Ring of Speed <+9> question

[Cutestory]

Hello there!

Newly registered, but I've been poking my head in here for a while, and after taking a few good stabs at Angband of various flavors over the years (I started with 2.7.8), I've finally decided to get "serious."

I've been following the Player's guide at rephial, and doing my dungeon diving with a High-Elf Ranger. I've died a few times just getting my bearings again; I had a great game going where my Ranger found a sling (+7, +5), but I died from phasedooring past a jammed door into a vault...

Anyway, let me get to my question. I managed to find a Ring of Speed <+9> lying on the floor at 50 feet (the level gave me a very good feeling). I've never even *seen* one of these before (I haven't been deeper than 1000'), so you can imagine the look on my face when I put it on (right after almost selling it un-ID'd to a merchant).

So! I find myself paralyzed at this moment. Knowing that there's no way I am going to beat the game on this particular run with my lack of experience, should I go ahead and sell the ring for the 20k gold that's being offered and try to get some gear with the money, or should I just keep the ring and keep going?

Twenty-thousand gold is a lot of gold for a level 4 character, even though there isn't anything really great for me in the stores right now...

[Mondkalb]

That is anextremely lucky find and a good one too. Don't sell it. You can dive even faster with +9 Speed.
Rings of Speed normally show up very deep in the dungeon.
Usually you get some boots with a little speed bonus or such around 20ish or 30ish levels.

[Cutestory]

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how fast to dive...I feel like I'm trying to balance the quick advancement offered by deep diving with the risk.

I know I've advanced further than I ever have by just taking down stairs whenever I find them unless there's a good feeling on the level.

I know I'm going to be dying for a while. Be conservative, and I'll just end up dying after spending 10 hours. Be risky, and I'll die in two hours.

How do you figure out how quickly to descend? And is the rephial guide still worth following? What's the best way to pick up experience (playing the game, not experience points).

[scud]

That's a fantastic find. Effectively doubles the damage you inflict, doubles your run away! run away! speed, halves the time it takes to close in on monsters with a range attack.

20,000 coins' worth of 'other stuff' really isn't going to do much for you: that money won't go far at the black market, and the good stuff simply isn't available outside the black market.

Not that long ago I found boots of speed +10 at around 700', and that sort of boost gets you down to 1500'+ almost without having to think (which is dangerous in itself, of course). The only problem monsters were orc uniques.

I'm not certain that it's a feature of the game but I've found that as a magic caster I nearly always find a high value prayer book in the first 1000', and as a prayer caster I nearly always find a high value magic book. With that money I'll start to stock up on my own books, restore potions etc etc on my returns to town. But you won't be selling the ring so it doesn't really matter

Re selling without ID, there are *no* cursed rings any more other than The One Ring (which really would be a find at 50'). Put it on and see what happens.

[Mondkalb]

Usually I dive with charlevel=dlevel. Down to 1000'/1500'. Then I get a little bit slower until I have certain things, like see invisible, free action, basic four resistances coverable and some stat optimization for more damage, more spells, more hp. After that, I again dive faster, depending on class, and usually get lots of artifacts. When more restances are covered and some speed is gained, I end up on dlevel 80/90 with a >35 level char. (With enough speed and detection granted. It is vital to be able to early detect the really dangerous monsters and uniques. )

[Cutestory]

Scud, what kind of character are you playing? After this ranger dies, what should I try next?

I'm enjoying the range attacks of the Ranger, but I might like a spellcaster...

[Mondkalb]

Originally Posted by scud

I'm not certain that it's a feature of the game but I've found that as a magic caster I nearly always find a high value prayer book in the first 1000', and as a prayer caster I nearly always find a high value magic book.

That's just typical RNG cruelty.

[Mondkalb]

Originally Posted by Cutestory

Scud, what kind of character are you playing? After this ranger dies, what should I try next?

I'm enjoying the range attacks of the Ranger, but I might like a spellcaster...

My first winner was a ranger. They can do insane amount of damage with the good artifact bows and good ammo.

The also get useful spells later with the dungeon books.

I was never lucky with pure casters like mages or priests. I am enjoying the mixed classes, ranger, rogue, and paladin.

[Cutestory]

Thanks for the advice Mondkalb.

So you're scumming between 1000'/1500' until you have what you need to descend?

Should I be asking for more specifics in terms of numbers or whatever for basic resistances and the like to decide when to descend further, or will the numbers not mean anything to me?

I'm not looking for a hand-hold as much as general (but specific) advice. I just want to know what to shoot for; I know there are no guarantees, no way to avoid death.

Again, trying to balance gathering advice without trying to bypass the school of hard knocks. Concentrated gameplay over the last couple of days has done wonders both for my in-game success and my desire to play more (even with all the deaths).

[Mondkalb]

Not really scumming, I dive a little slower and sometimes feel the need to go up a level, for instance when I go down an stand in the miidle of an orc horde or if there is a bunch of acid hounds nearby.

The ranger has the early detect monster spell which helps a lot to decide whether to stay or to leave.

There are some guides which have suggestions for what to cover for certain levels, but most of them are a bit outdated. Free action was extremely important and still is, but paralyzing has a bit toned down, so you have a chance to survive the early paralyzers, by waking up in time and escape.
Resist poison was an issue and still is (after ~2000'), but to a lesser degree, because there is the resist poison potion as a temporary aid. Though mass poisoners are still very dangerous as are the one breath to kill monsters ^^.

I am having the impression that it was easier, say in 3.06, to get armor of resistance or elven armor early on. I feel they are a bit rarer now wich often makes it necessary to swap things; but that may be my playstyle because I dive faster than back then. (I almost always get artifact armor prior to resistance armor.)

With +9 speed and detection ability, you can avoid nearly every danger if playing careful. Just make sure you have always methods of escape (teleport, teleport level, deep descend) and healing. Wands and rods of teleport other are also vital, but they appear to be somewhat rarer also.