Post-winner blues (Sang)

[NotMorgoth]

I've just had my first winner (I'll post the chardump if anyone's interested,) but now I'm having trouble readjusting to having low level characters again.

Since winning I have completely failed to get any of my new characters past DL 10, as I keep forgetting I don't have all those resistances, and getting killed in silly ways, eg by being confused or blinded.

Any good advice for re-learning how to play the early game?

[Magnate]

I've just had my first winner (I'll post the chardump if anyone's interested,) but now I'm having trouble readjusting to having low level characters again.

Since winning I have completely failed to get any of my new characters past DL 10, as I keep forgetting I don't have all those resistances, and getting killed in silly ways, eg by being confused or blinded.

Any good advice for re-learning how to play the early game?

I can only survive the early game in Sang by putting all my skill points into a martial art until it's in the twenties, then I start putting points into anything else. It means you can kill most things you meet and get xp for putting into saving throw or missiles or spells or whatever.

Yes, I do this even with spellcasters or weaponmasters. If I want a challenge game, I'll start with spells or weapons instead.

[NotMorgoth]

I've never noticed martial arts being better than weapons in the early game, but it makes sense as you don't need to rely on finding a good weapon.

Definitely agree about spells though; it's a long time before you can get enough mana and a low enough failure chance for them be relied on. The same goes for magic devices to some extent.

One thing I am learning to be very careful with is quests; the monsters may be only a few levels out of depth, but there are generally quite a few of them, and if you want to complete the quest you basically have to be able to clear the level and not rely on the usual hit and run tactics you can use when diving in V.

[camlost]

Martial arts are significantly better in the early game.

I think it's entirely reasonable to go with weapons, but I'd make sure that I pick up something like a mace (2d4) or a longsword (2d5) ASAP. This will take you to the midgame easily enough.

Focus on bare combat skills early on, as you'll end up hitting a lot of monsters with sticks (or feet) before you'll have the mana and reliability with spells. Though you should have either a spell skill or a throwing/launching skill.

Make sure to spread some skill points out to survival skills, like saving throw and searching.

Carry !CCW when you can afford them, and don't fight blinders and confusers (that aren't novice mages). !CCW are expensive in the early game.

Be patient.

[NotMorgoth]

Actually, I've been finding slings and bows to be a fairly effective way of fighting in the early game; slings are very cheap to raise for most races and if I am a race with low hp, I don't dare melee much.

But it's the quests that keep killing me - I just got novice archers on DL 6 and had to bale out of the level when I ran out of healing and teleportation way before I had finished the quest.