This is where I always die... (Gnome Mage)

[drquicksilver]

I'm trying to get the hang of playing Gnome Mage. It feels like I have the early game smooth now - I manage to dive pretty rapidly to 2000', picking up bits and pieces of eq and a few stat potions, focussing on stealth, choosing easy or high-value targets, detecting constantly and paranoidly. I normally hit level 30 around 2000'.

Looking at my history it's clear - my last four mages all died at clvl 30-33 at a depth of 2000'-2200'. Here is my latest attempt (not dead yet!):

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=23861

It's hard to spot much of a pattern in my deaths but they are generally a combination of letting the situation get out of control (too many enemies) plus a high single damage attack (breath or cause wounds) taking out too much of my very small HP pool. What do you think I'm doing wrong? Do I need to stick around 2000' until I find some serious CON boost equipment to get my HP up? In fact just before I took that char dump I was at CON 12; I got lucky with a couple of Strength potions which gave me the confidence to quaff the five potions of Toughness I'd been saving - but even with 18/19 CON I don't have 200HP yet.

My only winners were with Half-Troll warrior and Dunadan paladin where HPs came very quickly once I got to stat gain levels.

Any advice gratefully received...

[Thraalbee]

I had similar problems with my gnome mage. Eventually I gave up and shifted to Half Troll Mage and suddenly the game had an "easy mode" feeling to it even though I ran it in ironman mode. Sure, gnomes are better with devices but my HT Mage was more than strong enough in the end game obliterating Morgoth with -annihilation so I'd say the upside (HP, strength) far outweighs the downside

[Huqhox]

Back on older versions Gnome Mage was the most powerful combination in the game, if you could survive the first few CLs. In fact in some ways it felt (to me) that the game was tilted towards making it easier specifically for this combination.

Now the races and classes have been revised and reworked over time, that's no longer the case and the Gnome race is now a challenge because of its fragility. Which for me at least sounds about right

[Selkie]

I have a similar problem. I love playing as gnomes for all that lovely mana but the fragility is so tough. A pack of vibration hounds or time hounds, which are hard to detect, can easily annihilate a gnome. My key has always been to play conservative and in small doses. If I play for too long I get sloppy. I also have to stop myself from being greedy. I will drive and detect and make mad dashes for stat potions.

[sffp]

I too have this problem. And have a legion of dead gnome mages at roughly the same time. I finally have an @ that has found its way deep (and to speed).
The key was the same as my rogue win - namely stealth. That and being highly paranoid. Don't get involved in mass battle. Teleport away ANYTHING that might kill you in one breath. Let sleeping monsters lie.

That being said, not sure how this puppy is going to win with so few hp. I can only hope when I find more Con and several more levels, I'll squeak over 600 and be able to go toe to toe with Morgoth. But for now, I abuse banishment and raid vaults.

[Pete Mack]

There is always HE mage, which no longer has the crippling HP penalty. And yeah, stealth and caution are key either way.

[Estragon]

I too have this problem. And have a legion of dead gnome mages at roughly the same time.

Start a gnome necromancer to resurrect all its dead brethren

[Sphara]

You could choose random artifcats, when starting.
Random artifacts are laughably overpowered. It's really not unheard of to have two immunities by the time you hit DL40.

If you insist on playing with regular artifacts, stay stealthy!

[drquicksilver]

There is always HE mage, which no longer has the crippling HP penalty. And yeah, stealth and caution are key either way.

Funny you should say that, that's exactly what I did. Character above died to a greater basilisk (I was fine for poison, I forgot it could breath nexus!!) and now I'm playing a HE mage. Got back to exactly the same place - 2100', level 31. RNG has been capricious: no Arcane Control, no rods of magic mapping, no ring of digging, but two early rings of the mouse <+4> and an amulet of trickery! So stealth is Legendary....

[Monkey Face]

Judicious use of teleport other should help. Also, you may want to carry more wands to help you keep recharge mana quickly. Make sure you are casting the last spell in the third book (I don't remember the name) when you are in a potential tough fight so you can cast double spells.