PDSM at 500'

[Zikke]

I've never found one. What exactly makes it so uber?

[Slick]

Auto-scummer was off. When I first started playing, I used to cheat all kinds of ways including save scumming, but, like most, I soon stopped and enjoy the game much more. Never looked back.

My Ranger wearing the PDSM is doing quite fine. CL38, 3000'. I'm being conservative since I've never won before and this looks like a reasonable chance to be my first. Using Gurthang, Bard and a few other shiny objects. For the first time due to the weight savings from the PDSM, I am also maintaining a large stack of Rods of Fire Bolts (14 currently). I may continue to use this tactic with other characters, because this rod recharges in 15 turns so a large stack is essentially a formidable flame thrower with (almost) infinite ammo. I may ditch them when I get deeper and most of the nasties are fire resistant, we'll see.

PDSM is uber because it resists almost everthing, breathes for elements (300) every 300ish turns, is relatively light and very good for AC. The massive list of resistances allows you to not tie up other equipment slots just to get certain necessary resistances such as rPoison. These free slots can be used to really buff up your character in other areas.

[pav]

I do this routinely (large stack of bolt rods), but they became obsolete because of the damage they do, not because of resistances. Deeper down you just need harder hitting hammer...

[aeneas]

Auto-scummer was off. When I first started playing, I used to cheat all kinds of ways including save scumming, but, like most, I soon stopped and enjoy the game much more. Never looked back.

Hmm- I don't think the auto-scummer is a cheat in the same way that save-scumming, or even stair-scumming is, as long as you treat it like a birth option. It's a trade-off, and I've gone back and forth on it over the years. But the fact that you had it off makes that find much more impressive, particularly at that depth. I'm pretty sure I had it on when I found PDSM.

And yeah, it's the resistances... the AC and the breath aren't that important (though if you get it that early they must be pretty useful at first), but having essentially every resistance in one item is... well, Angband is to a large degree a game of inventory management, and that relieves you of all your problems.

Fire damage never gets obsolete- undead are some of the worst enemies in the game. But like Pav says, the rods barely touch the real bigbads, by the end.

[Patashu]

So, yeah, we're basically at "PDSM at 500' requires 3x more luck than a royal flush".

I'm sure you drop more items then you play hands of poker, though.

[Narvius]

Right, I have thought of that after writing the post.

[cerberus]

Yay found my first ever PDSM just sitting on the floor at 1650' today, I'm totally blown away

[Slick]

The RNG has obviously been kidnapped and his operations have been taken over by terrorists trying to destabilize this game. What will be next?

[Narvius]

PDSM, Cubragol and Calris dropped by Maggot.
(No, not really. It would be awesome, though.)

[brabson]

I've been playing Angband for several years and have never found Power Dragon Scale Mail *ever* until yesterday with a new Ranger at 500'. I take it this is extremely rare. My question is: exactly how rare was it? Once in a lifetime? I really don't understand the rarity, object level and the generation code to tell how rare it is.

I don't know how rare it is, but lightening does strike twice. I also found PDSM at 500' a couple of years ago. All I have to say is I pretty much had the game won at that time, as long as I didn't do something absolutely stupid (which I didn't, despite my best efforts).

[Djabanete]

For what it's worth, I just found a Balance DSM at 550'...

but I still died shortly afterwards because I was first-stair diving with the "no stores" option set to yes.

...And it was Entroband, and I read a scroll of curse armor, and it became a Balance Dragon Scale Mail (Blasted) [0, -5] {cursed}.

[Kav]

I just found some Chaos DSM around ~500' too. I usually don't find any DSM above 1500'. Hell I don't think I've ever even seen any in chaos, didn't even know they had that flavor. What gives? I'm never this lucky. And that dude is still alive like 10 clvls later.

It's because I'm a rogue isn't it? I never ever play rogues. I was bored and wanted to mix it up so the RNG picks this character to get all the luck. That would explain the chaos blade I found at 100', finding a ?WOR when my only one got burned, and finding the Grimor of destruction just lying around above 400'. My eyeballs just about popped out of my head on that one. I've had mages waiting around dlvl 40-41 for ages that only had the first 4 books and this 14int chump rogue finds the book of flowing magical death at clvl8. WHY WOULD I BE BITTER???

I'd blame detect objects but those mages had detect magic so they have no excuse. Still, I'm totally carrying around staves of detect object from now on.

I still say this is my luckiest character ever, and I don't even like rogues

[Slick]

Update

Update: I have been more than lucky in this game, first finding PDSM and, much later, finding 2 rings of power. I took my sweet time diving, making sure I could easily handle monsters at the next level before diving. It took *forever* to get Telepathy, and once I did, I got several items in short order with Telepathy all at once. I have been lingering at 4950' for a long time, admittedly being greedy looking for Ringil, I have yet to find a better primary wacker than the Mace of Disruption. Sauron was not too bad; nailed him in a summoning corridor. I haven't really been threatened at 4950' with my current kit. I ventured down to 5000' a couple of times (once by accidentally stepping onto an identified trap door by going too fast), but not engaging the big P yet. I am reasonably certain I could take him out with what I have, but since I have yet to win this game without cheating, I really don't want to take any chances whatsoever with this character. When I do engage P, I'll dump my arrows for those in the house (being that P is evil), and swap out a couple of more items with those in the house too.

Request advice:

- Regarding bows: should I keep Belthronding (4 shots at X3 and better plusses) or switch to Bard (3 shots at X5) with the understanding that I probably won't get too many shots against P?

- Assume I have the patience and luck to find Ringil, should I melee P or shoot him with arrows of slay evil? The way I see it, if I shoot him, he will summon a metric butload of other monsters who will just interfere with shots. If I melee, he'll connect with earthquakes which might eliminate some of the summons and summoning room, but will do big damage to me. I haven't battled P since over 2 years ago when I stopped save file scumming.

- With fire and acid (and cold) immunity, and with > 150 DEX, is there any reason to carry more than 1 of the first 4 spell books? i.e. is there anything that can get thru the immunities?

- Any other advice is welcome, thanks.

Hope this char dump works right...

  [Angband 3.0.9 Character Dump]

 Name   Lazy                                     Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Male              Age       107   STR! 18/100  +1  +2 +14 18/270
 Race   High-Elf          Height     90   INT! 18/100  +3  +2  +5 18/200
 Class  Ranger            Weight    185   WIS! 18/100  -1  +0 +13 18/220
 Title  Ranger Lord       Status     92   DEX! 18/100  +3  +1  +4 18/180
 HP     1006/1006         Maximize    Y   CON! 18/100  +1  +1 +12 18/240
 SP     385/385                           CHR! 18/100  +5  +1  +7 18/230

 Level           50       Armor   [56,+123]     Saving Throw   Legendary
 Cur Exp   19758510       Fight   (+54,+49)     Stealth           Superb
 Max Exp   19758510       Melee   (+71,+64)     Fighting       Legendary
 Adv Exp   ********       Shoot   (+74,+22)     Shooting       Legendary
 MaxDepth   4950 ft       Blows      5/turn     Disarming         Superb
 Turns      2493626       Shots      4/turn     Magic Device   Legendary
 Gold       6698058       Infra       40 ft     Perception          Good
 Burden   250.8 lbs       Speed          12     Searching           Fair

 You are one of several children of a Telerin Prince.  You have light
 grey eyes, straight black hair, and a fair 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:.............


  [Character Equipment]

a) a Mace of Disruption (Holy Avenger) (5d8) (+17,+15) [+1] (+3) {@w0}
   It increases your wisdom by 3.  It slays demons, undead, and all
   evil creatures.  It provides resistance to fear.  It sustains your 
   charisma.  It is blessed by the gods.  It grants you the ability to
   see invisible things.  
b) The Long Bow 'Belthronding' (x3) (+20,+22) (+1)
   It increases your dexterity by 1.  It increases your stealth, speed, 
   and shooting speed by 1.  It provides resistance to disenchantment.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
c) The Ring of Power 'Narya' (+6,+6) (+1)
   It increases all your stats by 1.  It increases your speed by 1.  It
   provides immunity to fire.  It provides resistance to fear and 
   nether.  It sustains your strength, wisdom, constitution, and 
   charisma.  It slows your metabolism and speeds your regeneration.  
   It grants you immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible
   things.  It activates for large fire ball (120) every 20+d20 turns.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
d) The Ring of Power 'Nenya' (+8,+8) (+2)
   It increases all your stats by 2.  It increases your speed by 2.  It
   provides immunity to cold.  It provides resistance to blindness and 
   life draining.  It sustains your intelligence, wisdom, and charisma.
   It makes you fall like a feather and speeds your regeneration.  It
   grants you immunity to paralysis, the power of telepathy, and the
   ability to see invisible things.  It activates for large frost ball
   (200) every 20+d20 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
e) The Elfstone 'Elessar' (+7,+7) [+10] (+2)
   It increases your strength, wisdom, and charisma by 2.  It increases
   your speed by 2.  It provides resistance to fire, poison, and fear.  
   It activates for heal (500) every 200 turns.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
f) The Phial of Galadriel
   It usually provides light of radius 3.  It activates for 
   illumination every 10+d10 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
g) Power Dragon Scale Mail (-3) [40,+15]
   It provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, poison, light,
   dark, blindness, confusion, sound, shards, nexus, nether, chaos, and 
   disenchantment.  It activates for breathe the elements (300) every
   300+d300 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) The Shadow Cloak of Luthien [6,+20] (+2) (charging)
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and charisma by 2.  It
   increases your stealth and speed by 2.  It provides resistance to 
   acid, fire, and cold.  It activates for restore life levels every
   250 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 Golden Crown of Gondor [0,+15] (+3)
   It increases your strength, wisdom, and constitution by 3.  It
   increases your speed by 3.  It provides resistance to fire, cold, 
   light, blindness, confusion, sound, and chaos.  It usually provides
   light of radius 4.  It speeds your regeneration.  It grants you the
   ability to see invisible things.  It activates for heal (500) every
   250 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
k) The Set of Leather Gloves 'Cambeleg' (+8,+8) [1,+15] (+2)
   It increases your strength and constitution by 2.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
l) a Pair of Metal Shod Boots of Speed [6,+9] (+4)
   It increases your speed by 4.  


  [Character Inventory]

a) 4 Books of Magic Spells [Magic for Beginners]
b) 4 Books of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks]
c) 4 Books of Magic Spells [Incantations and Illusions]
d) 4 Books of Magic Spells [Sorcery and Evocations]
e) a Book of Magic Spells [Resistances of Scarabtarices]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) a Book of Magic Spells [Raal's Tome of Destruction]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) a Book of Magic Spells [Mordenkainen's Escapes]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) a Book of Magic Spells [Tenser's Transformations]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) a Book of Magic Spells [Kelek's Grimoire of Power]
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
j) 19 Brown Potions of Healing
k) 6 Copper-Plated Rods of Detection (1 charging)
   It cannot be harmed by electricity.  
l) 2 Zinc-Plated Rods of Healing
   It cannot be harmed by electricity.  
m) 10 Ivory Rods of Teleport Other
n) 45 Arrows of Venom (1d4) (+9,+9) {@1=g}
   It is branded with poison.  
o) 36 Arrows of Frost (1d4) (+10,+9) {@1=g}
   It is branded with frost.  It cannot be harmed by cold.  
p) 17 Seeker Arrows of Venom (4d4) (+12,+11) {@2=g}
   It is branded with poison.  
q) 51 Seeker Arrows of Venom (4d4) (+10,+12) {@2=g}
   It is branded with poison.  
r) 8 Seeker Arrows of Flame (4d4) (+9,+9) {@2=g}
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  
s) 11 Seeker Arrows of Frost (4d4) (+8,+9)
   It is branded with frost.  It cannot be harmed by cold.  
t) 98 Mithril Arrows of Flame (3d4) (+10,+10) {@2=g}
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by acid or fire.  
u) 79 Mithril Arrows of Venom (3d4) (+9,+9) {@2=g}
   It is branded with poison.  It cannot be harmed by acid or fire.  


  [Home Inventory]

a) 22 Red Speckled Potions of *Healing*
b) 15 Misty Potions of Life
c) 24 Indigo Potions of Restore Mana
d) 5 Scrolls titled "consem pro" of Rune of Protection
e) a Lead-Plated Rod of Restoration
   It cannot be harmed by electricity.  
f) a Beryl Ring of Damage (+13)
g) a Lapis Lazuli Ring of Speed (+11)
   It increases your speed by 11.  
h) The Ring of Tulkas (+4)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 4.  It
   provides resistance to fear.  It activates for haste self (75+d75
   turns) every 150+d150 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) The Amulet of Ingwe (+3)
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and charisma by 3.  It
   increases your infravision by 3.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  It might have hidden powers.
j) The Necklace of the Dwarves (+3)
   It increases your strength and constitution by 3.  It increases your 
   infravision by 3.  It provides resistance to fear.  It usually
   provides light of radius 4.  It speeds your regeneration.  It grants
   you immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible things.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
k) a Dragon Tooth Amulet of ESP (+8)
   It increases your searching by 8.  It grants you the power of
   telepathy.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
l) 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.  
m) 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.  
n) 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.  
o) The Mithril Plate Mail of Celeborn (-3) [35,+25] (+4)
   It increases your strength and charisma by 4.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  It might have hidden powers.
p) 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.  
q) The Large Metal Shield of Anarion [5,+20]
   It provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, and cold.  It
   sustains all your stats.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
r) The Iron Helm of Dor-Lomin [5,+20] (+4)
   It increases your strength, dexterity, and constitution by 4.  It
   provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, and fear.  It
   usually provides light of radius 4.  It grants you the power of
   telepathy and the ability to see invisible things.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
s) The Dagger 'Angrist' (2d4) (+10,+15) [+5] (+4)
   It increases your dexterity by 4.  It increases your speed by 4.  It
   slays orcs, trolls, and all evil creatures.  It is branded with acid.
   It provides resistance to acid and dark.  It sustains your dexterity.
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
t) The Two-Handed Sword 'Gurthang' (3d6) (+13,+17) (+2) {@w0}
   It increases your strength by 2.  It is especially deadly against 
   dragons.  It is branded with fire and poison.  It provides
   resistance to fire and poison.  It slows your metabolism and speeds
   your regeneration.  It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot
   be harmed by the elements.  
u) The Long Bow of Bard (x3) (+17,+19) (+2)
   It increases your dexterity by 2.  It increases your speed and 
   shooting power by 2.  It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
v) 24 Arrows of Slay Evil (1d4) (+13,+13)
   It slays all evil creatures.  
w) 10 Arrows of Slay Evil (1d4) (+11,+13) {=g}
   It slays all evil creatures.  
x) 15 Mithril Arrows of Holy Might (3d4) (+26,+15) {=g}
   It slays demons, undead, and all evil creatures.  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)

[Inquisitivephysicsguy]

I'd recommend more *Healing*, and Life Potions. *Healing* + Life = 40 potions should be enough... you can get more if you're worried. I think he can do 600 points of dmg in a round if he wants to (if you go below 600 hp, heal yourself). Other than that, he looks good...

[Pete Mack]

You aren't going to find a better melée weapon than that mace in terms of damage; and ringil is pretty rare. You do need more speed; swap a speed ring for one of the elven rings, and use the elven rings as immunity swaps. Given speed +20 and a few stacks of seeker arrows that character is easily strong enough to kill Morgoth with Bard. (Bard is better; with seeker ammo, the multiplier is more important than the bonus, and you waste less ammo with fewere shots.)

Focus on picking up supplies like healin, banishment and teleport other. You already can kill M with either melée or archery.