Makhleb

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

"Blood and souls for Makhleb!"

Makhleb the Destroyer is a fearsome deity of bloodshed and mortification of the flesh. Followers are expected to cleanse others by inflicting suffering and death on them in Makhleb's name, particularly if they kill natural creatures which require blood to survive. Dedicated followers may also access the raw energies and hell-spawned servants of chaos, so that they may better break the impure world and its false laws for their evil god's glory. Makhleb offers followers means to inflict immense damage through chaotic, destructive attacks. Followers will also be able to call in help from powerful demons. Makhleb's powers come with a price in blood. However, Makhleb will grant followers renewed health in return for killing beings of all kinds. Makhleb likes it when you or your allies kill living beings, you or your allies kill the undead, you or your allies kill demons and you or your allies kill holy beings.

Racial Restrictions

Demigods may not worship Makhleb (or any other deity).

Appreciates

• You or your allies killing living, undead, holy, or demonic beings (67% or more chance of +1 piety)

Deprecates

• Inactivity (lose 1 piety roughly every 320 turns)
• Abandoning him. Your penance counter will be set to 25.

Given Abilities

Piety level -: "Spawn of Chaos"

• No abilities.

Piety level *: "Disciple of Annihilation"

• Gain Health From Killing - When you kill a monster, gain health based on the HD of the killed monster. This is similar to the healing on kills provided by the Shining One, but heals a larger amount per kill on average and can be triggered by any killed monster. Has a (piety - 30)/200 chance of happening. (Passive)

Piety level **: "Fanfare of Bloodshed"

• Minor Destruction - Hurl a beam of random destructive energy (Throw Flame, Shock, Vitriol, Pain, or Stone Arrow). Damage and accuracy are based on your Invocations skill. (Costs 1 HP and 20-40 Food)

Piety level ***: "Fiendish"

• Lesser Servant of Makhleb - Summons a neqoxec, orange demon, smoke demon, hellwing, or ynoxinul for a short time (an Abjuration duration between 2 and 6, with Invocations increasing the likelihood of achieving the maximum duration). There is a small risk the demon will spawn hostile (4/(20 + 3*Invocations): 20% if untrained, 8% at Invocations level 10, and 4% at level 27); otherwise it is allied. (Costs 4 HP, 50-100 Food, and 2-3 Piety)

Piety level ****: "Demolition [Species Name]"

• Major Destruction - Hurl a large beam of random destructive energy (Bolt of Fire, Lightning Bolt, Sticky Flame, Iron Shot, Bolt of Draining, Fireball, or Orb of Electrocution). Damage and accuracy depend on your Invocations skill. (Costs 6 HP, 100-200 Food, and 0-1 Piety)

Piety level *****: "Pandemonic"

• Greater Servant of Makhleb - Summons an executioner, cacodemon, balrug, blizzard demon, or green death, with the same duration and risk of spawning hostile as Lesser Servant of Makhleb. (Costs 10 HP, 100-200 Food, and 5-8 Piety)

Piety level ******: "Champion of Chaos"

• No new abilities.

Punishments

Upon desertion, you will occasionally experience one of the two following forms of divine retribution:

• Makhleb rains destruction upon you, which cannot be avoided by any means. You are instantly struck with one of the following spells:
  • Flash Freeze
  • Fireball, sometimes Ghostly Fireball
  • Lehudib's Crystal Spear (quite dangerous; watch your HP!)
  • Iron Shot
  • Lightning Bolt
  • Orb of Electrocution
• 1d(Experience Level/7) hostile Lesser Servants of Mahkleb are summoned. This is guaranteed to happen if your experience level is 7 or less, and becomes less likely as you gain levels.
• A hostile Greater Servant of Mahkleb is summoned.

Strategy

Makhleb provides you with significant healing and cheap access to mid-power Conjurations and Summoning, making it an excellent god for melee characters (especially deep dwarf and vampire characters who have issues healing normally). Even so, most characters can benefit from the additional combat tools and HP restoration, and no species is too terrible at using Invocations. Since Makhleb accepts any kill, it is also one of the easiest gods to build piety for.

Try to avoid using the Servant of Mahkleb abilities until you have an Invocations score in the double digits, when the hostility rate is below 8%. Even so, it's best not to rely too highly on demons when you're in extreme danger; even with Abjuration, a single poorly-timed smite can kill a wounded character. Summon your demonic ally before engaging a tough enemy, not as a panic button when you're almost dead.

Be aware that the deep dwarf's innate damage reduction (i.e. damage shaving) does not reduce the damage caused by using Mahkleb's abilities.

If you should decide to abandon Makhleb for another god, be aware that his destruction will always strike you. Dodging, Shields, and Repel/Deflect Missiles provide no protection from it. An untimely Lehudib's Crystal Spear can bring your game to an untimely end, especially if you have a very low HP pool.

History

Prior to 0.16, Makhleb could accept sacrifices from fresh corpses to increase piety.

Prior to 0.11, his abilities cost MP, not HP.

Prior to 0.10, his Gain Health From Killing ability could also restore your MP.

Prior to 0.8, Chaos Knights could select Mahkleb as a starting god.