Shock serpent

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Version 0.14: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

For a list of all snakes, see list of snakes.

shock serpent SShock serpent.png
HP 38-71
HD 10
XP 828
Speed 15
AC 2
EV 15
Will 40
Attack1 20 (bite: electricity: 10-14)


Resistances rElec+++
Vulnerabilities None
Habitat Land
Intelligence Reptile
Uses Uses nothing
Holiness Natural
Size Medium
Type snake, shock serpent
Flags Cold-blooded
A sinuous serpent whose body crackles with volatile electricity. Its electric shroud can discharge when struck, inflicting a painful shock on any nearby foes.

“The latter lived in the country, and before his house there was an oak, in which there was a lair of snakes. His servants killed the snakes, but Melampus gathered wood and burnt the reptiles, and reared the young ones. And when the young were full grown, they stood beside him at each of his shoulders as he slept, and they purged his ears with their tongues. He started up in a great fright, but understood the voices of the birds flying overhead, and from what he learned from them he foretold to men what should come to pass.”
-Pseudo-Apollodorus , _Library and Epitome_, 1.9.11. circa 150 BC.
trans. Sir James George Frazer, 1913.

“A snake, with mottles rare,
Surveyed my chamber floor,
In feature as the worm before,
But ringed with power.”
-Emily Dickinson, “In Winter In My Room”. circa 1860.

Useful Info

Shock serpents are snakes which can gather an electrical charge for a few turns, and release a powerful torrent of lightning (2d29). The following message will be displayed when a Shock serpent is almost ready to release its electrical charge:

The shock serpent bristles with a violent electric nimbus!

However, when they take more than 4 points of damage, they will lose all the accumulated charge dealing some minor damage to any creature near them. They are also able to shoot weaker bolts of electricity (2d15), similar to those fired by electrical eels. They can be found in the Snake Pit.

Spells

Spell set
Slot1 Electrical Bolt (3d13) Natural flag

Tips & Tricks

  • Even with electricity resistance, hitting them in melee can gradually inflict a decent amount of damage. When possible, kill them with ranged weapons.
  • A Wand of Polymorph will often change them into something more manageable.

History

Shock serpents were added in 0.14.