Complete N00b's Journey Character #3: Ragorlin, the Noldor Finarfin

[wizard44]

Introduction: This is the third character in progress in the series called the "Complete N00b's Journey", where I attempt to see how far I get in my four tries despite my n00bish mistakes. This character, whose name is Ragorlin and is a Noldor Finarfin that is pursuing a Stealth singer build, has made it to 250 feet after some tense moments with an orc scout. To celebrate, I am now starting a thread for this character to track his further progress. As a reminder for this series, the number before the hyphen signifies the attempt that I am playing, and the number after the hyphen signifies the goal that I have finished. With that, I bring you:

Complete N00b's Journey: Part 3-1

After extensively watching the Basil's Stealh singer build video, I gave my character 8 perception points, the Keen Senses and Listen skills, and 3 stealth points, and made a mad dash to the down staircase to 100 ft, which turned out to the room to my right. The only thing I picked up was the starting curved sword. After I arrived at 100 ft, I reloaded the level twice due to tanglethorns and orcs blocking the way to the downstairs in both instances, picking up a shortbow, a copper speckled potion, and a shortsword while getting the Disguise skill. At 150 ft, I spend two points on Song and reload the level due to an orc soldier horde approaching, causing me to fall down crumbling stairs and get hurt. I luckily find the upstairs, which I use to reload the level again, which gives me an orc scout that notices me and makes getting back upstairs difficult. After reloading the level again, I get to the 200 ft depth after picking up a set of gauntlets and dodge a madthorn's attacks. I then spend another point on Song and sneak past a group of white wolves to get to the 250 ft depth. I then learn the Song of Silence and conclude the part.

So the next goal is to get down to 350 feet, which should be doable, if I don't screw this character up.

After some research, it seems that I should probably get a brass lantern or a digging implement to stay in shape before I go deeper than 350 feet. The question is, is it worth losing a point of stealth at this point to be able to wear studded leather armor? If that is the case, then that is something that I should probably do before I go down through stair-scumming.

I'm also going to try to see if I can get at least 4 more stealth points for Ragorlin before ending this part. I will most certainly going to be prioritizing this sub-goal before taking any more skills.

The only items of note that I have so far are several potions that I picked up. Should I quaff-id them to figure out what they are or wait until I get an identifying item?

The below link is the current status of Ragorlin, which will be updated as I post future parts of this character's progress:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=22972

Any tips to improve this character's survival is appreciated.

[Quirk]

Generally I prefer leather to studded leather on stealthy characters. You will eventually go over 10 lbs and lose that stealth point, but initially it's better to have say 6 lbs of leather and 2 lbs of boots than 12 lbs of studded leather, and by the time you're fully kitted out you probably will need leather to stay below 20 lbs.

Stealth loss to armour is entirely by weight so you should be wearing armour below that first 10 lbs if you can. The first armour makes a huge difference to survival early on. I would be wearing the helm at this point.

Lantern is more important than a digging implement, even with Listen it's good to have that extra light radius. You don't have enough strength to dig effectively, IIRC you need strength 1 even to shift rubble.

Murky Brown potion is always Orcish Liquor: some healing + stun. Save it for a tight spot but be aware you are probably sufficiently fragile that if you're using it next to an enemy you'll lose as much damage from spending a turn to drink it. One of the others will likely be Slow Poison, as this is a typical early drop, but you won't be able to use-id this without being poisoned so it's likely wasted if you just drink it.

Use-IDing potions on low Will is somewhat dangerous, but you may have to take some risks at some point as it's hard to afford Lore-Master given your other necessary expenses until you're quite deep. (I had two other pacifists before Naedim who made it to the throne room before I got too cute, for reference: http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=21278 and http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=21292 - they may be useful to inform your decisions).

Oh, and be a little careful with Basil's build if it's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob9vKsXeN78 you're working from, 1.1.1 was a while ago and 1.3 has changed quite a bit. It looks fairly similar to the build I was using, so probably fine, but not having watched the whole thing I'm not sure if there's any advice in there which would now be deprecated.

[wizard44]

Thanks for the input. I am working from that video that was mentioned by Basil, but am taking input from the users here as much as I can. Anyway, I manage to get to 350 feet and improve my stealth such that I can have a decent chance of remaining undetected by the monsters there.

Complete N00b’s Journey: Part 3-2

This part begins by quickly heading to the 300 ft staircase and putting another point into stealth. I then go back to 250 ft, where I find two different types of staves that turn out to be recharging upon use-id’ing one, while leaving the other unidentified after one use. I then put another point into stealth and encounter Gorgol the butcher, prompting me to go downstairs to avoid being detected. I then find a brass lantern and a Kite Shield and find the stairs to the 350 ft level, while getting hit by a nightthorn. Once there, I put yet another point into stealth and fall down yet another flight of stairs, which puts me in the middle of a generated 350 ft level. While looking for the stairs, I find a Sapphire Ring of Perception <+2>, a unidentified golden ring, and accidentally eat a herb of rage. After waiting for the rage to subside, I find a couple of other potions, some herbs and food, and get enough experience points to put another point of stealth in. I then end the part, having felt that I pushed my luck enough for now.

The next goal is to get down to 450 feet, which I consider as a tossup to achieve, as my equipment is not what I feel what it should be to accomplish this.

I think I should still go for another stealth point, then maybe work towards getting the Song of Lorien since Lore-Keeper by itself is trash?

So, I still don’t have body armor, which is going to be a bit of a problem. Or will the shield suffice for the next part of my journey? Anyway, I’m going to work rather hard to make sure that I can get at least SOME form of body armor in this next go. That's going to be something I try to get before posting the next part, assuming this character survives.

Ragorlin’s status has been updated, and any input to help this underequipped character is welcome.

[Quirk]

You don't really need body armour, the shield is ample. Survival for this character relies on not being spotted. Taking an extra couple of turns to die when being hit provides a small advantage, but if wearing extra armour loses you a Stealth point and you fail a stealth check because of it, that's a much more serious problem.

You have a lantern, I'd continue diving. You need a steady stream of more XP that you won't be getting by seeing the same enemies over and over.

More advice:
I presume you're engaging Stealth mode where possible at present, sticking close to the walls, closing doors behind you, and waiting in corners for groups of enemies to pass. As you go deeper and have more Stealth, it becomes less necessary to engage Stealth mode, but it's important early.

Your main escape if you do get surrounded is to use-ID a staff and hope it is Majesty. It may be worth trying to use-ID unknown staffs near stairs if an enemy is close before you descend, you have Recharging so if you discover Majesty you can put some extra charges on it.

You're about to enter warg depth. This is where things get challenging. Wolves and wargs can track you by scent, but the early wolves are blocked by doors - wargs aren't. They have highish perception and move faster than you do. Give them a wide berth.

Build-wise get another stealth point, yes, and work toward Lorien. Lorien will not be reliable for you until it gets quite high, but it will shut down some of the lower-will enemies.

[Quirk]

Sending a character down myself to track your progress and remind myself of pacifist play:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=22975

Equipment isn't terribly useful to pacifists except where it aids Stealth, Perception, Song or light radius. Cloak or boots of Stealth would be a significant boon.

I'm wearing enough armour to protect myself a bit, but less than 10 lbs.

The main thing is to get enemies close enough to see them and gain experience, but not so close they rumble you. Light radius matters a lot for this. With 8 stealth and Song of Silence now I am fairly safe from trolls and orcs, but bats and wolves are still problematic. Things that move faster than you are in general difficult to deal with.

You are interested in finding slay weapons, but as sources of extra light when you're near appropriate enemies, not for fighting.

[wizard44]

Thank you SO much for the advice. Unfortunately, a group of crebain notice me, surrounds me, and screws up this character at 350 ft.

YASD #3: Stupid stupid crebains, horrible luck, and getting surrounded.

I begin by exploring 350 ft, and find a turquoise ring of accuracy, and a leather armor, and 5 throwing axes. Unluckily, a crebain notices me even while I use stealth mode and a song of silence, and I accidentally throw a copper speckled potion in my attempt to escape. Eventually, I get surrounded by crebain, who refuse to give me space to close the door on them, prompting me to use herbs and potions in a desperate attempt to survive, which fails miserably.

Gave the ladder a final update, and moving on to the fourth and final character later today.