Difference between revisions of "The Slime Pits"

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{{flavour|The Slime Pits are the amorphous realm of acids, jellies and slimes. Even the walls drip with painful acid. Any trace of intelligent beings has long been dissolved. Still, there are rumours of great treasures deep down, hidden safely away in secret chambers without any entrance.}}
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{{flavour|The Slime Pits are the amorphous realm of acids, jellies and slimes. Even the walls drip with painful acid. Any trace of intelligent beings has long been dissolved. Still, there are rumours of great treasures deep down, hidden safely away in secret chambers without any entrance.
  
[[File:Slime entry.png]]'''The Slime Pits''' are a 5-floor [[branch]] full of amorphous horrors. Four guaranteed treasure [[vault]]s, a large amount of [[experience]], and the slimy [[rune of Zot]] await anyone able to find their way to the bottom of the Slime Pits, but its difficulty and unique challenges make it dangerous for the ill-prepared.
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This branch is unnaturally silent: sounds travel farther here.
  
Stairs to the Slime Pits can be found on the bottom floors of [[the Lair]]. While the entrance is found in the Lair, it is much more dangerous than the 2 other branches that can be found there ([[Swamp]], [[Shoals]], [[Snake Pit]] or [[Spider's Nest]]), and should be attempted later in the game.
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The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 4 and 5 of the Lair of Beasts.
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This branch is 5 levels deep.
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This branch contains the slimy rune of Zot.}}
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[[File:Slime entry.png]]'''The Slime Pits''' are a 5-floor [[branch]] full of amorphous horrors. Most of this branch consists of nothing but ooze, but the final floor has a guaranteed treasure [[vault]] and the slimy [[rune of Zot]]. To retrieve the treasures, you must defeat their [[the Royal Jelly|boss]].
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Stairs to the Slime Pits can be found between [[the Lair]]: 4-5. While the entrance is found in the Lair, it is much more dangerous than the 2 other branches that can be found there ([[Swamp]], [[Shoals]], [[Snake Pit]] or [[Spider's Nest]]), and should be attempted later in the game.
  
 
==Layout==
 
==Layout==
Superficially, the layout of the Slime Pits resembles the [[Orcish Mines]]: each floor is either a single large irregular chamber or several smaller chambers connected only by [[stairs]]. Like the Orcish Mines, you can use a [[wand of digging]] to connect separate chambers together, easing travel.
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Superficially, the layout of the Slime Pits resembles the [[Orcish Mines]]: each floor is either a single large irregular chamber or several smaller chambers connected only by [[stairs]]. Like the Orcish Mines, you can use a [[wand of digging]] to connect separate chambers together, easing travel. Outside of Slime:5, no items generate here.
  
 
The Slime Pits are filled with [[Wall#Slime Covered Rock|slime covered rock]], which inflict the [[corrosion]] status on adjacent players. This wears off the moment you move away from the walls.
 
The Slime Pits are filled with [[Wall#Slime Covered Rock|slime covered rock]], which inflict the [[corrosion]] status on adjacent players. This wears off the moment you move away from the walls.
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===Slime:5===
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Slime:5 is made out of one out of various [[vault]]s. The original vault is a singular, central chamber, but there is a small variety of posisble layouts.
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This floor always contains the boss of the Slime Pits, [[the Royal Jelly]]. Killing it will open up the translucent walls of the treasure vaults, allowing you to go inside. The walls will also disappear if you worship [[Jiyva]] and reach 6* piety - though, when worshipping Jiyva, the slimes will eat a huge portion of the loot. ([[Haste]], [[Apportation]], [[Swiftness]], etc. are recommended.)
  
 
==Useful Info==
 
==Useful Info==
Entering the Slime Pits unprepared can be an extremely costly mistake for low-level characters. The branch is home to high level jelly monsters that are fast and can inflict immense damage. [[Acid blob]]s rapidly corrode your equipment at range and melee, [[azure jelly|azure jellies]] have multiple [[cold]] attacks, [[quicksilver ooze]]s have [[antimagic]] attacks and can [[engulf]] you, and [[rockslime]]s can [[trample]] you. You'll also find [[shining eye]]s that induce numerous [[bad mutations]].  
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The branch is home to high level jelly monsters - these are fast and can inflict immense damage. [[Acid blob]]s rapidly corrode you. [[Azure jellies]] have strong cold attacks. [[Quicksilver ooze]]s have [[antimagic]] attacks and can [[engulf]] you, and [[rockslime]]s can [[trample]] you. You'll also find [[shining eye]]s that induce numerous [[bad mutations]]. You'll also find masses of [[slime creature]]s, weak alone, but they come in large groups, and among the stronger jellies.
  
It's much safer to explore here after acquiring:
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The wide open floors and caustic walls make it impossible to effectively bottleneck opponents. Expect to be swarmed by all sorts of jellies, especially if you rush in too quickly. [[Stair dancing]] is a strong tactic.
*A source of corrosion resistance ([[ring of resist corrosion]], [[acid dragon scales]], etc.)
 
*High [[willpower]] to prevent getting [[confusion|confused]] by [[golden eye]]s, or worse, [[paralysis|paralysed]] by [[great orb of eyes|great orbs of eyes]].  
 
*[[Cold]] resistance for azure jellies.
 
  
The wide open floors and caustic walls make it impossible to effectively bottleneck opponents; expect to be swarmed by [[slime creature]]s and worse if you rush in too quickly. Fortunately, almost every monster here is mindless and silent, making it easy to creep forward, attract the attention of a single opponent, and lure it back a safe distance before killing it in privacy. When possible, limit yourself to quiet spells unless you feel confident about reliably nuking herds of jellies.
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Most jellies resist [[poison]], [[acid]], and nothing else - the major exceptions are [[rockslime]]s (who resist fire and electricity). Also, jellies have poor [[AC]] and [[EV]]. Low-accuracy, high-damage spells like [[Iron Shot]] or [[Starburst]] are quite effective. Note that [[Shatter]] doesn't do much against slimes (except for rockslimes).
  
Exploration of the Slime Pits will turn up very little apart from monsters and traps. There is no loot to be found outside of the boss' chambers, and only one [[unique]] is capable of spawning here ([[Dissolution]], a deadly jelly priest who should be killed as quickly as possible to avoid his [[Summon Eyeballs]] spell).
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==Strategy==
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''See also: [[The Royal Jelly#Strategy|The Royal Jelly]]''
  
One thing to keep in mind about the monsters you find in Slime is that few possess resistances other than poison or acid, and even fewer have any [[AC]] or [[EV]] worth mentioning. The major exceptions are [[rockslime]]s. The lack of EV means that low-accuracy, high-damage spells such as [[Iron Shot]], [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], or [[Starburst]] are highly effective, while the lack of AC can make spells such as [[Airstrike]] or [[Lee's Rapid Deconstruction]] (but not [[Shatter]]!) quite effective.  
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Slime is significantly more difficult than the other Lair branches, so unless you're doing a [[speedrun]], there's little reason to go in right away. You have the liberty to explore other branches (such as [[the Vaults]]:1-4) before entering. This branch is often done as the [[rune lock|3rd rune]], though it can also be done purely for the loot on Slime:5.
  
===Slime: 5===
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Regardless of anything, it is recommended to have some way of defeating the Royal Jelly before attempting this branch - see [[the Royal Jelly#Strategy|the Royal Jelly]] for more info. You'll also want a few resistances (see below).
The fifth and final floor of the Slime Pits is an open chamber with a large, non-corrosive stone structure in the middle, made from four quarter-circle [[vault]]s. The floor is populated with eyes and jellies like the floors above, but in the center of the structure you'll encounter the boss of the Slime Pits, [[the Royal Jelly]]. Once it is killed, the translucent walls of the treasure vaults will vanish. See the [[the Royal Jelly#Strategy|Strategy]] section for some advice on defeating it.
 
  
Alternatively, you can avoid all of this conflict by worshiping [[Jiyva]], the [[god]] of slimes. Doing so will render all monsters in the Slime Pits neutral to you, and at high enough piety, the walls of the vaults will disappear, allowing you to grab the rune and the loot. Of course, said loot will swiftly be devoured by nearby wandering slimes, so if you want any of it, act quickly; a [[potion of haste]], [[Swiftness]], and [[Apportation]] can all help you save particularly choice bits from being devoured (though at the very least, you'll be left with the [[artefacts]] and the rune).
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===Useful Traits===
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It's much safer to explore here after acquiring:
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*[[Corrosion resistance]] ([[ring of resist corrosion]], [[acid dragon scales]], etc.)
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*High [[willpower]], to prevent getting [[confused]] by [[golden eye]]s and [[great orbs of eyes]].
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*[[Cold]] resistance, for azure jellies.
  
 
==Monsters==
 
==Monsters==
 
{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
 
{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
| {{monsterlink|Golden eye}} || {{monsterlink|Shining eye}} || {{monsterlink|Eye of devastation}} ||
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| {{monsterlink|Golden eye}} || {{monsterlink|Shining eye}} || {{monsterlink|Eye of devastation}} || {{monsterlink|Glass eye}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| {{monsterlink|Glowing orange brain}} || {{monsterlink|Great orb of eyes}} || {{monsterlink|Jelly}} || {{monsterlink|Slime creature}}
 
| {{monsterlink|Glowing orange brain}} || {{monsterlink|Great orb of eyes}} || {{monsterlink|Jelly}} || {{monsterlink|Slime creature}}
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==History==
 
==History==
*In [[0.31]], new Slime:5 [[vaults|layouts]] will be introduced. Many don't have the corridors of the original Slime:5 vault, making certain strategies against [[the Royal Jelly]] moot.
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*In [[0.31]], new Slime:5 [[vaults|layouts]] were introduced. Many don't have the corridors of the original Slime:5 vault, making certain strategies against [[the Royal Jelly]] more difficult.
 
*Prior to [[0.30]], the slime covered walls would inflict acid damage, rather than just corroding you.
 
*Prior to [[0.30]], the slime covered walls would inflict acid damage, rather than just corroding you.
 
*Prior to [[0.27]], you could find [[death ooze]]s and [[eyes of draining]], instead of [[rockslime]]s and [[quicksilver ooze]]s.
 
*Prior to [[0.27]], you could find [[death ooze]]s and [[eyes of draining]], instead of [[rockslime]]s and [[quicksilver ooze]]s.
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{{branches}}
 
{{branches}}
 
[[Category: Crystal Ball Articles]]
 

Latest revision as of 22:32, 15 February 2024

Version 0.31: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
The Slime Pits are the amorphous realm of acids, jellies and slimes. Even the walls drip with painful acid. Any trace of intelligent beings has long been dissolved. Still, there are rumours of great treasures deep down, hidden safely away in secret chambers without any entrance.

This branch is unnaturally silent: sounds travel farther here.

The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 4 and 5 of the Lair of Beasts.

This branch is 5 levels deep.

This branch contains the slimy rune of Zot.

Slime entry.pngThe Slime Pits are a 5-floor branch full of amorphous horrors. Most of this branch consists of nothing but ooze, but the final floor has a guaranteed treasure vault and the slimy rune of Zot. To retrieve the treasures, you must defeat their boss.

Stairs to the Slime Pits can be found between the Lair: 4-5. While the entrance is found in the Lair, it is much more dangerous than the 2 other branches that can be found there (Swamp, Shoals, Snake Pit or Spider's Nest), and should be attempted later in the game.

Layout

Superficially, the layout of the Slime Pits resembles the Orcish Mines: each floor is either a single large irregular chamber or several smaller chambers connected only by stairs. Like the Orcish Mines, you can use a wand of digging to connect separate chambers together, easing travel. Outside of Slime:5, no items generate here.

The Slime Pits are filled with slime covered rock, which inflict the corrosion status on adjacent players. This wears off the moment you move away from the walls.

Slime:5

Slime:5 is made out of one out of various vaults. The original vault is a singular, central chamber, but there is a small variety of posisble layouts.

This floor always contains the boss of the Slime Pits, the Royal Jelly. Killing it will open up the translucent walls of the treasure vaults, allowing you to go inside. The walls will also disappear if you worship Jiyva and reach 6* piety - though, when worshipping Jiyva, the slimes will eat a huge portion of the loot. (Haste, Apportation, Swiftness, etc. are recommended.)

Useful Info

The branch is home to high level jelly monsters - these are fast and can inflict immense damage. Acid blobs rapidly corrode you. Azure jellies have strong cold attacks. Quicksilver oozes have antimagic attacks and can engulf you, and rockslimes can trample you. You'll also find shining eyes that induce numerous bad mutations. You'll also find masses of slime creatures, weak alone, but they come in large groups, and among the stronger jellies.

The wide open floors and caustic walls make it impossible to effectively bottleneck opponents. Expect to be swarmed by all sorts of jellies, especially if you rush in too quickly. Stair dancing is a strong tactic.

Most jellies resist poison, acid, and nothing else - the major exceptions are rockslimes (who resist fire and electricity). Also, jellies have poor AC and EV. Low-accuracy, high-damage spells like Iron Shot or Starburst are quite effective. Note that Shatter doesn't do much against slimes (except for rockslimes).

Strategy

See also: The Royal Jelly

Slime is significantly more difficult than the other Lair branches, so unless you're doing a speedrun, there's little reason to go in right away. You have the liberty to explore other branches (such as the Vaults:1-4) before entering. This branch is often done as the 3rd rune, though it can also be done purely for the loot on Slime:5.

Regardless of anything, it is recommended to have some way of defeating the Royal Jelly before attempting this branch - see the Royal Jelly for more info. You'll also want a few resistances (see below).

Useful Traits

It's much safer to explore here after acquiring:

Monsters

G Golden eye.png Golden eye G Shining eye.png Shining eye G Eye of devastation.png Eye of devastation G Glass eye.png Glass eye
G Glowing orange brain.png Glowing orange brain G Great orb of eyes.png Great orb of eyes J Jelly.png Jelly J Slime creature.png Slime creature
J Quicksilver ooze.png Quicksilver ooze J Azure jelly.png Azure jelly J Acid blob.png Acid blob J Rockslime.png Rockslime

Uniques

J Dissolution.png Dissolution @ Donald.png Donald J The Royal Jelly.png The Royal Jelly

History

  • In 0.31, new Slime:5 layouts were introduced. Many don't have the corridors of the original Slime:5 vault, making certain strategies against the Royal Jelly more difficult.
  • Prior to 0.30, the slime covered walls would inflict acid damage, rather than just corroding you.
  • Prior to 0.27, you could find death oozes and eyes of draining, instead of rockslimes and quicksilver oozes.
  • Prior to 0.19, the Slime Pits had six floors. Some jelly creatures were capable of eating items on the floor. Also, killing the Royal Jelly turned walls into translucent rock, so the player needed some way to get in.
  • Prior to 0.18, there were an amulet of resist mutation, and an amulet of resist corrosion that were both useful for exploring Slime Pits. The later was changed into a ring.
  • Prior to 0.17, Slime:6 prevented Teleport control.
  • In 0.13, spiny worms could be found here. They were removed in 0.14.
  • Prior to 0.7, the walls of the Slime Pits did not inflict acid damage.
Dungeon branches
Dungeon exit.png The DungeonTemple entry.png The TempleDepths entry.png The DepthsZot entry.png Realm of Zot
Lair entry.png The Lair ( Spider entry.png Spider's NestSnake entry.png Snake PitSwamp entry.png The SwampShoals entry.png The ShoalsSlime entry.png Slime Pits)
Orc entry.png Orcish Mines ( Elf entry.png Elven Halls) • Vaults entry.png The Vaults ( Crypt entry.png The CryptTomb entry.png The Tomb)
Abyss entry.png The AbyssPandemonium entry.png PandemoniumHell entry.png Hell ( Cocytus entry.png CocytusDis entry.pngDisGehenna entry.png GehennaTartarus entry.png Tartarus)
See also: Portal