Turtles/snails hiding in shells

[dpeg]

I guess it was coded mostly for the coolness factor. 8By the way, I proposed, and still stand by, the idea of being able to push them around.)

It would matter if a monster retreated in a shell was imperceivable to all attacks, or at least to all ranged and magical attacks.

[ximxim]

There's the potential for an interesting situation where the defence boost means it will be hard to kill it fast enough before you have to retreat (due to other monsters). That almost never happens, though.

[Tiber]

I personally just think of it as a slightly less annoying fleeing. Because seriously, that agate snail isn't going to escape from anybody.

[greepish]

Yeah it's not like sheep and sticky flame has any intended purpose, but it is funny the first time you see it

[Zuboki]

Yeah it's not like sheep and sticky flame has any intended purpose, but it is funny the first time you see it

Sheep and sticky flame is funny every time you see it.

[Stormfox]

Yeah it's not like sheep and sticky flame has any intended purpose, but it is funny the first time you see it ;)

Sheep and sticky flame is funny every time you see it.

Case in point, I started giggling just thinking about that. Of course, I'm easily amused. I'd make a poor Xom.

Back on topic, there would be corner cases where the snail in its shell would cut off an escape route. But the level layout of Lair tends to make that very rare.

[JeffQyzt]

Can't say as I've ever been annoyed by an Agate snail. Mostly grateful (when victory dancing was still around) or at worst indifferent. Personally, I think it's a neat feature.

[jejorda2]

Someone once described a vault where one-space islands occupied by agate snails were distantly spaced in deep water or lava. When your levitation or flight wears off, the snail would become annoying. I haven't seen the vault, and I don't know if it is in the game.

I guess there would need to be a silent spectre nearby to make it dangerous enough.