Ballistomycete

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ballistomycete fBallistomycete.png
HP 20-32
HD 4
XP 0
Speed 0
AC 1
EV 0
MR Immune
Attack1
Attack2
Attack3
Attack4
Max Chunks 0
Type of Meat None
Resistances rPois+, rN+++,
rTorm, rDrown
Vulnerabilities None
Habitat Land
Intelligence Plant
Uses Uses nothing
Holiness Plant
Size Tiny
Type fungus, ballistomycete
Flags Stationary
No experience gain
A lumpy reddish fungus covered in knobbly rhizome growths, growing well in the dank underground dungeon. When active it will occasionally produce giant spore balls, which in turn will give rise to more ballistomycetes.

Useful Info

A ballistomycete is a plant-type monster, capable of spawning giant spores for both reproductive and combat purposes. Although seemingly harmless, they can become a serious menace if left unchecked, taking over the floor and spitting out explosive spores endlessly. They give no experience individually, but offer a large chunk for killing off the entire colony.

Ballistomycete Life Cycle

  • After wandering for 40 turns, crashing into a player, or taking damage, a spore will explode, dealing damage and confusion. This also creates a random number of new inactive ballistomycetes in the blast radius (2~3 on average)
  • When this explosion occurs, a random ballistomycete on the level is activated. Roughly 500 turns later, it will create a new spore, continuing the cycle.
  • If you kill an active ballistomycete, a random number of other ballistomycetes will activate.
  • There can be up to 25 ballistomycetes on a floor at any given time. Any spore explosions beyond that will cause damage and confusion, but nothing else.
  • Killing the entire colony will remove all moldy floor tiles.

Tips & Tricks

  • Giant spores leave a trail of moss behind them which lights a trail when a new ballistomycete activates, giving you a good idea of where to go next.
  • Killing inactive ballistomycetes does not cause others to immediately become active, as is the case when you kill active ballistomycetes. Because of this, it's possible to "prune" an out-of-control outbreak without dooming yourself.
  • Magic Dart (whether cast via the spell or a wand) can reliably one-shot spores. Basic throwing items like stones also work, though a character with no skill in Throwing may not be able to hit the spore before it goes off in their face.
  • If you've killed everything attached to a particular patch of mold and it doesn't disappear, there's probably another patch (or maybe just a single spore) lurking somewhere else on the floor.

Hyperactive Ballistomycete

This ballistomycete is in a state of all-out reproduction. It is constantly ravaged by explosions of spores, damaging everything around, and it is ultimately going to die to its own spores.

Be sure to keep your distance!

Hyperactive ballistomycete.png Followers of Fedhas Madash may use his Evolution ability to upgrade a ballistomycete to a hyperactive state. Hyperactive ballistomycetes will repeatedly cause explosions of spores similar to those of giant spores before eventually dying, leaving more ballistomycetes in their wake. They are significantly less durable than normal ballistomycetes.