Spectral (brand)

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

When its wielder attacks, the weapon's spirit leaps out and launches a second, slightly weaker strike. The spirit shares a part of any damage it takes with its wielder.

When striking an enemy, the spectral brand instantly creates a spiritual copy of your weapon in a nearby tile. Whenever you attack, the spectral weapon attacks again at 70% of your melee damage. The copy will vanish if you take an action besides making a melee attack.

The spectral weapon is a physical entity. Whenever it is damaged, half of damage is additionally dealt to you, ignoring any of your resistances. Spectral weapons have one level of resistance each to fire, cold, and electricity, and are immune to poison, negative energy, torment, blinding, and asphyxiation.

While limited to clubs and Staves normally, scrolls of brand weapon have a chance to give the spectral brand to any melee weapon. Asterion will always carry a spectral-branded weapon. In addition, any artefact melee weapon may have the spectral brand, and the brand is a feature of the unrandart Glaive of the Guard.

Strategy

• One of the strongest brands on paper, offering an irresistible +70% damage if the positioning works out. The extra damage taken by the spectral weapon hurts, though spectral weapons can only take so much damage before being destroyed.
• Spectral weapons must form within reach of both their wielder and their target. This makes spectral great on Polearms, as their reaching allows them more flexibility. Most other weapons will have trouble spawning when there's no empty space around your target.
• Be careful when using spectral weapons around monsters with area-of-effect attacks, like axes or Fireball. You'll take extra damage from your weapon on top of the damage from the attack itself.
• Spectral weapons are formed instantly. If you attack, the spectral weapon is formed (if it hadn't already), then it attacks before monsters get a chance to move.

History

• Prior to 0.30, spectral weapons were based off a "spectral weapon" monster, rather than scaling off the wielder's attack power. Also, monsters couldn't use this brand.
• Prior to 0.27, this brand was boosted by Evocations. It was native to clubs, staves, and two-handed artefacts, though it could still be applied to any melee weapon with a scroll of brand weapon. Also, monsters could create a copy of their weapon when using this brand.
• This brand was introduced in 0.26, replacing the spell Spectral Weapon.

Axe	Long Blade	Mace	Polearm	Short Blade	Staff	Whip