How can this character get a Silmaril?

[NotMorgoth]

I'm at 950' with a Feanorian archer:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=25093

My bow has carried me a long way, but I don't think I can do enough damage to Morgoth to knock the crown off with archery; both from experience from shooting at other high-armour enemies like serpents, and from a previous similar character who went down to the throne room but was killed without being able to dislodge the crown.

I have 7.6k experience to spend and I'm wondering what will give me the best chance of getting it. The ideas I have had are:

1. Stick with archery
There is a forge on the current level, and I can get enough smithing to make some arrows of piercing which will help with overcoming Morgoth's armour. Then I could maybe spend the rest of my XP on Will, which I think is dangerously low.

2. Go with melee
Take Versatility, probably also Focussed Attack or Concentration to help with chances to hit and Crowd Fighting to avoid dying. Then hope I can hit him with Dramborleg and knock the crown off

3. Try putting Morgoth to sleep
If I take Song of Staunching and Song of Staying, then put the rest of my XP into Will, I might be able to put Morgoth to sleep with the Staff of Slumber. However, I only have 6 charges so this seems a bit risky. (I could also take Channeling and have less will but more charges available.)

Also another question: What happens if I go down to the throne room and go back up the stairs without getting a Silmaril? Does the level get reset or would I lose the game? Is it even possible?

[MicroChasm]

I've never won with an archer character, so unfortunately I can't talk from experience. You might be able to knock off the crown with a bit more investment in Archery though-- you only need to do a small amount of damage twice to knock it off. I think it's a hit of 10 or more damage to knock it loose and then another of 10 or more damage to knock it to the ground. Don't quote me on the exact numbers though.

You could definitely put Morgoth to sleep with these stats and the XP you have, but only if Morgoth hasn't seen you yet. I would want at least 18 in stealth to assure that I won't be seen in the throneroom. I have put Morgoth to sleep many times with 8 Will, 12 Song, Song of Staying, and a Staff of Slumber; usually on the first attempt. But if he has seen you it will be much harder.

You have Jeweler-- your best bet might be to forge a Horn of Force, boost your Will a bit, and knock off the crown with the horn. I haven't done this myself so I don't know how much Will is needed, but it's definitely an option. Song of Staying would help as well of course.

One thing you can do is go up the stairs on 950' when you are done with the current floor, just to reroll and gain more XP or consumables before going to 1000'.

Unfortunately, there is no leaving the throneroom without a sil-- once you go down there you have to have a sil (or the crown itself) in your inventory in order to leave.

I hope that helps, and good luck!

[Quirk]

Consider Deadly Hail. Doubling arrow damage makes hits big. A poisoned arrow scoring a single critical with Deadly Hail in play would wallop Morgoth for 8d7; this will almost certainly overwhelm his protection and likely by enough to move the crown.

(Morgoth protection is 5d4 as I recall at the start, so average 12.5; 8d7 average damage 24, so more than 10 over).

[NotMorgoth]

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't know it was possible to knock off the crown with a horn of force, I'm sure I have seen one and might have picked it up if I had known. There is a horn of blasting on the current level so I might pick that up, it won't help getting the sil but might be useful in the escape.

Maybe I'll try going the slumber route, with the horn of force as a backup in case Morgoth sees me.

I can't reroll 950' because my minimum depth has gone to 1000' so even if I try to go up I will end up going down to the throne room...

There is an area I haven't explored on the current level - it looks like an interesting vault where I could get more XP and loot, but I'm reluctant to try it as there is a Nameless Thing in the entrance which I really don't want to fight.

[NotMorgoth]

It didn't quite go according to plan, but I got there in the end...
Updated dump:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=25093

I decided to use the horn of blasting to break into the vault from the side to avoid going past the Nameless Thing - I released Vallach, Balrog of Sudden Flame from the vault and I had forgotten how dangerous he was, so had to use a few healing and swiftness potions.

Then decided to go down the route of getting more archery and arrows of piercing to try to get the crown.

When I went down to the throne room, I went round the left side passage without being noticed by anything, but there was a Silent Watcher in the last room before Morgoth, and I shot an arrow at it, forgetting that this would break the tension.

So when I entered the main room, Morgoth was not in the expected position and had wandered to near the top and was surrounded by other monsters so I couldn't get a clear shot at him.

He was still unwary and hadn't noticed me, so I decided to try the staff of slumber, and it worked first time, but the crown fell under another monster and I had to use Exchange Places to get to it, then exchange again to get away, and everything started waking up and attacking me, so getting back to the stairs was quite exciting.