Night Lurch

The Night lurch is an enemy in Fear & Hunger.

Location & Behavior
There are two Night lurches that can spawn in the game. The first patrols the hallway by the ritual circle in the level 7 catacombs. The second will spawn by and patrol the mine shaft by the ritual circle in the level 5 mine after the Armored Knight is defeated. These Night lurches are difficult to avoid, as they can leap towards the player in pursuit.

A Night lurch is a fearsome combatant, capable of using Critical slash (29-41 damage, causes bleeding, 70% critical state, 50% infected arm) with both arms, Nasty bite (16-24 damage, 70% infect arm or leg) with their head, and using a coin-flip attack that can cause rectal bleeding after their third turn. A Night lurch that has lost both arms will use Tackle (24-36 damage) with their body. These dangers are exacerbated by its speed; even a party that can disable its limbs and sever the head quickly will likely take some damage before they use their first turn actions.

Soul stones can be used on Night lurches to get a Lesser soul. Night lurches can be skinned for Pale skin, carry 5 silver coins, and can be consumed with Devour normally.

Strategy
The Night lurch is both dangerous and very quick, as previously noted, and a party should expect to take significant damage even if they can sever the head on the first turn. The torso of the Night lurch is more survivable than other foes, having 700HP, but requiring 420 damage to be destroyed at the end of a turn.

There are a few ways to defeat the Night lurch, but the best way is to use Blood magic or ranged items to sever the head, while the other party members attack the arms. Decapitating the Night lurch will stop all of its attacks immediately, while attacking the torso will allow it to use all of its attacks before it dies. The player can find Stones in the mine cart right before the first Night lurch's spawn if they don't have other means of attack.

Attacking the limbs will minimize the chance of being hit with Critical slash attacks before the head is cut, but the party members should still be in good health to be able to take those hits.