Sky's Checklist Pt. 4 - Men

[Ingwe Ingweron]

I've been casually observing your progress. Go Sky! Are you planning on going after the new race/class combos in the latest version? I did the every race/class combo some time ago, but haven't taken it back up for the new race/class combos for Druid, Necromancer, and Blackguard.

[Sky]

well, i've been doing the easy races, but i expect to take a considerable amount of time with hobbits and kobolds, because i've never played any of them. Even humans are difficult because until you get to stat potion depth, you can't really rely on brute force to get out of bad situations.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Originally Posted by Sky

well, i've been doing the easy races, but i expect to take a considerable amount of time with hobbits and kobolds, because i've never played any of them. Even humans are difficult because until you get to stat potion depth, you can't really rely on brute force to get out of bad situations.

You may find some of the hobbit and kobold class combos work pretty well, others are just downright mean challenges. I like playing humans quite a bit (other than the early game), but that was back when they had a huge advantage in having no experience penalties. Nowadays, with experience penalties virtually non-existent, they've become more of a challenge class.

[Sky]

.. i dont know about 4.2; the new graphics are really confounding me, i'm having a hard time looking at the screen with all that white going on. I cannot fathom why Nick would not have an option for the previous background, aside from the obvious "Nick doesn't care".
I see people still playing 3.X so i think i'm safe playing 4.1.3 for the future. I honestly cannot recommend 4.2 to new players over 4.1.3 because not only the weird changes, but because the changes are really hard to explain in the context of the game - it's not like they were obviously needed.

Anyway, back on the subject:

Human Mage: http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=23579

i got once again fairly lucky - or maybe i've learnt how to make my own luck - with the drops, first a 2x +16 sling, then a 3x +17 light crossbow, then ESP on a Defender weapon.
Notice i had forfeit SI - these things happen with Randart games.

Ran most of the game with 2x Escaping, only dropping down to 1x when i had +9 base Spd, and then finally dropping the last ring of escaping when i was already in the 80s and found my first proper ring of speed.

Quaffed 1 single !Intellect in the whole game, and only ever had a ring of INT +1. I did however find a pendant with +5 INT or so early on, and also, the game seemed to want to make sure i had 18/210 CON by giving me every.single.drop have a CON bonus. Rawr.

I didnt bother scumming vaults for too long as i already had pretty much everything i could want.

Note the gloves

 [Angband 4.1.3 Character Dump]

 Name   Federn       Age             17          Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Race   Human        Height        6'3"   STR! 18/100  +0  -3 +15 18/***
 Class  Mage         Weight    10st 4lb   INT! 18/100  +0  +3  +8 18/210
 Title  ***WINNER*** Turns used:          WIS! 18/100  +0  +0  +0 18/100
 HP     935/935      Game        752021   DEX! 18/100  +0  +0 +10 18/200
 SP     384/384      Standard    145134   CON! 18/100  +0  -2 +14 18/***
                     Resting      53778

 Level                 50    Armor      [69,+90]    Saving Throw     82%
 Cur Exp          6110700                           Stealth    Excellent
 Max Exp          6110700    Melee       5d6,+42    Disarm - phys.   99%
 Adv Exp         ********    To-hit       36,+41    Disarm - magic  100%
                             Blows      6.0/turn    Magic Devices    113
 Gold            11336309                           Searching        80%
 Burden          179.3 lb    Shoot to-dam    +27    Infravision     0 ft
 Overweight        0.6 lb    To-hit       31,+42    Speed      33 (3.9x)
 Max Depth   5000' (L100)    Shots        1/turn

 You are the illegitimate but acknowledged child of a Townsman.  You
 are a credit to the family.  You have dark brown eyes, straight brown
 hair, and an average complexion.


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

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


  [Last Messages]

> You have a Ring of Speed <+13> (q).
> You poison the singing, happy drunk.
> You have slain the singing, happy drunk.
> Your mystic shield crumbles away.
> The scruffy little dog wakes up.
> You sold a Ring of Speed <+13> (q) for 30000 gold.
> You drop the Mighty Hammer 'Grond' (9d9) (+5,+25) [+10] ().
> You have the Band of Ladion [+8] <+2, +5, +6, +1> (q).
> You drop the Massive Iron Crown of Morgoth [0,+0] <+50, +1> {??} ().
> You sold a Rod of Detection (charging) (m) for 2000 gold.
> You sold 3 Rods of Magic Mapping (n) for 3999 gold.
> Accepted!
> You bought a Book of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks] for 100 gold.
> You have 2 Books of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks] (b).
> You feel yourself moving faster!

Killed by Ripe Old Age.

  [Character Equipment]

a) the Zweihander of Telegron (5d6) (+9,+16) <+2>
     Dropped by Tselakus, the Dreadlord at 4800 feet (level 96)
     
     +2 attack speed.
     Slays trolls, evil creatures.
     Branded with poison.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     Speeds regeneration.  Prevents paralysis.  
     
     When activated, it increases your AC and to-hit bonus for 1d24+12
     turns.
     Takes 245 to 270 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 98.7%
     
     Combat info:
     6.0 blows/round.
     Average damage/round: 621.6 vs. creatures not resistant to poison,
     621.6 vs. trolls, 503.4 vs. evil creatures, and 384.6 vs. others.
     
b) the Heavy Crossbow of Valagon (x6) (+10,+27) <+4, +2, +1>
     Dropped by Beorn, the Shape-Changer at 4800 feet (level 96)
     
     +4 constitution.
     +2 tunneling.
     +2 shooting power.
     +1 light.
     Provides resistance to cold, nexus, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, fire.
     Speeds regeneration.  
     
c) the Ring of Arneith <+4, +6>
     Found lying on the floor at 2500 feet (level 50)
     
     +4 strength.
     +6 constitution.
     Provides immunity to cold.
     Cannot be harmed by lightning.
     Grants telepathy.  Prevents paralysis.  
     
     When activated, it heals cut damage, and cures all stunning,
     poison, blindness and confusion.
     Takes 313 to 348 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 94.0%
     
d) a Ring of Speed <+16>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 4800 feet (level 96)
     
     +16 speed.
     
e) the Pendant of Telron <+3>
     Dropped by Orfax, Son of Boldor at 1400 feet (level 28)
     
     +3 intelligence.
     Provides immunity to acid.
     Provides resistance to poison, light, dark.
     Sustains constitution.
     Speeds regeneration.  
     
f) the Phial of Arnirech (+4,+3) <+2, +3>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 1600 feet (level 32)
     
     +2 stealth.
     +2 searching skill.
     +3 light.
     Provides protection from confusion.
     Cannot be harmed by fire.
     Sustains constitution.
     Radius 3 light.
     
     When activated, it lights up the surrounding area, hurting
     light-sensitive creatures.
     Takes 47 to 86 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 95.9%
     
g) the Augmented Chain Mail of Osteith (-2) [42,+10] <+6, +5>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 2100 feet (level 42)
     
     +6 strength.
     +5 intelligence.
     Provides resistance to fire, light, dark, nether, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
h) the Elven Cloak 'Heled' [6,+13] <+4, +1>
     Dropped by Dwar, Dog Lord of Waw at 2350 feet (level 47)
     
     +4 stealth.
     +1 speed.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, fire.
     Feather Falling.  Sustains your life force.  
     
i) the Large Metal Shield 'Nental' [12,+16] <+4, +3>
     Found lying on the floor at 2100 feet (level 42)
     
     +4 constitution.
     +3 speed.
     Provides resistance to lightning, cold, nether.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
j) the Metal Cap 'Aeluil' [3,+7] <+5, +3>
     Dropped by E�l, the Dark Elf at 2500 feet (level 50)
     
     +5 dexterity.
     +3 speed.
     Provides protection from fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     Sustains strength, wisdom.
     
k) the Set of Caestus of Dagol (+0,+3) [5,+12] <+5>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 2100 feet (level 42)
     
     +5 strength.
     +5 dexterity.
     Provides immunity to acid.
     Provides protection from blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, fire.
     
l) the Pair of Leather Sandals of Peril [1,+17] <+10>
     Dropped by a death knight at 3200 feet (level 64)
     
     +10 speed.
     Provides resistance to disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, fire.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Originally Posted by Sky

.. i dont know about 4.2; the new graphics are really confounding me, i'm having a hard time looking at the screen with all that white going on. I cannot fathom why Nick would not have an option for the previous background, aside from the obvious "Nick doesn't care".
I see people still playing 3.X so i think i'm safe playing 4.1.3 for the future. I honestly cannot recommend 4.2 to new players over 4.1.3 because not only the weird changes, but because the changes are really hard to explain in the context of the game - it's not like they were obviously needed.

Nice gloves! Don't know what you mean about the graphics, but I don't use tiles, so maybe that's what you mean? ASCII is the same for me as it's always been. Personally, I like lot's of the changes, and the direction of the changes, even if a few are still a bit out of balance. I definitely think that it has become harder, which to my mind is a good thing.

[Sky]

i've never played with ASCII, and i did try about a year ago, but i kept thinking that switching to tiles would be so much easier, as i've already learned the game with tiles, no sense re-learning it again.

I understand that ASCII gives you much more visibility, but tiles make it much easier to spot uniques in large groups.

Tiles have gone from a somber gray background to an off-white background that does not contrast well with the edges of the dungeon walls, and my eyes struggle to see what's happening.


.. meanwhile, i've started a ranger and i'm at 100hp @ CL11, AND i've found a flail of westernesse on DL4

[Sky]

CL18 now, DL18. 138hp and 21sp.
Have a rod of treasure, 4 potions of !Spd, about 80 magic arrows (nothing spectacular), and a lantern. Looking for a decent launcher.

IIRC my flail should have FA on it, but i'm not risking it until i can Identify it.

edit: 20 minutes later, CL20 and have a longbow (+3,+5) - it will do for now.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by Sky

.. i dont know about 4.2; the new graphics are really confounding me, i'm having a hard time looking at the screen with all that white going on. I cannot fathom why Nick would not have an option for the previous background, aside from the obvious "Nick doesn't care".

How about "Nick had no idea there was a problem"? What white? What?

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Originally Posted by Sky

I understand that ASCII gives you much more visibility, but tiles make it much easier to spot uniques in large groups.

When I started out, years ago, it was with ASCII. Then I switched to David Gervais tiles and played with them a couple years. Switched back to ASCII as providing information much more quickly. No problem spotting uniques, I use the "purple uniques" option. If I had a great monitor, I'd really like playing with Shockbolt's tiles, they are just so beautiful. But, on my laptop ASCII does best. In my imagination, the game is still epic!

[Sky]

The new tiles have the "floor" which is too bright, or rather, too light in color.
I got to go out now but ill try to upload some examples to imgur when im back.