Stat zero
When one of a character's primary attributes (Strength, Intelligence, or Dexterity) is lowered to 0 or below, the character will suffer some important penalties until that attribute is restored, and stays above 0 for a period of time equal to: 10 + 1d10 + the number of turns it was below 0 (capped to 200 turns).
Causes
The following can all drain your attributes:
- By 1 at a time, and affected (and thus blocked) by sustain abilities:
- The Deterioration mutation. Rank 1 can generally be kept in check by your natural regeneration; ranks 2 and 3 of this mutation are eventually lethal, however.
- Sickness
- The special attacks of certain monsters (brain worms, quasits, shadows, etc.). Although all three stats can be drained, INT is by far the one most commonly affected. This is because it is drained by a smite-targeted spell, where the others are drained only through melee attacks.
- Decomposition (not to be confused with rotting) from attempted mutation of an undead character.
- By more than 1 at a time, but damage can be halved by sustain abilities:
- Evoking certain items, such as a crystal ball of energy or the staff of Wucad Mu.
- Spell miscast effects, as caused by actual miscasts, Hell effects, and mummy death curses.
- Stepping on or being in view of a monster stepping on Zot traps.
- Certain spells, such as Summon Horrible Things or Alistair's Intoxication, have a chance of draining INT when cast.
Unless you have Slow Healing 3 (which include Deep Dwarves, you will naturally regain stats lost through any of these means.
Stats can be more permanently lowered by the following means:
- Mutations which affect attributes (directly, or through stiff/loose muscles, some scale mutations, etc.).
- Equipment with negative stat modifiers (but you can remove the equipment to restore the stat).
- The Focus card.
- Jiyva's stat shuffling.
- The Shuffle card.
The last two will never lower a base stat to zero.
Effects
There are three different status effects depending on which attribute has reached 0:
Collapse
It happens when your strength is 0 or less:
- The speed of all your actions is halved (stacks with other stats' speed penalties)
- Your regeneration rate is divided by 4
- Your carrying capacity (calculated with str=0) is halved
Brainless
It happens when your intelligence is 0 or less:
- The speed of all your actions is halved (stacks with other stats' speed penalties)
- You can't read books
- You can't cast spells
- You will fail to read scrolls 4 of every 5 times
Clumsy
It happens when your dexterity is 0 or less:
- The speed of all your actions is halved (stacks with other stats' speed penalties)
- Your evasion is set to 2 + size_bonus + Phase Shift bonus + Repulsion field bonus
- Your stealth is set to 0
- You can't stab monsters
When a stat reaches 0, you will suffer 2 to 5 turns of paralysis. Losing stat points from a stat that is already below 0 also inflicts some HP damage: 4 + 1d(max hp/10)
Precautions
Any character with a particularly low attribute should be aware of the dangers involved. Any attribute below 8 could conceivably be reduced to 0 by a single unfortunate effect, some of which are common, some less so.
- Cursed equipment can reduce an attribute by up to 6 for as long as it's equipped, so be cautious about wearing unidentified items if you're at risk.
- Miscast effects, Hell effects, Zot traps, and mummy death curses can temporarily reduce an attribute by up to 7. You may wish to bring all of your attributes up to a minimum of 8 to guarantee that you can survive a single worst-case scenario shot from either one. Alternatively, you could eat a royal jelly to restore all attributes instantly. Just remember that "Engorged" characters cannot eat any further.
History
Stat death was removed in 0.13.
