The Crypt

Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

The Crypt is a huge repository for the ancient dead. The air is chill and fetid, the walls cold and damp. Bones are strewn liberally everywhere and every noise echoes worryingly, violating the overbearing silence of the grave. This branch is unusually silent: sounds travel farther here. The entrance to this branch can be found between levels 2 and 3 of the Vaults. This branch is 3 levels deep. This branch contains the entrance to the Tomb.

These stairs lead to an ancient crypt. Unfortunately, not everything that was buried there had the decency to stay dead.

The Crypt is a 3-floor branch, found between the Vaults:2 and 3. It is filled with all manner of undead opponents, and although it does not contain a rune of Zot, it does hold the mummy-guarded entrance to the Tomb, as well as a significant amount of treasure guarded by powerful undead foes on the final floor.

Layout

The Crypt is made up of claustrophobic, winding hallways and large open chambers, all of which are built of undiggable stone or metal walls.

The Crypt is also a very silent place, so noise carries farther than usual. Most residents are dead quiet, but even the noise made by your weapons will attract attention.

Crypt:3

The third floor of the Crypt always has a treasure vault, which can be sized anywhere from a modest room to all of the map. These always contain some of the most powerful undead enemies in the game, but often hold living and golem opponents as well.

Some of the treasure vault loot will be Necromancy themed loot, such as draining, vampiric, or pain-branded weapons, rings of positive energy, the Necronomicon, staves of death, or one of several similarly themed unrands.

Strategy

The Crypt is optional; it can be tackled if you need more XP/items during the late game. If planning to enter the extended game, it is generally done before entering Pan or Hell.

Crypt is almost entirely filled with undead creatures, so holy wrath and Dispel Undead are more useful here. Likewise, negative energy and torment are common, so bring rN+.

The following monsters deserve special attention:

• z Ancient champion - These foes can fire Iron Shots and have decent damage. When hasted, they can deal good damage against any character.
• D Bone dragon - A high damage, highly durable undead enemy. Simple, but threatening.
• z Curse skull - These fast-moving and high AC skulls can torment you and Summon Undead.
• L Ancient lich & L Dread lich - top-tier spellcasters. Ancient liches deal massive damage with their spells, dread liches can paralyse you or summon dangerous demons.
• W Phantasmal warrior - not terribly dangerous on their own, but they halve your willpower, making you vulnerable to being hexed by vampire knights, liches, or other enemies.

Useful Traits

• A holy wrath weapon
• Dispel Undead
• Strong physical defenses
• Negative energy resistance
• See invisible

Monsters

W Wraith	W Flayed ghost	3 Soul eater	2 Reaper
W Freezing wraith	W Shadow wraith	W Phantasmal warrior	W Eidolon
n Ghoul	D Bone dragon	z Flying skull	z Curse skull
p Necromancer	p Death knight	e Deep elf death mage	z Skeletal warrior
V Vampire mage	V Vampire knight	V Jiangshi	z Revenant
L Lich	L Ancient lich	L Dread lich	z Ancient champion

Placed by vaults

( Dancing weapon	9 Iron golem	9 Crystal guardian	z Curse toe	p Hell knight	A Profane servitor
M Mummy	M Guardian mummy	M Mummy priest	M Royal mummy	M Khufu	H Sphinx

Uniques

S Aizul	d Bai Suzhen	L Boris	@ Donald
@ Frederick	j Grunn	V Jory	L Josephina
M Khufu	R Mara	@ Margery	A Mennas
o Saint Roka	Q Sojobo	9 Vv	D Xtahua
a Zenata

History

• Prior to 0.17, you could find Unborn in this branch.
• Prior to 0.15, the Crypt was 5 floors deep. In 0.15, Deep dwarf death knights were replaced by human death knights, and Plague shamblers were removed.
• Prior to 0.13, the Crypt had a drastically different monster set. Zombies, skeletons, and skeletal warriors were by a very large margin the most common monsters. It was also even more quiet.