Ghost moth

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

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

ghost moth y
HP	47-96
HD	13
XP	1198
Speed	12
AC	8
EV	10
Will	100
Attack1	24 (hit: drain stat)
Attack2	18 (hit: drain stat)
Attack3	18 (sting: drain stat)
Resistances	rC+ rPois+
Vulnerabilities	None
Habitat	Land
Intelligence	Animal
Uses	Uses nothing
Holiness	Natural
Size	Large
Type	moth, ghost moth
Flags	Flying Invisible No skeleton Web immune

A vile interdimensional predator that feeds on the life force of living beings. It resembles an enormous, spiny moth. “Always in focus You can't feel my stare. I zoom into you You don't know I'm there.” -Judas Priest, “Electric Eye”. 1982.

Useful Info

Ghost moths are speedy, invisible monsters with an MP-draining gaze and stat-draining melee attacks. If you can't see invisible, you'll "feel you are being watched by something" whenever a ghost moth is around. They can be found in the Spider's Nest (particularly in Spider:4), the Realm of Zot, and on spider floors in Ziggurats.

A ghost moth's gaze causes you to lose 0-17 MP, weighted towards the average. The moth then is healed for any MP drained. Since moths cast Draining Gaze on 50% of their actions, and the gaze takes up no time, they can rapidly drain your MP.

Spells

Spell set I
Slot1	Draining Gaze	Magical flag, Instant flag

Tips & Tricks

• The loss of MP is very fast. Even if you're not a spellcaster, be wary that some god abilities require MP to invoke.
• Ghost moths can not see invisible. If you yourself are invisible, ghost moths can't drain your MP.
• Ghost moths are a good reason to keep a source of see invisible around, yourself. If you receive the message "You feel you are being watched by something," activate see invisible immediately. Keep in mind they fly faster than most characters run, so escaping without items is not an option.
• If you're a caster, the following can work (depending on the character):
  • Damage-over-time effects. Freezing Cloud, despite their cold resistance, can kill one with enough time. Sticky Flame is usually too weak to kill, but it does reveal invisible creatures.
  • Summon Cactus Giant. Despite its lack of SInv, it can kill from spines. If the giant is in the moth's way, the moth will attack the giant and promptly die. If needed, tell the giant to retreat towards a desired direction.
  • Failing that, evocables are good MP-less ways of killing them. Even at 0 Evocations, using 4 charges of a lightning rod will take a huge chunk of HP. With good Evocations training, condenser vane, tin of tremorstones, or attack wands can kill / finish off a moth.
• Ghost moths make for great Yredelemnul souls. When Draining Gaze hits a monster, it inflicts antimagic, which is brutally effective against spellcasters.

History

• Prior 0.28, ghost moths' melee attacks could inflict strong poison, making stat drain less likely.
• Prior to 0.16, ghost moths could drain for 5-17 MP.