Question about diving

[Pete Mack]

Hey wait a minute... 7 damage per throw is exactly what oil was when it started out 3 years back, at 2d6. So what's the point of the branding change in the first place? (I think it should do a little more damage than an unenchanted longbow--as you say, oil is a one shot ammo. I think it's a nice touch that it remains useful until you find your first bow in the dungeon.)

[d_m]

I've been using 1d4 * 3 for quite some time. It plays fine. However, throwing has the same range of 10 as a shortbow or sling, so don't mention that as a drawback.

Oh. That's... confusing.

Thanks for pointing that out. I feel like that must be an error.

[PowerDiver]

It's also worth noting that oil is weakened in the nightlies. It now does 1d4 branded fire (e.g. 3d4). This is still better than a starting shortbow (2d4) but given the shorter range, heaviness and fragility of flasks of oil it seems to be working better.

I'm interested to see how it plays for people.

I've been using 1d4 * 3 for quite some time. It plays fine. However, throwing has the same range of 10 as a shortbow or sling, so don't mention that as a drawback.

[d_m]

It's also worth noting that oil is weakened in the nightlies. It now does 1d4 branded fire (e.g. 3d4). This is still better than a starting shortbow (2d4) but given the shorter range, heaviness and fragility of flasks of oil it seems to be working better.

I'm interested to see how it plays for people.

[Derakon]

The only weakening to general archery that's happened is the move from multiplicative slays to additive slays (so flaming ammo on an x3 launcher does x6 damage, not x9). Rangers also now start with shortbows instead of longbows, but that's a result of starting all characters with the same total value for gear + starting money.

[buzzkill]

Archery has been weakened a bit, hasn't it??? but still, if you've got a bow and 2d4 arrows, and presumably a ranger does, then phase door (x2) is the solution to the panther. Everyone knows that .

Edit: that's 2d4 quanity, not quality.

[Philip]

Being very bad at diving, I can say what the big problem is. Something wakes up. Mostly due to attacking it. The panther is there just as an annoyance. Use your phase spell. I can't say much, because I gave up on rangers and started yet another mage. Phase is awesome, and so is teleport.

[Derakon]

Phase and shortbow shots should eventually do for the panther. Just carry more ?Phase. I usually try to have 10 for my second trip and 15 thereafter. Enemies with ranged attacks are pretty nasty though, and if you get dumped into a room with a bunch of novice paladins there's not a whole lot you can do. My best advice there is to just know what's around you and not go near dangerous situations. If you do get dumped through circumstances beyond your control (e.g. disconnected stairs, undetected trap door) then yeah, there's decent odds you'll die early on. Fortunately your investment in your character up to that point should be pretty small, especially since you are diving.

[Pete Mack]

Your ranger should *never* buy a longbow. Since enchant weapon scrolls are no longer available in the store, you will be using oil for quite a long time. (If a decently enchanted longbow does show up in the store, it might be worth buying.)

And don't stop diving: just about any longbow you find on the floor at dl 30 will be good enough.

[PowerDiver]

My question is, do you all like to have certain items before starting your dive? Do you roam the first few levels to save up money for a "kit"? I think my ranger would have survived had I had a longbow as opposed to a shortbow. Think I should get a longbow before starting the dive?

Are you playing 3.2? The powers that be have made longbows unaffordable. However, oil has been boosted ridiculously. Throwing oil is equivalent to shooting from a +4 longbow. The first purchase any 3.2 player should make is to buy all of the oil for sale at the general store.

Then you should check out the black market, and buy a ?telSelf, ?telLevel, or ?deepDescent if you can.

Beyond that, ?phase can save you sometimes, if you can manage to get across a wall. That's pretty iffy.

How often do you want to survive your first trip? That's just a personal preference. You can scum for money if you feel you die too often. Otherwise, you should return to town when you can afford to buy a staff of teleportation, a few ?recall, and a few sundries, again including all oil for sale. Your ranger should not buy a longbow even after the first trip. It is too expensive.

[Wraitheist]

I came back to Angband after having not played for about a year. I'm a diver...I like to just dive, regardless of resistances, etc., and it usually works pretty well for me. However, I've been trying to get a ranger going and I seem to keep dying a few levels down due to (seemingly) unavoidable circumstances. A panther I can't outrun, a ranger that kills me before I can retreat to the stairs, etc.

My question is, do you all like to have certain items before starting your dive? Do you roam the first few levels to save up money for a "kit"? I think my ranger would have survived had I had a longbow as opposed to a shortbow. Think I should get a longbow before starting the dive?