Using some wands

[mopl]

I think I've never used some wands, and I'm pretty sure that make me sometimes take risks I shouldn't
- enslavement
- slowing
- polymorph

When do you use then/advice to use them ?

[XuaXua]

I think I've never used some wands, and I'm pretty sure that make me sometimes take risks I shouldn't
- enslavement
- slowing
- polymorph

When do you use then/advice to use them ?

Slowing when you need to run away or get some hits in.
Enslavement when you need a monster to block or "take out" another monster.
Polymorph on electric eels and unseen horrors.

[Sar]

Shapeshifters and ugly things don't resist polymorph - shifters change to another appropriate form and uglies change colour.

Edit: also all hex wands work well vs. orb spiders.

[dck]

Note that shifters are always affected unless their current form is immune to hostile enchantments.
Glowy eyes are immune so try not out about this in an awkward situation.

[crate]

Start an artificer to learn about enslave wand. It's straightforward: it's a better-than-instakill on low-MR targets.
Wand of slowing is for when you don't have actually good wands (like even confusion) and have wand of slowing and can be bothered to use it on low-MR things.

Poly is more complicated, but there are three general categories for monsters that are good to polymorph:

1) monsters that are dangerous primarily because of their equipment. Examples: orc warrior, orc knight, possibly gnoll, Sonja, Nessos
2) monsters that are dangerous because of one particular ability, often resistible (but you don't have the resistance). Examples: giant eyeball, red/yellow wasp, orb spider, fire crab
3) specific other things: water monsters (particularly eels), ugly things of a dangerous colour, shapeshifters in a form you don't like

most animals are bad poly targets so don't use poly in lair for the most part

[WalkerBoh]

Enslavement is most useful for packs of monsters. On Ar, I use it against early gnoll and bee packs with great success. It's also good for things like ogres that would be too dangerous to take 1v1 but have low MR. Enslavement is easily the best wand Ar starts with.

I personally never use slowing. And crate covered poly very well.

[sgrunt]

Also try using enslavement with Inner Flame. It's a real blast.

[XuaXua]

Also try using enslavement with Inner Flame. It's a real blast.

Inner Flame FIRST, then Enslave.

[Senban]

Also try using enslavement with Inner Flame. It's a real blast.

Inner Flame FIRST, then Enslave.

Curare first is also worth considering.

[Sprucery]

Slowing is extremely good in the early game for kiting ogres and other monsters you don't want to get next to you.

Enslavement is great for early orc packs. Enslave a priest, wizard or warrior, who kills the rest of the pack. Then you can easily finish it when it's hurt after the battle.

If I find a wand of polymorph in the early game, I may use it against jellies. Typically the first poly wand is found so late that it doesn't have much use. Eels, probably.