Evocable items
Evocable items are magical items, with abilities that are evoked using the V key. Evocables generally use the Evocations skill to determine strength.
Many evocable items are comparable to spells, with some sharing a similar effect. Unlike spells, evocables do not have a failure rate (though some may check willpower to cause an effect), can be cast during Silence, usually have no MP cost, and are allowed by Trog. However, most evocables are limited by charges. You'll need to gain XP, or find more of the same item, in order to use them again. So instead of being a primary means of attack, Evocations tends to be used sparingly, in order to solve sketchy situations.
Contents
Staves
Magical staves deal extra elemental damage in melee, scaling with skill in both their respective magic school and Evocations. Staves are not proper evokers, so are the exception to a few rules. They are magical, and forbidden by Trog. Staves do not have charges. Artefacts may have directly evoked abilites, but they must be wielded and use MP or some other cost in order to cast.
- List of magical staves
- The Elemental Staff is boosted by Evocations skill, similar to, but distinct from, other magical staves.
Artefacts
Two unrandart items provide an ability, which scales with Evocations skill and can be activated from the abilities menu:
- Staff of Olgreb: Casts Olgreb's Toxic Radiance and also acts as a somewhat more powerful staff of poison.
- Orb of Dispater: Hurls damnation, but costs 10% HP.
Wands
A wand is a magical device that contains several charges of a specific spell. It does not need to be wielded to be used.
Miscellaneous Evokers
These items can be used to evoke effects. Each miscellaneous evocable can appear once per game, except for the figurine of a ziggurat. They cannot be eaten by Jiyva slimes.
Elemental
The higher the user's Evocations skill, the more powerful the effect will be. Once used, all items of that type will become inert until you have gained enough experience.
- Phial of floods: Launches a damaging wave of water, creating a pool of shallow water and waterlogging creatures caught in the wave.
- Lightning rod: Fires a bolt of electricity; evoking it in successive turns strengthens the bolt and lets you sweep it over an area
Only one of these two items will appear in a given game.
- Tin of tremorstones: Creates multiple explosions of shrapnel near the player; always risks hitting yourself, but damage is greatly reduced by armour.
- Condenser vane: Creates harmful clouds around every enemy in sight.
Summoning
These items can be used to summon a creature or two, possibly along with other effects. In most cases, their power depends upon your Evocations skill. Like elemental evokers, they are rendered inert until you gain more experience.
- Box of beasts: Summons a randomly-generated mutant beast
- Phantom mirror: Creates a short-lived copy of a single monster
- Horn of Geryon: Summons a few hell beasts, some of which may be hostile.
Other Evocables
- Figurine of a ziggurat: Creates an entrance to a ziggurat.
- Piece from Xom's chessboard: Provides many random effects on a random monster - good or bad! Charged via XP.
Other Items
- Artefacts may come with evocable Blink.
- Scarves and artefacts of invisibility can be evoked to turn you invisible.
- An orb of energy's chance of success rises with Evocations.
History
- In 0.31, the sack of spiders will be reintroduced (now alternating with the box of beasts). Pieces from Xom's chessboard will be removed.
- Prior to 0.30, miscellaneous evocables were not unique: you could find multiple in 1 game, and they could be eaten by Jiyva slimes. Also, the condenser vane and tin of tremorstones did not alternate with each other.
- Prior to 0.20, rods were another class of evocable items. They let you cast spells, but had to be wielded, and had their own MP pool (separate from your own MP).
- Prior to 0.19, decks scaled off Evocations and were not exclusive to Nemelex Xobeh.
Added Evocables
- 0.27 - Piece from Xom's chessboard
- 0.26 - Condenser vane
- 0.25 - Tin of tremorstones
- 0.16 - Phantom mirror
- 0.13 - Phial of floods
- 0.11 - Lightning rod
Removed Evocables
- 0.25 - Crystal ball of energy, fan of gales, lamp of fire, sack of spiders
- 0.20 - Disc of storms, rods
- 0.19 - Stone of tremors
- 0.18 - Lantern of shadows
- 0.16 - Tome of destruction
- 0.14 - Bottled efreets
- 0.10 - Crystal ball of seeing
- 0.8 - Crystal ball of fixation
Removed Evocations Scaling
These items remained in the game, but lost their Evocations component.