Some weapon questions (spoilers)

[Wraitheist]

[Angband 3.0.9b Character Dump]

 Name   Canticle                                 Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Male              Age        45   Str! 18/100  +2  -1 +13 18/240 18/235
 Race   Dwarf             Height     48   INT! 18/100  -3  -3  +3  18/70
 Class  Priest            Weight    160   WIS! 18/100  +2  +3  +8 18/230
 Title  Prophet           Status     25   DEX! 18/100  -2  -1  +8 18/150
 HP     -440/686          Maximize    Y   CON! 18/100  +2  +0  +5 18/170
 SP     319/353                           CHR! 18/100  -3  +2  +1 18/100

 Level           44       Armor    [32,+95]     Saving Throw   Legendary
 Cur Exp    3113071       Fight   (+25,+20)     Stealth        Very Good
 Max Exp    3113071       Melee   (+37,+38)     Fighting          Superb
 Adv Exp    3360000       Shoot   (+35,+14)     Shooting          Superb
 MaxDepth   4950 ft       Blows      4/turn     Disarming         Superb
 Turns      4282980       Shots      1/turn     Magic Device      Heroic
 Gold       1657477       Infra      110 ft     Perception     Excellent
 Burden   194.1 lbs       Speed          26     Searching      Excellent

 You are the only child of a Dwarven Prison Guard.  You are a credit to
 the family.  You have dark brown eyes, straight black hair, a two foot
 beard, and a dark complexion.


      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
 Acid:......+.*.... Blind:.........+..+
 Elec:......+...... Confu:......+....+.
 Fire:.+....+...... Sound:......+.+....
 Cold:......+...... Shard:.............
 Pois:..+.......... Nexus:.......+.....
 Fear:......+.+.... Nethr:...........+.
 Lite:.....+....... Chaos:........+..+.
 Dark:+.+..+....... Disen:+............

      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
S.Dig:............. Stea.:..+....+.....
Feath:............. Sear.:+............
PLite:............. Infra:+............
Regen:............. Tunn.:+............
Telep:.........+... Speed:.+.+...+.....
Invis:.....+....... Blows:.............
FrAct:........+.++. Shots:.............
HLife:.....+....... Might:.............


  [Last Messages]

> The Dread picks up a Magnesium Wand of Acid Balls.
> You hit the Dread.
> You miss the Dread.
> You hit the Dread. <2x>
> The Dread wakes up.
> You hit the Dread. <2x>
> You miss the Dread.
> You hit the Dread.
> You have destroyed the Dread.
> The Dread misses you. <3x>
> You hit the Dread. <4x>
> The Tarrasque breathes frost.
> You have no more Scrolls titled "in ineo la cus" of Mass Banishment (o).
> The Tarrasque breathes frost.
> You die.


  [Character Equipment]

a) The Mattock of Nain (2d8) (+12,+18) (+6 to searching)
   It increases your strength by 6.  It increases your searching, 
   infravision, and tunneling by 6.  It slays orcs, trolls, giants, and 
   dragons.  It provides resistance to dark and disenchantment.  It
   activates for stone to mud every 2 turns.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
b) The Light Crossbow 'Cubragol' (x3) (+10,+14) (+10)
   It increases your speed by 10.  It provides resistance to fire.  It
   activates for fire branding of bolts every 999 turns.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
c) The Ring of Barahir (+1)
   It increases all your stats by 1.  It increases your stealth by 1.  
   It provides resistance to poison and dark.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
d) a Malachite Ring of Speed (+14)
   It increases your speed by 14.  
e) an Ivory Amulet of Wisdom (+5)
   It increases your wisdom by 5.  It sustains your wisdom.  
f) The Arkenstone of Thrain
   It provides resistance to light, dark, and life draining.  It
   usually provides light of radius 3.  It grants you the ability to
   see invisible things.  It activates for detection every 30+d30 turns.
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) The Metal Brigandine Armour of the Rohirrim [19,+15] (+2)
   It increases your strength and dexterity by 2.  It provides
   resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, fear, confusion, and 
   sound.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) The Cloak 'Colannon' [1,+15] (+3)
   It increases your stealth and speed by 3.  It provides resistance to 
   nexus.  It activates for teleport every 45 turns.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
i) The Small Metal Shield of Thorin [3,+25] (+4)
   It increases your strength and constitution by 4.  It provides
   immunity to acid.  It provides resistance to fear, sound, and chaos.
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
j) The Hard Leather Cap of Thranduil [2,+10] (+2)
   It increases your intelligence and wisdom by 2.  It provides
   resistance to blindness.  It grants you the power of telepathy.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
k) a Set of Cesti of Free Action [5,+7]
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  
l) The Pair of Soft Leather Boots 'Dal-i-thalion' [2,+13] (+5)
   It increases your dexterity by 5.  It provides resistance to 
   confusion, nether, and chaos.  It sustains your constitution.  It
   grants you immunity to paralysis.  It activates for remove fear and
   cure poison every 5 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  


  [Character Inventory]

a) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Beginners Handbook] {@1}
b) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Words of Wisdom] {@2}
c) a Holy Book of Prayers [Chants and Blessings] {@3}
d) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Exorcism and Dispelling] {@4}
e) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Ethereal Openings] {@5}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) 3 Holy Books of Prayers [Godly Insights] {@6}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) 2 Holy Books of Prayers [Purifications and Healing] {@7}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) 3 Holy Books of Prayers [Holy Infusions] {@8}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) 18 Grey Speckled Potions of Healing
j) 10 Violet Potions of *Healing*
k) 7 Copper Speckled Potions of Restore Mana
l) 4 Scrolls titled "izzy peraccim" of Word of Recall
m) 2 Scrolls titled "ando dia" of *Identify*
n) a Scroll titled "ius utus secum" of Banishment
o) 8 Bronze Rods of Disarming
p) 5 Chromium Rods of Light
q) an Ivory Staff of Speed (3 charges)
r) 5 Banyan Staffs of *Destruction* (0 charges)
s) The Amulet of Ingwe (+3)
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and charisma by 3.  It
   increases your infravision by 3.  It provides resistance to acid, 
   lightning, and cold.  It grants you immunity to paralysis and the
   ability to see invisible things.  It activates for dispel evil (x5)
   every 50+d50 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
t) 12 Seeker Bolts of Flame (4d5) (+7,+8) {@0}
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  


  [Home Inventory]

a) 29 Magenta Potions of Speed
b) 4 Gloopy Green Potions of Life
c) a Scroll titled "ando dia" of *Identify*
d) a Tungsten Rod of Speed
   It cannot be harmed by electricity.  
e) a Pewter Wand of Annihilation (2 charges)
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) 3 Ivory Staffs of Speed (14 charges)
g) The Jewel 'Evenstar'
   It provides resistance to cold, dark, and life draining.  It
   sustains your intelligence, wisdom, and constitution.  It activates
   for restore life levels every 150 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
h) The Star of Elendil
   It usually provides light of radius 3.  It grants you the ability to
   see invisible things.  It activates for magic mapping every 50+d50
   turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) The Palantir of Westernesse (+2)
   It increases your intelligence and wisdom by 2.  It increases your 
   searching and infravision by 2.  It provides resistance to blindness 
   and chaos.  It usually provides light of radius 3.  It grants you 
   the power of telepathy and the ability to see invisible things, but
   it also aggravates creatures around you and drains experience.  It
   activates for clairvoyance every 50+d50 turns.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  
j) The Full Plate Armour of Isildur [25,+25] (+1)
   It increases your constitution by 1.  It provides resistance to acid,
   lightning, fire, cold, confusion, sound, and nexus.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
k) The Mithril Chain Mail 'Belegennon' (-1) [28,+20] (+4)
   It increases your stealth by 4.  It provides resistance to acid, 
   lightning, fire, cold, and poison.  It activates for phase door
   every 2 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
l) The Leather Scale Mail 'Thalkettoth' (-1) [11,+25] (+3)
   It increases your dexterity by 3.  It increases your speed by 3.  It
   provides resistance to acid and shards.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
m) The Cloak of Thingol [1,+18] (+3)
   It increases your dexterity and charisma by 3.  It provides
   resistance to acid, fire, and cold.  It grants you immunity to
   paralysis.  It activates for recharge item I every 70 turns.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
n) a Golden Crown of Might [0,+18] (+3)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 3.  It
   sustains your strength, dexterity, and constitution.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
o) The Metal Cap of Thengel [3,+12] (+3)
   It increases your wisdom and charisma by 3.  It provides resistance
   to confusion.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
p) The Iron Helm 'Holhenneth' [5,+10] (+2)
   It increases your intelligence and wisdom by 2.  It increases your 
   searching by 2.  It provides resistance to blindness and confusion.  
   It grants you the ability to see invisible things.  It activates for 
   detection every 55+d55 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
   
q) The Small Sword 'Sting' (1d6) (+7,+8) (+2)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 2.  It
   increases your speed and attack speed by 2.  It slays animals, orcs, 
   undead, and all evil creatures.  It provides resistance to fear and 
   light.  It usually provides light of radius 4.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible things.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
r) The Broad Sword 'Orcrist' (2d5) (+10,+15) (+3)
   It increases your searching by 3.  It slays orcs, dragons, and all
   evil creatures.  It is branded with frost.  It provides resistance
   to cold and dark.  It usually provides light of radius 4.  It is
   blessed by the gods and slows your metabolism.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  
s) The Long Sword 'Elvagil' (2d5) (+2,+7) (+2)
   It increases your dexterity and charisma by 2.  It increases your 
   stealth by 2.  It slays orcs and trolls.  It makes you fall like a
   feather.  It grants you the ability to see invisible things.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
t) The Pike 'Til-i-arc' (2d5) (+10,+12) [+10] (+2)
   It increases your intelligence by 2.  It slays trolls, giants, and 
   demons.  It is branded with fire and frost.  It provides resistance
   to fire and cold.  It sustains your intelligence.  It slows your
   metabolism.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
u) a Pike of Westernesse (2d5) (+22,+17) (+1)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 1.  It
   slays orcs, trolls, and giants.  It grants you immunity to paralysis 
   and the ability to see invisible things.  
v) The Halberd 'Osondir' (3d5) (+6,+9) (+3)
   It increases your charisma by 3.  It slays giants and undead.  It is
   branded with fire.  It provides resistance to fire and sound.  It 
   makes you fall like a feather.  It grants you the ability to see
   invisible things.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
w) a Two-Handed Flail of Gondolin (3d6) (+13,+10)
   It slays orcs, trolls, dragons, and demons.  It provides resistance
   to dark.  It usually provides light of radius 1.  It slows your
   metabolism.  It grants you immunity to paralysis and the ability to
   see invisible things.  It cannot be harmed by acid or fire.  


  [Options]

Adult: Maximize effect of race/class bonuses : yes (adult_maximize)
Adult: Randomize some of the artifacts (beta): no  (adult_randarts)
Adult: Auto-scum for good levels             : no  (adult_autoscum)
Adult: Restrict the use of stairs/recall     : no  (adult_ironman)
Adult: Restrict the use of stores/home       : no  (adult_no_stores)
Adult: Restrict creation of artifacts        : no  (adult_no_artifacts)
Adult: Don't stack objects on the floor      : no  (adult_no_stacking)
Adult: Preserve artifacts when leaving level : no  (adult_no_preserve)
Adult: Don't generate connected stairs       : no  (adult_no_stairs)
Adult: Monsters chase current location       : yes (adult_ai_sound)
Adult: Monsters chase recent locations       : yes (adult_ai_smell)
Adult: Monsters act smarter in groups        : yes (adult_ai_packs)
Adult: Monsters learn from their mistakes    : no  (adult_ai_learn)
Adult: Monsters exploit players weaknesses   : no  (adult_ai_cheat)
Adult: Monsters behave more intelligently (broken): no  (adult_ai_smart)
Score: Peek into object creation             : no  (score_peek)
Score: Peek into monster creation            : no  (score_hear)
Score: Peek into dungeon creation            : no  (score_room)
Score: Peek into something else              : no  (score_xtra)
Score: Know complete monster info            : no  (score_know)
Score: Allow player to avoid death           : no  (score_live)

Well, the ride is over. My death was due to my ignorance. I thought the Tarosque was a type of monseter...not a unique. So when it breathed on me once and took me down to a few hundred hp, I thought my safest bet was to use a scroll of Mass Banish. Well, now I know...

[Pete Mack]

yes they will. It happens with hounds if you approach a room they are waiting in. "It breathes acid/chaos/time/nether."

[Zikke]

One question I have about the hockey stick technique (I don't use it at all), can the monsters use it if the roles are reversed? i.e. will they consider me "in LoS" for spells?

[Pete Mack]

I think what was meant was that it removes distance attacks from other (ie summoned) monsters. There's also the "hockey stick ASC" which is super cheesy and gets used to remove all attacks whatsoever. It works best with Rune of Protection.

#######
##@;####
####;###
#####;####
######W#####

I now refuse to use this, since it makes play too easy. (It's almost cheating.)

As for breath attacks, they do go down in damage as the monster loses HP. Breath attacks are proportional in damage to monster HP, with a maximum limit depending on damage type. There are various spoilers describing this.

[Wraitheist]

Thanks for the illustration. How does it remove breath attacks, though? Will monsters not breathe when right next to you?

While we are talking about breath attacks...is it true that breath attacks hurt less as the monsters hps go down? Does distance from the monster when it breathes make any difference?

[Zikke]

Something like this, where "L" is whatever you're trying to fight:

########
........
###.####
####L###
###@####
########

edit: this is the simplest version, you can add layers to it if you want, but this removes breath attacks and space for summoning

[Wraitheist]

Good...thought maybe I was calculating the damage wrong. It is my weapon of choice for now!

How exactly does one dig an anti-summoning corridor?

[Pete Mack]

The Mattock of Nain is the second-best digger-weapon in the game. I recently killed Sauron (in melee) with it, also as a priest. It's certainly better than Orcrist, and it's really nice to be able to make an anti-summoning corridor at the drop of a hat. (tunnelling+6 is a lot.)

[Wraitheist]

Coincidentally, I just found the Mattock of Nain and, from what I can tell, it is about on par with Orcrist for me (being one of the few weapons that doesn't penalize priests that I have at the moment). I slays just about everything, but does lack a brand. On the other hand, it gives me rDisenchantment.

[aeneas]

Ah, thanks. I have rPoison, but it still hurts, so I'll probably avoid swamp wyrms for now.

Yep, sorry about the mix-up with the Wyrms- I edited it as soon as I realized what I'd written. I had been awake for a bit too long at that point, and I tend to just think of them as Green Wyrms and Black Wyrns, etc .

The most dangerous monster for me so far has been some unique who breathed frost on me. (I didn't realize he was there, else I would have TO'd him). Took me down to 100-something HP, even with rBase. I don't know that I'd want to face him even casting resist cold.

This is why you want to be very careful about anything whose characteristics you don't know. That might have been Huan, who also breathes shards (which you lack a resistance for). Note that anything with an elemental attack you only single resist can do that same amount of damage to you if it has enough hp to reach the damage cap- everything big does the same amount of damage (with a given elemental breath) when at full health.

And I do light up each level I fight. As soon as I enter, I cast detect. Then, assuming I have some room, I cast Clairvoyance. After that, even with ESP, I still cast detect regularly.

That's good- that first char that should have won that I mentioned died to running down a dark corridor that contained both Huan and a Great Wyrm of Balance. Or rather, not running but instead tap-tap-tapping. I would have survived the first tap. Anyway, it's very nice to have everything lit up without having to spend a turn and risk waking things up. Clairvoyance is a really nice spell.

Another question: Should I be carrying wands of dragon breath or annihilation or anything like that? Or should I rely on my ranged and melee weapons and the orb for damage? Also, do I need a digging tool or is using my melee weapon fine?

If you've got the slots there's no harm in carrying something that does good damage at a distance, but be aware of what resists what- not much point in using Dragon's Flame on something that resists it. I generally don't carry diggers- better to use stone to mud as you are less likely to wake something up wherever you are digging into. I don't do a lot of digging though.

[Wraitheist]

Ah, thanks. I have rPoison, but it still hurts, so I'll probably avoid swamp wyrms for now.

The most dangerous monster for me so far has been some unique who breathed frost on me. (I didn't realize he was there, else I would have TO'd him). Took me down to 100-something HP, even with rBase. I don't know that I'd want to face him even casting resist cold.

And I do light up each level I fight. As soon as I enter, I cast detect. Then, assuming I have some room, I cast Clairvoyance. After that, even with ESP, I still cast detect regularly.

Another question: Should I be carrying wands of dragon breath or annihilation or anything like that? Or should I rely on my ranged and melee weapons and the orb for damage? Also, do I need a digging tool or is using my melee weapon fine?

[Pete Mack]

PS: swamp wyrms breathe poison for 800 damage. Don't try them without rpoison. Bile wyrms breathe acid, and are essentially harmless to you character.

[aeneas]

Sage advice. Thanks! I'm trying to remember to be careful. I've come very close to dying several times and most of the time I could have been more careful.

Yep- well, the main thing for you at this point is to remember that you're still pretty vulnerable because your HP aren't huge yet. If you approach every situation with the thought that it could kill you firmly in mind you will likely live. The danger is that you can get the feeling that you are not in much danger because your speed and decent luck have gotten you through similar situations before. I lost one of my first decent characters because he did a lot of damage, so he was able to take out AMHDs successfully a couple of times. Then one got a double move and decided to breathe poison, which I didn't resist, both times... anyway, since you probably don't have a good idea of what is really dangerous yet you should err on the side of paranoia.

Also, as a Priest, you should be lighting up every level. That's a really underrated Priest ability. And please note the Edit I made to my post above. Swamp Wyrms should pretty much be pushovers for you anyway, but I'd hate to hear that you'd died to a Green Dragon pit because I can't keep my Wyrms straight.

[Wraitheist]

Sage advice. Thanks! I'm trying to remember to be careful. I've come very close to dying several times and most of the time I could have been more careful.

[aeneas]

Thanks! This is, by far, my best character ever. Before this, my best character only made it to '3600. And before that, none ever went beyond stat gain.

Well, be very careful then. I lost my first character that should have won to overconfidence and a lack of experience. Twas pretty frustrating, but I think it's a not uncommon experience.

As for monsters to hunt, I've been going after Ice Wyrms and Hell Wryms since they drop nice stuff and I can double-resist on them. What kind of attacks do Swamp Wyrms have? And do Bile Demons summon? I've noticed that most demons tend to summon, which is a major pain for me. Any other monsters I should make a point to kill when i see them?

Yep, really any Wyrm that doesn't pose much threat should be high on your agenda. Swamp Wyrms breathe acid- you are immune to acid. Therefore they pose almost no threat to you. A black dragon pit would be a nice find for you at this point. Bile Demons have Acid and Poison as their main attacks, so again, having Thorin makes them less dangerous. There's a more general point here- you don't have to be all-around strong as long as you are strong against something that's worth killing and you can survive at the depth where that something is found.

But Bile Demons do summon, so you should definitely be ready to bail if things look like they are going to go south. And actually, you might not be able to kill them fast enough to prevent them from summoning so frequently that they're not worth dealing with. Definitely try to fight them in cramped quarters where they don't have a lot of spaces to summon in. You lack rShards, and there are some Demons with pretty big shard attacks, so you want to be quite careful about that.

Basically, you want to concentrate on killing stuff with the DROP_GOOD flag that isn't dangerous to you. If you pop open the monster file and search for DROP_GOOD you'll see what has that flag (Bile Demons and Wyrms have it.)`

EDIT: Ack, don't know what I'm thinking... I mean Bile Wyrms, not Swamp Wyrms. Swamp Wyrms breathe poison. Sorry about that.