Spellforged Servitor

Version 0.28: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

This page covers the spell. For the summoned construct, see Spellforged servitor (monster).

Spellforged Servitor
Level	7
School1	Conjuration
School2	Summoning
Source(s)	Book of Dangerous Friends Book of Power
Casting noise	6
Spell noise	0
Power Cap	200

Summons an extraplanar elemental and binds it to a durable shell forged from the caster's own magic. The servitor is capable of unleashing some of the destructive spells known to its creator, though the strongest and most volatile of magics cannot be imbued in this fashion. The strength of the servitor increases with spell power. “When you think Your toys have gone berserk It's an illusion You cannot shirk” -Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Spellbound”

Spellforged Servitor is a level 7 Conjurations/Summonings spell which calls a spellforged servitor into existence. This is a fairly durable, omni-resistant construct which knows one destructive spell from your own list of known spells.

Effect

One spellforged servitor is summoned. There is a summon limit of 1; casting the spell again will cause the old summon to very quickly time out.

It will know the first among the following spells that you have memorized and can cast with a greater than 50% success rate:

• Lehudib's Crystal Spear
• Orb of Destruction
• Iron Shot
• Lightning Bolt
• Fireball
• Stone Arrow
• Lee's Rapid Deconstruction
• Airstrike
• Conjure Ball Lightning
• Freezing Cloud
• Mephitic Cloud
• Sticky Flame

The current spell choice is displayed in the full spell description for Spellforged Servitor. The spellpower of its spell is based upon the spellpower with which you cast Spellforged Servitor in the first place.

Duration of the summons is around 36 turns, it does not depend on the spell power.

Strategy

• As its offenses are based upon the destructive magic you know, casters specializing in Conjurations dabbling in Summonings are much more likely to benefit from this spell than are summoners who dabble in Conjurations.
• The spell your Servitor will use depends on your abilities at the time you summon it. You can use equipment with wizardry or intelligence bonuses to boost your success rate with a more powerful spell over 50%, then swap back after the summoning.
• Servitors may not have very high HP or defense, but they come with excellent elemental resistances, allowing them to endure significant elemental assaults. A lucky spellforged servitor with a solid spell can defeat a titan or orb of fire in a straight fight.
• Some spells simply aren't very desirable to be cast. Conjure Ball Lightning is even less safe in a servitor's hands than it is in yours -- make sure to have electricity resistance if you choose to arm your servitor with the spell. Orb of Destruction won't be fired intelligently, though at least it shouldn't hurt you.
  • Conversely, many Earth Magic spells are simple to use and simply powerful, as well as irresistible. Even Stone Arrow is nice; monsters have a much higher power cap, so cast it noticably stronger than you can.
• Make sure you do not rely on your servitor casting a spell to survive a sketchy situation. It may sling two spells in three turns and just as likely wait ten turns between spells. The message "Your Spellforged Servitor hums quietly as it recharges" indicates that it is not yet ready to cast again.
• Your servitor won't disappear or become hostile you if you harm it. So feel free to sling a Fireball or Fire Storm right on top of your servitor. At worst, you kill it.

Monster Version

Spellforged Servitors summoned by monsters will know all of the caster's destructive spells.

The following enemies cast Spellforged Servitor:

• @ Frederick

Fredrick's spellforged servitors will know Bolt of Cold and Force Lance, in addition to any valid player spells (Iron Shot).

History

• In 0.27, many low level and (now) monster-only spells were pruned from the eligible spell list, in order to accommodate Djinn.
• Prior to 0.25, your servitor gained a random selection of up to 5 of your destructive spells.
• Spellforged Servitor was added in 0.14.