Trying out FAAngband

[cinereaste]

Assuming FA works anything like V in this regard, the only way to make your inventory safe from damage is by getting immunity to the relevant element. In V the best you can achieve without immunity is a 1% chance per attack that any particular item will be destroyed, which means that if you have 100 potions in your inventory, odds are at least one will be destroyed every time you get hit by cold.

The 50/50 mark comes between 68 and 69 potions at 1% per potion.

log .5 / log .99 = 68.967...

[Derakon]

That meshes with "at least one".

(good call)

[Adley]

I recall someone sayin' that immunity doesn't protect completely in FA. Equipment destruction is pretty severe though, in my opinion.

[Psi]

I recall someone sayin' that immunity doesn't protect completely in FA. Equipment destruction is pretty severe though, in my opinion.

Yep - immunity is only regarding damage to yourself. You can still suffer losses to the pack (though it is less likely the higher your resistance).

[Mondkalb]

I tried a couple of characters myself during the last few days.
I have to admit that I suck. ^^

They die even quicker than in Angband.
The open spaces in the wilderness can turn out to be very dangerous for young adventurers, especially hordes of monsters like wolves or fast breeders are hard to handle. Particulary with scarce resources (at least the good old bargain sells from the olde Angband days are still there ).

The option to move the home to another city is nice, of course a town with all shops is always the better choice to recall to.

My best characters have been Maia Paladins which I managed to get to level 13 or so.

How do you handle the chars that start out in dangerous regions? The obvious method is to move them as fast as possible through the high danger regions towards safer levels, but I am only sometimes able to accomplish that.

The game is otherwise quite entertaining and the different wilderness regions are a pleasant change to Angband's dark dungeons. I also like all the good old flavour stuff like skulls and skeletons and rags and whatnot.
The descriptions of items are colourful written and add to the overall game feeling.

I do miss some of Angband's modern achievements in handling of various game mechanics (dropping items on free adjacent places if the floor beneath the character is already occupied; combining of charges on wands and staffs).

[Magnate]

I tried a couple of characters myself during the last few days.
I have to admit that I suck. ^^

They die even quicker than in Angband.

Well, my first go at FA yielded six deaths in under an hour, and that was even using the "thou needest a wet-nurse, suckmaster" starting races. There is just something about the wilderness levels that makes me play really badly. Usually I'm so good, you see ...

[LostTemplar]

Best way to survive hard starting position e.g. Gondolin in ironman is selling your starting ego weapon for lots of staves, potions, scrolls, bow and ammo, you will also need some luck. In normal game you can go same strategy or just stairscum. "Hard" starts in normal games are actually easyer, you dont have to dive boring levels. You may also choose dungeon only mode if you have troubles with wilderness.

[buzzkill]

How do you handle the chars that start out in dangerous regions? The obvious method is to move them as fast as possible through the high danger regions towards safer levels, but I am only sometimes able to accomplish that.

Sometimes is all you can hope for. Without a lot of scummy play, these difficult starting positions will often lead to quick deaths (even with a genetically engineered superman). Consider it a kind of like "thrall-lite" mode. For maximum survivability, my normal MO is to head toward the easier levels. Other, result oriented players, would probably recommend going deeper since, at least initially, the danger levels are similar.

[HallucinationMushroom]

I approach the hard starting positions like I do the old school final fantasy where it's understood that you're going to have to make several forays into the wilderness right next to where you start to buff up and stock up for the long trek to the first dungeon. What could make more sense than, kill a bunch of crap by your hometown, eat supper with Mom and have her do the laundry and wake up and do it again the next day? Same principle as junior college and it's (probably) her fault for making you live so close to Morgy and his minions anyway.

[Nick]

How do you handle the chars that start out in dangerous regions? The obvious method is to move them as fast as possible through the high danger regions towards safer levels, but I am only sometimes able to accomplish that.

HMs advice is good. Sticking as much as you can to the type of terrain your character is good with helps, too - view your specialties to check that out.

Longbeards and Ents are fairly hardy starters.

Not getting surrounded needs to be your constant focus in wilderness. TLevel makes a good escape.

You will occasionally find 'wilderness vaults', which can be lucrative (or deadly).

I do miss some of Angband's modern achievements in handling of various game mechanics (dropping items on free adjacent places if the floor beneath the character is already occupied; combining of charges on wands and staffs).

These are coming - I'm in the middle of a massive rewrite at the moment.

Thanks for the comments.

[Mondkalb]

These are coming - I'm in the middle of a massive rewrite at the moment.

Nice to hear - can't wait to see it.

[Mondkalb]

This one looks promising:

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=11301

Starting with a dwarf in Belegost seems to be less dangeroues than the other more advanced starting points.
Belegost has all shops which is quite convenient. I have made several very short expeditions to the surrounding regions (mountain regions are easier to handle and dwarves have a chance to avoid attacks). IDing stuff and selling it is comfortable in Belegost as well as stocking up scrolls and potions. )

[Rivendell]

http://angband.oook.cz/ladder-show.php?id=11302

I've been playing a Longbeard Paladin for a few days, and I've been using Belegost as a home base, and it's worked out well. I'm still alive, anyway. I'm playing pretty conservatively, mainly because I'm still getting the hang of the 'bands, and there's alot to learn. I'm just ignoring the turncount and trying to avoid making stupid mistakes, like wearing Armor of Anchoring, and then wondering why my scrolls of phasing and teleportation don't work while surrounded by orcs.

I'm about to start an expedition to the mountains north of Belegost. Wish me luck.

[Mondkalb]

Well, Coim is dead now, I'm as stupid as ever.

[Mondkalb]

I have tried a Longbeard Rogue and managed to reach Clevel 23.
Could have been much better, but died because of greed and stupid failures.

I have found my first ever artifact in FAangband, barring the Lamp of Gwindor.
The nice sword made progression a little easier but also made me careless, as ever so often. ^^