Spider Form

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Spider Form
Level	3
School1	Transmutation
School2	Poison
Source(s)	Book of Changes Book of Envenomations
Casting noise	3
Spell noise	0

This spell temporarily transforms the caster into a venomous, spider-like creature. Spellcasting is slightly more difficult in this form. While in this form, you can cling to walls.

In Spider Form you are granted:

• A venom-branded unarmed attack with base damage 5
• A +5 bonus to dexterity
• Tiny size (improves EV)
• Base movement delay is set to 8 (10 is normal for humans)
• A large bonus to stealth: the racial modifier is set to 21 (15 is normal for humans)
• AC of 2
• Clinging to walls (see below)
• -10% to spell success
• A to hit bonus
• Vulnerability to poison. Any amount of poison is doubled. Can be negated with a source of poison resistance, but it's impossible to be resistant to poison.
• Corpses cannot be butchered by hand

In spider form, you cannot wield a weapon, throw projectiles, or use wands, and you are only allowed to wear jewelry (other worn items will meld with your new form). The duration of the transformation is 10 + random2(power) + random2(power), capped at 60 turns. While spider form is active, you will cling to adjacent orthogonal walls, allowing you to cross deep water and lava. If the wall is dug or your transformation ends, you will fall of the wall (possibly causing you to drown!).

Mummies and ghouls cannot memorize this spell. Vampires can memorize this spell, but cannot cast it if they are satiated or less.

Note that species with innate movement speed modifiers (spriggans, centaurs, nagas, etc.) do not retain these modifiers when transformed; Spriggans are actually slower in spider form. As with all transformations, you lose all effects from melded armour and weapons, including any helpful resistances they may have granted you. Octopodes keep their 8 ring slots.

The Shining One doesn't seem to mind if you cast this spell, but you will incur penance if you poison a sentient, non-evil monster. Using it against animals, undead, or demons works just fine (though the latter two are immune to poison).

Strategy

This spell is quite useful for low level Transmuters. Although the base damage is low, most monsters you encounter early in the dungeon are not poison resistant. Monsters will also have a harder time hitting you because of the evasion bonuses, but be aware that when they do manage to land a hit, you'll have very low AC to reduce it. The movement speed bonus and cling ability also make this spell useful for escaping from trouble or for crossing hazardous terrain. Another advantage of Spider Form is that the secondary spell school, Poison Magic, does not incur anti-training, unlike other self-transformation spells like Ice Form or Statue Form.

Spider Form