A Few Questions/Observations From an Old Player

[Philip]

The game hasn't changed much in respect to reward for slow and for fast playing. Fast playing has just gotten a lot more popular.

[Magnate]

I've also started playing Angband after a very long time (started with 2.8.3 I think). I'd like to add my observations as well. As a player, kudos to all developers who kept Angband going. I'm again enjoying this.

Welcome back.

I feel the game has gone a bit too far in that regard and now caters for expert players rather than the casual players. While diving may be a preferred option among veterans, it shouldn't be at the expense of slow players.

I agree with what I think you mean, which isn't quite what you wrote.

The game always favours slow players, because they will eventually find better stuff (per unit depth) than faster players - more kills, more items, eventually a lucky drop.

What I think you meant is that this takes longer than it used to, because the number and frequency of good drops has done down a lot. This is almost certainly true, as you've missed three or four years of arguments about the game being too easy / drops being too generous (from 3.1.0 up to 3.3.2). So the drops were nerfed in the 3.4 series and long-time players think we're now back to roughly 3.0.x drops. Interesting that your perception is that it is meaner than 2.8.x

We do have plans to backport the stats module to test out the different generosities between versions, but currently it only works for the 3.3 and 3.4 series.

[academic.sam]

I've also started playing Angband after a very long time (started with 2.8.3 I think). I'd like to add my observations as well. As a player, kudos to all developers who kept Angband going. I'm again enjoying this.

First the good stuff:
I like all the interface enhancements. Pickup items already in my inventory is very nice. Going to where mouse is clicked is very nice. Indicating detect ranges is very nice (however, I like NPP implementation of this better). Changes to ID are very nice. Really liking it.

2. Is it my imagination or has the number of item slots in the house gone down drastically? As I recall, there used to be two screens, now there's only one. Last version I played prior to 3.3.2 was around 2005 so it has been awhile.

Totally agree on this. Inventory management has a tactical aspect. However, managing house really adds nothing and severely limits the choice. As others said, it forces similar endgame kits for most.

While reducing junk is a welcome addition, it has brought a severe lack of good items at early levels. Had a level 30 Gnome mage at 3200' still looking for decent items. Couldn't find !con or !int and only had 127 HP. Succumbed to a swarm of impact hounds because of one wrong move.

I feel the game has gone a bit too far in that regard and now caters for expert players rather than the casual players. While diving may be a preferred option among veterans, it shouldn't be at the expense of slow players.

I take pleasure in clearing a level and knowing I can take all comers in a given level. If I see a monster, I want to be able to kill it. That makes me a very slow player. So, I've never won. That's OK. But, I've enjoyed it.

Not having essential items in store is a bit of a let down. I guess I've gotten used to NPP.

Anyway, I'm back to enjoying this great game.

Regards
Sam

[scud]

Horned Reapers resist Acid, Lightning, Fire, Cold, and Poison

Resilient buggers, aye.

Horned Reapers generally just aren't worth the hassle of killing.

Oooh, I'm very partial to a bit of controlled U-slaying when I'm suitably dug in. I'm very confrontational! The only pit thing I think twice about is that pesky Black Reaver.

[Oramin]

Horned Reapers resist Acid, Lightning, Fire, Cold, and Poison (same with Osyluths) so there would be no reason to prefer any of those 3 swap weapons over Aglarang.

Besides, Horned Reapers generally just aren't worth the hassle of killing. With a single one I use a Teleport Away wand. With several, I Banish or Destruct.

[scud]

Do any of the Major Demon types resist Acid other than the Bile Demon?

Osyluths and, more scarily, Horned Reapers. Have got no idea of the numbers/reality behind it, but my 'gut observation' is that Horned Reapers will get through AC <150ish much more readily – or at least noticeably, given their high damage – than pretty much any other melee-monster. Kill them. Kill them quickly.

That's 3.3.2, at least.

[Oramin]

Do any of the Major Demon types resist Acid other than the Bile Demon? The BoC is handy for chopping up Lesser Balrogs.

[Derakon]

Oh, what I missed was the templating. I keep forgetting that it's not enough to just check monster.txt any more; you also have to check monster_base.txt. You're right, Huan and Carcharoth are both animals.

If you're only going to carry one, I'd say make it the scythe. Even if you decide to use Thunderfist instead (I don't think there's any argument for using the BoC), you should store the Scythe in your home, since it'll be quite effective against Sauron.

[Oramin]

I'm actually going to keep using Aglarang most of the time, I was just wondering which of the 3 I should carry as a swap weapon. CON is at 18:200 so I don't need the extra from Thunderfist. The Tarrasque is already dead in this game so that lowers the need for an Animal Slay (besides, I'm carrying around 33 Slay Animal shots for my Sling of Buckland just for Huan and Carcharoth).

I just checked and in 3.3.2 all three of those are listed as "natural" creatures which should make them animals. Did you folks change it in the new version?

[Derakon]

The Scythe with Thunderfist as a swap, IMO. Several deep monsters including many demons are vulnerable to acid, and Thunderfist covers two more as well as an animal slay (which could potentially be useful...though I note that of the three uniques I was going to recommend using it against -- the Tarrasque, Huan, and Carcharoth -- none of them are animals!). Thunderfist also gives +3 CON which may or may not be relevant.

[Oramin]

Ok, I need a little help accessorizing.

I'm currently running around with Aglarang (+15, +15) as my primary weapon for 426.6 at about +26 Speed. When I *really* want to kill something in a hurry, I swap in a Blade of Chaos of Frost (assuming the target doesn't resist Cold) and hit my Rod of Speed to get to +31 Speed. Well, I now have 3 choices of swap gear so I'd appreciate advice.

With the BoC (and the other choices), I have the following stats:

STR: 18:***
DEX: 18:170

Blade of Chaos of Frost (+15, +15)
18.0 lbs
5.0 Blows/Rd.
569.5 vs. not Cold, 364.5 vs others

Scythe of Slicing of Acid (+15, +15)
25.0 lbs
4.7 Blows/Rd.
585.9 vs. not Acid, 363.1 vs others

Thunderfist (+15, +18)
30.0 lbs
4.7 Blows/Rd.
508.3 vs. not Electric, 508.3 vs. not Fire, 349.8 vs. others

I already have Chaos Resistance from my armor so that isn't relevant.

Preference?

[Oramin]

Yeesh, I almost got my Paladin killed by the RNG and a little help from my own stupidity.

The stupidity part? Forgetting to cast Resist Fire/Cold before taking on The Tarrasque.

The RNG part? The Tarrasque's first 7 actions were breathing either Disenchantment (yes, I had resistance) or Cold (ditto). Fortunately the next two were Fire and I was wearing Narya at the time.

1/2 chance of breathing, 2/3 breath weapons. 1/3 chance per action.

1/(3^7) = 1/2187 = 4.57 x 10^-4 = .0457% chance of the first 7 actions being a sequence of consecutive Cold/Disenchantment breath weapons.

[Mondkalb]

I agree that paladins are one of the easier classes to play (depending on race of course). They are basically tanks with good casting abilities.

[Oramin]

I have a standing policy of making sure all the Uniques are dead by the time I face Sauron and Morgoth. IIRC, at least one of them can Summon Uniques and I don't want to deal with either of them and a bunch of Uniques at the same time.

If you were suggesting that I could have delayed fighting Gabriel until I had Disenchantment Resist gear then sure, I could have done that. I have some gear for that in my home but I'm already carrying around a bunch of swap (dagger of Gondolin with Stun Resistance, Azaghal) and utility gear so that I don't really have room for it at the moment. Besides, I had already avoided Gabriel once.

Well, I just found a +2 Shots and +2 Might Sling of Buckland (courtesy of a Scroll of *Acquirement*). Maybe that will make the game feel a bit easier (once I get some ammo for it).

[Derakon]

I generally consider paladins to be one of the easier ones, really -- they have the second-best melee in the game, and they get to augment that with a fantastic set of spells: full detection, mapping, temporary rFire/rCold, and of course the 300HP Heal spell. Compared to rogues, they have to wait before they can detect non-evil enemies (but they can detect ghosts early, so it evens out), and they can't cast Haste Self or get temporary acid/elec/poison resistance. And their stealth is worse. Considering what they get in exchange I consider the trade more than fair.

As for Gabriel, have you considered not fighting him?