Priest try

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Every area of effect spell can jump over monsters, unless it's an AoE delivered by a bolt (like meteors). Also notice that you can press 'o' when targeting to target a tile instead of a monster. This is very important and powerful in the *bands because it lets you aim a bolt behind a monster that initially cannot be targeted, but where the monster is still in the bolt's path and takes the hit.

Note that while this is also currently true for breath attacks (either from monsters or from player via wands or potions), if the "breath" feature branch is incorporated into the game breath attacks will spread out as a cone originating at the source and becoming wider and weaker as the distance increases.

[Monkey Face]

Monsters can't touch you through a rune, so no.

This is only partially true. If the monster doesn't break the rune you are safe except from distance attacks. But once they break the rune, they can start hitting you and doing whatever special attacks they do (such as disenchant) on the same turn as they break the rune. So while you are safer on a rune, your gear can still get harmed.

Also note that as a priest, your saving throw should be 100% (or close to it). Once it is 100%, you won't have any spells successfully cast against you (although monster breath will still do damage).

[Timo Pietilä]

They never miss and can be used reliably at range. That makes them better than practically any other attack option before 1000'

Not if your chance of zapping one is worse than your hit probability with your bow and/or damage with it is way worse than hitting something with that arrow.

[brbrbr]

Hey guys, WTF???

[Timo Pietilä]

Hey guys, WTF???

I'm guessing that that dread had picked up a lot of things and when it died there was no room for it to drop them. Like in the middle of trapped area or something like that.

[brbrbr]

Ah, right!
Downside of runes of protection...

[Derakon]

Not if your chance of zapping one is worse than your hit probability with your bow and/or damage with it is way worse than hitting something with that arrow.

Few characters prior to 1000' are going to be doing better than 6d8 damage (Wand of Frost Bolt) with their arrows. Heck, many are going to have a little trouble matching the, uh, 6d4? damage from Wands of Lightning Bolt, and those always pierce.

[Timo Pietilä]

Few characters prior to 1000' are going to be doing better than 6d8 damage (Wand of Frost Bolt) with their arrows. Heck, many are going to have a little trouble matching the, uh, 6d4? damage from Wands of Lightning Bolt, and those always pierce.

6d8 is 27 average, so you need a longbow with +7 to dam to match that. I'm pretty sure that I have got that way before 1000' in most of my games.

[wobbly]

6d8 is 27 average, so you need a longbow with +7 to dam to match that. I'm pretty sure that I have got that way before 1000' in most of my games.

Carry both if you have the str. hydras are common enough & annoying enough to be carrying a wand of frost bolts.

[Estie]

And another one:

i) the Leather Shield of Debrelen [8,+13] <+2>
Dropped by Grishnákh, the Hill Orc at 2450 feet (level 49).

+2 intelligence.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
Grants telepathy.


Just glad my mage didnt kill ol´Grishnak when he first met him, as he would probably have dropped a shield of fire resistance. I was lingering at this depth, hoping for ESP before going down the last step, and voila.

[Timo Pietilä]

Carry both if you have the str. hydras are common enough & annoying enough to be carrying a wand of frost bolts.

Beaming wands and rods I carry. Wands/rods of light have dual-purpose, "something mutters" - beam. See what it is, and hurt if it is light-vulnerable.

Lightning bolt that beams is useful, but quite weak.

[brbrbr]

Another question, guys:

1) Can I use scrolls or pray while hallucinating?

2) When the last priest book is often found? I am on dl85, it is nowhere to be seen...

[Timo Pietilä]

Another question, guys:

1) Can I use scrolls or pray while hallucinating?

2) When the last priest book is often found? I am on dl85, it is nowhere to be seen...

1) yes.
2) all over the place, definitely at that depth. Check if you have ignored it.

[EDIT] last book, not last town book. Sorry. Last book of both realms are deep and rare. IIRC dlvl 90-95 or so, so they need to pass couple of OoD checks to appear at dlvl 85.

[Derakon]

2) When the last priest book is often found? I am on dl85, it is nowhere to be seen...

Kelek's Grimoire of Power, and Wrath of God, the two top-level spellbooks, are both very rare and native to very deep levels. I think WoG is native to level 90 and Kelek's to level 100 -- in practice your best bet is to check vaults. And of course get down to level 98.

[Carnivean]

I think WoG is native to level 90 and Kelek's to level 100

Both are native to the 90 to 100 range.