User:Hordes/Talisman

Talismans are items used to change your form.

Useful Info

A talisman, when eVoked, turns you into a respective transformation (e.g. a beast talisman turns you into Beast Form). This transformation lasts indefinitely. It can't be cancelled or dispelled, though you can voluntarily exit at any time. Entering or exiting a form takes 5 turns. If you are turned into a bad form, when you revert, you'll go back to your talisman form.

Once you have turned into a desired form, the talisman can safely be dropped. You do not need to hold the talisman to stay in a form, nor do you need it to exit a form. Talismans are found around the dungeon and in jewellery shops.

The undead (ghouls, mummies, bloodless vampires) are unable to transform. Zin despises form-shifting, and will instantly excommunicate any follower who uses one.

Transformations

In general, a form will increase various attributes (like HP or AC), but will meld certain types of equipment. Melded equipment ceases to have any effect, positive or negative. Melding is not an unequip, so it's safe to meld artefacts with *Drain or *Contam.

All talisman forms enhance Unarmed Combat in some way. Otherwise, each form has its own benefits and downsides. Some forms let you wield a weapon, others meld everything but your jewellery. Forms will often negate certain mutations, or change your size.

Being in any form will make you take +75% damage from silver weaponry.

Skill

Each form has a minimum Transmutations skill. Below this skill, you will receive a penalty to max HP. (See transform.cc)

Max HP = 25% + 75% * (Transmutations / min_skill)^2 percent (25% at 0 Transmutations; 100% at min skill).

Keep in mind that some forms increase your max HP, and this bonus is not lost by being underskilled. E.g. if a form gave you 200% max HP, and you were at 0 Transmutations, you'd get 50% of your form-less HP.

Raising Transmutations past this point will give you form-specific benefits. Beast Form will increase your slaying (attack) bonus, Statue Form will increase your defenses, etc. Each form also has a maximum Transmutations skill, where further training has no benefit.

Talismans do not use spellpower, so intelligence, wizardry, etc. has no effect.

List of talismans

Talismans are sorted by "tiers". Each tier has the same minimum and maximum Transmutations skill.

Tier 1: (min. 0 skill, max. 13 skill)

• Beast talisman (Beast Form)

Tier 2: (min. 9 skill, max. 20)

• Blade talisman (Blade Hands)
• Maw talisman (Maw Form)
• Serpent talisman (Anaconda Form)

Tier 3: (min. 17 skill, max. 23)

• Dragon-blood talisman (Dragon Form)
• Granite talisman (Statue Form)

Tier 4: (min. 21 skill, max. 27)

• Death talisman (Death Form)
• Storm talisman (Storm Form)

History

• In 0.31, talismans will be introduced, replacing Transmutations spells. Removed spells: Beastly Appendage, Spider Form, Ice Form, Blade Hands, Statue Form, Dragon Form, Storm Form, Necromutation (Lichform).

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the rest of this page will document the various forms

Beast Talisman

A beast talisman is a talisman that changes you into Beast Form, a wild form that grants bonuses to melee.

Transmuters start with this item, and start the game in Beast Form.

Useful Info

Beast Form has the following effects on your character:

• Unarmed Combat: Set to 5 base damage, before skill.
• Slaying Bonus: adds 2 + (6 * Transmutations / 13) slaying to melee combat, even when using a weapon. Slaying increases damage and accuracy. (transform.cc)
• Melded Gear: All armour, except for body armour. (This includes helmets/hats, cloaks, gloves, and boots/bardings. Does not include shields.)

Beast Form does not block any mutations, does not change your size, and gives no innate bonus to HP / AC.

Beast Form has no minimum skill. It has a maximum skill of 13; further skill has no further impact.

Strategy

If you haven't found any auxiliary armor pieces yet, then beast form is a free +2 slaying (and +2 Unarmed damage); a net positive for every character. You don't need to train any Transmutations to benefit.

Essential form for Transmuter starts. Beast Form unarmed is stronger than the plain short swords, whips, and maces you'll find on the dungeon. Branded weapons can perform better, though. For example, if you find a dagger of venom on D:2, then don't hesitate to switch. Weapon or not, Beast Form is pretty good. However, even Transmuters won't want to train Transmutations skill right away.

• Transmutations skill gives you < +0.5 slay per level.
• Unarmed Combat skill gives +1 base damage per level (which is more damage) and speeds up your attacks.