Makhleb

Version 0.28: 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: You lose 1 piety per 170 turns, on average (1/17 chance every 20 turns).
• Abandonment. Your penance counter will be set to 25.

Given Abilities

Piety level -: "Spawn of Chaos"

• No abilities.

Piety level *: "Disciple of Destruction"

• Gain Health From Killing - When you kill a monster, you have a chance of healing, with the amount healed based on the monster's HD. You have a (piety - 30)/200 chance of healing (1 + HD)/2 + random2(HD/2) hit points. This will not trigger if your ally deals the killing blow. (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. (1 HP)

Piety level ***: "Fiendish"

• Lesser Servant of Makhleb - Summons a neqoxec, orange demon, smoke demon, hellwing, or ynoxinul for a short time (Invocations increases the duration). There is a small risk the demon will spawn hostile; higher Invocations and piety reduce the risk (22% if untrained, 4% at Invocations level 3, 0% at Invocations level 7.4). (4 HP, 2-3 Piety)

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

• Major Destruction - Hurl a large bolt of random destructive energy: Bolt of Fire, Lightning Bolt, Bolt of Draining, Bolt of Magma, or Corrosive Bolt. Damage and accuracy depend on your Invocations skill. (6 HP, 0-1 Piety)

Piety level *****: "Pandemonic"

• Greater Servant of Makhleb - Summons an Executioner, cacodemon, balrug, blizzard demon, or green death, with the same duration as Lesser Servant of Makhleb but a higher chance of hostility at a given Invocations skill. (10 HP, 5-8 Piety)

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

• No new abilities.

Punishments

Makhleb does not appreciate abandonment, and will call down fearful punishments on disloyal followers! Those who invite the fury of Makhleb are buried in demons and destruction. The greatest punishments are reserved for the strongest sinners; crystal spears and Executioners are only hurled at those Makhleb finds most deserving! Makhleb's wrath lasts for a relatively short duration.

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. The additional healing is particularly appreciated by deep dwarves, vampires, and ghouls, who have issues healing normally, and djinn, who use HP to cast their spells. Even so, most characters can benefit from the additional combat tools and HP restoration, and no species is too terrible at using Invocations to consider Makhleb. Since Makhleb accepts any kill, it is also an easy god to build up 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 Yara's Violent Unravelling, a single poorly-timed smite or round of attacks from an Executioner 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 a deep dwarf's innate damage reduction does not reduce the damage caused by using Mahkleb's abilities.

If you should decide to abandon Makhleb for another god, be aware that Makhleb's destruction will always strike you. Dodging, Shields, and Repel 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 0.27, Makhleb would heal double HP on kill (HD + random2(HD)). Major Destruction was weaker and could create Fireball, Orb of Electricity, Sticky Flame, and Iron Shot instead of Corrosive Bolt and Bolt of Magma.
• Prior to 0.16, the player could sacrifice fresh corpses to increase piety.
• Prior to 0.14, Makhleb's wrath would consist only of summoning hostile demonic servants.
• Prior to 0.11, Makhleb's abilities cost MP instead of HP.
• Prior to 0.10, Makhleb's Gain Health From Killing ability could also restore your MP.
• Prior to 0.8, Chaos Knights could select Mahkleb as a starting god.