Wand of polymorph

The valuable Wand of Polymorph allows transformation of creatures and objects. Any targeted creature will be polymorphed, possibly subject to Polymorph Control and/or Unchanging.

If no creature is in the target square (or if the wand was zapped downward), the topmost object in that square will be transformed. If the item is stacked, only one item from the stack will be changed. An Amulet of Unchanging, or an artifact, will be unaffected. The new item will be of the same item class (Weapon, Armor, Wand, etc.) but otherwise random. No consideration is taken of the old item's holy/evil status or charges. The new item may be evil or holy, but will not be an artifact.

Tips:

• It's fairly pointless to use this against enemy creatures, since killing the new form (which may be much nastier) will just return them to their original form.
• Similarly, zapping yourself is risky, unless you have Polymorph Control. It might be worth chancing if you're about to die anyway....
• However, it's rather more useful for your pets, especially if you can get them to wear an Amulet of Unchanging so they won't change back.
  • You may well want to Possess them, and (as them) wear a Ring of Polymorph Control while zapping "yourself", so you can pick their new form (from your own list of choices). But: this will invoke a glitch in the interaction between polymorphing and possession -- if they get killed (and revert to their old form), the old form will keep the Possessed intrinsic, and if they get killed again before that expires, you will take System Shock!
• The most useful feature of this wand is the item transformation. This is the only way to "trade in" items, and it's why you'll want to keep this wand around, and even recharge it with Mana Potions!
  • You can trade in useless wands or rings into useful ones.
  • Likewise for duplicate amulets or staves, especially since they have few varieties. (But remember, an Amulet of Unchanging can't be further transformed.)
  • Empty wands, and books with a single charge, will turn into freshly-charged items!
  • This is a little less helpful for other items, since there are more options -- in particular, any armor can turn into any other armor, and likewise for weapons. However, it may be worth trying to get new books, a Scroll of Identify, or if you're desperate, Speed Boots.
  • Corpses generally turn into Empty Bottles. This might help with Troll's corpses.