Basilisk Death?

[Buckwild]

Hey all,
I had a lvl 27 dwarf war on dlvl 28 that recently got killed by a basilisk...
I had over 300 hp and I didn't even get a chance to react... I think I got hit by poison or something... Any idea what happened?

[camlost]

Hey all,
I had a lvl 27 dwarf war on dlvl 28 that recently got killed by a basilisk...
I had over 300 hp and I didn't even get a chance to react... I think I got hit by poison or something... Any idea what happened?

Basilisks can Paralyze you with one of their melee attacks, IIRC. They are best avoided unless you have a source of Free Action. Also note: Homonculus, and Carrion Crawlers are to be avoided also.

[Buckwild]

Basilisks can Paralyze you with one of their melee attacks, IIRC. They are best avoided unless you have a source of Free Action. Also note: Homonculus, and Carrion Crawlers are to be avoided also.

I am 100% certain I had gauntlets of free action though.

[Timo Pietilä]

Hey all,
I had a lvl 27 dwarf war on dlvl 28 that recently got killed by a basilisk...
I had over 300 hp and I didn't even get a chance to react... I think I got hit by poison or something... Any idea what happened?

Those things breathe poison. If you don't have poison resistance damage is significant (about 100 points). They also move quickly, so if it got double-move and used both of them to breathe that's 200 points. If you were slowed it was hasted or it had even +1 in top of that +10 it could have got triple-move. It is very unlikely that it uses all three to breathe, but it can happen.

If it was greater basilisk those are much more dangerous. Same thing but three times as much damage.

[Buckwild]

Those things breathe poison. If you don't have poison resistance damage is significant (about 100 points). They also move quickly, so if it got double-move and used both of them to breathe that's 200 points. If you were slowed it was hasted or it had even +1 in top of that +10 it could have got triple-move. It is very unlikely that it uses all three to breathe, but it can happen.

If it was greater basilisk those are much more dangerous. Same thing but three times as much damage.

Wow, 200 dmg. Yea that poison explanation makes sense. Note to self, poison resistance mandatory at 25+.

[Derakon]

Wow, 200 dmg. Yea that poison explanation makes sense. Note to self, poison resistance mandatory at 25+.

You're not gonna be able to swing that. The better solution is to know where the basilisks are and avoid them.

Poison resistance used to be "mandatory" before dlvl 40, because of drolems (who can hit 800 damage unresisted) and nowadays we ignore that too. Uber-cautious playstyles can work, but only if you never make a mistake -- most players can't handle that, so for them it's better to control the risks they're taking, rather than obviate them altogether.

[Timo Pietilä]

Wow, 200 dmg. Yea that poison explanation makes sense. Note to self, poison resistance mandatory at 25+.

Not until 2000' or so unless you encounter poison breathers in vaults (or otherwise very OoD). You just need to be careful around unknown monsters. Speed and high HP helps.

Basic rule no. 1 dealing with monsters that you don't know: if it is faster than you, assume it can kill you.

Poison has max 800 point damage cap.

[Timo Pietilä]

You're not gonna be able to swing that. The better solution is to know where the basilisks are and avoid them.

Poison resistance used to be "mandatory" before dlvl 40, because of drolems (who can hit 800 damage unresisted) and nowadays we ignore that too. Uber-cautious playstyles can work, but only if you never make a mistake -- most players can't handle that, so for them it's better to control the risks they're taking, rather than obviate them altogether.

Poison resist is quite easy to obtain. Check BM every time you visit town. Sooner or later it will have RoRPoison. Usually before you are at 2000' unless you dive really fast.

[Buckwild]

You're not gonna be able to swing that. The better solution is to know where the basilisks are and avoid them.

Poison resistance used to be "mandatory" before dlvl 40, because of drolems (who can hit 800 damage unresisted) and nowadays we ignore that too. Uber-cautious playstyles can work, but only if you never make a mistake -- most players can't handle that, so for them it's better to control the risks they're taking, rather than obviate them altogether.

How do you suggest completely avoiding basilisks? scan for monsters each screen?

[Netbrian]

How do you suggest completely avoiding basilisks? scan for monsters each screen?

A combination of that and trying to get telepathy ASAP. This is actually less annoying than it sounds.

[Max Stats]

How do you suggest completely avoiding basilisks? scan for monsters each screen?

A good idea is to have class-specific keymap that does a comprehensiive detection: Mageish characters cast detect traps, followed by detect monsters (or preferably reveal monsters), followed by the '[' key, which will then give you a list of the monsters you have detected. Priestly characters can substitute Detection for detect traps/detect monsters, and Warriors can substitute using a Rod of Detection.

Get in the habit, once you have progressed far enough to have either the required spells or the Rod of Detection, of using this keymap upon entering the level and every time you reach the edge of trap detection range (or every time your screen scrolls, if you want to be more paranoid). Be aware that, especially with the mage version, where you have to cast multiple spells, that the keymap sequence can get interrupted; if it does, you should make sure you go back and detect what you have missed (once you can do so safely, of course).

[Derakon]

I just bind each of my detection spells to a different keymap, then hit e.g. " for traps, ! for monsters, @ for mapping, etc. Thus whichever spell I want is always at my fingertips.

(On Dvorak, the ' key is where Q is on QWERTY keyboards)

[Timo Pietilä]

How do you suggest completely avoiding basilisks? scan for monsters each screen?

If you don't do that you die in Angband sooner or later. Even greatest characters can get killed in single turn of carelessness. All it takes is bunch of time hounds to kill just about anything, and that is not the only source that can kill in single turn. Walking to LoS of graveyard or Demon pit without knowing it is there can be lethal. Some Dragon unique escorts. Vecna/Feagwath and Black reavers. Just plain bad luck and getting two Dracolichs in same room.

You should do macro/keymap for detection spells. If you use books inscribe them with @m1, @m2 @m3 etc (p for priest prayer, m for mage magic), then use number to refer right book. That way you make no mistakes which spell to cast.

[d_m]

Also, if you aren't using the monster list subwindow you may want to check it out.

I feel like the monster and item lists are a really big help for all but the most seasoned veterans (and maybe them too).

[SSK]

Also, if you aren't using the monster list subwindow you may want to check it out.

I feel like the monster and item lists are a really big help for all but the most seasoned veterans (and maybe them too).

U mean monster memory or a diff window?