Help - blocked by two Grotesques

[xgp]

My character's paths are blocked by two Grotesques. The character can even barely hurt them, let alone destroy them. Could someone please suggest to me a way out of this? Thanks.

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Unfortunately its likely you wont be able to escape.

Option A): destroy them. Equip your largest weapon, eat a rage herb+strength+speed potion and go to town. Buy smite if you can, or buy song of whetting (obviously only if these make sense for your weapon type). Or maybe you found an armour piercing weapon already? Some artifacts have this property.

B) escape: if you have a mattock you can break the granite around you with 3 strength. Potion can help. No mattock/no way to get 3 STR = no escape.

C) Horn of blasting. I always carry this horn around if I can just for this reason. Blasts from these will shatter both statue monsters in the game.

D) If you are playing original SILQ you also can point the horn of blasting (?) downwards to create a shaft below you which you'll automatically fall down into.

E) Staff of earthquakes will destroy random terrain/statue monsters.

This situation is the main reason why Grotesques exist in the game - a simple "be prepared or you die" check.

[xgp]

The character does not have a mattock, a staff of earthquakes, or a horn of blasting, only a shovel.

She has strength 4, but when using the shovel against the wall it says "You are unable to break the granite with your Shovel."

Does this mean only option A) is worth trying?

  [Sil 1.3.0 Character Dump]

 Name   xgp           Age    4,801       Str   4 =  3  +1
 Sex    Female        Height  5'10       Dex   5
 Race   Noldor        Weight   163       Con   3
 House  Feanor                           Gra   2

 Game Turn   20,986   Melee  (+24,2d8)   Melee       24 = 20  +5  -2  +1
 Exp Pool       393   Bows   (+2,1d12)   Archery      2 =  0  +5  -4  +1
 Total Exp   46,693   Armor [+25,7-20]   Evasion     25 = 15  +5  +5
 Burden       119.7                      Stealth      0 =  0  +5  -5
 Max Burden   207.3   Health     34:34   Perception   6 =  4  +2
 Depth         750'   Voice      28:28   Will        11 =  7  +2  +2
 Min Depth     750'                      Smithing     3 =  0  +2      +1
 Light Radius     4                      Song         2 =  0  +2

 You are one of two children of an archer from the house of Feanor. You
 have light grey eyes, straight black hair, and a fair complexion.






  [Equipment]

a) The Longsword 'Glamdring' (+2,2d5) [+2] <+2> 3.0 lb
   It improves your will by 2.  It slays orcs, trolls, dragons, 
   and raukar.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
b) a Dragon-horn Bow (+0,1d10) 2.5 lb
   It can shoot arrows 18 squares (with your current strength).
c) a Marble Ring
d) an Amethyst Ring of Frost
   It provides resistance to fire.  
e) a Silver Amulet
f) a Brass Lantern (1988 turns)
g) The Mail Corslet of Gundor (-1) [-1,2d4] <+1>
   It increases your strength by 1.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  It grants you the ability: Crowd Fighting.  
h) a Cloak of Warmth [+1]
   It provides resistance to cold.  
i) a Kite Shield of Deflection (-2) [+2,1d6]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
j) a Helm of Brilliance [-1,1d2]
   It lights the dungeon around you.  
k) a Set of Gauntlets of Swordplay (-1) [+0,1d1]
   It grants you the ability: Parry.  
l) a Pair of Greaves of Free Action [+0,1d2]
   It grants you freedom of movement.  
m) 26 Arrows {special}
   They can be shot 18 squares (with your current strength and bow).
n) 45 Arrows (Poisoned)
   They are branded with venom.  They can be shot 18 squares
   (with your current strength and bow).


  [Inventory]

a) 10 Violet Easter Eggs of Rage
b) 2 Copper Easter Eggs of Sustenance
c) a Ruby Easter Egg of Healing
d) 3 Fragments of Lembas
e) 3 Clear Potions of Miruvor
f) 2 Murky Brown Potions of Orcish Liquor
g) 6 Sky Blue Potions of Clarity
h) 4 Black Potions of Healing
i) 2 Green Potions of True Sight
j) 6 Cloudy Potions of Quickness
k) an Emerald Potion of Elemental Resistance
l) 2 Violet Potions of Strength
m) a Dark Green Potion of Dexterity
n) 4 Azure Potions of Constitution
o) an Elm Staff of Light (used 1 time)
p) a Gnarled Staff of Sanctity
q) an Ebony Staff of Revelations (5 charges)
r) an Amethyst Ring of Frost
   It provides resistance to fire.  
s) a Crystal Amulet of Grace <+1>
   It increases your grace by 1.  It sustains your grace.  
t) a Brass Lantern (3000 turns)
u) The Cloak of Maglor [+1] <+2>
   It improves your song by 2.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  It grants you the ability: Song of the Trees.  
v) a Shovel (-3,2d2) <+1> 8.5 lb
   It improves your tunneling by 1.  It requires both hands to
   wield it properly.  


  [Notes]

xgp of the Noldor
Entered Angband on 4 Apr 2021

   Turn     Depth   Note

  2,710    200 ft   Found The Longsword 'Glamdring'
  6,410    400 ft   Encountered Othrod, the Orc Lord
  6,439    400 ft   Slew Othrod, the Orc Lord
  6,499    400 ft   Found The Mail Corslet of Gundor
 10,919    450 ft   (Inner Light)
 11,453    450 ft   (Leaping)
 12,048    500 ft   (Sprinting)
 12,233    500 ft   Fell through a false floor
 12,234    550 ft   Encountered Duruin, Least of the Balrogs
 12,247    550 ft   Destroyed Duruin, Least of the Balrogs
 12,649    550 ft   (Charge)
 14,920    600 ft   (Keen Senses)
 16,630    750 ft   Found The Cloak of Maglor
 16,808    750 ft   (Finesse)
 17,190    650 ft   Encountered Gilim, the Giant of Eruman
 17,193    650 ft   Encountered Delthaur, Balrog of Terror
 17,291    650 ft   (Hardiness)
 17,705    750 ft   Encountered Umuiyan, the Doorkeeper
 17,812    750 ft   Slew Umuiyan, the Doorkeeper
 18,092    750 ft   (Poison Resistance)
 18,583    750 ft   (Zone of Control)
 18,716    700 ft   Destroyed Delthaur, Balrog of Terror
 20,732    750 ft   (Flanking)



  ['Score' 015079014]

[Pete Mack]

You're pretty much screwed without at least a heavy weapon like an axe. Mattock or horn of Blasting is considered a necessity.

[Svalbardcaretaker]

Yeah, shovels only move rubble, for quartz/granite you need a mattock. I fear Glamdring is not going to be enough, unless you can get activate song of whetting for it (which, if you are playing normal SILQ, will be impossible).

Shame for that character, it looks really nice.

[skydyr]

I was just about to post a similar situation. How do you go about breaking the wall with a mattock? I have 3 strength but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Edit: Still curious about breaking the granite, but with the mattock and a strength potion I was able to kill the Grotesque.

[debo]

If you are lucky (and possibly make a lot of noise) it's possible you will draw a Kemenrauko who will tunnel their way to you. All you have to do is make sure it doesn't kill you.

But most likely you are just stuck.

[Quirk]

Yeah, shovels only move rubble, for quartz/granite you need a mattock. I fear Glamdring is not going to be enough, unless you can get activate song of whetting for it (which, if you are playing normal SILQ, will be impossible).

Some notes for Sil-Q 1.5:

Whetting has been removed in 1.5, but an option I haven't seen mentioned is Puncture, which lets archers wear down enemies whose armour is too thick to penetrate. This costs 2K XP with no prior archery investment.

Blasting your way through the floor with a Horn of Blasting is still possible.

Another solution is a Horn of Force - I think this should work also in Sil 1.3 but haven't tested.

[seraph]

I was just about to post a similar situation. How do you go about breaking the wall with a mattock? I have 3 strength but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Edit: Still curious about breaking the granite, but with the mattock and a strength potion I was able to kill the Grotesque.

to tunnel through granite you actually need a mattock of belegost.

[HugoVirtuoso]

Or Glaive of Gaurin

[xgp]

You hit the Grotesque... <6x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You hit the Grotesque... <2x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You hit the Grotesque... <7x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You hit the Grotesque... <12x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You hit the Grotesque... <13x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You hit the Grotesque... <2x>
You hit the Grotesque.
You have destroyed the Grotesque.
There is a pile of rubble in the way!
You clear the rubble.
You were wielding a Mattock of Belegost (-5,5d2) <+3> (u).

This time a Mattock of Belegost works. Yay!

[xgp]

Update: The Greatsword 'Glend' is more effective than a Mattock of Belegost in the hands of a Noldor.

The Greatsword 'Glend' (-1,3d6) [+1] <+1>

   The long deadly blade of Nan, the Giant.

   It increases your strength by 1.  It sustains your strength.  It cannot be
harmed by the elements.  It requires both hands to wield it properly.