Difference between revisions of "Hellstaff"

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[[Image:Hellstaff.png|thumb|right|A player using the Hellstaff]]
 
[[Image:Hellstaff.png|thumb|right|A player using the Hellstaff]]
The '''Hellstaff''' is a weapon in [[Heretic]]. It appears to be made out of a demon's skull and spinal column. The Hellstaff is powered by [[Lesser Runes|runes]] and rapidly fires red energy [[projectile]]s similar to [[Doom]]'s [[plasma gun]].
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[[Image:HellstaffE2M2.png|thumb|right|Hellstaff in a hidden chamber in [[E2M2: The Lava Pits (Heretic)|E2M2: The Lava Pits]].]]
 +
The '''Hellstaff''' is a weapon in [[Heretic]]. It appears to be made out of a demon's skull and spinal column. It is powered by [[Lesser Runes|runes]], which it consumes at a rate of one rune per projectile in regular mode, or five per shot when the [[Tome of Power]] is being used.  Maximum capacity is 200 runes, or 400 with the [[Bag of Holding]].  This weapon is always effective on [[Ghosts (Heretic)|ghosts]].  
  
When a [[Tome of Power]] is active, the Hellstaff's firing rate slows down, and it launches powerful projectiles that rain a fiery substance on the area of impact at the cost of five runes per shot. Larger foes, such as an [[Iron Lich]] are likely to get hit by more droplets than smaller foes, hence causing more damage. Though boss foes have a partial immunity to this attack reducing the damage the rain does to them by 50%.
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In its regular mode, the hellstaff rapidly fires red energy [[projectile]]s, performing two shots in succession with every firing cycle, barring ammo depletion.  These energy bolts are one of the few projectiles in the game subject to the effects of [[wind]].
  
The powered-up shots will also home in on enemies provided they are centred in the player's aim when the weapon is fired. This weapon is always effective on [[Ghosts (Heretic)|ghosts]]. Maximum capacity is 200 shots, or 400 with the Bag of Holding.
+
When a Tome of Power is active, the hellstaff's firing rate slows down, and it launches powerful projectiles which deal 10-80 damage and summon "clouds" of rain above the area of impact, at the cost of five runes per shot. In single player, this rain is always red, but in deathmatch the four players each create rain of their corresponding cloak color.  Every tick, the summoned cloud of rain has a ~90.2% chance to spawn a raindrop within a 64-unit radius, and each raindrop does 5-40 damage. Only 2 clouds can be active at once; summoning a third destroys the oldest one. Larger foes, such as an [[Iron Lich|iron lich]], are likely to get hit by more droplets than smaller foes, hence causing more damage. However, boss foes (the [[maulotaur]] and [[D'Sparil]]) have a partial immunity to this attack, reducing the damage each drop does to them by 80%.  The powered-up shots will also home in on enemies provided they are centred in the player's aim when the weapon is fired.  
 +
 
 +
This weapon makes its first appearance in a secret room in [[E2M1: The Crater (Heretic)|E2M1: The Crater]]. It can be discovered again in a hidden chamber on the next map. In [[E2M3: The River of Fire (Heretic)|E2M3: The River of Fire]], the hellstaff finally sits in a non-secret area.
 +
 
 +
== Strategy ==
 +
In its normal mode of operation, the hellstaff is generally effective for hosing high-HP monsters such as [[ophidian]]s and boss creatures, as well as suppressing large groups, fighting enemies lined up in long, narrow corridors, and destroying [[Ghosts (Heretic)|ghosts]], against which it is fully effective. The necessity of firing runes in multiples of two make this weapon less desirable against lone low-HP enemies such as [[chicken]]s or monsters that have already been injured by other sources of damage.  The effect of wind can, in the rare situations where it is a factor, also make this a less desirable weapon to use.
 +
 
 +
The powered up mode is especially effective in situations where large numbers of monsters can be funneled through a narrow chokepoint within a short amount of time.  By firing two powered bolts such that they create an acid storm in the chokepoint, any non-boss monster trying to pursue the player through the storm will be rapidly annihilated.  For maximum damage output this is best done by hitting a leading monster just as it passes through the narrow area, although it is also possible to lay a trap by hitting the walls.  In wide open areas it is much easier for the paths of enemies to avoid the storms, potentially leaving the unpowered mode or a different weapon as the preferable choice.
 +
 
 +
== Trivia ==
 +
The hellstaff is a recurring weapon in ''{{wp|Heretic II}}''.  There, its normal firing mode is similar to the original, though the powered up mode was changed to an alternative form of rapid fire while the acid rain effect was given to a different weapon, the storm bow.
 +
 
 +
== Data ==
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="2"|Hellstaff data
 +
|-
 +
|Weapon number
 +
|5
 +
|-
 +
|[[Damage]]
 +
|3-24 (normal projectile)<br/>10-80 (powered projectile)<br/>5-40 (powered raindrop)
 +
|-
 +
|Included ammo
 +
|50 (75 on [[Skill level|skills]] 1 & 5)
 +
|-
 +
|Max ammo
 +
|200 (400 with [[Bag of Holding]])
 +
|-
 +
|Ammo type
 +
|[[Lesser Runes|Runes]]
 +
|-
 +
|Ammo use
 +
|1 (normal)<br>5 (powered)
 +
|-
 +
|Shot type
 +
|[[Projectile]]
 +
|-
 +
|Velocity
 +
|22 [[map unit]]s per tic<br/>(770 map units per second)
 +
|-
 +
|Shots per minute
 +
|525.0 (regular)<br/>100.0 (powered)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Sound]]
 +
|HRNSHT (normal firing)<br/>HRNHIT (normal impact)<br/>HRNPOW (powered firing)<br/>RAMPHIT (powered hit)
 +
|-
 +
|Appears in
 +
|Registered Heretic
 +
|-
 +
|Thing type
 +
|2004 (decimal), 7D4 (hex)
 +
|-
 +
|Radius
 +
|20
 +
|-
 +
|Height
 +
|16
 +
|-
 +
|[[Sprite]]
 +
|WSKL (before pickup)<br/>HROD (wielded)<br/>FX00 (projectiles)<br/>FX22 (raindrops)
 +
|-
 +
|[[Thing types|Class]]
 +
|[[Weapon]]<br/>Pickup
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== Appearance statistics ==
 +
 
 +
In the [[IWAD]]s the Hellstaff is first encountered on these maps per [[Skill level#Heretic skill levels|skill level]]:
 +
 
 +
{{col-begin}}
 +
{{col-break|width=50%}}
 +
{| {{prettytable}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Single-player
 +
|-
 +
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|''[[City of the Damned]]''||-||-||-
 +
|-
 +
|''[[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-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 Hellstaffs 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]]''||''9''||''9''||''9''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Dome of D'Sparil]]''||''11''||''11''||''11''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Heretic|Heretic (registered)]]||20||20||20
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Ossuary]]''||''10''||''10''||''10''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[The Stagnant Demesne]]''||''10''||''10''||''10''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''[[Fate's Path]]''||''5''||''5''||''5''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|[[Shadow of the Serpent Riders]]||45||45||45
 +
|}
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
{| {{prettytable|style=text-align: center;}}
 +
!colspan="4"|Multiplayer
 +
|-
 +
!Game / ''Episode''!!1-2!!3!!4-5
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''City of the Damned''||''12''||''12''||''12''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''Hell's Maw''||''15''||''15''||''15''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Dome of D'Sparil''||''16''||''16''||''16''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Heretic (registered)||43||43||43
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Ossuary''||''16''||''16''||''16''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''The Stagnant Demesne''||''16''||''16''||''16''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|''Fate's Path''||''5''||''5''||''5''
 +
|-
 +
|style="text-align: left;"|Shadow of the Serpent Riders||80||80||80
 +
|}
 +
{{col-end}}
  
 
{{Heretic weapons}}
 
{{Heretic weapons}}
 
 
[[Category:Heretic weapons]]
 
[[Category:Heretic weapons]]

Revision as of 13:40, 28 February 2020

A player using the Hellstaff
Hellstaff in a hidden chamber in E2M2: The Lava Pits.

The Hellstaff is a weapon in Heretic. It appears to be made out of a demon's skull and spinal column. It is powered by runes, which it consumes at a rate of one rune per projectile in regular mode, or five per shot when the Tome of Power is being used. Maximum capacity is 200 runes, or 400 with the Bag of Holding. This weapon is always effective on ghosts.

In its regular mode, the hellstaff rapidly fires red energy projectiles, performing two shots in succession with every firing cycle, barring ammo depletion. These energy bolts are one of the few projectiles in the game subject to the effects of wind.

When a Tome of Power is active, the hellstaff's firing rate slows down, and it launches powerful projectiles which deal 10-80 damage and summon "clouds" of rain above the area of impact, at the cost of five runes per shot. In single player, this rain is always red, but in deathmatch the four players each create rain of their corresponding cloak color. Every tick, the summoned cloud of rain has a ~90.2% chance to spawn a raindrop within a 64-unit radius, and each raindrop does 5-40 damage. Only 2 clouds can be active at once; summoning a third destroys the oldest one. Larger foes, such as an iron lich, are likely to get hit by more droplets than smaller foes, hence causing more damage. However, boss foes (the maulotaur and D'Sparil) have a partial immunity to this attack, reducing the damage each drop does to them by 80%. The powered-up shots will also home in on enemies provided they are centred in the player's aim when the weapon is fired.

This weapon makes its first appearance in a secret room in E2M1: The Crater. It can be discovered again in a hidden chamber on the next map. In E2M3: The River of Fire, the hellstaff finally sits in a non-secret area.

Strategy

In its normal mode of operation, the hellstaff is generally effective for hosing high-HP monsters such as ophidians and boss creatures, as well as suppressing large groups, fighting enemies lined up in long, narrow corridors, and destroying ghosts, against which it is fully effective. The necessity of firing runes in multiples of two make this weapon less desirable against lone low-HP enemies such as chickens or monsters that have already been injured by other sources of damage. The effect of wind can, in the rare situations where it is a factor, also make this a less desirable weapon to use.

The powered up mode is especially effective in situations where large numbers of monsters can be funneled through a narrow chokepoint within a short amount of time. By firing two powered bolts such that they create an acid storm in the chokepoint, any non-boss monster trying to pursue the player through the storm will be rapidly annihilated. For maximum damage output this is best done by hitting a leading monster just as it passes through the narrow area, although it is also possible to lay a trap by hitting the walls. In wide open areas it is much easier for the paths of enemies to avoid the storms, potentially leaving the unpowered mode or a different weapon as the preferable choice.

Trivia

The hellstaff is a recurring weapon in Heretic II. There, its normal firing mode is similar to the original, though the powered up mode was changed to an alternative form of rapid fire while the acid rain effect was given to a different weapon, the storm bow.

Data

Hellstaff data
Weapon number 5
Damage 3-24 (normal projectile)
10-80 (powered projectile)
5-40 (powered raindrop)
Included ammo 50 (75 on skills 1 & 5)
Max ammo 200 (400 with Bag of Holding)
Ammo type Runes
Ammo use 1 (normal)
5 (powered)
Shot type Projectile
Velocity 22 map units per tic
(770 map units per second)
Shots per minute 525.0 (regular)
100.0 (powered)
Sound HRNSHT (normal firing)
HRNHIT (normal impact)
HRNPOW (powered firing)
RAMPHIT (powered hit)
Appears in Registered Heretic
Thing type 2004 (decimal), 7D4 (hex)
Radius 20
Height 16
Sprite WSKL (before pickup)
HROD (wielded)
FX00 (projectiles)
FX22 (raindrops)
Class Weapon
Pickup

Appearance statistics

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

The IWADs contain the following numbers of Hellstaffs per skill level: