Difference between revisions of "Phoenix rod"

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The '''Phoenix Rod''' is a powerful weapon from [[Heretic]]. This golden winged rod is powered by [[Flame Orb]]s. It launches fireballs that explode with [[splash damage]] which can hurt the player if he is too close. Each fireball does 20-160 points of damage, in round multiples of 20, plus a blast radius of 128 units (taking a direct hit automatically incurs the full 128 additional points). This mode is equivalent to Doom's [[rocket launcher]]. The Phoenix Rod can be chanced first in [[E2M3: The River of Fire]] where it is placed in a non-secret, albeit tricky, part of the lava river. By contrast, the following map, [[E2M4: The Ice Grotto]], has the Rod sitting on an obvious position, allowing the player to finally grab the weapon if he missed it on the previous level.  
+
[[File:HTIC00.png|thumb|right|256px|A phoenix rod picked up after its first occurrence.]]
 +
The '''phoenix rod''' is a powerful weapon from [[Heretic]]. This golden winged rod is powered by [[flame orb]]s. It launches fireballs that explode with [[splash damage]] which can hurt the player if they are too close. Each fireball does 20-160 points of damage, in round multiples of 20, plus a blast radius of 128 units (taking a direct hit automatically incurs the full 128 additional points). This mode is equivalent to Doom's [[rocket launcher]]. The phoenix rod can be chanced first in [[E2M3: The River of Fire (Heretic)|E2M3: The River of Fire]] where it is placed in a non-secret, albeit tricky, part of the lava river. By contrast, the following map, [[E2M4: The Ice Grotto (Heretic)|E2M4: The Ice Grotto]], has the rod sitting on an obvious position, allowing the player to finally grab the weapon if they missed it on the previous level.
  
When enhanced by a [[Tome of Power]], the Phoenix Rod behaves like a flamethrower, pumping out a torrent of fire for 10 seconds that causes 2-16 damage per [[tic]], or 70-560 damage per second. The Phoenix Rod's normal fireballs pass through [[Ghosts (Heretic)|ghosts]] without harming them. However, its splash damage and power mode flames will damage ghosts. Maximum capacity is 20 shots, or 40 with the Bag of Holding.
+
When enhanced by a [[Tome of Power]], the phoenix rod behaves like a flamethrower, pumping out a torrent of fire that causes 2-16 damage per [[tic]], or 70-560 damage per second, and can be channeled for up to 10 seconds by holding the attack button, spending 1 ammo in the end of the channeling. If the channeling ends by reaching its limit, firing again requires re-pressing the attack button.
 +
 
 +
The phoenix rod's normal fireballs pass through [[Ghosts (Heretic)|ghosts]] without harming them. However, its splash damage and power mode flames will damage ghosts. Maximum capacity is 20 shots, or 40 with the [[Bag of Holding]].
 +
 
 +
Description of the phoenix rod from [[Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders manual|the manual]]: ''The Phoenix Rod delivers an explosive charge that will decimate the normal baddie to bits. Powered-up, it's time to deliver some deep-fried damage as the rod pours out a steady, hot stream of raw inferno! Watch'em scream and burn - it's great!''
 +
 
 +
== Strategy ==
 +
As an explosive weapon, the unpowered phoenix rod is best used at longer distances against clusters of enemies, or against bosses. Although it cannot hit ghosts directly, it is still effective to hit non-ghost monsters that are clustered with ghosts, or in times of desperation, to shoot the fireball against a wall or obstacle that ghosts are near to. When enemies close to nearer ranges, a different weapon should be chosen.
 +
 
 +
When powered, the weapon's role completely changes. Now it is a close range weapon that can potentially [[Doom community jargon#Stunlocking|stunlock]] even resilient enemies, allowing a player to quickly burn through groups of minions or inflict terrible damage upon bosses, with a single orb's worth of flames generally being more than sufficient to destroy an [[iron lich]] and seriously injure a [[maulotaur]], although [[D'Sparil]], once in his dismounted phase, may still manage to teleport away from the onslaught, causing firepower to be wasted. To achieve the maximum effect of each flame orb, the trigger must be held down until the orb is completely exhausted, otherwise the remaining output will be lost. It is then necessary to release and press the trigger again to begin burning another orb.
  
 
== Data ==
 
== Data ==
 +
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Phoenix rod data
 +
|-
 +
| [[Thing types|Thing type]]||2003 (decimal), 7D3 (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mobj|Enum]]||MT_WPHOENIXROD (85)
 +
|-
 +
| Appears in||[[Heretic]]/[[Shadow of the Serpent Riders|SSR expansion]]
 +
|-
 +
| Radius||20
 +
|-
 +
| Height||16
 +
|-
 +
| [[Thing types|Class]]||[[Weapon]]<br>Pickup
 +
|-
 +
| Flags||{{c|1}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00000001}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags list|| 0: Can be picked up
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2||{{c|0}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00000000}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Spawns||MT_PHOENIXFX1 (regular)<br>MT_PHOENIXFX2 (powered)
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break|gap=0.5em}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Weapon attributes
 +
|-
 +
| Weapon slot||6
 +
|-
 +
| Included ammo||2 (3 on [[Skill level|skills]] 1 & 5)
 +
|-
 +
| Max ammo||20 (40 with [[Bag of Holding]])
 +
|-
 +
| Ammo use||1 per shot (regular)<br>1 per up to 350 shots ([[Tome of Power|powered]])
 +
|-
 +
| Ammo type||[[Flame orb|Flame]] & [[inferno orb]]s
 +
|-
 +
| Shots per minute||105.0 (regular)<br>2100.0 (powered)
 +
|}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
! [[State]]!![[Sprite]]!!Frames
 +
|-
 +
| Before pickup||WPHX||1 [A]
 +
|-
 +
| Wielded||PHNX||1 [A]
 +
|-
 +
| Firing||PHNX||5 [BCDBB]
 +
|-
 +
| Refiring||PHNX||4 [BCDB]
 +
|-
 +
| Wielded (powered)||PHNX||1 [A]
 +
|-
 +
| Firing (powered)||PHNX||3 [BCB]
 +
|-
 +
| Refiring (powered)||PHNX||1 [C]
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
 +
 +
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Regular ranged attack
 +
|-
 +
| Type||[[Projectile]]
 +
|-
 +
| Enum||MT_PHOENIXFX1 (86)
 +
|-
 +
| Velocity||20 [[map unit]]s per tic<br>(700 map units per second)
 +
|-
 +
| [[Damage]]||20-160 (direct hit)<br>0-128 ([[Blast damage|blast radius]])<br>148-288 (direct hit + blast radius)
 +
|-
 +
| Radius||11
 +
|-
 +
| Height||8
 +
|-
 +
| Sprite||FX04 (in flight)<br>FX08 (impact)
 +
|-
 +
| Frames||1 [A] (in flight)<br>8 [ABCDEFGH] (impact)
 +
|-
 +
| [[Sound]]||PHOSHT (firing)<br>PHOHIT (impact)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags||{{c|67088}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00010610}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags list|| 4: No blocklinks (Inert)<br> 9: No gravity<br>10: Drops off ledges<br>16: Projectile
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2||{{c|136}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00000088}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2 list|| 3: Missile passes thru ghosts<br> 7: No teleport
 +
|-
 +
| Spawns||MT_PHOENIXPUFF (smoke)
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break|gap=0.5em}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Smoke
 +
|-
 +
| Enum||MT_PHOENIXPUFF (87)
 +
|-
 +
| Velocity||0
 +
|-
 +
| Radius||20
 +
|-
 +
| Height||16
 +
|-
 +
| Sprite||FX04
 +
|-
 +
| Frames||5 [BCDEF] (in flight)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags||{{c|262672}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00040210}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags list|| 4: No blocklinks (Inert)<br> 9: No gravity<br>18: Partial invisibility
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2||{{c|8320}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00002080}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2 list|| 7: No teleport<br>13: Cannot push other pushables
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Powered ranged attack
 +
|-
 +
| Type||Flame
 +
|-
 +
| Enum||MT_PHOENIXFX2 (88)
 +
|-
 +
| Velocity||10 map units per tic<br>(350 map units per second)
 +
|-
 +
| Damage||2-16
 +
|-
 +
| Radius||6
 +
|-
 +
| Height||8
 +
|-
 +
| Sprite||FX09
 +
|-
 +
| Frames||10 [ABABABCDEF] (firing)<br>5 [GHIJK] (impact)
 +
|-
 +
| Sound||PHOPOW (firing)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags||{{c|67088}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00010610}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags list|| 4: No blocklinks (Inert)<br> 9: No gravity<br>10: Drops off ledges<br>16: Projectile
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2||{{c|65664}} (decimal)<br>{{c|00010080}} (hex)
 +
|-
 +
| Flags2 list|| 7: No teleport<br>16: Fire damage
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
 +
 +
== Appearance statistics ==
 +
In the [[IWAD]]s the phoenix rod is first encountered on these maps per [[Skill level#Heretic skill levels|skill level]]:
  
 +
{{col-begin}}
 +
{{col-break|width=50%}}
 
{| {{prettytable}}
 
{| {{prettytable}}
!colspan="2"|Phoenix rod data
+
!colspan="4"|Single-player
 +
|-
 +
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|''[[City of the Damned]]''||-||-||-
 +
|-
 +
|''[[Hell's Maw]]''||[[E2M3: The River of Fire]]||E2M3: The River of Fire||E2M3: The River of Fire
 +
|-
 +
|''[[The Dome of D'Sparil]]''||[[E3M2: The Cesspool]]||E3M2: The Cesspool||E3M2: The Cesspool
 +
|-
 +
|''[[The Ossuary]]''||[[E4M2: Blockhouse]]||E4M2: Blockhouse||E4M2: Blockhouse
 +
|-
 +
|''[[The Stagnant Demesne]]''||[[E5M1: Ochre Cliffs]]||E5M1: Ochre Cliffs||E5M1: Ochre Cliffs
 +
|-
 +
|''[[Fate's Path]]''||[[E6M1: Raven's Lair]]||E6M1: Raven's Lair||E6M1: Raven's Lair
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Multiplayer
 +
|-
 +
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|''City of the Damned''||[[E1M1: The Docks]]||E1M1: The Docks||E1M1: The Docks
 +
|-
 +
|''Hell's Maw''||[[E2M1: The Crater]]||E2M1: The Crater||E2M1: The Crater
 +
|-
 +
|''The Dome of D'Sparil''||[[E3M1: The Storehouse]]||E3M1: The Storehouse||E3M1: The Storehouse
 +
|-
 +
|''The Ossuary''||[[E4M1: Catafalque]]||E4M1: Catafalque||E4M1: Catafalque
 +
|-
 +
|''The Stagnant Demesne''||E5M1: Ochre Cliffs||E5M1: Ochre Cliffs||E5M1: Ochre Cliffs
 +
|-
 +
|''Fate's Path''||E6M1: Raven's Lair||E6M1: Raven's Lair||E6M1: Raven's Lair
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
 +
 
 +
The IWADs contain the following numbers of phoenix rods per skill level:
 +
 
 +
{{col-begin}}
 +
{{col-break|width=50%}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Single-player
 +
|-
 +
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[City of the Damned]]''||''0''||''0''||''0''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[Hell's Maw]]''||''8''||''8''||''8''
 
|-
 
|-
|Weapon number
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Dome of D'Sparil]]''||''8''||''8''||''8''
|6
 
 
|-
 
|-
|[[Damage]]
+
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Heretic|Heretic (registered)]]||16||16||16
|20-160 (normal direct hit)<br/>0-128 (normal [[blast damage|blast radius]])<br/>148-288 (normal direct hit + [[blast damage|blast radius]])<br/>2-16 (powered hit)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Included ammo
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Ossuary]]''||''10''||''10''||''10''
|2 (4 on [[Skill level|skills]] 1 & 5)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Max ammo
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Stagnant Demesne]]''||''10''||''10''||''10''
|20 (40 with [[Bag of Holding]])
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Ammo type
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[Fate's Path]]''||''4''||''4''||''4''
|[[Flame Orb]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Shot type
+
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Shadow of the Serpent Riders]]||40||40||40
|[[Projectile]]
+
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Multiplayer
 
|-
 
|-
|Velocity (normal)
+
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
|20 [[map unit]]s per tic<br>(700 map units per second)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Velocity (powered)
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''City of the Damned''||''9''||''9''||''9''
|10 [[map unit]]s per tic<br>(350 map units per second)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Shots per minute
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''Hell's Maw''||''12''||''12''||''12''
|105.0 (normal)<br/>2100.0 (powered)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|[[Sound]]
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Dome of D'Sparil''||''13''||''13''||''13''
|PHOSHT (normal firing)<br>PHOHIT (normal impact)<br>PHOPOW (powered firing)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Appears in
+
|style="text-align: left;"|Heretic (registered)||34||34||34
|Heretic
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Thing type
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Ossuary''||''16''||''16''||''16''
|2003 (decimal), 7D3 (hex)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|Radius
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Stagnant Demesne''||''19''||''19''||''19''
|20
 
 
|-
 
|-
|[[Sprite]]
+
|style="text-align: left;"|''Fate's Path''||''4''||''4''||''4''
|WPHX (before pickup)<br>PHNX (wielded)<br>FX04 (flying normal projectile)<br>FX08 (exploding normal projectile)<br>FX09 (powered projectile)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|[[Thing types|Class]]
+
|style="text-align: left;"|Shadow of the Serpent Riders||73||73||73
|Weapon<br>Pickup
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
 +
 +
== Trivia ==
 +
* ''{{wp|Heretic II}}'' continued the trend of phoenix-themed explosive weapons, although rather than bring back the phoenix rod directly, there is instead a phoenix bow.
 +
* Three frames of the phoenix rod's ranged attack impact sprite were removed in Heretic v1.2 compared to v1.0. These are: {{c|FX08I0}}, {{c|FX08J0}}, {{c|FX08K0}}.
  
 
{{Heretic weapons}}
 
{{Heretic weapons}}
[[Category:Heretic weapons]]
 

Latest revision as of 15:36, 18 January 2024

A phoenix rod picked up after its first occurrence.

The phoenix rod is a powerful weapon from Heretic. This golden winged rod is powered by flame orbs. It launches fireballs that explode with splash damage which can hurt the player if they are too close. Each fireball does 20-160 points of damage, in round multiples of 20, plus a blast radius of 128 units (taking a direct hit automatically incurs the full 128 additional points). This mode is equivalent to Doom's rocket launcher. The phoenix rod can be chanced first in E2M3: The River of Fire where it is placed in a non-secret, albeit tricky, part of the lava river. By contrast, the following map, E2M4: The Ice Grotto, has the rod sitting on an obvious position, allowing the player to finally grab the weapon if they missed it on the previous level.

When enhanced by a Tome of Power, the phoenix rod behaves like a flamethrower, pumping out a torrent of fire that causes 2-16 damage per tic, or 70-560 damage per second, and can be channeled for up to 10 seconds by holding the attack button, spending 1 ammo in the end of the channeling. If the channeling ends by reaching its limit, firing again requires re-pressing the attack button.

The phoenix rod's normal fireballs pass through ghosts without harming them. However, its splash damage and power mode flames will damage ghosts. Maximum capacity is 20 shots, or 40 with the Bag of Holding.

Description of the phoenix rod from the manual: The Phoenix Rod delivers an explosive charge that will decimate the normal baddie to bits. Powered-up, it's time to deliver some deep-fried damage as the rod pours out a steady, hot stream of raw inferno! Watch'em scream and burn - it's great!

Strategy[edit]

As an explosive weapon, the unpowered phoenix rod is best used at longer distances against clusters of enemies, or against bosses. Although it cannot hit ghosts directly, it is still effective to hit non-ghost monsters that are clustered with ghosts, or in times of desperation, to shoot the fireball against a wall or obstacle that ghosts are near to. When enemies close to nearer ranges, a different weapon should be chosen.

When powered, the weapon's role completely changes. Now it is a close range weapon that can potentially stunlock even resilient enemies, allowing a player to quickly burn through groups of minions or inflict terrible damage upon bosses, with a single orb's worth of flames generally being more than sufficient to destroy an iron lich and seriously injure a maulotaur, although D'Sparil, once in his dismounted phase, may still manage to teleport away from the onslaught, causing firepower to be wasted. To achieve the maximum effect of each flame orb, the trigger must be held down until the orb is completely exhausted, otherwise the remaining output will be lost. It is then necessary to release and press the trigger again to begin burning another orb.

Data[edit]

Appearance statistics[edit]

In the IWADs the phoenix rod is first encountered on these maps per skill level:

The IWADs contain the following numbers of phoenix rods per skill level:

Trivia[edit]

  • Heretic II continued the trend of phoenix-themed explosive weapons, although rather than bring back the phoenix rod directly, there is instead a phoenix bow.
  • Three frames of the phoenix rod's ranged attack impact sprite were removed in Heretic v1.2 compared to v1.0. These are: FX08I0, FX08J0, FX08K0.