Wand

Wands are magical weapons which can used to zap or thrown at a target creature to inflict a specified effect. Some wands can also be zapped at items.

Unidentified Wands

The various features of unidentified wands. The feature has no correspondence whatsoever to identify a wand's actual identity. Do not use unidentified wands.

• Copper wand;
• Crooked wand;
• Curved wand;
• Ebony wand;
• Fat wand;
• Forked wand;
• Glowing wand;
• Hexagonal wand;
• Jewelled wand;
• Long wand;
• Pulsating wand;
• Sharp wand;
• Short wand.

Types

Offensive Wands

All offense wands can used to zap directly at a target creature or thrown without using a charge, making them still valuable even without charges.

• Wand of cold;
• Wand of death;
• Wand of fire;
• Wand of lightning;
• Wand of magic missile;
• Wand of striking.

Utility Wands

• Wand of cancellation (note: this wand does not have a blessed/uncursed/cursed status);
• Wand of create monster (caution: throwing only activates its effects if it hits a creature);
• Wand of make invisible;
• Wand of polymorph;
• Wand of probing;
• Wand of teleportation;
• Wand of wishing (note: throwing will have the same effect as a wand of probing).

Other

• Wand of nothing (note: throwing will identify it, zapping will not).

Identifying

Wands cannot be judged by their appearance and can be identified through the following methods:

• Zapping the wand into thin air. Will use a charge. May identify some wands, except those requiring a target (e.g. offensive wands);
• Zapping the wand at a creature. Will use a charge. Will identify all wands, except wand of nothing;
• Throwing a wand at a creature or pet. Uses no charges. Will identify all offensive wands;
• Reading a scroll of identify or casting identify. Will also identify number of charges;
• Identify service by a shopkeeper with a large shop (two stalls). Will also identify number of charges.

Testing wands by zapping hostile creatures is generally safe (recommended to test on molds), although a wand of create monster, wand of make invisible, and wand polymorph have the potential to make dangerous situations worse. Testing wands by zapping the character or a pet is not recommended, especially when a wand of death has yet to be identified.

A fully identified wand will show the number of charges remaining in it, while partially identified ones may only show the wand's type. Attempting to use a depleted wand will identify its charge level as no charges, but will also give enemies enough time to take another swing or two at you. To avoid this dangerous delay in combat, it is advisable to periodically test the charge level of the partially identified wands while out of combat. This can be done by choosing to zap with the wand and canceling out of the target selection.

Charging

Wands can be charged by the following methods:

• Reading a scroll of charging (not recommended, as it's best to use said scrolls for charging rings);
• Casting a lightning spell at the wand (slight chance target wand may explode);
• Zapping a wand of lightning at the wand (slight chance target wand may explode);
• Being hit by the attacks from energy vortexes or shocking spheres. Equipped wand has a higher chance of being charged, while wands in inventory may have a smaller chance of being charged (wands in containers will not be charged). Using a wand while being shocked by said creatures, may result in exploding the wand.

Charging any wand that already has more than a few charges carries the risk of overcharging the wand, causing it to explode. A shocking sphere can typically add 2 to 8 charges per zap. Most wands can only hold 10 charge or so before exploding. The wand of wishing is particularly fragile and can only be charged once. Any attempt to charge it again after all its charges were used will cause the wand to explode. Using a blessed wand of lightning, or blessed scroll of charging grantees at least 2 charges to be added to the wand if it does not explode NOTE: l just recharged my wand of wishing twice and it only exploded on the third charge attempt with an energy vortex.

Tips

• Important! Throwing wands at an enemy will result in the wand activating without wasting a charge. This is a good way of identifying the wand without losing charges. This only works with a few wands: teleport, wishing, polymorph, cancellation, make invisible and create monster all do not produce this effect.
• When zapping with a wand in your inventory, your character will automatically equip it in the left hand, zap with it, then return it to the inventory in one action. This can cost you precious time during combat however, and you can speed up the process by equipped the desired wand in your left hand. This can be done even if there is already a shield being held with your left hand.
• Wands of teleport are excellent for escaping dangerous situations. Although there are some bug issues when used in the Gnome mines.
• The safest way to charge a wand with lightning is to wait until it has zero charges. The wand has a better chance to not explode although the possibility still remains.