Caveman

Verified against the spelunky.ai port v0.1.8 on 27 October 2026.

Level generation puts Cavemen on the ground in the Mines, where they're rare, and in the Jungle and the Temple. A Caveman wanders until it sees the player, then charges in a straight line. With 3 hit points, it survives most single hits, which stun it instead: a stunned or dead Caveman can be picked up, thrown at other monsters, or sacrificed to Kali.

A Caveman sets off walking in a random direction as soon as it's made, turning around at walls ^{[5] [6] [7]}. Its code sets its speed to 1.5 pixels per step, but it covers 4 pixels every 3 steps (40 per second): friction takes 0.1 off before it moves, and the game moves it in whole pixels, 1 a step and 1 more every third step ^{[8] [9]}. It stops to stand for 20–50 steps (0.67–1.67 seconds), and then sets off again in a random direction, with a 1 in 100 chance each step and when it reaches the edge of a ledge ^[10]. At a ledge, though, it keeps its walking speed for that step and slows down over the next few, so it slides about 10 pixels on, over the edge but not yet off it; the next time it sets off that way it stops at once and slides again, off the edge this time ^{[8] [11]}. Standing beside a wall, it hops ^[12].

The clip shows a Caveman stopping at the end of a platform and sliding over the edge, then stopping there again, sliding off and dropping to the floor below.

Every 6 steps while it stands or walks, a Caveman sends an invisible sight check flying ahead of it at 10 pixels per step, which stops at the first block in its way ^{[13] [14] [15]}. When one reaches the player, every Caveman within 100 pixels of him that isn't stunned starts charging, whichever Caveman sent it and whichever way it faces ^[16]. The clip shows a Caveman spotting the player across the cave and charging into him.

A charging Caveman runs at 3 pixels per step (90 per second) the way it faces, turning only at walls: it doesn't turn toward a player behind it, doesn't stop at ledges, and keeps charging until something stuns it ^[17].

A Caveman only acts while it's on screen or just off it ^{[18] [19]}.

When the player touches a Caveman that isn't stunned, without stomping it, he loses 1 heart, is knocked away from it (and upward, if he's above it), and blinks, invincible, for 30 steps (1 second) ^[20]. A stunned or dead Caveman does nothing to him.

Most hits stun a Caveman as well as hurting it: it's knocked back and lies on the ground for 200 steps (6.67 seconds), counted down while it's on the ground or carried, and then gets up if it has hit points left ^[21]. The clip shows the Whip stunning a charging Caveman, which gets up about eight seconds later and charges again. The Whip, a stomp and thrown items can't hurt a Caveman that's already stunned:

When its hit points run out, a Caveman dies and leaves its body, which, like a stunned Caveman, can be picked up and thrown ^{[33] [34] [35]}. Cavemen killed count toward the player's kills, and the screen between levels draws a Caveman icon for each ^{[36] [37]}. One that Spikes, Lava or a Spear Trap killed doesn't count ^{[38] [39] [40]}.

A stunned or dead Caveman left lying still on Kali's altar for 20 steps is sacrificed to her, adding 2 to her favour if it's stunned and half that if it's dead, unless her favour is already −8 or less ^[41].

Level generation makes Cavemen on top of blocks with open space above them, outside the starting room and shops:

• The Mines: a 1 in 800 chance for each such block, once the 1 in 60 roll for a Snake has failed ^[42].
• The Jungle: a 1 in 60 chance for each, once the roll for a Mantrap has failed, but not on water or on a graveyard level ^[43].
• The Temple: a 1 in 40 chance for each, once the roll for a Tomb Lord has failed ^[44].

Cavemen also come from:

• The Ice Caves' frozen cavemen. Breaking the ice around one frees a stunned Caveman ^[45].
• Olmec's Lair. The Cavemen bowing to Olmec get up and charge when he starts to move ^{[46] [47]}.
• Custom levels, as the level editor's tile h ^[48].

• A charging Caveman only turns at walls, so getting behind it, or over it, leaves it running the other way.
• One Caveman seeing the player sets off every Caveman within 100 pixels of him, even those facing away.
• The Whip can't hurt a stunned Caveman, so with the Whip alone it takes three hits, each after it gets back up. One bullet kills it.
• A stunned Caveman can be carried and thrown at another monster, or sacrificed for twice a dead one's favour.

• The same sight check sets off the Temple's Hawkmen, by the same rule ^[49].

• The Caveman's touch event replaces the one most monsters share, whose first line names it:

  // jumped on - oCaveman, oManTrap replaces this script with its own