Dexterity

Version 0.12: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Dexterity (or DEX) is one of a character's three main attributes, along with strength and intelligence. It is important if you want to have high evasion.

Dexterity affects the following:

• Very slightly increases accuracy and damage done in combat (light weapons with a low strength weight benefit slightly more). Also decreases attack delay for launchers.
• Increases the effect of Dodging skill on evasion.
• Increases the chances to stab monsters.
• Slightly increases stealth (3 per point - for comparison, boots of stealth give 50).
• Slightly increases your SH bonus with bucklers, shields or large shields.
• Increases the chance of doing auxiliary attacks.
• Increases the chance of doing retaliatory headbutts when you are a minotaur.
• Decreases the chance making a loud noise when you open or close a door.
• Increases the chance of disarming traps and avoiding blade traps or net traps.

If you are casting spells, intelligence is nearly always better than dexterity, but dexterity is still much better than strength for most characters.

If your dexterity is ever reduced to 0 or lower, you will eventually suffer stat death.