Foxfire

Version 0.29: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

This page refers to the spell. If you were looking for the card formerly known as Foxfire, see Swarm card.

Foxfire
Level	1
School1	Conjuration
School2	Fire
Source(s)	Book of Fire
Casting noise	1
Spell noise	1
Power Cap	25
Flags	Selfench

Conjures two balls of burning swamp gas adjacent to the caster. The balls will rapidly seek the nearest monster and burn them. They will dissipate harmlessly if unable to reach a target or if the caster swaps places with them.

Foxfire is a Level 1 Conjurations/Fire Magic spell that conjures two foxfires in tiles next to the caster. These foxfires will seek out nearby monsters and deal minor, unevadeable fire damage to them. They will dissipate harmlessly if they spend 8 turns without impacting anything, leave your LOS, or you walk into them. Foxfires are very fast, can fly, and can see invisible.

Fire Elementalists start with Foxfire memorized.

Strategy

Foxfire performs best when used in an open space with distance between you and your target; it can still work adequately when you have multiple monsters in your face, but it performs miserably when used in a corridor, as only one foxfire will be able to reach your target at best. If you run into monsters in a corridor that you need Foxfire to kill, either retreat to an open area or, failing that, stand in a corner or intersection so both foxfires have an open path to your targets.

Spell Details
Damage Formula	2 * 1d(4+ Power/5)
Max Damage	2 * 1d9
Max Power	25
Range	LOS
Targeting	Special
To-hit	Never Miss
Special	Needs open space to spawn and move

Tips & Tricks

• Despite their low damage, foxfires remain useful for some time, as they cannot miss their targets and they can target invisible creatures. Many threats up to and throughout the Lair can be dealt with by standing out in the open and conjuring a constant stream of foxfires. They faulter against creatures with high AC, as two foxfires check AC twice.
• Like many fire spells, Foxfire creates steam when striking creatures that are in water, making it useful for fighting early swimming enemies like adders or electric eels. Conversely, they dissipate freezing clouds on impact.
• Be wary about casting Foxfire around fire-resistant or -immune monsters, as foxfires make no effort to avoid foes they cannot harm.
• Because foxfires technically count as creatures, this spell can help block line of effect to monsters with dangerous spells like Banishment, Petrify, Malmutate, or Orb of Destruction. However, this is not as effective as simply summoning a meat shield, as foxfires move quickly and erratically and disappear once they strike something.

History

• Foxfire was added in 0.25.
• Early developmental versions of the spell rendered you unable to pass through summoned Foxfires.