How many times have you won the game?

[donalde]

"It breathes poison" survived this unresisted poison breath from Ungoliant. Good thing poison maxes out at about 850 or so.

My HE Paladin was fighting Ancalagon the Black, miscalculated moves on pilar dance: "Ancalagon the Black breaths frost -more- You feel yourself slow down -more- Ancalagon the Black breaths lightning -more- Low hitpoint warning!" .. I looked red 55hp in total disbelief (from 1047), gave some serious thought what to do next... decided to read ?oTele, landed next to Maia -nest... luckily the door was on opposite side... so I healed myself and went back to whack Ancalagon the Black

[Derakon]

That would be one situation in which I would use a Scroll of Destruction if I had one handy -- and by the time I'm fighting enemies like Ancalagon, I usually carry at least a couple with me.

Sure, you have to give up on the fight, but you could easly have ended up on the other end of that maiar pit...

(Alternately, a Potion of *Healing* if you have one handy, but I usually save all of those for the final fights)