Cthangband Hedge Magic

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In Cthangband, it is possible to use charms to cast cantrips, which are weak spells. It is necessary to carry the charms, and have the necessary skill. It helps to have high intelligence, since the chance of casting a cantrip partly depends on intelligence. It does not require mana, and does not require learning spells.

This makes hedge magic useful for characters that don't want to invest the effort and carrying capacity for hermetic magic, but want some sort of magical help. It is the one form of magic, other than spirit magic, that has any sort of healing spell.

To cast a charm, have it in inventory or a belt pouch, type "h" in the original keyset or "^w" in the roguelike, specify the charm, and specify the cantrip. If the casting is unsuccessful, it drains the magic out of the charm, and it disintegrates. However, a character with little skill in hedge magic might not manage to get the charm to respond in any way, not even to drain it. If the casting is successful, there is still a small chance that it has drained the charm.

There are several different charms, each with several possible cantrips. These are as follows:

• Lump of Sulphur (energy cantrips)
  1. Zap (2% skill) shoots a minor bolt of electricity.
  2. Light Area (10% skill) lights up the area around you.
  3. Phlogiston (18% skill) restores the fuel in a lantern or torch
  4. Stone to Mud (46% skill) destroys a targetted wall.
  5. Ray of Light (50% skill) fires off a beam of sunlight.
  6. Elemental Ball (92% skill) casts a ball of some elemental force.
• Hemlock Twig (movement cantrips)
  1. Blink (6% skill) is a short-range teleport.
  2. Teleport (40% skill) is a longer-range teleport.
  3. Teleport Level (78% skill) teleports you randomly up or down.
  4. Teleport Away (88% skill) teleports another creature somewhere else.
  5. Word of Recall (96% skill) teleports you between a town and a dungeon level. Unlike the other movement cantrips, it is not instantaneous, but rather takes some time to activate.
• Silver Unicorn Horn (healing cantrips)
  1. Cure Light Wounds (14% skill) restores 2d8 hit points and some cuts.
  2. Cure Poison (28% skill) removes all poison from your body.
  3. Cure Medium Wounds (38% skill) restores 4d8 hit points and most cuts.
  4. Satisfy Hunger (56% skill) will instantly feed you.
• Crystal (perception cantrips)
  1. Detect Monsters (4% skill) will show any nearby monsters.
  2. Detect Doors & Traps (16% skill) will show any nearby secret doors, traps, or stairs.
  3. Detect Treasure (20% skill) will show any nearby gems or precious metals.
  4. Detect Objects (26% skill) will show you any nearby objects.
  5. Detection (94% skill) will show anything nearby.
• Fly Agaric Toadstools (spirit cantrips)
  1. Detect Invisibility (4% skill) shows any nearby invisible creatures.
  2. Detect Enchantment (22% skill) shows any nearby magical items.
  3. See Invisible (60% skill) will give you the ability to see the invisible for a short time.
  4. Clairvoyance (100% skill) will light up the entire area and give you temporary telepathy.
• Clove of Garlic (protection cantrips)
  1. Resist Cold (30% skill) gives temporary resistance to cold damage.
  2. Resist Fire (32% skill) gives temporary resistance to fire damage.
  3. Resist Lightning (34% skill) gives temporary resistance to electrical damage.
  4. Resist Acid (36% skill) gives temporary resistance to acid damage.
• Geode (artifice cantrips)
  1. Wizard Lock (2% skill) locks a nearby door.
  2. Trap & Door Destruction (12% skill) destroys a nearby trap or door.
  3. Recharging (70% skill) will increase the charges in a wand or staff or hurry the recharging of a rod.
  4. Identify (84% skill) will identify an item, revealing its inner type, with major powers and bonuses.

All contents of these pages Copyright 2000 by David H. Thornley.