Should I stay or should I go

[aeneas]

Been playing a character in an old version of Eddie's no-selling patch. First time I've played in a long time, actually. Anyway, I'm considering going after Sauron and Morgoth now, but I thought I'd get a bit of advice on that. I haven't played much in quite a while- it's been about a year since I played at all, and quite a bit longer than that since I played much. And toward the end of the time I was playing a lot I was playing a lot of NPP and my memories of Morgy are colored a bit by that, as he's a fair bit tougher in NPP.

I found quite a lot of artifacts on my last two trips (EDIT: and, maybe more important, a huge stack of slay evil Seekers), and my kit seems more than adequate at this point. I've been buying out the BM as many times as possible, and I just got a huge stack of !Healing from it, so I have plenty of healing. I have to make a couple of decisions about what to carry, but there aren't a lot of big dilemmas.

I'd feel pretty confident about taking on Morgy if the worst uniques were dead. Deepest unique I've killed is Maeglin, but the next deepest is Ar-Pharazon. Saruman is still out there, and I'd definitely like to see what he drops, but he's been making himself scarce. My hp are a bit low for a Ranger, just 'cause I'm only clvl 42. So I could potentially have a bit of trouble if anything too vexing gets summoned.

So what do you think the odds are here, considering that all the worst uniques are still out there? And what do you think my Morgy strategy should be? Let him melee me in a Destructed area to reduce summoning and increase the chances of being able to phase away safely?

Dump follows:

  [Angband 3.0.9e Character Dump]

 Name   Alethlan                                 Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Male              Age       116   STR! 18/100  +1  +2  +3 18/160
 Race   High-Elf          Height     77   INT! 18/100  +3  +2  +7 18/220
 Class  Ranger            Weight    178   WIS:  18/81  -1  +0 +12 18/191
 Title  Ranger            Status     68   DEX! 18/100  +3  +1  +3 18/170
 HP     827/827           Maximize    Y   CON! 18/100  +1  +1 +13 18/250
 SP     321/321                           CHR:  18/94  +5  +1  +3 18/184

 Level           42       Armor   [23,+102]     Saving Throw         106
 Cur Exp    3855814       Fight   (+32,+22)     Stealth                8
 Max Exp    3855814       Melee   (+44,+40)     Fighting             324
 Adv Exp    4140000       Shoot   (+48,+19)     Shooting             430
 MaxDepth   4800 ft       Blows      5/turn     Disarming             95
 Turns       688101       Shots      4/turn     Magic Device         114
 Gold        185777       Infra       40 ft     Perception            75
 Burden   257.7 lbs       Energy       360%     Searching             72

 You are the only child of a Telerin Warrior.  You have light blue
 eyes, straight black hair, and a fair complexion.



      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
 Acid:......+.++... Blind:.............
 Elec:..*.+.+.++... Confu:...........+.
 Fire:+.....+.++... Sound:.......+.....
 Cold:......+.++... Shard:...........+.
 Pois:..+.......... Nexus:......+......
 Fear:............. Nethr:.............
 Lite:....+.......+ Chaos:........+....
 Dark:............. Disen:..+.+........

      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
S.Dig:..+.......... Stea.:........+....
Feath:..+....+...+. Sear.:.....+.+.....
PLite:.....+.....+. Infra:.............
Regen:..+.......... Tunn.:.............
Telep:.........+... Speed:..+++.++...+.
Invis:..+.+.......+ Blows:.............
FrAct:..+.......+.. Shots:.+...........
HLife:..+.......... Might:.............


  [Character Equipment]

a) a Scythe of Slicing of Flame (8d4) (+12,+18)
   It is branded with fire.  It provides resistance to fire.  It cannot
   be harmed by fire.  
b) a Long Bow of Extra Shots (x3) (+16,+19) (+1)
   It increases your shooting speed by 1.  
c) The Ring of Power 'Vilya' (+10,+10) (+3)
   It increases all your stats by 3.  It increases your speed by 3.  It
   provides immunity to lightning.  It provides resistance to poison, 
   disenchantment, and life draining.  It sustains your strength, 
   dexterity, and constitution.  It slows your metabolism, makes you
   fall like a feather, and speeds your regeneration.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible things.  It
   activates for large lightning ball (250) every 20+d20 turns.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
d) a Malachite Ring of Speed (+11)
   It increases your speed by 11.  
e) The Elfstone 'Elessar' (+5)
   It increases your speed by 5.  It provides resistance to lightning, 
   light, and disenchantment.  It sustains your charisma.  It grants
   you the ability to see invisible things.  It activates for heal (500) 
   every 200 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) The Palantir of Westernesse (+4)
   It increases your wisdom and constitution by 4.  It increases your 
   searching by 4.  It usually provides light of radius 3.  It
   activates for clairvoyance every 50+d50 turns.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  
g) The Leather Scale Mail of Amras (-1) [11,+13] (+3)
   It increases your intelligence and constitution by 3.  It increases
   your speed by 3.  It provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, 
   cold, and nexus.  It sustains your constitution.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
h) The Cloak of Celegorm [1,+18] (+5)
   It increases your wisdom by 5.  It increases your searching and 
   speed by 5.  It provides resistance to sound.  It sustains your 
   wisdom.  It makes you fall like a feather.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
i) a Large Leather Shield of Elvenkind [4,+19] (+1 to stealth)
   It increases your stealth by 1.  It provides resistance to acid, 
   lightning, fire, cold, and chaos.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
j) a Jewel Encrusted Crown of the Magi [0,+10] (+1)
   It increases your intelligence by 1.  It provides resistance to acid,
   lightning, fire, and cold.  It sustains your intelligence.  It
   grants you the power of telepathy.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
k) a Set of Cesti of Free Action [5,+13]
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  
l) The Pair of Soft Leather Boots 'Calris' [2,+17] (+3)
   It increases your constitution by 3.  It increases your speed by 3.  
   It provides resistance to confusion and shards.  It usually provides
   light of radius 4.  It makes you fall like a feather.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  


  [Character Inventory]

a) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Magic for Beginners] {@m1}
b) 3 Books of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks] {@m2}
c) a Book of Magic Spells [Incantations and Illusions] {@m3}
d) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Sorcery and Evocations] {@m4}
e) a Book of Magic Spells [Resistances of Scarabtarices] {@m5}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) 3 Books of Magic Spells [Mordenkainen's Escapes]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Tenser's Transformations]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) 67 Copper Speckled Potions of Speed
i) 19 Indigo Potions of Healing
j) 24 Scrolls titled "breg har" of Identify {@r1}
k) 2 Scrolls titled "mest nonweneo" of *Identify*
l) 10 Pewter Wands of Teleport Other (62 charges)
m) The Necklace of the Dwarves (+3)
   It increases your wisdom by 3.  It provides resistance to light, 
   confusion, and shards.  It sustains your wisdom.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
n) Chain Mail of Elvenkind (-2) [14,+30] (+3 to stealth)
   It increases your stealth by 3.  It provides resistance to acid, 
   lightning, fire, cold, and blindness.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
o) The Spear 'Gondricam' (1d6) (+12,+11) (+2)
   It increases your strength by 2.  It slays undead.  It provides
   resistance to dark and blindness.  It sustains your strength.  It
   grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
p) The Whip 'Mediator' (1d3) (+13,+10) (+2)
   It increases your charisma by 2.  It increases your infravision by
   2.  It slays animals, dragons, demons, and undead.  It is branded
   with fire.  It provides immunity to acid.  It provides resistance to 
   cold, light, and sound.  It grants you the ability to see invisible
   things.  It activates for star ball (150) every 50 turns.  It cannot
   be harmed by the elements.  
q) The Mace of Celeborn (4d4) (+6,+11) (+3)
   It increases your dexterity and charisma by 3.  It increases your 
   searching by 3.  It slays all evil creatures.  It is branded with 
   frost.  It provides resistance to blindness and shards.  It sustains
   your dexterity and charisma.  It activates for banishment every 500
   turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
r) The Sling of Himring (x2) (+10,+13)
   It provides immunity to lightning.  It provides resistance to life
   draining.  It activates for protection from evil every 100+d100 turns.
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
s) 79 Arrows of Flame (1d4) (+10,+3) {@f1=g}
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  
t) 20 Seeker Arrows of Lightning (4d4) (+17,+11)
   It is branded with electricity.  It cannot be harmed by electricity.
   
u) 26 Seeker Arrows of Slay Dragon (4d4) (+11,+12)
   It slays dragons.  
v) 25 Seeker Arrows of Frost (4d4) (+9,+8) {@f4=g}
   It is branded with frost.  It cannot be harmed by cold.  
w) 11 Mithril Arrows of Wounding (3d4) (+17,+16) {@f3=g}
   It cannot be harmed by acid or fire.  


  [Home Inventory]

a) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Kelek's Grimoire of Power]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
b) 11 Indigo Potions of Healing
c) 8 Gloopy Green Potions of *Healing*
d) 4 Smoky Potions of Life
e) 30 Scrolls titled "lo ium un" of Teleport Level
f) 57 Scrolls titled "breg har" of Identify {@r1}
g) 5 Scrolls titled "mest nonweneo" of *Identify*
h) 4 Scrolls titled "lanwed den" of Banishment
i) 4 Scrolls titled "flanir put" of Mass Banishment
j) a Malachite Ring of Speed (+10)
   It increases your speed by 10.  
k) a Flint Stone Amulet of Devotion (+3)
   It increases your wisdom and charisma by 3.  It provides resistance
   to fire, light, dark, and life draining.  It sustains your wisdom 
   and charisma.  It usually provides light of radius 1.  
l) a Golden Amulet of Weaponmastery (+4,+3) (+2)
   It increases your strength by 2.  It provides resistance to fear and 
   disenchantment.  It sustains your strength and constitution.  It
   grants you immunity to paralysis.  
m) The Robe 'Holhenneth' [2,+11] (+3)
   It increases your constitution by 3.  It provides resistance to acid,
   cold, and life draining.  It activates for detection every 55+d55
   turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
n) a Golden Crown of Might [0,+12] (+1)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 1.  It
   sustains your strength, dexterity, and constitution.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
o) The Pair of Metal Shod Boots of the Rohirrim [6,+14] (+3)
   It increases your stealth by 3.  It provides resistance to blindness,
   sound, and disenchantment.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
p) a Main Gauche of Gondolin (1d5) (+10,+20)
   It slays orcs, trolls, dragons, and demons.  It provides resistance
   to dark.  It usually provides light of radius 1.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis, the power of telepathy, and the ability to
   see invisible things.  It cannot be harmed by acid or fire.  
q) a Scythe of Slicing of Slay Evil (8d4) (+11,+13)
   It slays all evil creatures.  
r) 39 Seeker Arrows of Slay Evil (4d4) (+12,+12)
   It slays all evil creatures.  
s) 28 Seeker Arrows of Flame (4d4) (+5,+8)
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  
t) 17 Seeker Arrows of Lightning (4d4) (+3,+5)
   It is branded with electricity.  It cannot be harmed by electricity.
   
u) 26 Seeker Arrows of Flame (4d4) (+2,+2)
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  
v) 33 Seeker Arrows (4d4) (+7,+4)
w) 25 Seeker Arrows (4d4) (+0,+0)


  [Options]

Adult: Maximize effect of race/class bonuses : yes (adult_maximize)
Adult: Randomize some of the artifacts (beta): yes (adult_randarts)
Adult: Auto-scum for good levels             : yes (adult_autoscum)
Adult: Restrict the use of stairs/recall     : no  (adult_ironman)
Adult: Restrict the use of stores/home       : no  (adult_no_stores)
Adult: Restrict creation of artifacts        : no  (adult_no_artifacts)
Adult: Don't stack objects on the floor      : no  (adult_no_stacking)
Adult: Preserve artifacts when leaving level : no  (adult_no_preserve)
Adult: Don't generate connected stairs       : no  (adult_no_stairs)
Adult: Monsters chase current location       : yes (adult_ai_sound)
Adult: Monsters chase recent locations       : yes (adult_ai_smell)
Adult: Monsters act smarter in groups        : yes (adult_ai_packs)
Adult: Monsters learn from their mistakes    : no  (adult_ai_learn)
Adult: Monsters exploit players weaknesses   : no  (adult_ai_cheat)
Adult: Monsters behave more intelligently (broken): no  (adult_ai_smart)
Score: Peek into object creation             : no  (score_peek)
Score: Peek into monster creation            : no  (score_hear)
Score: Peek into dungeon creation            : no  (score_room)
Score: Peek into something else              : no  (score_xtra)
Score: Know complete monster info            : no  (score_know)
Score: Allow player to avoid death           : no  (score_live)

This isn't the kit I've been wearing, exactly. I just found a lot of stuff so I was trying some of it on just to check things on the character screen.

[Pete Mack]

Yes, you can probably kill M, but it will be an epic battle at only CL 42.

As for melee, you can only do around 400 dam/turn with the SoS (slay evil). Yes, start off with some melee to break up the territory, but use archery to actually kill him. (4 shots/round with enchanted seeker arrows will do 440 dam/turn.)

So carry lots of phase door, and use plenty of buffing (including ?Chant)

EDIT:
Shame about the lousy strength--you are missing something like +10 to_hit from being at STR 160. And here's one reason to upgrade to 3.1.1 (dev)

p) The Whip 'Mediator' (1d3) (+13,+10) (+2)
It increases your charisma by 2. It increases your infravision by
2. It slays animals, dragons, demons, and undead. It is branded
with fire. It provides immunity to acid. It provides resistance to
cold, light, and sound. It grants you the ability to see invisible
things. It activates for star ball (150) every 50 turns. It cannot
be harmed by the elements.

what a joke! (All those completely worthless slays!)

[aeneas]

Yes, you can probably kill M, but it will be an epic battle at only CL 42.

As for melee, you can only do around 400 dam/turn with the SoS (slay evil). Yes, start off with some melee to break up the territory, but use archery to actually kill him. (4 shots/round with enchanted seeker arrows will do 440 dam/turn.)

So carry lots of phase door, and use plenty of buffing (including ?Chant)

Yeah- I wasn't planning to melee him, actually, unless I ran out of ammo. Just thinking about letting him melee me in order to deny him summoning space but still ensure nothing intervenes. My big worry is that he summons all of the worst uniques with escorts, one after another.

If I recall correctly this version of V makes summon unique have pretty good chances for M to summon low-level uniques, right? I still have a lot of low-level uniques around- probably best case scenario for me is that he summons some escorts durable enough to survive a few rounds of fracas, but not able to do much damage to me. But in that case I definitely want to follow the maxim about keeping your enemies closer- *sigh* this was much easier back when Sea o Runes worked .

EDIT: Yeah, the strength thing is too bad. This is a sort of weird character, as I spent a lot of time dicking around in the 30s and early 40s, but went down fast after that. So the turn count is pretty high, but a lot of it was spent too low to find anything worthwhile. And then the randarts- well, they certainly make speed easy enough to get, in the late game. And yeah- I was _really_ not happy when I id'd Mediator. I think I said "&^#(*&^", and you can quote me on that.

Anyway, I think I should be able to do a lot of damage to M with just those seeker arrows. They would be enough to kill him, fast, if every shot hit and he didn't regenerate, www. If I can manage to shoot the whole stack and then get a lot of them back I should be able to kill him with pure archery- I hope . But I think you're right that I'll wind up smacking him with the Scythe at the end- if I live that long.

Anyway, what would you recommend as my final kit, and what swaps should I carry?