Improved ADOM Guidebook

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D: 49 – Frictionless Ice

Color map

Level 49 of the Caverns of Chaos is called the frictionless level by many players. It is covered with ice that is too slippery to cross by normal means. Spiked boots do not help. Teleportation and levitation fails on this level. No monsters are generated here. Since the ice is (almost) frictionless, throwing objects will propel the PC in the opposite direction (remember freshman physics?). There is also a special gift available on this level. If the PC equips a potion of uselessness in the missile slot and throws it, a deity rewards the PC for finding a use for the potion with a random artifact. Note that the potion must actually propel the PC in order for this to work, so don't throw your only potion of uselessness in the wrong direction! The following messages are typical of those generated upon entering and throwing a potion of uselessness:

There is a stair leading downwards here. You climb downwards...
The ground seems to be covered with a very slippery layer of ice. It's cold here! There is a stair leading upwards here.
[T]arget -- [Z] Abort. (x2)
The uncursed potion of uselessness thuds into an obstacle. The uncursed potion
of uselessness shatters! You slide to the west. You suddenly hear a booming voice!
"*YE REALLY HAST FOUND A USE FOR THIS PETTY ITEM*"
"*YER INGENUITY SHALL BE REWARDED*"
Something is lying before you. Out of ammunition.
Reload with the heap of 14 uncursed rocks (+1, 1d4)? ([y]es, [n]o, [q]uit) q
Blessed shining silver bracers (10s) are lying here. You shudder. You resist the icy blast.
You pick up the blessed shining silver bracers. You sneeze. You resist the icy blast.
This particular PC was very lucky and received the Bracers of War. As mentioned the artifact is random and can be potentially worthless.

Monsters cannot be wished for, Necromancy cannot be applied, and reading scrolls of familiar summoning doesn't work on D: 49. However, in 1.1.1, using figurines and djinni appearing from non-blessed RoDS work normally. Monsters created in this manner have no trouble walking on the ice.In R+, there is no way to create monsters.

Use whatever is handy to travel through CoC 49, such as rocks, arrows, guaranteed returning missiles such as a boomerang, even that worthless pile of sis the PC has been dragging around forever. Do NOT use missile weapons that are not guaranteed to return such as the Rune-covered Trident or the Hammer of the Gods. Given the nature of CoC 49, the PC may never be able to stop exactly where they fell to retrieve them.

As of R+, wearing the moloch boots "Moloch's Thorns" allows the PC to walk on the level normally.

3.23.1 Drakelings on D: 49

All PCs will suffer minor cold damage while on the level applied each turn. However, this can be easily negated by the appropriate resistance. The D: 49 level cold is troublesome for Drakelings and PCs suffering from the cold blood corruption, who will find themselves frozen nearly solid. A reduction in speed to 10 is typical. If the player is aware of this, it is not a huge problem. Upon entering D: 49, cast Improved Fireball adjacent to the PC or zap a wand of fire at the PC's location repeatedly or apply some failed Alchemy until speed is reasonable again. The walls of D: 49 are diggable with the Mystic Shovel spell, a wand of digging, a pickaxe, the Elementalist class power and a Monk's kicking ability. Monks using their ability will be propelled backward one tile, and the rock may or may not shatter, making this technique somewhat awkward. The newly dug area remains too slippery to cross. The way to the down staircase may be significantly shortened by digging in the north-western direction. It is recommended to dig through the walls to reach the stairs, located in the center of the level, as quickly as possible to minimize speed losses.

Updated February 18th, 2020