Amulet Reflection vs lifesaving

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Hi,

I've got my first half decent character going and have id-d a whole
load of stuff and am down as far as level 19. I've got amulets of
life saving and reflection, and was wondering what the accepted wisdom
is on which is better to wear - reflection seems to be coming in handy
on a regular basis, but I can see something stupid (and quick)
happening and if I die because I'm not wearing lifesaving I'd be
gutted. I'm a barbarian with cleaver, so trying to get a shield of
reflection doesn't seem like an option.

I've had a search around on the web and on here and haven't managed to
find any advice one way or the other on which is better, so any advice
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Kris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris Coverdale wrote:

> I've got amulets of
> life saving and reflection, and was wondering what the accepted wisdom
> is on which is better to wear - reflection seems to be coming in handy
> on a regular basis, but I can see something stupid (and quick)
> happening and if I die because I'm not wearing lifesaving I'd be
> gutted.

Life saving will save your life once, and you'll still be next to the
thing that killed you.

Reflection saves your life over and over again.

That said, if you're not opposed to wishing, you could get silver dragon
scale mail at the first opportunity and have both.

Raisse, killed by a death ray

--
irina@valdyas.org LegoHack: http://www.valdyas.org/irina/nethack/
Status of Raisse (piously neutral): Level 8 HP 63(67) AC -3, fast.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris Coverdale wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've got my first half decent character going and have id-d a whole
> load of stuff and am down as far as level 19. I've got amulets of
> life saving and reflection, and was wondering what the accepted wisdom
> is on which is better to wear - reflection seems to be coming in handy
> on a regular basis, but I can see something stupid (and quick)
> happening and if I die because I'm not wearing lifesaving I'd be
> gutted. I'm a barbarian with cleaver, so trying to get a shield of
> reflection doesn't seem like an option.

You have implicitly answered the question yourself.

As long as you are in known "territory" and are sure you don't get
surprised by a sudden deadly situation keep the reflection, it's too
valuable. Whenever you suspect something really bad *could* happen
(e.g. you intend to fight Demogorgon ;-) temporarily switch to life
saving.

That's at least what I would do.

But keep in mind, you should always have some spare escape utilities!
Use your amulets, but nevertheless don't rely on them; play cautious
as if you could die.

Janis

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris Coverdale <kris@compsoc.man.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've got my first half decent character going and have id-d a whole
> load of stuff and am down as far as level 19. I've got amulets of
> life saving and reflection, and was wondering what the accepted wisdom
> is on which is better to wear - reflection seems to be coming in handy
> on a regular basis, but I can see something stupid (and quick)

IMO.
If you've got a spare amulet of lifesaving, then wearing it isn't a bad
plan, but you may "waste" it.

My last amulet saved me from choking on food.
Which isn't exactly the sort of thing I intended it to save me from, but
it worked anyway.

At the time, I was doing the little dance swapping between shield of
reflection/amulet of lifesaving/Cloak of magic resistance, and amulet
of lifesaving/robe, for spellcasting or not.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in news:424ee4e2$0$27851
$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net:

> My last amulet saved me from choking on food.
> Which isn't exactly the sort of thing I intended it to save me from, but
> it worked anyway.

Amulets of magical breathing are also very helpful in those deadly
situations.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris,

I've had the same question. My opinion is that if you don't have
reflection some other way you should stick with reflection. Reflection
is really useful. Not only does it keep death rays from killing you
and such. It also causes things to bounce off you which can be good.

My last game I went with an amulet of reflection the whole way and had
the mirror of merlin for magic resistence. It was fun because it
wasn't the standard silver dragon scale mail and cloak of resistence or
gray dragon scale mail and shield of reflection.

But you might end up with a better one-handed artifact weapon and then
you could switch to the shield and wear the amulet of life saving too.

The only game I wore amulets of life saving I ended up blasting myself
with my own death wand. I was on the planes I think! I would have
been bummed if I didn't have the amulet of L.S. on at that time! But
maybe I would have been more careful if I didn't have it on...

- Bobby


Kris Coverdale wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've got my first half decent character going and have id-d a whole
> load of stuff and am down as far as level 19. I've got amulets of
> life saving and reflection, and was wondering what the accepted
wisdom
> is on which is better to wear - reflection seems to be coming in
handy
> on a regular basis, but I can see something stupid (and quick)
> happening and if I die because I'm not wearing lifesaving I'd be
> gutted. I'm a barbarian with cleaver, so trying to get a shield of
> reflection doesn't seem like an option.
>
> I've had a search around on the web and on here and haven't managed
to
> find any advice one way or the other on which is better, so any
advice
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Kris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Haakon Studebaker <heptapod@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in news:424ee4e2$0$27851
> $ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net:
>
>> My last amulet saved me from choking on food.
>> Which isn't exactly the sort of thing I intended it to save me from, but
>> it worked anyway.
>
> Amulets of magical breathing are also very helpful in those deadly
> situations.

But wouldn't have helped for other stupid deaths.
Hmm, if you wield a cockatrice corpse, while wearing no gloves
and a "oLS, I assume you die immediately afterwards?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in
news:424f1ade$0$63405$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net:

> But wouldn't have helped for other stupid deaths.
> Hmm, if you wield a cockatrice corpse, while wearing no gloves
> and a "oLS, I assume you die immediately afterwards?

You would be incorrect. Try it out in wizmode.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

bdurrettccci@yahoo.com wrote:

> My last game I went with an amulet of reflection the whole way and had
> the mirror of merlin for magic resistence. It was fun because it
> wasn't the standard silver dragon scale mail and cloak of resistence
> or gray dragon scale mail and shield of reflection.

Fun, but *very* dangerous, since your Quest artifact is eligable to be
stolen by the Wizard. When he does, you'll lose your only means of magic
resistance. A cloak or mail is much safer.


--
Boudewijn Waijers (kroisos at home.nl).

The garden of happiness is surrounded by a wall so low only children
can look over it. - "the Orphanage of Hits", former Dutch radio show.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

"Boudewijn Waijers" <kroisos@REMOVETHISWORD.home.nl> wrote:
>Fun, but *very* dangerous, since your Quest artifact is eligable to be
>stolen by the Wizard. When he does, you'll lose your only means of magic
>resistance. A cloak or mail is much safer.

As is *someone else's* quest artifact, if you're not averse to wishing
for such.
--
Martin Read - my opinions are my own. share them if you wish.
My roguelike games page (including my BSD-licenced roguelike) can be found at:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~mpread/roguelikes.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Hi,

Thanks for all the general advice guys - I'm not quite at the stage of
having the various goodies outlined in some of the answers (haven't
managed to get any wishes yet), so will keep doing the amulet 'dance'
for now i think.

A specific question tho based on the above. If one was to run into
say a black dragon at the duali oasis for instance... Would amulet of
reflection be ok to handle its breath attack, or would any attempt to
engage it be better with the amulet of life-saving, or would simply
trying to give it as wide a berth as possible and allowing discretion
to be the better part of valour be a better plan?

Thanks
Kris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris Coverdale wrote:
> would simply
> trying to give [a hypothetical black dragon] as wide a berth as
> possible and allowing discretion to be the better part of valour be a

> better plan?

The trouble with giving dragons a "wide berth" is that they will use
their breath attacks on you. Sometimes (depending on your AC and your
resistaance- or not- to their breath attacks), it's better to get into
melee range as soon as you can, where they will 'only' try to bite and
claw you.

And of course killing a dragon (or at least, making good use of dragon
remains) is a very good way of gaining resistance to dragon breath
attacks...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Kris Coverdale wrote:

> A specific question tho based on the above. If one was to run into
> say a black dragon at the duali oasis for instance... Would amulet of
> reflection be ok to handle its breath attack,

It would.

> or would any attempt to
> engage it be better with the amulet of life-saving,

That will not keep the dragon's breath from destroying first your cloak,
then your armor, then your shirt, and finally you, twice over.

> or would simply
> trying to give it as wide a berth as possible and allowing discretion
> to be the better part of valour be a better plan?

That's always a good idea with black dragons if you're not sure you can
handle them yet.

Raisse, killed by a baby black dragon
--
irina@valdyas.org LegoHack: http://www.valdyas.org/irina/nethack/
Status of Raisse (piously neutral): Level 8 HP 63(67) AC -3, fast.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Raisse the Thaumaturge <raisse@valdyas.org> writes:

> Kris Coverdale wrote:
[AOLS or AOR better?]
> > or would any attempt to
> > engage it be better with the amulet of life-saving,
>
> That will not keep the dragon's breath from destroying first your cloak,
> then your armor, then your shirt, and finally you, twice over.

It needn't even kill him to make AoR the premier choice.
Losing your CoMR or whatever is annoying enough.

Best,
Jakob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Raisse the Thaumaturge wrote:
>
> That will not keep the dragon's breath from destroying first your cloak,
> then your armor, then your shirt, and finally you, twice over.

The code and wizmode suggest differently...

The black dragon breathes a disintegration blast!
The blast of disintegration hits you! Your shield crumbles away!
The black dragon breathes a disintegration blast!
The blast of disintegration hits you!
Your cloak crumbles and turns to dust!
Your armor turns to dust and falls to the floor!
The black dragon breathes a disintegration blast!
The blast of disintegration hits you!
Your shirt crumbles into tiny threads and falls apart!
Die? [yn]

1. shield (if present, otherwise...)
2. cloak and armor (if present, otherwise...)
3. shirt and @

Janis

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Janis Papanagnou wrote:

> 1. shield (if present, otherwise...)
> 2. cloak and armor (if present, otherwise...)
> 3. shirt and @

Goes to show that I haven't been killed by black dragon breath for a
looong time. If at all, ever.

Raisse, killed by a baby black dragon

--
irina@valdyas.org LegoHack: http://www.valdyas.org/irina/nethack/
Status of Raisse (piously neutral): Level 8 HP 63(67) AC -3, fast.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

dogscoff@eudoramail.com wrote:
>The trouble with giving dragons a "wide berth" is that they will use
>their breath attacks on you. Sometimes (depending on your AC and your
>resistaance- or not- to their breath attacks), it's better to get into
>melee range as soon as you can, where they will 'only' try to bite and
>claw you.

Yes. Also, do try to finesse the mystical nature of roguelike geometry;
a dragon can't breathe on you if you aren't on one of the roguespace
cardinal directions relative to it.
--
Martin Read - my opinions are my own. share them if you wish.
My roguelike games page (including my BSD-licenced roguelike) can be found at:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~mpread/roguelikes.html
NP:

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

Hi,

Well I went for the amulet of reflection - seemed very sensible given
the many points above about losing armour etc. As it worked out, it
missed with a breath attack, I hit it a few times with Cleaver and it
died, leaving me mildly astonished at still being alive and quite so
easily.

I'm busy trying to regain the level of controlled paranoia that has
got me as far as I have now.

Cheers
Kris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)

I don't know why, but I've never (in my three ascension runs) had the
wizard steal anything. I'm usually super paranoid and have good AC,
etc.

In the game in question, I had a spare wish and spare grey dragon
scales and spare magic markers, blank scrolls, etc.

But my real question is when does the wizard steal? I usually just
blast him with a death wand (maybe missing a couple of times
occasionally).

- Bobby

Boudewijn Waijers wrote:
> bdurrettccci@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > My last game I went with an amulet of reflection the whole way and
had
> > the mirror of merlin for magic resistence. It was fun because it
> > wasn't the standard silver dragon scale mail and cloak of
resistence
> > or gray dragon scale mail and shield of reflection.
>
> Fun, but *very* dangerous, since your Quest artifact is eligable to
be
> stolen by the Wizard. When he does, you'll lose your only means of
magic
> resistance. A cloak or mail is much safer.
>
>
> --
> Boudewijn Waijers (kroisos at home.nl).
>
> The garden of happiness is surrounded by a wall so low only children
> can look over it. - "the Orphanage of Hits", former Dutch radio show.