Abilities

Abilities are special skills in Caves that your character and some units have. There are 5 basic abilities (Super Speed, Teleportation, Invisibility, Shadow Copy and Energy Impulse) that can be used by both the player and certain units, while the rest can be used only by the player as they are armor specific, abilities consume only energy (With the exception of Demonic Essence). Since using abilities is independent of stats, unit states, tile states, health and items, they can be a powerful tool in later stages of the game, when you have certain levels of upgrades in energy-related modules and improvements.

You can choose the ability you want when starting a new run. Character can only have 1 ability at one time. Abilities cannot be changed mid-run unless you return to the Shelter through a home portal and step into the Replicator.

Each new save file has Super Speed and Teleportation unlocked by default. You can unlock the remaining 3 abilities by purchasing the corresponding improvements using emeralds.

Abilities are either on-off or one-off. On-off abilities can keep lasting for multiple turns by toggling on and off. Both toggling on and off the abilities take 1 turn. While one-off abilities require activation each time units use the abilities.

Character receives a small amount of damage due to overloading if the energy depletes while the ability is on.

Super Speed[]

On-off ability
Toggling on the ability does not use a turn. Toggling off the ability uses a turn.
While Super Speed is on, the player's moves are greatly accelerated, allowing your character to outpace other units and the environment to perform multiple actions in a single turn.
By default the Speed Force of the ability is 1, meaning that character can have 1 turn faster, or in other words, have 1 turn that everything does not count their turns except character and character's effect. In the next turn, everything will proceed as normal, the third turn repeats turn 1.
- Speed Force improvement can increase Speed Force permanently up to 3.
- Using certain types of armors increases Speed Force by 1-3, stacks with the aforementioned improvements.
- The longer the ability is on, each turn consumes more energy.
Critical hit chance of the first attack increases by 75% after a movement with Super Speed on.
Miss chance is about 2-5% with Super Speed on, depending on whether targets can action next turn.
Energy is not consumed when toggling on and off the ability. However, without enough energy (few points of energy), the ability cannot be turned on.
Movement and standing still consume less energy comparing to attacking, using items and mining while Super Speed is on.
Currently, units that show similar patterns of Super Speed are:
- Portal Guardian, same pace with your character regardless of character's Speed Force (except for Rapid character's max upgraded speed force, who is faster than the Portal Guardian up to location 4)

Teleportation[]

One-off ability
Teleportation allows user to teleport to a tile that is 2 tiles within the user. Teleporting onto an obstacle will breaks the obstacle. Teleporting to a hostile unit exerts teleport-strike by which user can tp to a tile adjacent to the target , then attack in melee and teleport back to user's original position in 1 turn.
By default, 'Improved Teleportation' value is 0, meaning character must return to their original position after a teleport-strike. Using certain types of armors increases the value by 1-3. With value 1, character can choose a tile to teleport away after the melee attack. With values 2, character can teleport-strike 2 different non-friendly units in range, and then choose the tile to teleport away. Similarly, with values 3 character can attack 3 enemies in 1 turn.
An improvement called Teleportation Trail can be purchased to allow character to leave a lasting purple mark on the last tile that the character teleported away from. The character can teleport to the marked tile without costing a turn, but it still consumes energy.
Energy consumption in descending order:
- Tp to an empty tile > tp to an obstacle >teleport-strike
Currently, non-character units that show similar patterns of Teleportation are:
- Imp, Improved Teleportation 1, note that Imps can teleport to a place beyond 2 tiles and sight.
- Elite Sentinel, which is also the location 1 Boss, can tp to a place beyond 2 tiles and sight.
- Elite Sentinel Knight, can tp to a place beyond 2 tiles and sight.

Invisibility[]

On-off ability
While Invisibility is on, character is invisible to all other units. Performing attacks unmask the user for one turn.
While Invisibility ability and invisibility effect are both active, energy will not be consumed until invisibility effect disappears.
Activation of Invisibility generates several illusory decoys of your character around the user if there is 0-1 decoy on the field. The decoys do not attack or block, but can dodge weapon attacks by chance.
The decoys disappear if they are hit or character moves to the same tile with the decoys. The decoys disappear within 0-2 turns after toggling off the ability. The decoys disappear ~7-9 turns after their generation even the ability remains on.
Hostile units will usually target the decoys rather than the player when attacking.
An improvement can be purchased to increase the movement speed of your character while Invisibility is on.
Rarely, decoys can damage enemies with shock barrier.
+50% chance to deal critical damage if you attack while invisibility is on.
Currently, units that show similar patterns of invisibility are:
- Illusory Portal Guardian.
- Illusory Cyber Guardian.

Split Invisibility[]

On-off ability
While Invisibility is on, your character is invisible to all other units. Performing attacks unmask the user for one turn.
Creates several (~4) weak shadow copies that will attack any hostile unit.
+50% chance to deal critical damage if you attack while invisibility is on.
Hostile units will usually target the copies rather than the player when attacking.
Player can switch places with copies (you'll be "teleported" to the copy's location while the copy is sent to yours)
The copies will disappear if:

the copy's health drops to 0
the copy is too far away from the player
your character's energy drops to 0
the ability is deactivated (it takes 5-6 turns for the copies to disappear)

Functions identically to Invisibility, in nearly all regards.

Shadow Copy[]

On-off ability
While Shadow Copy is on, a shadow copy of character will be invoked at a selected tile. The copy can be summoned on tiles of doors or gate. Stats of the copy are randomly distributed upon each invocation. Health of the copy are full upon each invocation. The copy follows your character like other allied units do.
The player can switch places with the shadow copy.
The copy disappears and the ability automatically turns off if:
- the copy's health drops to 0
- character's energy drops to 0
- the ability is deactivated
- the copy is too far away from the player
Hostile units tend to target the copy rather than the player when attacking.
An improvement can be purchased to increases the health of the shadow copy by 50%.
Currently, units that show similar patterns of Shadow Copy are:
- Portal Guardian, summons guardians while in combat with >1 enemy.
- Red Sentinel, has a chance to summon copies when dashing.
- High Mutant Shaman, will summon a powerful copy when it's health is below 40%.
- Bloody Mutant Shaman, will summon a powerful copy when it's health is below 40%.

Energy Impulse[]

One-off ability
On activation of Energy Impulse, the player can unleash a splash of energy in a certain direction or in radial direction. After the first tap on the ability button, tapping a tile or an unit to chooses the discharge direction, tapping the character produces the radial energy impulse.
The AoE of Energy impulse are different in cardinal directions, diagonal directions and radial direction.
Energy impulse will damage and push away all in-ranged units 1 tile back if there is no obstacles or blocks in between or nearby. Energy impulse has a chance to destroy the front-most common blocks and obstacles (mostly within 2 tiles range).
Pushing an unit against a common block will pushes the unit 1 tile back and destroy the block, dealing extra damage to the unit. If the block is a harder stone, it damages the stone, damaging/mining it again can destroy the stone. Not applicable to indestructible blocks.
Energy impulse can push units into acid or lava lakes/pools.
Energy impulse affects invisible units.
Energy impulse cannot penetrate doors or gates.
An improvement can be purchased that guarantees that your Energy impulse will destroy energy shields, but the target will not receive damage or be pushed. Without this improvement, energy impulse damages the energy shields and the target will not receive damage and be pushed.
Currently, units that show similar patterns of Energy Impulse are:
- Fire Golem.
- Electric Golem.
- Plasma Emerald Golem.
- Illusory Portal Guardian.
- Illusory Cyber Guardian.

Drone Station[]

One-off ability,
Deploys a Hybrid Spider-Bot T-1 on a selected tile within 2 range.
Using the ability on a damaged Hybrid Spider Bot T-1 can repair it by a proportion of health. The repairing cost is about 50% of that of deploying.
The player can also repair other types of spider bots (as long as they are allied).
The spider bots behave similarly to Defender Spider Bot while also being able to self destruct.
The player will receive little to no damage if a Hybrid Spider Bot T-1 explodes near them.
Max limit of deployed Hybrid spider bots is 2, if the player attempts to deploy more the oldest one will be destroyed.

Drone Station T-2[]

One-off ability.
Deploys a Hybrid Spider-Bot T-2 on a selected tile within 2 range.
The spider bots behave similarly to Defender Spider Bot but will use a ranged attack, also they are able to can self destruct.
The player will receive little to no damage if a Hybrid Spider Bot T-2 explodes near them.
Allows the player to hack hostile robots and turn them into temporary allies, the probability of a successful hack is indicated by color:

Green: 80%-100%
Yellow: 40%-80%
Red 10%-30%

A successfully hacked robot will self destruct after 30-50 turns.
The max limit of deployed Hybrid spider bots is 2, if the player attempts to deploy more the oldest one will be destroyed.

Fire Support Beacon[]

One-off ability
Summons a Superior Bot T-2 to the selected tile, or nearest available tile, after 1-4 turns.
When the Superior Bot arrives, it creates an electric explosion within one tile of itself.
The Superior Bot dies when it's health runs out or after a time limit.
The max limit of summoned Superior bots is 2, if the player attempts to deploy more the oldest one will be destroyed.

Shock Wave Teleport[]

One-off ability.
Functions identically to teleportation, in nearly all regards.
Summons a radial impulse strike around the target location after the teleport is complete.
Capable of using Improved Teleport Strike.

Demonic Essence[]

On-off ability
Grants the following buffs while active:
- Teleportation to any tile within view.
- Faster movement.
- Fire resistance.
- +30% to critical chance directly after teleportation.
- 10% chance to activate Demonic Teleport Strikes.
- Absorption of 30-50% of taken damage.
Consumes both health & energy.

Demonic Essence T-2[]

On-off ability
Grants the following buffs while active:
- Teleportation to any tile within view.
- Faster movement.
- Fire resistance.
- +30% to critical chance right after teleportation.
- 10% chance to activate Demonic Teleport Strike.
- Absorption of 20-40% of taken damage.
- +5%-15% to weapon damage.
Consumes both health & energy.

Mechanical Shield[]

One-off ability
Reduces damage taken by 40%-60%.
20% to block attacks when the shield is active.
Bullets blocked by the shield are reflected back at nearby enemies, causing increased damage.
Consumes less energy than other abilities.
Energy consumption is increased when the player takes damage.
The mechanical shield partially absorbs fire damage.

Energy Cannon[]

One-off ability
Can shoot targets from 3 tiles away.
Deals damage only to the selected tile.
Can deal critical damage.
Consumes more energy if it is fired at maximum distance.
Maximum firing range is reduced if the player has low energy.
May deal elemental damage depending on the artifact equipped.
Has a cooldown of 1 turn.

Telekinesis[]

Allows you to throw enemies, destructible objects and items in any direction.
Throwing enemies into walls or objects deals ~2.5 more damage.
Energy consumption varies depending on the type of object thrown.

Scanner[]

The Scan is a secondary ability given to all armors used by the player, it doesn't use the player's energy neither does waste a turn, it is used to get information about entities such as their level, name, HP remaining and which faction they belong to, you can also use it on obstacles, items and even on yourself.

When used on the Player it will show your current armor, character type, critical chance for both melee and ranged weapons, total critical damage and the modules installed on this character.

Ability switcher[]

Armors will this feature can have 2 abilities at once and can switch between those at will. The abilities available for switching are predefined for each armor with this feature and may have some penalties.