Crawler
| Shadow Crawler | |||||||
| |||||||
| Critter | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Venomous, stealthy critter | ||||||
| Location | Caves Lower Underrail Under-passages Coretech Research Facility Institute of Tchort west wing | ||||||
| Loot | Crawler Stinger Crawler's Eye Insectoid Salivarium | ||||||
| Abilities | Crawler Sting special attack Restealths after injecting its venom | ||||||
| |||||||
Description
Crawlers are stealthy, evasive critters that often lurk in dark buildings and tunnels, but they also inhabit caves far from humans. Red Dream Mushrooms often grow in their cave habitats. They are known to hunt rathounds and humans. Their venomous sting applies crawler poison, which paralyzes (stuns) their prey within two turns if not removed. Crawlers are immune to poisons and the tranquilizing chemical Midazolam.
In version 0.1.13.0, they received an AI upgrade: After successfully injecting their venom, they crawl away via cavern ceilings and restealth, only to reappear when their prey is about to be paralyzed.
Even more dangerous than the common crawler is the rare Black Crawler.
Fighting tactics
Knowing when crawlers are nearby is half the battle. When entering an area with crawlers (or stealthed humanoids), you will know you are not alone when you hear the distinct stealth mode sound. The louder the sound, the more creatures just hid from you.
Carrying Antidotes to cure crawler poison before it paralyzes you is essential when facing crawlers in a defensive battle, unless you have the Thick Skull feat.
Crawlers always sneak around and thus encounters with them vary depending on what sort of character you play.
- Characters with low Detection likely won't notice crawlers before they attack, but characters with high Initiative have a chance of getting the first turn if they bump into a crawler before it attacks.
- Flares and grenades or other area of effect attacks can be used to flush them out of stealth if you have a rough idea of their location.
- Bear traps or electrokinetic imprints work well if you can estimate the direction crawler(s) will come from. Noise can be used to lure them into your traps.
- High Perception combined with Paranoia gives a good chance of noticing them before they can get into melee range and a good first strike.
- Characters with high Stealth and Detection have a fair chance of detecting crawlers first if moving carefully.