Hobbits and Sustain Experience

[YanishXII]

Hello,

I used to play Angband back in the 90's, as a Gnome or Troll, and I've just recently picked it back up. It's been a while.

Recently, I've been playing a Hobbit mage. My reason for choosing the Hobbit is for the increased saving throw and the sustain experience.

I've noticed that my hobbit does lose experience sometimes, especially against more power monsters. Are hobbits not immune to loss of experience, just less susceptible to it? Is this tied to saving throw?

Thanks.

[fizzix]

Hello,

I used to play Angband back in the 90's, as a Gnome or Troll, and I've just recently picked it back up. It's been a while.

Recently, I've been playing a Hobbit mage. My reason for choosing the Hobbit is for the increased saving throw and the sustain experience.

I've noticed that my hobbit does lose experience sometimes, especially against more power monsters. Are hobbits not immune to loss of experience, just less susceptible to it? Is this tied to saving throw?

Thanks.

It's not blanket immunity. You do get a save though, and even if you fail the drain is only 1/10 what it otherwise would be.

[debo]

Is there any reason that hold life => 1/10 drain thing is a thing? I think literally every new person who has ever played Angband (myself included) was confused by it the first time.

[fizzix]

Is there any reason that hold life => 1/10 drain thing is a thing? I think literally every new person who has ever played Angband (myself included) was confused by it the first time.

legacy, I'm guessing. I wouldn't mind changing it.

[debo]

legacy, I'm guessing. I wouldn't mind changing it.

Does that sound like a fizzixband change?

[fizzix]

Does that sound like a fizzixband change?

I'll look into it. I dunno how much time I have. I still need to remove the stuff for the comp (maybe tonight).

[Estie]

Just a guess, but the reason might be to not give complete immunity to the One Ring´s drainig (for "historical" reasons).

[Derakon]

That's a different mechanism, code-wise. But yeah, even hobbits aren't immune to Sauron and the Ringwraiths; Frodo very nearly died and the injury he got ached every anniversary of the fight on Weathertop.

[Timo Pietilä]

Is there any reason that hold life => 1/10 drain thing is a thing? I think literally every new person who has ever played Angband (myself included) was confused by it the first time.

Any suggestion how to change that? It's working just right IMO, it's just not clear how it works to newbies.

[Patashu]

Just add a message. "You resist the foo!" Nethack style.

[Timo Pietilä]

Just add a message. "You resist the foo!" Nethack style.

It doesn't already? That's something that should be fixed, and is probably really easy to do.

[debo]

Any suggestion how to change that? It's working just right IMO, it's just not clear how it works to newbies.

Well, I would just remove it. Since it sounds like there's some legacy/flavor reason for it to be in there, then I imagine a message would be fine. Maybe change "You feel your life draining away!" to something different.

(You feel your life... dribbling... away...?)

[PowerWyrm]

Well, I would just remove it. Since it sounds like there's some legacy/flavor reason for it to be in there, then I imagine a message would be fine. Maybe change "You feel your life draining away!" to something different.

(You feel your life... dribbling... away...?)

It's already the case: when having Hold Life, the message changes from "You feel your life draining away" to "You feel your life slipping away".

[Timo Pietilä]

It's already the case: when having Hold Life, the message changes from "You feel your life draining away" to "You feel your life slipping away".

I think it would be clearer if it were

"You feel your life draining away. You resist the effect somewhat."

[debo]

I think it would be clearer if it were

"You feel your life draining away. You resist the effect somewhat."

Yes that's way better imo