A Plain Gold Ring, redux

[bertoid]

Is it even worth it to wield the One Ring after beating Morgoth? I'm asking for a friend. He found it on level 101. He already has the main immunities (Nenya, Thorin, and Eöl), so that's not a problem. Eöl also aggravates, so nothing new there.

At this point it seems almost worthless, especially with the XP drain.

For what it's worth, he has no interest in retiring yet.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

If found, I never not wear it. Given it's rarity, why pass up the chance! But, then again, I'm not one of the advocates of @ being "good". He, he, he, he, @ chuckles, twisting his mustache.

[Pete Mack]

@bertroid--the exp drain is simply not an issue when you are that deep, especially if you have hold life (which Nenya has). He won't notice the difference on that. Just don't activate it. It's a shame not to use it on those few times it shows up.

[Timo Pietilä]

Is it even worth it to wield the One Ring after
...
Eöl also aggravates, so nothing new there.
...
At this point it seems almost worthless, especially with the XP drain.

XP drain is not an issue. Even clvl 1 char can manage that (I tested it). Since he is already wearing item with aggravation that too is not an issue. I would wear it.

[Derakon]

Experience drain has changed in the last few years, guys. I think it's percentage-based now or something. Definitely not the "lose 1 point of EXP every few turns" thing it used to be.

[bertoid]

Yeah, I think that the 'hold life' also doesn't counteract the XP drain that comes with the One Ring. At least, that's been my experience. Before it was drained, of course. But Nenya has restore, so that's a moot point.

Anyway, I guess my point of this whole exercise is that any gains from the One Ring are pretty much superseded by my other artifacts (and a nifty +17 speed ring), so that the only net gain of the One Ring is the XP drain. And after beating Morgoth, it seems less compelling to wear it. But that's just me.

Also, any notion of 'good' goes right out the vault door when you don Morgoth's mighty iron crown.

[debo]

yeah, i think that the 'hold life' also doesn't counteract the xp drain that comes with the one ring. At least, that's been my experience.

8/10 <3 <3 <3

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Also, any notion of 'good' goes right out the vault door when you don Morgoth's mighty iron crown.

Regarding the "alignment" of the Massive Iron Crown of Morgoth, as I learned from Derakon and Nick in a related thread:

Morgoth is described as eternally tormented by the light of the Silmarils; they burn him, but he can't bring himself to stop displaying his trophy. So it's not at all clear that they've become corrupted. So far as I'm aware (not that I'm a Tolkein lore sage), the Silmaril that Beren stole was still perfectly normal, for a Silmaril anyway.

...Beren's silmaril was passed down his family, then finally carried by Earendil, with no ill effects apart from attracting the sons of Feanor (who had sworn an oath to recover the silmarils from anyone else). Once the remaining two silmarils were recaptured, and Maedhros and Maglor (the two remaining sons of Feanor) stole them, they were unable to hold them because they (M+M) had forfeited their right by their misdeeds. So the silmarils (which had been hallowed by the Valar) would hurt the already corrupt, rather than corrupt the good - which is probably bad news for a murderer on the scale of a winning Angband character

[bertoid]

Regarding the "alignment" of the Massive Iron Crown of Morgoth, as I learned from Derakon and Nick in a related thread:

Very interesting point, and maybe illuminates (pun intended) an inconsistency: the Necklace of the Dwarves contains the Silmaril of Fëanor, yet it has no ill effect on the wearer (good or bad).

[PowerWyrm]

Experience drain has changed in the last few years, guys. I think it's percentage-based now or something. Definitely not the "lose 1 point of EXP every few turns" thing it used to be.

XP drain is also temporary now, so it can be cured with a RLL potion. And as post-victory character, you don't really care about max experience, so you can play with drained XP all the time.

[bertoid]

I ended up wielding it, in the end. And I got away with it...

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=18773

[Egavactip]

I have still never found the ring. What does it do when activated?

[Ingwe Ingweron]

I have still never found the ring. What does it do when activated?

The One Ring activates for "bizarre" effects, which can sometimes be bad. I learned the hard way that one of its activation potentials is PERMANENT experience drain. All other experience drain can be restored with potion, spell, or rod, but not this one. (Not to be confused with the regular experience drain of The One Ring, which is curable, the Activation experience drain, if you're unlucky enough for it to be the random bizarre effect, is permanent.) I believe this is the only remaining permanent experience drain in the game.

[Timo Pietilä]

The One Ring activates for "bizarre" effects, which can sometimes be bad. I learned the hard way that one of its activation potentials is PERMANENT experience drain.

XP drain is not that bad. You can also get all your stats drained permanently which is way worse (unless of course this too has changed).