Difference between revisions of "Staff of Wucad Mu"

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(my bad, lichform not immune to stat loss)
 
(Update to 0.25. The staff has its own list of negative effects since commit 19352b5b7a.)
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{{item
 
{{item
 
  |itemtype=Magical staves
 
  |itemtype=Magical staves
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  |weight=15
 
  |weight=15
 
}}
 
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{{flavour|Its power varies in proportion to its wielder's intelligence. It can be evoked to restore large amounts of magical energy, but at the risk of damaging the user's mind.}}
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{{flavour|A crystal staff overflowing with magical energies. It can be evoked to restore large amounts of magical energy, but at the risk of damaging the user's mind. Its power depends on the wielder's Evocations skill.}}
  
The '''staff of Wucad Mu''' is a rare [[magical staff]] whose melee power varies with  its owner's intelligence and which can also function to channel [[MP]] like an improved [[staff of channeling]]. Equipping it will cause it to auto-identify.
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The '''staff of Wucad Mu'''<ref>{{source ref|0.25.0|art-data.txt|234}}</ref> is a rare [[magical staff]] which can be used to channel [[MP]] like an improved [[staff of energy]] (though it does not negate your [[spell hunger]] costs).
  
The staff can be used in combat, functioning as a [[quarterstaff]] with an [[intelligence]]-based enchantment bonus to both accuracy and damage. It can also be evoked to restore a large amount of MP, but successfully doing so comes with the consistent chance of causing [[Divinations]] [[miscast effect]]s. These effects are, at best, nothing, and at worst: 3-24 MP drain, temporary 1-5 INT loss, or [[confusion]] for 10 turns.
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The staff can be used in combat, functioning as a +9 [[staff]]. It can also be evoked to restore a large amount of MP, but successfully doing so comes with an unavoidable chance of backfiring. These effects are, at best, nothing, and at worst: 5-24 MP drain, temporary 1-5 [[Intelligence]] loss, or [[confusion]] for 2-5 turns. Even a "nothing" effect, however, will prevent you from gaining MP.
  
{{crawlquote|'''Enchantments''': +(Intelligence-3) to hit, +(Intelligence/2) to damage  (MAX: +22, +13)<br>'''Success Rate''': 4% + ([[Evocations]] × 4%) '''&mdash;''' 100% at 24 Evocations<br>'''MP Gained''': 3-7MP + (Evocations/3) '''&mdash;''' 3-7MP at 0 Evocations, 12-16MP at 27 Evocations<br>'''Divinations Miscast Effect Rate''': 25% after a ''successful'' evocation<br>'''Cost''': 50 [[food]]}}
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{{crawlquote|'''Success Rate''': 4% + ([[Evocations]] × 4%) '''''' 100% at 24 Evocations<br>'''MP Gained''': 3-7MP + (Evocations/3) '''''' 3-7MP at 0 Evocations, 12-16MP at 27 Evocations<br>'''Negative Effect Rate''': 25% after a ''successful'' evocation<br>'''Cost''': 50 [[food]]}}
  
 
You can improve your melee performance with this staff by training [[Fighting]] and [[Staves]].
 
You can improve your melee performance with this staff by training [[Fighting]] and [[Staves]].
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
While the odds of miscast effects occurring are intimidatingly high, not every miscast effect is a severe miscast. The amount of MP you can channel in a single turn is truly impressive when you get your Evocations skill into the double digits. You can avoid confusion by having [[clarity]]. Wearing a [[ring of sustain abilities]] or two will prevent some or most of the intelligence damage. Even so, a number of [[potion of restore ability|potions of restore abilities]] will be necessary if this item is to be used consistently.
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While the odds of negative effects occurring are intimidatingly high, not every effect is a severe one. The amount of MP you can channel in a single turn is truly impressive when you get your Evocations skill into the double digits. You can avoid the confusion by having [[clarity]], but over-reliance on this staff can rapidly drain your intelligence, forcing you to regain it as you gain experience much like any other stat loss. Zin's Vitalisation protects from both the confusion and intelligence damage, but not the MP drain.
  
Although primarily useful for its channeling effects, this staff can be surprisingly good for melee. Anyone with maxed intelligence (followers of [[Cheibriados]], [[demigod]]s, obsessive INT pushers) may see truly absurd bonuses. The low base damage of the weapon means you shouldn't go toe-to-toe with a Pan lord, but it can usefully finish off weakened opponents. This may allow a hard-pressed mage to save MP for more dangerous threats, or to avoid an unnecessary mid-fight channel.
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This weapon is primarily useful for its channeling effects, as it fares rather poorly as a bludgeoning tool despite its high enchantment. It does work better as a melee weapon than most magical staves, however, and it can finish off weakened, lightly armoured opponents. This may allow a hard-pressed mage to save MP for more dangerous threats, or to avoid an unnecessary mid-fight channel.
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As tempting as this item might be, magic users may just choose to stick with [[Sublimation of Blood]] or a [[staff of energy]], which give comparable benefits with fewer and more predictable liabilities.
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==History==
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*Prior to [[0.20]], the staff's negative effects were based on [[Divinations]] [[miscast effect]]s.
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*Prior to [[0.12]], the enchantments on this weapon depended on intelligence and were capable of reaching up to +22/+13.
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*Prior to [[0.11]], this item appeared as an '''ephemeral quarterstaff''' when unidentified.
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*Prior to [[0.8]], this staff would occasionally cause miscast effects simply by attacking with it.
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==References==
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<references />
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[[Category:Unrands]]
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[[Category:Staves]]

Revision as of 20:54, 8 July 2020

Version 0.25: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
Type Magical staves
Name staff of Wucad Mu
Icon Staff of wucad mu.png
A crystal staff overflowing with magical energies. It can be evoked to restore large amounts of magical energy, but at the risk of damaging the user's mind. Its power depends on the wielder's Evocations skill.

The staff of Wucad Mu[1] is a rare magical staff which can be used to channel MP like an improved staff of energy (though it does not negate your spell hunger costs).

The staff can be used in combat, functioning as a +9 staff. It can also be evoked to restore a large amount of MP, but successfully doing so comes with an unavoidable chance of backfiring. These effects are, at best, nothing, and at worst: 5-24 MP drain, temporary 1-5 Intelligence loss, or confusion for 2-5 turns. Even a "nothing" effect, however, will prevent you from gaining MP.

Success Rate: 4% + (Evocations × 4%) 100% at 24 Evocations
MP Gained: 3-7MP + (Evocations/3) 3-7MP at 0 Evocations, 12-16MP at 27 Evocations
Negative Effect Rate: 25% after a successful evocation
Cost: 50 food

You can improve your melee performance with this staff by training Fighting and Staves.

Strategy

While the odds of negative effects occurring are intimidatingly high, not every effect is a severe one. The amount of MP you can channel in a single turn is truly impressive when you get your Evocations skill into the double digits. You can avoid the confusion by having clarity, but over-reliance on this staff can rapidly drain your intelligence, forcing you to regain it as you gain experience much like any other stat loss. Zin's Vitalisation protects from both the confusion and intelligence damage, but not the MP drain.

This weapon is primarily useful for its channeling effects, as it fares rather poorly as a bludgeoning tool despite its high enchantment. It does work better as a melee weapon than most magical staves, however, and it can finish off weakened, lightly armoured opponents. This may allow a hard-pressed mage to save MP for more dangerous threats, or to avoid an unnecessary mid-fight channel.

As tempting as this item might be, magic users may just choose to stick with Sublimation of Blood or a staff of energy, which give comparable benefits with fewer and more predictable liabilities.

History

  • Prior to 0.20, the staff's negative effects were based on Divinations miscast effects.
  • Prior to 0.12, the enchantments on this weapon depended on intelligence and were capable of reaching up to +22/+13.
  • Prior to 0.11, this item appeared as an ephemeral quarterstaff when unidentified.
  • Prior to 0.8, this staff would occasionally cause miscast effects simply by attacking with it.

References