Mara - Revision history

Qqqqwe2: /* Strategy */

2025-05-19T23:09:12Z

‎Strategy

Ge0ff: /* History */ commit fd204b979

2024-08-28T09:41:36Z

‎History: commit fd204b979

Ge0ff: bump v and locations

2024-07-03T10:08:24Z

bump v and locations

Ge0ff at 15:28, 27 August 2023

2023-08-27T15:28:11Z

Hordes: /* Tips & Tricks */ -poly, since demon poly is sketchy

2023-08-26T20:49:46Z

‎Tips & Tricks: -poly, since demon poly is sketchy

Hordes: /* Strategy */

2023-08-26T20:48:04Z

‎Strategy

Hordes at 20:43, 26 August 2023

2023-08-26T20:43:59Z

Hordes: /* Tips & Tricks */ re-mention berserk

2023-08-26T20:42:03Z

‎Tips & Tricks: re-mention berserk

Hordes: rw strategy entirely

2023-08-26T20:41:16Z

rw strategy entirely

Ge0ff: Reword

2021-06-08T13:28:46Z

Reword

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 '''Player'''
 *Fighting a player clone is extremely risky on its own, and with Mara in play, it clearly becomes a losing fight. Generally, the best approach with a player ghost is to not deal with it at all: you can go back up the stairs or teleport away if it's summoned.
-*It is technically possible to 'cripple' your clone before it is summoned; e.g. casters with -Cast gear, melee fighters wielding a [[scroll]]. However, this is a bad idea - until he summons your clone, he has free reign to attack you.
+*It is technically possible to 'cripple' your clone before it is summoned; e.g. unwielding the weapon you use to attack with. However, this is a bad idea - until he summons your clone, he has free reign to attack you.
 '''Monster'''

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 ==History==
 *Prior to [[0.14]], Mara knew [[Mislead]].
 *Mara was added in [[0.6]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{version030}}
+{{version031}}
 {{monster info}}
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ==Location==
-*[[Depths]]:1-4
+*[[Depths]]: 1-4
-*[[Elven Halls]]:3
+*[[Elven Halls]]: 3
-*[[Swamp]]:3-4
+*[[Swamp]]: 3-4
-*[[Snake Pit]]:3-4
+*[[Snake Pit]]: 3-4
-*[[Shoals]]:3-4
+*[[Shoals]]: 3-4
-*[[Spider's Nest]]:3-4
+*[[Spider's Nest]]: 3-4
-*[[Vaults]]:2-5
+*[[Vaults]]: 2-5
 {{monster spells}}

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 # Alone, Mara has moderately high durability (especially for the [[Lair]] branches), and [[Bolt of Fire]] can hurt quite a bit.
 # He can create 2 copies of himself, and each copy can cast spells at the same strength. Having 3 Maras, all shooting Bolts of Fire, means you'll take high damage quickly. Up to 273 damage/turn, if you lack fire resistance.
-# He can also create copies of you, which are just as deadly as you. You might win 50/50 against yourself... but that's a 50% chance to lose on the spot. That's before considering Mara himself - when combined with 3 Mara clones, the chances of you winning are extremely low.
+# He can also create copies of you, which are just as deadly as you are. You might win 50/50 against yourself... but that's a 50% chance to lose on the spot. That's before considering Mara himself - when combined with 2 Mara clones, the chances of you winning are extremely low.
 Remember that '''you do not need to kill every monster you come across in ''Crawl'' in order to win the game'''. He often spawns in rune branches, and you'll ''eventually'' need 3 runes to win. But you can always come back for the rune later, when you have the power to kill Mara quickly. If he spawns on <Lair Branch>:3, you can skip the floor he's on.
-If you do decide to deal with him, [[fire resistance]] is heavily recommended, and you should be able to deal decent damage without using fire, poison, or negative energy. In general, it's best to treat him like you would any other extremely dangerous summoner: kill him as quickly as possible, and if he summons something you can't handle, teleport away.
+If you do decide to deal with him, [[fire resistance]] is highly recommended, and you should be able to deal decent damage without using fire, poison, or negative energy. In general, it's best to treat him like you would any other extremely dangerous summoner: kill him as quickly as possible, and if he summons something you can't handle, teleport away.
 ===Dealing with Clones===
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 '''Player'''
-*Fighting a player clone is extremely risky on its own, and with Mara in play, it clearly becomes a losing fight. Generally, the best approach with player ghosts is to not deal with it at all: you can go back up the stairs or teleport away if it's summoned.
+*Fighting a player clone is extremely risky on its own, and with Mara in play, it clearly becomes a losing fight. Generally, the best approach with a player ghost is to not deal with it at all: you can go back up the stairs or teleport away if it's summoned.
 *It is technically possible to 'cripple' your clone before it is summoned; e.g. casters with -Cast gear, melee fighters wielding a [[scroll]]. However, this is a bad idea - until he summons your clone, he has free reign to attack you.
 '''Monster'''
-*Retreating up the [[stairs]] can isolate Mara from the clones, since only the real Mara can follow you.
+*Retreating up[[stairs]] can isolate Mara from the clones, since only the real Mara can follow you.
-*Like other rakhsasas, he can clone other monsters. While monsters (most likely) won't be as dangerous as you, it can still make a dangerous encounter even worse. This is a another good reason to fight Mara by himself.
+*Like other rakhsasas, he can clone other monsters. While monsters (most likely) won't be as dangerous as you, it can still make a dangerous encounter even worse. This is another good reason to fight Mara by himself.
 ===Tips & Tricks===

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 *With a [[demon trident]], Mara becomes better at melee. As he constantly [[blink]]s, the trident's [[reaching]] makes it easier for him and the clones to hit you in melee.
 *Any statuses you have ([[haste]], [[might]]...) will also be transferred to the clone. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't buff yourself; any buffs you have make it easier to kill Mara before the clone is summoned. Just don't go [[berserk]], since berserk works poorly against any enemy with [[Blink]].
-*While Mara has great [[willpower]], a [[scroll of vulnerability]] can make it reasonable to paralyse or polymorph him. But if you have any sort of [[Hexes]] spell (or [[Petrify]]), don't use vulnerability - it'll make you vulnerable to the clone's spells.
+*While Mara has great [[willpower]], a [[scroll of vulnerability]] can make it reasonable for a [[wand of paralysis]] (if you have one) to work. But if you have any sort of [[Hexes]] spell (or [[Petrify]]), don't use vulnerability - it'll make you vulnerable to the clone's spells.
 *He's a very good choice for a [[Yredelemnul]] bound soul. Few monsters are able to handle a clone of themselves ''and'' 3 Maras ''and'' the player at the same time.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 # Alone, Mara has moderately high durability (especially for the [[Lair]] branches), and [[Bolt of Fire]] can hurt quite a bit.
 # He can create 2 copies of himself, and each copy can cast spells at the same strength. Having 3 Maras, all shooting Bolts of Fire, means you'll take high damage quickly. Up to 273 damage/turn, if you lack fire resistance.
-# He can also create copies of you, which are just as deadly as you. You might win 50/50 against yourself... that's a 50% chance to lose on the spot. That's before considering Mara himself - when combined with 3 Mara clones, the chances of you winning (with clone in play) are extremely low.
+# He can also create copies of you, which are just as deadly as you. You might win 50/50 against yourself... that's a 50% chance to lose on the spot. That's before considering Mara himself - when combined with 3 Mara clones, the chances of you winning are extremely low.
 Remember that '''you do not need to kill every monster you come across in ''Crawl'' in order to win the game'''. He often spawns in rune branches, and you'll ''eventually'' need 3 runes to win. But you can always come back for the rune later, when you have the power to kill Mara quickly. If he spawns on <Lair Branch>:3, you can skip the floor he's on.
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 *[[Silence]] does nothing against demons, but [[antimagic]] will cripple his spellcasting.
 *With a [[demon trident]], Mara becomes better at melee. As he constantly [[blink]]s, the trident's [[reaching]] makes it easier for him and the clones to hit you in melee.
-*Any statuses you have ([[haste]], [[might]]...) will also be transfered to the clone. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't buff yourself; any buffs you have make it easier to kill Mara before the clone is summoned. Just don't go [[berserk]] - berserk works poorly against any enemy with [[Blink]].
+*Any statuses you have ([[haste]], [[might]]...) will also be transferred to the clone. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't buff yourself; any buffs you have make it easier to kill Mara before the clone is summoned. Just don't go [[berserk]], since berserk works poorly against any enemy with [[Blink]].
-*While Mara has great [[willpower]], a [[scroll of vulnerability]] can make it reasonable to paralyse or polymorph him. If you have any sort of [[Hexes]] spell (including [[Petrify]]), don't use vulnerability - it'll make you vulnerable to the clone's spells.
+*While Mara has great [[willpower]], a [[scroll of vulnerability]] can make it reasonable to paralyse or polymorph him. If you have any sort of [[Hexes]] spell (or [[Petrify]]), don't use vulnerability - it'll make you vulnerable to the clone's spells.
-*He's a very good choice for a [[Yredelemnul]] bound soul. Few monsters are able to handle a clone of themselves ''and'' 3 Maras at the same time.
+*He's a very good choice for a [[Yredelemnul]] bound soul. Few monsters are able to handle a clone of themselves ''and'' 3 Maras  ''and'' the player at the same time.
 ==Trivia==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{version026}}
+{{version030}}
 {{monster info}}
 ==Useful Info==
-'''Mara, Lord of Illusions''', is the [[unique]] lord of all [[rakshasa]]s. Armed with a deadly array of illusory magic, he is an extremely dangerous opponent capable of turning all your strengths against you. He always generates with a [[brand]]ed demon weapon, and his unique spellset makes him challenging regardless of your preparations:
+'''Mara, Lord of Illusions''', is the [[unique]] lord of all [[rakshasa]]s. Armed with a deadly array of illusory magic, he is an extremely dangerous opponent capable of turning all your strengths against you. He always generates with a [[brand]]ed demon weapon, and his unique spellset makes him challenging regardless of your preparations.
 ==Location==
-*[[The Depths]]:1-4
+*[[Depths]]:1-4
-*The [[Elven Halls]]:3
+*[[Elven Halls]]:3
-*[[The Swamp]]:3-4
+*[[Swamp]]:3-4
-*[[The Snake Pit]]:3-4
+*[[Snake Pit]]:3-4
-*[[The Shoals]]:3-4
+*[[Shoals]]:3-4
-*The [[Spider's Nest]]:3-4
+*[[Spider's Nest]]:3-4
-*[[The Vaults]]:2-5
+*[[Vaults]]:2-5
-*[[The Crypt]]
+*[[Crypt]]
 {{monster spells}}
-==Tips & Tricks==
+==Strategy==
-Mara is a notoriously dangerous unique. First and foremost, remember that '''you do not need to kill every monster you come across in ''Crawl'' in order to win the game'''. Mara may generate in a place that makes it difficult to progress without killing him, and some players may wish to take him out in order to get the demon weapon he wields, but in general, it is often a good idea to simply avoid fighting Mara entirely. If you decide to take him out, however, there are two primary threats to keep in mind:
+Mara is a notoriously dangerous unique.
-===Mara and his clones===
+Remember that '''you do not need to kill every monster you come across in ''Crawl'' in order to win the game'''. He often spawns in rune branches, and you'll ''eventually'' need 3 runes to win. But you can always come back for the rune later, when you have the power to kill Mara quickly. If he spawns on <Lair Branch>:3, you can skip the floor he's on.
-In order to deal with these foes, [[fire]] resistance and good [[AC]]/[[EV]] are critical (at least rF++ is advised), and you should be able to deal solid damage without relying on fire, [[poison]], or [[negative energy]]. He also has high enough [[willpower]] to render all but the most powerful [[Hexes]] ineffective. Finally, be careful if he is wielding a [[demon trident]] - this weapon's [[reaching]] attacks will allow Mara and his clones to attack you far more often than normal in spite of their constant blinking.
+If you do decide to deal with him, [[fire resistance]] is heavily recommended, and you should be able to deal decent damage without using fire, poison, or negative energy. In general, it's best to treat him like you would any other extremely dangerous summoner: kill him as quickly as possible, and if he summons something you can't handle, teleport away.
-There are a few methods for disposing of Mara very effectively. [[Stealth]]y [[stab]]-focused characters may be able to sneak up on Mara while he's sleeping. Simply step back out of his [[line of sight]], read a [[scroll of blinking]] to immediately place yourself next to him, and stab him for lethal damage. Using a rare scroll in order to eradicate a major threat is well worth it. If he awakens, use of [[throwing net]]s can often set him up for a killing stab, but his blinking makes that difficult. Heavy melee fighters can [[haste]] themselves and then lay into him with an [[antimagic]]-[[brand]]ed weapon. Assuming they can get some early hits in, this may disable all of his most dangerous methods of fighting back.
+===Dealing with Clones===
-===Player clones===
+'''Player'''
-The other thing to be concerned with when facing Mara is his ability to create a clone of your character. This clone will essentially be a [[player ghost]] based on your character; it will know many of your spells, have all your melee and defensive capacities, and will benefit from any buffs you currently have active. Fighting it in a straight one-on-one duel would be risky; fighting it with multiple Maras around is generally suicidal. As such, the best approach to dealing with a player clone is generally not to deal with it at all.
+*Fighting a player clone is extremely risky on its own, and with Mara in play, it clearly becomes a losing fight. Generally, the best approach with player ghosts is to not deal with it at all: you can go back up the stairs or teleport away if it's summoned.
-It is entirely possible to deal Mara lethal damage before he can summon a player clone. If you fail to do so, teleporting away and returning when you're better prepared is a perfectly acceptable idea; the clone will vanish after enough time has passed.
+'''Monster'''
-Any buffs you give yourself will also be given to the clone if they are active when Mara clones you. This doesn't mean you shouldn't buff yourself - giving yourself [[Haste]] before the fight will make it much easier to take down Mara before things get out of hand. Just be aware of how these effects will boost the clone as well. In particular, you should avoid going [[berserk]] at all. Mara's blinking means you'll hardly ever have him in range to attack, and when it wears off you'll be slow and exhausted. The clone, meanwhile, will have no difficulty catching up to you and dealing savage damage.
+===Tips & Tricks===
+*[[Silence]] does nothing against demons, but [[antimagic]] will cripple his spellcasting.
-One all-too-common piece of advice one often sees is to attempt to cripple your ghost before fighting it. The idea is that casters can wear [[artefact]] [[jewellery]] with -CAST, or melee fighters can wield a [[bread ration]]; when Mara clones them, the resulting creature will be nearly harmless. This is a bad idea, mainly because while you sit there waiting for Mara to clone you, he'll be blasting you with Bolts of Fire or attacking you in melee while you are incapable of responding. In general it is best to treat Mara like you would any other extremely dangerous summoner: kill him as quickly as possible, and if he summons something you can't handle, teleport away.
+*With a [[demon trident]], Mara becomes better at melee. As he constantly [[blink]]s, the trident's [[reaching]] makes it easier for him and the clones to hit you in melee.
+*Any statuses you have ([[haste]], [[might]]...) will also be transfered to the clone. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't buff yourself; any buffs you have make it easier to kill Mara before the clone is summoned.
-===Cloned monsters===
+*While Mara has great [[willpower]], a [[scroll of vulnerability]] can make it reasonable to paralyse or polymorph him. If you have any sort of [[Hexes]] spell (including [[Petrify]]), don't use vulnerability - it'll make you vulnerable to the clone's spells.
-Be advised that Mara's cloning ability does not only apply to players; he can and will make copies of any other monsters in the area. Your clone will likely be the most dangerous thing he can make, but it's still not ideal if he gets ahold of any other dangerous monsters. This is an excellent reason to make sure you only ever fight Mara alone.
+*He's a very good choice for a [[Yredelemnul]] bound soul. Few monsters are able to handle a clone of themselves ''and'' 3 Maras at the same time.
 ==Trivia==