I don't think I can take it anymore...

[fph]

Note that the damages displayed in monster memory for spells are averages.
[...]
the numbers displayed in the monster memory are for the monster's max HP, not their current HP -- a nearly-dead Great Hell Wyrm will do much less damage when it breathes than a healthy one will.

Is there a reason for that? I would change both settings, it seems more useful.

[Fendell Orcbane]

I've been playing the older verfsion myself so I didn't know that mosnster memory has damage rating. But that is good to know. Thank you.

[Derakon]

Note that the damages displayed in monster memory for spells are averages. So you can take more damage than the monster memory says you can. This is usually only an issue for high-leveled monsters casting mana bolts, manastorms, or darkness storms. Breath weapon damage is not random, but the numbers displayed in the monster memory are for the monster's max HP, not their current HP -- a nearly-dead Great Hell Wyrm will do much less damage when it breathes than a healthy one will.

[Zikke]

I don't consider using full monster memory from the Cheat menu to be a cheat. It's really just a time-saver to avoid opening a web browser and using the online spoilers. They shouldn't even be called "spoilers", but rather just Monster or Artifact info. In other RPG games (like WoW or others) everybody uses online references daily (a la WoWhead). And the Angband spoilers don't even include strategy, just stats.

[miyazaki]

Monster memory does not help, it gives no idea about how powerfull attack is, only types of attacks available.

New versions of the game do. There is now damage info in the monster memory for spells, attacks, boulders, arrows, etc. Breath attacks are the exceptions--sometimes they are included, sometimes not. Can't quite remember when it all came into effect. Just another reason to play the latest version!

[LostTemplar]

Monster memory does not help, it gives no idea about how powerfull attack is, only types of attacks available.

[ewert]

Monster spoilers are called "probing" ...

Said on another thread already though, full monster knowledge in the cheat options is a more honest way of using the spoiler files TBH. Doubt anyone sensible thinks of it as cheating, it is just effective spoiler usage (and spoilers are either cheating or not, if they are ... then most people cheat? )

Though personally I haven't used the monster spoiler files or full monster knowledge in my winners so far. For now I'm using full monster knowledge... dunno why, just felt like it TBH.

[Fendell Orcbane]

I don't think stairscumming is nearly as bad as save scumming.

Also, if somebody is trying for their first win, it's a useful technique to assist the diving process and gain knowledge of the deeper levels.

Well I actually got all the way to Morgoth with my last character...but he killed me because I didn't know the symbol to banish the dragons that he summoned. However I *did* save scum and I took Morgoth out the second time: ) Right now I'm just going for that clean win so I can post it. Although I do wonder if some people aren't save scumming and posting "winners" since it seems that some people have been playing for years and have never won the game.

Having said that this forum has helped a lot, plus the spoilers help as well. Honestly I'd be S.O.L with out the spoilers. I wonder if spoiler books can be found in the dungeon so that people would have monster knowledge with out feeling like they are "cheating" in any way shape or form. I think that would be a bad ass thing to add to the game. IMO.

[Zikke]

I don't think stairscumming is nearly as bad as save scumming.

Also, if somebody is trying for their first win, it's a useful technique to assist the diving process and gain knowledge of the deeper levels.

[Fendell Orcbane]

It's the cheesiest! - akin to save scumming IMO. Hell, it may be worse.

Is anything worse than save scumming? It kinda destroys the appeal of angband.

[buzzkill]

If you want to completely cheese things, you can just bop up and down a staircase (assuming you're playing with connected stairs on) and only leave the stairs if there's a worthwhile item in line of sight when you arrive.

It's the cheesiest! - akin to save scumming IMO. Hell, it may be worse.

[Derakon]

Just because you're deep in the dungeon doesn't mean that there's nothing you can kill. Packs of Snagas get generated even at 4900' -- and their loot at that depth is miles better than anything you'd get at "safe" depths. And of course, there's the items you find on the floor. If you want to completely cheese things, you can just bop up and down a staircase (assuming you're playing with connected stairs on) and only leave the stairs if there's a worthwhile item in line of sight when you arrive. Barring the "pack of hounds just out of LOS when you arrive" kill, that's pretty dang safe considering your dungeon level.

[Fendell Orcbane]

While the general consensus is that I should keep going, I already starrted from the top. While I can't say that this is the right thing to do, I will say that its the right thing to do for now.

Having said all that I know that my opinion may change depending on my experiences. I've already dived much deeper than I would have in my last semi successful game.

One of you mentioned gravity hounds and undead that can pentrate walls. I've already almost bit the dust due to gravity hounds. Honestly I got lucky because I was down to 5 hps when I got near them. I thought that the Ice trolls in front of them would protect me from their breath weapon. I was wrong. However the staff of teleportation that I had was a life saver. Especially because I don't have any *destruction* or teleport level.

But I'm still a noob compared to a lot of you so I'm open to advice. Having said that I can't see how I can get loot if I can't fight anything and have to avoid hounds at all cost. I can just hope to get a good drop off something I can handle but I feel like that is leaving too much up to luck. It would be like stealth grinding. Which I guess is a big part of the game. Well we will see when I get home: )

[fizzix]

How does that saying go?

It's not the dive that kills you. It is when you stop diving abruptly.

Actually, it's improper decompression on recall.

[Zikke]

I think you are past the point of no return. Going deeper isn't considerably more dangerous. Either you head back up for "safer" levels or keep going down looking for better loot!

At this point rpois is the least of your worries. Despite the hysteria about drolems around this site, I find them to be a non-issue. You should be more worried about packs of gravity hounds and baskilisks and wall-traversing undead.

Use your sealth, your bow and that staff of speed (with as many ?recharge as you can buy).

I agree with all of this.

After a certain point, you will start finding Wyrms which are your primary targets for loot. And you can slowly pick apart vaults, which, at dlvl 90-98, should have a fair amount of goodies including !Experience and !stat.