Water elemental

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

water elemental E
HP	27-56
HD	6
XP	212
Speed	10 (swim: 60%)
AC	4
EV	7
Will	Immune
Attack1	22 (hit: engulf)
Resistances	rElec rPois+++ rDrown rMiasma rN+++ rTorm
Vulnerabilities	Fire
Habitat	Amphibious
Intelligence	Brainless
Uses	Uses nothing
Holiness	Non-living
Size	Large
Type	elemental, water elemental
Flags	Unbreathing

A spirit drawn from the elemental plane of water. It exists on this world as part of a body of water and can engulf other beings in its form, depriving them of breath and voice.

Useful Info

Water elementals are animate blobs of water, surging toward their foes and drowning the unwary. Their melee attacks engulf the victim, which deals asphyxiation damage over time and silences you. Moving away or killing the engulfer ends the effect. Players that are unbreathing (the undead, Gargoyle, Djinn) or amphibious (Merfolk, Octopode, Barachim) are immune to the effects of engulf.

Water elementals can be found throughout the Shoals and Cocytus, and in some water-based vaults in the Dungeon and the Depths. They can also be summoned by monsters through the Summon Water Elementals spell. Players can summon them when Qazlal's Elemental Force affects freezing vapours or rain clouds.

Tips & Tricks

• Unless you're immune to engulfing, avoid mindlessly tabbing through water elementals. Once they've engulfed you, you can't use scrolls, god abilities, or spells to escape, which can be deadly if other monsters are around.
• Their electricity resistance makes it difficult for Air Magic-users to take them out, though Airstrike is a perfectly acceptable method for defeating them.
• Keep in mind that they move much faster when in water.
• Water elementals are weak to Fire Magic or other sources of fire damage. Casting fire spells at a water elemental that is currently standing in water is particularly effective, as the steam this generates will do even more damage.
• Water elementals are not insubstantial; they can be constricted, petrified by clouds of calcifying dust, and hit by throwing nets.

History

• In 0.33, water elementals and jellies will get a new M_AMORPHOUS flag, which grants monsters web, net, constriction immunity, and Shatter resistance.
• Prior 0.22, the Engulf status slowed movement but did not block god abilities.
• Prior to 0.13, water elementals had normal melee attacks.