Difference between revisions of "Player ghost"

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{{version019}}
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{{version024}}
{{no-bot-monster
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{{flavour|The apparition of an unfortunate adventurer.}}
|name=player ghost
 
|glyph={{White|p}}
 
|tile=[[File:Ghost.png]]
 
|flags={{Fighter  flag}}<br>{{Speaks flag}}<br>{{Spellcaster flag}}<br>{{Actual spells flag}}<br>{{Flying flag}}<br>{{Evil flag}}<br>{{Unique flag}}<br>{{Insubstantial flag}}
 
|resistances={{Constriction resistance}}, {{Poison resistance}}, Varies
 
|vulnerabilities={{Holy vulnerability}}, Varies
 
|max_chunks=0
 
|meat={{No corpse}}
 
|xp=~
 
|holiness={{Undead}}
 
|magic_resistance=~
 
|hp_range=~
 
|avg_hp=~
 
|armour_class=~
 
|evasion=~
 
|habitat=land
 
|speed=~
 
|size={{Medium}}
 
|item_use={{Open doors}}
 
|attack1=4-50, damage and brand depends on character
 
|attack2=
 
|attack3=
 
|attack4=
 
|hit_dice=~
 
|base_hp=2
 
|extra_hp=3
 
|fixed_hp=0
 
|intelligence={{High intelligence}}
 
|genus=player ghost
 
|species=player ghost
 
}}
 
{{Flavour|The apparition of an unfortunate adventurer.}}
 
  
==Useful Info==
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A '''player ghost''' is generated when your character dies, unless your character is [[undead]] or you die in one of the following areas: [[Dungeon]] level 1 or 2, the [[Ecumenical Temple]], [[the Abyss]], a [[Wizard Laboratory]], or the [[Desolation of Salt]]<ref>{{source ref|0.24.0|ghost.cc|740}}</ref>.
A '''player ghost''' is generated when your character dies, unless at Dungeon level 1 or 2, or in the [[Ecumenical Temple]].
 
  
Undead characters don't leave ghosts (but may carry previously existing ghosts on this level). If you die on a level that already has player ghosts that were not killed, they will be added to the same ghost file, making several ghosts appear on this level later on.
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All player ghosts spawn locked inside ghost [[vault]]s which can only appear in the following branches:<ref>{{source ref|0.24.0|dat/des/variable/ghost.des|100}}</ref>
 +
*[[Dungeon]], except for Dungeon:1-2
 +
*[[Lair]]
 +
*[[Orcish Mines]]
 +
*[[Elven Halls]]
 +
*[[Swamp]], [[Shoals]], [[Snake Pit]], and [[Spider's Nest]]
 +
*[[Vaults]], except for Vaults:5
 +
*[[Depths]]
 +
*[[Crypt]]
 +
*[[Zot]]
  
The maximum number of ghosts that are saved (including the one you just generated unless you were an Undead) depend on the level depth:
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Each of these floors has a 10% chance to spawn a ghost vault; each vault contains one or more player ghosts from a player that previously died on that floor and possibly other monsters defined by that specific vault. These ghost vaults also often contain loot, dependent on how far into the dungeon the vault generates and the difficulty of the vault's monsters. The monsters and loot are always found behind either a [[transporter]] or [[runed door]] and will be visible through transparent walls, allowing the player to make an informed decision about when they wish to tackle the vault.
  
*1 for Dungeon levels 3-9, [[Orcish Mines]] level 1 or Lair level 1.
+
Ghost vaults will never spawn on floors with floor-wide "encompass" vaults.
*2 for Dungeon levels 10-15 or any other levels in the Orcish Mines or [[the Lair]].
 
*9 for any level in [[Pandemonium]], [[the Abyss]], [[the Crypt]], [[the Tomb]], [[the Realm of Zot]] or Dungeon levels 23-27.
 
*1, plus 5*(L+1)% chance of a second one, plus 2.5*(L+1)% chance of another one on any other level, where L is the level depth.
 
 
 
Each time a player on the same server (or computer if you're playing locally) enters a level for which a ghost was saved, there's a 33% chance that this ghost (and eventual other ones it is carrying with it) will be generated in that level. The ghost file is deleted in the process, which means that it won't be generated again later, unless you die on this level without having killed the ghost(s), in which case the ghost may appear again if the level has enough space for it.  For levels with multiple ghosts, the oldest ones will be deleted first, meaning that even extremely overpowered ghosts will rarely have more than one or two victims.
 
  
 
==Ghost Properties==
 
==Ghost Properties==
Ghost stats:
+
When your ghost is created, its stats are defined as follows:
  
*When your ghost is created, its stats are defined as follow:
+
*Its max [[HP]], [[AC]] and [[EV]] are equal to yours when you died.
**Its max [[HP]], [[AC]] and [[EV]] are equal to yours when you died.
+
*Its number of [[hit dice]] is equal to your experience level.
**Its number of [[hit dice]] is equal to your experience level.
+
*Its [[cold]], [[fire]], and [[electricity]] resistances are equal to yours when you died.
**Its cold, fire and electricity resistances are equal to yours when you died.
+
*It becomes [[undead]], gaining immunity to [[poison]], [[negative energy]], and [[torment]], as well as vulnerability to [[holy]] attacks and [[Dispel Undead]].
**It gains poison and sticky flame resistance.
+
*It becomes [[insubstantial]], gaining immunity to [[constriction]] and [[Sticky Flame]].
**If you were able to see invisible, so does the ghost.
+
*If you were able to see invisible, so can the ghost.
**Its base speed is equal to 10, minus 1 for Nagas, +2 for Felids, +3 for Centaurs and Spriggans, +2 if you were wearing boots of running. The final base speed can never be less than 6 or greater than 13. Ghosts are levitating, so it will be able to cross water or lava.
+
*Its base speed is equal to 10, regardless of the [[species]] you were playing.
**Its damage is determined by the weapon you were wielding and your skill levels:
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*Its damage is determined by the weapon you were wielding and your skill levels:
***If you had a weapon in hand, the base damage is equal to the weapon's base damage, increased by 4% per skill level you had for this weapon. In addition, the attacks will have the eventual weapon brand.
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**If you had a weapon in hand, the base damage is equal to the weapon's base damage, increased by 4% per skill level you had for this weapon. In addition, the attacks will have the weapon's brand (unless you were wielding a weapon of [[chaos]], in which case no brand will be used).
***If you had no weapon in hand, the base damage is 4 plus your [[Unarmed Combat]] skill, plus your experience level if you were a Troll.
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**If you had no weapon in hand, the base damage is 4 plus your [[Unarmed Combat]] skill, plus your experience level if you were a Troll.
***This base damage is then increased by 3.3% per [[Fighting]] skill, then increased by 0.25 times your Strength. Total damage is capped at 50.
+
**This base damage is then increased by 3.3% per level of [[Fighting]] skill, then increased by 0.25 times your Strength. Total base damage is capped at 50.
**If you knew spells, the ghost may still be able to cast up to 6 of them.  See below for the mechanics.
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*If you knew spells, the ghost will be able to cast some of your spells as per the algorithm below.
**Ghosts of level 7+ Draconians also have a high chance of being able to breathe Bolts of Draining (30 accuracy, 3d(2*HD) damage where HD was your experience level).
 
  
 
The experience level of a ghost is indicated in their description with one of the following adjectives:
 
The experience level of a ghost is indicated in their description with one of the following adjectives:
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|1 to 3
 
|1 to 3
 
|-
 
|-
|average
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|amateur
 
|4 to 6
 
|4 to 6
 
|-
 
|-
|experienced
+
|novice
 
|7 to 10
 
|7 to 10
 
|-
 
|-
|powerful
+
|journeyman
 
|11 to 15
 
|11 to 15
 
|-
 
|-
|mighty
+
|adept
 
|16 to 21
 
|16 to 21
 
|-
 
|-
|great
+
|veteran
 
|22 to 25
 
|22 to 25
 
|-
 
|-
|awesomely powerful
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|master
 
|26
 
|26
 
|-
 
|-
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|}
 
|}
  
Player ghosts copy spells from the player if there exists a monster version of the spell, and the spell isn't flagged as a non-ghost spell. Then the chance of it picking a spell is given by (50-[failure percentage])^2/2500. For example, a spell with a 30% fail rate has a 900/2500 or 36% chance of being added to your ghost, and a spell with a 0% fail rate will always be added.
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===Spell Selection===
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Player ghosts copy spells from the player if a monster version of the spell exists and the spell isn't flagged as a non-ghost spell. The chance of a ghost having a spell is based off the player's [[spell success]] rate: <code>(50-[failure percentage])^2/2500</code>. For example, a spell with a 20% fail rate is [50 - 20]^2/2500, which is 900/2500 or a 36% chance of being added to your ghost. A spell with a 0% fail rate will always be added, while spells above 50% chance of failure cannot be added. Player ghosts can learn any number of spells in this way.
  
Additionally some spells change slightly when learned by player ghosts: Controlled Blink will change to Blink, Delayed Fireball will change to Fireball, Dragon's Call will change to Summon Dragon, and Swiftness will change to Sprint.
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Additionally some spells change slightly when learned by player ghosts: [[Controlled Blink]] will change to [[Blink]], [[Dragon's Call]] will change to [[Summon Dragon]], and [[Swiftness]] will change to [[Sprint]].
 +
 
 +
==Ghost Selection==
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When a ghost vault is generated, up to five ghosts are placed (depending on the vault). These ghosts are selected as follows:
 +
*If there is an available ghost file for that floor, from a previous death on the same installation (offline) or the same online server, use that ghost file. If the player subsequently kills this ghost, the ghost file is deleted.
 +
*Otherwise, if there is a ghost file available for that branch in the "permastore", use that ghost file. The permastore consists of a number of generic ghosts that were initially taken from deaths on some online servers in 0.22 -— ghosts generated from the permastore always have randomly generated names. The permastore stores ghosts by branch, not by floor.
 +
*In extremely rare cases, if no ghost is available from the ghost files for that floor or permastore for that branch, use a clone of the player with the properties described in the above Ghost Properties section. If this happens, the ghost's description will include the text, "It looks just like you. Spooky...".
  
 
==Tips & Tricks==
 
==Tips & Tricks==
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Ghost vaults and the player ghosts within them can be extremely dangerous, often on a par with the most dangerous [[unique]]s for a given dungeon depth. There are a number of strategies for dealing with them:
 +
* First and foremost, don't open the runed door/enter the transporter of a ghost vault until you are ready to fight the ghost(s) and other enemies in the vault. Once you open the door, you will have to deal with the ghost, who like normal monsters can follow you through [[transporter]]s or [[stairs]]. You can always come back to a ghost vault later in the game to retrieve the loot when you have much better HP, equipment and damage.
 +
* You can e'''x'''amine the ghost to get its species, class, HP, defenses, resistances, damage, weapon brand and spells before you enter the vault. This will help you decide how difficult the ghost will be to fight, and to weigh up when it is safe to enter the vault.
 +
* If you have it, [[Dispel Undead]] will make short work of ghosts, bypassing their defenses entirely. This can be particularly useful against later ghosts, who will often have much higher defenses than most monsters. Some ghost vaults are also themed around undead; the other enemies in these vaults can also be made significantly easier with this spell.
 +
* Look at the loot in the vault to see whether it could be worth it to use a consumable or two to fight the ghost vault. If there's a scroll of acquirement or [[artefact]] weapon or armour that you really want in it, it could be worth it to enter the ghost vault prematurely and use a few consumables to fight it. If, on the other hand, there's just a few stones and useless items in the vault, it's a lot less likely to be worth entering anytime soon.
 +
* You can check the morgue of the dead character if you wish to see exactly spells/abilities/defenses a ghost has.  On local games, just search through your /morgue folder to find it; on public servers, you can usually use one of the IRC bots to find the morgue.
 +
* If you're worshipping [[Xom]], be very careful around ghost vaults with [[runed door]]s, as Xom is likely to open them if you approach them, letting the ghost out. Use the '''e'''xclusion tool if you need to.
  
Player ghosts can be extremely dangerous, often on a par with the most dangerous [[unique]]s for the dungeon depth. There are a number of strategies for dealing with them:
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==Ghost vaults==
* First and foremost, remember that they are trapped on the level they spawn on. If you facing a ghost that seems like it might kill you, remember that you absolutely don't have to face it now. Skip it and come back to it later.
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A variety of different ghost vaults exist, which can be found in the ghost.des file of the source ([https://raw.githubusercontent.com/crawl/crawl/master/crawl-ref/source/dat/des/variable/ghost.des]). A brief overview of these vaults is given below.
* You can e'''x'''amine the ghost to get its species, class, and a rough idea of its level when it died. This can give you a good impression of how dangerous it is, but be aware that this may not show everything (e.g. an average KoFi might be a little more dangerous if it was wielding a weapon of electrocution when it died).
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_grave''': The most basic ghost vault, consisting of just a player ghost, a gravestone and 1-3 loot items.
* If you have it, [[Dispel Undead]] will make short work of ghosts, bypassing their defenses entirely. This can be particularly useful against later ghosts, who will often have much higher defenses than most monsters.
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_split''': A square vault consisting of a player ghost and several monsters, including at least one very dangerous monster.
* Be careful around [[draconian]] ghosts with XL>=7: they are almost guaranteed to have a nasty [[bolt of draining]] attack.
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_arena''': A transporter vault with a player ghost and several monsters including some dangerous monsters.
* If you fight the ghost while you are standing on [[stairs]], you can escape quickly at any time because the ghost cannot follow you. Just remember that it takes a little while to use stairs, so it's best to start climbing them as soon as you notice that the ghost is dealing a lot more damage to you than you are to it.  
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_cemetery''': A vault with several dead trees and tombstones, themed around a cemetery. It has at least 2 player ghosts, with a chance to spawn up to 5.
* If a ghost has <50% HP and you leave the level it's on, it will teleport away, and likely not be near the stairs when you return.
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* '''ebering_ghost_inner_flame''': A player ghost guarding a [[scroll of immolation]], shrouded in black smoke and clearly the site of an explosion.
* You can check the morgue of the dead character if you wish to see exactly spells/abilities/defenses a ghost has.  On local games, just search through your /morgue folder to find it; on public servers, you can usually use one of the IRC bots to find the dumplog: start by searching for deaths on the level you're on, and stop when you find the player whose ghost you are encountering.
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* '''ebering_ghost_gozag''': A player ghost, an [[obsidian statue]], and possibly some other dangerous enemies, all of which guard an altar to [[Gozag]], piles of [[gold]], and possibly a [[shop]].
If you are playing a local game (i.e. are not on a public server) and are encountering many of your own ghosts, there are a few steps you can take to remedy the situation:
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* '''ebering_ghost_rock_garden''': A player ghost on its own, with piles of [[stone]]s and [[large rock]]s, possibly some useless items, as well as a small amount of loot.
* Play undead.  They can't add to the problem, and many undead are quite capable of taking out ghosts themselves. [[Ghoul]] [[monk]]s work well as ghostbusters, as do various casting [[vampire]]s.
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* '''ebering_ghost_reflecting_pool''': A player ghost at the end of a pool of shallow water and some pebbled floor.
* Worshiping [[Kikubaaqudgha]] will guarantee you access to [[Dispel Undead]] at *** piety - too late for early ghosts, but great for taking out ghosts in Lair, Orc, and later branches.  [[Necromancer]]s will have an easier time getting the spell online.
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* '''hellmonk_ghost_happy_afterlife''': A player ghost on green grass with trees and plants with [[ration]]s and [[potion]]s as loot.
* Ghost files are deleted if you die on any other level, though this may eventually be changed. Therefore, simply bypassing a ghost if possible ([[travel exclusion]]s can be useful here) is often the best option, not just for your current character but also for future ones.
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* '''ebering_ghost_disaster_area''': A player ghost located on a patch of unstable ground with water and lava.
* If you are desperate or simply find ghosts unfun, deleting the bones files (stored in the /saves directory or similar) is always an option.  Be aware that this is often considered [[cheating]], particularly if it is done selectively.
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_necromancy''': A player ghost and many [[derived undead]], scaling with depth from [[zombie]]s and [[skeleton (monster)|skeleton]]s in the early dungeon to [[spectral thing]]s and [[simulacra]] later. The undead created are specific to the branch.
 +
* '''gammafunk_ghost_spectres''': A player ghost and many standard undead, ranging from [[wraith]]s and [[shadow]]s to [[phantasmal warrior]]s to [[curse skull]]s in Crypt. (Dungeon and Crypt only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_ooze''': A player ghost accompanying many [[slime creature]]s and [[death ooze]]s as well as an [[altar]] to [[Jiyva]]. (Dungeon, Lair and Depths only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_mausoleum''': A variety of undead and derived undead creatures alongside a player ghost in a transporter vault.
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_hydra_chop''': A player ghost and several [[hydra]]s with between 9 and 16 heads, guarding a weapon that cuts hydra heads among other loot. (Dungeon, Lair and Swamp only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_fury_of_okawaru''': A ghost vault themed around [[Okawaru]]'s wrath, with several strong melee and ranged opponents guarding a [[curse]]d weapon, a bad [[randart]] [[robe]], and a weapon and armour gift from Okawaru. (Dungeon, Orc, Elf and Crypt only)
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* '''muffindrake_ghost_dual_entry''': A ghost vault with some strong zombies and other undead, and a final [[lich]] or [[ancient lich]]. (Dungeon and Depths only)
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* '''muffindrake_ghost_three_little_ghosts''': Three ghosts in three successive rooms, with increasingly threatening [[Depths]] enemies and increasing loot in each room. (Depths only)
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* '''muffindrake_ghost_dead_mans_drink''': A ghost vault with several strong derived undead. (Depths only)
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* '''biasface_ghost_demon_polymorph''': A player ghost, a couple of strong tier-2 [[demon]]s and a tier 1 demon guarding some good loot. (Depths only)
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* '''ebering_ghost_funeral_grove''': A tree-lined ghost vault with various [[list of spriggans|spriggans]] and a [[list of bears|bear]] in addition to the ghost; has a chance to be themed towards death or autumn. (Dungeon, Lair and Swamp only)
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* '''biasface_ghost_orc_armoury''': An ghost with an [[list of orcs|orc band]] dependent on depth guarding a variety of different types of armour. (Dungeon and Orc only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_icy''': A ghost with a variety of [[cold]]-themed enemies guarding a [[ring of fire]] (possibly artefact) among other loot. Also contains an [[ice dragon]] or [[blizzard demon]] when found later in the Dungeon. (Dungeon, Lair, and Depths only)
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* '''maelrawn_ghost_gauntlet_escape''': A player ghost, some branch-themed monsters, and a [[minotaur]] outside an expired [[portal]] to a [[Gauntlet]]. (Dungeon, Lair and Orc only)
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* '''ebering_ghost_xom''': A player ghost, an altar to [[Xom]], and a [[dancing weapon]] created by Xom (usually [[chaos]]- or [[distortion]]-branded).
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* '''ebering_ghost_sewer_f''' and '''ebering_ghost_sewer_d''': A group of [[Sewer]]-themed enemies guarding a player ghost and an expired Sewer portal. (Early Dungeon only)
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* '''ploomutoo_gammafunk_ghost_potion_laboratory''': This ghost vault consists of two sections. The first has a variety of mutated enemies like [[ugly thing]]s or [[glowing orange brain]]s guarding a few [[potions of mutation]]; the second has a player ghost, some more mutated and mutation-causing enemies ([[neqoxec]]s, [[shapeshifter]]s, and/or [[cacodemon]]s possible), and [[mutagenic fog]], as well as a larger selection of potions and other treasure. (Dungeon, Elf and Depths only)
 +
* '''ebering_ghost_davey_jones''': A ghost vault themed around the [[Shoals]], with a [[kraken]], a mermaid statue and a [[ring]] that has a chance to be a [[ring of the Octopus King]]. (Shoals only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_stat_death''': A transporter vault with [[quasit]]s and [[neqoxec]]s designed to steal your [[intelligence]] and [[dexterity]], guarding rings of those stats. (Dungeon and Orc only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_smash''': [[list of giants|Giant-sized]] monsters, one of which has a fancy weapon, guarding a range of [[great mace]]s and [[giant club]]s. (Dungeon and Orc only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_nasty_kobolds''': A player ghost and some [[list of kobolds|kobolds]] carrying [[wand]]s and wielding nasty-branded [[short blade]]s or [[whip]]s (including at least one with a [[distortion]] brand). (Dungeon only)
 +
* '''gammafunk_ghost_hive''': A transporter vault with a ghost and a swarm of [[killer bee]]s surrounded by wax walls. (Dungeon and Lair only).
 +
* '''gammafunk_ghost_gnarly_gnolls''': A transporter vault themed around a [[list of gnolls|gnoll]] castle. The loot always contains a [[manual]]. (Early Dungeon only)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_tricky_traps''': A ghost vault with a bunch of alarm, dispersal, and Zot [[traps]] inside and in front of it. (Dungeon:15, Shoals, Spider, Elf, Depths, Zot)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_crypt''': A [[Crypt]]-themed vault, which always has an artefact auxiliary armour, an artefact ring or amulet, and one nice book. (Dungeon:15, Crypt, Depths, Zot)
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_berserking_beasts''': A transporter vault with a player ghost, a [[moth of wrath]], and several branch-specific animals.
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* '''gammafunk_ghost_wrathful_warriors''': A [[Trog]]-themed transporter vault with three rocky pillars. Some of the monsters are armed with weapons themed as Trog gifts. All monsters are capable of being berserked by an obligatory moth of wrath and none are spellcasters.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
In [[0.17]], deep dwarf player ghosts now regenerate normally.
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*Prior to [[0.25]], there were no player ghost-themed floors in [[ziggurat]]s.
 +
*Prior to [[0.23]], followers of [[Elyvilon]] could pacify player ghosts.
 +
*[[0.22]] overhauled the ghost system. In previous versions, ghost vaults did not exist and player ghosts spawned unenclosed on floors, with a 33% chance to spawn a ghost on any valid floor with an available ghost file. This made ghosts much more common in the early dungeon and [[Lair]] than anywhere else, since most players die there and most ghost files are created in the early part of the game. Additionally, ghosts could not use stairs. No "permastore" of ghosts with random names existed, which meant that if no ghost files were available, no ghosts would generate. (This was most commonly the case on a fresh install of the offline game.)
 +
*Prior to [[0.21]], player ghosts' speed was affected by the player's species, and ghosts could wield chaos weapons.
 +
*Prior to [[0.20]], ghosts of adult [[draconian]]s had a [[draining]] breath weapon.
 +
*Prior to [[0.17]], deep dwarf player ghosts did not regenerate.
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
<references/>
  
 
[[Category:Featured_Article]]
 
[[Category:Featured_Article]]

Revision as of 00:38, 4 July 2022

Version 0.24: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
The apparition of an unfortunate adventurer.

A player ghost is generated when your character dies, unless your character is undead or you die in one of the following areas: Dungeon level 1 or 2, the Ecumenical Temple, the Abyss, a Wizard Laboratory, or the Desolation of Salt[1].

All player ghosts spawn locked inside ghost vaults which can only appear in the following branches:[2]

Each of these floors has a 10% chance to spawn a ghost vault; each vault contains one or more player ghosts from a player that previously died on that floor and possibly other monsters defined by that specific vault. These ghost vaults also often contain loot, dependent on how far into the dungeon the vault generates and the difficulty of the vault's monsters. The monsters and loot are always found behind either a transporter or runed door and will be visible through transparent walls, allowing the player to make an informed decision about when they wish to tackle the vault.

Ghost vaults will never spawn on floors with floor-wide "encompass" vaults.

Ghost Properties

When your ghost is created, its stats are defined as follows:

  • Its max HP, AC and EV are equal to yours when you died.
  • Its number of hit dice is equal to your experience level.
  • Its cold, fire, and electricity resistances are equal to yours when you died.
  • It becomes undead, gaining immunity to poison, negative energy, and torment, as well as vulnerability to holy attacks and Dispel Undead.
  • It becomes insubstantial, gaining immunity to constriction and Sticky Flame.
  • If you were able to see invisible, so can the ghost.
  • Its base speed is equal to 10, regardless of the species you were playing.
  • Its damage is determined by the weapon you were wielding and your skill levels:
    • If you had a weapon in hand, the base damage is equal to the weapon's base damage, increased by 4% per skill level you had for this weapon. In addition, the attacks will have the weapon's brand (unless you were wielding a weapon of chaos, in which case no brand will be used).
    • If you had no weapon in hand, the base damage is 4 plus your Unarmed Combat skill, plus your experience level if you were a Troll.
    • This base damage is then increased by 3.3% per level of Fighting skill, then increased by 0.25 times your Strength. Total base damage is capped at 50.
  • If you knew spells, the ghost will be able to cast some of your spells as per the algorithm below.

The experience level of a ghost is indicated in their description with one of the following adjectives:

Ghost description Experience level
weakling 1 to 3
amateur 4 to 6
novice 7 to 10
journeyman 11 to 15
adept 16 to 21
veteran 22 to 25
master 26
legendary 27

Spell Selection

Player ghosts copy spells from the player if a monster version of the spell exists and the spell isn't flagged as a non-ghost spell. The chance of a ghost having a spell is based off the player's spell success rate: (50-[failure percentage])^2/2500. For example, a spell with a 20% fail rate is [50 - 20]^2/2500, which is 900/2500 or a 36% chance of being added to your ghost. A spell with a 0% fail rate will always be added, while spells above 50% chance of failure cannot be added. Player ghosts can learn any number of spells in this way.

Additionally some spells change slightly when learned by player ghosts: Controlled Blink will change to Blink, Dragon's Call will change to Summon Dragon, and Swiftness will change to Sprint.

Ghost Selection

When a ghost vault is generated, up to five ghosts are placed (depending on the vault). These ghosts are selected as follows:

  • If there is an available ghost file for that floor, from a previous death on the same installation (offline) or the same online server, use that ghost file. If the player subsequently kills this ghost, the ghost file is deleted.
  • Otherwise, if there is a ghost file available for that branch in the "permastore", use that ghost file. The permastore consists of a number of generic ghosts that were initially taken from deaths on some online servers in 0.22 -— ghosts generated from the permastore always have randomly generated names. The permastore stores ghosts by branch, not by floor.
  • In extremely rare cases, if no ghost is available from the ghost files for that floor or permastore for that branch, use a clone of the player with the properties described in the above Ghost Properties section. If this happens, the ghost's description will include the text, "It looks just like you. Spooky...".

Tips & Tricks

Ghost vaults and the player ghosts within them can be extremely dangerous, often on a par with the most dangerous uniques for a given dungeon depth. There are a number of strategies for dealing with them:

  • First and foremost, don't open the runed door/enter the transporter of a ghost vault until you are ready to fight the ghost(s) and other enemies in the vault. Once you open the door, you will have to deal with the ghost, who like normal monsters can follow you through transporters or stairs. You can always come back to a ghost vault later in the game to retrieve the loot when you have much better HP, equipment and damage.
  • You can examine the ghost to get its species, class, HP, defenses, resistances, damage, weapon brand and spells before you enter the vault. This will help you decide how difficult the ghost will be to fight, and to weigh up when it is safe to enter the vault.
  • If you have it, Dispel Undead will make short work of ghosts, bypassing their defenses entirely. This can be particularly useful against later ghosts, who will often have much higher defenses than most monsters. Some ghost vaults are also themed around undead; the other enemies in these vaults can also be made significantly easier with this spell.
  • Look at the loot in the vault to see whether it could be worth it to use a consumable or two to fight the ghost vault. If there's a scroll of acquirement or artefact weapon or armour that you really want in it, it could be worth it to enter the ghost vault prematurely and use a few consumables to fight it. If, on the other hand, there's just a few stones and useless items in the vault, it's a lot less likely to be worth entering anytime soon.
  • You can check the morgue of the dead character if you wish to see exactly spells/abilities/defenses a ghost has. On local games, just search through your /morgue folder to find it; on public servers, you can usually use one of the IRC bots to find the morgue.
  • If you're worshipping Xom, be very careful around ghost vaults with runed doors, as Xom is likely to open them if you approach them, letting the ghost out. Use the exclusion tool if you need to.

Ghost vaults

A variety of different ghost vaults exist, which can be found in the ghost.des file of the source ([1]). A brief overview of these vaults is given below.

  • gammafunk_ghost_grave: The most basic ghost vault, consisting of just a player ghost, a gravestone and 1-3 loot items.
  • gammafunk_ghost_split: A square vault consisting of a player ghost and several monsters, including at least one very dangerous monster.
  • gammafunk_ghost_arena: A transporter vault with a player ghost and several monsters including some dangerous monsters.
  • gammafunk_ghost_cemetery: A vault with several dead trees and tombstones, themed around a cemetery. It has at least 2 player ghosts, with a chance to spawn up to 5.
  • ebering_ghost_inner_flame: A player ghost guarding a scroll of immolation, shrouded in black smoke and clearly the site of an explosion.
  • ebering_ghost_gozag: A player ghost, an obsidian statue, and possibly some other dangerous enemies, all of which guard an altar to Gozag, piles of gold, and possibly a shop.
  • ebering_ghost_rock_garden: A player ghost on its own, with piles of stones and large rocks, possibly some useless items, as well as a small amount of loot.
  • ebering_ghost_reflecting_pool: A player ghost at the end of a pool of shallow water and some pebbled floor.
  • hellmonk_ghost_happy_afterlife: A player ghost on green grass with trees and plants with rations and potions as loot.
  • ebering_ghost_disaster_area: A player ghost located on a patch of unstable ground with water and lava.
  • gammafunk_ghost_necromancy: A player ghost and many derived undead, scaling with depth from zombies and skeletons in the early dungeon to spectral things and simulacra later. The undead created are specific to the branch.
  • gammafunk_ghost_spectres: A player ghost and many standard undead, ranging from wraiths and shadows to phantasmal warriors to curse skulls in Crypt. (Dungeon and Crypt only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_ooze: A player ghost accompanying many slime creatures and death oozes as well as an altar to Jiyva. (Dungeon, Lair and Depths only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_mausoleum: A variety of undead and derived undead creatures alongside a player ghost in a transporter vault.
  • gammafunk_ghost_hydra_chop: A player ghost and several hydras with between 9 and 16 heads, guarding a weapon that cuts hydra heads among other loot. (Dungeon, Lair and Swamp only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_fury_of_okawaru: A ghost vault themed around Okawaru's wrath, with several strong melee and ranged opponents guarding a cursed weapon, a bad randart robe, and a weapon and armour gift from Okawaru. (Dungeon, Orc, Elf and Crypt only)
  • muffindrake_ghost_dual_entry: A ghost vault with some strong zombies and other undead, and a final lich or ancient lich. (Dungeon and Depths only)
  • muffindrake_ghost_three_little_ghosts: Three ghosts in three successive rooms, with increasingly threatening Depths enemies and increasing loot in each room. (Depths only)
  • muffindrake_ghost_dead_mans_drink: A ghost vault with several strong derived undead. (Depths only)
  • biasface_ghost_demon_polymorph: A player ghost, a couple of strong tier-2 demons and a tier 1 demon guarding some good loot. (Depths only)
  • ebering_ghost_funeral_grove: A tree-lined ghost vault with various spriggans and a bear in addition to the ghost; has a chance to be themed towards death or autumn. (Dungeon, Lair and Swamp only)
  • biasface_ghost_orc_armoury: An ghost with an orc band dependent on depth guarding a variety of different types of armour. (Dungeon and Orc only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_icy: A ghost with a variety of cold-themed enemies guarding a ring of fire (possibly artefact) among other loot. Also contains an ice dragon or blizzard demon when found later in the Dungeon. (Dungeon, Lair, and Depths only)
  • maelrawn_ghost_gauntlet_escape: A player ghost, some branch-themed monsters, and a minotaur outside an expired portal to a Gauntlet. (Dungeon, Lair and Orc only)
  • ebering_ghost_xom: A player ghost, an altar to Xom, and a dancing weapon created by Xom (usually chaos- or distortion-branded).
  • ebering_ghost_sewer_f and ebering_ghost_sewer_d: A group of Sewer-themed enemies guarding a player ghost and an expired Sewer portal. (Early Dungeon only)
  • ploomutoo_gammafunk_ghost_potion_laboratory: This ghost vault consists of two sections. The first has a variety of mutated enemies like ugly things or glowing orange brains guarding a few potions of mutation; the second has a player ghost, some more mutated and mutation-causing enemies (neqoxecs, shapeshifters, and/or cacodemons possible), and mutagenic fog, as well as a larger selection of potions and other treasure. (Dungeon, Elf and Depths only)
  • ebering_ghost_davey_jones: A ghost vault themed around the Shoals, with a kraken, a mermaid statue and a ring that has a chance to be a ring of the Octopus King. (Shoals only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_stat_death: A transporter vault with quasits and neqoxecs designed to steal your intelligence and dexterity, guarding rings of those stats. (Dungeon and Orc only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_smash: Giant-sized monsters, one of which has a fancy weapon, guarding a range of great maces and giant clubs. (Dungeon and Orc only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_nasty_kobolds: A player ghost and some kobolds carrying wands and wielding nasty-branded short blades or whips (including at least one with a distortion brand). (Dungeon only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_hive: A transporter vault with a ghost and a swarm of killer bees surrounded by wax walls. (Dungeon and Lair only).
  • gammafunk_ghost_gnarly_gnolls: A transporter vault themed around a gnoll castle. The loot always contains a manual. (Early Dungeon only)
  • gammafunk_ghost_tricky_traps: A ghost vault with a bunch of alarm, dispersal, and Zot traps inside and in front of it. (Dungeon:15, Shoals, Spider, Elf, Depths, Zot)
  • gammafunk_ghost_crypt: A Crypt-themed vault, which always has an artefact auxiliary armour, an artefact ring or amulet, and one nice book. (Dungeon:15, Crypt, Depths, Zot)
  • gammafunk_ghost_berserking_beasts: A transporter vault with a player ghost, a moth of wrath, and several branch-specific animals.
  • gammafunk_ghost_wrathful_warriors: A Trog-themed transporter vault with three rocky pillars. Some of the monsters are armed with weapons themed as Trog gifts. All monsters are capable of being berserked by an obligatory moth of wrath and none are spellcasters.

History

  • Prior to 0.25, there were no player ghost-themed floors in ziggurats.
  • Prior to 0.23, followers of Elyvilon could pacify player ghosts.
  • 0.22 overhauled the ghost system. In previous versions, ghost vaults did not exist and player ghosts spawned unenclosed on floors, with a 33% chance to spawn a ghost on any valid floor with an available ghost file. This made ghosts much more common in the early dungeon and Lair than anywhere else, since most players die there and most ghost files are created in the early part of the game. Additionally, ghosts could not use stairs. No "permastore" of ghosts with random names existed, which meant that if no ghost files were available, no ghosts would generate. (This was most commonly the case on a fresh install of the offline game.)
  • Prior to 0.21, player ghosts' speed was affected by the player's species, and ghosts could wield chaos weapons.
  • Prior to 0.20, ghosts of adult draconians had a draining breath weapon.
  • Prior to 0.17, deep dwarf player ghosts did not regenerate.

References