Sting

Version 0.31: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Sting
Level	1
School1	Alchemy
School2	Conjuration
Source(s)	Book of Cantrips Young Poisoner's Handbook
Casting noise	1
Spell noise	1
Power Cap	25
Range	3
Flags	Dir or target, Needs tracer

Briefly transforms one of the caster's limbs into a long insectoid stinger, which lashes out at the target. The stinger's impact will always poison a susceptible target. Even resistant targets have a chance to be poisoned and immune monsters will be damaged by the physical impact of the stinger.

Spell Details
Damage Formula	1d(3+Power/5) 70% poison, 30% physical
Max Damage	1d8
Max Power	25
Range	3
Targeting	Beam
To-hit	8+Power/5
Special

Sting is a level 1 Alchemy/Conjurations spell that deals damage on impact, then inflicts the poison status. Its impact damage is 70% poison and 30% physical; normal monsters take full damage from it, resistant monsters take 53%, and immune monsters take 30%.

Alchemists start with this spell memorized.

Strategy

Sting is decent at softening up targets from a short distance. If you've poisoned the enemy, you can start walking back; the poison will be enough to kill most D:1 and D:2 enemies.

Mercury Vapours is more accurate, and can inflict weak on foes. In the early game, however, Sting is more MP efficient. Early on, you may want to cast Mercury Vapours once (to get that spell's extra poison), then finish off the foe with Sting. Past the early game, Vapours becomes more efficient overall, so feel free to forget Sting.

While Sting can do damage to poison immune creatures, it's very low (max. 1d3). In a similar vein, Sting is acceptable against endoplasms, but struggles against poison resistant enemies that are any stronger.

History

• Prior to 0.31, Sting was a level 1 Transmutations/Poison spell.
• Prior to 0.25, Sting was a level 1 Conjurations/Poison spell with range 7, and was entirely useless against targets with poison resistance.
• Prior to 0.19, Louise and some wizards had this spell.