Wereblood

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

Wereblood

Wereblood is a level 2 Transmutations spell which gives you a temporary slaying bonus based on the number of monsters killed, as well as minor healing. Transmuters start with this spell.

Effect

While the spell is active, each enemy killed grants a +1 slaying bonus (up to a cap of +9), as well as 1d3 healing if the enemy was adjacent to the player. Both effects only apply when killing monsters that give XP, so destroying summons will not help. Unfortunately, the bestial blood gives your character the irresistible urge to howl, generating significant noise.

The effect lasts 20 + (1d<power> + 1d(<power> + 1)) / 2 - 1 turns. Casting the spell again while still active will renew the duration, but also resets the slaying bonus.

You are unable to cast this spell if you are undead, though you don't need to have blood to cast this spell.

Tips & Tricks

Despite the low level of this spell, melee, ranged, and hybrid fighters at most stages of the game can benefit from the practically free Slaying bonus offered by this spell. As you should expect, unarmed Transmutations experts, without encumbering armour, can most easily use this spell.

History

• In 0.31, this spell will be revamped into Fugue of the Fallen and become a level 3 Necromancy spell. The heal on kill effect will be removed, and the slay bonus will be capped at 7 stacks, but ally kills will add stacks. While at max stacks, successful hits will deal negative energy damage to all adjacent targets.
• Prior to 0.27, Wereblood had no healing effect from killing adjacent enemies.
• Prior to 0.26, this spell was known as Song of Slaying, was a level 2 Charms spell, and was slightly louder.
• Prior to 0.20, you could stop singing through an ability at any time.
• Prior to 0.18, toughness of monsters controlled how much they could increase the slaying bonus. The bonus wasn't capped.
• Prior to 0.14, the spell had lower duration and granted less slaying, but had a higher power cap.
• Song of Slaying was added in 0.13.

During the Christmas holiday of 2014 and 2015, online Crawl servers replaced this spell with the Song of Sleighing:

This spell conjures ancient Christmas carols within the caster's mind, which the caster then recites — quite loudly! Each non-summoned enemy the caster slays in combat during this recitation temporarily enhances their melee & ranged skills. The bonus only lasts for the duration of the song; casting this spell while already singing will start a new song, not extend an existing one.

This had no impact on actual gameplay.