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{{flavour|It is very cumbersome, thus slowing your movement.}}

'''Ponderousness''' is an [[ego]] which raises your [[movement]] delay by +0.1 [[decaAut]] (most species have 1.0 by default). Multiple sources can stack.

It is very occasionally found on [[chain mail]], [[plate armour]], and [[tower shield]]s, where it will be accompanied by a high [[enchant]]ment to make the item not purely bad. The [[Hat of Pondering]] and the [[Black Knight's barding]] also have the ponderousness ego, but have a number of other properties to compensate.

==Strategy==
Generally, an armour of ponderousness is not worth wearing. For a regular speed character, ponderousness means that enemies like [[ogre (monster)|ogres]] and [[hydra]]s will outrun you. Having a few extra AC often isn't worth the consumables you'll need to escape these situations. However, ponderousness armour ''can'' have some merit.
*In the early-game, having another +10 AC can really help with overall combat. As [[attacks of opportunity]] already prevent melee characters from easily resetting fights, being able to win fights is important.
*In the 4 [[Lair]] branches ([[Spider's Nest|Spider]] / [[Snake Pit|Snake]], [[Swamp]] / [[Shoals]]), most enemies are either faster or slower than the average species. Ponderous doesn't change that fact - moving 10% slower won't make you slower than a [[list of nagas|naga]], and moving 10% faster won't help you outrun a [[redback]].

For fast / slow characters, the slower movement is less impactful. [[Spriggan]]s remain faster than average (though are now slower than [[haste]]d creatures), while [[Barachim]], [[Naga]]s, and [[Cheibriados]] worshippers are still slower than usual. However, even a worshipper of Cheibriados will eventually prefer some sort of resistance in the body armour slot.

Remember that any time you take an action above 1.0 decaAut, you risk normal speed enemies getting a double-turn on you. Moving once with ponderousness can mean getting 2 [[crystal spear]]s in the face.

==History==
*Prior to [[0.34]], this ego could not appear on [[tower shield]]s.
*Prior to [[0.30]], this ego could not appear on [[chain mail]].
*Prior to [[0.14]], the movement delay penalty was 2.
*Prior to [[0.10]], [[Cheibriados]] granted an ability to convert any piece of armour into an artefact, maintaining all its former properties but adding ponderousness. In exchange, Cheibriados would greatly increase your [[stats]] and provide some [[resistance]]s, not to mention making the armour immune to [[acid]]ic corrosion (as well as to further attempts to [[scroll of enchant armour|enchant]] it!).

[[Category:Egos]]
[[Category:Movement]]

Ponderousness - Revision history

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