Mephitic Cloud
 Mephitic Cloud
| |
|---|---|
| Level | 3 |
| School1 | Air |
| School2 | Alchemy |
| School3 | Conjuration |
| Source(s) | Book of the Senses Book of Vapours |
| Casting noise | 3 |
| Spell noise | 15 |
| Power Cap | 100 |
| Range | 4 |
| Flags | Area, Cloud, Dir or target, Needs tracer |
| Conjures up a short-lived cloud of noxious fumes, which may cause confusion in any creature not resistant to poison. Tougher, more experienced creatures are less likely to be affected.
“Seit mehreren Jahren schon hatte die indische Cholera eine verstärkte |
Mephitic Cloud is a Level 3 Conjurations/Poison/Air Magic spell that creates up to a 3x3 cloud of noxious fumes, which will linger for several turns.
Venom Mages and Hedge Wizards start with this spell.
Contents
Effect
Creates a bank of noxious fumes, affecting random tiles within a 3x3 radius from its release point. Higher spellpower increases the amount of tiles affected. Noxious fumes give creatures a (21 - hit dice) in 21 chance per turn to become confused. Monsters with 22 hit dice or more have a flat 2% chance to be affected. The clouds stay for a duration of 1d (Spell power / 50) turns.
Noxious fumes do not affect unbreathing creatures (undead, nonliving, and plants), nor those that are poison resistant or immune, or otherwise immune to clouds.
Mephitic Cloud is very loud, making as much noise as Fireball. Since it can be targeted at an empty square, this increases the effective range by one.
Strategy
This spell is found in multiple spell books, including several starter spellbooks. Despite how it can be blocked by two different resistances, it is very useful, even with minimal skill in the relevant magic schools. As clouds check HD and can work for multiple turns, Mephitic Cloud tends to be more effective than comparable Hexes. It is highly effective against most of the most dangerous monsters in the early to mid game, such as centaurs, spellcasting orcs, and yaks.
The confusion effect essentially disables creatures and allows you/your minions/your spells to kill them much more easily. The longer they spend in the cloud, the longer the victims will be confused. Alas, it will not affect undead or other poison-resistant enemies, but those can sometimes be distracted by attacks by their confused neighbors.
If you are poison-resistant, have the clarity intrinsic, or are worshipping Qazlal, you can use it anywhere without fear of affecting yourself. If surrounded, you can even target yourself. Even if you're not poison resistant, Mephitic Cloud can be used against an adjacent enemy in most cases (aim at the *):
......... ......... ...###... ....###.. ...#*#... ....#*#.. ...##Y... ....Y##.. ....@.... ....@.... ......... .........
By targeting diagonally beyond the yak, you can catch it in the cloud radius without catching yourself.
Also note that risking self-confusion is sometimes worth it - you can always drink a potion of curing (which you might have been wanting to do anyway), and most enemies can't.
As more and more monsters have poison resistance and high HD, this spell becomes much less effective. That is to be expected from a level 3 spell, but it remains extremely useful while it is relevant.
Tips & Tricks
- When facing distant enemies with dangerous ranged attacks (such as centaurs), a good strategy is to drop a cloud between you and them, then back away until they blunder into it.
- If you come across Ignite Poison, you can use Mephitic Cloud even against monsters that resist it. Surround your foes with noxious fumes, then light them on fire!
