On a run playing a paladin

[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. 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]

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

[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]

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]

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 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...

Well crap. I didn't know anything about it and no other mold has been a problem is why I went near it (1 square). I'm not sure what it could do ranged.

[geoff_tewierik]

Well crap. I didn't know anything about it and no other mold has been a problem is why I went near it (1 square). I'm not sure what it could do ranged.

You knew nothing about it. You didn't even (l)ook at it. And then you went near it.

Oh well.

[Petoften]

You knew nothing about it. You didn't even (l)ook at it. And then you went near it.

Oh well.

Didn't even know about 'look'. It's a mold like no other. Figured I'd get a turn to get away if needed.

[Philip]

Well, you've learned a valuable lesson about Angband. The dungeon hates you and wants you dead, and will frequently trick you by subverting an apparently reasonable expectation. Another lesson is that there is no such thing as a turn to get away unless you're an endgame caster, and even then it's not entirely a thing. Your job is to throw disposable bodies at it until it fails, eventually, once you've amassed enough knowledge and expertise. The good news is, you get faster at the whole process every time you die, especially if you take the right conclusions from your deaths.

The death mold cannot do anything unless you step next to it. It can't move, and it has no spells.

I'm honestly amazed that you made it that far without using the 'l'ook (or in roguelike, e'x'amine) command.

[Pete Mack]

Indeed. And again I suggest: make a save file at dl 40 and use it as a starting character. This is not save scumming. It is practice play where practice really is useful.

I note that with one character you made it to DL 46. With the next, to DL 43. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. You have 80 levels of practice where the monsters mostly are not dangerous. You have less than 9 levels where they mostly are. When you start from town again, you will be repeating this pattern.

[Petoften]

Indeed. And again I suggest: make a save file at dl 40 and use it as a starting character.

Funny thing about that. For the first time, I made a copy shortly before this happened per your post. If copying the char.txt is how it's done.

I've always followed the rule of rogue, but will have to consider whether to indulge in this.

[Pete Mack]

No char.txt won't do. The save file is in {angband}/lib/user/save
It is a binary file. Start again from CL 1 and make a copy at dl 40. Then when you die, copy the backup into the character file again.

I recommend rogue as the class, with gnome, kobold, or high elf as the race. Part of that is rogue is personal preference. Part of that is that rogue has the best stealth and detection of any class, which makes it easier to pick your fights.

[Petoften]

No char.txt won't do. The save file is in {angband}/lib/user/save
It is a binary file. Start again from CL 1 and make a copy at dl 40. Then when you die, copy the backup into the character file again.

I recommend rogue as the class, with gnome, kobold, or high elf as the race. Part of that is rogue is personal preference. Part of that is that rogue has the best stealth and detection of any class, which makes it easier to pick your fights.

Well crap, then the last game is lost. Rogue was my least favorite so far though.

[Pete Mack]

Sure you need to start over. But getting to DL 40 doesn't take all that long anyway.

Well crap, then the last game is lost. Rogue was my least favorite so far though.