Angbar, Gnome Mage [V 3.0.5] (long maybe?)

Garrie · February 19, 2008, 14:03

All right, in the interest of fast diving reports...
Started with point generated V gnome mage. I have a starting form which leaves me with enough $ to buy a pretty set kit but reduced stats... I'm happy with it that's what counts! (mind you I don't skimp on INT)

Having bumped maggot, bought/sold back various !, I have all four spell books - S&E is left safely at home.

Based on previous history I go downstairs with no enchanted equipment, "just" the first three spellbooks, a couple of phase door scrolls, !clw, WoR. My usual experience is I can replace all personal inventory "off the floor" before hitting CL20.

First dive goes niceley - find an unexpected staff of perceptions which tells me that apart from an inventory full of junk, by 400' I've found a defender trident. Not long after - strangely enough by 450' I had not reached CL9 but HAD managed to get all my food eaten/stolen, so I had to WOR back to the village for some emergency rations... just make it to the general store having quaffed a couple of !CLW in the journey!

Against the grain of a lot of advice floating here and at RGRA, I generally avoid taking spells till I get close to having enough XP to get to CL9: I find that taking enough spells then and casting them can often get me through a personal "rough patch" between my inventory filling up, and being able to cast identify. For some reason if I take the spells as they become available my turn count is consistantly higher to hit CL11 (and that main benefit of a mage - "free identify").

HENCE, in an effort to minimise inventory between CL11 and CL20 - my turn count for CL11 is low, but my turn count then blows out till my max mana / ID fail rate drops considerably.

Upshot: after a second dive, Maggot, Fang, Grip, Brodda are all (+) tombstones.
Turn count: 203k
CLEV: 18
Max Depth: 25 / 1250'

ie I've finished with the first three spellbooks but haven't started on the fourth yet. Only misadventure has led me to having seen the village more than once this game (and as I always do - I am back at the village at the end of this session).

I cleared out a pit when I saw Brodda there - but as has been mentioned the pit was not worth investigating all it did was put me in harms way with little reward (no loot, high risk/xp return).

Other than that: I have had only two levels now where I have used the upstairs, other than that there was one WOR back to town and two journeys down via stairs (second journey back to 450' was not worth wasting a WOR - at CLEV 8 early monsters are easy and there is always a chance of finding some easy ! speed).

My main difficulty in finding SI is past me, as a gnome FA is already sorted, all I have to do now is not get greedy and **run away**!
Now I have ID I hope to get back to DL>CL on my next dive.
Dump is here.
Garrie.

Bandobras · February 19, 2008, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrie

For some reason if I take the spells as they become available my turn count is consistantly higher to hit CL11

That's mathematically correct. The higher your level, the less XP you get, except from spells, which give constant rewards. So keep your level low for biggest XP/turn, assuming you can survive with lower HP, SP, etc. BTW I don't like the big difference between XP gains at different CLs. Oh, and BTW, an Un (un)plug: you don't get XP for spells in Un.

Garrie · February 20, 2008, 06:50

OK, that makes sense in a manner. I guess that xp for a spell should be related to the spell level more than anything else.

I for one, agree with getting XP the first time you do almost ANYTHING specific to your class. Which for some classes is a pretty small list.

Garrie · February 20, 2008, 06:52

hmmm, Mordenkenenenennenenens escapes at dl13. For me that is a rare effort, although yes it's usually one of the earlier books I find.

Gee, I'm not even carying Sourcery & Evocations yet and I have found a dungeon book! There is something to be said for not WoR back into dungeon until you get really quite deep. Better to just walk on down the >....

Garrie · February 20, 2008, 07:33

Well that should have told me to be careful....
wandering around too much to find the next > I got hit several times in succession while slow (-2) by a black orc. Knowing they hunt in packs (and with bows) I didn't want to phase door but I ended up dead instead.
I wasn't standing and fighting, but wasn't quick enough to get out of his way either.

Oh well... same rule-based start... will continue this post when I get to CL20 with the next attempt I guess!

February 19, 2008, 14:03	#1
Garrie Adept Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 147	Angbar, Gnome Mage [V 3.0.5] (long maybe?) All right, in the interest of fast diving reports... Started with point generated V gnome mage. I have a starting form which leaves me with enough $ to buy a pretty set kit but reduced stats... I'm happy with it that's what counts! (mind you I don't skimp on INT) Having bumped maggot, bought/sold back various !, I have all four spell books - S&E is left safely at home. Based on previous history I go downstairs with no enchanted equipment, "just" the first three spellbooks, a couple of phase door scrolls, !clw, WoR. My usual experience is I can replace all personal inventory "off the floor" before hitting CL20. First dive goes niceley - find an unexpected staff of perceptions which tells me that apart from an inventory full of junk, by 400' I've found a defender trident. Not long after - strangely enough by 450' I had not reached CL9 but HAD managed to get all my food eaten/stolen, so I had to WOR back to the village for some emergency rations... just make it to the general store having quaffed a couple of !CLW in the journey! Against the grain of a lot of advice floating here and at RGRA, I generally avoid taking spells till I get close to having enough XP to get to CL9: I find that taking enough spells then and casting them can often get me through a personal "rough patch" between my inventory filling up, and being able to cast identify. For some reason if I take the spells as they become available my turn count is consistantly higher to hit CL11 (and that main benefit of a mage - "free identify"). HENCE, in an effort to minimise inventory between CL11 and CL20 - my turn count for CL11 is low, but my turn count then blows out till my max mana / ID fail rate drops considerably. Upshot: after a second dive, Maggot, Fang, Grip, Brodda are all (+) tombstones. Turn count: 203k CLEV: 18 Max Depth: 25 / 1250' ie I've finished with the first three spellbooks but haven't started on the fourth yet. Only misadventure has led me to having seen the village more than once this game (and as I always do - I am back at the village at the end of this session). I cleared out a pit when I saw Brodda there - but as has been mentioned the pit was not worth investigating all it did was put me in harms way with little reward (no loot, high risk/xp return). Other than that: I have had only two levels now where I have used the upstairs, other than that there was one WOR back to town and two journeys down via stairs (second journey back to 450' was not worth wasting a WOR - at CLEV 8 early monsters are easy and there is always a chance of finding some easy ! speed). My main difficulty in finding SI is past me, as a gnome FA is already sorted, all I have to do now is not get greedy and run away! Now I have ID I hope to get back to DL>CL on my next dive. Dump is here. Garrie.

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February 20, 2008, 06:50	#3
Garrie Adept Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 147	OK, that makes sense in a manner. I guess that xp for a spell should be related to the spell level more than anything else. I for one, agree with getting XP the first time you do almost ANYTHING specific to your class. Which for some classes is a pretty small list.

February 20, 2008, 06:52	#4
Garrie Adept Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 147	hmmm, Mordenkenenenennenenens escapes at dl13. For me that is a rare effort, although yes it's usually one of the earlier books I find. Gee, I'm not even carying Sourcery & Evocations yet and I have found a dungeon book! There is something to be said for not WoR back into dungeon until you get really quite deep. Better to just walk on down the >....

February 20, 2008, 07:33	#5
Garrie Adept Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 147	Well that should have told me to be careful.... wandering around too much to find the next > I got hit several times in succession while slow (-2) by a black orc. Knowing they hunt in packs (and with bows) I didn't want to phase door but I ended up dead instead. I wasn't standing and fighting, but wasn't quick enough to get out of his way either. Oh well... same rule-based start... will continue this post when I get to CL20 with the next attempt I guess!

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