How to kill Morgoth?

[vulsuck]

I took a glaive wielding guy down to the throne room and was completely unable to get through Morgoth's regeneration. I had a lot of fun abusing a glaive, polearm Mastery, focused attack, and knockback throughout the intervening floors. Is there something I could have done differently to take him out? On looking at the dump, maybe I should have given up on polearms (but I'm not sure this would have helped against Morgoth)

  [Sil 1.3.0-mpa Character Dump]

 Name   Naron         Age    2,799       Str   4 =  3  +1
 Race   Noldor        Height   6'6       Dex   4 =  3          +1
 House  Fingolfin     Weight   152       Con   6 =  5          +1
                                         Gra   4 =  3  +1

 Game Turn   27,308   Melee  (+20,5d7)   Melee       20 = 22  +4  -6
 Exp Pool     3,975   Bows    (+9,2d9)   Archery      9 =  4  +4      +1
 Total Exp   85,375   Armor [+25,7-18]   Evasion     25 = 20  +4  +1
 Burden       131.6                      Stealth      0 =  0  +4  -4
 Max Burden   207.3   Health      0:59   Perception  13 =  9  +4
 Depth         1000'  Voice      41:41   Will        20 = 12  +4  +3  +1
 Min Depth     1000'                     Smithing     9 =  2  +4  +3
 Light Radius     5                      Song        14 = 10  +4

 You are one of several children of a bard from the house of Fingolfin.
 You have light grey eyes, straight black hair, and a fair complexion.






  [Last Messages]

> The Orc champion flees in terror!
> The Cat assassin flees in terror!
> You clear the rubble. <2x>
> You strike, but there is nothing there.
> Morgoth, Lord of Darkness misses you.
> Morgoth, Lord of Darkness slams his hammer into the ground.
> The Grey Potion of Slow Poison shatters!
> The Cat assassin is hit by falling debris.
> The Cat assassin has been slain.
> You are pummeled with debris!
> You clear the rubble.
> You provoke attacks of opportunity from adjacent enemies!
> Morgoth, Lord of Darkness misses you.
> Morgoth, Lord of Darkness hits you.
> You die.


  [Screenshot]

  #.#-:%^
  '..::^:
  : ..V..
  # :@##%
  ###:.^ 
  # :  # 
  #  :#|:


  [Equipment]

a) a Mattock (-5,5d2) <+2> 12.0 lb
   It improves your tunneling by 2.  It requires both hands to
   wield it properly.  
b) a Longbow of Radiance (+1,2d6) 3.0 lb
   It fires shining arrows.  It can shoot arrows 20 squares
   (with your current strength).
c) a Silver Ring of Frost {rf}
   It provides resistance to fire.  
d) an Onyx Ring of Evasion [+2]
e) a Golden Amulet of the Blessed Realm <+1>
   It increases your grace by 1.  It sustains your grace.  It 
   lights the dungeon around you.  
f) a Feanorian Lamp of True Sight
   It provides resistance to blindness and hallucination.  It
   grants you the ability to see invisible creatures.  
g) a Mail Corslet of Venom's End (-1) [-2,2d4]
   It provides resistance to poison.  
h) a Cloak of Warmth [+1]
   It provides resistance to cold.  
i) (nothing)
j) The Jewelled Crown of Feanor [+0,1d1] <+3>
   It improves your will and smithing by 3.  It provides
   resistance to fire.  It lights the dungeon around you.  It
   grants you the ability to see invisible creatures, but it
   also enrages nearby creatures.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
k) a Set of Gauntlets of Strength [+0,1d1] <+1>
   It increases your strength by 1.  
l) a Pair of Mithril Greaves of Free Action [+0,1d2] {free action}
   It grants you freedom of movement.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
m) 92 Arrows (+3)
   They can be shot 20 squares (with your current strength and bow).
n) 99 Arrows (Poisoned)
   They are branded with venom.  They can be shot 20 squares
   (with your current strength and bow).


  [Inventory]

a) 6 Pale Green Herbs of Restoration
b) 5 Fragments of Lembas
c) 3 Murky Brown Potions of Orcish Liquor
d) 8 Emerald Potions of Clarity
e) 5 Brilliant Blue Potions of Voice
f) a Dark Green Potion of True Sight
g) 2 Vermilion Potions of Quickness
h) 8 Sky Blue Potions of Elemental Resistance
i) 3 Brown Potions of Strength
j) a Violet Potion of Dexterity
k) a Green Potion of Constitution
l) 4 Copper Speckled Potions of Grace
m) a Walnut Staff of Sanctity (4 charges)
n) a Runed Staff of Understanding (2 charges)
o) a Runed Staff of Understanding (2 charges)
p) a Birch Staff of Revelations (6 charges)
q) a Beech Staff of Treasures (1 charge)
r) an Adamant Ring of Strength <+1>
   It increases your strength by 1.  It sustains your strength.  
   
s) a Glaive (-2,2d10) [+1] 5.5 lb
   It requires both hands to wield it properly.  It counts as a
   type of polearm.  


  [Abilities]

Power
Polearm Mastery
Follow-Through
Knock Back
Crowd Fighting
Heavy Armour Use
Dexterity
Focused attack
Keen Senses
Concentration
Hardiness
Critical Resistance
Constitution
Weaponsmith
Song of Slaying
Song of the Trees
Song of Sharpness


  [Artefacts]

The Leather Armour of Gorlim (found)
The Leather Armour of Caranthir 
The Galvorn Armour of Maeglin (found)
The Mail Corslet of Durin 
The Round Shield of Glorfindel (found)
The Kite Shield of Hador 
The Kite Shield of Fingolfin 
The Dagger 'Angrist' 
The Shortsword of Amrod (found)
The Longsword 'Orcrist' (found)
The Longsword 'Glamdring' (found)
The Longsword 'Narsil' (found)
The Spear of Boldog (found)
The Great Spear of Melkor 
The Jewelled Crown of Feanor (found)
The Cloak of Maglor 
The Wolf-Hame of Draugluin (found)
The Bat-Fell of Thuringwethil (found)
The Pair of Boots of Finrod 
The Set of Gloves of Celebrimbor (found)
The Massive Iron Crown of Morgoth (found)


  [Enemies]

  7 /  7  Wolf                                    
  2 /  5  Tanglethorn                             
 11 / 15  Orc                                     
  1 /  1  Grimhawk                                
  1 /  1  Orc scout                               
  7 /  7  Spider hatchling                        
  1 /  2  Blue serpent                            
 12 / 19  Orc soldier                             
  8 / 16  Madthorn                                
  3 /  3  Gorcrow                                 
  9 / 12  Orc archer                              
 20 / 24  White wolf                              
  0 /  1  Red serpent                             
  (slain) Gorgol, the Butcher 
 37 / 45  Orc warrior                             
  3 /  4  Sword spider                            
 19 / 19  Crebain                                 
  2 /  2  Mewlip                                  
  7 /  8  Orc thief                               
  6 /  6  Nightthorn                              
  1 /  1  Green serpent                           
 12 / 15  Mountain troll                          
  1 /  1  Tattered wight                          
  (slain) Boldog, the Merciless 
 16 / 21  Orc champion                            
 35 / 37  Easterling warrior                      
 16 / 17  Hummerhorn                              
  8 /  8  Orc captain                             
 19 / 22  Warg                                    
  7 /  7  Grave wight                             
  6 /  7  Dark serpent                            
  9 / 15  Whispering shadow                       
 10 / 10  Distended spider                        
  7 / 10  Easterling archer                       
  5 /  5  Twisted bat                             
  (slain) Othrod, the Orc Lord 
 11 / 11  Snow troll                              
  3 /  3  Lurking horror                          
 14 / 22  Giant                                   
  (slain) Uldor, the Accursed 
 14 / 16  Easterling spy                          
  8 /  8  Shadow bat                              
 17 / 18  Sulrauko                                
  1 /  4  Fire-drake hatchling                    
  (slain) Ulfang the Black 
  (slain) Duruin, Least of the Balrogs 
 14 / 16  Werewolf                                
  7 / 10  Shadow spider                           
  5 /  5  Shadow                                  
  3 /  3  Sapphire serpent                        
  (slain) Gilim, the Giant of Eruman 
  5 /  6  Ruby serpent                            
  3 /  3  Creeping horror                         
 17 / 22  Ringrauko                               
  3 /  3  Deathblade                              
 19 / 19  Cave troll                              
  7 /  7  Emerald serpent                         
  5 /  5  Oathwraith                              
 50 / 57  Cat warrior                             
  6 /  6  Amethyst serpent                        
 12 / 16  Kemenrauko                              
  5 /  5  Grotesque                               
  5 /  5  Young cold-drake                        
  (slain) Umuiyan, the Doorkeeper 
  (slain) Belegwath, Balrog of Shadow 
 12 / 15  Spider of Gorgoroth                     
 15 / 16  Greater werewolf                        
  0 /  1  Adamant serpent                         
 16 / 17  Lesser vampire                          
  8 /  8  Cat assassin                            
  (slain) Oikeroi, Guard of Tevildo 
  3 /  6  Young fire-drake                        
 17 / 17  Darting horror                          
 27 / 31  Unmourned                               
 45 / 47  Ururauko                                
  (slain) Tevildo, Prince of Cats 
  (slain) Turkano, Balrog of the Hosts 
  5 /  5  Ancient sapphire serpent                
 96 / 97  Troll guard                             
 27 / 28  Vampire                                 
  0 /  9  Nameless thing                          
  (slain) Maeglin, Betrayer of Gondolin 
  7 /  7  Ancient ruby serpent                    
  2 /  4  Great cold-drake                        
  0 /  5  Silent watcher                          
 32 / 32  Gwathrauko                              
  (slain) Draugluin, Sire of Werewolves 
  (slain) Vallach, Balrog of Sudden Flame 
  3 /  3  Ancient spider                          
 12 / 12  Ancient emerald serpent                 
 12 / 12  Vampire lord                            
  (slain) Dagorhir, the Elfbane 
  (slain) Gostir, the Dread Glance 
  2 /  2  Ancient amethyst serpent                
  1 /  1  Great fire-drake                        
  4 /  4  Hithrauko                               
  (slain) Shelob, Spider of Darkness 
  2 /  2  Ancient adamant serpent                 
  1 /  1  Unrelenting horror                      
  (slain) Thuringwethil, the Vampire Messenger 
  (slain) Gothmog, High Captain of Balrogs 
  (seen)  Ungoliant, the Gloomweaver 
  (seen)  Morgoth, Lord of Darkness 


  [Notes]

Naron of the Noldor
Entered Angband on 6 Aug 2017

   Turn     Depth   Note

    593    100 ft   Found The Leather Armour of Gorlim
    709    100 ft   (Weaponsmith)
    776    100 ft   Made a Glaive (-2,2d9) [+1]  6.0 lb
    827    100 ft   Made a Mattock (-5,5d2) <+2>  12.0 lb
    837    100 ft   Made a Longbow (+0,2d5)  3.0 lb
  1,001    150 ft   (Polearm Mastery)
  3,031    300 ft   (Focused attack)
  3,281    300 ft   Encountered Gorgol, the Butcher
  3,290    300 ft   Slew Gorgol, the Butcher
  3,777    350 ft   (Power)
  4,404    350 ft   Found The Round Shield of Glorfindel
  4,623    350 ft   Encountered Boldog, the Merciless
  4,662    350 ft   Slew Boldog, the Merciless
  5,776    350 ft   (Concentration)
  6,050    400 ft   Found The Spear of Boldog (from 350 ft)
  8,176    450 ft   Encountered Uldor, the Accursed
  8,345    450 ft   Slew Uldor, the Accursed
  8,568    450 ft   (Keen Senses)
  8,862    500 ft   (Knock Back)
  9,892    500 ft   Found The Longsword 'Orcrist'
 10,150    550 ft   (Song of the Trees)
 10,240    550 ft   Encountered Duruin, Least of the Balrogs
 10,268    550 ft   Destroyed Duruin, Least of the Balrogs
 10,564    550 ft   Encountered Othrod, the Orc Lord
 10,588    550 ft   Slew Othrod, the Orc Lord
 11,040    550 ft   Encountered Gilim, the Giant of Eruman
 11,095    550 ft   Slew Gilim, the Giant of Eruman
 11,209    550 ft   Found The Set of Gloves of Celebrimbor
 11,602    550 ft   (Hardiness)
 11,734    550 ft   Encountered Ulfang the Black
 11,756    550 ft   Slew Ulfang the Black
 12,628    650 ft   Found The Longsword 'Glamdring'
 13,591    750 ft   (Crowd Fighting)
 13,591    750 ft   (Heavy Armour Use)
 15,943    700 ft   Encountered Umuiyan, the Doorkeeper
 15,951    700 ft   Slew Umuiyan, the Doorkeeper
 16,012    700 ft   Fell through a false floor
 16,805    750 ft   (Critical Resistance)
 16,934    750 ft   Fell through a false floor
 17,978    800 ft   Found The Jewelled Crown of Feanor
 18,545    850 ft   Encountered Belegwath, Balrog of Shadow
 18,581    850 ft   Destroyed Belegwath, Balrog of Shadow
 18,689    850 ft   Encountered Turkano, Balrog of the Hosts
 18,722    850 ft   Destroyed Turkano, Balrog of the Hosts
 18,770    850 ft   Encountered Oikeroi, Guard of Tevildo
 18,771    850 ft   Encountered Tevildo, Prince of Cats
 18,778    850 ft   Slew Tevildo, Prince of Cats
 18,827    850 ft   Slew Oikeroi, Guard of Tevildo
 19,604    850 ft   (Song of Slaying)
 20,590    900 ft   Fell through a false floor
 21,322    950 ft   Encountered Draugluin, Sire of Werewolves
 21,330    950 ft   Slew Draugluin, Sire of Werewolves
 21,330    950 ft   Found The Wolf-Hame of Draugluin
 21,623    950 ft   (Song of Sharpness)
 21,707    950 ft   Found The Shortsword of Amrod
 21,762    950 ft   Encountered Dagorhir, the Elfbane
 21,779    950 ft   Slew Dagorhir, the Elfbane
 22,505    950 ft   (Dexterity)
 23,174    950 ft   Found The Longsword 'Narsil'
 24,051    950 ft   Encountered Maeglin, Betrayer of Gondolin
 24,080    950 ft   Slew Maeglin, Betrayer of Gondolin
 24,080    950 ft   Found The Galvorn Armour of Maeglin
 24,808    950 ft   (Constitution)
 25,450    950 ft   Encountered Gostir, the Dread Glance
 25,465    950 ft   Slew Gostir, the Dread Glance
 25,610    950 ft   Encountered Vallach, Balrog of Sudden Flame
 25,648    950 ft   Destroyed Vallach, Balrog of Sudden Flame
 26,984  1,000 ft   Entered Morgoth's throne room
 26,987  1,000 ft   Encountered Thuringwethil, the Vampire Messenger
 26,987  1,000 ft   Encountered Morgoth, Lord of Darkness
 26,996  1,000 ft   Encountered Gothmog, High Captain of Balrogs
 26,998  1,000 ft   Encountered Ungoliant, the Gloomweaver
 27,007  1,000 ft   (Follow-Through)
 27,019  1,000 ft   Encountered Shelob, Spider of Darkness
 27,020  1,000 ft   Found The Massive Iron Crown of Morgoth
 27,039  1,000 ft   Destroyed Gothmog, High Captain of Balrogs
 27,080  1,000 ft   Slew Thuringwethil, the Vampire Messenger
 27,080  1,000 ft   Found The Bat-Fell of Thuringwethil
 27,233  1,000 ft   Slew Shelob, Spider of Darkness

 27,308  1,000 ft   Slain by Morgoth, Lord of Darkness.
 27,308  1,000 ft   Died on 08 August 2017.




  ['Score' 020072692]

[Patashu]

You need to use a munchkin, minmaxed build to kill Morgoth.

If you just want to beat the game, knock off his crown, pry a Silmaril from it and GTFO.

[Philip]

Basically you'd need to have found the Sharpness glaive I think.

[debo]

Not sure if you had knockback still on or if it was even working against V, but you generally don't want that in the throne room because it increases the time between hits and gives him more turns to regen.

You probably could have done it with this character, but it's quite a lot harder to win with a 2-handed weapon without rapid attack. Not sure how you used song of slaying either, but the general strategy is to run to the center of the throne room before the tension is broken, get a big mob of monsters around you, superbuff and eat rage to build your slaying bonus to 20+ before really taking a crack at V.

[wobbly]

Polearms are trixky, the mechanics favour the lighter weapons. Still it would been enough with more damage output. Reaching woven themes so you could use sharpness. Momentum & str or damage rings. You don't really need the rfire ring in the throne room. Just make sure you're con buffed & if any of the unique dragons show the ! Elemental Resistance does the trick.

[wobbly]

Also not sure why you're wielding the mattock. You do realize you can dig with it from the inventory?

[debo]

Also not sure why you're wielding the mattock. You do realize you can dig with it from the inventory?

One shouldn't ever have to justify wielding a mattock.

[vulsuck]

You can dig with the mattock from inventory?!? The things I learn about this game. No, I didn't know that. I was trying to run away from Morgoth near the end there but he had reduced the throne room to rubble so I had to dig around looking for the crown.

@Debo, yeah I had knockback turned off. I was watching some of your videos of the throne room so that's the strategy I tried to use.

[taptap]

A staff of freedom can make this task much easier, a lot more rubble and pit clearing in a single turn. What happened to you is the reason I panic in the throne room and just grab a Sil and go once Morgoth does not fall rapidly.

Also, you should not die unbuffed in the throne room. This should not be a thing, renew if needed and run if you feel you are running out of the relevant potions. All these +3's, especially con and dex and quickness make a huge difference.

[ripforareason]

There are a few sub-optimal things in your build:

- Dodging + Flanking is always better than crowd fighting and heavy armor use unless you're purposefully going with little evasion (but why?). Flanking + quickness is like having true haste and not just fast movement.
- You don't need more than 1 rank of rF on unless you're fighting a fire-breather. The Strength ring would probably be better.
- If you want to kill morgoth you really want Rapid Attack. I would've sacrificed a few points in evasion in order to get it.

[MarthaSipe]

There are some good tips above. So you could try these out and I hope you'll be successful. Morgoth is maybe the hardest opponent you have to fight with. I didn't kill him yet. But I'll try those advises you wrote. Thanks

[bron]

I can't speak to the characters that kill Morgoth using lots of criticals (e.g. xorzac). That route seems to be the most effective one. However, I can speak to the "brute force" method, which I like to use.The general idea is to get the damage numbers up as high as possible, use Song of Slaying to get big bonuses in the Throne Room, and use Quickness and Rapid Attack to do enough damage, fast enough, to overcome Morgoth's healing.

Here is the recipe I use; modify as appropriate to your playstyle:
A 3 strength starting character.
A 4d5 Great Axe (4d6 is even better, if you can find one)
Gloves of Strength.
Two rings of Strength and/or (preferably) Damage.
From Melee take: Power, Strength, and Rapid Attack.
From Song take: Slaying, Sharpness
Plenty of Healing and Miruvor

Walk into the upper part of the main throne room. I prefer to stand 2 squares down from the center wall between the two upper doors. If you have an extra light, drop it on the floor underneath you, in case there are lots of Dark monsters. Now, wield the Axe and buf up: sing Slaying; quaff two Grace, Con, Dex, Str; 3 Quickness; 3 Rage. More if you have a lot. Now hit something. You don't really want to move off the extra light you're standing on, so shoot an arrow. You will immediately be mobbed by every monster in sight. But most of them will prove to just be grist for the mill: dozens will die and the Slaying bonus should shoot up into the 20's. The trick is to be standing at the proper distance so that you kill all the other monsters, and your Slaying bonus peaks, just as Morgoth gets next to you. When Morgoth is the only adjacent opponent, Rapid Attack kicks in, and you should usually deal two blows each round, for 20-30 damage each, which is faster than Morgoth heals.

If you find a good Sharp weapon (e.g.Saithnar) this fight will be a *lot* easier and faster