Ironman starting kit?

[Chud]

I've played quite a bit, but never really tried ironman. What would people recommend as a starting equipment/provisions list for that? Also, guessing warriors are probably one of the easier classes to start?

Thanks!

[Grotug]

The first time I won Ironman I started with the following in 3.4.1:

I'm rolling up an H/T Warrior again, since it's my favorite combo. This time I've added 4 points to CON, 8 points to DEX and 8 points to STR. Disconnected stairs and start with no useful gear.

There are 8 potions of speed in the black market. I could buy one or two. If two, I'll have 165 gold left over for ?phase etc. I think I should only buy one or none.

I kill a singing-happy drunk who drops me 24 gold pieces and I buy:

a shield [5, +1] for 36gp
Gauntlets [3, +0] for 6gp
Potion of Speed for 225gp
1 ration of food for 3gp
17 scrolls of Phase door
2 potions of cure light wounds

To see how it went click: http://angband.oook.cz/forum/showthread.php?t=8848

You might also want to consider going with 6 points to CON and 6 points to DEX.

[Sphara]

I don´t think warrior is the easiest at all. It certainly is the easiest to get through the early game, though. Most of my ironman wins are done with randarts and item knowledge on (this does not have that much of an effect, it mostly only protects you not quaffing Intellect and Contemplation). Randarts though, make things easier. Randarts can be generated as extremely overpowered and on very shallow level. In my one recent local randart ironman game, I found arti-boots that had Movement Speed +3. I did quit that thing. It just felt, dumb.

Just like Grotug had done in his example there, warrior wants to start with boatloads of Phase Door scrolls. You may not use them much within the first 20-30 levels but not being able to recall, those become more and more valuable. Also, you need quite a few of them in the final fight.

[Thraalbee]

For warrior I'd start with 4 torches, a few pots of oil, 2-3 food, 40 iron shots and and maybe 2 !clw. Then ?phase door for the rest of the money. Usually I even sell my weapon and armour (or don't buy them) since I'm likely to be ok with throwing shots until I get a weapon and a launcher. In the first 30 levels you want to kill a lot of blue p's to stock up on ?phase door.

But most clases are easier than warrior for ironman. At least unless you are very patient. I'd say dwarf priest is almost easy. Unlimited escapes and healing makes a big difference.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

If you ask MattB, a bog standard shovel should do it.

[sffp]

I don´t think warrior is the easiest at all. It certainly is the easiest to get through the early game, though. Most of my ironman wins are done with randarts and item knowledge on (this does not have that much of an effect, it mostly only protects you not quaffing Intellect and Contemplation). Randarts though, make things easier. Randarts can be generated as extremely overpowered and on very shallow level. In my one recent local randart ironman game, I found arti-boots that had Movement Speed +3. I did quit that thing. It just felt, dumb.

Just like Grotug had done in his example there, warrior wants to start with boatloads of Phase Door scrolls. You may not use them much within the first 20-30 levels but not being able to recall, those become more and more valuable. Also, you need quite a few of them in the final fight.

I've had characters nerfed because a stat-swap potion hit dex or str and lost them the ability to wield a weapon or just a blow/turn.

[Sphara]

@sffp

Those are only items that can nerf an ironman player. Now that potion of Lose Memories has been removed. Having flavor id on also helps not wasting Banishment scrolls and other valuable endgame stuff the first time you see them.

So yeah, I guess an ironman game its a bit easier if you remove identification minigame from consumables.

[sffp]

There's no way to undo a stat-swap, right? are you saying it will only nerf an ironman b/c you could save all of your potions to id in town? Or similarly scrolls if you want to avoid deep descent?

[Ingwe Ingweron]

There's no way to undo a stat-swap, right? are you saying it will only nerf an ironman b/c you could save all of your potions to id in town? Or similarly scrolls if you want to avoid deep descent?

Stat swap can only be "undone" by another stat swap potion, and getting lucky with said swap, or by just gaining stats from straight stat potions. However, even when not playing iron-man, most experienced players don't bother with town for the purpose of identifying potions or scrolls; they just quaff or read and take their chances. Although they might save scrolls to read on stairs so they can make a quick escape if needed.

[Sphara]

No, other than gaining the stat back with potion.
I rarely id potions and scrolls in town even if I play with recall, I just drink/read them in the dungeon.
Exception ofc, if I have a high treasure feeling and Teleport Level and Deep Descent are not identified.

Safest way to identify scrolls by reading, is reading em standing on a downstairs of an already cleared level. Never in town. In the case of acquirement scroll you´ll get level 1 "great" item.

I have not played ironman for quite some time. Mainly because I switched back to regular artifacts and 4.2.0 is harder anyway (imo) than previous versions.

[Adam]

@sffp

Those are only items that can nerf an ironman player. Now that potion of Lose Memories has been removed. Having flavor id on also helps not wasting Banishment scrolls and other valuable endgame stuff the first time you see them.

So yeah, I guess an ironman game its a bit easier if you remove identification minigame from consumables.

If you read an unidentified Banishment scroll you can hit escape when it asks you for the letter to be banished
Also works for various enchant scrolls as i remember.

[whartung]

Safest way to identify scrolls by reading, is reading em standing on a downstairs of an already cleared level. Never in town. In the case of acquirement scroll you´ll get level 1 "great" item.

While in general, I just read in a safe place, I ID lots of things simply by "selling" them.

Mind, I haven't been super deep, but I've found that I'll have more than enough money to buy the scroll back if I really need it.

I also buy "unseen" items even if I won't use them just to ID them early. Rather blow 600g on a worthless item than confront it deep in a dungeon as an unknown. It's worth it over fighting with inventory management to bring the stuff back up.

Potions, I pretty much just drink if the spot is safe.

[wobbly]

I think its also a good idea to take extra care with possible deep descent scrolls (you can spot potentials by the stack size). Ironman priest doesn't have a lot of other solutions if you hit a kitty pit so I like to have at least 2 before trying an unided scroll.