[Crawl] Need suggestions on: Hssth the DrMo

[Guest]

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

I've been playing Crawl for about a month, but just recently found
this newsgroup. <ya!>
(Actually, I had forgotten it existed. I haven't lurked here in ~10
years!)

So, with maybe 300 games (maybe more!) under my belt, and only a
handfull
of characters that have progressed beyond level 10, it is time to get
some advice!

My current character is an experiment - a combination fighter/magic
user.
I've been playing with specialized fighter or wizards up until now.

I have a few specific questions, which follow the character dump.

All comments appreciated!

Hssth the Martial Artist (Draconian)
(Level 8 Monk) (Maybe Level 9, I'm doing this from memory, at work.
🙂

Strength 14 Dexterity 13 Intelligence 14
Hit Points : 93 Magic Points : 10/10
AC : 9 Evasion : 13 Shield : 8

You are on level 9 of the Dungeon.
You worship Vehumet.
Vehumet is pleased by your worship.
You are not hungry.

Inventory:
Hand weapons
a - +3 bow of flames (and lots of arrows)
b - +1 +0 short sword of protection
D - the +2 +9 knife "SoMeNaMe"

Armour
A - a +2 cloak (worn)
B - a +2 robe (worn)
C - a +1 large shield (worn)

Magical devices
- a wand of invisibility - empty :-(
- a wand of frost - empty :-(
- a wand of cold
- a wand of fire

Comestibles
- eating chunks when convenient, so an adequate amount of food.

Jewellery
k - an amulet of clarity
> grrr. This is the only jewelery I've found so far.

Potions
g - 2 potions of heal wounds
i - 6 potions of healing

Skills:
+ Level 4 Fighting
- Level 1 Short Blades
+ Level 4 Bows
- Level 1 Darts
+ Level 2 Throwing
+ Level 6 Dodging
+ Level 2 Stealth
+ Level 9 Unarmed Combat

+ Level 1 Spellcasting
+ Level 1 Invocations

Questions
------------
1) Is a shield a good idea for a Monk?
(It looks like blocking is a very good defense!)

2) Can a Monk be successfull, putting a significant amount of
experience
into Spellcasting?
(Hssth's magic realm hasn't been determined, because I haven't found a
book yet, and Vehumet hasn't given me one...)

3) What is a good backup weapon for this character?
A staff allows him to better use his Unarmed Combat skill, but can't
use a shield and staves do not inflict much damage. Right now, the
short sword of protection will only be used when badly outnumbered.

4) What stats should I focus on?
Monks need both Str & Dex, as far as I can tell...

5) I'm on level 9 of the Dungeon, and have only found the stairs to
the Lair. Take on the Lair? or try to find the Orcish Mines?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

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

Dalton Wudrich wrote:

<snip>

> 1) Is a shield a good idea for a Monk?
> (It looks like blocking is a very good defense!)

Not really, since you get additional unarmed attacks when you have both
hands free.

> 2) Can a Monk be successfull, putting a significant amount of
> experience
> into Spellcasting?
> (Hssth's magic realm hasn't been determined, because I haven't found a
> book yet, and Vehumet hasn't given me one...)

Vehumet would not have been my first choice, but he will work. I
personally really like transmigrations for monks, as the monsters you
can turn into all use unarmed attacks.

> 4) What stats should I focus on?
> Monks need both Str & Dex, as far as I can tell...

Intelligence. The other two don't have a very large effect under most
circumstances.

> 5) I'm on level 9 of the Dungeon, and have only found the stairs to
> the Lair. Take on the Lair? or try to find the Orcish Mines?

The early levels of the lair tend to be easier than the early levels of
the mines. The later levels of the lair tend to be harder than the
later levels of the mines.

--
"In a survey taken several years ago, all incoming freshman
at MIT were asked if they expected to graduate in the top
half of their class.
Ninety-seven percent responded that they did."

 

[Loonie]

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

Graeme Dice .-- .-. --- - . ---...

I've written a long post and all is eaten by my buggy Dialog newsreader,
damn him. So I'll be short now.


>> 1) Is a shield a good idea for a Monk?
>> (It looks like blocking is a very good defense!)
> Not really, since you get additional unarmed attacks when you have both
> hands free.

Very important is also the attack speed that is encumbered in two ways by
shields - always by adding 10 or 20 points, and by occasional removing of
Unarmed skill bonus to attack speed (even more dangerous than previous).
Normally you have Unarmed_skill/3 bonus to speed (up to minimum of 40),
this is removed with a chance depending on your Shields skill (from 42%
chance for medium shield, 46% large shield for skill 0). Similar is with
bodyarmour, beggining from armours with -1 EV, that has 33% chance of
negating Unarmed skill bonus (with Armour skill at 0).


>> 4) What stats should I focus on?
>> Monks need both Str & Dex, as far as I can tell...
> Intelligence. The other two don't have a very large effect under most
> circumstances.

Intelligence maybe for transmuting way of monking (where is BTW better to
start as Transmuter than Monk), for the pure monk the two mentioned before.

--
Loonie
---------------------------------------
Respondit Pilatus quod scripsi scripsi.
http://www.crawl.iconrate.net

 

[Guest]

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

Loonie wrote:

> Graeme Dice .-- .-. --- - . ---...
>
> I've written a long post and all is eaten by my buggy Dialog newsreader,
> damn him. So I'll be short now.

<snip>

>Similar is with
> bodyarmour, beggining from armours with -1 EV, that has 33% chance of
> negating Unarmed skill bonus (with Armour skill at 0).

I believe that the armour only affects the bonuses if it isn't light
armour, but I could be mistaken.

--
"The more I train, the more I realize I have more speed in me."
-- Leroy Burrell

 

[Loonie]

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

Graeme Dice .-- .-. --- - . ---...

>>Similar is with
>> bodyarmour, beggining from armours with -1 EV, that has 33% chance of
>> negating Unarmed skill bonus (with Armour skill at 0).
> I believe that the armour only affects the bonuses if it isn't light
> armour, but I could be mistaken.

I made a mistake with percentage, it should be:
free of penalty for EV 0 and EV -1
33% chance for EV -2,
50% chance for EV -3, etc...

So it seems in fact very similar to *light armour* classification except
"elven" and Troll bodyarmours.

--
Loonie
---------------------------------------
Respondit Pilatus quod scripsi scripsi.
http://www.crawl.iconrate.net