Difference between revisions of "The Shoals"

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{{flavour|From afar you hear the steady sounds of waves and smell the salty spray. Upon reaching the Shoals, you are impressed by exotic underground beaches, making up a few islands in a vast sea. All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling scream fills the air, followed by a gurgle. Anxiously, you look around and wonder: Who is the predator? And who is the prey?
 
{{flavour|From afar you hear the steady sounds of waves and smell the salty spray. Upon reaching the Shoals, you are impressed by exotic underground beaches, making up a few islands in a vast sea. All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling scream fills the air, followed by a gurgle. Anxiously, you look around and wonder: Who is the predator? And who is the prey?
  
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If you find the Shoals, you will not find [[the Swamp]] in your current game. The Shoals entrance is located between [[Lair]]:3 and Lair:6.
 
If you find the Shoals, you will not find [[the Swamp]] in your current game. The Shoals entrance is located between [[Lair]]:3 and Lair:6.
  
The Shoals are 5 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, mangroves, and monsters. Unless you're amphibious or [[fly]]ing, you'll need to go up and down several flights of stairs to fully explore each floor. Also, mind the tide; as time passes, dry land will gradually turn to [[shallow water]], which can then turn to deep [[water]] (though this will eventually reverse itself when the tide goes back out).
+
The Shoals are 4 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, mangroves, and monsters. Unless you're amphibious or [[fly]]ing, it will take some time to fully explore each floor.
  
The Shoals are somewhat more difficult than the Swamp. There are few places to hide and you'll be attacked from all directions by polearm-wielding [[merfolk (monster)|merfolks]], [[Merfolk javelineer|javelineers]], and the occasional [[cyclops]]. There are also [[merfolk aquamancer]]s who take advantage of the terrain with their water magic, fast-moving [[harpies]] which steal your food, seductive [[siren]]s who'll pin you against the water's edge, vicious [[alligator snapping turtle]]s, and devastating [[kraken]]s. In exchange for this added difficulty, [[shop]]s will occasionally generate here.
+
The tides in the Shoals will shift between shallow water and land fairly quickly, but this effect will never create any [[deep water]] blockades. As such, each island on a Shoals floor is accessible, although it may be hindered by shallow water.
  
===Shoals:5===
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The Shoals are somewhat more difficult than the Swamp. There are few places to hide and you will be attacked from all directions by polearm-wielding [[merfolk (monster)|merfolks]], [[Merfolk javelineer|javelineers]], and the occasional [[cyclops]]. There are also [[merfolk aquamancer]]s who take advantage of the terrain with their water magic, fast-moving [[harpies]] that can deal rapid amounts of damage, seductive [[siren]]s that can [[mesmerize]] you, vicious [[alligator snapping turtle]]s that can use reach attacks, and devastating [[kraken]]s. In exchange for this added difficulty, [[shop]]s will occasionally generate here.
The last floor is significantly more difficult than the earlier four. Shoals:5 is often heavily populated with several uniques (the sea witch [[Ilsuiw]] almost always makes an appearance) and legions of merfolk. Expect to face elemental damage in the form of [[brand]]ed polearms, and make sure to have at least rC+ before engaging Ilsuiw, as she can deal tremendous amounts of damage with [[Throw Icicle]]. Proceed carefully, explore the various chambers cautiously, try not to engage too large a band of merfolk at once, and fight on staircases when possible so you can retreat if overwhelmed.
+
 
 +
===Shoals:4===
 +
The last floor is significantly more difficult than the earlier three. Shoals:4 is often heavily populated with several uniques (the sea witch [[Ilsuiw]] almost always makes an appearance) and legions of merfolk. Expect to face elemental damage in the form of [[brand]]ed polearms, and make sure to have at least rC+ before engaging Ilsuiw, as she can deal tremendous amounts of damage with [[Throw Icicle]]. Proceed carefully, explore the various chambers cautiously, try not to engage too large a band of merfolk at once, and fight on staircases when possible so you can retreat if overwhelmed.
  
 
==Tips & Tricks==
 
==Tips & Tricks==
*High [[EV]] and [[magic resistance]] are recommended for this branch. This means spellcasters and [[dodge]]rs are generally better suited for this place, while armour-dependent melee characters will struggle to survive. [[Repel Missiles]] and [[Deflect Missiles]] are almost mandatory for spellcasters to protect against spear-throwing and javelin-throwing merfolk.
+
*High [[EV]] and [[magic resistance]] are recommended for this branch. This means spellcasters and [[dodge]]rs are generally better suited for this place, while armour-dependent melee characters will struggle to survive. [[Repel Missiles]] and [[Deflect Missiles]] are almost mandatory for spellcasters to protect against javelin-throwing merfolk.
*[[Flight]] and possibly [[Swiftness]] will make exploration a lot easier. Failing that, have some means of [[blink]]ing or [[teleportation]] in case you wind up trapped on an island waiting for the tide to set you free.
+
*[[Flight]] and possibly [[Swiftness]] will make exploration a lot easier.  
*Unless you're amphibious or flying, stay out of the water when fighting to avoid combat penalties.
+
*Unless you're amphibious or flying, stay out of the water when fighting to avoid combat penalties. It is also helpful to lure merfolk onto dry land when possible, so that they lose their [[Merfolk#Innate Abilities|innate abilities]] while in water.
 
*You can take cover behind rock walls, but try not to do this unless you are certain that there aren't even worse things behind them.
 
*You can take cover behind rock walls, but try not to do this unless you are certain that there aren't even worse things behind them.
 
*It's easy to wake up entire hordes of merfolk if you aren't careful. [[Stealth]] pays off here, as does luring enemies to you instead of charging into combat.
 
*It's easy to wake up entire hordes of merfolk if you aren't careful. [[Stealth]] pays off here, as does luring enemies to you instead of charging into combat.
*Mermaids and sirens have dangerous abilities that can cut off your ability to escape. They should be a high priority when encountered in any group.
+
*[[Merfolk avatar]]s and sirens have dangerous abilities that can cut off your ability to escape. They should be a high priority when encountered in any group. [[Clarity]] can deal with [[Mesmerise|mesmerization]], should you have it.
*You will fight several harpy flocks before you're done here, so leave non-perishable food in your stash. Kill the harpies fast if you hope to butcher any corpses on the ground!
 
 
*Most of the enemies in this branch do not see invisible, so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters.
 
*Most of the enemies in this branch do not see invisible, so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters.
  
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{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
 
{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
 
|-
 
|-
| {{monsterlink|Merfolk (monster)}} || {{monsterlink|Mermaid}} || {{monsterlink|Siren}} ||
+
| {{monsterlink|Merfolk (monster)}} || {{monsterlink|Siren}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk avatar}} ||
 
|-
 
|-
 
| {{monsterlink|Merfolk javelineer}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk impaler}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk aquamancer}} ||
 
| {{monsterlink|Merfolk javelineer}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk impaler}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk aquamancer}} ||
 
|-
 
|-
| {{monsterlink|Centaur (monster)}} || {{monsterlink|Cyclops}} || ||
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| {{monsterlink|Centaur (monster)}} || {{monsterlink|Cyclops}} || {{monsterlink|Water nymph}} || {{monsterlink|Water elemental}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| {{monsterlink|Sheep}} || {{monsterlink|Yak}} || {{monsterlink|Death yak}} || {{monsterlink|Catoblepas}}
 
| {{monsterlink|Sheep}} || {{monsterlink|Yak}} || {{monsterlink|Death yak}} || {{monsterlink|Catoblepas}}
 
|-
 
|-
| {{monsterlink|Bat}} || {{monsterlink|Hippogriff}} || {{monsterlink|Manticore}} || {{monsterlink|Harpy}}
+
| {{monsterlink|Hippogriff}} || {{monsterlink|griffon}} || {{monsterlink|Manticore}} || {{monsterlink|Harpy}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| {{monsterlink|Snapping turtle}} || {{monsterlink|Alligator snapping turtle}} || {{monsterlink|Sea snake}} ||
 
| {{monsterlink|Snapping turtle}} || {{monsterlink|Alligator snapping turtle}} || {{monsterlink|Sea snake}} ||
 
|-
 
|-
| {{monsterlink|Plant}} || {{monsterlink|Oklob plant}} || ||
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| {{monsterlink|Plant}} || {{monsterlink|Oklob plant}} || {{monsterlink|Faun}} || {{monsterlink|Satyr}}
 
|-
 
|-
| {{monsterlink|Shark}} || {{monsterlink|Kraken}} || ||
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| {{monsterlink|Kraken}} || {{monsterlink|Wind drake}} || {{monsterlink|Frost giant}} ||
 
|}
 
|}
  
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==History==
 
==History==
 +
Prior to [[0.17]], Shoals was 5 levels deep.
 +
 +
Prior to [[0.16]], the tides of the Shoals could create and destroy deep water tiles. These would never drown the player, but could trap them temporarily on a stair-free island.
 +
 
The Shoals were added in the ''[[Stone Soup]]'' version of ''Crawl''.
 
The Shoals were added in the ''[[Stone Soup]]'' version of ''Crawl''.
  
 
[[Category:Dungeon_Branches]]
 
[[Category:Dungeon_Branches]]
 
[[Category:Merfolk]]
 
[[Category:Merfolk]]

Revision as of 18:44, 5 November 2016

Version 0.18: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
From afar you hear the steady sounds of waves and smell the salty spray. Upon reaching the Shoals, you are impressed by exotic underground beaches, making up a few islands in a vast sea. All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling scream fills the air, followed by a gurgle. Anxiously, you look around and wonder: Who is the predator? And who is the prey?

The Shoals are five levels deep and contain the barnacled rune. A dungeon features only two of the Snake Pit, Swamp, Shoals and Spider Nest branches. If the Shoals are present, the entrance is located between Lair:3 and Lair:6.

Here be the Shoals: exotic underground beaches, salty spray and creatures that bite, stab and maul.

Shoals entry.png The Shoals branch is an archipelago of islands surrounded by deep waters, and home to many aquatic creatures and merfolk. Although dangerous, their lowest floor contains several treasure vaults and the barnacled rune of Zot.

Useful Info

If you find the Shoals, you will not find the Swamp in your current game. The Shoals entrance is located between Lair:3 and Lair:6.

The Shoals are 4 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, mangroves, and monsters. Unless you're amphibious or flying, it will take some time to fully explore each floor.

The tides in the Shoals will shift between shallow water and land fairly quickly, but this effect will never create any deep water blockades. As such, each island on a Shoals floor is accessible, although it may be hindered by shallow water.

The Shoals are somewhat more difficult than the Swamp. There are few places to hide and you will be attacked from all directions by polearm-wielding merfolks, javelineers, and the occasional cyclops. There are also merfolk aquamancers who take advantage of the terrain with their water magic, fast-moving harpies that can deal rapid amounts of damage, seductive sirens that can mesmerize you, vicious alligator snapping turtles that can use reach attacks, and devastating krakens. In exchange for this added difficulty, shops will occasionally generate here.

Shoals:4

The last floor is significantly more difficult than the earlier three. Shoals:4 is often heavily populated with several uniques (the sea witch Ilsuiw almost always makes an appearance) and legions of merfolk. Expect to face elemental damage in the form of branded polearms, and make sure to have at least rC+ before engaging Ilsuiw, as she can deal tremendous amounts of damage with Throw Icicle. Proceed carefully, explore the various chambers cautiously, try not to engage too large a band of merfolk at once, and fight on staircases when possible so you can retreat if overwhelmed.

Tips & Tricks

  • High EV and magic resistance are recommended for this branch. This means spellcasters and dodgers are generally better suited for this place, while armour-dependent melee characters will struggle to survive. Repel Missiles and Deflect Missiles are almost mandatory for spellcasters to protect against javelin-throwing merfolk.
  • Flight and possibly Swiftness will make exploration a lot easier.
  • Unless you're amphibious or flying, stay out of the water when fighting to avoid combat penalties. It is also helpful to lure merfolk onto dry land when possible, so that they lose their innate abilities while in water.
  • You can take cover behind rock walls, but try not to do this unless you are certain that there aren't even worse things behind them.
  • It's easy to wake up entire hordes of merfolk if you aren't careful. Stealth pays off here, as does luring enemies to you instead of charging into combat.
  • Merfolk avatars and sirens have dangerous abilities that can cut off your ability to escape. They should be a high priority when encountered in any group. Clarity can deal with mesmerization, should you have it.
  • Most of the enemies in this branch do not see invisible, so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters.

Monsters

m Merfolk.png Merfolk (monster) m Merfolk siren.png Siren m Merfolk avatar.png Merfolk avatar
m Merfolk javelineer.png Merfolk javelineer m Merfolk impaler.png Merfolk impaler m Merfolk aquamancer.png Merfolk aquamancer
c Centaur (monster).png Centaur (monster) C Cyclops.png Cyclops m Water nymph.png Water nymph E Water elemental.png Water elemental
Y Sheep.png Sheep Y Yak.png Yak Y Death yak.png Death yak Y Catoblepas.png Catoblepas
H Hippogriff.png Hippogriff H Griffon.png griffon H Manticore.png Manticore H Harpy.png Harpy
t Snapping turtle.png Snapping turtle t Alligator snapping turtle.png Alligator snapping turtle S Sea snake.png Sea snake
P Plant.png Plant P Oklob plant.png Oklob plant c Faun.png Faun c Satyr.png Satyr
X Kraken.png Kraken k Wind drake.png Wind drake C Frost giant.png Frost giant

Uniques

C Polyphemus.png Polyphemus m Ilsuiw.png Ilsuiw

History

Prior to 0.17, Shoals was 5 levels deep.

Prior to 0.16, the tides of the Shoals could create and destroy deep water tiles. These would never drown the player, but could trap them temporarily on a stair-free island.

The Shoals were added in the Stone Soup version of Crawl.