Paralysis

This page is about the status effect. For the monster spell, see Paralyse.

Paralysis is a status effect which renders a player or monster unable to move or act for a period of time.

Effect

When paralysed:

• Creatures are unable to act.
• EV is set to almost 0, 2 + size_factor for players, and set to 0 EV for monsters.
• SH is set to 0.
• Monsters are vulnerable to high-tier stabs.

Once paralysis ends, players get stun immunity for 1-3 turns, making them immune to paralysis and a few other status effects. Unlike petrification, there is no special damage resistance.

Formicids are immune to paralysis due to their stasis. Also, a fully petrified player cannot be paralysed.

Sources

There are several sources of paralysis. Some are resistible, while some are not.

Sources of paralysis that can be resisted 100% of the time:

• The spell Paralyse, including wand of paralysis (2-5 turns for the player, must overcome the victim's willpower)
• The melee attacks of a hornet or jorogumo (1-3 turns; poison resistance blocks 2/3 of the time; poison immunity prevents it.)
• The melee attacks of a formless jellyfish (1 turn; poison resistance blocks 2/3 of the time; poison immunity prevents it.)

Other sources are irresistible for non-Formicids:

• Stunning Burst (1 turn; 50% to resist with electricity resistance)
• Starcursed masses' shrieking, when 5+ are in sight (1-2 turns)
• Zot traps (2-5 turns)
• Uskayaw's or Zin's wrath (2-5 turns)
• Cancelling Death's Door with Borgnjor's Revivification (2-5 turns)

Strategy

If a monster's paralysis can last for more than a single turn, it should be treated as instant death. Most monsters can kill you if you give them 4-5 free turns. Multiple monsters can definitely kill you in 4-5 turns. Even a single turn can cause a huge spike of damage. Having your EV and SH set to 0 is just the cherry on top; paralysis is nasty even for players with high AC.

Generally, you should avoid paralysis as much as possible. Even a < 1% chance of instant death is too much for streak play.

Tips & Tricks

Most sources of paralysis can be dealt with using one way or another:

• The Paralyse spell requires line of fire. Spells can't be cast when a monster is silenced or waterlogged. Willpower can protect against it, though it takes high will to reach 0% success. Racial willpower matters if you want to reach 0% paralysis.

• Hornets are fast enemies which can paralyse on melee. Poison resistance gives a chance to resist the paralysis, but only poison immunity can prevent it. Wands can often kill or polymorph a hornet with some Evocations training. Lignification can make it very unlikely for a hornet to kill you by itself, due to Tree Form's rPois and increased AC.

• Jorogumo are also fast enemies with a paralysis melee attack. Their melee works in the same way as hornets', but jorogumo have much better defenses and willpower, in addition to some dangerous ranged spells.

• Air elementals only paralyse for one turn, but when you're in range of a bunch of dangerous opponents, that can be lethal. Evasive, but relatively frail, try to target them with strong never-missing attacks (e.g. Lee's Rapid Deconstruction, Airstrike, or high Evocations wand of iceblast. A tin of tremorstones can miss, but is very accurate.)

• Zot traps require you or a monster to step on it, and the trap has to be in your LOS in order for it to function. Zot traps have a number of other nasty effects, so should be avoided if at all possible.

History

• Prior to 0.33, paralysis did not grant stun immunity, only immunity to paralysis. Also, stat zero would paralyse.
• Prior to 0.29, the Paralyse spell and godly wrath could last from 2-7 turns.
• Prior to 0.27, berserking had a chance to paralyze the player after it ends, and both Trog and berserkitis would protect from it.
• Prior to 0.25, severe Hexes miscast effects could paralyse the player.
• Prior to 0.24, needles of paralysis existed.
• Prior to 0.18, paralysis could be prevented by an amulet of stasis.