in light armour, then your defenses will be low.
Tips & Tricks
- Like all slashing attacks, Blade Hands is a terrible choice for fighting hydras.
- This spell will meld away even cursed weapons, allowing Ashenzari worshipers to have their hands bound and still use Unarmed Combat.
History
- Blade Hands was replaced with the Blade talisman in 0.31.
- Prior to 0.27, Blade Hands could be found in the Book of Changes, and thus the Transmuter start. This spell also lowered felids' stealth.
- Prior to 0.22, Blade Hands, and most other transformations, prevented usage of wands.
- Prior to 0.20, Blade Hands' base damage scaled with strength and dexterity (
8 + (str + dex) / 3). - Prior to 0.10, Blade Hands had higher base damage and lower dependence on stats.
