View source for Fungal mage

{{beta}}
{{Infobox monster
|image = [[File:Fungal mage.png|200px]]
|members = Yes
|aggressive = No
|poisonous = No (but the infestation)
|weakness = Magic, Neem Oil
|always drops = [[Accursed ashes]], [[Neem drupe]]
|release = [[28 November]] [[2011]]
|update = Polypore Dungeon
|level = 120
|LP = 1200
|slaylvl=1
|slayxp=120
|Kuradal=Yes
|Duradel=Yes
|Sumona=Yes
|Chaeldar=Yes
|attack style = Magic
|attack speed = 6
|immune to poison = Yes
|max hit = 114
|examine = A creature of animated earth, infested with fungus. / This fungal mage has been weakened slightly. (When affected by neem oil)}}
The '''fungal mage''' is a monster found in the [[Polypore Dungeon]].

If players come closer than one square away from it, it will infest them, dealing fast hits of 2 or 3 life points. However, this can be prevented by using [[neem oil]] on it. This infestation does not reduce your [[Prayer points]], contrary to popular belief. It should be noted that they are weak for their level, with a moderately low max hit and accuracy. Players with fair magical defence could tank their attacks with ease. Players with a low [[Magic]] level and poor magic defensive bonuses however, should go near the fungal mage and allow it to infest them; it would be difficult to break even while using [[Protect from Magic]]/[[Deflect Magic]], and the damage from infestation is much less than the attacks from the magic attacks themselves. It seems that even with good defence its normal magical attacks still cause more damage, but as the damage is small either way it is partially up to personal reference. If the player wish to go for the infection method, they must stay in melee range and '''not''' use neem oil (Players should note however that when neem oil is used on a fungal mage it stops attacking for a few seconds).

Melee and range attacks will be severely reduced to almost 1/10th of what the attack would have done, unless a [[dwarf multicannon]] is used, which is highly recommended due to the fact that it does a large amount of damage (maximum '''300''') and the mages seem to have an instant respawn rate.

Fungal mages can drop one unnoted [[Gorajian mushroom]], which can extend trips. Depending on a player's magic level, they can kill 120-200 Fungal mages per hour.

Players can kill these without 50 Magic, but they will not get them as a [[Slayer task]] until they have the level. It should be noted that fungal magi are incredibly strong against [[melee]] and [[Ranged]], as with all other creatures found in the Polypore dungeon. A good way of training on these if lacking coins is to use a [[salamander]] on magic attack mode. Another way is to use the spell [[Fire Bolt]], as with [[chaos gauntlets]] and an [[arcane stream necklace]], it can deal a nice amount of damage comparable to [[Fire Blast]], and chaos runes are inexpensive.

Killing fungal magi can be quite profitable, due to their valuable drops such as fungal flakes, potato cactus, snape grass, pure essence, chaos runes and seeds.

===Strategies===
[[File:Killing fungal mage.png|thumb|A player fighting a fungal mage.]]
{| class="wikitable"
!Slot
!Equipment
|-
|Helmet
|
[[Full Slayer helm]] (if on task) > [[Hexcrest]] (if on task) > [[Virtus mask]]> [[Ganodermic visor]]> [[Hood of subjugation|Hood of Subjugation]] > [[Ahrim hood|Ahrim's hood]] > [[Grifolic visor]] > [[Fungal visor]] > Mystic Robe Set(t)> [[Battle hood]]
|-
|Body
|
[[Virtus robe top]]> [[Ganodermic poncho]]> [[Garb of subjugation|Garb of Subjugation]] > [[Ahrim's robe top]]> [[Grifolic poncho]] > [[Dagon'hai robe top]] > [[Fungal poncho]] > [[Mystic robe top]] > [[Battle robe top]]
|-
|Legs
|[[Virtus robe bottom]]> [[Ganodermic leggings|Ganodermic leggings ]]> [[Gown of subjugation|Gown of Subjugation]] > [[Ahrim's robe skirt|Ahrim's robe skirt ]]> [[Grifolic leggings]] > [[Dagon'hai robe bottom]] > [[Fungal leggings]] > [[Mystic robe bottom]] > [[Battle robe bottom]]
|-
|Shield
|[[Surgebox]] > [[Arcane spirit shield]] > [[Farseer kiteshield]]/[[Ward of subjugation]] > [[Mages' book]] > [[Sacred clay shield (magic)]] > [[Tome of frost]] > [[Illuminated unholy book]] > [[Illuminated ancient book]] > [[Void knight deflector]]
|-
|Weapon
|[[Armadyl battlestaff|Armadyl Battlestaff ]] (using Storm of Armadyl)> [[Polypore staff ]](using its built-in spell) [[Staff of light]] > [[Mystic lava staff]] > [[Lava battlestaff]]
|-
|Gloves
|[[Spellcaster gloves]]/[[Gloves of subjugation|Gloves of Subjugation]] > [[Culinaromancer's gloves 10|Barrows gloves]] > [[Infinity gloves]] > [[Regen Bracelet]] > [[Mystic gloves]]
|-
|Boots
|[[Boots of subjugation|Boots of Subjugation]] > [[Ragefire boots]] > [[Infinity boots]] > [[Mystic boots]]
|-
|Cape
|[[Completionists cape]]> [[Max cape]]> [[God cape]] > [[Cape of Accomplishment]] > [[Obsidian cape]]
|-
|Neck
|[[Arcane stream necklace]] > [[Saradomin's Hiss]] > [[Third-age amulet]] > [[Amulet of Fury]] > [[Amulet of Glory]]
|-
|Ring
|
[[Seers' ring (i)]] > [[Onyx ring (i)]] > [[Dragonstone ring (i)]] > [[Tokkul-Zo]] > [[Seers' ring]]
|-
|Aura
|[[Reverence]]
|}

Inventory should include some food or other source of healing, runes for spells, an emergency teleport, and a cannon/cannonballs if applicable. You may also wish to take a [[Prayer urn]] for collecting the ashes.

An easy way to get a few safe hits in on the mage is to attack him once, then immediately sprinkle [[neem oil]] on the mage. This will give you about three safe hits before the mage starts to attack you.

[[File:Fungal mage neemed.png|left|thumb|A fungal mage affected by neem oil.]]

==Drops==
===100% drop===
{{DropsTableHead}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Accursed ashes|Quantity=1|Rarity=Always|Image = [[File:Accursed ashes.png]]}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Neem drupe|Quantity=1-3|Rarity=Always|gemw=no|Image=Neem drupe.png}}
|}

===Charms===
{{Charm:Fungal mage}}

===Essence and runes ===
{{DropsTableHead}}{{DropsLine|Name=Chaos rune|Quantity=15-40|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Pure essence|Quantity=25 (noted)|Rarity=Common}}
|}

===Seeds===
{{DropsTableHead}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Tarromin seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Ranarr seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Wildblood seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Poison ivy seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Spirit weed seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Limpwurt seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Cactus seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Harralander seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Whiteberry seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Strawberry seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Marrentill seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Jangerberry seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Bittercap mushroom spore|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Belladonna seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Irit seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Kwuarm seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Toadflax seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Avantoe seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Lantadyme seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Snapdragon seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Dwarf weed seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Watermelon seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Torstol seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Cadantine seed|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare}}
|}

===Other===
{{DropsTableHead}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Potato cactus|Quantity=1, 8 (noted)|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Snape grass|Quantity=4 (noted)|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Limpwurt root|Quantity=1-2 (noted)|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Gorajian mushroom|Quantity=1|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Polypore spore|Quantity=1-100|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Fungal flake|Quantity=1-90|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Spin ticket|Quantity=1|Rarity=Rare|gemw=no|Image=Spin ticket.png}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Starved ancient effigy|Quantity=1|Rarity=Very rare|gemw=no|Image=Ancient effigy.png}}
|}

===Neem oil drops===
Note: The [[herbicide]] from Daemonheim does work with these herb drops.

{{DropsTableHead}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Neem drupe|Quantity=1-3|Rarity=Common|gemw=no|Image=Neem drupe.png}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Eye of newt|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Swamp tar|Quantity=1-3|Rarity=Common}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Fungal flake|Quantity=1-84|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Ganodermic flake|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Polypore spore|Quantity=1-75|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Vial of water|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy harralander|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy ranarr|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Uncommon}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy marrentill|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy guam|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy tarromin|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy irit|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy cadantine|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy kwuarm|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy avantoe|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy lantadyme|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Grimy dwarf weed|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Rare}}
{{DropsLine|Name=Snapdragon seed|Quantity=1-2|Rarity=Very rare}}
|}

==Trivia==
*They may be related to [[earth warrior]]s, as their examine option states "A creature of animated earth infested by fungus", and the only animated earth monsters in high amounts is the Earth Warrior.
*When the fungal mage is assigned for a Slayer task, the [[Slayer masters]] call them fungal magi (because the plural of "mage" is "magi" since the word has Latin origin).
*Fungal magi have a very fast respawn rate; as soon as they are killed, within 5 seconds they will respawn.
*Despite being the highest levelled monster to drop Fungal flakes, it rarely seems to drop them. This may be an oversight from Jagex.
*When the fungal mage is assigned as a Slayer task, when you block it you can also choose the option to block all monsters in the Polypore dungeon.
*When neem oil is scattered on them their back loses its bright green colour. When the effect has worn off they return back to their normal green colour.

{{Slayer monsters}}
{{Polypore Dungeon}}
[[Category:Polypore Dungeon]]