Digging for non-diggers

[Derakon]

Once you get enough strength you can dig effectively even with a dagger. I remember playing half-troll warriors that would dig down secret doors faster than they could find them (back in the days before searching was revamped).

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Originally Posted by Derakon

Once you get enough strength you can dig effectively even with a dagger. I remember playing half-troll warriors that would dig down secret doors faster than they could find them (back in the days before searching was revamped).

That may work for a wooden door, but I don't think even 18/** maxed strength will do anything for digging through granite with a dagger. Vaults will for the most part be out of reach without the ability to get through granite. Oh, how @ will long for a rocket launcher!

[archolewa]

I make pretty heavy use of digging. I use it to create shortcuts through the dungeon, to create zigzag corridors that let me better control LOS, and to go around traps. I've mostly played characters with decent strength, so I pretty much always carry a digger. It does mean I recall more frequently in the early game because I can't carry more than one unidentified weapon or armor without getting burdened, but meh. I've never bothered with the wands. It's not long after I find a wand of stone to mud that I find something with +Dig, and even a little bit of extra digging means you're digging through granite in only a couple of turns. Meanwhile, one wand of stone to mud will get you like one or two zigzag corridors.

That being said, I do prefer having a ring of Digging rather than a digger because they're so much lighter.

[Sky]

i am a compulsive digger.
i generally push as quickly as i can for enough STR - through potions of brawn and strength rings - so that i can dig with my normal weapon, however the alternatives are:
1. un-ignore and search the level you are on for a heavy weapon, like a flail or a zweihander
2. ring of digging
3. a shovel of digging is sometimes more useful than the basic dagger you start with, due to the acid brand.
4. if everything else fails, use a staff of earthquake at *just* the right distance to break the wall of the vault.
5. bait a umber hulk to do the digging for you
6. cry

in my whole career as a dungeon explorer i have - i think - only once left a vault untouched.

[DavidMedley]

At the risk of enshrining my ignorance... I'm at CL26 with a HE Necro for Competition 226, and I don't think I've ever had anything that can penetrate granite. I've kept an eye out for rings of digging. I even toted a found shovel around for a while when my weapon couldn't even handle quartz. But 18 lbs for a pick is just too much! (STR 13) I'm thinking about grabbing one for 176 AU and just dropping it on the floor as soon as I arrive, in case I need to come back for it later.

What am I doing wrong?

[luneya]

Originally Posted by DavidMedley

At the risk of enshrining my ignorance... I'm at CL26 with a HE Necro for Competition 226, and I don't think I've ever had anything that can penetrate granite. I've kept an eye out for rings of digging. I even toted a found shovel around for a while when my weapon couldn't even handle quartz. But 18 lbs for a pick is just too much! (STR 13) I'm thinking about grabbing one for 176 AU and just dropping it on the floor as soon as I arrive, in case I need to come back for it later.

What am I doing wrong?

Nothing. Digging stinks for non-dwarf with a STR as low as 13. Definitely try to carry either ring of digging or wand of stone to mud. If you aren't playing no-recall, check the town shops often; you may be able to buy one of these at the black market or even the magic shop. I wouldn't bother with a pick; the only time you will really NEED to be able to dig into granite is to crack a vault, and you don't want to be overburdened on the turn when you do that.

I'd also try to get STR up as quickly as possible if I were in your position, even at the risk of losing other key stats to potions of brawn.

[DavidMedley]

I did finally find a ring of digging. 0.2 lbs is exactly my budget!