Difference between revisions of "Line of sight"

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For most species the default [[line of sight]] (LOS) is a 15x15 square (for [[Barachi|Barachim]] it is a 17x17 square).
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'''Line of sight''' (often abbreviated to '''LOS''') refers to the portion of the Dungeon that you can see. Usually, you can only attack or be attacked by monsters inside your LOS.
  
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There are some ways to modify your line of sight:
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==Useful Info==
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The default LOS radius used by most species is out to 7 spaces, or a 15x15 square.
  
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* The spell [[Darkness]] reduces LOS by 25%. The same effect is also provided by the [[Robe of Night]].
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The following picture shows tiles within the default field of view with their grid distance.
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* The [[demonspawn]]-exclusive [[nightstalker]] mutation reduces LOS by 1, 2, or 3 tiles depending on rank.
 
  
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The following drawing shows tiles within the default field of view with their grid distance.
 
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
777777777777777
 
777777777777777
Line 26: Line 25:
 
777777777777777
 
777777777777777
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
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There are a few ways to increase or reduce your line of sight:
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* A [[scarf]] of shadows reduces LOS by 1.
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* The [[Robe of Night]] reduces LOS by 25%, with your LOS rounded down.
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* [[Kobold]]s start with rank 3 of [[Nightstalker]], reducing LOS by 3 tiles to 4 spaces (9x9 square).
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* [[Barachim]] have an innate mutation that increases their default LOS by 1, to a total of 8 spaces (17x17 square).
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Line of sight is similar to, but distinct from, "line of effect" (i.e. the area of the Dungeon you may interact with). Most of the time, they are interchangeable, but some situations may result in places you can see but not affect (such as tiles behind transparent [[wall]]s) or can affect but cannot see (such as [[Fireball]]'s explosions hitting foes around corners).
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
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If you can't see them, they can't see you. With very few exceptions, '''enemies that can't see you can't attack you.'''
 
If you can't see them, they can't see you. With very few exceptions, '''enemies that can't see you can't attack you.'''
  
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There are several ways to break your line of sight with an enemy
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There are several ways to break your line of sight with an enemy:
  
 
*Teleporting/blinking out of range
 
*Teleporting/blinking out of range
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*Closing doors
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*Closing [[door]]s
 
*Turning a corner
 
*Turning a corner
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*Going up/down stairs or shafts
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*Reading a [[scroll of fog]]
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*[[Zin|Imprison]]ing them, or [[tomb card|yourself]]
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*Going up/down [[stairs]] or [[shaft]]s
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*If you are faster than them, you can also run away.
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*[[Zin|Imprison]]ing them, or [[Tomb card|yourself]]
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*Running away faster than they can chase you.
  
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==History==
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Because LOS is square, exploring in a diagonal direction will reveal more tiles than exploring in a cardinal one (all else equal). If you want to find an [[Abyss]] exit or uncover the most tiles for [[Human]] regeneration, move diagonally.
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In [[0.20]] [[Barachi|Barachim]], a species with the unique +LOS mutation, were added.
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===Attacking Outside LOS===
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Like monsters, most of your attacks cannot harm targets outside your LOS. For example, [[ranged weapon]]s only shoot up to your LOS, your [[summon]]s cannot attack if either them or their target are out of sight, and any [[cloud]]s you create vanish when leaving sight. There are a few exceptions; an incomplete list is displayed below:
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*Many types of "explosion" attacks: [[Damnation]], [[Fireball]], [[Fire Storm]], [[Iceblast]], [[Inner Flame]], [[Lee's Rapid Deconstruction]] (cannot hit on the other side of a wall), [[tin of tremorstones]].
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*Certain types of [[allied]]/[[neutral]] monsters: [[Beogh]] orcs, [[charm]]ed monsters, [[Gozag|bribed]] monsters, [[frenzied]] monsters, [[Fedhas]] non-summoned non-stationary plants, humans from [[Kirke]]'s band.
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*Passive effects: [[poison]] and [[Sticky Flame]].
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Note that there is no way to attack an enemy from a different floor without entering it.
  
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Prior to [[0.19]], the [[Shadow card]] existed and could be used to further reduce the player's LOS.
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===Being Attacked Outside LOS===
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When no targets are in their line of sight, monsters can still cast the following spells:
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*[[Dig]]
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*[[Major Healing]]
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*[[Minor Healing]]
  
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Prior to [[0.18]], the [[Lantern of shadows|lantern of shadows]] existed and could be used to further reduce the player's LOS.
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In addition, monsters can target your [[allies]] even if the monster itself is outside the player's line of sight. If a monster uses an explosion, area-of-effect, cloud, or other sort of 'lasting' attack, it can end up hitting you.
  
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Prior to [[0.17]], line of sight was circular with a radius of about 8.
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==History==
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*Prior to [[0.17]], line of sight was circular, with a radius of about 8. You could see slightly less tiles overall, and saw much less in diagonal directions. Characters could reach their target in 5 squares (instead of 8) at certain angles.
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:Ranges were also circular; up to 2 tiles of range were lost when shooting diagonally. For example, [[Bolt of Fire]] could shoot 7 tiles in a cardinal direction, 5 in a diagonal one, and 6 in-between. Base ranges across the board were 1 higher than they are in current versions.
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*Prior to [[0.7]], abilities and spells had rectangular ranges instead of circular ranges.
  
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In [[0.7]], the [[developers]] made an undocumented change to the LOS. Ranges are circular now, so every spell and ability that reaches a set distance got about two squares lopped off the diagonals. Stealthy characters can now reach their target in 5 squares (instead of 8) at certain angles.
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===Changing LOS===
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*In [[0.26]], the LOS-reducing [[shadows]] ego was added, the [[Darkness]] spell was removed, and [[Nightstalker]] was changed from a potential [[Demonspawn mutations|Demonspawn mutation]] to a [[Kobold]] innate ability.
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*In [[0.20]], [[Barachim]] and their unique +LOS mutation were added.
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*Prior to [[0.19]], the [[Shadow card]] existed and could be used to further reduce the player's LOS.
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*Prior to [[0.18]], the [[lantern of shadows]] existed and could be used to further reduce the player's LOS.
  
 
[[Category:Game mechanics]]
 
[[Category:Game mechanics]]

Latest revision as of 18:26, 27 March 2024

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

Line of sight (often abbreviated to LOS) refers to the portion of the Dungeon that you can see. Usually, you can only attack or be attacked by monsters inside your LOS.

Useful Info

The default LOS radius used by most species is out to 7 spaces, or a 15x15 square.

The following picture shows tiles within the default field of view with their grid distance. 

777777777777777
766666666666667
765555555555567
765444444444567
765433333334567
765432222234567
765432111234567
7654321@1234567
765432111234567
765432222234567
765433333334567
765444444444567
765555555555567
766666666666667
777777777777777

There are a few ways to increase or reduce your line of sight:

  • A scarf of shadows reduces LOS by 1.
  • The Robe of Night reduces LOS by 25%, with your LOS rounded down.
  • Kobolds start with rank 3 of Nightstalker, reducing LOS by 3 tiles to 4 spaces (9x9 square).
  • Barachim have an innate mutation that increases their default LOS by 1, to a total of 8 spaces (17x17 square).

Line of sight is similar to, but distinct from, "line of effect" (i.e. the area of the Dungeon you may interact with). Most of the time, they are interchangeable, but some situations may result in places you can see but not affect (such as tiles behind transparent walls) or can affect but cannot see (such as Fireball's explosions hitting foes around corners).

Strategy

If you can't see them, they can't see you. With very few exceptions, enemies that can't see you can't attack you.

There are several ways to break your line of sight with an enemy:

Because LOS is square, exploring in a diagonal direction will reveal more tiles than exploring in a cardinal one (all else equal). If you want to find an Abyss exit or uncover the most tiles for Human regeneration, move diagonally.

Attacking Outside LOS

Like monsters, most of your attacks cannot harm targets outside your LOS. For example, ranged weapons only shoot up to your LOS, your summons cannot attack if either them or their target are out of sight, and any clouds you create vanish when leaving sight. There are a few exceptions; an incomplete list is displayed below:

Note that there is no way to attack an enemy from a different floor without entering it.

Being Attacked Outside LOS

When no targets are in their line of sight, monsters can still cast the following spells:

In addition, monsters can target your allies even if the monster itself is outside the player's line of sight. If a monster uses an explosion, area-of-effect, cloud, or other sort of 'lasting' attack, it can end up hitting you.

History

  • Prior to 0.17, line of sight was circular, with a radius of about 8. You could see slightly less tiles overall, and saw much less in diagonal directions. Characters could reach their target in 5 squares (instead of 8) at certain angles.
Ranges were also circular; up to 2 tiles of range were lost when shooting diagonally. For example, Bolt of Fire could shoot 7 tiles in a cardinal direction, 5 in a diagonal one, and 6 in-between. Base ranges across the board were 1 higher than they are in current versions.
  • Prior to 0.7, abilities and spells had rectangular ranges instead of circular ranges.

Changing LOS

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