Tweet
Since my poor priest got roasted in the nexus-microwave I sat down to adjust monster colours to my liking. But instead of actually doing that, I ended up starting a little warrior, and since I wanted to see the changes done to the early game as well, decided on a whim to go for ironman - priest had skipped much of that by means of deep descent scrolls.
It went well, all things considered. She came dangerously close to running out of both food and light at some point, but just when the lantern was down to a few rounds found a single torch, or when she got hungry and was eyeing that mushroom of vigor greedily, found a small heap of bland but nourishing slime molds.
One thing that was never to spare was phase door scrolls. I dont know if their droprate has been reduced, but it certainly feels that way, they are being burned at about the same rate as found and while I never ran out completely, the stack also never rose above 20ish either and was usually around 10. Alas, no fire immunity this game.
Pretty early she found not one, but two awesome artifact bows. One was x6, with +20 dam enchantment and minor attributes, the other "only" x4, but had huge amount of bonuses to stats along with important resists and even lightning immunity on top. I was equipping the latter and carrying the former for a while, but knew full well it was futile to try to hold onto both. So eventually I dumped the big damage one with a sigh, figuring Id be most likely meleeing Mr. M.
The RNG being what it is naturally came back to me on that one by innocently leaving on the floor a pair of artifact gauntlets with +1 to shooting speed. The only comfort I had when looking at those was that I would never have seen them had I decided to dump the other bow.
My main weapon for most of the middle and late game was a SoS of lightning. At the time I found it I was using some artifact with a long list of useful properties, but could let go of it with light heart knowing that the scythe had the potential to eventually do far more damage, once my stats were up to the task.
Descent was slow, but steady. I did a rough sweep over every level unless driven off by something dangerous out of control (I think that happened only 2 or 3 times). But, I never stayed on any level purely to create more respawns. Once it was cleared I would take the stairs down. The vast majority of levels was on the low monster count side. Eventually the second part of the level feeling would report either "nothing worthwhile here" or "you might find something to your liking", however I could never tell the difference. I guess if you stay on a level long enough to get the second message, chances are the items created from monster drops dominate whatever was on the floor initially.
The labyrinth levels seem to be very dangerous. Early on I detected and made for the exit asap (and yes those didnt get the routine clear I mentioned earlier). Later in the game I might go for a promising item if it wasnt too far.
The cave levels were a welcome change, but maybe a tad too frequent. The problem with those is that the warrior comes equipped with rods of light and illumination, which do a great job of bringing light to the standard dungeon geometry but not so much to irregular caves.
So things were good as I went deeper and killed uniques along the way. Even some which I normally leave for later. Azriel, when he first showed up, got to-ed away. But then I happened onto some artifact armor which was unremarkable except for the fact that it had nether resist. I counted my potions, considered my chances, donned that armor and went looking for Azriel again. It cost me most of my consumables, but down he went, thankfully without summoning his named brothers (I guess they have low chances to appear at shallow depths). Of course the armour got left behind as well and nether resist wouldnt bother me any further.
By the time I reached level 97 I was cruising comfortably. My bags were swelling with consumables, I had managed to get an acceptable end game set and was finally dumping the SoS that had served me for so long in favor of a fancy artifact MoD with slay evil which I intended to use for the last part of the way.
I had held onto a crown of serenity which was the first item I saw that gave protection from stunning. As it turned out, it also was the only one that had that property - neither other egos, nor any randarts, nor indeed any other magic item I found gave that new particular protection. And it is a very useful protection to have, especially (but not only) for characters using melee. Everything and their hound can cause stunning deep down. I was swapping that crown with a helm of ESP as needed which had worked well up to then. I intended to do the same in the end fight - have ESP as default and don the crown before trading blows.
================================================== ==================================================
So, pleased with myself, I pick on whatever uniques dare to show their purple face, whacking them to death with the new mace. Ancalagon comes along, gets isolated and cornered, but somehow does alot of damage while barely losing stars himself. Must have been some unlucky rolls or something...drink a *heal* and finish it. Hmmm, not only is my precious *heal* gone, but I am down to 300 hp again, Ancalagon is still barely hurt and also managed to shatter some more of my potions with his cold breath!
Dangit, what gives, I read through the combat log. Lots and lots of breathing. And shattering and frying of consumables. I am immune to lightning, but he doesnt care, I sadly did not have the room to maintain stacks of resist cold and heat potions.
Well, I -to him away, gather my bearings, and when he comes on again go for the second round. Unfortunately, the second round goes much the same as the first, I have to -to a slightly hurt and angry dragon while being myself barely able to drink fast enough to stay alive. And drink not only the cheap ccw from the big stack, no, it has to be the good stuff which was intended for the endfight. Dumbfounded I take the stairs down and a break.
When I return, I look at the mess that used to be my proud warrior. Barely a dozen ccw, 2 heals, no *heals* and only 4 *life* are left of my formerly reassuring supply. ?*banishment* gone, ?banishment reduced to 2. And whats worse, Ancalagon is still alive and kicking, I see him in the middle of a vault nearby. And if I have so much trouble with the mere servant dragon, how can I hope to face the master himself ?
Nothing for it but start to clear this level. Its 98, last stop before the end. After clearing it, my supply of consumables looks still as sorry as before. Not in the mood to start a boring "respawn the monsters" session on the last lap, I take the next stairs as well. 99 has a GV in the center. I clear around first, killing Sauron in the process, then starting with the vault. In the middle room is a fat black D, again, mocking me in front of his roaring entourage. I port everything out.
While I ponder my chances with M (at this point I see no way to try and get Ancalagon again - he will stay alive), I sort through the loot in the middle room ad start to blink when examining a longbow. It comes from Lothlorien. It does have ESP, the first thing I always look for when seeing one of those. But it is also big. Its in fact by far the biggest one I have ever seen.
A Long Bow of Lothlorien (x5) (+26,+24) <+5, +2>, with +5 to dex and +2 to might.
It is infact the equal of that awesome bow I left behind long ago, considering that it has +20 to hit over the former. Also...I am still wearing those gauntlets with the +1 shots, mostly because there werent any better options for the glove slot. Whats more, among the loot here are also some arrows...some 30 arrows of holy might, with +23 to damage....I quickly swap bows. Can this work ? I am lacking con, since the old bow provided +3 of that....but wait, with bow, I dont really need to wield this mace, right ? So why not equip this funny pick here...not much of a weapon, but does boost con. Bingo. I look at my new setup...I have won with much worse.
So, happy and eager to end this, I buff up with whatever is available and read a tele level scroll from the stack I dropped to the floor - wont need those anymore - and land in a big room of an undescript level 100. When HE appears on radar, I manage to get into a position where I can pepper him while he crosses all of the big room, without him having LOS. Port him away when he gets near, rinse wash and repeat a couple times. Uneventful fight, dont even have to touch my 4 *life* potions, all whats left of my big pile.
HE dies and I try to remember when was the last time that I spent the night awake playing Angband. Been a while.
Normally, once I have won with a character, I dont touch them again. However, this time I have a score to settle. With a certain dragon. A black dragon.
Comment