Noita is an unforgiving game. The independently produced roguelite has become a cult favorite, thanks to a combination of highly challenging gameplay, an impressively detailed physics engine, and a creative take on Alchemy and Norse mythology.
Relentlessly difficult as the game is, you might regret ever trying to play it in the first place. But Noita is also thrilling, immersive, and hilarious, with an exciting degree of gameplay variety.
Here are 10 spells to help you survive the experience... Or at least look good dying.
10. Spark bolt.
A quick shot of energy, Spark Bolt is one of Noita's earliest spells. As you move downwards across the game world, it might strike you as feeble. Even a bit dull. But thanks to the game's sophisticated wand editing system, and the opportunities for customization it provides, Spark Bolt can become a surprisingly versatile spell.
With a well-chosen wand and the right combination of spell modifiers, you can increase its (already unusual) speed stats, as well as the damage it inflicts. Add to this its high rate of critical hits, and you'll be surprised how often this spurt of purple light might be saving your life.
Features:
- High speed projectile.
- Reduced recharge time and cast delay.
- Can be combined with high-speed wands, to create an early game railgun.
9. Teleport Bolt.
Not all spells in Moita are offensive. In fact, the game features a range of spells that affect your own character, the environment, or other elements of gameplay. Teleport Bolt is both one of the more useful and one of the more interesting among these.
Rather than working as a regular projectile, Teleport Bolt is a fast zap of white energy that immediately transports your character to the point it hits, even if it's off-screen. The spell is a precious asset when navigating the overworld surface areas. But it's also a great way to make player movement more fluid across wider, open spaces within the game’s core tiers.
Features:
- Makes navigating larger areas that much easier.
- When cast upwards, it can help you reach otherwise inaccessible higher areas.
- Great as a defensive spell: swiftly zap away from trickier situations.
8. TNT
Noita features a number of explosive spells. Some will cause outright explosions, others will induce explosive damage as they hit their target. TNT is an early spell that deals decent damage and creates a nice, circular crater wherever it hits.
Its major disadvantage is how unreliable it is. Using it can be a bit of a guessing game, as the projectile bounces around.
But with Homing Shot (which directs a projectile towards your Enemy), you can use it both as a means to alter the terrain and to deal nearby enemies a large amount of damage. Combine that with Fire Trail (which sets projectiles on fire), and you'll have a strong spell for colder biomes and harder ice areas.
Features:
- Provides decent enemy and terrain damage.
- For safety, look out for the Explosion Immunity perk.
- The soothing reassurance of things gone boom.
7. Lightning Bolt.
Lightning Bolt barely needs an introduction. As the ingame text will tell you, this is “a primordial force of nature." Shooting it causes major electric and explosive damage, making it a heavy hitter from the moment you find it. And because it electrifies the objects it strikes, you can use it tactically, to deal indirect damage to both enemies and objects.
Careful, though. The spell is so powerful it might damage your own character, especially if you use it in enclosed areas. The Electricity Immunity perk will sort that out smoothly, and will help against Electric damage more generally.
Features:
- Powerful burst of concentrated power.
- Guaranteed to make a dent against both enemies and terrain.
- Might make you feel just a bit godly.
6. Digging Bolt
If you’re looking for a sturdy, reliable spell, Digging Bolt is one of the strongest contenders. Because of its limited reach, it won’t be of much use in battle. But it’s an excellent means of digging through denser terrains and materials, turning even hard rock into pliable mush.
Use it well, and you’ll be able to create your own pathways across each tier and biome, and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. And if you’re hoping to make the most of the game, non-linear play is always the way.
Features:
- Equipped with a fast-shooting want, it’ll fire continuously.
- Helpful when you want to dig your surroundings for gold.
- Will boost other spells on the same wand, making them faster.
5. Chainsaw
Compared to Digging Bolt, Chainsaw might seem a bit clumsy. Sure, it’ll help you move faster across the biomes, as you buzz your way through the terrain. But because it isn’t as efficient against tougher materials, its uses are more limited.
Use it in direct battle, however, and you’ll find it deals hefty damage, while drastically increasing the amount of blood on screen. If you’re a freewheeling sadist, that might be reason enough. But in Noita, blood is a valuable resource, which protects your character against fire damage, and boosts your chance of critical hits significantly.
Better still is its value as a spell modifier. When combined with other spells, it will boost their speed tremendously. Add one Spark Bolt to go, and your magic railgun is set.
Features:
- Helpful for digging into and destroying your surroundings.
- Very powerful against organic, pliable materials.
- Can be repurposed as a spell modifier, with impressive results.
4. Bubble Spark
Found relatively early in the game, Bubble Spark is a common enough spell. And a pretty one, at that! If your wand casts it slowly, it won’t gain much traction: it’ll cast the odd pop of blue, and that’s pretty much it.
But with the right wand in hand, the spell will spam the combat area with blue bursts of damaging magic. Combine a few copies of the spell with the Multicast spell modifier, and you’ll fire a number of Bubble Sparks at once. Reduce its already minute cast delay, and it might just become fatal.
Features:
- Works great in short-distance combat.
- Meshes well with Fire Arc and Fire Trail.
- Combine it with Chainsaw, and well...
3. Rain Cloud
Sure, clouds sound like an unpromising prospect in a world set on killing you at the slightest misstep. But a large part of the excitement of playing Noita lies in figuring out its alchemical system, and how different materials interact within it. If you’re hoping to beat the game, you’ll need to learn the basics of this system.
When cast, Rain Cloud will do pretty much what it says on the tin: it causes rain to pour down within a limited area. Given how often you’ll find yourself on fire, a quick shower will always come in handy... Add to this that water washes away most status ailments, and you have a strong support spell that’ll help out pretty consistently.
Features:
- Will act aggressively against fire-elemental enemies.
- Helps extinguish flames, and solidifies lava.
- Counteracts most status effects, including poison.
2. Concentrated Light.
Concentrated Light results in a hard hitting beam of light energy, which deals explosive damage to boot. Like Bubble Spark, it impressively features a negative Cast Delay value, which means it shoots nearly immediately. Another advantage of the spell is that it fires in a straight line, making it a valuable option for more precise shots.
Low-mana wands won’t carry the spell, which will burn through their mana too quickly. Luckily, the spell is so powerful and so fat that it can turn a slow-shooting wand into a fast, sharp shooter. Find yourself a robust wand, and Concentrated Light will be one of your best options for sniper-like, long-distance combat.
Features:
- The spell does curve slightly...
- Best when there are few obstacles in sight.
- Combine with the Add Mana modifier, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
1. Luminous Drill.
On first encounter, Luminous Drill is a weird, clunky thing. While it strikes quite a lot of direct damage, you’ll often find it paired with wands that cast the spell too briefly and too slowly. One short strike of green light, and that’s it. But Luminous Drill is a strong example of how wandcrafting can make all the difference in Noita.
With the right wand, you’ll be able to shoot Luminous Drill nearly continuously, turning it into a trustworthy lazer that deals heavy damage. Plus, you can connect various copies of the spell in the same wand, and experiment with spell modifiers to alter its range and its shape.
What feels buggy tool at first might just be what wins you the game.
Features:- Excellent for digging purposes, and to explore the terrain.
- Looks like a laser hiccup in the wrong context...
- ...but in the right hands, it’s a world-eater.
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