Draconian breath attacks

Version 0.32: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

When a Draconian reaches level 7, they receive a colour. Every colour gets an associated draconian breath attack. Draconians initially have 2 charges of their breath attack, recharging with XP to a maximum of 3 charges. Draconians are immune to their own breath attacks.

While in Dragon Form, Draconians keep their breath instead of getting Breathe Fire.

Combustion Breath

Breathes a blast of volatile embers that explode violently around each creature they touch. It is harmless to its user.

Red Draconians receive Combustion Breath, which fires a bolt of flame, creating a 3x3 explosion around each creature hit.

Glacial Breath

Exhales a powerful wave of frost which encases anything it kills in a solid block of durable ice.

White Draconians receive Glacial Breath, which allows you to bellow forth a bolt of frost which turns each creature it kills into a block of ice.

Noxious Breath

Breathes a line of noxious vapour which can confuse anything standing in it which does not resist poison. At higher levels, the clouds can cover a larger area and last longer.

Green Draconians receive Noxious Breath, which spews noxious fume clouds. These clouds, like Mephitic Cloud, may confuse creatures that lack poison resistance.

Caustic Breath

Breathes a spray of concentrated acid which leaves corrosive clouds on any unoccupied tiles it passes over and corrodes whatever it hits.

Yellow Draconians receive Caustic Breath, which spits a penetrating acid bolt, inflicting the Corrosion status (-8 AC temporarily) on any creature it hits. It also leaves an acidic fog cloud on any unoccupied tile it passes over.

Galvanic Breath

Exhales a charged burst of electricity that will arc through a target and every other creature that is connected to it.

Black Draconians receive Galvanic Breath, which deals electricity damage to the target and any creature connected to it, similar to Arcjolt.

Steam Breath

Breathes a powerful blast of steam, scalding a target and leaving sight-obscuring steam clouds in its wake.

Pale Draconians receive Steam Breath, which creates a bank of steam clouds. Steam can be used to block line of sight, and will deal damage to non-fire resistant enemies.

Nullifying Breath

Breathes a large blast of pure antimagic that dispels magical effects from every creature it hits and also significantly interferes with their ability to cast spells for a while. It is harmless to its user.

Purple Draconians receive Nullifying Breath, which fires a projectile with a 5x5 explosion that removes any dispellable statuses on any creature it hits. It also applies the antimagic status.

Mud Breath

Spits an enormous ball of mud that knocks back whatever it hits and drenches the surrounding area in a mud slick which impedes enemy movement and causes them to sometimes fumble their attacks.

Grey Draconians receive Mud Breath, which fires a projectile of mud that knocks the target back and leaves puddles of temporary mud around its destination. Mud has the same penalties as shallow water.

Monster Version

Monstrous dragons and draconians are capable of their own breath attacks which are also determined by their associated element:

• Monstrous red Draconians and fire dragons have Fire Breath.
• Monstrous white Draconians and ice dragons have Cold Breath.
• Monstrous yellow Draconians and acid dragons have Spit Acid.
• Monstrous green Draconians and swamp dragons breathe Poisonous Clouds.
• Monstrous black Draconians and storm dragons breathe Lightning Bolts.
• Monstrous purple Draconians and quicksilver dragons breathe Quicksilver Bolts.
• Steam dragons breathe Steam Balls.
• The unique draconian Tiamat can breathe whichever breath attack matches her current color.

History

• In 0.32, Draconian breath attacks were reworked. Prior to this version:
  • Breath attacks had a cooldown of 1 + 1d10 + 1d(30 - XL) turns instead of an XP based recharge system.
  • Red Draconians had Breathe Fire, which fired a bolt of flame, and left a flame cloud.
  • White Draconians had Breathe Frost, which fired a bolt of frost which ignored AC and knocked back creatures.
  • Green Draconians had Breathe Noxious Fumes, which spewed noxious fume clouds that could confuse creatures without poison resistance.
  • Yellow Draconians had Breathe Acid, which spit a corrosive glob at an enemy, inflicting the Corrosion status (-8 AC temporarily). This was single target but could splash onto enemies adjacent to the target.
  • Black Draconians had Breathe Lightning, which blasted uncontrollable lightning around them.
  • Pale Draconians had Breathe Steam, which created a bank of steam clouds.
  • Purple Draconians had Breathe Dispelling Energy, which fired a bolt of dispelling energy that ignored AC.
  • Grey Draconians did not have a breath attack.
• Prior to 0.31, purple Draconians could use quicksilver breath on themselves to dispel status effects.
• Prior to 0.30, pale Draconian's steam breath had a cooldown twice as short.
• Prior to 0.27, white Draconian's breath could only knock back flying opponents.
• Prior to 0.20, there were mottled Draconians, who had a breath that splashed Sticky Flame. It could only be used on adjacent enemies, but it could splash onto other monsters around it. Also, yellow Draconians did not have the splash effect, and Draconian player ghosts could breath bolts of negative energy.
• Prior to 0.17, Spit Acid could cause bleeding.