Simulacrum (spell)

Version 0.29: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

This article is about the spell. For the monster, see Simulacrum (monster)

Simulacrum (spell)

Simulacrum is a level 6 Ice/Necromancy spell which creates simulacra from a dying monster.

Effect

Casting Simulacrum irresistibly grants the Simulacrum enchantment on a single living, demonic, or holy monster anywhere in line of sight for 20 + 1d(pow/10) turns. When the monster dies, it will create 1 + 1d(pow/20) simulacra. Simlacra last for a finite duration or until you leave the floor they were created on.

The simulacrum created will have the same HD as the original monster. They deal 80% their original physical damage, but a great amount of additional ice damage, so the damage output of creatures with multiple attacks is greatly increased. When killed, simulacra leave behind only a short-lived freezing cloud.

Simulacrum takes priority over all ally-creating Necromancy spells except Infestation (which overrides it) and Death Channel (which works alongside it). Simulacrum does not work with Gozag (who turns corpses into gold, first) or Yredelemnul.

Monster Version

Monsters have access to Bind Souls, which is a similar effect. They cast it on their own allies (still hostile monsters), it works on every target in sight, but it can only create one simulacra per monster. Bind Souls takes priority over your own Simulacrum.

Tips & Tricks

• Simulacra often have extremely large damage output, but are outstandingly frail. Be mindful of fire attacks, capable of wiping out your horde in a few turns.
• Focus on capturing monsters with a large amount of attacks per turn, or auxiliary movement-impeding effects like trampling or constriction. Dragons, hydras, tentacled monstrosities or entropy weavers are all fair game. The Lernaean hydra as a simulacrum can deal over 1000 damage per turn.
  • Conversely, try to avoid using Simulacrum on physically deficient mages whose danger level fully depends on their spells, such as wizards or the more magic-attuned among the deep elves. Infestation will return more interesting results, in this case.
• Slimes of all flavours tend to be impressive when turned into simulacra, and are very easy to create in impressive numbers in the Slime Pits due to their sheer abundance.
• Simulacra are immune to cold, which means spells such as Ozocubu's Refrigeration can be cast safely without angering them. Polar Vortex is off-limits, however, as a portion of its damage bypasses cold resistance.

See Also

• Derived undead

History

• Prior to 0.29, Simulacrum would create multiple undead from a corpse you were standing on. The amount depended on the size of the corpse. This also meant that simlacrum of corpseless monsters (including holy and demonic) could not be created.
• Prior to 0.19, simulacra's duration was significantly longer.
• Prior to 0.17, the spell would turn all corpses in line of sight into Simulacra. Some monsters were also able to cast the spell.
• Prior to 0.16, you needed to wield a chunk of meat to cast Simulacrum.
• Between versions 0.11 and 0.14, Simulacrum could be cast on wielded carnivorous food items.