Difference between revisions of "Snake Pit"

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{{flavour|The corridors of the Snake Pit are home to all varieties of serpent, and are inhabited by a society of powerful nagas and salamanders.
  
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{{flavour|Home of the serpent, lair of the naga.
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A dungeon features only one of the Snake Pit and Spider Nest branches.
  
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The Snake Pit is five levels deep and contains the serpentine rune. A dungeon features only two of the Snake Pit, Swamp, Shoals and Spider Nest branches. If the Snake Pit is present, the entrance is located between Lair:3 and Lair:6.}}
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The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 2 and 4 of the Lair of Beasts.
  
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{{flavour|Here is the way to the home of the serpent, the lair of the naga.}}
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This branch is 4 levels deep.
  
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The '''Snake Pit''' is a mid-game [[branch]] populated with [[poison]]ous [[list of snakes|snakes]] and [[list of nagas|nagas]] of all varieties. Those who explore it are rewarded with the serpentine [[rune of Zot]]. The Snake Pit and the [[Spider's Nest]] are mutually exclusive; if you come across the Snake Pit, the Spider's Nest will not generate in your current game.
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This branch contains the serpentine rune of Zot.}}
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 +
[[File:Snake entry.png]] The '''Snake Pit''' is a 4-floor [[branch]] found in [[the Lair]]. Those who explore it are rewarded with the serpentine [[rune of Zot]], but must deal with the many [[list of snakes|snakes]], [[list of nagas|nagas, and salamanders]] that call these halls home.
 +
 
 +
The entrance to the Snake Pit is located between [[Lair]]:2 and Lair:3. If you find Snake, you will not find the [[Spider's Nest]] in your current game.  
  
 
==Layout==
 
==Layout==
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The Snake Pit is five floors deep and found between [[Lair]]:3-6. The entrance stairs are guarded by a small group of [[naga (monster)|nagas]], usually in a distinct stone [[wall]]ed [[vault]].
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The Snake Pit's layout is very variable, ranging  from collections of small square rooms connected by [[door]]ed hallways to wide open areas, occasionally spotted with bodies of water. It most closely resembles [[the Dungeon]], but without some of its more exotic layouts. Most walls are made out of rock, which can be [[wand of digging|dug]] through.  
  
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The Snake Pit's layout is very variable; floors can range from collections of small square rooms connected by hallways to wide open areas, occasionally spotted with bodies of water. The [[wall]]s of the Snake Pits are made almost entirely out of rock. It most closely resembles a collection of floors from [[the Dungeon]], though it cannot host some of the more exotic Dungeon vaults and layouts.
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Unlike Spider, this branch generates [[shop]]s, though this is by no means guaranteed.
  
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Snake:5 will always contain a stone-walled, heavily-guarded rune vault which is drastically different from the rest of the Snake Pits, but the specific design will vary from game to game. This vault will take up a large portion of Snake:5, but the rest of the floor will be made up of simple rooms and hallways.
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===Snake:4===
 +
Snake:4 will always contain a stone-walled, heavily-guarded rune vault which is drastically different from the rest of the Snake Pits, but the specific design will vary from game to game. This vault will take up a large portion of Snake:4, but the rest of the floor will generally be made up of simple rooms and hallways.
  
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==Useful Info==
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==Strategy==
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The threats of the Snake Pit are cleanly divided between snakes and nagas. The snakes are generally the easier opponents; by the time you've reached this branch, you've already been dealing with the majority of them. Be careful when facing [[anaconda]]s, however, as they deal obscene amounts of [[constriction]] damage and can outrun almost any character. As constriction attacks partially ignore [[AC]], even tank characters should be wary about going into melee with them. [[Guardian serpent]]s are also worth being careful around; these snakes will pelt you with [[Venom Bolt]] and a few other obnoxious spells from a distance. In any case, having poison resistance and good physical defenses will negate a lot of the threat snakes pose to you.
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As with the other Lair branches, you won't want to enter Snake when you first encounter it; few characters can handle its threats so early. Poison resistance is highly recommended (but not required) - you may want to wait if you don't have rPois.
  
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Nagas are by far the bigger threat here. They almost always appear in packs, and all nagas are capable of dealing constriction damage in melee and spitting venom at you from a significant distance away, dealing some damage even to poison-resistant characters. As such, it is very difficult to deal with them in perfect safety. Take advantage of their terrible movement speed and try to split up groups of nagas by luring individuals into already-cleared portions of the floor.
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Most of the monsters in Snake consist of naga packs (slow moving) and snakes (fast).
 +
*Nagas can [[constrict]], making it hard to escape (even a [[scroll of blinking]] can fail), and each naga comes with its own abilities. [[Naga warrior]]s are tough melee threats with all sorts of weapons, [[naga sharpshooter]]s can hit for upwards of 40 damage with [[smite-targeted]] projectiles.
 +
*Snakes are hard to escape from. [[Anaconda]]s are fast, constricting threats, [[mana viper]]s can drain your MP, and [[shock serpent]]s are high damage electric threats.
 +
*There's also salamanders, fiery enemies at normal speed. [[Salamander mystic]]s can [[haste]] other nearby nagas and salamanders, and [[salamander tyrant]]s have highly damaging fire spells.
  
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Taking on groups of nagas all at once is risky. Nagas wielding heavy weapons deal significantly more damage than unarmed ones, and the more advanced nagas can be very serious threats. [[Naga warrior]]s are durable if they generate with [[shields]], can land very heavy blows in melee, and often generate with [[polearms]], making it difficult to limit the number of enemies able to reach you. [[Naga mage]]s have access to fairly powerful [[conjurations]] and can effectively harm you regardless of your resistances, plus they can [[Haste]] themselves to increase their speed and damage output. [[Greater naga]]s are the worst of all, combining the traits of both with even greater durability. Several greater nagas are guaranteed to generate within the rune vault, but they can also rarely appear elsewhere. In general, divide-and-conquer strategies are recommended unless you're confident in your ability to wipe them out quickly.
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Since snakes and salamanders are faster than their naga brethren, a common tactic is to back away to separate the group. The same applies to [[naga mage]]s and [[nagaraja]]s that cast [[Haste]] on themselves.
  
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[[Enchanter]]s and others who rely heavily on [[Hexes]] may have a hard time here. Even normal nagas have decent [[magic resistance]], and the more advanced ones are highly resistant or even immune in the case of greater nagas. You may want to hold off on this branch until you've gained some less subtle firepower.
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Some of the more dangerous monsters include:
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*{{monsterlink|Guardian serpent}} - these aren't terribly dangerous on their own. However, their [[Blink Allies Encircling]] can quickly surround you with monsters in the ''serpent's'' [[line of sight]] - including monsters that you didn't know about. Being constricted by 8 nagas is a very quick death.
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*{{monsterlink|Nagaraja}} - the most powerful nagas, nagarajas are tough and dangerous threats. They can [[Haste]] themselves, increasing their damage significantly (and making them faster than most players).
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*{{monsterlink|Salamander tyrant}} - As mentioned, these salamanders have very strong fire spells. Their [[Eruption]] creates lava, and [[Pyroclastic Surge]] can only be used if you're on or adjacent to lava. By avoiding lava (if at all possible), you make it less likely for you to be hit by a fire spell.
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*{{monsterlink|Shock serpent}} - Buffed [[electric eel]]s, these fast creatures fire Electrical Bolts. The bolts can [[doublezap]], much like [[Shock]], so try not to stand in front of walls.
  
 
===Useful Traits===
 
===Useful Traits===
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*High [[AC]] and [[EV]]
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As mentioned above, poison resistance is very helpful, since there's a high amount of poison-themed enemies. All nagas can [[Spit Poison]], but resistance also reduces the damage of [[Poison Arrow]], and [[naga ritualist]]s can inflict rPois- with their [[Virulence]] spell. Other than poison, the following elements are worth resisting:
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*[[Poison]] resistance
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*[[Fire]] - [[List of nagas#Salamander Types|Salamander]] bands are common. rF+ resists against common salamanders and tyrants alike.
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*[[Blink]] or [[teleport]] (to escape constriction easily)
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*[[Electricity]] - [[Shock serpent]]s are the only common electric enemy, but they can deal high damage quickly. Their bolts can [[doublezap]], they can fire twice per turn, and their damage ignores 1/2 of your AC.
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*[[Teleport control]] (for safe escapes, stealing the rune, and protecting yourself from enemy [[Teleport Other]] spells)
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 +
==Snake:4 Vaults==
 +
The bottom floor of the Snake Pit will always contain a large, heavily-guarded rune vault. There are a couple of possibilities:
 +
*'''Three Stairways''': One of the nastier rune vaults, this vault's entrance chamber is filled with a variety of nagas, including nagarajas and [[guardian serpent]]s, as well as three upward [[stairs|staircases]]. Because of this, players often find themselves out in the open facing several dangerous enemies as soon as they enter the floor (though due to the fact that one of these staircases may be an escape hatch, there may also be a normal staircase leading to another part of the floor). After clearing this chamber, there are several narrow hallways and small chambers densely packed with further guards, with the rune located all the way in the back.
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*'''Serpent's Egg''': A large rectangular chamber with an oval stone chamber in the middle, open at the top. The entire chamber is heavily populated with nagas of all sorts, and the rune can be found resting against the inner wall of the "egg".
 +
*'''Caduceus''': This vault consists of a large rectangular block with a straight hallway running through the middle and a winding hallway weaving back and forth over the central. All along these paths, nagas of various sorts will be waiting. The winding hallway eventually ends in a narrow, heavily-guarded chamber containing the rune, as well as several [[nagaraja]]s. This is by far the easiest rune vault, as almost any character can lure the guards out one or two at a time, eventually clearing their way to the end.
 +
*'''Naga Fortress''': The most elaborate of the Snake:4 vaults, this consists of a large trapezoidal stone structure taking up roughly half of the floor. Accessed from either the right or left corner of the structure, it consists of a series of hallways weaving back and forth over each other, eventually ending in the rune chamber. Each chamber contains a variety of nagas, and most also contain some lava with a few [[salamander mystic]]s or [[lindwurm]]s. However, the wide door to the final chamber instead hides anacondas and many other snakes, including [[shock serpent]]s.
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*'''Spirals''': A large corridor with two spirals branching off in each direction, guarded by various nagas and some guardian serpents. There are no chokepoints or sharp corners, but if you're stealthy you can pick off one or two nagas at a time. One spiral will contain the rune and the other will contain an acquirement-level item (or occasionally a rune mimic!)
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*'''Pools''': This vault is filled with pools and [[sea snake]]s. After opening a wide door you will find a small chamber with various snakes and a few nagas. Beyond this is another chamber with more nagas and sea snakes, and the final, larger chamber which contains similar threats.
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*'''Serpentine Throne''': A well-guarded snaking corridor leads to a large throne room filled with nagas. The rune is at the very back.
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*'''Scales''' : A triangular stone structure with a double door entrance. Guarded by nagarajas, nagas, snakes and possibly [[Vashnia]]. Rune can be found in one of the three rooms in the back of the vault.
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*'''Quicksilver Temple''': Has [[statue]]s of dragons on its entrance. Guarded by 2 [[quicksilver dragon]]s, this vault is very dangerous to tackle early - these dragons are fast and [[dispel]] buffs like haste and teleport.
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Note that salamanders are uncommon in these vaults, with the exception of the fortress.
  
 
==Monsters==
 
==Monsters==
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<!-- from mon-pick.cc: monspitsnake_rare -->
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{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
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*[[Naga (monster)|Naga]]
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| {{monsterlink|Anaconda}} || {{monsterlink|Black mamba}} || {{monsterlink|Electric eel}} || {{monsterlink|Guardian serpent}} || {{monsterlink|Mana viper}} || {{monsterlink|Sea snake}}
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*[[Naga warrior]]
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|-
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*[[Naga mage]]
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| {{Green|N}} [[File:Naga (monster).png]] '''[[Naga (monster)|Naga]]''' || {{monsterlink|Naga mage}} || {{monsterlink|Naga ritualist}} || {{monsterlink|Naga sharpshooter}} || {{monsterlink|Naga warrior}} || {{monsterlink|Nagaraja}}
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*[[Greater naga]]
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|-
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*[[Guardian serpent]]
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| {{monsterlink|Salamander}} || {{monsterlink|Salamander mystic}} || {{monsterlink|Salamander tyrant}} || {{monsterlink|Shock serpent}}
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*[[Adder]]
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|}
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*[[Ball python]]
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*[[Water moccasin]]
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===Uniques===
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*[[Black mamba]]
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{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
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*[[Anaconda]]
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| {{monsterlink|Agnes}}
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*[[Big fish]]
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| {{monsterlink|Aizul}}
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*[[Giant goldfish]]
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| {{monsterlink|Asterion}}
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*[[Electric eel]]
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| {{monsterlink|Azrael}}
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| {{monsterlink|Bai Suzhen}}
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|-
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| {{monsterlink|Donald}}
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| {{monsterlink|Frances}}
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| {{monsterlink|Jorgrun}}
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| {{monsterlink|Josephine}}
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| {{monsterlink|Kirke}}
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|-
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| {{monsterlink|Louise}}
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| {{monsterlink|Mara}}
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| {{monsterlink|Nikola}}
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| {{monsterlink|Roxanne}}
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| {{monsterlink|Rupert}}
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|-
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| {{monsterlink|Saint Roka}}
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| {{monsterlink|Vashnia}}
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|}
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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Prior to [[0.10]], nagas were unable to constrict you, making the branch much safer for melee characters.
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*In [[0.27]], [[salamander tyrant]]s were introduced.
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*Prior to [[0.19]], you could find [[salamander stormcaller]]s.
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*Prior to [[0.18]], there were [[salamander firebrand]]s instead of stormcallers patrolling the Snake Pit.
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*Prior to [[0.17]], Snake Pit was 5 levels deep instead of 4, like the other Lair branches.
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*Prior to [[0.15]], you could find [[ball python]]s and [[adder]]s in this branch.
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*The monster set for the Snake Pit was greatly expanded in [[0.14]], adding [[salamander]]s, [[salamander mystic]]s, [[naga sharpshooter]]s, [[naga ritualist]]s, [[shock serpent]]s, [[mana viper]]s, and [[Vashnia]]. [[Lamia]] was also removed.
 +
*Lamia was first introduced to the Snake Pit in [[0.12]].
 +
*Prior to [[0.10]], nagas were unable to constrict you, making the branch much safer for melee characters.
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{{branches}}
  
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[[Category:Dungeon_Branches]] [[Category:Naga]]
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[[Category:Naga]]

Latest revision as of 00:07, 15 October 2023

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
The corridors of the Snake Pit are home to all varieties of serpent, and are inhabited by a society of powerful nagas and salamanders.

A dungeon features only one of the Snake Pit and Spider Nest branches.

The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 2 and 4 of the Lair of Beasts.

This branch is 4 levels deep.

This branch contains the serpentine rune of Zot.

Snake entry.png The Snake Pit is a 4-floor branch found in the Lair. Those who explore it are rewarded with the serpentine rune of Zot, but must deal with the many snakes, nagas, and salamanders that call these halls home.

The entrance to the Snake Pit is located between Lair:2 and Lair:3. If you find Snake, you will not find the Spider's Nest in your current game.

Layout

The Snake Pit's layout is very variable, ranging from collections of small square rooms connected by doored hallways to wide open areas, occasionally spotted with bodies of water. It most closely resembles the Dungeon, but without some of its more exotic layouts. Most walls are made out of rock, which can be dug through.

Unlike Spider, this branch generates shops, though this is by no means guaranteed.

Snake:4

Snake:4 will always contain a stone-walled, heavily-guarded rune vault which is drastically different from the rest of the Snake Pits, but the specific design will vary from game to game. This vault will take up a large portion of Snake:4, but the rest of the floor will generally be made up of simple rooms and hallways.

Strategy

As with the other Lair branches, you won't want to enter Snake when you first encounter it; few characters can handle its threats so early. Poison resistance is highly recommended (but not required) - you may want to wait if you don't have rPois.

Most of the monsters in Snake consist of naga packs (slow moving) and snakes (fast).

Since snakes and salamanders are faster than their naga brethren, a common tactic is to back away to separate the group. The same applies to naga mages and nagarajas that cast Haste on themselves.

Some of the more dangerous monsters include:

  • S Guardian serpent.png Guardian serpent - these aren't terribly dangerous on their own. However, their Blink Allies Encircling can quickly surround you with monsters in the serpent's line of sight - including monsters that you didn't know about. Being constricted by 8 nagas is a very quick death.
  • N Nagaraja.png Nagaraja - the most powerful nagas, nagarajas are tough and dangerous threats. They can Haste themselves, increasing their damage significantly (and making them faster than most players).
  • N Salamander tyrant.png Salamander tyrant - As mentioned, these salamanders have very strong fire spells. Their Eruption creates lava, and Pyroclastic Surge can only be used if you're on or adjacent to lava. By avoiding lava (if at all possible), you make it less likely for you to be hit by a fire spell.
  • S Shock serpent.png Shock serpent - Buffed electric eels, these fast creatures fire Electrical Bolts. The bolts can doublezap, much like Shock, so try not to stand in front of walls.

Useful Traits

As mentioned above, poison resistance is very helpful, since there's a high amount of poison-themed enemies. All nagas can Spit Poison, but resistance also reduces the damage of Poison Arrow, and naga ritualists can inflict rPois- with their Virulence spell. Other than poison, the following elements are worth resisting:

  • Fire - Salamander bands are common. rF+ resists against common salamanders and tyrants alike.
  • Electricity - Shock serpents are the only common electric enemy, but they can deal high damage quickly. Their bolts can doublezap, they can fire twice per turn, and their damage ignores 1/2 of your AC.

Snake:4 Vaults

The bottom floor of the Snake Pit will always contain a large, heavily-guarded rune vault. There are a couple of possibilities:

  • Three Stairways: One of the nastier rune vaults, this vault's entrance chamber is filled with a variety of nagas, including nagarajas and guardian serpents, as well as three upward staircases. Because of this, players often find themselves out in the open facing several dangerous enemies as soon as they enter the floor (though due to the fact that one of these staircases may be an escape hatch, there may also be a normal staircase leading to another part of the floor). After clearing this chamber, there are several narrow hallways and small chambers densely packed with further guards, with the rune located all the way in the back.
  • Serpent's Egg: A large rectangular chamber with an oval stone chamber in the middle, open at the top. The entire chamber is heavily populated with nagas of all sorts, and the rune can be found resting against the inner wall of the "egg".
  • Caduceus: This vault consists of a large rectangular block with a straight hallway running through the middle and a winding hallway weaving back and forth over the central. All along these paths, nagas of various sorts will be waiting. The winding hallway eventually ends in a narrow, heavily-guarded chamber containing the rune, as well as several nagarajas. This is by far the easiest rune vault, as almost any character can lure the guards out one or two at a time, eventually clearing their way to the end.
  • Naga Fortress: The most elaborate of the Snake:4 vaults, this consists of a large trapezoidal stone structure taking up roughly half of the floor. Accessed from either the right or left corner of the structure, it consists of a series of hallways weaving back and forth over each other, eventually ending in the rune chamber. Each chamber contains a variety of nagas, and most also contain some lava with a few salamander mystics or lindwurms. However, the wide door to the final chamber instead hides anacondas and many other snakes, including shock serpents.
  • Spirals: A large corridor with two spirals branching off in each direction, guarded by various nagas and some guardian serpents. There are no chokepoints or sharp corners, but if you're stealthy you can pick off one or two nagas at a time. One spiral will contain the rune and the other will contain an acquirement-level item (or occasionally a rune mimic!)
  • Pools: This vault is filled with pools and sea snakes. After opening a wide door you will find a small chamber with various snakes and a few nagas. Beyond this is another chamber with more nagas and sea snakes, and the final, larger chamber which contains similar threats.
  • Serpentine Throne: A well-guarded snaking corridor leads to a large throne room filled with nagas. The rune is at the very back.
  • Scales : A triangular stone structure with a double door entrance. Guarded by nagarajas, nagas, snakes and possibly Vashnia. Rune can be found in one of the three rooms in the back of the vault.
  • Quicksilver Temple: Has statues of dragons on its entrance. Guarded by 2 quicksilver dragons, this vault is very dangerous to tackle early - these dragons are fast and dispel buffs like haste and teleport.

Note that salamanders are uncommon in these vaults, with the exception of the fortress.

Monsters

S Anaconda.png Anaconda S Black mamba.png Black mamba S Electric eel.png Electric eel S Guardian serpent.png Guardian serpent S Mana viper.png Mana viper S Sea snake.png Sea snake
N Naga.png Naga N Naga mage.png Naga mage N Naga ritualist.png Naga ritualist N Naga sharpshooter.png Naga sharpshooter N Naga warrior.png Naga warrior N Nagaraja.png Nagaraja
N Salamander.png Salamander N Salamander mystic.png Salamander mystic N Salamander tyrant.png Salamander tyrant S Shock serpent.png Shock serpent

Uniques

i Agnes.png Agnes S Aizul.png Aizul H Asterion.png Asterion R Azrael.png Azrael d Bai Suzhen.png Bai Suzhen
@ Donald.png Donald @ Frances.png Frances g Jorgrun.png Jorgrun @ Josephine.png Josephine @ Kirke.png Kirke
@ Louise.png Louise R Mara.png Mara @ Nikola.png Nikola 8 Roxanne.png Roxanne @ Rupert.png Rupert
o Saint Roka.png Saint Roka N Vashnia.png Vashnia

History

Dungeon branches
Dungeon exit.png The Dungeon • Temple entry.png The Temple • Depths entry.png The Depths • Zot entry.png Realm of Zot
Lair entry.png The Lair ( Spider entry.png Spider's Nest • Snake entry.png Snake Pit • Swamp entry.png The Swamp • Shoals entry.png The Shoals • Slime entry.png Slime Pits)
Orc entry.png Orcish Mines ( Elf entry.png Elven Halls) • Vaults entry.png The Vaults ( Crypt entry.png The Crypt • Tomb entry.png The Tomb)
Abyss entry.png The Abyss • Pandemonium entry.png Pandemonium • Hell entry.png Hell ( Cocytus entry.png Cocytus • Dis entry.png • Dis • Gehenna entry.png Gehenna • Tartarus entry.png Tartarus)
See also: Portal
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