First game in a long time (Dunadan Ranger)

[smileyy]

It's been quite a few versions since I played Angband, but Dungeons of Dredmor had me longing for the real experience. I'm growing fond of this character, and I'd love some feedback as to how to progress before I get him killed off in some stupid fashion.

My current issues seem to be:
No Sustained STR
No Prevent Blindness
No Prevent Confusion
No Hold Life
Limited healing ability

I should probably upgrade my missile weapon, but I haven't found a suitable bow (or, I suppose, crossbow) better than this shortbow.

  [Angband 3.3.1 Character Dump]

 Name   Eldarion                                 Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Male         Age             59   Str:  18/53  +1  +2  +4 18/123 18/103
 Race   Dunadan      Height          84   INT:     17  +2  +2  +0  18/30
 Class  Ranger       Weight         211   WIS:      9  +2  +0  +0     11
 Title  Guide        Social  Role model   Dex:     16  +2  +1  +2  18/30  18/20
 HP     294/297      Maximize         Y   CON:     17  +3  +1  +2  18/50
 SP     43/43                             CHR:  18/57  +2  +1  +2 18/107

 Level               28   Armor    [65,+36]     Saving Throw         62%
 Cur Exp          92128   Fight   (+15,+21)     Stealth        Excellent
 Max Exp          92269   Melee   (+23,+30)     Fighting          Superb
 Adv Exp         105000   Shoot   (+28,+15)     Shooting          Heroic
 MaxDepth   1350' (L27)   Blows    1.6/turn     Disarming            59%
 Game Turns     1076020   Shots      2/turn     Magic Device          68
 Standard Turns  106179   Infra        0 ft     Perception       1 in 21
 Resting Turns    14713   Speed      Normal     Searching            27%
 Gold             22904   Burden  141.9 lbs

 You are one of several children of a Landed Knight.  You are a well
 liked child.  You have dark brown eyes, curly black hair, and an
 average complexion.


rAcid:....+.+++.... Nexus:......?......
rElec:......+.+.... Nethr:......?......
rFire:......+.+.... Chaos:......?......
rCold:......+.+.... Disen:.............
rPois:............. Feath:...........+.
rLite:............. pFear:.......+.....
rDark:........+.... pBlnd:.............
Sound:............. pConf:.............
Shard:......+...... pStun:.............

Light:............. Tunn.:.............
Regen:............. Speed:.............
  ESP:............. Blows:.............
Invis:+......+..... Shots:.............
FrAct:+......+..+.. Might:.............
HLife:............. S.Dig:......?......
Stea.:........+.... ImpHP:.............
Sear.:.............  Fear:.............
Infra:............. Aggrv:......?......


  [Character Equipment]

a) a Halberd of Westernesse (3d5) (+8,+9) <+2>
     Found lying on the floor at 1250 feet (level 25).
     
     +2 strength, dexterity, constitution.
     Slays orcs, trolls, giants.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     Combat info:
     1.6 blows/round.
     With +3 STR and +0 DEX you would get 2.0 blows
     With +0 STR and +2 DEX you would get 2.0 blows
     Average damage/round: 100.2 vs. orcs, 100.2 vs. trolls, 100.2 vs.
     giants, and 67.7 vs. others.
     
b) a Short Bow of Power (x2) (+13,+15)
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 950 feet (level 19).
     
     
     
c) a Moonstone Ring of Damage (+0,+10)
     Bought from a store.
     
     
     
d) a Beryl Ring of Slaying (+9,+4)
     Found lying on the floor at 1300 feet (level 26).
     
     
     
e) a Crystal Amulet of Resist Acid
     Bought from a store.
     
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
f) the Phial of Galadriel
     Dropped by Nár, the Dwarf at 950 feet (level 19).
     
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it lights up the surrounding area, hurting
     light-sensitive creatures.
     Takes 11 to 20 turns to recharge.
     Your chance of success is 95.0%
     
     Radius 3 light.
g) the Chain Mail of Arvedui (-2) [40,+15] <+2> {special}
     Found lying on the floor at 1250 feet (level 25).
     
     You do not know the full extent of this item's powers.
     +2 strength, charisma.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, shards.
     
h) the Cloak of Thorongil [1,+10]
     Found under some rubble at 1250 feet (level 25).
     
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Provides protection from fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
i) a Small Metal Shield of Elvenkind [5,+14] <+1>
     Bought from a store.
     
     +1 stealth.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, dark.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
j) an Iron Helm [7,+4]
     Found lying on the floor of a labyrinth at 1300 feet (level 26).
     
     
     
k) a Set of Caestus of Free Action (+0,+1) [5,-5]
     Found lying on the floor at 1100 feet (level 22).
     
     Prevents paralysis.  
     
l) a Pair of Steel Shod Boots of Slow Descent [7,-4]
     Found lying on the floor at 1150 feet (level 23).
     
     Cannot be harmed by fire.
     Feather Falling.  
     


  [Character Quiver]

n) 74 Arrows (1d4) (+0,+0)
     Bought from a store.
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 100 feet away.
     Average damage/round: 71.4.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     
o) 10 Arrows of Slay Animal (1d4) (+6,+8)
     Found lying on the floor of a labyrinth at 1300 feet (level 26).
     
     Slays animals.
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 100 feet away.
     Average damage/round: 208 vs. animals, and 104 vs. others.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     
p) 5 Arrows (1d4) (+4,+3)
     Dropped by Azog, King of the Uruk-Hai at 1300 feet (level 26).
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 100 feet away.
     Average damage/round: 83.6.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     
q) (nothing)
r) (nothing)
s) (nothing)
t) (nothing)
u) (nothing)
v) (nothing)
w) (nothing)


  [Character Inventory]

a) a Book of Magic Spells [Magic for Beginners]
     
     
b) a Book of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks]
     
     
c) a Book of Magic Spells [Incantations and Illusions]
     
     
d) 44 Metallic Purple Potions of Cure Critical Wounds
     
     
e) a Red Speckled Potion of Healing
     Bought from a store.
     
     
     
f) a Vermilion Potion of Enlightenment
     
     
g) 5 Dark Green Potions of Speed
     Bought from a store.
     
     
     
h) 9 Scrolls titled "jus fic posus" of Phase Door
     
     
i) 4 Scrolls titled "ae pro epio" of Teleportation
     
     
j) 3 Scrolls titled "incior explus" of Word of Recall
     
     
k) a Silver-Plated Rod of Curing
     
     
l) a Copper Rod of Teleport Other
     Found lying on the floor at 1350 feet (level 27).
     
     
     
m) 2 Balsa Staves of Identify (23 charges)
     
     
n) a Shovel of Digging (1d2) (+7,+8) <+4>
     Found lying on the floor at 1100 feet (level 22).
     
     +4 tunneling.
     Branded with acid.
     
     Combat info:
     2.7 blows/round.
     With +1 STR and +0 DEX you would get 3.0 blows
     With +0 STR and +2 DEX you would get 3.0 blows
     Average damage/round: 91.9 vs. creatures not resistant to acid,
     and 83.1 vs. others.
     


  [Home Inventory]

a) an Azure Potion of *Healing*
     Dropped by a Stone troll at 1300 feet (level 26).
     
     It can be thrown at creatures with damaging effect.
     
b) an Opal Ring of Protection [+16]
     Bought from a store.
     
     
     
c) the Long Sword 'Elvagil' (2d5) (+12,+12) <+2>
     Dropped by Lagduf, the Snaga at 1050 feet (level 21).
     
     +2 dexterity, charisma, stealth.
     Slays orcs, trolls.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Feather Falling.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     Combat info:
     2.0 blows/round.
     With +3 STR and +0 DEX you would get 2.3 blows
     With +0 STR and +2 DEX you would get 2.3 blows
     Average damage/round: 104.4 vs. orcs, 104.4 vs. trolls, and 78.8
     vs. others.
     
d) a Katana (Defender) (3d5) (+8,+11) [+2] <+2>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 950 feet (level 19).
     
     +2 stealth.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains dexterity.
     Feather Falling.  Speeds regeneration.  Prevents paralysis. 
     Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     Combat info:
     1.6 blows/round.
     With +2 STR and +0 DEX you would get 2.0 blows
     With +0 STR and +2 DEX you would get 2.0 blows
     Average damage/round: 68.8.
     
e) the Quarterstaff 'Eriril' (1d9) (+13,+15) <+4> {special}
     Dropped by a Gallant at 1150 feet (level 23).
     
     You do not know the full extent of this item's powers.
     +4 intelligence, wisdom.
     Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     It can be activated.
     
     Combat info:
     1.3 blows/round.
     With +2 STR and +0 DEX you would get 1.6 blows
     With +0 STR and +2 DEX you would get 1.6 blows
     Average damage/round: 55.4.
     
     Radius 1 light.

[UglySquirrell]

Get some poison resistance, and something with resist nexus, chainmail covers that. And drop down to level 33/34 to. Start finding stat potions, make sure to detect monsters a lot, detect invisible or rod of detection if you have it and stay clear of drolems death drakes, pretty much any not elemental dragons. and run if you see an ancient multihued dragon. Or Klavex. Shouldn't be much harder than late 20's and have a chance to drop stat potions. Plus the elemental hounds are rarer at that depth.

[UglySquirrell]

Just for clarification, chainmail covers nexus not poison. Oh and run if you see a greater basalisk too.

[smileyy]

I've gotten quite a DPS upgrade in terms of Cambeleg and this randart of extra attacks, as well as some boots of speed:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=11867

I haven't felt at risk from instadeath from poison, but I guess you don't feel the risk -- it just happens to you

My most dangerous moments have been with vibration hounds and a gold dragon -- the stuns let me get pretty hard until I recovered.

But yeah, I'd love some poison resistance without having to use a whole ring slot for it. I'm not sure stun resistance will be easy to come by.

[Timo Pietilä]

Originally Posted by smileyy

I've gotten quite a DPS upgrade in terms of Cambeleg and this randart of extra attacks, as well as some boots of speed:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=11867

I haven't felt at risk from instadeath from poison, but I guess you don't feel the risk -- it just happens to you

There is a very rough increase in damage from poison when you meet your first really damaging monster that can breathe poison for significant damage. It is that jump in danger that gets people by surprise.

Poison max damage is 800. You meet first one capable of doing that soon after 2000' (maybe earlier from vaults). Before that you don't really need it.

[UglySquirrell]

You're doing plenty of damage you won't notice if you replace the ring of slaying. Having to sacrifice a ring slot really sucks, especially once you get rings of speed but sooner or later you'll be in a situation where a Q or something else summons a dragon offscreen you don't see and you'll get really hard. I personally play kobolds for this reason.

[smileyy]

Well, that ended in a hurry. Stepped down to 1900' (with that ring of Poison Resistance on). Having not had any problems before, I light the room, and wake up a pack of gravity hounds. One step later, I'm dead.

[Derakon]

The gravity hounds were already awake; zephyr hounds of all types never sleep. Your first action on entering a new level should always be to cast Detect Monsters...at least until you get access to Mordenkeinen's Escapes, at which point it should probably be to cast Create Doors.

Sorry about your loss, though.

[Timo Pietilä]

Originally Posted by Derakon

The gravity hounds were already awake; zephyr hounds of all types never sleep. Your first action on entering a new level should always be to cast Detect Monsters...at least until you get access to Mordenkeinen's Escapes, at which point it should probably be to cast Create Doors.

That wouldn't help in this case. Casting that detect monster is your first move, at that point monsters are free to act, so probably that "one step later" does actually mean "immediately after lighting up the room".

High-range infravision and ESP are your only defenses if you don't have create doors. Even ESP can fail: Nexus Q in starting room with you. Detect monsters = get teleported middle of pack of gravity/time hounds = RIP.

IMO create doors is one spell we should need to tweak. That can be abused too easily, it's like "create instant hockey stick" -spell in open area.

@smileyy: these two in sight are cause to extreme caution: gravity hounds and time hounds. Those can kill even clvl 50 chars in single turn if there is whole pack in LoS, and in case of gravity hounds you have to be able to kill even single one before it acts, because at next round of combat you might find yourself in middle of the pack.

Hard lesson, but I guess not the only one you have to learn before winning the game. Hope next one does a bit better.

[smileyy]

Create Doors doesn't sound like "sane" mechanics, so I don't think I'll be taking that tack, at least until that becomes something that makes sense from a gameplay point of view.

I'm taking this loss kind of hard -- I think partly because the early game can be so slow. Or maybe I need to be less conservative.