Decks

Version 0.16: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Overview

Decks are magical devices which are used by evoking them, similar to wands. This draws a random card from the deck to produce a certain effect. Each deck comes with 4-13 cards.

Decks are made up of subunits that are also called decks, which are made up of a range of possible effects that are called cards.

Archetype decks

Archetype decks are the arrangements of the various cards from which the "physical" decks (those that a character can possess and evoke) are built. Some of these archetype decks, by virtue of their being the only component archetype of a physical deck, can be found in the dungeons, and are sometimes called "pure" decks. The others are sometimes called "mixed decks." Not all single-source decks can be found by players. The decks of oddities and punishment are never found as items.

Composition

Three tables below detail the compositions of physical decks from their parts. The archetype decks are composed of changing lists of cards, and these card compositions of the archetype decks are the subject of the first table. The physical decks are then composed of changing lists of archetype decks, and these deck compositions are the subject of the second table. Finally, the physical decks resulting from these combinations contain varying sets of possible cards across versions, and these deck compositions by cards are the subject of the third table. Together, they describe exactly how all cards and decks are related. A fourth, separate, card availability table under the cards topic also illustrates these relationships from that direction.

Prior to 0.14, there was relative stability in these structures, but the changes beginning with 0.14 and picking up steam in 0.15 have literally shuffled the decks to a large extent, bringing significant changes to this part of the game, as these tables illustrate.

Composition of archetype decks by cards and version

Archetype deck	Component cards by version
	pre-0.14	0.14	0.15	trunk
Battle	Battlelust the Blade the Elixir the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Shadow	Battlelust the Blade the Elixir the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Shadow	the Blade Dowsing the Elixir the Helm Metamorphosis the Potion the Shadow	the Blade the Elixir Fortitude the Helm the Potion the Shadow
Destruction	Flame Frost the Hammer the Orb Pain the Spark Venom Vitriol	Flame Frost the Hammer the Orb Pain the Spark Venom Vitriol	the Cloud Degeneration Fortitude the Hammer the Orb Pain the Storm Venom Vitriol	Degeneration the Hammer the Orb Pain the Storm Venom Vitriol
Dungeons	Dowsing the Minefield the Trowel Vitrification Water	Dowsing the Minefield the Trowel Vitrification Water	removed	removed
Emergency	the Banshee Damnation Flight Solitude the Tomb Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Damnation Flight Solitude the Tomb Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Damnation the Elixir the Shaft the Tomb	the Alchemist the Banshee the Cloud Damnation the Elixir the Shaft the Tomb
Enchantments	the Elixir	the Elixir	removed	removed
Oddities	the Bargain the Curse Famine the Feast the Genie Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast the Genie Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast Focus the Helix Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast Focus the Helix Wrath Xom
Punishment	the Curse Damnation Famine the Minefield the Portal the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith Wrath Xom	the Curse Damnation Famine the Minefield the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith Wrath Xom	the Curse Damnation Famine the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith the Wraith Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast Focus the Helix Wrath Xom
Summoning	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Illusion the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Crusade the Dance the Elements Foxfire the Illusion the Pentagram the Rangers Repulsiveness
Transport	the Portal Swap Velocity the Warp	the Portal Swap Velocity the Warp	Solitude Swap Velocity Warpwright	Solitude Swap Velocity Warpwright
Wonders	the Alchemist Experience Focus the Helix the Potion the Sage Shuffle Wild Magic	Experience Focus the Helix the Potion the Sage Shuffle the Trowel Wild Magic	the Alchemist Dowsing Focus the Helix the Mercenary the Shaft	the Alchemist Dowsing Focus the Helix the Mercenary Placid Magic Wild Magic

Composition of physical decks by archetypes and version

Physical deck	Component archetypes by version
	pre-0.14	0.14	0.15	trunk
Deck of changes	Battle Dungeons Wonders	Battle Dungeons Wonders	Battle Wonders	Battle Wonders
Deck of defence	Battle Emergency	Battle Emergency	Battle Emergency	Battle Emergency
Deck of destruction	Destruction	Destruction	Destruction	Destruction
Deck of dungeons	Dungeons	Dungeons	removed	removed
Deck of escape	Emergency Transport	Emergency Transport	Emergency Transport	Emergency Transport
Deck of oddities	Oddities	Oddities	Oddities	Oddities
Deck of punishment	Punishment	Punishment	Punishment	Punishment
Deck of summoning	Summoning	Summoning	Summoning	Summoning
Deck of war	Battle Destruction Emergency Enchantments Summoning Transport	Battle Destruction Emergency Enchantments Summoning Transport	Battle Destruction Summoning	Battle Summoning
Deck of wonders	Wonders	Wonders	Wonders	Wonders

Composition of physical decks by cards and version

Physical deck	Available cards by version
	pre-0.14	0.14	0.15	trunk
Changes	the Alchemist Battlelust the Blade Dowsing the Elixir Experience Focus the Helix the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Minefield the Potion the Sage the Shadow Shuffle the Trowel Vitrification Water Wild Magic	Battlelust the Blade Dowsing the Elixir Experience Focus the Helix the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Minefield the Potion the Sage the Shadow Shuffle the Trowel Vitrification Water Wild Magic	the Alchemist the Blade Dowsing the Elixir Focus the Helix the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Potion the Shadow the Shaft	the Alchemist the Blade Dowsing the Elixir Focus Fortitude the Helix the Helm the Mercenary Placid Magic the Potion the Shadow Wild Magic
Defence	the Banshee Battlelust the Blade Damnation the Elixir Flight the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Shadow Solitude the Tomb Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Battlelust the Blade Damnation the Elixir Flight the Helm the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Shadow Solitude the Tomb Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee the Blade Damnation Dowsing the Elixir the Helm Metamorphosis the Potion the Shadow the Shaft the Tomb	the Alchemist the Banshee the Blade the Cloud Damnation the Elixir Fortitude the Helm the Potion the Shadow the Shaft the Tomb
Destruction	Flame Frost the Hammer the Orb Pain the Spark Venom Vitriol	Flame Frost the Hammer the Orb Pain the Spark Venom Vitriol	the Cloud Degeneration Fortitude the Hammer the Orb Pain the Storm Venom Vitriol	Degeneration the Hammer the Orb Pain the Storm Venom Vitriol
Dungeons	Dowsing the Minefield the Trowel Vitrification Water	Dowsing the Minefield the Trowel Vitrification Water	deck removed	deck removed
Escape	the Banshee Damnation Flight the Portal Solitude Swap the Tomb Velocity the Warp Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Damnation Flight the Portal Solitude Swap the Tomb Velocity the Warp Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Damnation the Elixir the Shaft Solitude Swap the Tomb Velocity	the Alchemist the Banshee the Cloud Damnation the Elixir the Shaft Solitude Swap the Tomb Velocity Warpwright
Oddities	the Bargain the Curse Famine the Feast the Genie Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast the Genie Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast Focus the Helix Wrath Xom	the Curse Famine the Feast Focus the Helix Wrath Xom
Punishment	the Curse Damnation Famine the Minefield the Portal the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith Wrath Xom	the Curse Damnation Famine the Minefield the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith Wrath Xom	the Curse Damnation Famine the Swine the Tomb Torment Wild Magic the Wraith Xom	the Curse Damnation Famine the Swine Torment the Wraith Wrath Xom
Summoning	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Bones the Crusade the Dance Foxfire the Herd the Illusion the Pentagram Repulsiveness	the Crusade the Dance the Elements Foxfire the Illusion the Pentagram the Rangers Repulsiveness
War	the Banshee Battlelust the Blade the Bones the Crusade Damnation the Dance the Elixir Flame Flight Foxfire Frost the Hammer the Helm the Herd the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Orb Pain the Pentagram the Portal Repulsiveness the Shadow Solitude the Spark Swap the Tomb Velocity Venom Vitriol the Warp Warpwright	the Alchemist the Banshee Battlelust the Blade the Bones the Crusade Damnation the Dance the Elixir Flame Flight Foxfire Frost the Hammer the Helm the Herd the Mercenary Metamorphosis the Orb Pain the Pentagram the Portal Repulsiveness the Shadow Solitude the Spark Swap the Tomb Velocity Venom Vitriol the Warp Warpwright	the Blade the Bones the Cloud the Crusade the Dance Degeneration Dowsing the Elixir Fortitude Foxfire the Hammer the Helm the Herd the Illusion Metamorphosis the Orb Pain the Pentagram the Potion Repulsiveness the Shadow the Storm Venom Vitriol	the Blade the Crusade the Dance the Elements the Elixir Fortitude Foxfire the Helm the Illusion the Pentagram the Potion the Rangers Repulsiveness the Shadow
Wonders	the Alchemist Experience Focus the Helix the Potion the Sage Shuffle Wild Magic	Experience Focus the Helix the Potion the Sage Shuffle the Trowel Wild Magic	the Alchemist Dowsing Focus the Helix the Mercenary the Shaft	the Alchemist Dowsing Focus the Helix the Mercenary Placid Magic Wild Magic

General notes

Scroll of identify reveals both the deck type and the current top card. If you have excess Identify scrolls, you can use the spares on useful Legendary decks as needed to keep the top card identified. Dangerous cards can then be peeled off in safe circumstances with defensive gear/allies/stairs/etc.

If you want to ID an unknown deck by drawing from it, take the following precautions. (You will probably need at least two draws to identify a deck.)

• Be at full health (Torment)
• Stand on solid ground (Water), and not at a chokepoint for the level (Tomb).
• If you'd have trouble getting out of a Tomb, stand next to something mobile (monster or ally) or destructible (plant, fungus, bush). A closed door will do as well.
• Have at least one monster around, preferably a couple. (Damnation).
• Make sure you have room to send a Fireball or Orb(s) off to a safe distance.
• If you have access to Abjuration, keep that handy in case of hostile summons.
• You may want to equip resistances, Sustain Abilities, Clarity, and have remedies for poison and mutation. (Venom, Helix, Potion, Wild Magic).

See also

Cards

Mundane	Ornate	Legendary