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?
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{{version030}}
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{{flavour|The exotic underground beaches of the Shoals make up a few small islands in a seemingly endless sea. The merfolk have made it their home, alongside many dreaded sea creatures.
  
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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.
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A dungeon features only one of the Shoals and Swamp branches.
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}}
 
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{{flavour|Here be the Shoals: exotic underground beaches, salty spray and creatures that bite, stab and maul.}}
 
  
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'''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]].
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This branch is very noisy, and so sound travels much less far.
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The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 2 and 3 of the Lair of Beasts.
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This branch is 4 levels deep.
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This branch contains the barnacled rune of Zot.}}
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[[File: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]].
 +
 
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The Shoals entrance is located between [[Lair]]:2 and Lair:3. If you find the Shoals, you will not find [[the Swamp]] in your current game.  
  
 
==Useful Info==
 
==Useful Info==
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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.
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The Shoals are 4 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, and monsters. Unless you're amphibious or [[fly]]ing, it will take some time to fully explore each floor.
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The tides in the Shoals will shift between shallow water and land fairly quickly. It will never cause [[deep water]] to rise or fall, so all areas will remain accessible. Rarely, an island may generate out at sea - you may need to have [[flight]], or enter from a different staircase, to reach it.
  
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The Shoals are 5 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, mangroves, and monsters. Going up and down a few times and crossing shallow water is needed to explore most of it. Do mind the tide, however: land can turn to shallow water, which can then turn to deep water over time (though this will eventually reverse itself when the tide goes back out).
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Exploring [[deep water]] in the Shoals does not count towards for exploration [[piety]]. (It does count for [[Meteoran]] exploration, though.)
  
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The Shoals are somewhat more difficult than the Swamp. There are few places to hide and you'll be attacked from all directions by spear-wielding [[merfolk (monster)|merfolks]], [[Merfolk javelineer|javelineers]], and the occasional [[stone giant]]. There are also [[merfolk aquamancer]]s who take advantage of the terrain with their water magic, fast-moving [[Harpy|harpies]] that can steal your food, seductive [[siren]]s who'll lure you into the water, vicious [[alligator snapping turtle]]s, and devastating [[kraken]]s.
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The Shoals provides more [[Throwing]] implements than the Swamp; many residents carry [[boomerang]]s and [[throwing net]]s, and [[merfolk javelineer]]s bring a few [[javelin]]s.  
  
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The last floor is very difficult. Shoals:5 is often heavily populated with several uniques (the sea witch [[Ilsuiw]] almost always makes an appearance) and legions of merfolk. Proceed carefully and fight on staircases so you can retreat if overwhelmed.
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===Shoals:4===
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The last floor is significantly more difficult than the earlier three. Shoals:4 is often heavily populated with several uniques (the sea witch [[Ilsuiw]] often 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.
  
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==Tips & Tricks==
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==Strategy==
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*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.
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The Shoals is an open branch which features crowds of fast and/or ranged threats. Whether it's merfolk with [[reaching]] weapons, packs of [[satyr]]s and [[faun]]s shooting from a distance, or higher-tier threats like [[Merfolk javelineer|javelineers]] and [[merfolk|aquamancer]]s, it's easy to get swarmed by fast-swimming enemies.  
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*[[Flight]] and [[Swiftness]] (or even just [[Levitation]]) 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.
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*Unless you're amphibious or flying, stay out of the water when fighting to avoid combat penalties.
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There's also many monsters that mess with your positioning: [[wind drake]]s can blow you away, [[merfolk avatar]]s and [[merfolk siren|sirens]] can [[mesmerise]] you (forcing you closer if you don't resist with [[willpower]]), and [[water nymph]]s can prevent use of [[stairs]] with their watery aura. With these monsters nearby, the upstairs isn't always a safe bet. When you combine the 'lack of escape' with a swarm of merfolk, things can get hairy in no time.
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Having [[willpower]] (to resist mesmerise / [[sleep]]) and [[flight]] (to move normally over water) is recommended. [[Repulsion]], if you have it, can be very helpful too.
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 +
===Tips & Tricks===
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*Unless you're amphibious, flying, or larger than average, staying in water has severe penalties. You'll move slower, fumble melee attacks (but not ranged attacks / spells), and your [[stealth]] is reduced.
 +
**Note that [[Swiftness]] and [[invisible|invisibility]] won't work in water, ''even if you're amphibious''. Only flight lets you keep these effects.
 
*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.
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*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.
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*Most of the enemies in this branch do not [[see invisible]], so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters. Keep in mind that if you're in water and not flying, enemies will ignore your invisibility.
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*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!
 
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*Most of the enemies in this branch do not see invisible, so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters.
 
  
 
==Monsters==
 
==Monsters==
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*[[Merfolk (monster)|Merfolk]]
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{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
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*[[Mermaid]]
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| {{LightRed|m}} [[File:Merfolk (monster).png]] '''[[Merfolk (monster)|Merfolk]]''' || {{monsterlink|Merfolk javelineer}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk impaler}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk aquamancer}}
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*[[Merfolk javelineer]]
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|-
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*[[Merfolk impaler]]
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| {{monsterlink|Siren}} || {{monsterlink|Merfolk avatar}} || {{monsterlink|Water nymph}} || {{monsterlink|Water elemental}}
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*[[Merfolk aquamancer]]
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|-
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*[[Siren]]
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| {{Brown|c}} [[File:Centaur (monster).png]] '''[[Centaur (monster)|Centaur]]''' ||  {{monsterlink|Faun}} || {{monsterlink|Satyr}} || {{monsterlink|Cyclops}}
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*[[Manticore]]
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|-
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*[[Hippogriff]]
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| {{monsterlink|Dream sheep}} || {{monsterlink|Death yak}} || {{monsterlink|Catoblepas}} ||  {{monsterlink|Manticore}}
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*[[Harpy]]
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|-
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*[[Bat]]
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| {{monsterlink|Harpy}} || {{monsterlink|Wind drake}} || {{monsterlink|Snapping turtle}} || {{monsterlink|Alligator snapping turtle}}
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*[[Centaur]]
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|-
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*[[Cyclops]]
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| {{monsterlink|Sea snake}} || {{monsterlink|Oklob plant}} || {{monsterlink|Kraken}} || {{monsterlink|Frost giant}}
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*[[Sheep]]
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|}
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*[[Yak]]
 
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*[[Death yak]]
 
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*[[Sea snake]]
 
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*[[Oklob plant]]
 
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*[[Snapping turtle]]
 
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*[[Alligator snapping turtle]]
 
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*[[Shark]]
 
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*[[Kraken]]
 
  
 
===Uniques===
 
===Uniques===
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*[[Ilsuiw]]
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{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:0; padding:0;"
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*[[Polyphemus]]
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| {{monsterlink|Aizul}}
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| {{monsterlink|Bai Suzhen}}
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| {{monsterlink|Donald}}
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| {{monsterlink|Frances}}
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| {{monsterlink|Ilsuiw}}
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|-
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| {{monsterlink|Jorgrun}}
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| {{monsterlink|Josephine}}
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| {{monsterlink|Kirke}}
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| {{monsterlink|Louise}}
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| {{monsterlink|Mara}}
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|-
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| {{monsterlink|Nikola}}
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| {{monsterlink|Polyphemus}}
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| {{monsterlink|Roxanne}}
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|}
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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The Shoals was added in the [[Stone Soup]] version of Crawl.
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*Prior to [[0.17]], Shoals were 5 levels deep.
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*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 [[0.6]].
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{{branches}}
  
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[[Category:Dungeon_Branches]] [[Category:Merfolk]]
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[[Category:Merfolk]]

Latest revision as of 02:33, 7 September 2023

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
The exotic underground beaches of the Shoals make up a few small islands in a seemingly endless sea. The merfolk have made it their home, alongside many dreaded sea creatures.

A dungeon features only one of the Shoals and Swamp branches.

This branch is very noisy, and so sound travels much less far.

The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 2 and 3 of the Lair of Beasts.

This branch is 4 levels deep.

This branch contains the barnacled rune of Zot.

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.

The Shoals entrance is located between Lair:2 and Lair:3. If you find the Shoals, you will not find the Swamp in your current game.

Useful Info

The Shoals are 4 floors deep and set at sea, in a little archipelago of islands with beaches, tides, 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. It will never cause deep water to rise or fall, so all areas will remain accessible. Rarely, an island may generate out at sea - you may need to have flight, or enter from a different staircase, to reach it.

Exploring deep water in the Shoals does not count towards for exploration piety. (It does count for Meteoran exploration, though.)

The Shoals provides more Throwing implements than the Swamp; many residents carry boomerangs and throwing nets, and merfolk javelineers bring a few javelins.

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 often 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.

Strategy

The Shoals is an open branch which features crowds of fast and/or ranged threats. Whether it's merfolk with reaching weapons, packs of satyrs and fauns shooting from a distance, or higher-tier threats like javelineers and aquamancers, it's easy to get swarmed by fast-swimming enemies.

There's also many monsters that mess with your positioning: wind drakes can blow you away, merfolk avatars and sirens can mesmerise you (forcing you closer if you don't resist with willpower), and water nymphs can prevent use of stairs with their watery aura. With these monsters nearby, the upstairs isn't always a safe bet. When you combine the 'lack of escape' with a swarm of merfolk, things can get hairy in no time.

Having willpower (to resist mesmerise / sleep) and flight (to move normally over water) is recommended. Repulsion, if you have it, can be very helpful too.

Tips & Tricks

  • Unless you're amphibious, flying, or larger than average, staying in water has severe penalties. You'll move slower, fumble melee attacks (but not ranged attacks / spells), and your stealth is reduced.
    • Note that Swiftness and invisibility won't work in water, even if you're amphibious. Only flight lets you keep these effects.
  • 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.
  • Most of the enemies in this branch do not see invisible, so invisibility can trivialize even the most difficult of encounters. Keep in mind that if you're in water and not flying, enemies will ignore your invisibility.

Monsters

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

Uniques

S Aizul.png Aizul d Bai Suzhen.png Bai Suzhen @ Donald.png Donald @ Frances.png Frances m Ilsuiw.png Ilsuiw
g Jorgrun.png Jorgrun @ Josephine.png Josephine @ Kirke.png Kirke @ Louise.png Louise R Mara.png Mara
@ Nikola.png Nikola C Polyphemus.png Polyphemus 8 Roxanne.png Roxanne

History

  • Prior to 0.17, Shoals were 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 0.6.
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
Retrieved from "http://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=The_Shoals&oldid=74551"