How to approach endgame with high XP char?

[Will]

After my HT warrior I've decided to try a ranger and picked High-Elf as a race. I've reached clvl 44 and dlvl 81 but it seems I've hit a wall xp-wise. Progression is now really slow and it doesn't feel safe to farm for xp. At the same time my hp is only 828 and that seems a bit low for Morgoth...

Right now I'm abusing runes of protection to kill the strongest uniques as well as anything reasonably tough (archliches, wyrms and so on). I have high speed (native +24), average damage output and I'm missing rShards and more importantly rDisenchant.

Every time I go back to the dungeon, either I find really easy mobs who don't yield any XP, or really tough ones that are extremely dangerous. Since I've never really played a ranger I have no clue what I should be looking forward to in terms of equipment, nor what the best strategy is from now on.

Any help appreciated

Link to ladder: Badaboom

[Estie]

Stop thinking about xp completely. The only things youre missing are items - in particular, a better bow and more arrows with slay evil or acid branded. 800 hit points are fine if you dont have to enter melee. Get those, by clearing vaults. Then go kill the endbosses.

A better bow would be a simple extra shots bow with decent damage enchantment, or a Lorien bow x5. You should find a few in the next GV. More of a problem can be arrows; by the time you have 2-3 stacks of slay evil ones, you probably have gained a few levels from drinking xp potions.

[Derakon]

You already have 3 shots/turn, so a bow with a big multiplier is probably what you want to be looking for. And yeah, you don't need much in the way of HP if you're never getting hit; you just need enough to survive Sauron/Morgoths' big attacks, plus the ability to then hide long enough to heal (or just spend a *Healing* if you have lots of those).

[Pete Mack]

Ranger isn't as bad as mage--you can kill high XP monsters with minimal cost (just Branded ammo with the 3 basic brands. Mage has the spell, but has a hard time actually doing damage.) In any case, do not assume you will reach CL 50. CL ~45 is all *many* characters ever get before winning. For Mage, I like CL 46 and INT 18/220 because that is zero-fail for Mass Banishment, and it's the point at which Mana Storm overtakes Chaos bolt in efficiency. But for Ranger, the only major limit is CL 40, where you get the third shot.

Edit: the reorg of the ladder for winners shows this easily (The first winner is a joke using the One Ring.)

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-browse.php?v=Angband&s=4

[Will]

The situation just changed dramatically as I found Nenya lying on the floor of a dlvl 83 vault that wasn't even protected by a unique. I basically just had to walk in and TO a Horned Reaper to grab it.

I swapped the RoS out, replaced Thranduil (only useful for ESP) with Celeborm (meaning I have all resists covered) and switched Amrod for Amras (I was mostly using Amrod as a stat stick for CON but Amras provides me with substantially more damage).

Immunity to cold should help me stockpile healing potions, and I've found quite a few potions of experience so I'm now only 157k xp from lvl 46.

It's the first ring of power I've ever found and it makes a huge difference...

[Pete Mack]

Amras is a crummy bow for a ranger. Much better to have 3 shots * 4 multiplier than 4 shots and 3 multiplier. Even Amrod isn't all that great--a big Longbow of Lothlorien is way better on damage. And so, of course, is Bard.

[Will]

Amras is a crummy bow for a ranger. Much better to have 3 shots * 4 multiplier than 4 shots and 3 multiplier. Even Amrod isn't all that great--a big Longbow of Lothlorien is way better on damage. And so, of course, is Bard.

I haven't many bows, only the 2 artifacts mentioned and one bow of Lothlorien x4 (+20,+21).

Comparing damage it doesn't seem that impressive.

Using a regular arrow of Flame (+9,+9) I get the following results:
- Amras: 4 shots per round, 667,6 if not resist fire, 334 otherwise
- Lothlorien: 3 shots per round, 716.7 if not resist fire, 409.5 otherwise

I find that 4 shots per round, while obviously using up more arrows, can also be useful to get rid of more pesky hounds per round (of course I still have to get used to the cold immunity + I found Firestar on the same level).

Hopefully a better bow will drop soon.

[AnonymousHero]

I find that 4 shots per round...

There's a whole separate shooting mechanic that you may not be aware of. I'll let someone else explain, but basically it means that your character only needs 600 (or whatever max damage is) and never needs to worry about "double-moves" while attacking with a bow. (As long as you're +20 speed or greater.)

[Pete Mack]

Why do you care about hounds You have a *Destruction* spell.

I haven't many bows, only the 2 artifacts mentioned and one bow of Lothlorien x4 (+20,+21).

Comparing damage it doesn't seem that impressive.

Using a regular arrow of Flame (+9,+9) I get the following results:
- Amras: 4 shots per round, 667,6 if not resist fire, 334 otherwise
- Lothlorien: 3 shots per round, 716.7 if not resist fire, 409.5 otherwise

I find that 4 shots per round, while obviously using up more arrows, can also be useful to get rid of more pesky hounds per round (of course I still have to get used to the cold immunity + I found Firestar on the same level).

Hopefully a better bow will drop soon.

[Will]

Why do you care about hounds You have a *Destruction* spell.

I didn't. Well, until I found Kelek 5 minutes ago.

[Will]

Why do I have this weird feeling that you're all going to tell me Cubragol is a crappy weapon for a ranger?

I wonder if I'd have any luck just meleeing Morgoth...

[kandrc]

Why do I have this weird feeling that you're all going to tell me Cubragol is a crappy weapon for a ranger?

I wonder if I'd have any luck just meleeing Morgoth...

Cubragol is a crappy weapon for any class. It's a speed ring in the bow slot.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Cubragol is a crappy weapon for any class. It's a speed ring in the bow slot.

I love Cubragol when I've got a melee @, but if I need a missile launcher, it pretty much sucks. In that situation, I will often inscribe both Cubragol and my preferred launcher with "@1" and swap them back and forth for melee/movement and missiles.

[Derakon]

Why do I have this weird feeling that you're all going to tell me Cubragol is a crappy weapon for a ranger?

I wonder if I'd have any luck just meleeing Morgoth...

With a good enough weapon, mages can melee Morgoth. Way back in the misty depths of time, in fact, melee was the preferred way for mages to kill Morgoth. Of course, they could cast Globe of Invulnerability back then.

Cubragol's problem for rangers is that they don't get their bonus shots with it. The difference between 1 shot/round and 3 shots/round usually more than makes up for the loss in speed.

[Nick]

With a good enough weapon, mages can melee Morgoth. Way back in the misty depths of time, in fact, melee was the preferred way for mages to kill Morgoth. Of course, they could cast Globe of Invulnerability back then.

My first win was as a 3.0.3 HE Mage, and I beat Morgoth to death with Thunderfist. Those were the days...