Lucky little devil. (kobold rogue V 4.1.3)

[Pete Mack]

So after a dismal attempt that failed at DL 48 when a sorcerer confused me, then summoned a dark elven sorceror, which summoned a lesser Balrog, I am off to a good start. Things first started looking up with:

a) the Dagger 'Narthanc' (2d4) (+9,+12) [+10] {fire}
    Found lying on the floor at 150 feet (level 3)

and continued with:
A Short Bow of Power (x2) (+10,+20) on the floor at DL 7, which I figure will be good to DL 40. This is followed shortly by boots of free action from Wormtongue. With a nice ring of reckless attacks, that character was all set thru DL 30. But then, on DL 25, LF 7 :

b) a Sling of Buckland (x4) (+11,+12) <+3, +2>
     Found lying on the floor at 1250 feet (level 25)

Holy Moly! After recall, I bought these from the BM:

4) 16 Iron Shots of Venom (1d4) (+11,+4)
     Average damage/round: 396.3 vs. creatures not resistant to poison, and 226.2 vs. others.

That's right, endgame archery at DL 25. At DL 29, I had a LF of 4, but quaffed an un-IDed potion before getting to the stairs. Enlightenment! It shows a lesser vault on the other side of the dungeon with a few unIDed flavors. Detection shows it is guarded by a Black Wraith and an Ancient Black Dragon. First take out the dragon with ordinary shots, as there is no need to waste good ammo on so weak a target , for CL 26, then teleport the black wraith away, since it can kill me in two turns. Examining the loot shows:

c) a Ring of Constitution <+5>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 1450 feet (level 29)
d) a Ring of Speed <+6>
     Dropped by a grey wraith at 1350 feet (level 27)
g) the Soft Leather Armour 'Hithlomir' [10,+20] <+3>
     Dropped by a snaga at 1450 feet (level 29)

Whoops! Two levels back I had picked up a speed ring in passing and never checked! With Collanon from DL 21, I now have +8 base speed, and rBase. All I need now is SI, as I discover when absolutely mauled by a Shade at DL 32.

f) the Star of Elendil <+3> (charging)
     Dropped by a shade at 1600 feet (level 32)

Thank you very much. I soon find Celegorm at Dl 36; it is immediately replaced by:

i) the Leather Shield of the Haradrim (+5,+5) [9,+15] <+2> {??}
     Dropped by a gnome mage at 1700 feet (level 34)

While the rPoison is useless for a kobold rogue, the +2 STR is key, and the damage and CON are nice too; certainly it is worth giving up rLight for this. At this point I figure the character is worth an AAR, and head for the forum.

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=23358

[Pete Mack]

But wait, there's more! Normally I don't bother with Bert, Bill and Tom at level, since they are a lot of effort for just 3 good drops. But with a machine gun and +8 Speed, they don't even count as a roadbump.

j) the Iron Helm 'Holhenneth' [7,+10] <+2> {??}
     Dropped by Bert the Stone Troll at 1700 feet (level 34)
u) the Hard Leather Armour of Himring [20,+15]
     Dropped by Bill the Stone Troll at 1700 feet (level 34)

At this point, himring isn't an improvement on rDark and +3 stealth, especially for a kobold, though it may make a useful swap later on. Holhenneth, however, is a straight up improvement on a +2 INT hat.

[Grotug]

Couple days ago I was having a super fine time with a 4.2.0 Hobbit Rogue finding one good randarts after another (I had Legendary stealth and +3 stealth) rBase, rPois, SI, FrAct, 160+AC, by the time I hit DL40 even though I was diving. Only thing I didn't have was good damage output; still I managed to get to DL53 or so with devices and a crossbow of power. Then carelessly walked into a room with a Demon Quylthulg who summoned a Lesser Balrog, so I teleported away (I had like 360+ health) and landed in a situation where stealth has no impact on the outcome: a room full of time hounds. Been awhile since I've died that way. Have to say I was a bit shocked/taken aback.