Holy

Version 0.32: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

Holy is an element strong against undead and demonic creatures. It is one of the least common elemental forces in the game; only a few monsters deal holy damage, and there's only a few ways to inflict holy damage on enemies.

Holy Damage

Holy damage is the manifestation of the wrath of the Shining One or other good beings. It deals neutral damage to creatures unless they are resistant or vulnerable to it.

Holy Wrath

Holy wrath is a brand that does a large amount (up to +75%) of irresistible damage to holy-vulnerable creatures, but with no bonus to all others. It can rarely be found on random weapons and artefacts, or bestowed upon one by The Shining One at 6* of piety. It is always found on eudemon blades, sacred scourges and trishulas, but never found on demon blades, demon whips or demon tridents.

Holy Sources

There are two good gods you can worship to gain access to holy damage abilities:

• Followers of Zin can use Recite to target all those vulnerable to holy, potentially causing a damaging holy word. It also targets non-unholy monsters to a lesser, non-damaging degree.
• Followers of the Shining One can attack with Cleansing Flames.

Holy wrath weapons can also be used, by both players and monsters, to deal increased damage against holy vulnerable creature.

Holy-element monsters are rare and usually found in the late-game areas, namely the Abyss, Pandemonium, certain Ziggurat floors, and during the orb run. These monsters are a major threat to any holy vulnerable characters, so be extremely careful when facing them.

Holy Resistance

Players can gain complete immunity to holy damage by worshipping any of the good gods. Holy monsters (including monsters that worship the good gods) and the formerly holy profane servitor have holy resistance. This renders them completely immune to Cleansing Flame, the only (player) source of holy damage which can hurt non-evil creatures.

Holy Vulnerability

Players vulnerable to holy take 150% from beams, and 75% from holy flavored melee. Holy wrath will also deal random extra damage, from +1 damage to +150% (average +75%). It can be acquired by:

• Playing an undead or demonspawn character.
• Using a talisman of death.

Holy Spells

Way back in the days of yore (namely, pre-DCSS), holy spells existed and were player-castable. These included such now verboten effects as Minor/Major Healing, Restore Strength, and Purify. The last one, Cure Poison, was removed in 0.17 (long after it lost Holy). Interestingly, the holy spell school had no miscasts, so unlike with Divinations they did not last as vestiges.

The school survived for monsters considerably longer, although its spells were gradually migrated away from it (as spells such as Healing needed to be used by evil monsters as well as good). The remains of the school were ultimately completely removed around 0.10. While some monsters have spells that are themselves considered to be holy, there no longer exists a defined school of holy spells.

See Also

• List of holy monsters
• List of holy resistant monsters
• List of holy vulnerable monsters

History

• Prior to 0.29, the scroll of holy word gave all players access to holy damage.
• Prior to 0.27, Zin's Sancturary dealt Holy Word inside it.
• Prior to 0.20, monsters spellcasters and priests using "evil" magic would receive full damage from Cleansing Flame, while others would receive half. Followers of an evil god (players included) also took full.
• Prior to 0.15, worshipping a good god would give bonus holy word damage.