Platinum Paragon

Version 0.34: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

This page covers the spell. For the summoned construct, see Platinum paragon (monster).

Platinum Paragon
Level	9
School1	Forgecraft
Source(s)	Book of Weapons
Casting noise	9
Spell noise	15
Power Cap	200
Range	3
Flags	Not self, Target

Constructs a gleaming metal champion whose prowess rivals that of the greatest living warriors. It is resistant to all forms of magic and wields a perfect replica of any artefact melee weapon the caster chooses. It creates a damaging shockwave around itself when first deployed and slowly gains charge as it attacks enemies. When it has gained sufficient charge, the spell may be recast to overload the paragon, unleashing a flurry of attacks in a wide area which inflict increased damage, but destroying the paragon in the process. Due to the magical link it maintains with its creator, it will perform an extra attack whenever they do, and will sometimes even parry attacks directed at them, if they are close enough together.

Platinum Paragon is a level 9 Forgecraft spell that creates a platinum paragon, which deals damage when deployed and performs melee attacks whenever you do.

Useful Info

Imprint Weapon

Before Platinum Paragon can be cast, you must assign it an artefact melee weapon using the Imprint Weapon ability.

Analyzes the structural composition of an artefact melee weapon in your inventory and imprints it upon your Platinum Paragon spell, allowing it to wield a functional replica of it whenever you create one.

Imprinting a weapon takes 6 turns. Any melee artefact can be imprinted, including magical staves.

Summoning

When cast, the spell deploys a platinum paragon in a non-occupied targeted square within a 7×7 region around you. The target square cannot contain lava or deep water, even if the imprinted weapon grants flight. Deployment immediately deals damage to adjacent creatures, including allies. The initial deployment deals 4d(10 + spellpower / 10) damage.

Paragon Attacks

The platinum paragon can fight independently. In addition, it performs an instant melee attack whenever you make a melee attack. Coglins who are dual-wielding will only trigger one paragon attack per melee action, but otherwise has no limit on the number of synchronized attacks it can make during a single turn (making quick blades a good choice for those who want to attack with the paragon). When attacking independently, platinum paragons always make weapon attacks at 1.0 base delay, regardless of the attack delay of the imprinted weapon. Heavy and speed will modify this to 1.5 and 0.7 delay, respectively.

Paragons are large-sized, meaning they are able to wield artefact giant clubs and giant spiked clubs. They cannot equip shields.

Protected Status

While you are standing within 2 tiles of your platinum paragon, you gain the Protected status. Protected gives the paragon a 1 in 3 chance to completely nullify an incoming melee or ranged weapon attack targeting you. This does not redirect any damage to the paragon. Non-melee/ranged weapon sources of damage (e.g. spells and wands) are unaffected.

Charge and Overload

The platinum paragon builds up charge as it attacks enemies. Once it has accumulated sufficient charge, Platinum Paragon can be recast to unleash a powerful finisher, which works similarly to Manifold Assault in a 5x5 area - instantly performing one melee attack against every enemy in the radius. There are two charge levels that can be reached (shown by a charge bar icon next to the paragon in tiles mode, as well as messages indicating when it is ready and when it is at maximum power); level one grants a +125% attack damage bonus to the finisher, and level two grants a +200% bonus.

This attack can only be aimed at unoccupied tiles within three tiles of the paragon, or directly on the paragon itself. After performing this attack, the platinum paragon is dismissed.

Strategy

Because Platinum Paragons attack at 1.0 base delay and cannot use shields, a strong two-handed weapon is generally preferable. The paragon effectively allows you to make use of powerful weapon properties without personally suffering many of the drawbacks associated with wielding the weapon yourself.

Platinum paragons are a great target for Nazja's Percussive Tempering, which amplifies their massive melee damage by 25%.

Choosing a Weapon

Unrandarts can be imprinted, allowing for unusual and powerful synergies. The lochaber axe is particularly effective, as its special properties can be used by the paragon without requiring you to wield it yourself.

Weapons that are normally dangerous or inconvenient for the player can also make excellent choices:

• Obsidian axe — its self-mesmerizing effect is less problematic when used by the paragon.
• Dark maul — its slow attack speed does not prevent the paragon from attacking at its normal base delay.
• Wrath of Trog — its antimagic property and risk of triggering berserk are avoided by the paragon.
• distortion — can be used by the paragon without the usual consequences for the player.
• antimagic — provides the spellcaster-countering effect without imposing the usual MP penalty on the player.
• heavy — attacking with the paragon bypasses the attack speed penalty.

Artefact weapons with intrinsic resistances can also be useful in particular branches, especially weapons providing rCorr or flight. The paragon is non-living, so it cannot go berserk.

Weapons to Avoid

The Sceptre of Torment and Singing Sword are generally poor choices because their effects can harm the player when activated by the paragon.

History

• Platinum Paragon was added in 0.33.