On a run playing a paladin

[Pete Mack]

Well the description is quite accurate:
It is the epitome of all that is evil, in a mold. Its lifeless form draws power from sucking the souls of those that approach it, a nimbus of pure evil surrounds it. Luckily for you, it can't move.

And it doesn't need to be aggravated. It has +30 speed and never sleeps. Why you would mess with it I dont know...

[Petoften]

Well crap. I got killed.

I teleported away from Vargo, and the only thing around was a mold.

I think it was aggro - not sure - but went to kill it. It was a death mold.

In one round, it just kept getting hit after hit after hit after hit. All I could do was hit space, and got one shotted.

It disappointed my Arvedui a couple times, I had around 150hp. Crap.

That's how nasty this got. Quickly run into Queen Ant and teleport into a room with Vargo and teleport 2 squares from a death mold that 1 shotted.

[Pete Mack]

X3 means 3 times damage. So if the bow is (+10,+15) and the arrow is 1d4 (+5, +5), the damage is 3×(15+5+1d4) = 67.5 average.

[Petoften]

OK I remembered Vargo from a previous post and see it's recommended to get away. I will.

[Petoften]

Hm. Ran into "Queen Ant", assume it's a unique. With her and her friends, I needed to teleport.

Where I teleported to, there's another named in the room and I'm at 50% health, "Vargo, Tyrant of Fire".

I have no idea what I'm getting into.

[Petoften]

But the bow is x3, while the sling is only x2. It isn't anywhere near as good.

What do the x2 x3 mean?

I have an x4 also.

[Petoften]

Hm found a staff of starlight. Probably will drop it.

[Pete Mack]

But the bow is x3, while the sling is only x2. It isn't anywhere near as good.

[Petoften]

Are the rods of slow monster actually helping? They have such a high fail rate, I would think they mostly just don't work. And they only slow the target by at most 20%... Your chance of getting a high-end sling is exceedingly low before DL 80 or so.

They have worked every time. I assumed they were 50% slow though. I have a sling now that's (+10, +15) similar to the bow.

[Pete Mack]

You can leave PB4 at home until you can at least somewhat reliably cast the healing spell. The other spells in there aren't very useful.

Are the rods of slow monster actually helping? They have such a high fail rate, I would think they mostly just don't work. And they only slow the target by at most 20%. And drop the pebble and shots. Your chance of getting a high-end sling is exceedingly low before DL 80 or so.

[Sphara]

I would drop pebbles, iron shots, rod of polymorph and rod of illumination without a slightest worry I'd be missing them later.

[Petoften]

It's hard to see what to get rid of - spellbooks, important combat and escape items and explore items. But something needs to go to get any new items.

[Petoften]

Ladder updated, in town and full inv as usual (now that basic spellbook is back in inv - that's 2 each of 4 books now).

[Petoften]

Accuracy on ranged weapons is pretty handy on a Paladin, since they're usually quite terrible with them.

Keep the best crossbow you find around, in case you find good bolts. Until then, use whatever launcher you have the best ammo for.

OK. It's a heavy crossbolt 20 pounds which doesn't help. I do have decent bolts but only 5, so I stuck it in the house for now with the sling.

[Petoften]

Level 43 is the depth these unique elemental lords (Ariel, Vargo, Waldern and Quaker) start to appear. I'm gonna say this in advance since you obviously do not mind hints being spoilery:

Thanks for the warning - actually I largely am not looking for spoilers, but thanks for the help - did not read the rest of the post yet.