I admit I don't quite agree with the point you're making.
flaming -> DEX
vs.
versatility -> DEX
doesn't seem especially weird to me. The Point Blank issue is a separate consideration. For example I take Flaming Arrows all the time, but almost never take Point Blank.

I guess my point is that "point blank" is a pretty bad alternative to "versatility" b/c it will cost so much more to get DEX.

But you do not need point blank at all. A lot of players play archers without either ability. You can e.g. take crippling shot to get more shots on approaching enemies just fine. Or sprinting / leaping to get range. Or fear to drive enemies away. Or stealth to select targets better.

What is a pt of dex in Sil to an archer anyway? +1 melee? (well you've probably gone versatility or your melee is better then your archery & pt blank makes no sense), +1 stealth? (sneakers don't usually pt blank, if you're really caught & need to you can still pt blank & just take the hit), +1 archery/evasion? (here it's a straight pt calculation, either it's cheaper to grab it or cheaper to get more archery & evasion).

I suspect the main pt of the dex in the tree is for melee elves that shoot. It costs you 6000 to grab 10 archery, flaming arrows & dex. That's a significant melee/evasion drop that is partially bought back by grabbing the dex.

I don't think the drain on vampiric weapons is working properly against enemies you can't see. I'll check a bit closer next time I use one.

don't know if this is a bug. when equipped with elessar, a ring of sustenance will not id. if your hunger "balances out" it and one item is known, the other should still id right?

okay so with a vampiric weapon equipped and identified, =hunger will identify but =sustenance will not.

What do Morgoth and Gorthaur's songs do? As far as I know, one of Morgoth's songs slows you, but I have no idea about the other two. Gorthaur tends to die too quickly in the carnage of the throne room for me to really know what his song does and I never see him outside of it unlike some of the other uniques with depth 1000.

Morgoth only has two songs. The piercing one lets him find you easier, even from outside of LOS. I think the binding song (the slowing one) also closes/locks doors, but I might be misremembering.

Gorthaur's song is the coolest one IMO, it summons oathwraiths pretty close to every turn while he sings it. It's a lot cooler when you find him in the Chambers of Thu and he does it there, instead of the chaos of the throne room.

Maybe Gorthaur needs a new song for throne room use.

A.