Silent spectre

Version 0.16: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

silent spectre W
HP	28-61
HD	8
XP	313
Speed	10
AC	5
EV	15
Will	40
Attack1	15 (hit: plain)
Resistances	rC+++, rPois+++, rN+++, rTorm, rRot+++, rSticky, rConstr, rDrown, rWater
Vulnerabilities	Holy, Holy wrath
Habitat	Land
Intelligence	Normal
Uses	Open doors
Holiness	Undead
Size	Medium
Type	wraith, silent spectre
Flags	Evil Insubstantial Levitate No stairs See invisible Speaks

The bane of wizards, these terrible spirits bring an unearthly silence to the area around them, making it impossible to recite the magical incantations involved with casting spells or reading scrolls. “There is a silence where hath been no sound, There is a silence where no sound may be,— In the cold grave, under the deep, deep sea, Or in the wide desert where no life is found.” -Thomas Hood, “Silence”. Early 19th cent.

Useful Info

Silent spectres are weak insubstantial undead that would be no real threat except for the permanent 12-tile aura of Silence they radiate. A character with even moderate weapon skills should be able to defeat them easily, but pure casters will find themselves suddenly incapable of casting spells, using abilities, or commanding allies. Fortunately it's easy to avoid them, as their large aura can be seen long before they enter your line of sight. Silent spectres cannot use stairs. They can be randomly found in the Crypt, the Abyss, Tartarus, and Ziggurats, and elsewhere as part of predefined vaults.

Tips & Tricks

• For magic users, spectres are deadly when found in concert with other substantial or unique monsters. Thus, if you come upon a spectre's aura, don't engage it until you know the level is relatively cleared out. However, when forced into attack (perhaps you are about to be enveloped by it aura on a ziggurat level), if you move towards it with Haste and Tornado, the raging winds will reach and kill it before the horde can significantly harm you; then you are free to back out and use distance magic as per usual.
• Silence disables spellcasting and scrolls, but not wands, potions, or evocable items. A wand of fire or lamp of fire can take a spectre out easily, while a wand of teleportation can help you escape if he has friends.
• Remember that silence affects enemies as well! A heavily armoured melee fighter could conceivably keep a silent spectre alive as a pet for dealing with liches and spellcasting uniques on the level. This is most likely to be useful on Crypt:3, where many of the ending vaults contain dangerous spellcasters, up to and including ancient liches.

History

Silent spectres were added to the game in 0.8.