Sil: compilation of annoying deaths

[Infinitum]

I always play with the recall window open, and yes as I mentioned I knew I was taking a risk not retreating up. More precisely, I was at exactly 19 life and was wearing hardened leather and boots (2-7 dmg), Orc Warriors indeed deal 3d7 damage, which unless I've misunderstood the way damage is calculated left a ((1/7)^3) x (1/6) = 1-in-1974 risk of being oneshotted disregarding to-hit chance and critical hits (which I should point out this wasn't). Guess I was feeling lucky..?

[Patashu]

The Orc Warrior hits you. You die.

Chopped me for a cool 19 damage right through my hardened leather armor. I mean I could've just retreated a few steps in order to avoid the theorethical (...) 1-shot, but dragging monsters around the level has its own risks, and i had just greatsword'd like 5 of its predecessors no sweat. The high variability is as much part of the game as anything I suppose, but god damn its hard to stomach sometimes.

If you have the monster recall screen open and look at it whenever fighting (which I recommend at all times), you'd see that orc warriors deal 3d7 damage - meaning they can do at most 21-your minimum protection roll in damage. If you have that much HP or less, do not engage unless you have no other option. If you're very close to that threshold HP, start to act more cautious and look for ways to disengage from combat now, rather than keep fighting and then realize that you've been boxed in from the other side because you were not looking at your circumstances!

If you look at the stats for orcs - high damage, shit accuracy, shit evasion - you get the picture that they're high variance monsters that are not usually a threat, but the more you fight, the more chances you give them to be really lucky and put you in life threatening danger. So don't let them do that! Outsmart the orcs and therefore the game!

[locus]

The Orc Warrior hits you. You die.

Chopped me for a cool 19 damage right through my hardened leather armor. I mean I could've just retreated a few steps in order to avoid the theorethical (...) 1-shot, but dragging monsters around the level has its own risks, and i had just greatsword'd like 5 of its predecessors no sweat. The high variability is as much part of the game as anything I suppose, but god damn its hard to stomach sometimes.

I feel like you want either real armor or a high constitution or a really really high evasion before you go toe-to-toe with things that output high damage? I mean, you talk about how you killed 5 of them no sweat, but the more you fight the more likely it is the Law of Large Numbers is going to catch up with you eventually.

If I'm playing a slugger I generally give him high CON, and anything less than 30 hp is a sign I need to consider my options to make sure I don't get killed.

[Infinitum]

The Orc Warrior hits you. You die.

Chopped me for a cool 19 damage right through my hardened leather armor. I mean I could've just retreated a few steps in order to avoid the theorethical (...) 1-shot, but dragging monsters around the level has its own risks, and i had just greatsword'd like 5 of its predecessors no sweat. The high variability is as much part of the game as anything I suppose, but god damn its hard to stomach sometimes.

[half]

Pits require an evasion roll to escape. The difficulty is 10, or 15 for spiked pits. This reflects the fact that you need Dex and manoeuvrability, with heavy armour making it more difficult. Taking off your armour could help.

[Philip]

Could be dex, then. You did mention having bad dex. I doubt free action can do anything to help. I agree about the bonus for the next attempt on a failed attempt, although technically, if you knew what stat to boost, it's possible you had !STAT.

[BlueFish]

Strength is used for webs, as is free action. Not sure about pits, but I know it's not strength. This was a 4 strength character.

I think it would make some game design sense to give a bonus to escape attempts for every failed attempt. Instadeath, even if carried out over 7 straight skill check failures, isn't fun.

[Philip]

I always thought it was a strength roll, and I think boots of free action don't help. I don't know, though.

[BlueFish]

What's the mechanic for climbing out of pits? This was a promising character, one of the few I've managed for this build. Got to 500 ft. He has 1 dex, but had free action boots. What can a character do to try to stave off 7 straight failures to climb out of a pit?

He ended up dying there, after exhausting his healing consumables and never getting another chance to try to climb out.

I really don't like the maluses that pits hit you with in this game. The "bear trap" aspect where you can't move is enough. Halving your combat ability is a bit over the top.

[BlueFish]

This would produce some interface issues with 1.5 handed weapons, I guess. Or at least require a new command.

No issue and no new command needed, unless you think it's an issue that 1.5 handed weapons worked exactly as they always have. They would not disable shields.

The practical difficulty of 2h weapons un-wielding shields is generally with diggers. I "fixed" this in my personal version by making then 1.5 handed, and I rarely notice this anymore. I also reduced their damage to 1d1 just for "ethical" reasons. Not that I ever fought with mattocks to begin with.

[taptap]

I really wish two handed weapons just disabled the shield rather than un-wielded it.

This would produce some interface issues with 1.5 handed weapons, I guess. Or at least require a new command.

[BlueFish]

Damn it! Was trapped by an out of control violet worm mass & had the bright idea of changing to a 2hnder to thin them out quicker. Well it worked, but my shield "disappeared" from pack overflow & shortly afterwards I was turned into a pincushion by a bunch of archers. So not a big fan of non-stackable items right now.

I really wish two handed weapons just disabled the shield rather than un-wielded it.

[taptap]

Damn it! Was trapped by an out of control violet worm mass & had the bright idea of changing to a 2hnder to thin them out quicker. Well it worked, but my shield "disappeared" from pack overflow & shortly afterwards I was turned into a pincushion by a bunch of archers. So not a big fan of non-stackable items right now.

A question is strength sustain guaranteed? or is it just a bonus to will checks?

As far as I know all sustains and resists are a bonus of 10 to saving rolls as is Vanish, Free Action etc., BUT this 10 is huge when you roll with d10. From 50% failure chance (i.e. when your will equals that of your opponent) to guaranteed success.

[wobbly]

Damn it! Was trapped by an out of control violet worm mass & had the bright idea of changing to a 2hnder to thin them out quicker. Well it worked, but my shield "disappeared" from pack overflow & shortly afterwards I was turned into a pincushion by a bunch of archers. So not a big fan of non-stackable items right now.

A question is strength sustain guaranteed? or is it just a bonus to will checks?

[HugoVirtuoso]

Your talk of molds reminded me of this

http://angband.calamarain.net/view.php?date=2009-06-03

That Angband comic is priceless!