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 is a level 5 Transmutations spell that greatly increases damage in Unarmed Combat.
Contents
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: Set to 22 base damage, before skill.
- 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 Necromutation.
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, while swinging faster and more accurately. 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 you're in light armour, without a shield, i.e. 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. You won't get the bonuses from the item itself, though having a cursed item at all will increase piety.
History
- 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 0.10, Blade Hands had higher base damage and lower dependence on stats.
