Paralysis

Version 0.29: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

This page is about the status effect. For the monster spell, see Paralyse.

You are paralysed, and completely unable to act.

Paralysis is a status effect which renders a player or monster unable to move or act for a period of time.

Effect

When paralysed:

• Creatures are unable to act.
• EV is set to almost zero, 2 + size_factor, for players (plus Repulsion Field mutation). For monsters, EV is set to 0.
• SH is set to 0.
• Monsters are vulnerable to high-tier stabs.

Once paralysis ends, players get a brief (1-3 turns) period of immunity to paralysis. This applies to to all sources of paralysis except for hornets. Unlike sleep, paralysis doesn't end on hit. Unlike petrification, there is no special damage resistance.

Formicids are immune to paralysis due to their stasis.

Sources

There are several sources of paralysis. Some are resistible, while some are not.

Resistible sources of paralysis:

• The spell Paralyse, including wand of paralysis (2-5 turns for the player, must overcome the victim's willpower)
• The melee attack of a hornet (poison resistance blocks paralysis 2/3 of the time; poison immunity prevents it.)

Other sources are irresistible for non-Formicids:

• Stunning Burst (1 turn)
• Zot traps (2-5 turns)
• A floating eye's gaze attack (2-4 turns)
• Uskayaw's or Zin's wrath (2-5 turns)
• Cancelling Death's Door with Borgnjor's Revivification (2-5 turns)
• Stat zero (2-4 turns, ignores stasis)

Paralysed creatures are still able to teleport if the status is somehow inflicted on them. This means that if you see a source of paralysis you know you can't block (e.g. a floating eye), it may be a good idea to trigger a teleport the instant you see it. Just remember that random teleports may drop your paralysed character somewhere even worse.

History

• Prior to 0.29, the Paralyse spell and godly wrath could last from 2-7 turns.
• Prior to 0.27, berserking had a chance to paralyze the player after it ends, and both Trog and berserkitis would protect from it.
• Prior to 0.25, severe Hexes miscast effects could paralyse the player.
• Prior to 0.24, needles of paralysis existed.
• Prior to 0.18, paralysis could be prevented by an amulet of stasis.