Gastronok

Version 0.29: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

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

Gastronok w
HP	99-200
HD	20
XP	1495
Speed	5
AC	3
EV	1
Will	80
Attack1	40 (bite: plain)
Resistances	rDrown
Vulnerabilities	None
Habitat	Amphibious
Intelligence	Human
Uses	Starting equipment Open doors
Holiness	Natural
Size	Giant
Type	elephant slug, elephant slug
Flags	See invisible No wand Speaks Unique Male

A voracious and surprisingly intelligent slug, devoted to eating everything and everyone he comes across, with a pointed hat perched rakishly atop his head. He acquired the hat the same way he acquired his intelligence and his knowledge of spells: by consuming their former owner, a powerful wizard.

Useful Info

Gastronok the Ponderous is a unique elephant slug with access to some surprisingly dangerous spells. Although he's... sluggish, as you might expect, he can slow you down and speed himself up with surprising ease. While spellcasters are usually weak in melee, he hits hard and has a massive HP pool. Coupled with 20 hit dice and 80 willpower, the slug gives you few methods for taking him out without a serious fight. On the plus side, Gastronok is almost guaranteed to leave behind an enchanted hat, possibly with the intelligence ego or even the Hat of Pondering (at a 10% chance).

Location

• The Dungeon:8-12 (Rare)
• The Orcish Mines:1 (Rare)
• The Lair:1-3

Spells

Spell set I
Slot1	Airstrike (2d(18-34))	Wizard flag
Slot2	Slow	Wizard flag
Slot3	Sprint	Wizard flag
Slot4	Summon Small Mammal	Wizard flag
Slot5	Cantrip	Wizard flag

Tips & Tricks

• Gastronok is slow. As long as you yourself aren't slowed, you can just run away.
• Regardless, ranged attackers will want to keep him just barely within line of sight. So long as you move back out again before it can act, the slug'll never cast a spell. Just make sure to have a lot of empty floor available to retreat into. Gastronok's Airstrike is undodgable, and powerful enough to mangle most lightly armoured characters.
  • Try not to fight Gastronok in the open: his Airstrike can deal 2d34 damage if you're in totally empty space.
  • Anything that lets you deal damage even when he's not in your line of sight is perfect for use in kiting Gastronok. Just be sure to have ample room to retreat to, as it'll take a while for the poison to do its work.
  • Not a caster? A stack of poisoned darts (or curare if you have them), and a few skill levels in Throwing will make you fast enough to shoot him and then take a step back in the time it takes him to pursue you.
• Although he shakes off most Hexes easily enough, powerful Conjurations still get the job done. Necromancers may want to hit him with Agony as well; although he may resist it a few times before it lands, it's still a huge amount of damage dealt.

History

• Prior to 0.29, Gastronok's Airstrike could deal significantly less damage, 8-37 instead of 2d(18-34).
• Prior to 0.14, Gastronok could eat food and corpses from the floor.
• Prior to 0.6, Gastronok had Magic Dart.