Make Curse Toes fast, give EGolems Shock Serpent discharges

[Croases]

Two simple suggestions for Zot.

Now that Curse Skulls are fast, there's no reason for Toes to keep their slow-movement gimmick, and a fast enemy that torments and blocks you with mushrooms could be fun in Zot. Making them generate spores for extra confusion may be another bonus, though that might be too severe.

As for Electric Golems, I've found them to be rather non-threatening for anyone with RMsl/DMsl, electricity resistance or enough bulk/evasion, and virtually everyone doing Zot has at least one of these. Their lightning bolts can be dodged and only do half-damage compared to Orbs of Fire, their melee is fairly mild, and you can park them like imps if you really don't like them (but be careful on your way back!). Giving them Shock Serpent-style explosions on hit may make them scary enough for an uncommon Zot monster, and synergizes well with their relatively high HP.

[le_nerd]

Electric Golems/shock serpent charges would make Zot nearly impossible to do for High EV/low AC characters, if the discharge would scale from Serpent HD to Golem HD. Even with rElec that would be just too much punch, I suspect.

[sanka]

Instead of buffing enemies I would like to see to reverse the power creep, and shorten the game instead, so that Zot enemies remain threatening.

[milski]

Shock Serpent zaps are awful since they visually cue you to do something that doesn't work (beat up a Shock Serpent to zap enemies around it). I'd rather they get fixed before more creatures get the same gimmick.

[Rast]

So the problem with beating up S.S. to zap other monsters would be...?

[Croases]

That it doesn't happen. You get the area zap animation but it doesn't actually harm enemy monsters.

Though I don't see any reason why it shouldn't, since shock serpents (and electric golems if this proposal goes through) are usually a bigger threat than anything else they may be damaging in the process, but I might be wrong.