Any tips for a newbie?

[Estie]

Hmmm I love to be "stuck" as a warrior; it means I can actually kill things with melee, whereas if I put points towards int, I will be a harmless and slowed down kobold.

While it takes more potions to max int, I believe that it actually takes less time (gameturns) to get there if focus is on warrior stats as you get xp and drops faster.

That being said, there is a point where drinking more +/- potions for +str and +dex is detrimental.

[Pete Mack]

I agree playing as a warrior (or ranger) with good detection is the way to start. Going as low as int 6, though, is painful: you'll never be able to cast haste self

[robbiodobbio]

Hmmm I love to be "stuck" as a warrior; it means I can actually kill things with melee, whereas if I put points towards int, I will be a harmless and slowed down kobold.

While it takes more potions to max int, I believe that it actually takes less time (gameturns) to get there if focus is on warrior stats as you get xp and drops faster.

That being said, there is a point where drinking more +/- potions for +str and +dex is detrimental.

I think that's been my problem, too much brawn and nimbleness.

[robbiodobbio]

I've found some potions of intellect, should I take some to balance it out a bit?

[Pete Mack]

If you use a couple at least. Int 9 is enough to cast resistance spells. Int 6 is just awful

[robbiodobbio]

Do resistances from different pieces of armour double up and become more effective? My chainmail and shield both give me the 4 basic resistances and a couple more.

Also I've got the metal brigadine (sic) armour at home that gives me sound resistance but the artefact chainmail I'm wearing gives me STR +5. STR+5 is great but isn't sound breathe a one-shot death?

[Carnivean]

Not in Angband. Some variants do, but not here.

For the base 4 and poison, it's down to 1/3 damage for any permanent source (equipment), 1/3 from any temporary source (potion, spell) and 1/9 if you combine both. For the base 4 you can get immunity from equipment, which eliminates all elemental damage and protects inventory items from being destroyed, but doesn't prevent melee damage from the same attacks.

For the non-base, or higher, elemental attacks, the drop in damage varies (to almost uselessness in some cases), but the prevention of side effects can be valuable. In the case of Nexus this includes preventing you being teleported to a new level.

Sound is usually not a 1-shot killer, but you can be stunned from it. The +5 to strength will provide a significant damage increase, so will be far more valuable at this stage.

[robbiodobbio]

Ok, great, cheers.

Got another one, I've got this 40lb Mace of Disruption that does 450 damage to undead but only 180 to other monsters (less than my artefact battle axe) should I carry it around and swap it in whenever I fight undead?

I'm amassing quite a collection of weapons of Westernesse that although they don't do as much damage as my battle axe, do give some nice stat boosts and other resistances like paralysis. What to do.

Gear juggling is tough.

[Estie]

As a general rule, use the weapon that you deal the most damage with. The only case when you want to use Westernesse is when it allows you to equip +damage gloves instead of free action or such.

When examining a heavy weapon like MoD, look at the blows/turn; if they are significantly lower than your alternative weapons, that will probabyl be alleviated once you get more str/dex. Estimate what the MoD will do with 5 blows/round, then decide if you want to keep it based on that.

[robbiodobbio]

I'm on the same level as the Balrog of Moria!

Can it one-hit kill me? Should I take it on? Or leave him be?

[Bogatyr]

I'm on the same level as the Balrog of Moria!

Can it one-hit kill me? Should I take it on? Or leave him be?

Fly, you fool!

[Pete Mack]

I don't generally kill it til much later. He hits to burn and drain charges, so he is hell on equipment. Once you get Tenser's spell brand ammo and a good bow (and especially fire immunity), he is an easy kill.

[robbiodobbio]

Fly, you fool!

Beautiful, just beautiful.

I'm gonna take that advice.

[robbiodobbio]

Just found a scroll of *Destruction* is that the one that wrecks a big chunk of the level? When is it best to use it?

[Derakon]

Just found a scroll of *Destruction* is that the one that wrecks a big chunk of the level? When is it best to use it?

Yes, it is. Use it when you're in a situation where you have no other safe escapes; it's almost an ideal panic button. You can't use it when blind or confused (hence the "almost"), but otherwise it'll buy you at least 10 turns of safety and probably a lot more. In addition to wrecking the level, it will delete all monsters and items in the area of effect -- they're completely gone from the level (but not marked as killed, in the case of uniques).

If you never encounter a panic situation, they're still useful in the final fight, where you can use them to delete Morgoth's summons, after having teleported Morgoth away -- he can be deleted by the effect just like any other unique.