Naga

Version 0.31: This article is up to date for the latest stable release of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup.

This article covers the player species. For the monster, see Naga (monster). For a list of all monstrous nagas, see List of nagas.

Nagas are a hybrid species: Human from the waist up with a large snake tail instead of legs. They are reasonably good at most things and advance in experience levels slightly slower than Humans. They are naturally resistant to poisons, can see invisible creatures, and have tough skin, but their tails are relatively slow and cannot move them around as quickly as can other creatures' legs (this only affects their movement rate; all other actions are at normal speed). Like Armataurs, their body shape also prevents them from gaining full protection from body armour. A Naga's biggest forte is stealth: Nagas are very good at moving unnoticed. Their tails eventually grow strong enough to constrict their foes in combat. Nagas can spit poison; the accuracy and damage of this poison increases with the Naga's experience level.

Innate Abilities

• Nagas are hybrid creatures, with a snake-like lower body but medium torso:
  • Deformed: Nagas gain only half the base AC from body armour.
  • Nagas get an EV and Dodging penalty, due to their size.
  • Nagas can equip bardings, but cannot wear boots.
  • Nagas are large enough to move and attack normally while standing in shallow water.
• A Naga's serpentine skin is tough (Nagas gain additional AC as they grow).
• Spit Poison: Nagas can spit poison as an attack, with a cooldown.
• Poison Resistance: Nagas innately resist poison.
• Acute Vision: Nagas can see invisible.
• Slow 2: Nagas move very slowly. They move 4 aut slower than average, taking a total of 1.4 turns per movement. (Equivalent to a monster at 71.4% speed.)

Naga have a base Strength of 10, Intelligence of 8 and Dexterity of 6 (before Background modifiers). They have average base magic points.

Preferred Backgrounds

• Zealots: Berserker
• Adventurers: Shapeshifter
• Warrior-mages: Warper, Enchanter
• Mages: Hedge Wizard, Fire Elementalist, Ice Elementalist, Alchemist

Level Bonuses

• +1 to a random stat every 4th level.
• 20% more HP than average.
• +5 willpower per level.
• +1 AC every third level
• Gain the ability to constrict foes at level 13.

Difficulty of Play

Nagas move slowly, which makes it impossible to escape most opponents by retreating. Also, being large (low EV) and deformed (AC penalty), they have poor defenses. Scales and bardings will eventually boost your AC, but these don't kick in until later in the game. To get by the early game, make the most of your Poison Spit and Stealth. Don't be afraid to burn consumables against any dangerous encounter.

Once a Naga survives long enough to come into their own, however, they acquire an excellent array of useful perks, including: high HP / good AC, auxiliary constriction, and nice resistances (rPois, good willpower, see invisible). The slow movement speed will blight them the entire game, but survival becomes much less of a struggle.

Skill aptitudes

The higher the value, the better the aptitude.

Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude	Skill	Aptitude
Attack		Miscellaneous		Magic
Fighting	0	Armour	-2	Spellcasting	-1
		Dodging	-2
Maces & Flails	0	Shields	-1	Conjurations	0
Axes	0	Stealth	5	Hexes	0
Polearms	0			Summonings	0
Staves	0	Invocations	1	Necromancy	0
Unarmed Combat	0	Evocations	0	Translocations	0
Throwing	-1	Shapeshifting	-1	Alchemy	2
				Fire Magic	0
Short Blades	0			Ice Magic	0
Long Blades	0			Air Magic	0
Ranged Weapons	-1	Experience	0	Earth Magic	0

Strategy

Despite their slow speed and large size, Nagas have a +5 Stealth aptitude, the highest in the game (outside of Gnolls). Use it. Stealth is quite useful - if not required - in order to avoid fights with dangerous enemies like orc priests or ogres.

They can use Stealth offensively, but it's risky. It's not because they are spotted more often - each tile moved has the same detection chance, no matter how fast you move. It's because slow speed makes retreating (from a failed stab attempt) difficult. For many Nagas, high stealth is more of an avoidance tool than an offensive one.

Tips & Tricks

• Serpent, Dragon, Statue, and Storm forms will negate the Slow 2 mutation, causing nagas to move at normal speed. Remember that this comes with the same costs and benefits as the form itself, and that it takes 5 turns to shift into or out of a form.

See Also

• Tasonir's Melee Naga Guide (0.18)

History

• Prior to 0.30, Nagas were less encumbered by shields, and moved slowly in shallow water, like the other large species.
• Prior to 0.29, Nagas had a -2 Shields aptitude. This was buffed due to the nerf to large-size shield wearing in 0.28.
• Prior to 0.26, Nagas had Slow Metabolism.
• Prior to 0.17, Nagas did not have innate slow metabolism, but slow movement caused less hunger per aut than normal-speed movement.
• In 0.12, the global hidden Stealth XP buff (80% XP cost) was removed; Nagas were the only species to not get their aptitude raised in compensation.
• In 0.10 only, Nagas had Constriction from level 1. They also gained constriction this version.