Tree Form

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Revision as of 08:19, 11 September 2022 by Hordes (talk | contribs) (History)
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Version 0.28: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
You have been transformed into a tree and are rooted to the ground, unable to move or teleport. You have minimal evasion but increased health and natural armour, and are resistant to poison and immune to torment.

Any equipped cloak, helmet, gloves, boots and body armour are melded.

Tree form is a bad form that can be inflicted on the player by a wand of polymorph or the Polymorph spell. Its most notable feature is that it entirely prevents the player from moving or teleporting, but not from otherwise acting. Unlike most bad forms, it can be entered easily and voluntarily by quaffing a potion of lignification. While transformed into a tree, the player gains the following attributes:

Pros

Cons

  • Cannot move, but can cast spells, use abilities, and attack
  • EV is reduced to basically nil: (2 + size_modifier/2 + EV from Repulsion Field mutation, the same as when you are paralyzed)
  • Cannot teleport without divine intervention (Lugonu's Bend Space ability works as normal)
  • Cannot fly
  • All equipment other than shields, weapons, and jewellery are melded.

Strategy

Tree Form is easily the most combat-capable bad form, with high HP, AC, and unarmed branches that are stronger than many early game weapons (even at 0 skill!). However, it is also one of the most risky, as you are unable to move or even teleport away. Killer bees, black mambas, and other poisonous enemies won't be a threat. It also confers immunity to torment and forced movement, which is especially useful when facing the Tomb's death curses and dispersal traps.

Species with armour restrictions (Felids, Octopodes, oddly-sized species) will enjoy the increased AC throughout the entire game. Trolls have a special use for Tree Form, as its high AC and boosted, non-chopping unarmed attacks are perfect for taking out hydras.

If you don't have a reliable means of ranged combat, be wary of ranged or even reaching attacks, which will strike you with impunity. Use terrain such as a kill hole to your advantage. A potion of attraction will force monsters closer, if need be. Meanwhile, a potion of cancellation will let you end Tree Form early, but such potions are rare and valuable; choose when to enter Tree Form carefully.

Tips & Tricks

  • The inability to move also gives immunity to enemies that shove you around (wind drakes, swamp worms, monsters with Force Lance, Roxanne).
  • Tree Form will negate the attack penalties of standing in shallow water.
  • Keep in mind that transforming into Tree Form will suppress the innate abilities associated with your original species, leading to possibily unexpected results. For example, if you were a formicid, quaffing the potion to fight an invisible enemy might be counter-productive, since you will lose your Antennae which allowed you to see invisible.
Tree Form
Tree form.png

History

  • Prior to 0.28, players in Tree Form were immune to negative energy (rN+++).
  • Prior to 0.27, Tree Form gave fixed 48% GDR.
  • Prior to 0.19, Tree Form greatly increased the player's Stealth modifier.
  • Prior to 0.16, Tree Form also gave +10 strength.
  • Prior to 0.15, players in Tree Form could not eat or drink, but did not hunger. Tree Form also greatly increased players' size.
  • Prior to 0.14, the potion of lignification did not exist. Tree Form slowed the player by an amount based on your experience level ranging from 50% - 0%, prevented players from shouting, and followers of Fedhas Madash gained rF+ and rC+.
  • Prior to 0.13, it made the player vulnerable to fire, and the AC bonus and the speed penalty didn't depend on XL.
  • Like most bad forms, Tree Form was added in 0.12
Transformations
Talisman Beast FormFlux FormBlade FormMaw FormSerpent FormDragon FormStatue FormDeath FormStorm Form
Bad Forms Bat FormFungus FormPig FormTree FormWisp Form
Divine Shadow Form