Talisman

Version 0.34: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

Talismans allow their user to shift into a different form. Entering or leaving a form with a talisman requires a brief period of concentration, but otherwise, forms last until the user chooses to leave them. More powerful talismans require some amount of Shapeshifting skill, without which a user will find their maximum health reduced until they leave the form. Shapeshifting skill also increases other benefits provided by talismans' forms, though weaker talismans have a limit to how helpful skill can be.

Talismans are items used to change your form, using the Shapeshifting skill.

Useful Info

A talisman, when eVoked, turns you into its respective transformation (e.g. a quill talisman turns you into Quill Form). This transformation lasts indefinitely. It can't be cancelled or dispelled, though you can voluntarily exit (either with V or as an Ability) at any time. Entering or exiting a form takes 5 turns. The talisman doesn't need to be in your inventory to stay in or exit a form. If you are turned into a bad form, when you revert, you'll go back to your talisman form.

Talismans may spawn as randarts; any randart properties apply so long as you remain in the form. For example, the quill talisman "Qicrucob" {rF+} would give permanent fire resistance in addition to all the benefits of Quill Form.

The undead (Mummies, Poltergeists and Revenants) are unable to transform. Zin despises form-shifting, and will instantly excommunicate any follower who uses one.

Transformations

Each form has its own benefits and downsides. However, talisman forms share a few things in common:

• Many talisman forms boost Unarmed Combat's base damage.
• Most forms will meld certain types of equipment, which cannot be used. For example, a blade talisman turns your hands into blades, melding your weapon, shield, and gloves.
• Forms often negate certain mutations, or add new ones. They can also change your size.

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

Skill

Each form has a minimum Shapeshifting skill. Below this skill, you will receive a penalty to max HP. Every level of skill below the minimum gives a penalty of -10% max HP (max. -90% HP), which is then multiplied by the form bonus.

Raising Shapeshifting past this point will give you form-specific benefits. Quill Form will have increased damage on quills, Statue Form will increase your defenses further, etc. Each form also has a maximum Shapeshifting skill, where further training has no benefit.

Talismans are not related to spells in any way, so intelligence, wizardry, etc. has no effect, and Trog won't hate them. They are also unaffected by Sacrifice Artifice, since they are not evocables.

Sources

Talismans are found around the dungeon and in jewellery shops. There's a 50% chance to find a blade talisman, possibly an artefact one, in the Hall of Blades part of Elven Halls:2. The loot chamber in Crypt:3 has a 33% chance to contain a talisman of death.

Some uniques can drop talismans after you kill them:

• @ Rupert, maw talisman, 50% chance
• S Aizul, serpent talisman, 100% chance (guaranteed to be an artefact)
• 8 Roxanne, granite talisman, 100% chance
• Q Sojobo, storm talisman, 50% chance
• d Bai Suzhen, dragon talisman, 50% chance
• L Josephina, death talisman, 50% chance

List of talismans

Talismans are sorted by "tiers"; each tier has the same Shapeshifting skill thresholds.

Tier 1: (min. 0 skill, max. 7 skill)

• Quill talisman (Quill Form)
• Inkwell talisman (Scroll Form)

Tier 1.5: (min. 5 skill, max. 14 skill)

• Flux bauble (Flux Form)

Tier 2: (min. 8 skill, max. 14 skill)

• Protean talisman (Transforms into another Tier 2 talisman when used)
• Medusa talisman (Medusa Form)
• Rimehorn talisman (Yak Form)
• Scarab talisman (Scarab Form)
• Spore talisman (Spore Form)

Tier 3: (min. 12 skill, max. 20 skill)

• Maw talisman (Maw Form)
• Eel talisman (Eel Form)
• Fortress talisman (Crab Form)
• Lupine talisman (Werewolf Form)
• Serpent talisman (Serpent Form)
• Spider talisman (Spider Form)
• Wellspring talisman (Aqua Form)

Tier 4: (min. 17 skill, max. 25 skill)

• Blade talisman (Blade Form)
• Dragon-coil talisman (Dragon Form)
• Granite talisman (Statue Form)
• Hive talisman (Hive Form)
• Riddle talisman (Sphinx Form)
• Sanguine talisman (Vampire Form)

Tier 5: (min. 23 skill, max. 27 skill)

• Talisman of death* (Death Form)
• Storm talisman (Storm Form)

*Talismans of death have a minimum of 26 skill

Melded Slots

Form	Weapon	Offhand	Body Armour	Helmet	Cloak	Gloves	Boots	Barding
Quill				x	x	x	x	x
Inkwell	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Flux	x	x	x			x
Medusa				x	x
Yak	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Scarab	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Maw			-75%
Spore		x					x
Eel	x	x				x
Crab		x	+70%~+135%	x	x	x	x	x
Werewolf				x	x	x	x	x
Serpent	x	x	x	x		x	x	x
Spider	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Aqua			x
Blade			-60%~0%
Dragon	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Statue			x			x	x	x
Hive			x	x
Sphinx	x	x	x	x		x	x	+
Vampire
Storm	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Death

Percentages indicate changes in AC derived from body armour.
Ranges indicate values at minimum and maximum Shapeshifting, in accordance to the talisman's Tier.
+ indicates a slot is enabled while in this form, regardless of species.

History

• In 0.34, spore talismans and eel talismans were added. Talismans were also made to be cheaper in shops.
• In 0.33, a dozen new talismans were added, including: Quill talisman, Inkwell talisman, Protean talisman, Medusa talisman, Rimehorn talisman, Scarab talisman, Fortress talisman, Lupine talisman, Spider talisman, Wellspring talisman, Hive talisman, Riddle talisman, Sanguine talisman.

Also, the skill requirements for different tiers changed:

• Tier 2 (ie: protean tier) is 8-14 instead of 7-14.
• Tier 3 (ie: blade tier) is 12-20 instead of 10-19.
• Tier 4 (ie: statue tier) is 17-25 instead of 16-25.

• Talismans were introduced in 0.31, replacing Transmutations magic. Removed spells include Beastly Appendage, Spider Form, Ice Form, Blade Hands, Statue Form, Dragon Form, Storm Form, and Necromutation (Lichform).