This aims to fix the issue in which there are way more wands of speed monster in the game than the player has any use for. Usually, one is enough for the whole game (unless a player has a lot of pets they want to speed up) but since they're an item monsters can generate with, it's typical to see eight to twelve of them, useless for anything besides polypiling into other wands since they just grant an intrinsic that's usually obtained early in the game. By making the wand effect (on the player) temporary very fast speed, it becomes desirable to keep the wand around again. By adding a lightweight source of very fast speed, it also helps diversify character builds away from always relying on speed boots. And importantly, it becomes an item the player can use situationally early in the game to enhance their odds in a fight or run away from danger. Meanwhile, the speed-intrinsic-granting has been moved to the potion, and the potion is still superior to the wand in the duration of very fast speed it grants (100 + d10 turns for an uncursed potion or 160 + d10 turns for a blessed one, versus 50 + d25 turns for the wand). Since monsters don't have a concept of very fast speed, this doesn't change the wand or potion effects on them. They will still gain permanent intrinsic speed by either method.
133 KiB
133 KiB