Demonspawn mutations

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

As demonspawn characters level up, they gain useful mutations due to their demonic ancestry. Demonspawn mutations are semi-random, according to the following rules. A 'facet' is a set of three ranks in one mutation:

• 90% of the time, they mutate as follows:
  • They gain one body-slot facet
  • They gain one scales facet
  • They gain two tier 2 facets
  • They gain one tier 3 facet
• 10% of the time, they are "monstrous", and instead mutate as follows:
  • They gain three body-slot facets.
  • They have no scales facets
  • They gain two tier 2 facets
  • They gain one tier 3 facet

Here is a list of all possible demonspawn mutations. Note that many of these mutations can also be gained randomly. However, demonspawn mutations are unique in that they cannot be removed by any means. You can check your current mutations with shift-A.

Body-Slot Facets

Monstrous demonspawn develop 3 body-slot facets, while others gain 1. All body-slot facets give the player some extra passive abilities, but will eventually preclude wearing some non-body armour.

• Gloves negate the Claws facet and are prohibited when Claws or Demonic Touch facets reach the third rank. Claws and Demonic Touch facets are mutually exclusive.
• Helmets cannot be worn with any rank of Antennae or Horns facet. No headgear can be worn when these facets reach the third rank. Antennae and Horns facets are mutually exclusive.
• Cloaks cannot be worn when the Weakening Stinger facet reaches the third level of mutation.
• Boots negate the Hooves facet and are prohibited when the Hooves facet reaches the third rank.

Since most demonspawn only have one body-slot facet, the armour restriction is minor. Monstrous demonspawn, who have three body-slot facets, suffer from many more armour restrictions. However they gain two more passive abilities than their non-monstrous brethren. This lends themselves to a more offensive play style.

Claws

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 unarmed base damage. Negated by gloves.	You have sharp fingernails.
2	+4 unarmed base damage. Negated by gloves.	You have very sharp fingernails.
3	+6 unarmed base damage. Prohibits gloves.	You have claws for hands.
Using Unarmed Combat with level 3 Claws will decapitate hydra heads.
Species notes: Ghouls start with rank 1 and Trolls start with rank 3. Octopodes cannot gain claws.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Demonic Touch

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Offhand touch attack.	Your touch may inflict minor irresistible damage on your foes.
2	Improved offhand touch attack.	Your touch may inflict irresistible damage on your foes.
3	Superior offhand touch attack that applies vulnerability. Prohibits gloves.	Your touch may irresistibly damage your foes and sap their willpower.
Damage: 6 to 6 + (4 * rank) Chance: 40% per melee attack Damage modifiers and AC do not apply to this attack. Does not work with a shield or two-handed weapon.
Species notes: Demonspawn can gain demonic touch as a body slot option.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Horns

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Auxiliary headbutt attack. Prohibits helmets.	You have a pair of small horns on your head.
2	Improved auxiliary headbutt attack. Prohibits helmets.	You have a pair of horns on your head.
3	Superior auxiliary headbutt attack. Prohibits all headgear.	You have a pair of large horns on your head.
Damage: 5 + (3 * rank) Chance: 66% * (30 + XL)/59 per melee attack Minotaurs may retaliate against enemies with headbutts.
Species notes: Minotaurs start with rank 2, and Oni start with rank 1. Demonspawn can gain horns as a body slot option. Octopodes cannot gain horns.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Antennae

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Shows the location of all invisible enemies in line of sight. Detects all monsters within 3 tiles, even through walls or opaque clouds. Prohibits helmets.	You have a pair of small antennae on your head.
2	Range increases to 5 tiles. Prohibits helmets.	You have a pair of antennae on your head.
3	Range increases to 7 tiles. Grants see invisible. Prohibits all headgear.	You have a pair of large antennae on your head.
When playing in console mode, creatures not in line of sight are revealed as { or { glyphs, depending on whether the entity is hostile or friendly. In tile mode, they appear as icons which similarly indicate hostility. Mimics will be identified as soon as they enter your antennae range.
Species notes: Formicids start with rank 3. Demonspawn can gain antennae as a body slot option.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Hooves

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Auxiliary kick attack. Negated by boots.	You have large cloven feet.
2	Improved auxiliary kick attack. Negated by boots.	You have hoof-like feet.
3	Superior auxiliary kick attack. Prohibits boots.	You have hooves in place of feet.
Damage: 5 + (5/3 * rank) Chance: 100% * (30 + XL)/59 per melee attack
Species notes: Demonspawn can gain hooves as a body slot option. Nagas, merfolk, felids, and octopodes cannot gain hooves.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Weakening Stinger

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Auxiliary tail-slap attack.	You have a small tail.
2	Improved auxiliary tail-slap attack.	You have a tail ending in a sharp stinger.
3	Superior auxiliary tail-slap attack which inflicts Weak. Prohibits cloaks.	You have a sharp stinger which inflicts weakening toxins.
Damage: 6 + rank Chance: 50% * (30 + XL)/59 per melee attack
Species notes: Demonspawn can gain the weakening stinger as a body slot option.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Scales Facets

Most demonspawn develop scales; monstrous demonspawn do not. Demonspawn may still acquire scales through random mutation, but non-monstrous demonspawn can only get ranks of a scales mutation if it matches the one they would eventually develop later.

Molten Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 AC	You are partially covered in molten scales.
2	+3 AC	You are mostly covered in molten scales.
3	+4 AC, rF+	You are completely covered in molten scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Icy Blue Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 AC	You are partially covered in icy blue scales.
2	+3 AC	You are mostly covered in icy blue scales.
3	+4 AC, rC+	You are completely covered in icy blue scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Slimy Green Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 AC	You are partially covered in slimy green scales.
2	+3 AC	You are mostly covered in slimy green scales.
3	+4 AC, rPois	You are completely covered in slimy green scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Thin Metallic Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 AC	You are partially covered in thin metallic scales.
2	+3 AC	You are mostly covered in thin metallic scales.
3	+4 AC, rElec	You are completely covered in thin metallic scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Yellow Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 AC	You are partially covered in yellow scales.
2	+3 AC	You are mostly covered in yellow scales.
3	+4 AC, rCorr	You are completely covered in yellow scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Rugged Brown Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+1 AC, +3% HP	You are partially covered in rugged brown scales.
2	+2 AC, +5% HP	You are mostly covered in rugged brown scales.
3	+3 AC, +7% HP	You are completely covered in rugged brown scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Large Bone Plates

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+4 SH	You are partially covered in large bone plates.
2	+6 SH	You are mostly covered in large bone plates.
3	+8 SH	You are completely covered in large bone plates.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Repulsion Field

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 EV	You are surrounded by a mild repulsion field.
2	+3 EV	You are surrounded by a moderate repulsion field.
3	+4 EV, Repel Missiles	You are surrounded by a strong repulsion field.
Prior to 0.19, the EV bonus applied even when paralysed, sleeping, etc.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Thin Skeletal Structure

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 DEX, +25 Stealth	You have a somewhat thin skeletal structure.
2	+4 DEX, +50 Stealth	You have a moderately thin skeletal structure.
3	+6 DEX, +75 Stealth	You have an unnaturally thin skeletal structure.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation
In earlier versions of Crawl, this mutation also reduced strength by 1 per rank.

Sturdy Frame

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	-2 Encumbrance from equipped armour.	Your movements are slightly less encumbered by armour. (ER -2)
2	-4 Encumbrance from equipped armour.	Your movements are less encumbered by armour. (ER -4)
3	-6 Encumbrance from equipped armour.	Your movements are significantly less encumbered by armour. (ER -6)
This mutation allows the player to wear heavier Armour without the associated penalties to EV or Spell Success.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Sanguine Armour

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	When you have 2/3 of your max health or less, gain +6 AC.	When seriously injured, your bleeding wounds create armour. (AC +0).
2	The same as the previous level but +9 AC.	When seriously injured, your bleeding wounds create thick armour. (AC +0).
3	The same as the previous level but +12 AC.	When seriously injured, your bleeding wounds create very thick armour. (AC +0).
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Big Brain

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+2 INT	You have an unusually large brain.
2	+4 INT	You have an extremely huge brain.
3	+6 INT, permanent Wizardry effect	You have an absolutely massive brain.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Sharp Scales

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+1 AC, +1 slaying bonus	You are partially covered in razor-sharp scales.
2	+2 AC, +2 slaying bonus	You are mostly covered in razor-sharp scales.
3	+3 AC, +3 slaying bonus	You are completely covered in razor-sharp scales.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Tier 2 Facets

All demonspawn develop two tier 2 facets.

Ignite Blood

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Blood spilled in your LOS has a 33% chance to immediately burst into a cloud of flame. You are immune to clouds of flame.	Your demonic aura sometimes causes spilled blood to erupt in flames.
2	Chance of igniting blood increased to 66%. Flame cloud duration improves.	Your demonic aura often causes spilled blood to erupt in flames.
3	Chance of igniting blood increased to 100%. Flame cloud duration improves.	Your demonic aura causes all spilled blood to erupt in flames.
Flame clouds appear where player or enemy blood is spilled and last from mutlevel + 2 to 3 * mutlevel + 1 turns.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Icemail

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Condensation Shield: +4 SH, but melts in the heat.	A meltable shield of frost defends you.
2	Icemail: Provides an extra +4 AC.	A meltable icy envelope protects you from harm.
3	Icemail 2: AC improves to +8.	A thick, meltable icy envelope protects you from harm.
Melts each time you take fire damage but regenerates after 300 auts have passed.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Powered by Death

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Powered by death is triggered at a (100 - 10 * powered by death regen strength)% chance when you kill an enemy. If triggered you gain random2(mutation level + 1) powered by death regen strength, lasts for 1 + 1d4 turns per level of regen strength. Resets duration when triggered. Adds 100 * powered by death regen strength to your regeneration rate.	You regenerate a little health from kills.
2	The same as the previous level but the mutation level is higher.	You regenerate health from kills.
3	The same as the previous level but the mutation level is higher.	You regenerate a lot of health from kills.
Every enemy you kill has a percentage chance to increase your regeneration rate by an amount, the chance decreases when the amount increases. The amount it can increase by per kill increases with the mutation level.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Mana Shield

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Doubles your natural MP regeneration.	You regenerate magic rapidly.
2	Permanently grants the spirit shield intrinsic.	When hurt, damage is shared between your health and your magic reserves.
3	At low MP, converts your HP regeneration to MP regeneration.	When low on magic, you restore magic in place of health.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Demonic Guardian

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Chance to automatically summon a weak demonic ally when damaged.	A weak demonic guardian rushes to your aid.
2	Summons average demons.	A demonic guardian rushes to your aid.
3	Summons powerful demons.	A powerful demonic guardian rushes to your aid.
Summons may occur after taking damage. You may shoot through guardians harmlessly. See Demonic Guardian page for exact mechanics and history.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Spiny

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Automatic retaliation to monster melee attacks. 50% chance, 1 to (2 * XL / 3) + 3 damage.	You are partially covered in sharp spines.
2	Automatic retaliation to monster melee attacks. 50% chance, 2 to (2 * XL / 3) + 6 damage.	You are mostly covered in sharp spines.
3	Automatic retaliation to monster melee attacks. 50% chance, 3 to (2 * XL / 3) + 9 damage.	You are completely covered in sharp spines.
Blocked attacks don't cause retaliation. For more details, see spiny. Players with this mutation are immune to constriction.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Powered by Pain

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Each time you are injured, gain a bonus if random2(damage suffered) > 4 + (XL/4) OR if damage suffered > 50% of your max HP.	You sometimes gain a little power by taking damage.
2	Increased mana gain and longer durations for might and agility bonuses.	You sometimes gain power by taking damage.
3	Even higher mana gain, and even longer durations for might and agility.	You are powered by pain.
Possible Bonuses 50% chance: Regain 3d(2+3*Rank) MP 25% chance: Might for 34 + 1d(20 * Rank) turns 25% chance: Agility for 34 + 1d(20 * Rank) turns
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Foul Stench

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	When damaged in melee, 10% chance to release a cloud of miasma. You are immune to miasma.	You may rarely emit foul miasma when damaged in melee.
2	Chance of releasing miasma increased to 25%.	You sometimes emit foul miasma when damaged in melee.
3	Chance of releasing miasma increased to 40%.	You frequently emit foul miasma when damaged in melee.
Clouds of miasma are placed at the attacker's location and last for 5 to 10 turns.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Demonic Magic

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Your magic generates a menacing demonic aura. All spells cast have a chance to paralyse adjacent enemies.	Spells you cast may paralyse adjacent enemies.
2	Paralysis effect increases in range.	Spells you cast may paralyse nearby enemies.
3	Paralysis effect further increases in range, and also triggers when using Evocables.	Spells you cast and wands you use may paralyse nearby enemies.
Range of effect is equal to the mutation rank. More powerful spells generate a more powerful effect, granting a higher chance to overcome enemy willpower. Paralysis lasts 2 to 5 turns.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Tier 3 Facets

All demonspawn gain one tier 3 facet.

Hurl Damnation

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Improved willpower (equal to Will+). Enemies take damage when you resist their enchantments.	You punish those that try to bend your will.
2	Torment resistance.	You are resistant to unholy torment.
3	Hurl Damnation for 15% of max HP.	You can hurl damnation.
Damage from demonic will scales with the power of the spell resisted: 3 + 1d(spell_power / 10) At XL 27, damnation damage is 3d42. Ignores AC and fire resistance, but not damnation resistance.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Robust

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	+10% max HP	You are robust.
2	+20% max HP	You are very robust.
3	+30% max HP	You are extremely robust.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Black Mark

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Enhances Hexes	Your hexes are more powerful.
2	20% to inflict one of drain, weak, or antimagic in melee	Your melee attacks may debilitate your foes.
3	Silences all adjacent tiles (your own tile is not silenced).	You are surrounded by an aura of silence.
For level 2 of this mutation, if a status would be useless against a target, it is rerolled.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Augmentation

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Slaying bonus at high HP.	Your magical and physical power is slightly enhanced at high health.
2	Improved slaying bonus at high HP.	Your magical and physical power is enhanced at high health.
3	Superior slaying bonus at high HP.	Your magical and physical power is greatly enhanced at high health.
Bonus of +3 slaying and +40% spell power per level of augmentation. Plus one augmentation level for each mark you pass. Mutation Level 1: 50% Mutation Level 2: 50% and 75% Mutation Level 3: 50%, 66.6%, and 83.3%
Prior to 0.20, the slaying bonus was 4 per rank.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

Corrupting Presence

Rank	Effect	Flavor
1	Chance to corrode enemies you damage	Your presence sometimes corrodes those you injure.
2	Additional chance to malmutate enemies you damage	Your presence sometimes corrodes or deforms those you injure.
3	Word of Chaos scatters and debilitates enemies for 6 MP and moderate draining	You can speak a Word of Chaos.
Odds of corrosion and malmutation are both 1 in 12. Word of Chaos blinks all enemies in LOS away with a chance to ensnare, slow, or frighten them.
Good mutation, Demonspawn mutation

History

• In 0.28, Weakening Stinger and Demonic Touch were added. The Talons facet was removed.
• In 0.27, Passive Freeze and Iridescent Scales were removed, Corrupting Presence and Demonic Magic were added, and several other facets were reworked.
• In 0.26, Nightstalker facet was removed and Sharp Scales and Big Brain facets were added.
• Prior to 0.19, Powered by Death gave regeneration from nearby corpses, regeneration is now given from kills.
• Sanguine Armour was added in 0.19.
• Sturdy Frame was added in 0.18.
• Rough Black Scales were removed in 0.18.
• Prior to 0.14, the negative energy facet granted a second level of rN, instead of the Black Mark passive ability.
• Prior to 0.13, Demonic Guardian would function for Okawaru worshipers, often resulting in massive piety losses. Hellfire cost 25% of max HP instead of 15.
• Mana Shield was added in 0.13.
• Prior to 0.12, Augmentation kicked in at low HP instead of high HP.
• Prior to 0.11, magic resistance was available as a Tier 2 facet.
• Many mutations were added in 0.10.
• The Demonspawn mutation system was substantially overhauled in 0.7. Prior to that version, they mutated in a generally more random fashion: mutations were only grouped into low power and high power, and Demonspawn would receive six total mutations (two low, four high power). Demonspawn mutations were also influenced by a character's skills and deity. While the old Demonspawn may have had much more powerful mutations available to them, the lack of any coherence to the mutations, or any guarantee of getting useful ones, made them in general a much more difficult species under the old system.
  • The mutation lists, which can be found on this page, were extremely varied. For instance, "high power" mutations could be absolutely mediocre things such as 1d3 levels of negative energy resistance, or potentially game breaking, like fast movement or complete torment immunity.