Floating eye

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

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

floating eye G
HP	10-22
HD	9
XP	142
Speed	10
AC	0
EV	1
Will	10
Resistances	rDrown
Vulnerabilities	None
Habitat	Land
Intelligence	Brainless
Uses	Uses nothing
Holiness	Natural
Size	Medium
Type	floating eye, floating eye
Flags	See invisible Flying Unbreathing

A floating eyeball, said to be one of the servitors of Jiyva. It possesses a gaze that can eventually paralyze even the most strong-willed of adventurers. “El ojo que ves no es ojo porque tú lo veas, es ojo porque te ve.” -Antonio Machado, Campos de Castilla. 1912-1917.

Useful Info

Floating eyes are harmless on their own, but when around monsters, are one of the deadliest enemies in the game. They are capable of paralysing for 2-4 turns with their smite-targeted gaze, rendering you easy prey for anything nearby. They can be found in the Dungeon, the Vaults, the Depths, and the Slime Pits; they can also be summoned by monsters with the Summon Eyeballs spell.

Spells

Spell set I
Slot1	Paralysis Gaze	Magical flag

Tips & Tricks

• An incredibly deadly monster. Being paralysed for 4 turns (which also lowers your EV and SH to practically 0) near any other monster can outright kill you. Most dangerous to EV-based fighters, though anyone should take great caution.
• Unlike some other gaze attacks, they don't require line of fire to gaze at you. If you can see them, you are at risk (unless you are behind a translucent wall). They can fire through iron grates and statues. Willpower provides no protection, either. The only ways to prevent paralysis are to be a Formicid or a follower of Jiyva. You are rendered immune for paralysis for 1-3 turns after a paralysis ends, but this means that you were paralysed in the first place.
• Thankfully, floating eyes are fragile and have terrible willpower of their own. Most mid-level characters can easily one-shot them. However, this fact won't save you if you can't hit the monster in the first place. Piercing and smite-targeted attacks are good; Airstrike, javelins, tin of tremorstones, etc. all work well if the eye is behind an enemy. Note that damage isn't a 100% reliable way to kill enemies, since even if you can't miss, you could always low roll.
• Paralysis Gaze requires 2 casts to function. The first cast charges the ability, the second cast paralyses you. Every turn, floating eyes have a 40% chance to cast the spell. Therefore, floating eyes require a minimum of 2 turns in order to paralyse, but they'll often take more.
  • Floating eyes do not lose charge if you break line of sight. A fully charged floating eye will remain charged until you encounter it again.
• If you don't have a means of killing one quickly, try using a scroll of fear - it has a 98% chance of success. Chasing one off will give you some time to deal with its allies. A scroll of fog will also help by breaking line of sight, giving you time to take out closer enemies or escape.

History

• Prior to 0.18, these monsters were known as giant eyeballs. They were slow, but their gaze worked immediately. Also, they didn't appear in the Depths.
• Prior to 0.15, giant eyeballs would randomly generate in Slime and Depths.