# The Magic Mirror of Merlin

(   The Magic Mirror of Merlin   

Base item

mirror

Affiliation

lawfulKnightintelligent

When carried

telepathymagic resistance(special)

When applied

gives random rumor

When invoked

(none)

Base price

1500 zm

Weight

13

The Magic Mirror of Merlin is the Knight quest artifact. It is the prize for completing the Knight quest, and is lawful for wishing purposes. Its base item type is a mirror.

Contents

1 Effects

1.1 Double damage

2 Strategy
3 Variants

3.1 EvilHack

4 Encyclopedia entry
5 References

Effects
When carried, the Magic Mirror of Merlin confers magic resistance and telepathy. In addition, Knights do double damage to their enemies with some wands and most spells.
When applied or wielded, the Mirror speaks to you and gives a random rumor - the rumor is true if the Mirror is blessed, false if cursed and either if uncursed. It shares this property with The Master Key of Thievery.

Double damage
A Knight carrying the Magic Mirror of Merlin in open inventory deals double damage to monsters when zapping the following wands or spells:[1][2]

wand of striking, spell of force bolt
wand of undead turning, spell of turn undead
spell of sleep (0, doubled)
spell of drain life
spell of magic missile
spell of cone of cold (only if unskilled or basic)
spell of fireball (only if unskilled or basic)
spell of finger of death
Other effects of these spells (such as the number of levels drained by drain life or the duration of sleep) are not changed.

Strategy
The Magic Mirror of Merlin is a worthwhile choice for lawful non-Knights making an artifact wish due to the magic resistance and telepathy it provides. The Sceptre of Might is a comparable lawful artifact in terms of desirability, but only confers magic resistance when wielded; the Magic Mirror only needs to be carried, making it preferable in that regard.
Some players recommend making knights spellcasters in anticipation of obtaining the Magic Mirror and using its double damage effect; magic missile does enormous damage (with an average of 112) when cast by a level thirty Knight with the Magic Mirror.[3] However, a Knight's starting stats make this somewhat impractical to attempt until much later on.

Variants
EvilHack
In EvilHack, The Magic Mirror of Merlin's magic resistance has been removed and replaced with reflection and half spell damage.

Encyclopedia entry

This powerful mirror was created by Merlin, the druid, in ages past, when trees sang and rocks danced. It protects all who carry it from magic missiles, and gives them ESP.

 

References

↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.6, line 142

↑ src/zap.c in NetHack 3.6.6, line 3750

↑ http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_frm/thread/c67ffc6f2d005d32/7d8d9704d183a623