Ironman randarts, speed rings, and other endgame advice

[Wanderlust]

Lately I've been playing ironman randarts games and it's the way to go imho. I love the way ironman makes every detail potentially important and forces you to make tough decisions all the time. Also love how @ has to make do with whatever is available, which forces you to play with a wider variety of approaches. It's a great way to appreciate all the amazing design that has gone into this game over the years, it's incredibly resilient. Fantastic work.

My current @ is a dunadan warrior, just entering endgame territory at DL80. http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=20003

I'd appreciate any and all advice for the endgame, but in particular I wonder whether @ is being entirely wise in her choice of rings.

Right now she's wearing 2 rings of speed. Along with other equipment bonuses, this brings her to +28 base speed. But speed has diminishing returns, and she just found a +12 ring of damage. That would make quite a difference since she strikes 6.2 blows/round right now.

Actually, through the whole game choosing which rings to wear has been one of the most confusing decisions for me. Any guidelines or rules of thumb?

[Estie]

I would use speed + damage rings. +18 base speed is good enough for now and you can expect to find better speed boots than +4 which should solve the speed needs.

Things to look out for are:

- speed boots, as mentioned
- a Lothlorien bow, for the dex; consider using it even if it drops you to 18/180 con - warriors have hit points to spare. Of course good arrows are a bonus, and if it has ESP, you have hit the jackpot.
- a weapon better suited for the endgame. Your double brand is excellent for now, but you want acid and/or evil damage on your last weapon.
- a sustain item for Morgoth. Shield looks like the most likely candidate, though crown of might can work if you get ESP from elsewhere (consider holding onto mushrooms if the opportunity arises). Since Dunadan have con intrinsically sustained and your current shield (and amulet) have dex covered, going str + speed rings is also an option; if that gets you to the str cap, the damage drop from losing the damage ring is small.

[Thraalbee]

(In ironman) I generally avoid Huan, Tarrasque, Gelugons and Great Ice Wyrms until I have frost immunity (if ever). Any of those may cost you more !'s than any other non-endgame fight due to the frost effect.

[Wanderlust]

a sustain item for Morgoth

Ah, I dropped an amulet of sustenance a few levels back. Was that a mistake?

I generally avoid Huan, Tarrasque, Gelugons and Great Ice Wyrms until I have frost immunity (if ever). Any of those may cost you more !'s than any other non-endgame fight due to the frost effect.

Yes, I've started figuring out about avoiding things after a series of very costly fights. I've also been avoiding basically all high-level experience drainers, unless they seem worth a potion of restore life levels.

[Thraalbee]

"sustenance is not in my end game kit. Shield of preservation often is. But if you have enough !life or ,vigour don't bother. (Life also restores)

[Grotug]

I'm confused... Isn't the only Sustain you need DEX, since STR and CON are covered innately? As a warrior, I find it very difficult to wear anything other than "Trickery. In my experience, it is by far the best amulet for a warrior. Since you have DEX covered, I don't see why you need a shield of Preservation or any other sustain item.

I don't play randarts, so my advice will be limited:

As already mentioned, I'd look for sandals or boots of more speed, rings of power (I've been getting one or two every game in standArts), Arkenstone equivalent, and a better helmet (crown of Gondor equivalent).

In my current game I picked up Narya on DL98, with a treasure feeling of 7.

[Estie]

For meleeing Morgoth, you want str, dex, con sustained. Int and wis dont matter as a warrior.

With your then setup, your str was sustained only from your weapon and you are (hopefully) not using that one for Morgoth, so you need str sustain from elsewhere.

Amulet is not ideal, as it has only the sustains and nothing else. Better are crown of might, which comes with stat bonuses, or shield of preservation, which covers res disenchant and possibly 1 other high resist. As mentioned, in your case a str ring could also work.

[Estie]

I'm confused... Isn't the only Sustain you need DEX, since STR and CON are covered innately? As a warrior, I find it very difficult to wear anything other than "Trickery. In my experience, it is by far the best amulet for a warrior. Since you have DEX covered, I don't see why you need a shield of Preservation or any other sustain item.

I don't play randarts, so my advice will be limited:

As already mentioned, I'd look for sandals or boots of more speed, rings of power (I've been getting one or two every game in standArts), Arkenstone equivalent, and a better helmet (crown of Gondor equivalent).

In my current game I picked up Narya on DL98, with a treasure feeling of 7.

Str is not covered innately, only for half trolls. Dunadan have con covered innately, so he needs str and dex from equipment.

[Grotug]

Str is not covered innately, only for half trolls. Dunadan have con covered innately, so he needs str and dex from equipment.

Ahh, for some reason I was thinking Str sustain was from Warrior. Btw, @ is female.