Ring of Flames

Obsolete: This article refers to an aspect of the game which has been removed. It is retained for historical reference only.

This article is about the obsolete spell. For the ring, see Ring of fire.

Ring of Flames
Level	7
School1	Charms
School2	Fire
Source(s)	Book of Fire Book of Clouds
Casting noise	6
Spell noise	0

This spell surrounds the caster with a mobile ring of searing flame, and keeps other fire clouds away from the caster. This spell attunes the caster to the forces of fire, increasing their fire magic and giving protection from fire. However, it also makes them much more susceptible to the forces of ice.

Ring of Flames is a level 7 Charms/Fire spell that spawns a circle of clouds of flame around the caster.

Effect

While active, the spell grants the following effects:

• Constant spawning of clouds of flame in the eight squares directly adjacent to the caster. If the caster moves, the clouds already spawned that are no longer adjacent will linger for a few turns.
• One enhancer for Fire spells, similar to a ring of fire or staff of fire.
• Two levels of fire resistance (rF++) and two levels of cold vulnerability (rC--). Note that rC-- does not make you take any more damage from cold than rC-; it just makes it more difficult to achieve zero or positive cold resistance.
• Immunity to clouds of flame from any source (fire clouds will disappear when walking into them).

Strategy

Ring of Flames offers a spell enhancer for Fire Magic, an activatable source of rF++, and generates flame clouds that deal decent damage (equal to the level 6 spell Freezing Cloud). The rF++ is good considering orbs of fire exist, at the least.

The fire clouds work identically to Conjure Flame. By the time this spell is castable, most monsters will be willing to walk into the flames - mindless or not - and take a fair amount of damage.

Downsides

The cold vulnerability can be dangerous. While the circle of flames will neutralize "pure ice" projectiles like Bolt of Cold, several forms of cold damage will bypass the clouds entirely:

• Partial ice attacks, including Throw Icicle, Flash Freeze, wands of iceblast, and Glaciate.
• Ozocubu's Refrigeration, although this is only cast by Fannar and player ghosts.
• Freezing Clouds, e.g. in Ice caves, can still be spawned on top of you.
• Ice Magic miscasts, from Cocytus, divine wrath from certain gods (i.e. Vehumet, Fedhas Madash, Makhleb, Nemelex Xobeh, or Xom), or your own Ice Magic. However, they can all be avoided: don't use this spell in Cocytus, and don't trigger the other two sources.
• Cold melee attacks, e.g. from ice fiends and simulacrum. These are the greatest dangers, although flame clouds and your Fire Magic can melt cold attackers before they enter melee range.

This spell can't be turned off manually, so if you suddenly encounter an ice monster, it can result in trouble.

The clouds of flame themselves have a few downsides of their own:

• The clouds will block your own Ice Magic.
• The clouds will generate steam over water - this can be good, but also blocks your line of sight even if you didn't want it blocked.
• After the spell ends, you'll be surrounded by flame clouds without immunity to them.

Tips & Tricks

• When casting Freezing Cloud, the flame clouds will "get in the way" of the flood-fill, so you won't harm yourself with freezing vapours.

Monster Version

No monster casts this spell, but Asmodeus is permanently surrounded by a ring of flame clouds.

History

• Ring of Flames was removed in 0.26. Its effect was put on the Salamander Hide Armour.
• Prior to 0.8, Asmodeus wasn't surrounded by a ring of flame clouds.