Power

This information is reliable as of patch 2.0.202.104. If this is no longer the current patch, you can help by updating it.

This information is reliable as of patch 2.0.202.104.

Many artifacts, weapons, computerized equipment, and other machinery in Caves of Qud require power in order to function. Units of power are typically referred to as charge, regardless of the type of power source involved. For example, an item might require 50 charge to be activated, which could be provided by an electric energy cell, a hydraulic power system, or another type of power system entirely. This type of "charge" should not be confused with Charge, the skill.

Types of Power

Electrical power is the most common type of power found in Caves of Qud, but many other forms of power are also found throughout the world.

In some cases non-electrical sources are used to power objects directly, while in other cases that alternate power source is first converted into electrical power through energy cells or other mediums. The Power Usage Examples table gives a rough outline of some of the types of power that are used throughout the gameworld. Conversion between power sources and the borders between those categories are inherently fuzzy, so that table should be taken as a general guide rather than an irrefutable authority on the matter.

Electric

The most common way to deliver charge to an item is with an energy cell. The laser pistol, hologram bracelet, and powered exoskeleton are all examples of items that require an energy cell to function.

Electrically-powered objects, as well as electric power generators and storage mechanisms, are always EMP Sensitive, unless electromagnetically shielded.

Electrical power can be found being transmitted by electrical power grids such as those found in Grit Gate, Ezra, or The Yd Freehold.

Hydraulic

Main article: Hydraulic power

Power is sometimes carried by hydraulic transmission systems. Grit Gate has one of these, in addition to its electrical power grid.

Liquid-Fueled

Some items are powered by liquid as fuel. The exact method of charge production may vary - for example, a combustion cell generates power through combustion, but a blood-gradient hand vacuum produces power through more mysterious biochemical means. For these type of items, one dram of liquid corresponds to a certain amount of charge that can be provided to the object. Liquid-fueled energy cells are also considered electrical power because the liquid is used for the purpose of electricity generation.

Mechanical

Main article: Mechanical power

Mechanical transmission systems use natural forces, such as water or wind, to power machinery. The wooden water wheel and millstone in Joppa is an example of this.

Kinetic / Clockwork

Certain objects rely on bodily movement to generate charge. For example, the fidget cell is charged by being worn on the body for a period of time, and the carcass kneader uses a hand crank to be charged. The player may choose to wind up the carcass kneader by interacting with it.

Solar

Main article: Solar power

Solar powered objects convert sunlight into charge. When something is solar-powered, it will only recharge during the day while on the surface, or in areas that can reach sunlight, like the open air pits in the Rust Wells.

Broadcast

Main article: Broadcast power

Broadcast power is available on or near the surface, from satellites (this sometimes being interrupted by atmospheric and orbital phenomena), and from broadcast powers stations, including the one inside Grit Gate. Radio-powered energy cells and a variety of other objects can receive broadcast power.

Zero Point Energy Collector

The Zero Point Energy Collector (ZPEC) is a reality distorting, infinite electrical power source that charges depending on the current world that the object resides in. As long as the item is in "JoppaWorld", which is the starting world that the player starts in, the ZPEC will generate a constant amount of charge each turn, which varies depending on the object. The ceremonial vibrokhopesh, grav chair, and black mote all use the ZPEC.

How the ZPEC exactly works is unknown, but as the process is reality distorting it cannot work under the effects of normality. This means that being in a normality field or normality gas will cause the item to stop charging.

Power Usage Examples

Power Type	Inputs	Conduits	Outputs
Electric	fusion power stations hydraulic turbines solar power stations Energy cells, including: antimatter cells biodynamic cells chem cells combustion cells fidget cells lead-acid cells nuclear cells solar cells thermoelectric cells	power lines high-voltage power lines Wired walls	Energy-loaded missile weapons Energy cell-powered melee weapons such as stun rods and maghammers Energy cell-powered equipment such as hologram bracelets and Stopsvalinn broadcast power stations brass foaminators Barathrum clocks with Q Girl pendulum conveyor drive units electric crematoriums electrodicus flux gauges food processors force projectors gas burners glass furnaces glass printers mainframe monitors mainframe control panels mainframe status panels vacuum column tape drives chromeling signal relaies communications panels hydraulic brass foaminators induction charging stations industrial fans kilns lathes liquid-cooled unicomputers loudspeakers powered armillary spheres powered telescopes psionic sarcophagus reclamation cists regeneration tanks gates rock tumblers torture chairs unicomputers universal charging stations wire extruders
Bioelectric	Electrical Generation biodynamic power plant		Jacked equipment
Fusion	fusion power stations fusion pumping stations Fusion reactor onboard power systems		Objects and creatures with an onboard fusion reactor, including: hyperbiotic chairs hyperbiotic beds becoming nooks norm cores I, II, and III galgals anomaly extinguishers arcwyrks chrome pyramids Jacked equipment power line or wired outputs from fusion power stations to electrical power grids glass hydraulic pipe or piping outputs from fusion pumping stations to hydraulic power grids
Hydraulic	fusion pumping stations hydraulic brass foaminators solar pumping stations	glass hydraulic pipes Walls with piping	Barathrum clocks with Q Girl pendulum electrodicus flux gauges food processors force projectors gas burners glass furnaces glass printers hydraulic irrigators hydraulic press hydraulic turbines lathes liquid-cooled unicomputers powered armillary spheres psionic sarcophagus regeneration tanks rock tumblers torture chairs wire extruders
Mechanical	wooden water wheels wooden wind turbines	wooden machinery Walls with a gearbox	millstones
Kinetic	Body movement		fidget cells
Solar	Sunlight		black motes solar cells solar condensers solar power stations solar pumping stations solar stills traipsing mortars
Liquid (combustion / thermal)	oil lava		combustion cells thermoelectric cells rocket skates gyrocopter backpacks
Liquid (biological / chemical)	blood acid sap gel oil ink slime		biodynamic cells lead-acid cells blood-gradient hand vacuums seed spitters thistle pitchers slip rings
Broadcast	broadcast power stations		Radio-powered items black motes quantum ripplers reclamation cists regeneration tanks Rodanis Ys traipsing mortars
Zero-Point	Zero-Point Energy Collector		ceremonial vibrokhopeshes grav chairs

Charge Estimates

Unless the player character has a telemetric visor or the optical technoscanner, all types of power storage include descriptions stating its vague percentage of charge available. They are separated into 6 sections.

	Charge Type
Percentage	Electrical	Clockwork	Light	Kinetic	Tension	Biological
0%	Drained	Run Down	Dark	Stopped	Slack	Exhausted
1-10%	Very Low	Very Run Down	Very Dim	Very Slow	Very Slack	Flagging
11-25%	Low	Fairly Run Down	Somewhat Dim	Somewhat Slow	Fairly Slack	Enervated
26-50%	Used	Somewhat Run Down	Somewhat Bright	Fairly Fast	Somewhat Slack	Fatigued
51-75%	Fresh	Well-wound	Fairly Bright	Nearly Full Speed	Tense	Lively
76-100%	Full	Fully Wound	Bright	Full Speed	Fully Tensed	Vigorous

Note that the fullest value shows up with charge levels as low as 76%. Technoscanning is the only way to see if the cell is completely charged. When seeing the exact percentage, 100% will only display when the cell is truly at max charge.

References

Unless stated, information comes from XRL.World.Capabilities.EnergyStorage