level 50, now what?

[stephen]

I've been playing for a couple of weeks now and have finally made it to clvl 50.

What more do I need to take on Sauron/Morgoth? There are still a few uniques I can't kill (like the Tarrasque) but other than that I can take on pretty much anything with relative ease.

 [Angband 3.1.2v2 Character Dump]

 Name   Natasha                                  Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Female       Age             64   STR! 18/100  +1  +3  +6 18/200
 Race   Dunadan      Height          80   INT! 18/100  +2  -3  +2 18/110
 Class  Paladin      Weight         165   WIS! 18/100  +2  +1  +4 18/170
 Title  Paladin Lord Social  Role model   DEX! 18/100  +2  +0 +11 18/***
 HP     1004/1004    Maximize         Y   CON! 18/100  +3  +2  +4 18/190
 SP     376/376                           CHR! 18/100  +2  +2  +2 18/160

 Level               50   Armor   [59,+160]     Saving Throw         99%
 Cur Exp       15172817   Fight   (+43,+32)     Stealth        Excellent
 Max Exp       15172817   Melee   (+60,+46)     Fighting       Legendary
 Adv Exp       ********   Shoot   (+60,+19)     Shooting          Heroic
 MaxDepth   4950' (L99)   Blows      7/turn     Disarming            74%
 Game Turns     5321312   Shots      1/turn     Magic Device          86
 Player Turns   1001999   Infra        0 ft     Perception       1 in 35
 Active Turns    343246   Speed          17     Searching            15%
 Gold            994989   Burden  217.6 lbs

 You are one of several children of a Yeoman.  You are a credit to the
 family.  You have green eyes, wavy auburn hair, and an average
 complexion.


rAcid:..+...+.*.+.. rConf:......+....+.
rElec:......+...... Sound:......+.+....
rFire:....+.+...... Shard:......+......
rCold:......+...... Nexus:.............
rPois:....+.+...... Nethr:...........+.
rFear:....+..++.... Chaos:......+.+..+.
rLite:......+...... Disen:......+......
rDark:......+...... S.Dig:.............
rBlnd:.........+... Feath:.............

Light:............. Aggrv:.............
Regen:............. Stea.:.......+.....
  ESP:.........+... Sear.:.............
Invis:............. Infra:.............
FrAct:.+......+.++. Tunn.:.............
HLife:............. Speed:.+.++......+.
ImpHP:............. Blows:+............
ImpSP:............. Shots:.............
 Fear:............. Might:.+...........


  [Character Equipment]

a) a Mace of Disruption of Extra Attacks (5d8) (+17,+14) (+2) {!k}
     +2 attack speed.
     Slays undead.
     
     Combat info:
     7 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 135.3 vs. undead, 135.3 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, and 78.6 vs. others.
     
b) The Long Bow of Bard (x5) (+17,+19) (+2)
     +2 dexterity, speed, shooting power.
     Slays dragons.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  
     
c) a Ring of Acid [+18]
     It brands your melee attacks with acid.
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
d) a Ring of Speed (+10)
     +10 speed.
     
e) The Elfstone 'Elessar' (+7,+7) [+10] (+2)
     +2 strength, wisdom, charisma, speed.
     Provides resistance to fire, poison, fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it heals 500 hit points.
     Takes 540 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 90.2%
     
f) The Phial of Galadriel
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it lights up the surrounding area, hurting light-s
     ensitive creatures.
     Takes 29 to 54 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 96.6%
     
     Radius 3 light.
g) Power Dragon Scale Mail (-3) [40,+21]
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, poison, light, 
     dark, confusion, sound, shards, chaos, disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
h) an Elven Cloak of Aman [6,+32] (+4 stealth)
     +4 stealth.
     Provides resistance to fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
i) The Small Metal Shield of Thorin [4,+22] (+4)
     +4 strength, constitution.
     Provides immunity to acid.
     Provides resistance to fear, sound, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  
     
j) The Hard Leather Cap of Thranduil [2,+10] (+2)
     +2 intelligence, wisdom.
     Provides resistance to blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Grants telepathy.  
     
k) The Set of Caestus of Fingolfin (+9,+9) [5,+19] (+4)
     +4 dexterity.
     Provides resistance to acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  
     
     When aimed, it fires a magical arrow with damage 150.
     Takes 83 to 162 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 93.1%
     
l) The Pair of Leather Boots 'Dal-i-thalion' [2,+13] (+5)
     +5 dexterity, speed.
     Provides resistance to confusion, nether, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains constitution.
     Prevents paralysis.  
     
     When activated, it cures you of fear and poison.
     Takes 13 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 96.2%
     


  [Character Quiver]

n) (nothing)
o) (nothing)
p) (nothing)
q) (nothing)
r) (nothing)
s) (nothing)
t) (nothing)
u) (nothing)
v) (nothing)
w) (nothing)


  [Character Inventory]

a) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Beginners Handbook]
b) 3 Holy Books of Prayers [Words of Wisdom]
c) 3 Holy Books of Prayers [Chants and Blessings]
d) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Exorcism and Dispelling]
e) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Ethereal Openings]
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
f) a Holy Book of Prayers [Godly Insights]
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
g) a Holy Book of Prayers [Purifications and Healing]
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
h) a Holy Book of Prayers [Holy Infusions]
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
i) a Holy Book of Prayers [Wrath of God]
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
j) 13 Potions of Cure Critical Wounds
     
k) 2 Potions of Healing
     
l) 4 Potions of Speed
m) 11 Scrolls of Phase Door
n) 10 Scrolls of Teleportation
o) a Scroll of Banishment
p) a Scroll of Mass Banishment
q) 10 Scrolls of Satisfy Hunger
r) a Rod of Teleport Other
s) The Leather Shield of the Haradrim (+5,+5) [4,+15] (+1)
     +1 strength, constitution, attack speed, shooting speed.
     Provides resistance to poison, fear, blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains strength, constitution.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     When activated, it puts you in a berserker rage for d50+50 turns.
     Takes 135 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 93.7%
     
t) a Mace of Disruption of Fury (5d8) (+24,+22) (+1) {squelch}
     +1 strength, attack speed.
     Slays undead.
     Provides resistance to fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, fire.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     Combat info:
     6 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 148.3 vs. undead, 148.3 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, and 91.1 vs. others.
     
u) 3 Arrows of Acid (1d4) (+17,+20)
     Branded with acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 160 feet away.
     Average damage/hit: 659.8 vs. dragons, 659.8 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, and 219.9 vs. others.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     
v) 29 Arrows of Frost (1d4) (+18,+11)
     Branded with frost.
     Cannot be harmed by cold.
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 160 feet away.
     Average damage/hit: 516.7 vs. dragons, 516.7 vs. creatures not
     resistant to cold, and 172.2 vs. others.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     
w) 27 Arrows of Acid (1d4) (+15,+9)
     Branded with acid.
     Cannot be harmed by acid.
     
     Combat info:
     Hits targets up to 160 feet away.
     Average damage/hit: 484.9 vs. dragons, 484.9 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, and 161.6 vs. others.
     35% chance of breaking upon contact.
     


  [Home Inventory]

a) 3 Potions of Life
     It can be thrown at creatures with damaging effect.
     
b) a Ring of Speed (+10)
     +10 speed.
     
c) The Ring of Tulkas (+4)
     +4 strength, dexterity, constitution.
     Provides resistance to fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it hastens you for d75+75 turns.
     Takes 407 to 810 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 88.4%
     
d) The Ring of Power 'Narya' (+6,+6) (+1)
     +1 strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, 
     charisma, speed.
     Provides immunity to fire.
     Provides resistance to fire, fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains strength, constitution.
     Slows your metabolism.  Speeds regeneration.  Prevents paralysis.  
     Grants telepathy.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     When activated, it grants you protection from evil for 1d25 plus 3 
     times your character level turns.
     Takes 550 to 1080 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 88.4%
     
e) The Ring of Power 'Vilya' (+10,+10) (+3)
     +3 strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, 
     charisma, speed.
     Provides immunity to lightning.
     Provides resistance to lightning, poison, dark.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains intelligence, dexterity, constitution.
     Slows your metabolism.  Feather Falling.  Speeds regeneration.  
     Prevents paralysis.  Sustains your life force.  Grants telepathy.  
     Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     When activated, it heals 1000 hit points.
     Takes 545 to 810 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 83.3%
     
f) The Amulet of Ingwe (+3)
     +3 intelligence, wisdom, charisma, infravision.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, cold, confusion.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     When activated, it deals five times your level's damage to all evi
     l creatures that you can see.
     Takes 137 to 270 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 89.3%
     
g) The Necklace of the Dwarves (+4)
     +4 strength, constitution, infravision.
     Provides resistance to fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Speeds regeneration.  Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to
     see invisible things.  
     
     Radius 1 light.
h) The Jewel 'Evenstar'
     Provides resistance to cold, dark, nether.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains intelligence, wisdom, constitution.
     Sustains your life force.  
     
     When activated, it restores your experience to full.
     Takes 405 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 93.1%
     
i) The Palantir of Westernesse (+2) (charging)
     +2 intelligence, wisdom, infravision.
     +10% to searching.
     Provides resistance to blindness, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Grants telepathy.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  Drains experience.  
     
     When activated, it maps the entire level and detects objects, trap
     s, doors, and stairs.
     Takes 137 to 270 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 87.3%
     
     Radius 3 light.
j) The Full Plate Armour of Isildur [26,+25] (+1)
     +1 constitution.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, confusion, 
     sound, nexus.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
k) The Mithril Plate Mail of Celeborn (-3) [35,+25] (+4)
     +4 strength, charisma.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, dark, 
     disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it removes all non-unique monsters represented by 
     a chosen symbol from the level, dealing you damage in the process.
     Takes 1350 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 93.1%
     
l) The Cloak 'Colluin' [1,+15]
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, poison.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it grants temporary resistance to acid, electricit
     y, fire, cold and poison for 1d20+20 turns.
     Takes 299 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 96.6%
     
m) The Jewel Encrusted Crown of Numenor [0,+18] (+3)
     +3 intelligence, dexterity, charisma, speed.
     +15% to searching.
     Provides resistance to cold, light, dark, blindness, sound, shards.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     Radius 1 light.
n) a Pair of Leather Boots of Speed [2,+10] (+10)
     +10 speed.
     
o) The Pair of Steel Shod Boots of Thror [6,+20] (+3)
     +3 strength, constitution, speed.
     Provides resistance to fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
p) The Dagger of Rilia (2d4) (+14,+13)
     Slays orcs, trolls.
     Branded with venom.
     Provides resistance to poison, disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When aimed, it fires a stinking cloud with damage 12.
     Takes 13 to 21 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 96.6%
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 62.4 vs. orcs, 62.4 vs. trolls, 62.4 vs.
     creatures not resistant to acid, 62.4 vs. creatures not resistant
     to poison, and 51.6 vs. others.
     
q) The Main Gauche of Azaghal (2d5) (+12,+14)
     *Slays* dragons.
     Provides immunity to fire.
     Provides resistance to acid, fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 67 vs. creatures not resistant to acid, 80.1
     vs. dragons, and 53.9 vs. others.
     
r) The Blade of Chaos 'Doomcaller' (6d5) (+18,+28) [-50]
     Slays animals, evil creatures, demons, trolls.
     *Slays* dragons.
     Branded with frost.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, chaos.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants telepathy.  Grants the ability to see
     invisible things.  Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 105.9 vs. animals, 105.9 vs. evil creatures, 
     126.6 vs. demons, 126.6 vs. trolls, 126.6 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, 126.6 vs. creatures not resistant to cold, 168
     vs. dragons, and 85.2 vs. others.
     
s) a Scythe of Slicing of Westernesse (8d4) (+12,+13) (+2) {squelch}
     +2 strength, dexterity, constitution.
     Slays orcs, trolls, giants.
     Prevents paralysis.  Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 121.7 vs. orcs, 121.7 vs. trolls, 121.7 vs.
     giants, 121.7 vs. creatures not resistant to acid, and 74.9 vs.
     others.
     
t) The Lucerne Hammer 'Turmil' (2d5) (+10,+11) [+8] (+4)
     +4 wisdom, infravision.
     Slays orcs.
     Branded with frost.
     Provides immunity to cold.
     Provides resistance to light.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Blessed by the gods.  Speeds regeneration.  
     
     When aimed, it drains up to 90 hit points of life from a target cr
     eature.
     Takes 108 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 95.3%
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 64.4 vs. orcs, 64.4 vs. creatures not
     resistant to acid, 64.4 vs. creatures not resistant to cold, and 
     51.1 vs. others.
     
     Radius 1 light.
u) The Morning Star 'Firestar' (2d6) (+15,+17) [+2]
     Branded with flames.
     Provides immunity to fire.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When aimed, it creates a fire ball with damage 72.
     Takes 54 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 95.3%
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 75.2 vs. creatures not resistant to acid, 75.2
     vs. creatures not resistant to fire, and 59.3 vs. others.
     
v) The Mace 'Taratol' (3d4) (+12,+12)
     *Slays* dragons.
     Branded with lightning.
     Provides immunity to lightning.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
     When activated, it hastens you for d20+20 turns.
     Takes 272 to 540 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 95.3%
     
     Combat info:
     5 blows/round.
     This weapon benefits from one or more off-weapon brands or slays.
     Average damage/hit: 71.9 vs. creatures not resistant to acid, 71.9
     vs. creatures not resistant to electricity, 89.2 vs. dragons, and 
     54.7 vs. others.
     
w) The Long Bow 'Belthronding' (x3) (+20,+22) (+1)
     +1 dexterity, stealth, speed, shooting speed.
     Provides resistance to disenchantment.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     
x) The Heavy Crossbow of Umbar (x7) (+18,+18) (+3)
     +3 strength, constitution, shooting power.
     Provides resistance to lightning, light, dark, blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.  
     
     When aimed, it fires a magical arrow with damage 150.
     Takes 56 to 108 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 90.2%

should I use the plantir/Umbar/harradrim or is aggravate just not worth it?

[Timo Pietilä]

I've been playing for a couple of weeks now and have finally made it to clvl 50.

What more do I need to take on Sauron/Morgoth? There are still a few uniques I can't kill (like the Tarrasque) but other than that I can take on pretty much anything with relative ease.

You need speed. +20 is minimum to easy playing at dlvls 90+. Use BoS you have at home. Losing nether resist is like losing nothing. Nether resist is less valuable as +1 point of speed at speeds under +28. Definitely not worth +5 speed.

Also I would use Narya in place of acid ring (Fire immunity is nice). Double-resists and fire immunity against Tarrasque helps a lot. Though against Sauron I would use acid-ring.

Also I would consider using Colluin instead of you Aman. Just for activation. Use Vilya as swap.

should I use the plantir/Umbar/harradrim or is aggravate just not worth it?

At last fight aggravation doesn't mean anything, but until then I would avoid it.

[Ycombinator]

Remember that you need rNexus against Sauron. Otherwise: "Sauron gestures at your feet, you rise up through the ceiling, you make obscene gestures."

[Timo Pietilä]

Remember that you need rNexus against Sauron. Otherwise: "Sauron gestures at your feet, you rise up through the ceiling, you make obscene gestures."

That doesn't happen with perfect saving throw. He needs only one point to WIS to reach that which he would get from Palantir. Against any specific fight aggravation doesn't matter. He needs a lot more speed though. Maybe even second RoS.

[fizzix]

Do you have potions/rods of speed? Those help a lot. Staves aren't as good because they get drained. You probably want about 15 potions for Morgoth.

Sauron you can fight with +20 speed without a problem, but you really want +30 for Morgoth. Otherwise you may get double-moved. And two manastorms in a row will kill any character. If you decide to kill Morgoth with archery you can have less than +30 speed provided you have at least 2 shots/turn. You just can't do anything except fire shots at Morgoth while he's in sight.

[Pete Mack]

He's got Tulkas, which gives haste for ~75 turns. (Hugely useful for non-mage-caster.)

He also has Numenor and Vilya, which will give an additional +6 speed while keeping ESP.

Biggest weakness is lack of supplies (!Heal, !rMana, etc.)

[fyonn]

take it from me, haradrim and umbar does sickening levels of damage. with my last winner I was doing more than 1000hp of damage per bolt to sauron with acid branded bolts. he lost a star a shot pretty much.

Morgoth doesn't have the acid hole in his resistances so he wasn't quite as easy, but still, it really is a huge damage dealer.

dave

[Tiburon Silverflame]

Umbar by itself does massive damage, especially if this is the standard version and not from one of the nightlies with the ammo fix.

One thing to point out: one can worry aggravation, and thus be leery of using anything with it. And, yes, waking up everything does require some tactical adjustments. BUT...it's not cumulative. So, while I may elect not to use a single aggravator, the plain fact is, most of them are *considerably* better than the non-aggravators. Haradrim is an incredible enhancer, what with both extra shot and extra swing, and nothing in the game (before the ammo fix, and probably still after) can touch x7 crossbow damage, *especially* with the effectively double damage from the extra shot.

[UniqueName]

I agree with Pete. Vilya, Numenor and Colluin for +6 speed, more stats, sustains and double resist. Drop Fury and Satisfy Hunger. Use quiver. You need more no fail heal and crowd control. Carry Scrolls of *Destruction* especially. Use Narya and Staff of Banishment if you're using too many scrolls. Use Staff of Speed to conserve speed potions.

You could also use Belthronding/Isildur if you want Nexus/Con/better shooter over +1 speed.

[Timo Pietilä]

and nothing in the game (before the ammo fix, and probably still after) can touch x7 crossbow damage, *especially* with the effectively double damage from the extra shot.

Sling of Buckland (+20,+24) (+2). x4 with three shots. Four with extra shot makes it effectively x16 sling. x7 is x14.

Nothing beats that HXbow range though. You can shoot six grids further than that sling, which with double-monster speed is 12 shots more. It takes some time before that machinegun evens the score and starts to get better damage. That xbow can actually hit the target two grids further away than monster can cast spells, so you basically have six (again, double-speed) completely free shots (it appears, shot, shot, it moves, shot, shot, it moves, shot shot). Five if you decide to TO it instead as last move.

[fizzix]

That xbow can actually hit the target two grids further away than monster can cast spells

That seems broken. At the very least, your to-hit penalty should be incredibly large at that distance.

[Tiburon Silverflame]

If you've got a relatively low chance to hit, then you just use lesser ammo, and conserve your best stuff a bit. You'll still get some decent damage in, before it can start causing you problems.

Timo: ok, didn't think about that. But as counterpoint, the point above about ammo selection, comes into play. We don't very often get large quantities of Holy Might/Slay Evil ammo, so we tend to be at least a bit conservative with it...up until Morgoth, of course. The one downside is, the sling will burn through ammo at twice the rate of Umbar.

2 more points:

1. High-end bolts are more common than high-end shot. There are 2 high-end bolts (seeker and mithral) and only 1 high-end shot (mithral). Mithral bolts and shot are both A:25; seeker bolts are A:50.

2. The best shot is a base 2d4; the best bolt is 4d5. That's 5 versus 12. Granted, this may be offset by the shooter's enhancement bonus; Umbar's fixed, the sling can be as you noted. Conversely, while the enhancement bonus on any given ammo batch is going to have the some probability of being good...the fact that you get more bolts suggests you'll *tend* to have a slightly higher damage bonus on the bolts. x16 is basically 15% higher than x14. 2d4+32 gives an average of 36, so +15% means about 41 damage from the bolt...which is 4d5+29.

[PowerDiver]

The one downside is, the sling will burn through ammo at twice the rate of Umbar.

That's irrelevant. They use *different* ammo. You keep your best launcher of each type, and switch between them each trip based on the ammo you plan to use up that trip.

In the old days, it was often right to keep an x5 launcher with high plusses over an extra shot launcher using the same ammo, but with the change to additive brands even that does not make sense any more. Plus shots rules now.