On a run playing a paladin

[Philip]

If you're playing with connected stairs then yes, I suppose you could do that. This is one reason why I generally prefer playing without connected stairs, since that way you either burn a consumable or you have to make your way to a staircase somewhere.

In general though, "murderous" almost certainly means either a vault or a pit, which should be detectable. If you're sufficiently paranoid with detection, you should be fine. Of course, it doesn't mean you should want to stay on the level.

[Mondkalb]

You could also just go down.
There is nothing special to any level, besides a number used in the generation algorithm.
Nearly anything can appear on any level, within some restrictions. Better stuff and more dangerous monsters as well as greater vaults are more likely to be generated on deeper levels. That's it.

[Mondkalb]

You seem to keep putting yourself in nasty situations. Why were you at 1/3 of your max hp standing in front of a Patriarch? Why did you fight the Master Lich? I imagine you're going to fight the dragons too. Why?

I was thinking the same a while ago.

There is no need to fight each and every monster, especially the dangerous ones, unless you are able to kill them in a few turns without using up your consumables.
Also, this behaviour will most likely kill your char on deeper levels.

[Pete Mack]

What Philip said. Getting down to really low HP should be a rare event, as in only 2 or 3 times a game. If it isn't, you will never win. You can afford to take life threatening risks *only* If the potential payoff is large (which is to say: the contents of a very good vault.) Otherwise, low HP is a sign you made a potentially fatal mistake. If it can get you down to 1/3 HP in a single turn, you cannot afford to fight it. That is a mistake, not a reason to try again.

This is why I so strongly recommend using a DL 40 character as a starting save file: play at that depth is very different, and techniques that may have worked earlier are simply lethal when you get deeper.

[Sideways]

What Philip said. Getting down to really low HP should be a rare event, as in only 2 or 3 times a game. If it isn't, you will never win. You can afford to take life threatening risks *only* If the potential payoff is large (which is to say: the contents of a very good vault.) Otherwise, low HP is a sign you made a potentially fatal mistake. If it can get you down to 1/3 HP in a single turn, you cannot afford to fight it.

Unless the monster's slow enough it cannot double-move you, and you either have zero-fail teleport other (which paladins don't get) or know with absolute 100% certainty that ?phasedoor will take you someplace safe.

[Petoften]

You could also just go down.
There is nothing special to any level, besides a number used in the generation algorithm.
Nearly anything can appear on any level, within some restrictions. Better stuff and more dangerous monsters as well as greater vaults are more likely to be generated on deeper levels. That's it.

Ya, I meant more, what are people's opinions about the more dangerous levels - ignore the danger, or try to avoid it by regenerating the level?

[Sideways]

Ya, I meant more, what are people's opinions about the more dangerous levels - ignore the danger, or try to avoid it by regenerating the level?

Don't ignore the danger. It can kill you. It can also be an opportunity, though, so what you could do is investigate the danger - find why the level is so dangerous, detect constantly to avoid blindly running into it, and see if there's a vault with valuable items you can grab without getting killed.

(Or you can avoid it.)

[Petoften]

In general though, "murderous" almost certainly means either a vault or a pit, which should be detectable.

I just did a 'sense surroundings' spell and it mapped the level and almost looks barren without any groups of anything, or even large rooms.

[Petoften]

Do 'locate treasure' rods have any use when I have the sense surroundings spell?

[Petoften]

Don't ignore the danger. It can kill you. It can also be an opportunity, though, so what you could do is investigate the danger - find why the level is so dangerous, detect constantly to avoid blindly running into it, and see if there's a vault with valuable items you can grab without getting killed.

(Or you can avoid it.)

OK, so don't just say 'murderous' (or worse), avoid it - rather, use caution and be ready to get out, but it can be worth doing.

[Petoften]

One thing, with sense surroundings it's harder to tell what parts I haven't been to yet.

Had another trap summon a bunch of nasty stuff (like an ancient dragon) and killed it, but then found a night mare that is pretty hard and teleported.

[Pete Mack]

There is no level feeling worse than murderous. However, this often coincides with a high object feeling as well, when there is a greater vault. In that case, it's worth investigating, and spending an Enlightenment potion, if you have one--and if you have Teleport Other. Greater vaults are almost always impossible without TO. Many lesser vaults are too.

[Petoften]

On the night mare - using the caution we discussed, he was confusing every round on top of the rest, since it was advised to get rid of the CSW potions I used them freely - I teleported and went to the stairs, and continued battling him, ready to go down if it got too dangerous - I was in the 100's, but drinking a CSW each time he did confuse, in about 15-20 rounds of combat I finally got him - for some gold.

[Petoften]

So far the murderous level hasn't been all that bad though two more ancient dragons came at the same and I had to teleport again.

What I am seeing is one decent size area on the map, which for the first time I've seen seems not to have a corridor to the rest of the dungeon.

There's a wall of 'permanent rock' blocking it off. So I suspect maybe that's the vault you're mentioning, and I have to teleport to get there.

One unfortunate thing, I got rid of my basic spellbook to save room so no longer have 'detect evil' to check it. Guess I should get that back.

[Pete Mack]

But exhausting your supplies on a single non-unique monster with no drop makes no sense. The answer is to stay away from monsters that hit to confuse (nightmare, Ethereal drake, titans, cat lord--there aren't many of them.)