Difference between revisions of "Call Canine Familiar"

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{{Spell
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'''Call Canine Familiar''' is a level 3 [[Summonings|Summoning]] spell which summons a mystical canine to your aid.
|name=Call Canine Familiar
 
|level=3
 
|school1={{Summonings}}
 
|school2=
 
|school3=
 
|sources=<div>
 
* [[Book of Callings]]
 
* [[Book of Beasts]]
 
</div>
 
|castingnoise=3
 
|spellnoise=0
 
}}
 
{{Flavour|Summons a canine to the caster's aid.}}
 
  
[[Call Canine Familiar]] is a level 3 [[Summonings]] spell which summons one or (rarely) two "h" glyph monsters to fight for you. Higher [[spell power]] results in better canines and better odds of summoning two at once. Possible summons include:
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==Useful Info==
*[[Jackal]]
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Summons an [[inugami]], or supports it if one is already present.
*[[Hound]]
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*[[War dog]]
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Higher spellpower increases the summon's stats directly, rounded in a weighted manner:<ref>{{source ref|0.31-b1|ghost.cc|751}}</ref>
*[[Wolf]] (replaced by wargs half the time if playing a [[hill orc]])
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*[[HD]] = <code>3 + power/15</code>
*[[Warg]]
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*[[HP]] = <code>14 + power/4</code>
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*[[AC]] = <code>5 + power/10</code>
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*Melee damage = <code>5 + power/6</code>
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Duration of the summon is around 27 turns; it does not depend on spell power.
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There is a summon limit of 1 inugami. Casting the spell while an inugami is present will heal it for <code>5 + power/5</code> to <code>9 + power/5</code> HP, and cause it make a [[cleaving]] attack immediately (in addition to its regular turn).<ref>{{source ref|0.31-b1|spl-summoning.cc|201}}</ref>
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If the inugami dies (not counting expiry or [[Abjuration]]), you cannot cast this spell again for 13-21 turns.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
At low spell power, this spell is too expensive and weak to be worth it; instead of summoning 6 mammals for 3 mana, you will probably only get a jackal or at best a hound early on. However, at middling spell power you can often get war dogs, and by the time you meet your first [[orc warrior]] or [[ogre (monster)|ogre]], you should be able to summon one to your aid reliably. Wolves come a little later, and are a little less powerful than war dogs. Hill orcs can get a lot of use out of wargs at high spell power, while other species will only see them rarely when spell power is maxed out. Wargs deal as much damage as war dogs with their primary attack, get two extra attacks, and are immune to poison.
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*The inugami is a fast, reliable ally. You can't summon multiple dogs in a row, but they are significantly better at combat than the earlier Summoning spells.
 
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*If the inugami dies, you can use other summoning spells and/or [[kiting]] to stall out time.
Even though you expend 3 mana points for each summon (very rarely do you get two), and you still get jackals even at very high power, Call Canine Familiar is a surprisingly powerful spell that can single-handedly take a [[summoner]] all the way through the bottom of the [[Lair]]. The only trouble you might face are packs of war dogs (you can't get enough friendly war dogs consistently to fight them), [[death yak]]s, and [[hydra]]. However, both death yaks and hydra can be defeated with a pack of about 5-6 dogs if you have a good mix of war dogs, wolves, and wargs. Alternatively, you could upgrade to [[Summon Scorpions]] if you have it, but the creatures this spell summons may appear hostile.
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*This is the only spell in the [[Summoner]] starting book that summons an ally with [[see invisible]]. At the least, it's decent at dealing with early [[sky beast]]s and [[unseen horror]]s.
  
The duration of the summons is very long, so it is easy to always keep with you a group of 7-10 dogs.
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==History==
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*In [[0.31]], this spell was reworked. Prior to this version:
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**Instead of an inugami, you could summon either a [[hound]], [[wolf]], or [[warg]]. To decide, a random value within <code>power ± 10</code> was chosen; if 60 or more, a warg was summoned, if 40 or more, a wolf was summoned. Therefore, reaching 30 power and 50 power were relevant breakpoints.
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**Recasting the spell did not cause the summon to heal or make an attack, and you could cast the spell again if the summon died.
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**The [[duration class]] ranged from 2 (around 18 turns) to 6 (around 171 turns); the formula was <code>2 + (1d<power> - 1) / 4</code> (capped at 6).
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*Prior to [[0.14]], this spell could also summon [[jackal]]s and its summon cap was 3.
  
[[Category:Crystal Ball Articles]]
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==References==
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<references/>

Latest revision as of 09:50, 15 January 2024

Version 0.31: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.
Call canine familiar.png Call Canine Familiar
Level 3
School1 Summoning
Source(s) Book of Callings
Book of the Hunter
Casting noise 3
Spell noise 0
Power Cap 100
Summons an inugami to the caster's aid. These mystical canines form a bond with their summoner, strengthening them in direct proportion with the caster's spellpower.

Recasting this spell while your familiar is nearby will imbue it with additional magic, mending some of its wounds and causing its next attack to strike more quickly and cleave adjacent foes.

“There seemed a strange stillness over everything. But as I listened, I heard
as if from down below in the valley the howling of many wolves. The Count's
eyes gleamed, and he said.

‘Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!’ Seeing, I
suppose, some expression in my face strange to him, he added, ‘Ah, sir, you
dwellers in the city cannot enter into the feelings of the hunter.’”
-Bram Stoker, _Dracula_. 1897.

Call Canine Familiar is a level 3 Summoning spell which summons a mystical canine to your aid.

Useful Info

Summons an inugami, or supports it if one is already present.

Higher spellpower increases the summon's stats directly, rounded in a weighted manner:[1]

  • HD = 3 + power/15
  • HP = 14 + power/4
  • AC = 5 + power/10
  • Melee damage = 5 + power/6

Duration of the summon is around 27 turns; it does not depend on spell power.

There is a summon limit of 1 inugami. Casting the spell while an inugami is present will heal it for 5 + power/5 to 9 + power/5 HP, and cause it make a cleaving attack immediately (in addition to its regular turn).[2]

If the inugami dies (not counting expiry or Abjuration), you cannot cast this spell again for 13-21 turns.

Strategy

  • The inugami is a fast, reliable ally. You can't summon multiple dogs in a row, but they are significantly better at combat than the earlier Summoning spells.
  • If the inugami dies, you can use other summoning spells and/or kiting to stall out time.
  • This is the only spell in the Summoner starting book that summons an ally with see invisible. At the least, it's decent at dealing with early sky beasts and unseen horrors.

History

  • In 0.31, this spell was reworked. Prior to this version:
    • Instead of an inugami, you could summon either a hound, wolf, or warg. To decide, a random value within power ± 10 was chosen; if 60 or more, a warg was summoned, if 40 or more, a wolf was summoned. Therefore, reaching 30 power and 50 power were relevant breakpoints.
    • Recasting the spell did not cause the summon to heal or make an attack, and you could cast the spell again if the summon died.
    • The duration class ranged from 2 (around 18 turns) to 6 (around 171 turns); the formula was 2 + (1d<power> - 1) / 4 (capped at 6).
  • Prior to 0.14, this spell could also summon jackals and its summon cap was 3.

References