Dragon Form (spell)

Version 0.17: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Dragon Form
Level	7
School1	Transmutation
Source(s)	Book of the Dragon Book of Transfigurations
Casting noise	6
Spell noise	0

This spell temporarily transforms the caster into a great, fire-breathing dragon. Draconian casters will instead retain their innate colour and breath weapon when transformed.

Dragon Form is a level 7 Transmutations spell which transforms your character into a form similar to that of a dragon for a fairly long duration. You gain the following:

Pros

• Enhanced Unarmed Combat
  • Base UC bite damage = 18 + (2/3)Strength (matches a giant spiked club at 15 strength; claws bonus included)
  • 3 ranks of the Claws mutation: Increased base damage and bleeding.
  • Two auxiliary attacks: Tail slap and Bite 3
  • Accuracy bonus: +1d10
• Ability: Breathe Flames 3 (similar to Bolt of Fire)
• rF++
• rPois+
• +50% HP
• 34% GDR
• Natural AC set to about 10
• Flight
• +10 Strength
• Regeneration

Cons

• rC-
• All equipment except for rings and amulets meld into your body
• Natural EV set to about 8 (affected by Dodging)
• Claws 3 severs Hydra heads, causing two to grow back.

This leaves the caster fairly vulnerable, as they normally have only two rings, certain mutations, spells, and godly protection to defend them from attacks. Fire and poison won't be much of an issue, but anything else (especially cold) can be deadly. Even with the extra HP and GDR, your AC is low enough to make enemy attacks hurt, and your size makes it very hard to get any decent amount of evasion.

That being said, you are given a phenomenal amount of offensive firepower. Skilled Unarmed Combat specialists will be able to kill golden dragons in a single bite, and your Breathe Flame ability can devastate opponents when you reach higher experience levels. Unlike some Transmutations spells, Dragon Form in no way impairs your spellcasting (though you can't wield enhancer staves or wear a robe of the Archmagi, unfortunately), so you can attack magically while waiting for your breath to recharge.

Draconians

Draconian characters casting Dragon Form function slightly differently:

• You retain your natural breath weapon, if you have one (grey draconians do not gain one).
• You keep the AC bonus from your scales mutations.
• Instead of gaining rF++ and rC-, you retain your natural resistances (or lack thereof). Red and white draconians gain rF++/rC- and rF-/rC++, respectively, and all Dragon Form draconians get rPois regardless of color.

History

Prior to 0.14, players in dragon form could trample opponents.

Prior to 0.13, Dragon form was a Transmutation/Fire spell.

Prior to 0.8, draconians did not function differently.

Prior to 0.10, draconians also received a +30% bonus to Dragon Form's spell success rate.

Dragon Form

Red	White	Grey	Black	Pale	Mottled	Purple	Green	Yellow