The gnomish digger is a vehicle variant of the Gnomish walker. Similar to the walker, it is piloted by gnomes to move quickly against a target, with the protection of its armour and shield to reflect all spells hitting it, while the gnome pilot zaps its opponent with wand of magic missile or wand of striking.
Unlike the walker, the digger has a auger that can do tremendous damage at close range. In addition to its armour, and a gnome pilot zapping offensive wands, it may prove difficult if not suicidal for the player or pets to engage it in melee combat.
Location[]
- Gnome Mines (all levels).
Loot[]
- Auger (low chance to drop).
Traits[]
Gnomish diggers have been observed to have the following abilities or behaviours:
- Alignment: Neutral;
- Deaf: Immune to the effects of magical instruments;
- Health: Can breath magically;
- Health: Does not heal;
- Mount: Can be mounted by gnomes;
- Resistance: Cold;
- Resistance: Confusion;
- Resistance: Fire;
- Resistance: Poison;
- Resistance: Sleep.
Tips[]
General[]
- Even if a gnome on a gnomish digger is killed, any nearby gnome may proceed to mount the unattended gnomish digger;
- An unattended gnomish digger is an excellent training dummy to increase weapon skills. Make sure to command pets to stay where they are, least they interrupt practice sessions by destroying it;
- A slain Gnomish digger will still inhibit spells and arrows from passing through it;
- The easiest way to obtain the auger is to cast polymorph or use wand of polymorph on it. The digger may polymorph into a gnome wielding the auger;
- Warning! Although the gnome pilot can be charmed, the digger itself will remain hostile and continuously follow while damaging the player at close range. The gnome pilot cannot be commanded to move away, stay, or dismount. The only option is to kill either the pilot or the digger.
Avoid[]
To gain the Gnome King's favour, ways to dispatch gnomish diggers without killing its gnome pilot:
- Command pets to attack. Hopefully they will target the gnome pilot first (behaviour depends on pet species);
- Casting a teleport away spell or using a wand of teleportation may teleport the entire digger and its pilot away or aim for the legs and send pets to dispatch its pilot.
Destroy[]
If the player does not wish to seek the Gnome King's favour:
- It is best attacked by using ranged weapons to attack and kill the gnome pilot;
- There is narrow angle where the player can shoot the gnome pilot without hitting the Gnome digger, slightly near the pilot's head;
- Spells usually are reflected and may cause damage to the player and pets. A well aimed magic missile spell bouncing off the ceiling may successfully kill the gnome pilot instead;
- Casting a teleport away spell or using a wand of teleportation, aimed at the digger's legs, may teleport the digger leaving the gnome pilot behind.