Crawl Devil

[bcadren]

Here's something I've been wondering from a flavor standpoint that might make an interesting secondary god if there was a real answer to these:

1. Who do Hell Knights Worship?
2. Who do Deep Elf (High) Priests worship?
   • It apparently offers hellfire.
   • Smiting
   • And 'Malign Offering' (Drain Life that shares the life among allies).
3. Who do Draconians Zealots and Scorchers Worship?
   • Also offers Hellfire.
   • Smiting.
   • And Minor Healing.
4. And Perhaps most interestingly...Who is causing those hell effects and makes all of hell echo with evil laughter?

[I included ONLY effects that aren't available as spells.]

I like the idea of a crawl devil; but I don't have very...enticing ideas for him; nothing notable beyond:

• Hellfire Invocation.
• Ability to upgrade weapons to Demon Quality [Trident -> Demon Trident, etc.]
• Immunity to/reduced frequency of hell effects.

[sgrunt]

Who do Hell Knights Worship?

No God.

Who do Deep Elf (High) Priests worship?

Namless God.

Who do Draconians Zealots and Scorchers Worship?

Namless God, again.

And Perhaps most interestingly...Who is causing those hell effects and makes all of hell echo with evil laughter?

"The effects of Hell" (yes, that is its name).

I like the idea of a crawl devil

Makhleb. (Have you ever seen who the hell lords used to worship?)

[Viashino_wizard]

Lugonu and Mahkleb are the closest Satan-analogues in crawl (Lugonu's name used to be Lucy, in case it wasn't clear enough). They both rule over demonic realms (the Abyss and Pandemonium, respectively). Hell itself doesn't have a ruling god as far as I know, it's jointly ruled by the four lords. Hell effects are just caused by ambient evilness or something.

Mechanically, Zin already provides Hell protection, and design philosophy seems to be against players having reliable access to Hellfire (only being available via an unrand crossbow and tier 3 Ds mutation).

[bcadren]

Mechanically, Zin already provides Hell protection, and design philosophy seems to be against players having reliable access to Hellfire (only being available via an unrand crossbow and tier 3 Ds mutation).

There actually is a reliable source you always get in every extended run...The Staff of Dispater [+4,+4 golden staff. E(v)oke for 100 hunger, -some hp, -6 mp, Hellfire (power = 8 * Evo)]. Kind of the ultimate weapon on an artificer.

[Viashino_wizard]

Mechanically, Zin already provides Hell protection, and design philosophy seems to be against players having reliable access to Hellfire (only being available via an unrand crossbow and tier 3 Ds mutation).

There actually is a reliable source you always get in every extended run...The Staff of Dispater [+4,+4 golden staff. E(v)oke for 100 hunger, -some hp, -6 mp, Hellfire (power = 8 * Evo)]. Kind of the ultimate weapon on an artificer.

That's the thing. You get it after clearing extended endgame content, i.e. at a point where many dangerous enemies are immune to hellfire while those that aren't can survive a blast or two. Conversely, you can find most gods as early as D:2 if you're lucky. I suppose it could work on a non-temple god, though.

[cerebovssquire]

Staff of Dispater hellfire - unless it's changed in the last months - is much more powerful than monster hellfire, though. When you say "a blast or two" that is literally true for most enemies (including greater mummies, ice fiends and the like), which is about as good the best melee options in extended damage-wise despite being on a ranged weapon! Assuming Evo in the 20s, that is.

[bcadren]

Staff of Dispater hellfire - unless it's changed in the last months - is much more powerful than monster hellfire, though. When you say "a blast or two" that is literally true for most enemies (including greater mummies, ice fiends and the like), which is about as good the best melee options in extended damage-wise despite being on a ranged weapon! Assuming Evo in the 20s, that is.

Well if wiki is right. Enemy hellfire is either 3d15 (smite-targeted, like Hellions) or 3d20 (beam-targeted like Brimstone Fiends). [so max of 60 dam per hit.]
And that evo weapon is [3d(8 x (1 + Evocations)/5)...max of 3d45 or 135 per hit at 27 Evo. for light pain (5-23 HP), 6MP and 100 Satiation]
And Demonspawn Hellfire is 6d28 (max of 168) for 15% of total HP (at level 27)...in other words, yes the player version is a lot stronger...but then Hellfire isn't the real threat in hell...it's Torment.
but yes, both sources of player hellfire can be more than twice as effective as enemy hellfire.