Portal Projectile

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

Portal Projectile

Portal Projectile is a level 3 Translocations/Hexes spell which grants your ranged weapons smite-targeting.

Hexslingers start with this spell available.

Useful Info

When cast, Portal Projectile gives the Portal Projectile status (PProj). This gives Ranged Weapons and Throwing weapons smite-targeting, allowing them to hit any target in line of sight, even when line of fire is obstructed - e.g. when monsters are in the way of other monsters. They also gain 1d(power/4) accuracy. However, each shot consumes 1 MP. If you have no MP, Portal Projectile has no effect (though the status persists).

Like with all smite-targeted attacks, transparent walls (but not iron grates or statues) will block Portal Projectile. Also, the smite-targeting will negate penetration and the returning of boomerangs.

The status lasts for 1d(power/2 + 1) + 1d(power/5 + 1) turns.

Strategy

Portal Projectile is generally useful if you rely on Ranged Weapons. It offers a significant increase to accuracy and the ability to snipe monsters in the backlines. The low spell level makes it easy to learn, and Ranged Weapons users tend to be in light armour, anyways.

Not as good for Throwing users. Javelins have innate penetration, so they can already hit monsters in the back (and everything in the way, too). The only benefit of smite-targeting is the ability to fire through grates and statues. Portal Projectile can still be good with darts and large rocks, however.

Tips & Tricks

• Smite-targeting makes taking out enemies behind summoned fodder easy. Works well against enemy summoners, works even better if you can summon/create your own allies.
• You can also pin a weak monster between yourself and something dangerous. You can pelt the threat while it waits patiently for the weak foe to get out of the way.

Monster Version

The monster version of Portal Projectile functions differently; instead of giving a monster the ongoing ability to teleport their ranged weapon attacks, it merely functions as a one-time smite-targeted attack. As monsters never run out of MP, they may achieve much the same effect as a player character by simply spamming the spell.

The following enemies cast Portal Projectile:

• N Naga sharpshooter
• N Vashnia

History

• Prior to 0.27, Portal Projectile's duration could be ended prematurely.
• Prior to 0.20, Portal Projectile was pure Translocations.
• Prior to 0.14, the spell wasn't duration-based, instead launching one projectile per cast.
• Prior to 0.5.1, the spell range wasn't full LOS.