Need some character optimization advice...

[largos]

For the first time I actually have a character that's getting *really* deep--I've been playing angband off and on for the last 10 years or so, and this is the strongest I've ever been:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=8756

However... I don't seem to be strong enough, and I'm not sure what I should do to improve my chances at this point. I don't have much trouble with the general creatures around my depth, but the higher level uniques are becoming a serious problem.

To whit:

• Atlas just nailed me for 859 damage in 1 round (with +28 speed)
• Ancalagon was breathing for 300+ (I believe with mana or nether based attacks--so rNether will help there)
• Really, the only reason I was able to beat Gothmog is that I could stand up to his melee / spells (98% saving throw) and I was able to corner him so he couldn't summon.

I also think I'm approaching my max damage / round. Nothing I can do seems to increase my attacks / round any more, maxing my str, dex, and wielding a whip or dagger still only results in 5 attacks per round. Given that I'm already using a branded 3x6 +24 weapon, I don't see much opportunity to do more damage.

What do you suggest I do to harden my character more? I'm working on hoarding heal and *heal* potions, and I can get 30 perm. speed if I need to, but that seems past the point of diminishing returns.

Anyhow, I'd love to hear suggestions.

Thanks!

[Polyonymous]

Atlas is the highest melee damage/time monster. He hurts. Archery is your friend, especially against him. Where's your stack(s) of store bought arrows?

I'd swap in your Amulet of Trickery as the speed and stealth are better than the devotion amulet.

I'd swap Cugragol in for running around. (+21 speed vs +31 speed has the same impact as about +1 stealth as you get more actions per monster notice check). Plus, it's always good to already be faster when you're surprised, you'll have time to swap to the bow when you choose to fight)

Your rings could use a swap for just about anything (+30 in damage rings would boost your melee attacks up to 90ish per attack and the Amulet of Trickery covers poison that Barahir is taking care of currently)

You're really at the depth where you may as well dive to the bottom (assuming you can adequitely dodge problematic monsters). There's not that much nonunique that's between 67 and 98.

However, since this is your deepest character, you're already past your comfort zone, so the risk of waiting 10 more years for another character this advanced may justify inching downward slowly.

[PowerDiver]

You are playing a ranger.

Let me repeat.

You are playing a ranger.

That means you shouldn't even be talking about melee except wistfully as a fallback. Your bow is pretty pathetic. Have you not found an extra might or lothlorien longbow with better than +15 damage? Throw away Cubragol right now. Buy 99 arrows, then buy out the general store or go wait a thousand turns on dLevel 1 for a restock, and repeat until you have a whole bunch of arrows. Brand them 99 at a time until you can carry a stack of each of the 3 brands with you. Kill nasty things with arrows, or if they resist all of fire cold and poison use a staff of destruction on them and/or flee the level. Save at least one stack of acid arrows for Sauron and as many slay evil for Morgoth as you can.

[PowerDiver]

One more thing - arrows of slay giant/undead whatever are for those uniques that resist fire/cold/poison. Don't waste them on non-uniques unless your point is just to get rid of them.

[Dubtrain]

Originally Posted by Polyonymous

However, since this is your deepest character, you're already past your comfort zone, so the risk of waiting 10 more years for another character this advanced may justify inching downward slowly.

I love this game.

[Pete Mack]

I'm surprised that Atlas did 800+ melee damage; he's usually (but not always) limited to around 600. (He hits harder than Morgy.) Nevertheless, he's vulnerable to Slay Giant ammo. With that ammo, and a decent bow (Bard or even Amrod), he will die extremely quickly. Even with a good bow and enchanted ammo, he will die PDQ. So what are you doing:
a) even considering Cubragol
b) using melee against major opponents?

PS: mostly I leave atlas alone, and teleport him away if he's summoned by Morgy or Sauron. Killing him is just not worth the effort, unless you have the right ammo.

[largos]

Thanks for the input -- I've tweaked my eq slightly (looking for better rings, but I think I have +25 perm speed now when unencumbered. I didn't think it would be so easy to make +9 branded arrows with Tensors! (Never having a copy of tenser's before, I figured it would be much like scrolls -- difficult to get working on more than 30-40 arrows at a time.)

Anyhow, I'm packing three (or more) branded stacks of arrows, and set up separate fire macros for each elemental brand and things are falling pretty quick, even with Amras (which I'm liking even more now -- with 4 shots / round I can clear out a room of hounds *very* quickly, using the correct branded ammo.)

Re: that round with Atlas -- he hit me 3x, two of those caused earthquakes *and* both of the earthquakes crushed me -- I don't imagine that happens all that often, but it scared the crap out of me for a sec

[buzzkill]

Originally Posted by largos

... but it scared the crap out of me... for a sec

I was going to ask that you politely clean up after yourself... but I guess that won't be necessary after all.

There are already far too many discolored spots in the dungeon.

[Atarlost]

Yeah, but most of those are blood. Troll blood stains allmost everything and dragon blood is even worse.

[buzzkill]

Originally Posted by Atarlost

Yeah, but most of those are blood. Troll blood stains allmost everything and dragon blood is even worse.

I've always assumed that most of them were mages. Thanks for the info.