Boulder beetle

Useful Info

Boulder beetles are among the most massive bugs in the game, using their brutal melee attacks and decent AC whenever a player lets them get into melee. This is made easier with their rolling ability, which doubles their speed and damage for a short time. They need a tile of space in order to roll, but they can also leap away from their prey to set up the opportunity.

Boulder beetles can be found in the mid-to-late Dungeon, as well as in all parts of the Lair.

Tips & Tricks

• Be cautious around boulder beetles; any moment when they're not adjacent to you is a moment they could suddenly gain a huge burst of speed and power.
• Their rolling attack is essentially a double-strength regular attack and follows many of the same rules. Characters with a decent shield or evasion stand a chance of avoiding the attack outright, while characters relying on their armour to protect them will have a harder time of it. Placing an ally (such as summons, Hepliaklqana's ancestor, or even Fulminant Prism) in the path of their rolling charge will safely unleash the attack, and stop the roll.
• Boulder beetles are vulnerable to poison, so Poison Magic or even poisoned darts work well. Due to their tendency to blink away, a scroll of poison is very effective. Curare is also great, since it slows them down.
• They've also got weak willpower and only moderate HD, so Hexes or disabling wands can stop them fairly easily.
• If you find one in the Dungeon, remember that boulder beetles can't open doors, and won't knock them over when rolling.

History

• Prior to 0.30, boulder beetles dealt 32 damage (64 when rolling).
• Prior to 0.28, incapacitating a boulder beetle did not stop them from rolling.
• Boulder beetles returned in 0.26 with a new rolling mechanic.
• Boulder beetles were removed in 0.19. They were slower than average, and their rolling was subject to inertia (similar to an orb of destruction, they would keep rolling in a straight line until they hit something).
• Prior to 0.11, boulder beetles could not roll at you.