Risk assessment skills...

**Timo Pietilä** · September 18, 2010, 10:28

Originally posted by Fendell Orcbane

And here is my character who gained almost 300 hps from the artifacts in that vault. Any suggestions for what I should be using would be welcome. I think I have a good kit going but who knows?

Swap Isildur to Caspanion and use that Ring of Acid instead of RoRPoison.

Also, Eorlingas is heavy, so you are restricted to 5 blows with it. I think Orome would be better. That +4 to speed will help also. As long as you are not hasted it gives you ~27% damage increase alone: energy 15 - 19. With haste it is a bit less (16%), but moving nearly at speed +10 is much better than moving at +5.

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 18, 2010, 11:18

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

Swap Isildur to Caspanion and use that Ring of Acid instead of RoRPoison.

Also, Eorlingas is heavy, so you are restricted to 5 blows with it. I think Orome would be better. That +4 to speed will help also. As long as you are not hasted it gives you ~27% damage increase alone: energy 15 - 19. With haste it is a bit less (16%), but moving nearly at speed +10 is much better than moving at +5.

i'm glad I didn't sell Orome. I was actually considering using Orome...but Eorlingas does a lot a damage : ) I'll swap the gear on my next trip down and let you know how it goes : ) Thanks.

**Timo Pietilä** · September 18, 2010, 12:00

Originally posted by Fendell Orcbane

i'm glad I didn't sell Orome. I was actually considering using Orome...but Eorlingas does a lot a damage : ) I'll swap the gear on my next trip down and let you know how it goes : ) Thanks.

Fast calc:

Orome normal vs Eorlingas slay evil

1.27 * 6/5 * 55.1 vs 86
= 83.9 vs 86

With acid+fire brands it is clear winner against most, and those that are not vulnerable to either and are evil are very rare (beholders, AMHD, GWoMC, some uniques).

There is one caveat in swapping Caspanion and Isildur: you lose rNexus. Avoid Nexus Hounds and Vortices, Greater Basilisks and Dracolisks like plague after that. With Warrior saving throw stat-scrambling is a real danger. Luckily nexus breathers are relatively rare (nexus vortices are maybe most difficult to avoid).

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 18, 2010, 21:23

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

Fast calc:

Orome normal vs Eorlingas slay evil

1.27 * 6/5 * 55.1 vs 86
= 83.9 vs 86

With acid+fire brands it is clear winner against most, and those that are not vulnerable to either and are evil are very rare (beholders, AMHD, GWoMC, some uniques).

There is one caveat in swapping Caspanion and Isildur: you lose rNexus. Avoid Nexus Hounds and Vortices, Greater Basilisks and Dracolisks like plague after that. With Warrior saving throw stat-scrambling is a real danger. Luckily nexus breathers are relatively rare (nexus vortices are maybe most difficult to avoid).

I actually did think about the nexus thing before I went to bed...its too risky IMO. I have no way of detecting a nexus vortex...other than it hitting me.

**Timo Pietilä** · September 19, 2010, 06:06

Originally posted by Fendell Orcbane

I actually did think about the nexus thing before I went to bed...its too risky IMO. I have no way of detecting a nexus vortex...other than it hitting me.

I still think +4 speed in Orome is worth using it instead of Eorlingas, even that you lose a bit damage. Speed just makes living easier.

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 19, 2010, 06:10

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

I still think +4 speed in Orome is worth using it instead of Eorlingas, even that you lose a bit damage. Speed just makes living easier.

I did switch Eorlingas out for Orome. I just swap with Firestar when I see firebreathers.

**myshkin** · September 19, 2010, 08:41

A couple other pieces of advice:

Code:

 
 HP     642/642      Maximize         Y   CON:     16  +1  +2 +17 18/180

Be nice to the RNG, so that it will give you some CON potions.

Code:

t) 19 Bolts of Acid (1d5) (+10,+17)
     Branded with acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.

Save these and a quality crossbow for Sauron, if you can. Also, be on the lookout for slay evil and holy might ammo.

Code:

     
c) a Potion of Life
     It can be thrown at creatures with damaging effect.

You should be stashing these (and !*Healing*) at home for the final fight(s). They're at risk in your inventory.

Code:

g) a Scroll of Mass Banishment

Something else to save for the final fight.

Code:

     
p) The Leather Shield of Celegorm [4,+20]
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, light, dark, 
     blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
q) The Set of Gauntlets 'Paurnen' (+4,+4) [3,+14]
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Feather Falling.

You are unlikely to use these, except possibly Celegorm late in the game for big darkness storm casters.

Code:

     
r) The Set of Gauntlets 'Pauraegen' [3,+14]
     Provides resistance to lightning, light.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

There is the off-chance that you'll use these; some artifact kits will have rElec holes.

Code:

s) The Bastard Sword 'Calris' (5d4) (-6,+20) (+5)
     +5 constitution.
     Slays evil creatures, demons, trolls.
     *Slays* dragons.
     Provides resistance to disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     With an additional 1 strength and 0 dex you would get 6 blows
     With an additional 0 strength and 1 dex you would get 6 blows
     Average damage/hit: 72.7 vs. evil creatures, 86.2 vs. demons, 86.2
     vs. trolls, 113.2 vs. dragons, and 59.2 vs. others.

You may want to carry this around as a swap for killing dragons, when the surroundings are safe for aggravation. Getting the sixth blow and enchanting it up to a decent plus to-hit are important.

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 19, 2010, 09:51

Originally posted by myshkin

A couple other pieces of advice:

Code:

 
 HP     642/642      Maximize         Y   CON:     16  +1  +2 +17 18/180

Be nice to the RNG, so that it will give you some CON potions.

Code:

t) 19 Bolts of Acid (1d5) (+10,+17)
     Branded with acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.

Save these and a quality crossbow for Sauron, if you can. Also, be on the lookout for slay evil and holy might ammo.

Code:

     
c) a Potion of Life
     It can be thrown at creatures with damaging effect.

You should be stashing these (and !*Healing*) at home for the final fight(s). They're at risk in your inventory.

Code:

g) a Scroll of Mass Banishment

Something else to save for the final fight.

Code:

     
p) The Leather Shield of Celegorm [4,+20]
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, light, dark, 
     blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
q) The Set of Gauntlets 'Paurnen' (+4,+4) [3,+14]
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Feather Falling.

You are unlikely to use these, except possibly Celegorm late in the game for big darkness storm casters.

Code:

     
r) The Set of Gauntlets 'Pauraegen' [3,+14]
     Provides resistance to lightning, light.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.

There is the off-chance that you'll use these; some artifact kits will have rElec holes.

Code:

s) The Bastard Sword 'Calris' (5d4) (-6,+20) (+5)
     +5 constitution.
     Slays evil creatures, demons, trolls.
     *Slays* dragons.
     Provides resistance to disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     With an additional 1 strength and 0 dex you would get 6 blows
     With an additional 0 strength and 1 dex you would get 6 blows
     Average damage/hit: 72.7 vs. evil creatures, 86.2 vs. demons, 86.2
     vs. trolls, 113.2 vs. dragons, and 59.2 vs. others.

You may want to carry this around as a swap for killing dragons, when the surroundings are safe for aggravation. Getting the sixth blow and enchanting it up to a decent plus to-hit are important.

Thanks for taking the time to write all of this stuff. I've pretty much followed all the advice that you have given except I might dump Calris so I can store more consumables in my home : ) I already dumped the crappy gauntlets you mentioned: ) I think I might have sold Celegorn as well.

**Timo Pietilä** · September 19, 2010, 14:31

Originally posted by Fendell Orcbane

Thanks for taking the time to write all of this stuff. I've pretty much followed all the advice that you have given except I might dump Calris so I can store more consumables in my home : ) I already dumped the crappy gauntlets you mentioned: ) I think I might have sold Celegorn as well.

Don't sell Calris unless you must. It is one of the endgame-quality items and resistance to disenchantment is valuable. Quite a few monsters deep in dungeon disenchant in melee or by breath. You could use it as swap if you don't like aggravation.

**nullfame** · September 19, 2010, 17:53

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

Don't sell Calris unless you must.

I've won 3 times. In 2 of those I killed Sauron with Calris (good damage and he disenchants). 1 of them I killed Morgoth with it (the other I found Doomcaller after I killed Sauron). It is a good weapon. Enchanting the to-hit is a *lot* of work buying out the stores. Don't bother with that. I found standard overdosing of !hero, !berserk, ?bless was enough (I would hoard !berserk).

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 19, 2010, 19:55

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

Don't sell Calris unless you must. It is one of the endgame-quality items and resistance to disenchantment is valuable. Quite a few monsters deep in dungeon disenchant in melee or by breath. You could use it as swap if you don't like aggravation.

I will keep this in mind: ) I just hate that my home ends up stuffed with good items and I have to get rid of stuff eventually. But I guess hat is part of the game: ) But aggravation isn't too bad by the end game because your character can generally take most things out : )

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 19, 2010, 19:57

Originally posted by nullfame

I've won 3 times. In 2 of those I killed Sauron with Calris (good damage and he disenchants). 1 of them I killed Morgoth with it (the other I found Doomcaller after I killed Sauron). It is a good weapon. Enchanting the to-hit is a *lot* of work buying out the stores. Don't bother with that. I found standard overdosing of !hero, !berserk, ?bless was enough (I would hoard !berserk).

Hmm, I was planning on using acid bolts on Sauron. But Melee would work too I guess.

**Timo Pietilä** · September 19, 2010, 20:49

Originally posted by Fendell Orcbane

Hmm, I was planning on using acid bolts on Sauron. But Melee would work too I guess.

You would love to have the weapon I have been using lately:

MoD of Fury (5d8) (+18,+19) (+2). With six blows (playing priest) and Acid-ring I can kill pretty much anything in just few turns. Something like Lesser Balrogs take two turns to kill, and because I move at nearly double of their speed I usually can kill them before they can do anything to me.

Waiting to kill Vecna (last of the big ones before endgame).

This has been a weird game. Using Belegennon most of the game for basic4 and poison resist and only source to rconf has been Ingwe. I rarely had to use either of them before. Have played way longer I used to, but winning with this gear feels wrong somehow. I'm good at things priest is not supposed to be (melee, archery) and lack things I used to have multitude of sources at this point (CON, rConf, ESP), and have plenty of sources to things that are supposed to be rare (all immunities, imm_cold twice, speed, swimming in potions of life).

One "trick" to easy playing is to use swaps. That MoD I mentioned aggravates, so I use it as swap. Main weapon is Taratol. You can do that same with Calris. Use it only when needed, otherwise just keep it in inventory.

**Fendell Orcbane** · September 19, 2010, 21:22

Originally posted by Timo Pietilä

You would love to have the weapon I have been using lately:

MoD of Fury (5d8) (+18,+19) (+2). With six blows (playing priest) and Acid-ring I can kill pretty much anything in just few turns. Something like Lesser Balrogs take two turns to kill, and because I move at nearly double of their speed I usually can kill them before they can do anything to me.

Waiting to kill Vecna (last of the big ones before endgame).

This has been a weird game. Using Belegennon most of the game for basic4 and poison resist and only source to rconf has been Ingwe. I rarely had to use either of them before. Have played way longer I used to, but winning with this gear feels wrong somehow. I'm good at things priest is not supposed to be (melee, archery) and lack things I used to have multitude of sources at this point (CON, rConf, ESP), and have plenty of sources to things that are supposed to be rare (all immunities, imm_cold twice, speed, swimming in potions of life).

One "trick" to easy playing is to use swaps. That MoD I mentioned aggravates, so I use it as swap. Main weapon is Taratol. You can do that same with Calris. Use it only when needed, otherwise just keep it in inventory.

Funny that you mention Belegennon, because I think that would suit my needs perfectly. I need to be able to wear a ring other than my res poi but I need resist nexus because I'm not maxed out stat wise yet. But that Mace sounds sick, I'm definitely a believer in MoD myself.BTW I have been swapping for a while now : )

Risk assessment skills...

Risk assessment skills...

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