Difference between revisions of "Troll"

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''This page is about the player [[species]]. For the monster, see [[Troll (monster)]]. If you were looking for monstrous trolls in general, see [[List of trolls]].''
 
''This page is about the player [[species]]. For the monster, see [[Troll (monster)]]. If you were looking for monstrous trolls in general, see [[List of trolls]].''
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{{flavour|Trolls are like Ogres, but even nastier. They have thick, knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which are covered in patches of thick fur, and their mouths are full of ichor-dripping fangs.
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{{flavour|Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick, knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which are covered in patches of thick fur.
  
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They can rip creatures apart with their claws, and regenerate very quickly from even the most terrible wounds. They learn slowly indeed - as slowly as High Elves - and need a great amount of food to survive.}}
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They are incredibly strong, and regenerate rapidly from even the most terrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learn most skills very slowly.}}
  
 
==Innate Abilities==
 
==Innate Abilities==
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*[[Good mutations#Shaggy Fur|Shaggy Fur]] 1 and [[Good_mutations#Tough_Skin|Tough Skin]] 2: Trolls get +3 [[AC]].
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*Trolls are '''[[Size#Player Sizes|large]]''' species:
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*[[Good_mutations#Claws|Claws 3]]: Trolls have claws for hands, as well as an unstated to-hit bonus when using them. These claws inflict heavy [[bleeding]] and can decapitate [[hydra]]s.
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**Like all large creatures, they receive an [[EV]] and [[Dodging]] penalty.
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*[[Gourmand]]: Trolls can eat [[chunk]]s at any time.
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**Unlike regular sized species, they can use [[giant club]]s, [[giant spiked club]]s, and [[large rock]]s.
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*[[Good_mutations#Regeneration|Regeneration 2]]: Trolls heal very quickly.
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**Their bodies do not fit into [[boots]], [[gloves]], [[helmet]]s, or most [[body armour]] (they can only wear [[robe]]s, [[animal skin]]s, [[troll leather armour]], and [[dragon scales]]). In addition, [[buckler]]s are too small for them to use.
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*[[Bad_mutations#Fast_Metabolism|Fast Metabolism 3+]]: On top of the +3 hunger penalty from this mutation, trolls receive an additional +3 racial penalty, for an unmatched base metabolism of 9 food/turn.
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**They can attack and move normally in [[shallow water]].
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*[[Saprovore]] 2: Trolls can tolerate rotten meat, and have a reduced chance of getting [[sick]] from contaminated meat.
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*'''[[Tough Skin]] 1:''' Trolls get +1 [[AC]].
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*Trolls are [[Size#Player Sizes|large]] and can use [[giant club]]s and [[giant spiked club]]s (unlike smaller species), but their bodies do not fit into [[boots]], [[gloves]], [[gauntlets]], [[helmet]]s, or most body armour. [[Buckler]]s are too small for them to use, but they can handle [[shield]]s and [[large shield]]s easily.
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*'''[[Shaggy Fur]] 1:''' Trolls get +1 [[AC]].
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*Trolls are large enough to attack normally while standing in [[shallow water]], but they still move slowly in it.
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*'''[[Claws]] 3:''' Trolls have claws for hands, greatly improving their performance in [[unarmed combat]]. Claws deal +6 damage, though they can decapitate [[hydra]]s.
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*'''[[Regeneration (mutation)|Regeneration]] 1:''' Trolls heal very quickly (+0.8 HP/turn).
 +
 
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Trolls have a base [[Strength]] of 15, [[Intelligence]] of 4 and [[Dexterity]] of 5 (before Background modifiers) and one less base [[magic points|magic point]] than normal.
  
 
==Preferred Backgrounds==
 
==Preferred Backgrounds==
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*'''Warriors:''' [[Fighter]], [[Gladiator]], [[Monk]], [[Hunter]]
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*'''Warriors:''' [[Fighter]], [[Gladiator]]
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*'''Zealots:''' [[Berserker]], [[Death Knight]], [[Healer]]
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*'''Zealots:''' [[Berserker]]
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*'''Mages:''' [[Wizard]]
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*'''Warrior-Mages:''' [[Warper]]
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*'''Mages:''' [[Hedge Wizard]], [[Earth Elementalist]]
  
 
==Level Bonuses==
 
==Level Bonuses==
 
*+1 [[strength]] every 3rd level.
 
*+1 [[strength]] every 3rd level.
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*30% more [[HP]] than average.
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*30% more [[hit points]] than average.
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*20% less [[MP]] than average.
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*+3 [[willpower]] per level.
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*+3 [[magic resistance]] per level.
 
  
 
==Starting Skills and Equipment==
 
==Starting Skills and Equipment==
 
Trolls start with the skills and equipment listed for their background, with these exceptions:
 
Trolls start with the skills and equipment listed for their background, with these exceptions:
 
*Incompatible body armour is replaced with an [[animal skin]] or [[robe]].
 
*Incompatible body armour is replaced with an [[animal skin]] or [[robe]].
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*[[Helmet]]s are replaced with [[cap]]s.
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*[[Helmet]]s are replaced with [[hat]]s.
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*[[Meat ration]]s replace [[bread ration]]s, and trolls receive an extra ration.
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*[[Buckler]]s are replaced with [[kite shield]]s.
 
*Any [[Armour]] skill is replaced with [[Dodging]].
 
*Any [[Armour]] skill is replaced with [[Dodging]].
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*If their background does not start with [[Unarmed Combat]] skill ''and'' offers a choice of weapon, trolls have the extra option of "claws" (and Unarmed Combat skill).
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*[[Javelin]]s are replaced with [[large rock]]s.
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*Troll [[hunter]]s are offered a choice of [[large rock]]s instead of [[javelin]]s.
 
  
 
==Difficulty of Play==
 
==Difficulty of Play==
 
{{Easy}}
 
{{Easy}}
  
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Trolls are an extremely easy race in the early game. While they have the worst aptitudes in almost every skill, and their hunger rate is three times faster than average, trolls are highly effective as all-out [[Unarmed Combat]] attackers. They have the highest STR in the game, +6 bonus damage (from the Claws 3 mutation), a passive +4 [[to hit]] bonus, and they occasionally inflict the [[bleeding]] condition for 9% of a living monster's health per turn. With or without [[Blade Hands]], a troll specialized in Unarmed Combat is one of the deadliest melee fighters possible, competitive with an [[ogre]] with a fully enchanted [[giant spiked club]].
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Troll is a simple, generally easy, species to play. With great HP, fast regeneration, high strength, and powerful [[Claws]], Trolls are great at being [[Unarmed Combat]] bruisers. With terrible aptitudes in most other skills, they aren't good at much else. As one of the two species big enough for [[large rock]]s, [[Throwing]] is a viable secondary skill.
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Trolls can also throw [[large rock]]s, which are very effective at softening up enemies before engaging in hand to hand combat.
 
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Their hunger rate is astonishingly fast, but their Gourmand intrinsic allows them to eat [[corpse]]s at any time while still having access to permafood. It's not unusual to spend the majority of your game at Full or better with no actual fear of starvation. [[Poison]] resistance makes this even easier by expanding the range of edible corpses. Assuming you stick to corpses whenever possible, you should have more than enough permafood to survive the later corpseless branches.
 
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The biggest challenge most trolls face is achieving a solid defense. Their large size prevents them from wearing any gloves or boots, and the only body armour they can wear initially are robes and animal hides, so getting decent [[AC]] can be tricky. [[Ev]]asion is hard to come by, too; they have a lousy [[Dodging]] aptitude (-2), and their large size and low [[dexterity]] both reduce their EV significantly.
 
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Instead of negating enemy attacks through AC and EV, trolls rely on their large health pool and regenerative properties. This is the case in spite of their slightly below-average [[Fighting]] skill aptitutde: their excellent HP modifier magnifies your gains from this skill. Assuming you get into melee range, few single opponents can kill a troll before getting torn to pieces. The real threat lies in overconfidence; taking on multiple opponents at once (a band of [[list of orcs|orcs]] or halberd-wielding [[list of gnolls|gnolls]], for example) or charging ranged attackers is an easy way to lose an otherwise promising troll. Until you've established some sort of solid defense, cautious play and intelligent use of [[potion]]s, [[scroll]]s, and thrown weapons is vital.
 
  
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Eventually, however, trolls can couple their vitality with excellent defense. Their high strength and large size make it easy to operate in even heavy dragon armours. Although they do slow your unarmed attacks somewhat, the added durability is well worth it. [[Shields]] are also an excellent way to add durability. A troll's low Shields skill aptitude is counteracted by the lower-than-normal skill level needed to negate the [[Shields#Shield_Penalties|shield penalty]].
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Trolls are one of the strongest species in the early game, due to the Claws and high HP. But, as the game progresses, their low [[AC]] (unable to wear most body armour) and [[EV]] (large size, poor aptitude) can become a big issue. So, despite having +30% HP, Trolls can feel flimsy by the mid game. [[Shield]]s are recommended to mitigate this.
  
 
{{species_aptitudes|Troll}}
 
{{species_aptitudes|Troll}}
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
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Trollish [[intelligence]] and magic aptitudes are some of the worst in the game. While this doesn't rule out magic entirely, trolls require intense effort to get access to higher level spells, and it's generally not an efficient use of experience. Some 1st and 2nd level spells, however, are perfectly viable for trolls: [[Confusing Touch]] and [[Beastly Appendage]] are decent 1st level combat enhancers, [[Sting]] is excellent for softening up approaching opponents, and [[Swiftness]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], and [[Repel Missiles]] are all useful level 2 buffs well within the reach of trolls. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but you should definitely try to have your physical offense and defense in order before more than dabbling in magic.
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Beyond Unarmed Combat, Trolls have a couple of options:
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*Their [[Maces & Flails]] is at -1 aptitude, and Trolls are one of a few species that can wield [[giant club]]s. Unarmed is generally ''more practical'', since Claws are stronger early game, and it allows use of shield. But weapon use isn't out of the question, namely if you find an amazing [[artefact]].
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[[Evocations]] is one of a troll's better aptitudes (at least compared to their magic skills), and it offers less of an uphill battle for magical support. Finding a useful [[rod]] can immediately give a troll access to high-level spells they'd normally have to devote massive amounts of training for, and a troll's capacity for eating corpses makes it much easier to deal with the hunger costs involved (just be careful when exploring corpse-free branches). Rods, unfortunately, are by no means guaranteed to generate, so consider this a tactic to take up if the opportunity presents itself, and not something to rely on.
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*[[Throwing]], as mentioned, is a great support skill. Even at 0 skill, large rocks can pack a punch (but are very slow to throw).
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*With poor [[intelligence]] and magical aptitudes, their casting isn't great. However, it doesn't mean it's impossible. Low-level support spells like [[Blink]], [[Swiftness]], and [[Mephitic Cloud]] can prove to be useful, especially if you're stuck in light armour.
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A vital resource that ''is'' guaranteed to present itself are gods. Trollish [[Invocations]] has an astounding aptitude of -1, and there are a number of excellent gods to complement their limited skill set:
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*Like with other species, [[Evocations]] can be a great resource. Trolls don't get any special bonus, but they don't get much of a penalty, either.
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'''Recommended'''
 
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*[[Okawaru]]'s Heroism buffs Unarmed Combat performance tremendously, as does Finesse, and his armour gifts occasionally include early dragon armour.
 
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*[[Trog]]'s abilities require no skill training to activate, and provide free [[berserk]]ing, [[magic resistance]], even greater health regeneration, and very abusable summons.
 
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*[[Elyvilon]]'s normal hunger restraints are less of a concern for the voracious troll, who benefits immensely from excellent panic buttons and the ability to pacify most dangerous opponents with smite targeting.
 
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*Likewise, [[Makhleb]]'s HP costs for spells are of little concern when you regenerate them back almost immediately, and having powerful ranged attacks and high-level summons lets you handle anything you're afraid to get into clawing range for. The healing-on-kills helps trolls recover from fights even faster than normal.
 
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*[[Nemelex Xobeh]]'s [[deck]] gifts are a more reliable way to make use of Evocations than hoping for a rod, and if you ''really'' want to turn your troll into a spell caster, drawing a [[Shuffle card]] is a means of acquiring a phenomenal boost to intelligence.
 
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*[[Jiyva]]'s random mutations don't get in the way of your equipment slots, as most of them are already off-limits, and the various resistances it grants you can protect you from elements you'd otherwise have difficulty with. Slimify is a very effective method for disabling dangerous opponents, and his [[list of jellies|jellies]] will help keep you well-fed as they devour every item in sight. Just be prepared to occasionally lose a lot of your strength when Jiyva decides to shuffle you.
 
  
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'''Acceptable'''
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Trolls should not use Unarmed Combat against [[hydra]]s - claws count as edged weapons, so they will cut and re-grow their heads. Viable options include large rocks, [[potion of lignification]] (which meld claws), [[Ice Form]], powerful attack [[wand]]s, or [[god]] abilities. Simply retreating can also work.
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*[[The Shining One]] restricts you from a number of useful items and tactics ([[curare]] [[needles]], [[wands of draining]], attacking [[confused]] or [[paralyse]]d enemies, etc.), but he does offer defensive boosts (particularly if you already use a shield) and powerful summoned allies. His cleansing flame works wonders against [[undead]] or [[demon]]ic opponents, however, and his free healing for killing evil monsters is very nice.
 
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*[[Ashenzari]] provides sizable boosts to your skills through cursed equipment. Although you can't improve unarmed combat this way, cursing one's jewellery grants you bonuses to your magical skills which go a long way toward getting spells online, and it's always helpful to know when a band of monsters is lurking around a corner. Without a weapon to [[curse]], however, farming [[piety]] might take a while.
 
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*[[Kikubaaqudgha]]'s corpse deliveries can provide you with dragon hides after enough uses in the later portions of the dungeon, and provides snacks at the same time. Also, trolls aren't ''entirely'' useless with [[Necromancy]] if you should choose to dabble in that, and the ability to invoke torment (which you'll partially resist) on powerful foes goes well with the fact that you regenerate faster than them.
 
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*[[Vehumet]]'s spell support is another method for getting access to [[Conjurations]], but you'll probably find little use for the later spell gifts he offers.
 
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*[[Cheibriados]]' stat boosts are extremely useful for unarmed combat fighters, especially if they intend to use [[Blade Hands]], and Step From Time can get you directly into melee range rather than getting peppered with ranged attacks as you crawl toward your foes. Also, +15 intelligence is a good method for making up for magic aptitudes. Unfortunately, the loss of movement speed makes it difficult to choose your battles; don't be afraid to Step From Time when things look bad.
 
  
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'''Not Recommended'''
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Due to their large size, Trolls get a penalty to EV and the [[Dodging]] skill. Poor [[dexterity]] doesn't help. Nonetheless, it may be necessary to train Dodging to shore up your defenses.
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*The only god that really doesn't mesh well with trolls is [[Zin]]. While his abilities are just as useful to trolls as they are to everyone else, his dietary restrictions cut your corpse access quite harshly. Worshiping Zin as a troll is one of the easiest ways to find yourself actually starving to death.
 
  
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Finally, don't use trollish unarmed combat against hydras. It's a very bad idea. Large rocks, powerful attack wands, god abilities, or simply retreating are your best bets here.
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===God Choice===
 +
[[God|Religion]] tends to be a major factor in rounding out one's character, and Trolls are no exception. A few recommendations are below; note that this list is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive.
 +
*[[Okawaru]]'s Heroism is obtained quickly, and the +5 skill levels help Unarmed Combat the most. Armour gifts are guaranteed to fit your large body, which helps in finding a heavy body armour.
 +
*[[Trog]]'s abilities require no skill training to activate, and provide [[berserk]], [[willpower]], even greater health regeneration, and very strong summons.
 +
*[[Ignis]] provides an even stronger 'guarantee' in the early game, but fizzles out at a time where a lack of armour starts to become noticeable.
 +
*[[Elyvilon]] offers strong panic buttons and the ability to pacify most dangerous opponents with smite-targeting.
 +
*[[Jiyva]] can be a powerful and interesting god choice for Trolls, as for many other characters. Early altars are very rare, but if you see one, consider giving Jiyva a spin. However, if you cannot access Jiyva in the early dungeon, passing up on any god choices until late Lair will dramatically hurt your chances to win the game.
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*[[Ru]] can be a tempting choice for trolls. By sacrificing skills that you were unlikely to train anyway, you gain access to powerful and useful abilities while your aura of power makes enemies less threatening. Gather the hydras and death yaks together and reveal the annihilating truth to them! Lair has never been easier.
  
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==Guides==
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==History==
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*[[Elynae's Troll Conjurer guide]] newbie-friendly, Chei, Oka, Makh, Veh
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*Prior to [[0.30]], [[size#Large|large]] species, including Trolls, could wield [[shield]]s more easily, received slightly less SH from [[kite shield]]s, and moved slowly in shallow water.
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*[[Buddy23Lee's Troll monk of Jiyva ("slime troll") guide]] (0.12)
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*Prior to [[0.29]], Trolls had a -2 [[Shields]] aptitude. This was buffed due to the nerf to large-size shield wearing in 0.28.
 +
*Prior to [[0.28]], Trolls had +1 HP/turn regeneration.
 +
*Prior to [[0.27]], Trolls had [[Shaggy Fur]] 1 and two levels of [[Tough Skin]] (for net 2 AC), but Regeneration only gave +0.4 HP/turn.
 +
*Prior to the removal of the [[hunger]] system in [[0.26]], trolls had an innate [[gourmand]] intrinsic, which helped offset their incredibly fast metabolism (+3 from [[Fast Metabolism]] 3, as well as an additional +3 for being a troll). They started with an extra [[ration]] to compensate.
 +
*Prior to [[0.17]], only races with innate Claws mutation had the extra +2 [[to-hit]] bonus. That bonus now applies to anyone with the mutation.
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*Prior to [[0.16]], Trolls started with the [[Saprovore]] 2 mutation.
  
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[[Category:Species]]
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{{species}}
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[[Category:Troll]]
 

Latest revision as of 23:50, 13 January 2024

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

This page is about the player species. For the monster, see Troll (monster). If you were looking for monstrous trolls in general, see List of trolls.

Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick, knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which are covered in patches of thick fur.

They are incredibly strong, and regenerate rapidly from even the most terrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learn most skills very slowly.

Innate Abilities

Trolls have a base Strength of 15, Intelligence of 4 and Dexterity of 5 (before Background modifiers) and one less base magic point than normal.

Preferred Backgrounds

Level Bonuses

Starting Skills and Equipment

Trolls start with the skills and equipment listed for their background, with these exceptions:

Difficulty of Play

Simple • Intermediate • Advanced

Troll is a simple, generally easy, species to play. With great HP, fast regeneration, high strength, and powerful Claws, Trolls are great at being Unarmed Combat bruisers. With terrible aptitudes in most other skills, they aren't good at much else. As one of the two species big enough for large rocks, Throwing is a viable secondary skill.

Trolls are one of the strongest species in the early game, due to the Claws and high HP. But, as the game progresses, their low AC (unable to wear most body armour) and EV (large size, poor aptitude) can become a big issue. So, despite having +30% HP, Trolls can feel flimsy by the mid game. Shields are recommended to mitigate this.

Skill aptitudes

The higher the value, the better the aptitude.

Skill Aptitude Skill Aptitude Skill Aptitude
Attack Miscellaneous Magic
Fighting -2 Armour -2 Spellcasting -5
Dodging -2
Maces & Flails -1 Shields -1 Conjurations -3
Axes -2 Stealth -5 Hexes -4
Polearms -2 Summonings -3
Staves -2 Invocations -1 Necromancy -2
Unarmed Combat 0 Evocations -3 Translocations -3
Throwing -1 Shapeshifting -1 Alchemy -3
Fire Magic -3
Short Blades -2 Ice Magic -3
Long Blades -2 Air Magic -4
Ranged Weapons -4 Experience -1 Earth Magic -1

Strategy

Beyond Unarmed Combat, Trolls have a couple of options:

  • Their Maces & Flails is at -1 aptitude, and Trolls are one of a few species that can wield giant clubs. Unarmed is generally more practical, since Claws are stronger early game, and it allows use of shield. But weapon use isn't out of the question, namely if you find an amazing artefact.
  • Throwing, as mentioned, is a great support skill. Even at 0 skill, large rocks can pack a punch (but are very slow to throw).
  • With poor intelligence and magical aptitudes, their casting isn't great. However, it doesn't mean it's impossible. Low-level support spells like Blink, Swiftness, and Mephitic Cloud can prove to be useful, especially if you're stuck in light armour.
  • Like with other species, Evocations can be a great resource. Trolls don't get any special bonus, but they don't get much of a penalty, either.

Trolls should not use Unarmed Combat against hydras - claws count as edged weapons, so they will cut and re-grow their heads. Viable options include large rocks, potion of lignification (which meld claws), Ice Form, powerful attack wands, or god abilities. Simply retreating can also work.

Due to their large size, Trolls get a penalty to EV and the Dodging skill. Poor dexterity doesn't help. Nonetheless, it may be necessary to train Dodging to shore up your defenses.

God Choice

Religion tends to be a major factor in rounding out one's character, and Trolls are no exception. A few recommendations are below; note that this list is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive.

  • Okawaru's Heroism is obtained quickly, and the +5 skill levels help Unarmed Combat the most. Armour gifts are guaranteed to fit your large body, which helps in finding a heavy body armour.
  • Trog's abilities require no skill training to activate, and provide berserk, willpower, even greater health regeneration, and very strong summons.
  • Ignis provides an even stronger 'guarantee' in the early game, but fizzles out at a time where a lack of armour starts to become noticeable.
  • Elyvilon offers strong panic buttons and the ability to pacify most dangerous opponents with smite-targeting.
  • Jiyva can be a powerful and interesting god choice for Trolls, as for many other characters. Early altars are very rare, but if you see one, consider giving Jiyva a spin. However, if you cannot access Jiyva in the early dungeon, passing up on any god choices until late Lair will dramatically hurt your chances to win the game.
  • Ru can be a tempting choice for trolls. By sacrificing skills that you were unlikely to train anyway, you gain access to powerful and useful abilities while your aura of power makes enemies less threatening. Gather the hydras and death yaks together and reveal the annihilating truth to them! Lair has never been easier.

History

  • Prior to 0.30, large species, including Trolls, could wield shields more easily, received slightly less SH from kite shields, and moved slowly in shallow water.
  • Prior to 0.29, Trolls had a -2 Shields aptitude. This was buffed due to the nerf to large-size shield wearing in 0.28.
  • Prior to 0.28, Trolls had +1 HP/turn regeneration.
  • Prior to 0.27, Trolls had Shaggy Fur 1 and two levels of Tough Skin (for net 2 AC), but Regeneration only gave +0.4 HP/turn.
  • Prior to the removal of the hunger system in 0.26, trolls had an innate gourmand intrinsic, which helped offset their incredibly fast metabolism (+3 from Fast Metabolism 3, as well as an additional +3 for being a troll). They started with an extra ration to compensate.
  • Prior to 0.17, only races with innate Claws mutation had the extra +2 to-hit bonus. That bonus now applies to anyone with the mutation.
  • Prior to 0.16, Trolls started with the Saprovore 2 mutation.
Species
Simple Mountain Dwarf • Minotaur • Merfolk • Gargoyle • Draconian • Troll • Deep Elf • Armataur • Gnoll
Intermediate Human • Kobold • Demonspawn • Djinni • Spriggan • Ghoul • Tengu • Oni • Barachi
Advanced Coglin • Vine Stalker • Vampire • Demigod • Formicid • Naga • Octopode • Felid • Mummy
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