Inner Flame
 Inner Flame
| |
|---|---|
| Level | 3 |
| School1 | Hexes |
| School2 | Fire |
| Source(s) | |
| Casting noise | 5 |
| Spell noise | 0 (If it explodes: 15 for most creatures, 20 for giant-sized creatures) |
| Power Cap | 200 |
| Targetting | Target or direction (not self) |
| Range | LOS |
| Flags | MR Check, Neutral |
Inner Flame is a level 3 Hexes/Fire Magic spell which gives a monster the Inner Flame status effect for 25 to 35 turns. The target may negate the spell if you cannot overcome its magic resistance. Since the spell doesn't deal direct damage, allies are not turned hostile if you affect them. Whenever the afflicted target is injured, a flaming cloud is generated at their position for three turns. On death, the victim will explode like a Fireball, dealing heavy fire damage to all adjacent squares and leaving clouds of fire. The amount of damage and radius of the explosion is dependent on the monster's size:
- Tiny monsters have a radius 1 explosion and deal 3d15 damage.
- Little through big monsters (i.e. most creatures in the game) have a radius 1 explosion and deal 3d20 damage.
- Giant monsters have a radius 2 explosion and deal 3d25 damage.
If a corpse would be created by the exploding monster, chunks get strewn about instead as with a wand of disintegration.
Strategy
Used correctly, Inner Flame can deal tremendous damage to multiple enemies early in the game. Used incorrectly, you'll probably blow yourself to bits.
- Obviously, the best way to avoid blowing yourself up is to kill the afflicted monster from a distance. Fire Elementalists can use their spells and Arcane Marksmen can use their ranged weapon. Other classes can make use of similar methods; even an attack wand will do in a pinch, if you use Inner Flame on a weakened foe.
- Slowing or stopping your opponents, whether by use of spells like Slow, Leda's Liquefaction, or Petrify or through methods like throwing curare darts or throwing nets, can give you enough time to run to a safe distance before setting your target off.
- Unlike most other situations, placing a harmful cloud in an Inner Flamed monster's path will not prevent them from closing to melee. Monsters will freely move from one harmful cloud to another, and the clouds of fire they generate when hit will be enough to convince them to charge into your defensive cloudbanks.
- Fire resistance will reduce the damage you take from a badly-timed kill, allowing you to survive things blowing up in your face.
- If the target is behind some other creatures, make use of smite-targeted attacks (such as Portal Projectile) or one of the various piercing attacks (javelins or Bolt spells) to set it off in the midst of its fellows. Attack wands come in handy here.
- Poison damage will continuously trigger the flaming cloud effect, making very short work of enemies vulnerable to both.
- Inner Flame works best when used on a member of a group of monsters, such as a band of orcs, swarm of killer bees, or herd of yaks. You can also use it against strong, solitary enemies like a unique or player ghost, either directly for bonus fire damage, or by luring in and exploding weaker monsters.
- Activating Inner Flame in an open space gives the explosion room to hit the most other creatures. Alternatively, set it off in a corridor to kill off the front line and create a wall of flames to block the rear guard from reaching you, similar to Conjure Flame.
- When your god doesn't mind you injuring your own allies, feel free to use this spell on your undead, enslaved, or summoned minions and send them in to kamikaze your opponents.
- Be careful of using this spell with allies or neutral monsters around, because any creature injured in the explosion will turn hostile.
History
Prior to 0.25, monsters afflicted with Inner Flame did not generate clouds of flame on themselves when injured. The spell was also ineffective on summoned creatures.
