Spider god
Posted: Tuesday, 14th August 2012, 18:37
Nicolae and I made a proposal for a spider god. This post has been edited, changes in blue, to reflect various comments. Afterwards, I will take it to the dev wiki.
Contents:
I. The appeal
II. Short version
III. Long version
IV. Priorities (skipped here)
I. The appeal
The core idea is to have a god who only cares for spiders. A niche deity, as players are concerned: you have to be in spider form. The gimmick: with the god, you become an actual spider (no turning back). The hope is that the god makes being a spider interesting. Further aims: different species are still different as permaspiders.
Note: This is not a temple god, so there is less concern for replayability and for power.
II. Short version
NAME: Ixhuachatetl the Weaver
PIETY GAIN
PIETY LOSS
ABILITIES (more details below):
ALTARS
JOINING
* PIETY
** PIETY
*** PIETY
**** PIETY
***** PIETY
****** PIETY
Mating spiders: walk into neutral spider. Spider is devoured; an altar appears at its place, which will eventually produce spider (you cannot mate with).
Replenishes uses for spider swarm. Has cooldown.
Cannot mate with immature spiders (from altars) and with Spider spiders.
WRATH, ABANDONING
HOW BEING A SPIDER FOREVER EFFECTS DIFFERENT SPECIES
Contents:
I. The appeal
II. Short version
III. Long version
IV. Priorities (skipped here)
I. The appeal
The core idea is to have a god who only cares for spiders. A niche deity, as players are concerned: you have to be in spider form. The gimmick: with the god, you become an actual spider (no turning back). The hope is that the god makes being a spider interesting. Further aims: different species are still different as permaspiders.
Note: This is not a temple god, so there is less concern for replayability and for power.
II. Short version
NAME: Ixhuachatetl the Weaver
PIETY GAIN
- killing humanoids and half-humanoids (including angels and demons)
- scaring off (half-)humanoids [Arachnophobia effect]
- mating with other spiders
PIETY LOSS
- over time
- killing spiders (not when mating)
ABILITIES (more details below):
- Permanent spider form. This entails: only jewellery slots, hence horrible AC; rP-; no wand use; 10% spell failure; tiny size, hence huge EV; speed; UC bonus; poisonous attacks.
- Different feeding mechanic.
- Web-Slinging (active, * piety).
- Stabbing bonus (passive, * piety, better with more piety).
- Arachnophobia (passive, ** piety).
- Skulk (active, *** piety).
- Spider Swarm (active, **** piety).
- Descent (active, ***** piety).
- Mate (one off altar effect, ****** piety).
- Proposed, not much discussed: Reduce spellcasting penalty (passive, * piety, better with more piety)
ALTARS
- altar produces level-appropriate spiders once (15-20 turns after sight)
[needs a new, immature spider monster for early dungeon] - non-follower: altar disappears after 15-20 turns
- follower: altar is permanent
- guaranteed altars in Spider (if it exists) and D:6-13
- altars can occur randomly in the dungeon, Spider branch and vaults
JOINING
- spider form becomes permanent
- melded equipment is unmelded and unworn
- all spiders turn neutral (not other invertebrate monsters)
- no more eating (in particular, permafood cannot be used anymore)
- no eating (of permafood or chunks)
- can use fangs to butcher corpses; chunks are wrapped in webs and dissolve over time; they can be quaffed after a while
- these liquids can be drunk at any hunger level and don't go bad
- diet mutations (herbivore etc.) are suppressed
- form mutations (horns etc.) are suppressed
- changing form (spell, bat form, porkalator etc.) impossible
- 2nd title line changes to "Spider of Ixhuachatetl"
- [For later: - Vampires retain alive-to-bloodless hunger mechanic]
* PIETY
- Web-Slinging. "You can throw webs."
Webs are quivered; fired with 'f'.
Limited number of uses; cap is 5 times piety *.
Slow regeneration: "spin" status.
Work like thrown net on monster. Can be used to form bridges. - Stabbing bonus (as if you were wielding a non-blade weapon).
"You are better at using your spider fangs against helpless prey."
** PIETY
- Arachnophobia. (Passive) "You terrify humanoid creatures."
Chance to affect (half-)humanoids only depends on piety and Inv (not
on monster), and caps at 33%.
Full xp and piety.
Affected humanoids flee (a la Elyvilon). - (Passive) "Your natural toxins are more potent."
Bite can inflict more status effects. More effects with piety:
** poison, poison with sickness, confusion
*** gain: poison with confusion (tarantella), sleep
**** gain: strong poison (redback), poison with sleep, paralysis
***** gain: curare, poison with paralysis, strong poison with confusion
*** PIETY
- Skulk. "You can sneak past unaware enemies."
Activated with nominal piety cost. When active, can walk through helpless/unaware monsters at high piety cost.
Creatures already aware may lose track.
Duration depends on Inv (max 20 turns).
Skulk ends prematurely when not moving or waiting. (Can always attack with Ctrl+direction.) - Better stabbing bonus (as if wielding long blade).
"You are skilled at using your spider fangs against helpless prey."
**** PIETY
- Spider Swarm. "You can summon swarms of tiny spiders."
The floor in sight is covered with spiderlets (console: 's' in god colour) which crawl onto nearby enemies. Spiderlets don't take up space (they are an effect rather than monsters).
Spiderlets on a monster do damage (ignore AC), may poison, can spread from enemy to enemy (a la sticky flame on sheep), may distract target (useful for stab and skulk).
Limited use (at start: 5-10). Needs mating to replenish.
***** PIETY
- Descent. "You can instantly descend closer to Ixhuachatetl."
Instant escape hatch to first unexplored level with branch.
High piety cost. - Best stabbing bonus (as if wielding non-dagger short blade).
"You are a master at using your spider fangs against helpless prey."
****** PIETY
- Mate. "You can perform a mating ritual." 'p'ray at altar. Single use.
Replenishes uses for spider swarm.
Allows mating with spider monsters (even at <****** piety).
Arachnophobic humanoids may be turned into spiders (you can mate with).
Mating spiders: walk into neutral spider. Spider is devoured; an altar appears at its place, which will eventually produce spider (you cannot mate with).
Replenishes uses for spider swarm. Has cooldown.
Cannot mate with immature spiders (from altars) and with Spider spiders.
WRATH, ABANDONING
- You remain a spider even if you desert the god.
- You lose all divine benefits.
- Spiders swarms are sent after you.
HOW BEING A SPIDER FOREVER EFFECTS DIFFERENT SPECIES
- Generally: treat as unlimited spider form.
Herbi|carni|saprovore and gourmand mutations become irrelevant.
Mutations suppressed in Spider Form remain suppressed (claws, scales, hooves, constricting body parts, resistances, etc.).
Spider Form replaces innate stealth bonuses, size, and speed.
Healing rates, metabolism, see invisible, innate magic resistance, and other intrinsics are retained in Spider Form.
Aptitudes remain the same. (+10% failure rate of Spider Form stays) - For specific species [for later]:
Merfolk, Octopodes lose ability to swim. Tengu can still fly.
Octopodes keep their rings (as in Spider Form).
Vampires, Demonspawn are unholy for holy wrath. (Spider Form effects)
Felids still retain the extra-life mechanic.
Vampires still retain their unique feeding system.
Minotaurs lose retaliatory headbutt in Spider Form but gain retaliatory bite (standard poison only).