Skills & Abilities
A reference for known crawler skills and abilities through the end of Book 4.
Carl's Skills​
| Skill | Level Known | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Explosives Handling | Unknown (high) | Core skill throughout the series. On Floor 5: crafted guided missiles, hob lobbers, burn gel, depth charges, chum bombs, and banger sphere alarm traps. The Enchanted Anarchist's Battle Rattle adds +50% range and accuracy to thrown explosives. |
| Sapper | Unknown (level 4 bench) | Engineering skill enabling Carl's sapper's table. By Book 4, he had a level-4 bench. Used to create modified rockets, alarm traps, burn gel, and various combat devices. |
| Protective Shell | Unknown | Defensive barrier spell. Used during the Vahana assault to absorb incoming projectile fire from Wasteland defensive batteries. |
| Smoke Curtain | Unknown | Used during the Vahana hijack to obscure position while dropping enemies through the basket floor. |
| Sticky Feet | Unknown | Allows Carl to walk on ceilings for (Dexterity x 2) seconds, once every six hours. Used during the Mrs. Ghazi fight to hang upside-down and apply burn gel to the ooze's core. |
| Biplane Pilot | 3 | Acquired on Floor 5 when Carl piloted the gnomish Nightmare II biplane. Rose to level 3 during the Orthrus mission. Skill levels make the controls feel less tight but don't grant knowledge. |
| Escape Plan | Unknown | Reveals hidden exits and escape routes. On Floor 4, revealed a hidden text layer in the Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook describing the Doomsday Scenario. |
| Find Crawler | Unknown | Locates named crawlers by identity. Critical for targeting interdiction portal carts to specific trapped crawler groups during the Floor 4 rescue. |
| Walk in Their Shoes | Unknown | Acquired Floor 4. Allows Carl to understand the perspective or emotional state of others. |
| Primal Roar | Unknown | Racial ability (Primal Human). Fear/intimidation AoE; stuns or frightens nearby enemies. |
Princess Donut's Skills​
| Skill | Level Known | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Missile | Unknown (high) | Primary offensive spell. Significantly more powerful on Floor 5 due to Glass Cannon class reducing all spell costs and increasing training speed. With buffs, Donut's effective intelligence was approximately 64, making her missiles exceptionally powerful. See Magic Missile. |
| Hole | Unknown (high) | Creates a temporary hole through solid objects. On Floor 5 with Glass Cannon class: approximately 1.5 meters diameter, about four feet depth. Used to open locked doors, drop enemies through basket floors, and access spaces from above. See Hole. |
| Clockwork Triplicate | Unknown | Creates clockwork Mongo copies. Used extensively on Floor 5 for reconnaissance in sandstorms and as sacrificial distractions (e.g., Vahana assault, Mrs. Ghazi fight). See Clockwork Triplicate. |
| Heal Critter | Unknown | Heals Mongo and other animals. All magic failed during the Denise boss fight (scroll fizzled). Successfully used from the Nightmare II biplane to raise Orthrus from 10% to 100% health mid-flight. See Heal Critter. |
| Torch | Unknown | Attaches a magical light source. Used to illuminate the biplane cockpit during the Orthrus mission. See Torch. |
| Love Vampire | Unknown | Innate high-Charisma ability (Charisma 100+). Drains life or resources from charmed or infatuated targets. See Love Vampire. |
| Former Child Actor passives | — | Class gives enhanced Charisma, performance skills, and social manipulation bonuses. |
Donut's Class — Floor 5: Glass Cannon​
Donut selected the Glass Cannon class at the start of Floor 5. Key effects:
- Significant reduction in all spell costs
- Increased training speed on all spells
- Magic Missile greatly enhanced
- Does not directly increase Intelligence but functions similarly
- Notable drawback: reduced Constitution (Donut failed to obtain the +15 constitution bonus at class selection)
Katia Grim's Skills​
| Skill | Level Known | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rush | Unknown | Monster Truck Driver class ability. High-speed ramming charge. Accidentally killed Hekla when Rush registered her as a collision target despite her phase cloak. |
| Crowd Blast | Unknown | Weapon ability from the Shade Gnoll Riot Shield. AoE knockback blast. Used against Krakaren swarms during Floor 4 endgame. See Crowd Blast. |
Level Progression Notes (End of Floor 5)​
| Crawler | Level (End of Floor 5) |
|---|---|
| Carl | 47 (after water quadrant city boss fight, Ch28) |
| Katia | 44 (same event) |
| Princess Donut | 39 (up only one level on Floor 5; limited combat opportunities) |
Donut's slower leveling on Floor 5 is noted as a concern — the bubble floor structure offered fewer combat opportunities than earlier floors.
Notable Skill System Descriptions​
Sticky Feet (Carl)​
Carl uses this to hang upside-down from the ceiling of Ghazi's basement during the Mrs. Ghazi fight (Ch22), allowing him to apply burn gel directly to the sand ooze's glowing core. Duration is Dexterity multiplied by 2 seconds, with a six-hour cooldown.
Biplane Pilot (Carl)​
You have now piloted this craft enough times that the controls no longer feel as if they're fighting you.
Acquired during the Nightmare II mission to heal Orthrus (Ch30). The skill leveled up mid-mission as Carl gained flight experience. Level 3 at end of Floor 5.