Creature Guide
Here is a list of creatures extracted from the game-code in February 2018, and briefly rechecked in October 2026; their descriptions are accurate but, hopefully, non-spoiler-y.
Abomination
Supplanted by Zombie King as of A36
Adamantium Golem
‘‘Feared by the weak, useful to the strong. These powerful constructs guard substantial underground adamantium deposits, but for those strong enough to
defeat them, are just that much more adamantine.
Adoxie Foot Left
‘‘Adoxie’s appendages are as powerful as you’d expect given their owner. They’re Big! They’re Bad! but it IS possible to BEAT THEM!
Adoxie Foot Right
‘‘Adoxie’s appendages are as powerful as you’d expect given their owner. They’re Big! They’re Bad! but it IS possible to BEAT THEM!
Adoxie Hand Left
‘‘Adoxie’s appendages are as powerful as you’d expect given their owner. They’re Big! They’re Bad! but it IS possible to BEAT THEM!
Adoxie Hand Right
‘‘Adoxie’s appendages are as powerful as you’d expect given their owner. They’re Big! They’re Bad! but it IS possible to BEAT THEM!
Adventurer
‘‘They face the world alone and the glory is theirs alone. But there’s nothing wrong with checking up with friendly factions along the road to glory.
Air Elemental
‘‘A deadly vortex of turbulent wind, commonly supporting Elementalists and occasionally found in dungeons.
Angel ‘‘Instruments of lawful divine will, Angels are effective flying melee combatants. As spiritual units, they cannot be dismembered or captured, and require Spiritualist spells in order to heal.
Ant Queen
‘‘A Minor Villain, the Ant Queen leads her colony. Fortunately, she cannot hatch new ants rapidly enough to affect attacks on her; unfortunately, she has the same poison as her warriors, so she can avenge herself upon an unprepared Ant Queen Slayer even after her death.
Ant Worker
‘‘Ant Workers are civilians of the ant culture; they can dig, and some Keepers have been known to capture them as slave miners, but ultimately they are not a significant threat in battle.
Archer ‘‘Human Archers vary in talent and training, but ignore their arrows at your peril. Knight-trained archers in particular enjoy the ability to fire through specially designed walls, meaning that you might feel the archer before you see them!
Automaton
‘‘Gnomish constructs, Automatons can vary greatly but are generally only loyal to their builders. Keepers who purchase them frequently find themselves having to fight their purchase.
Bandit
‘‘They are after gold, but generally lack training, experience, and proper combat equipment. Keepers with even some of those qualities should have no trouble brushing
the bandits back.
Bat
‘‘Flying nocturnal explorers, generally not a threat. Imps are small enough to use them as flying mounts.
Black Dragon
‘‘Blind but telepathic, the Black Dragon hunts in darkness and brings it upon all it encounters. Absent telepathy of your own, your ranged units will have difficulty
engaging this terror of the underground, so best to fight it in a confined space where your melee fighter can protect the rest of your people.
Black Dragons make for fine converts, however, and their scales excel at protecting undead from the Sun’s tyranny.
Black Market Guard
‘‘It’s not clear how the Guards of the Black Market got as strong as they did, but they’re the controlling tribe there and some of the toughest melee troops in the realm. They’re capable of defeating most troublemakers in a fair fight…so if you plan on starting trouble, best to bring backup, magic, and generally not to fight fair.
Black Rat
‘‘Black Rats are an underground species that has grown tolerant of plagues which lay most other creatures low. Be careful in their presence, as plague is far more persistent than poison, and can spread through contact.
Boar
‘’ Shy woodland creatures that only fight when cornered.
Camel
‘‘Desert beasts of burden and mounts.
Cave Bear
‘‘Bears do not appreciate being bothered, but are large enough to serve Large creatures as a mount in a pinch.
Chicken ‘‘Livestock animals who at best can spot incoming attackers…but whose speed and flight capability could be very useful if there were some way to transfer it to another creature. Their corpses can also be of use to Necromancers.
Child
‘‘The future of the realm, children fear Evil and feel safer around Lawful keepers. They’re not a threat.
Child As Spider Food ‘‘Unfortunately, sometimes children explore places they shouldn’t, or particularly vile evildoers get lucky. These poor children are not a threat either, but your creatures are doing them a favor. :-(
Clay Golem
‘‘Essentially, a pile of structural Stone that walks around and can fight in melee. Competent melee troops can handle them without much trouble.
Cow
‘‘Livestock animal. If raised on your cow pasture, they help raise your population cap; otherwise, not useful, unless you’re a Necromancer or seek to (literally) beef up a minion through transferring stats to it.
Cyclops
‘‘A nasty Minor Villain for unprepared Keepers, the Cyclops correctly realizes that large groups of cretures can be a threat, and will actively attack dungeons that reach 13 population. Cyclopes are resistant to arrows and are effective melee fighters, so it’s best to bring support troops and set up opportunities to flank.
That said, cyclopes are not only fine candidates for conversion, but their brains can make potions which improve the drinker’s defense; particularly legendary crafters have been known to use cyclops testicles to decorate helmets. No matter what, a defeated cyclops is helpful.
Dark Elf
‘’ Citizens of the dark elf caves found in the mountains.
Dark Elf Child
‘’ The dark elves love their children too.
Dark Elf Lord
‘’ Lord of his caves; his elfbow and faster magic can pose a nasty surprise to Lawful keepers attacking the Dark Elves.
Dark Elf Warrior
‘’ Defender of the dark elves. Evil keepers may be able to recruit some for a price, but they don’t seem to really excel in any particualr dungeon employment.
Death
‘’ For all the death Keepers cause, it’s surprising that Death doesn’t make a personal appearance. But if you seek Him out, and come properly prepared, perhaps
you might experience a change of fortune at the last moment…
Deer
‘’ Sometimes glimpsed running through the trees, Deer are fairly harmless to anything larger than a goblin. Goblins themselves have been known to press captive deer
into service as mounts, if nothing better is available.
Demon Dweller
‘’ Soldiers of Darkshrine; they’re quite dangerous in large numbers and by surprise, but when attacking dungeons which have undertaken demon worship, they’re less
dangerous than Angels.
Demon Lord
‘’ Major Villain and head of the Darkshrine. Not that much more dangerous than his minions, but his gifts are dangerous to the unwary.
Djinn
‘‘Mythical desert spirit and granter of wishes to those who can find and best him in battle.
Dog
‘‘Woofums! Dogs are beloved of Lawful Keepers as well as the KeeperRL developer. They can help out in melee combat, but should not be mistaken for high-end combat troops.
Donkey
‘’ Farm animal and mount for Peasants; you could capture one if you can’t find other steeds, though donkeys of themselves aren’t known for their combat abilities.
Doppleganger
‘’ Absorber of living bodies and their capabilities, the Doppelganger can be one of the scarier demons available to Evil Keepers. Conversely, they’re reputed
to never be quite as capable as the folks they absorb, so their true capability is in mixing the abilities of many different creatures. Keepers have been known to wish there were some way they could gain the absorption capabilities of a Doppleganger for themselves…
Dragon ‘‘Dragons are generally Huge beasts capable of winged flight and devastating bites and breath, but vulnerable to archers. Keepers often prize them as personal mounts. Since they’re generally classified by their color, check specific colors of dragon for more information.
Dryad
‘’ Forest dwellers who can see and shoot past trees as though the trees were not there, Driads can and will shoot any invader they can see to pieces. If only there was a way to spot them first…
Duke
‘‘Mighty human Major Villain (from Evil Keepers’ perspective). Dukes frequently fight from the back of a mighty Warhorse, using battle axes of Rage, as well as joining the battle alongside their competent and well-equipped melee troops with archer support, making their castles a formidable challenge to attackers. As of late, Keepers have reported that Dukes frequently challenge them to single combat; some succeed, some perish, and some take the Duke alive.
However, their personal prowess also makes them a fine choice for capture and conversion.
Dwarf
‘’ An armoured fighter who protects the mountain burrows, Dwarves are a serious threat to weaker Keepers, but more-experienced Keepers and troops can take advantage of the fact that they can’t always handle seeing their friends die.
Dwarf Baron
‘’ King under the mountain, the Dwarf Baron is a melee powerhouse of similar quality to the human Duke. However, the confined space of the mountain burrows greatly reduces the threat of flanking. Dwarves also don’t maintain strong archer troops, so the support troops which make the Duke a serious threat are greatly lessened here.
Dwarf Female
‘’ A good digger once imprisoned, dwarven women are commonly found toiling as mining slaves in may an Evil dungeon. Unlike their menfolk, the women do not berserk when
their friends die.
Earth Elemental
‘‘Summoned near rock using magic, Earth elementals are very similar to stone golems…except being Spiritual rather than physical.
Elementalist
‘‘Major Villain. Elementalists typicaly live in tall-but-narrow towers, forcing attackers to fight through small spaces where elementals can flank them.
When attacking dungeons, Elementalists have been known to stay well away from the entry point and summon a stream of elementals to go in and attack, forcing the defenders to sally forth and directly engage without benefit of defensive structures, traps, etc.
Elf
‘‘Not generally dangerous, and also not much worth capturing.
Elf Archer ‘‘Elven archers head up outlying elf settlements, and can be dangerous if found outdoors, as they’re similarly good shots to the Driads. However, they’re generally the only combatant, so can be chased down.
Elf Child
‘‘Surface elves have children too!
Elf Lord
‘‘Lord of the forest, and pairs high-powered elfbow with faster-magic staff. With archer support, can be far more dangerous than the Dark Elf Lord.
Elven Archer
‘‘Elven archers head up outlying elf settlements, and can be dangerous if found outdoors, as they’re similarly good shots to the Driads. However, they’re generally the only combatant, so can be chased down.
Phased out in favor of “tree spirits”
'’These tree spirits can deal greivous damage if they make it to melee range. However, they’re slow, so even their arrow-resistance doesn’t help too much; from time to time they’ll let folks ride them, but sadly (for them) elven archers typically don’t. They’re worth a considerable amount of lumber when felled, and the elder Ents may contain the rare and useful Archwood.
Eskimo
‘‘Some humans opt to live in the snowy biomes. These are essentially peasants.
Eskimo Child
‘‘Looks like the cold doesn’t stop humans from producing children.
Father Oblivion
‘‘A uniquely titled cleric.
Female Adventurer ‘‘A gal gone adventuring; generally a player character.
Female Keeper ‘‘Females can fight and fling spells as well as the males can!
Fire Elemental
‘‘Frequently found near lava and a threat to mining operations, but usually not a major concern to competent combat troops (provided they have not been armed wwith Infernite weaponry…). Wooden floors and construction, however, will burn like tinder!
Fire Sphere
Not encountered, as such, in vanilla Alpha36
Fly
‘‘Generally summoned as a distraction during combat, but occasionally found in dungeons. Flies are an annoyance at best.
Fox
‘‘A woodland creature, sometimes considered archery target practice.
Friar
‘‘Itinerant clerics of human religion, Friars are sometimes encountered at human settlements, but are not typically a threat or much of an asset for conversion.
Ghost
‘‘These spirits of the restless dead turn up at night near ruins, seek out travelers, and attempt to scare them into temporary insanity. Trouble is, the scare
attempt effectively self-banishes the ghost, so they’re not much of a threat to any prepared group.
Gnome
‘‘Dungeon-dwelling automaton builders. Absent a Keeper-level organization, they’re not a significant threat.
Gnome Chief
‘‘Chief of the gnomes, but not much of a threat.
Goat ‘‘Livestock animal commonly found with peasants; goblins could ride them, but they’re not really built for battle.
Goblin
Goblins are separated into several classes, which will be incorporated in a later revision, as of Alpha 36
‘‘Goblins are a Small but nevertheless powerful greenskin race. With various training types, they’re frequently found serving Keepers, and on occasion, in substantial
tribal gatherings.
Green Dragon ‘‘These Dragons breathe poison gas and their bites have a good chance of poisoning anyone they don’t kill outright. They’re a fine choice of mount for the discerning Keeper, provided they have some means of protecting themselves from poison.
Halloween Kid
Halloween Kids are a seasonal encounter at best, and currently dummied out altogether
‘‘Trick or Treat?
Harpy
‘‘Winged killers extrordinaire, Harpies are flying archers who, fully trained, can reliably shoot past friendlies & trees, nailing their prey at a good distance. Their flight allows them to safely hover over water or lava and continue to pincushion the enemy.
Horse
‘‘Humans frequently ride horses and your larger troops should consider riding them too! Lawful keepers frequently recruit horses and train them into Warhorses. They provide good speed, can cross water more effectively than humans, and lend a hoof in battle…but can’t always take the same punishment their riders can.
Husky
‘‘Dogs better-suited for the cold than more average dogs, but otherwise your commonplace canine.
Hydra
‘‘Poisonous Minor Villain, which hides in a foggy swamp to ambush and force melee battle. Though capturable, they don’t make for good mounts; you’re best off killing them as their tongue makes for a permanent poison-proofing potion.
Imp
‘‘Probably the single biggest contribution the demons make to Evil Keepers’ success! Imps are tiny but tireless workers who can carry everything. They’re not always
as good at mining as the larger folks, and they can’t handle water by themselves, but they’re always on duty.
Iron Golem
‘‘Walking iron. They’re a bit tougher than stone golems, but once killed, that much more metal for the forge.
Jackal
‘‘Weak scavenger creature that typically flees from a fight. Generally a non-threat, but usually needs to be killed to secure the area.
Jester ‘‘Entertainer for Lawful human leaders. The Jester isn’t much of a fighter, but has been known to play a few tricks here and there…
Keeper
‘‘Player’s avatar (Warlock class) Base values
‘‘Player’s avatar (Fighter class) Base values
Knight
‘‘Melee combat experts and support for Lawful keepers, Knights vary in quality in similar fashion to Archers.
Kobold
‘‘Little guys with spears. They’re cute, but unhelpful…and those spears are a credible threat to mounted troops. Leave the Steeds at home, please!
Kraken
‘‘Entangling water monster of myth, whose tentacles dragged countless creatures to their watery doom in eras past. Previously believed extinct, Krakens have resurfaced both in the occasional mountain river or underground lake, as well as perpetually spawning in the otherwise-useful Enchanted Pools. As their tentacles excel at dragging creatures to watery graves or immobilizing Swimmers for the kraken’s maw, it’s always best to bring support when you see a tentacle approaching…
Lava Golem
‘‘Fiery stone monster; unlike the other golems, Lava Golems don’t seem to leave much of use when destroyed.
Legendary Beast ‘‘These fell creatures, typically bred as Steeds, are the result of debased demonic breeding programs. They can be quite powerful, but usually have weaknesses as well. Each individual is unique, so folks encountering them are best advised to study their opponent and fight accordingly.
Legendary Humanoid ‘‘Generally superior to Legendary Beasts due to their ability to work, train, and use equipment, Legendary Humanoids are likewise the result of fell demonic breeding programs, and similarly both powerful but flawed.
Lizardman
‘‘Poisonous humanoid reptiles commonly found in the swamps, and a dire threat to starting Adventurers.
Lizardman Chief ‘‘Major Villain: well-equipped and poisonous fighter, with plenty of loyal troops. Desperate people in search of a means to restore lost or crippled limbs seek him out, but so far every attempt to convince him to provide the mythical “potion of limb regrowth” has ended in violence…
Lost Soul
Not encountered in vanilla Alpha36; see Ghost
Minotaur
‘‘Sometimes lives under castles; an excellent melee fighter, and probably the single best candidate for conversion to your side.
Minotaurs are large enough that trained humans can ride on, and fight from, their back; this makes them an excellent combat mount, as they’re trained and can take full advantage of equipment.
Mummy
‘‘Slow-moving, smelly, and top student of combat, being able to train for 50 levels. Conversely, mummies are undead and share the common vulnerabilities of undead. One lucky shot is all it takes to cripple, if not outright destroy, them…but if granted a coffin befitting their status, they may well be able to rest and recuperate.
Nomad
‘‘Those humans spread everywhere! Nomads are desert-dwelling humans.
Nomad Child
‘‘Neither the cold nor the heat stops humans from raising children. :-)
Ogre
Phased out of vanilla Alpha36, in favor of Trolls which appear similar and are available to Goblin Keepers
‘‘12 combat training levels
Orc
Phased out of vanilla Alpha36, in favor of expanded goblin troops
Orc Shaman
Phased out of vanilla Alpha36, in favor of expanded goblin troops
Peasant The alternate/mis-spelled “Peseant” is the correct unit in code terms
Peseant
‘‘Humans making an honest living farming the land. There’s no need to fight them, and any decently-equipped creature should be more than a match for these poor folks. Castle Keepers routinely press them into service as workers, but being human, they can only carry so much, and must rest from time to time.
Pig
‘‘Pork yesterday, ham today, bacon tomorrow: domestic animal that peasants & Keepers alike raise for food.
Polar Bear
‘‘Bears who have evolved to live in cold, snowy biomes.
Polar Fox
‘‘Foxes who have evolved to live in snowy, cold biomes.
Priest
‘‘Human trained to minister to the needs of the divine, and the Lawful keeper’s answer to goblin shamanism.
Prisoner Prisoners retain their previous characteristics in Alpha36; the “prisoner” creature is an interface/sorting convenience
Rat
‘‘Often live in chests, eating cheese. These rats are more a distraction than a threat; however, their impressive speed makes them a candidate for Imp mounts.
Rat King
‘‘Humanoid rat that heads up a tribe. Can be dangerous to miners and unprepared Keepers.
Rat Lady
‘‘Humanoid rat civilians. Sometimes taken as mining slaves if encountered early in a dungeon’s existence.
Rat Soldier
‘‘Humanoid rats who fight for their King and Ladies. Similar threat level to their King.
Raven
‘‘Daytime explorer. Fast, flying, and appropriately sized for an Imp to ride as well!
Red Dragon ‘‘The fire-typed dragon: what most Keepers think of when they think “Dragon”. They fight well and frequently set fire to their surroundings; this is good when they’re attacking Keepers who may be hoarding gold, expanding aggressively, or otherwise posing a threat, but is less good when serving Keepers as a mount.
Scorpion ‘‘Poisonous desert insect; can be a threat to imps or unprepared creatures.
Shaman
‘‘Major Villain: the spiritual leader of Warrior tribes, and frequently summons spirits to assist.
Shelob
Encountered in-game as “Giant Spider”, but generally referenced in code as “Shelob”
'’Minor Villain, has a cave with smaller spiders and a few doomed children for later. Webs will impede movement but do not prevent fighting; her poisonous bite is likewise a threat, so take the necessary precautions.
Shopkeeper ‘‘Helpful for adventurers just starting out, and–sometimes–Keepers who have more gold than might.
Skeleton
‘‘Undead minion: not particularly powerful, but sun-resistant, so not to be overlooked!
Snake
‘‘Poisonous wildlife, generally found in the desert or dungeons. More threatening than scorpions, but generally not a major problem.
Soft Monster
‘‘Rare beefy and lovable plush creature that lives in dungeons. Please treat as kindly as possible!
Soldier Ant
‘‘Poisonous ant warriors, and a credible threat to those who would harm the hive, at least in the early stages of a campaign. Precautions against poison will help dramatically.
Sorcerer
‘‘One-off magical support for desert Thieves. Can animate weapons that are lying around on the ground, so be careful.
Spider
‘‘Weak but poisonous; generally a larger threat than Snakes, because their legs can absorb a surprising amount of punishment (which would kill Snakes outright).
Spirit
‘‘Summoned protection for shamans, unicorns, etc. They’re quite good fighters (much more so than their forms might imply) but vulnerable to magic damage.
Succubus
‘‘Demonic entertainers and breeders; they’re no good at actual combat and, being Spiritual, cannot be captured, but can discourage hostile creatures from resisting and greatly sweeten the dreams of sleeping male creatures. Folks who practice demonology are generally looking to recruit these ladies.
Teutonic Grandmaster
‘‘An excellent melee fighter, but generally only encountered by Lawful Keepers…to whom he’s a valuable ally.
The Duke Covered earlier as “Duke”
Thief
‘‘Better-trained and -equipped desert bandits. They’re not as powerful as knights or lizardfolk, but don’t underestimate them.
Thief Leader
‘‘Major Villain; not to the Duke’s standard, but with his troops and sorcerer, a respectable fight.
Tree Spirit ‘‘These animate and intelligent trees can deal greivous damage if they make it to melee range. However, they’re slow, so even their arrow-resistance doesn’t help too much; from time to time they’ll let folks ride them, but sadly (for them) elven archers typically don’t. They’re worth a considerable amount of lumber when felled, as well as the rare and useful Archwood.
Unicorn
‘‘Woodland herds, acceptable equine fighters who summon spirits as backup. If you’re looking for mounts, they can be captured and don’t check for succubae.
Vampire
‘‘Undead minion, sun-vulnerable but able to regrow damaged limbs via its bite attack.
Vampire Lord ‘‘High-powered vampires with magical protection against sunlight. Unfortunately, they require Keepers with particular focus on Necromancy to raise them.
Vulture
‘‘Scavenges around corpses; generaly a battlefield pest, but an (un)lucky Vulture can take an attack meant for someone else…
Warrior
‘‘Tribal warriors who fight for their Shaman. They have been known to channel the power of Cave Bears…
Water Elemental
‘‘Summoned near water, and a fair threat to mid-campaign Keepers.
Werewolf
‘‘Naturally regenerates health and brings its teeth & claws to the battle along with its weapon: three attacks per “attack” action make Werewolves an excellent melee fighter. Conversely, their defense is sadly lacking: they will need their regeneration as well as the best armor you can provide.
White Dragon
‘‘These Dragons have freezing breath as well as a lethal bite. They can be the most lethal dragon around, as frozen foes cannot fight back!
White Wizard
Not encountered as such in vanilla Alpha36; neutral Wizards can be found but do not wear White and are not precisely engaged in Lawful activity…
Witch
‘‘Not always visible due to their vast arsenal of potions, but always named Cornelia, Witches are fine alchemists but not much suited for combat, even after training.
Witchman ‘‘You might have heard of “The Witcher”. These are those folks, but not to Geralt’s standard. You’re generally better off not converting them.
Wolf
‘‘Wolves can be found in packs, and make fine mounts for goblins.
Yellow Dragon
‘‘Acidic gear-destroying dragon, sometimes found in dungeons.
Yeti
‘‘Mythical snow-mountain dweller, reputed to be good with a club…
Zombie
‘‘Invasion fodder; vulnerable to the sun and require being hacked to bits. Some have been known to coordinate with their fellows, as a dangerously lethal Swarm, however…
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