Ballistomycete spore

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

For a list of all plants, see list of plants.

ballistomycete spore *
HP	1-2
HD	1
XP	0
Speed	15
AC	0
EV	10
Will	∞
Attack1	1 (hit: plain)
Resistances	rPois+ rDrown rTorm
Vulnerabilities	None
Habitat	Land
Intelligence	Brainless
Uses	Uses nothing
Holiness	Plant
Size	Small
Type	fungus, ballistomycete spore
Flags	Flying Unbreathing No experience gain Conjured Peripheral

A fast, gas-filled floating spore released by a ballistomycete when it senses a threat. After seeking out its foe, the spore will explode, damaging anything caught in the blast and further confusing living creatures.

Useful Info

Ballistomycete spores are fast-moving, suicidal creatures created by ballistomycetes. On contact with a target or on death, they explode in a 3x3 area. This deals 3d(6 + Invocations skill) damage and confuses living, breathing targets. They have only 1 HP, so any successful attack will destroy them.

Ballistomycetes are never found in the dungeon proper, but can be created using Fedhas' Grow Ballistomycete ability.

Tips & Tricks

• Confusion is a very strong effect: it prevents spellcasting, allows stabs, and greatly lowers melee to-hit. A ballistomycete colony or two can take out most early game threats on its own, and help take out later ones.
• Spores aren't mindful of what they hit. Don't be next to a spore when it explodes, or you'll take a huge chunk of damage and be confused. You can't tell them to do anything, so don't bother.

History

• Prior to 0.24, ballistomycetes could reproduce via spores. The spores left mold as they moved, and new ballistomycetes could grow on it. Also, they had an explosion radius of 2 (5x5), and its damage was fixed at 3d15.
• Prior to 0.19, ballistomycete spores were known as giant spores.
• Prior to 0.17, ballistomycete colonies could spawn naturally, instead of being exclusively created by Fedhasites.