Difference between revisions of "The Royal Jelly"

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{{list of | jellies}}''For the obsolete item, see [[royal jelly (item)]].''
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{{monster
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{{monster info|the Royal Jelly}}
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|name=royal jelly
 
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|glyph={{Yellow|J}}
 
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|tile=[[File:Royal jelly.png]]
 
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|flags={{Eats items}}<br>{{Acid splash flag}}<br>{{No stairs flag}}<br>{{Sense invisible flag}}<br>{{Unique flag}}
 
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|resistances={{Poison resistance}}, {{Acid resistance 3}}, <br>{{Constriction resistance}}, {{Water resistance}}, <br>{{Asphyxiation resistance}}
 
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|vulnerabilities=None
 
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|max_chunks=0
 
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|meat={{No corpse}}
 
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|xp=14176
 
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|holiness={{Natural}}
 
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|magic_resistance=196
 
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|hp_range=230
 
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|avg_hp=230
 
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|armour_class=8
 
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|evasion=4
 
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|habitat=Land
 
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|speed= 14
 
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|size={{Medium}}
 
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|item_use={{Uses nothing}}
 
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|attack1=50 ({{Hit type}}: {{Acid flavour}}: 7d3)
 
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|attack2=30 ({{Hit type}}: {{Acid flavour}}: 7d3)
 
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|attack3=
 
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|attack4=
 
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|hit_dice=21
 
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|base_hp=0
 
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|extra_hp=0
 
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|fixed_hp=230
 
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|intelligence={{Plant intelligence}}
 
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|genus=jelly
 
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|species=jelly
 
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}}
 
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{{Flavour|A particularly rich and golden gelatinous thing. Smaller jellies swim and pulse just below its surface, ready to burst forth at the slightest touch.}}
 
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<!--monster-bot-end-->
 
  
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==Useful Info==
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'''The Royal Jelly''' (or '''TRJ''') is the [[list of jellies|jelly]] boss of [[the Slime Pits]], located on Slime:5. It has an impressive amount of [[HP]], powerful [[acid]]ic melee attacks, exceptional speed, and an unusual defense mechanism: whenever it's damaged, it spawns various powerful jelly-type monsters to attack you ([[azure jellies]], [[quicksilver ooze]]s, [[rockslime]]s, and [[acid blob]]s). These monsters don't count as [[summon]]s, but aren't worth XP. Unlike most other monsters, TRJ can choose to actively retreat behind its other jellies.
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Killing the Royal Jelly causes two things to happen:
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*The translucent walls of the four central [[vault]]s that the Royal Jelly guarded will come crumbling down, allowing you access to the [[rune of Zot|slimy rune of Zot]] and the piles of treasure.
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*[[Jiyva]], the god of slimes, immediately ceases to exist once its biggest sentient worshiper dies. You can prevent this by worshiping Jiyva yourself before killing TRJ, but killing such a high-ranking jelly will result in penance. Note that you can't escape divine wrath by killing TRJ.
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TRJ can't pursue you through [[stair]]s, allowing you to abort attempts at killing it that you don't feel confident you can complete.
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==Strategy==
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The Royal Jelly is a formidable foe. Trying to run at it with an [[axe]] will likely lead to your death, even with rCorr, as you'll be quickly surrounded by 8 high-level jellies.
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Many strategies exist to take on TRJ. No matter what you're doing, it is recommended to have corrosion resistance, clear the rest of the floor, and use all sorts of buffs ([[haste]], [[might]], [[brilliance]]...). These not only increase your chance of winning, but also help you if something goes terribly wrong.
  
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==Useful Info==
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*'''Corridor fighting'''. Fighting a group of monsters in a corridor is usually a good idea, and TRJ isn't any different. The corridors available might not be perfect, but they can allow you to fight 2-3 slimes at a time instead of 8 - already a huge improvement.
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:By using [[summon]]s ([[scroll of summoning]], [[phantom mirror]], [[Summoning|spells]]...) in the corridor, you can prevent TRJ's reinforcements from attacking you, turning it into a fight in your favour. Summons can also prevent TRJ from retreating. Melee, ranged weapons, and single-target spells (like [[Iron Shot]]) all work well in this position. See the [[#Gallery|Gallery]] section for a demonstration.
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*'''[[Torment]] + [[Scroll of immolation|Immolation]]'''. Slimes are natural monsters, so they are vulnerable to torment's half-HP effect. TRJ spits out other jellies, which are perfect targets for immolation's explosion effect. See TRJ at the edge of sight, torment once, use immolation, then find a way to ignite it (usually a strong ranged attack, preferably piercing). Some characters will want/need to use torment a second time.
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:The big risk of this strategy is that torment also reduces your HP by half (unless immune). A [[potion of lignification]] gives torment immunity, though it also melds armour and makes you stationary. If you are confident in your damage, doing this "raw" or with some rN+ can work out fine. Also, note that [[rockslime]]s are resistant to fire and won't take much damage from immolation explosions.
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:*'''Snakebombing'''. [[Summon]]s and [[zombie]]s are also affected by immolation. Use the strategy listed above, but after tormenting, create lots of summons (or Wretches, for [[Kiku]] followers). Then, once they are close enough, immolate them. Inner flame jellies and inner flame allies will fight, and one will die, causing the other to be hit by an explosion. A lot of summons (e.g. multiple [[scroll of summoning]], [[Haunt]]...) may be needed. A [[scroll of butterflies]] can work in theory, but is unpredictable. Note that [[Death Channel]]'s spectres cannot be immolated, due to their infinite willpower.
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*'''Blasting it from range'''. A powerful piercing/AOE/smite-targeted ranged attack can be strong enough to kill TRJ from full [[LOS]] range, whether on its own or when combined with immolation. [[Fire Storm]] and [[Chain Lightning]] will work as you'd expect, but other spells can be used too.
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**[[Ignition]] turns the fight into a cakewalk; since jellies always spawn near TRJ, the boss is hit by 9 Ignition explosions at a time. Immolation isn't required here.
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**[[Maxwell's Capacitive Coupling]] doesn't have AOE, but instantly kills any monster, TRJ included. Stand on an upstairs, use MCC when TRJ is as far as possible, then retreat upwards to escape the aftermath. Then enter Slime:5 from another staircase, luring the residue one by one.
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**[[Discord]]. Turns spawned jellies hostile to each other. Immolate and you win.
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**[[Eringya's Noxious Bog]]. Immolation creates a flame cloud every time damage is dealt, including poison damage. So you can haste up, create a bog, and kite TRJ. Once enough jellies have spawned, use immolation, which will eventually trigger an explosion. Ideally, you'll have [[Ignite Poison]] to cause the immolation chain reaction (though Ignite Poison isn't needed).
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**For melee characters, throwing [[javelin]]s at high skill (+ immolation) can be used to the same effect. TRJ is vulnerable to [[silver]], so silver javelins are especially effective. Throw until you create a couple slimes, use immolation, then throw to activate the fireworks.
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**Lower level spells, such as high-power [[Plasma Beam]], can be used, too.
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*'''[[Scroll of vulnerability]]'''. At 180 willpower, it's normally hard to use Hexes. Using vulnerability cuts that in half, making it reasonable for repeated hexes to get through. Be ''very'' careful; since vulnerability also cuts your will in half, [[golden eye]]s and [[great orbs of eyes]] can inflict nasty statuses.
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**Standard high-tier stab hexes ([[paralysis]], [[Petrify]]) work. These are best used in a corridor, since slimes still spawn when TRJ is disabled.
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**[[Polymorph]] turns TRJ into something else. You usually get a [[shard shrike]], [[titan]], [[dragon]] or, if especially lucky, a [[death yak]]. This creates a mass of jellies still, but once you deal with them, no more will spawn from the polymorphed TRJ.
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**[[Lugonu]]'s Banish sends TRJ to [[the Abyss]]. Banish doesn't count as a kill, meaning the stone walls won't open. Lugonu worshippers have a way to open stone walls (Corruption), however.
  
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'''The royal jelly''' is the [[list of jellies|jelly]] boss of [[the Slime Pits]]. Located in the center of Slime:6, it will not emerge until you've entered the stone structure it resides in (or you make enough [[noise]] nearby to awaken it), giving you plenty of time to clear the rest of the floor first.
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*'''Opening the chambers yourself'''. The chambers are blocked by stone walls. There are a few ways to break them ([[Shatter]], [[Fedhas]]' Overgrowth, Lugonu's Corruption). Shatter is extremely loud and will attract just about everything, though you can lure monsters away and take the loot for yourself. Note that Shatter is poor as a combat spell, since jellies are resistant to it.
  
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It has an impressive amount of [[HP]], powerful [[acid]]ic melee attacks, exceptional speed, and an unusual defensive mechanism: whenever it's damaged, it spawns various powerful jelly-type monsters to attack you ([[azure jellies]], [[death ooze]]s, [[brown ooze]]s, and [[acid blob]]s). Like other jellies, allowing it to consume items or shooting ammunition at it will restore its HP. Fortunately, it cannot pursue you up [[stairs]], allowing you to abort attempts at killing it that you don't feel confident you can complete.
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*'''Misc. methods of killing:'''
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**Dedicated [[stab]]bers ''can'' attempt to stab TRJ while its sleeping. It often isn't advisable, since you can always fail to one-shot, meaning you'll have to face TRJ and a huge mass of slimes. Even if you do kill, you'll still have to deal with the leftovers.
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**Many god abilities can kill TRJ (see "Blasting it from range"). [[Qazlal]]'s Disaster Area + immolation, [[Beogh]]'s smites, or a surge of cards from [[Nemelex]] may be enough to kill.
  
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Killing the royal jelly causes three things to happen:
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*'''[[Jiyva]]'''. Of course, if you wish to avoid this entire mess, you can simply worship Jiyva and waltz in at 6* of piety. Most of the treasure will inevitably get eaten, but you'll at least be able to make off with the rune and whatever [[artefact]]s were present. As per usual with Jiyva, [[Apportation]] may come in handy.
  
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*[[Teleport control]] is no longer forbidden on the floor.
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===Escaping===
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*The four central [[vault]]s that the royal jelly guarded turn from stone to transparent rock, making it easy to [[dig]] or [[teleport]] your way in.
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*Take great care around [[quicksilver ooze]]s. They can [[engulf]] you, rendering unable to use [[spell]]s, [[scroll]]s, or [[god]] abilities until you move a tile or kill the ooze. Being surrounded by 8 jellies is already deadly, being unable to [[blink]] or [[teleport]] out makes it even worse.
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*[[Jiyva]], the god of slimes, immediately ceases to exist once its only sentient worshiper dies. You can prevent this deicide by worshiping Jiyva yourself before killing TRJ, but killing such a high-ranking jelly will result in penance.
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**[[Amphibious]] and [[unbreathing]] characters are immune to engulf.
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*Haste can let you run away from most jellies if you are not already in melee range. Only [[quicksilver ooze]]s are outright faster than a hasted Human, though TRJ is only slightly slower than that. Both haste and [[Swiftness]] can be used to outrun these two. If you can get to the stairs without any adjacent jellies, you're safe.
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*TRJ will not follow you upstairs, but its generated slimes will. If you plan on running back upstairs mid-fight, expect some of its spawns to follow you.
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:If you've accidentally created an army of jellies and need to abort, heal up and stair dance so you can clear out the reinforcements without dealing with too many of them at a time. Entering the floor from different staircases will let you avoid being immediately surrounded.
  
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==Tips & Tricks==
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===Tips & Tricks===
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===How To Kill It===
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*TRJ retreats behind its spawned jellies periodically. Use piercing, AOE, or smite-targeted attacks that can hit TRJ past its reinforcements. Otherwise, you'll need to fight through or reset the fight.
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*[[Haste]] and a [[potion of might]]/[[potion of brilliance]] are recommended to help you deal lethal damage to TRJ before its reinforcements make life unbearable (while [[berserk]]ing also works, you run the risk of having it run out halfway through the fight).
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*Watch out when using [[distortion]]. Banish doesn't count as a kill, so if you banish TRJ without a way to break through stone walls, you'll need to go to the Abyss and kill it.
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*Fighting TRJ in one of the central stone corridors is a valid strategy, as only TRJ and two or three other monsters will be able to reach you. Just be prepared to deal with an angry jelly mob once you're done, possibly including [[giant eyeball]]s that heard the commotion and can suddenly see you through the now-transparent treasure vault walls...
 
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*TRJ retreats behind its spawned jellies periodically, forcing you to fight through them before you can damage it again. This can be avoided by summoning your own allies while adjacent to it to box it in before attacking. Works best in the corridors.
 
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*Ranged weapon fighters will have a hard time with this fight, as most ammunition heals it. There are exceptions, however. [[Sling]] users can fire [[stone]]s safely, though their damage isn't terribly impressive. [[Exploding]] [[sling bullet]]s are much better, especially as its burst cuts through TRJ's low-AC spawns well. [[Bow]]-users can use [[dispersal (brand)|dispersal]] [[arrow]]s, as these break upon mulch every time, though this results in a lot of obnoxious blinking around. [[Crossbow]]-users can use [[penetration]]-branded [[bolt]]s, so long as the final tile it lands in is unoccupied. As for [[throwing]] weapons, penetration is again your best bet, unless you're capable of hurling [[large rock]]s.
 
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*[[Banish]]ing TRJ via [[Lugonu]]'s [[ability]] is only advisable if you have some way to deal with stone walls, as the banishing will not turn the vaults' stone into diggable rock or allow teleport control. Failing that, a trip to the Abyss to kill TRJ would be necessary. Alternatively, corrupting the floor will open the vaults easily, but you'll need to move fast if you want to collect any of the non-artifact loot.
 
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*TRJ is technically a natural creature, and is thus vulnerable to sources of [[torment]]. Hitting it with two or three [[scrolls of torment]] will drop it to near death, and a few [[Bolt spells]] or [[smite]]-targeted attacks will finish it off in spite of the army around it. Just be prepared to have your own HP be affected too (rN+++, [[Statue Form]], or undeath are advised)!
 
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*Repeatedly blasting TRJ with a [[wand of draining]] or [[Bolt of Draining]] will gradually whittle away its max HP and [[HD]]. Even if you have to abort your attempt, this HD damage (and the accompanying drops in HP and magic resistance) is permanent. 21 successful drains will reduce it to 0 HD, causing it to die instantly, though you'll likely kill it through raw damage before that point.
 
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*[[Freezing Cloud]] will reliably kill TRJ in 10 or so turns. If you you can hold your own versus TRJ's reinforcements (say, with your own wave of summons), you can cast Freezing Cloud early and let it do its job. Just be ready to run if things go south.
 
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*With only 4 [[EV]], TRJ is fairly susceptible to [[Bolt of Inaccuracy]]. A hasted character with modest [[Evocations]] training can heavily injure or even kill TRJ by the time their [[rod of Inaccuracy]] runs out of charges, but don't be surprised if it only gets half the job done. Finishing it off with attack wands, [[Bolt spells]], or other attacks that can bypass the wall of summoned jellies will likely be necessary.
 
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*If you are a ranged magic user and take the summoning route, you really can't do better than [[Summon Dragon]]. Dragons are fast and do superlative melee and range attacks. Interspersing these with other high-level summons can create a wall of units capable of matching TRJ's allies. You'll need to plan ahead, of course: an 18 or 19 Summonings skill, high intelligence, a ring of [[wizardry]], and [[Recall]] are the bare minimum. Worshipers of [[Trog]] can also benefit from this approach; a small pack of berserk [[iron troll]]s or [[stone giant]]s should survive long enough to deal tremendous damage to TRJ before being melted away.
 
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*Hit TRJ 1-2 times so it spawns jellies/oozes, then read a  [[scroll of immolation]], then kill any of the spawns to touch off a satisfying chain reaction. This strategy entails an element of risk, as the fireball chain can engulf you too. To minimize risk, ensure that you can kill one of the spawns at a distance. For example, have such a powerful ranged attack that you can frag a spawn in 1 turn reliably (e.g. [[Death ooze]]s reliably destroyed by Orb of Destruction at 20 Conjurations), or blink away and finish icing the spawn). Alternatively, have rF+++ and embrace the burn. A bonus of this strategy is that it eliminates most of TRJ's spawns, which could otherwise frag your depleted character just after the sweet taste of killing TRJ; this strategy literally turns TRJ's spawning against itself.
 
  
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===How To Escape It===
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==Gallery==
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*TRJ will not follow you [[stairs|upstairs]], but its generated slimes will. If you plan on running back upstairs mid-fight, expect some of its spawns to follow you.
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<gallery widths="500px" heights="500px" class="left" mode="nolines">
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*If you need to escape the floor without pursuing jellies following you up, Haste will also allow you to make a fairly safe escape; TRJ will keep up with you, but nothing else will. If you wish to actually outrun TRJ, you'll likely need both Haste ''and'' [[Swiftness]].
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TRJ Melee.png|Fighting TRJ in the original "slime_pit" vault with melee/single-target spells.<br>Get TRJ in the corner (while [[haste]]d), position yourself as shown, then create [[summon]]s to prevent jellies from hitting you and to prevent TRJ from escaping.
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*If you've accidentally created an army of jellies and need to abort, heal up and then stair dance so you can clear out the reinforcements without dealing with too many of them at a time. Entering the floor from different staircases will let you avoid being immediately surrounded.
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TRJ Melee jellycorners.png|Some layouts, such as "jellycorners", have obscure and/or bad corridors.<br>A [[wand of digging]] had to be used to open up the corridor. Also, this area is worse than the other example. Jellies can spawn within 2 tiles of TRJ, so here, summons won't adequately block jelly spawns.
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*Don't panic and expect a [[scroll of blinking]] to save you; until TRJ is dead, controlled blinking is impossible on this floor. Of course, if you're surrounded by jellies on every side and the only available tiles to blink to are beyond the mob, even an uncontrolled blink should get you clear of them, and a hasted character should be able to outrun them.
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</gallery>
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*If you have high-powered [[Lee's Rapid Deconstruction]] or [[Shatter]], you can avoid fighting TRJ by breaking open the stone wall loot vaults. Just be sure to grab any useful non-artifact items before the floor's jellies eat them. Be aware that both spells are loud and will attract attention.
 
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*[[Summon Butterflies]] can be a lifesaver for the character who finds himself otherwise fatally adjacent to a lone TRJ. Alternatively retreating and casting Summon Butterflies can be a solution, provided you can withstand the several hits TRJ will deal you. Just remember not to damage TRJ at all or he'll spawn his auxiliary slimes, negating your retreat.
 
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*Of course, if you wish to avoid this entire mess, you can simply worship Jiyva and open the vaults with a [[wand of digging]].
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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Prior to [[0.11]], the royal jelly was not able to regenerate naturally. This made the fight much easier to complete over several small assaults.
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*In [[0.31]], TRJ became immune to [[throwing net]]s. Also, many new Slime:5 [[vault|layouts]] were added. As some don't have convenient corridors, certain strategies are harder to use. Previously, there was only one vault.
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*Prior to [[0.27]], [[death ooze]]s were created, instead of [[quicksilver ooze]]s and [[rockslime]]s.
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*Prior to [[0.23]], exploding the Royal Jelly with [[Uskayaw]]'s Grand Finale didn't generate any jellies.
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*Prior to [[0.19]], the Royal Jelly could eat items and could heal itself when shot with anything other than stones.
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*Prior to [[0.16]], the Royal Jelly did not immediately spit out a large number of jellies when polymorphed, making it a viable combat strategy.
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*Prior to [[0.15]], hitting the Royal Jelly could generate [[brown ooze]]s as well.
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*Prior to [[0.11]], the Royal Jelly was not able to regenerate naturally. This made the fight much easier to complete over several small assaults.

Latest revision as of 19:33, 24 March 2024

Version 0.31: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

For a list of all jellies, see list of jellies. For the obsolete item, see royal jelly (item).

the Royal Jelly J The Royal Jelly.png
HP 152-308
HD 21
XP 14247
Speed 14
AC 8
EV 4
Will 180
Attack1 50 (hit: acid)
Attack2 30 (hit: acid)


Resistances rPois+
rAcid+++
rDrown
Vulnerabilities Silver
Habitat Land
Intelligence Brainless
Uses Uses nothing
Holiness Natural
Size Large
Type jelly, jelly
Flags Destroys doors
See invisible
Unbreathing
Unblindable
Unique
Acidic flesh
Web immune
A particularly rich and golden gelatinous thing. Smaller jellies swim and pulse just below its surface, ready to burst forth at the slightest touch.

Useful Info

The Royal Jelly (or TRJ) is the jelly boss of the Slime Pits, located on Slime:5. It has an impressive amount of HP, powerful acidic melee attacks, exceptional speed, and an unusual defense mechanism: whenever it's damaged, it spawns various powerful jelly-type monsters to attack you (azure jellies, quicksilver oozes, rockslimes, and acid blobs). These monsters don't count as summons, but aren't worth XP. Unlike most other monsters, TRJ can choose to actively retreat behind its other jellies.

Killing the Royal Jelly causes two things to happen:

  • The translucent walls of the four central vaults that the Royal Jelly guarded will come crumbling down, allowing you access to the slimy rune of Zot and the piles of treasure.
  • Jiyva, the god of slimes, immediately ceases to exist once its biggest sentient worshiper dies. You can prevent this by worshiping Jiyva yourself before killing TRJ, but killing such a high-ranking jelly will result in penance. Note that you can't escape divine wrath by killing TRJ.

TRJ can't pursue you through stairs, allowing you to abort attempts at killing it that you don't feel confident you can complete.

Strategy

The Royal Jelly is a formidable foe. Trying to run at it with an axe will likely lead to your death, even with rCorr, as you'll be quickly surrounded by 8 high-level jellies.

Many strategies exist to take on TRJ. No matter what you're doing, it is recommended to have corrosion resistance, clear the rest of the floor, and use all sorts of buffs (haste, might, brilliance...). These not only increase your chance of winning, but also help you if something goes terribly wrong.

  • Corridor fighting. Fighting a group of monsters in a corridor is usually a good idea, and TRJ isn't any different. The corridors available might not be perfect, but they can allow you to fight 2-3 slimes at a time instead of 8 - already a huge improvement.
By using summons (scroll of summoning, phantom mirror, spells...) in the corridor, you can prevent TRJ's reinforcements from attacking you, turning it into a fight in your favour. Summons can also prevent TRJ from retreating. Melee, ranged weapons, and single-target spells (like Iron Shot) all work well in this position. See the Gallery section for a demonstration.
  • Torment + Immolation. Slimes are natural monsters, so they are vulnerable to torment's half-HP effect. TRJ spits out other jellies, which are perfect targets for immolation's explosion effect. See TRJ at the edge of sight, torment once, use immolation, then find a way to ignite it (usually a strong ranged attack, preferably piercing). Some characters will want/need to use torment a second time.
The big risk of this strategy is that torment also reduces your HP by half (unless immune). A potion of lignification gives torment immunity, though it also melds armour and makes you stationary. If you are confident in your damage, doing this "raw" or with some rN+ can work out fine. Also, note that rockslimes are resistant to fire and won't take much damage from immolation explosions.
  • Snakebombing. Summons and zombies are also affected by immolation. Use the strategy listed above, but after tormenting, create lots of summons (or Wretches, for Kiku followers). Then, once they are close enough, immolate them. Inner flame jellies and inner flame allies will fight, and one will die, causing the other to be hit by an explosion. A lot of summons (e.g. multiple scroll of summoning, Haunt...) may be needed. A scroll of butterflies can work in theory, but is unpredictable. Note that Death Channel's spectres cannot be immolated, due to their infinite willpower.
  • Blasting it from range. A powerful piercing/AOE/smite-targeted ranged attack can be strong enough to kill TRJ from full LOS range, whether on its own or when combined with immolation. Fire Storm and Chain Lightning will work as you'd expect, but other spells can be used too.
    • Ignition turns the fight into a cakewalk; since jellies always spawn near TRJ, the boss is hit by 9 Ignition explosions at a time. Immolation isn't required here.
    • Maxwell's Capacitive Coupling doesn't have AOE, but instantly kills any monster, TRJ included. Stand on an upstairs, use MCC when TRJ is as far as possible, then retreat upwards to escape the aftermath. Then enter Slime:5 from another staircase, luring the residue one by one.
    • Discord. Turns spawned jellies hostile to each other. Immolate and you win.
    • Eringya's Noxious Bog. Immolation creates a flame cloud every time damage is dealt, including poison damage. So you can haste up, create a bog, and kite TRJ. Once enough jellies have spawned, use immolation, which will eventually trigger an explosion. Ideally, you'll have Ignite Poison to cause the immolation chain reaction (though Ignite Poison isn't needed).
    • For melee characters, throwing javelins at high skill (+ immolation) can be used to the same effect. TRJ is vulnerable to silver, so silver javelins are especially effective. Throw until you create a couple slimes, use immolation, then throw to activate the fireworks.
    • Lower level spells, such as high-power Plasma Beam, can be used, too.
  • Scroll of vulnerability. At 180 willpower, it's normally hard to use Hexes. Using vulnerability cuts that in half, making it reasonable for repeated hexes to get through. Be very careful; since vulnerability also cuts your will in half, golden eyes and great orbs of eyes can inflict nasty statuses.
    • Standard high-tier stab hexes (paralysis, Petrify) work. These are best used in a corridor, since slimes still spawn when TRJ is disabled.
    • Polymorph turns TRJ into something else. You usually get a shard shrike, titan, dragon or, if especially lucky, a death yak. This creates a mass of jellies still, but once you deal with them, no more will spawn from the polymorphed TRJ.
    • Lugonu's Banish sends TRJ to the Abyss. Banish doesn't count as a kill, meaning the stone walls won't open. Lugonu worshippers have a way to open stone walls (Corruption), however.
  • Opening the chambers yourself. The chambers are blocked by stone walls. There are a few ways to break them (Shatter, Fedhas' Overgrowth, Lugonu's Corruption). Shatter is extremely loud and will attract just about everything, though you can lure monsters away and take the loot for yourself. Note that Shatter is poor as a combat spell, since jellies are resistant to it.
  • Misc. methods of killing:
    • Dedicated stabbers can attempt to stab TRJ while its sleeping. It often isn't advisable, since you can always fail to one-shot, meaning you'll have to face TRJ and a huge mass of slimes. Even if you do kill, you'll still have to deal with the leftovers.
    • Many god abilities can kill TRJ (see "Blasting it from range"). Qazlal's Disaster Area + immolation, Beogh's smites, or a surge of cards from Nemelex may be enough to kill.
  • Jiyva. Of course, if you wish to avoid this entire mess, you can simply worship Jiyva and waltz in at 6* of piety. Most of the treasure will inevitably get eaten, but you'll at least be able to make off with the rune and whatever artefacts were present. As per usual with Jiyva, Apportation may come in handy.

Escaping

  • Take great care around quicksilver oozes. They can engulf you, rendering unable to use spells, scrolls, or god abilities until you move a tile or kill the ooze. Being surrounded by 8 jellies is already deadly, being unable to blink or teleport out makes it even worse.
  • Haste can let you run away from most jellies if you are not already in melee range. Only quicksilver oozes are outright faster than a hasted Human, though TRJ is only slightly slower than that. Both haste and Swiftness can be used to outrun these two. If you can get to the stairs without any adjacent jellies, you're safe.
  • TRJ will not follow you upstairs, but its generated slimes will. If you plan on running back upstairs mid-fight, expect some of its spawns to follow you.
If you've accidentally created an army of jellies and need to abort, heal up and stair dance so you can clear out the reinforcements without dealing with too many of them at a time. Entering the floor from different staircases will let you avoid being immediately surrounded.

Tips & Tricks

  • TRJ retreats behind its spawned jellies periodically. Use piercing, AOE, or smite-targeted attacks that can hit TRJ past its reinforcements. Otherwise, you'll need to fight through or reset the fight.
  • Watch out when using distortion. Banish doesn't count as a kill, so if you banish TRJ without a way to break through stone walls, you'll need to go to the Abyss and kill it.

Gallery

  • Fighting TRJ in the original "slime_pit" vault with melee/single-target spells.
    Get TRJ in the corner (while hasted), position yourself as shown, then create summons to prevent jellies from hitting you and to prevent TRJ from escaping.

  • Some layouts, such as "jellycorners", have obscure and/or bad corridors.
    A wand of digging had to be used to open up the corridor. Also, this area is worse than the other example. Jellies can spawn within 2 tiles of TRJ, so here, summons won't adequately block jelly spawns.

History

  • In 0.31, TRJ became immune to throwing nets. Also, many new Slime:5 layouts were added. As some don't have convenient corridors, certain strategies are harder to use. Previously, there was only one vault.
  • Prior to 0.27, death oozes were created, instead of quicksilver oozes and rockslimes.
  • Prior to 0.23, exploding the Royal Jelly with Uskayaw's Grand Finale didn't generate any jellies.
  • Prior to 0.19, the Royal Jelly could eat items and could heal itself when shot with anything other than stones.
  • Prior to 0.16, the Royal Jelly did not immediately spit out a large number of jellies when polymorphed, making it a viable combat strategy.
  • Prior to 0.15, hitting the Royal Jelly could generate brown oozes as well.
  • Prior to 0.11, the Royal Jelly was not able to regenerate naturally. This made the fight much easier to complete over several small assaults.
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