YASD on plane of air

[owen]

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

Oh, well this was to have been my second ascension post (and third
ascension, after a Valk YAFAP and unposted Samurai), but it was not to
be. It was an interesting game, though.

I decided to play a Rogue for a change - I really liked the ability to
throw multiple daggers at a time from the start. In the mines, I found
a hearse bones level that had bested me, and several other players
before. It had a large mumak in it that had killed several lower level
characters. I managed to outrun and finally kill it, but
disappointingly, the bones didn't have much to offer. Managed to buy
some protection, though.

Minetown altar was cross-aligned, but there was an altar at the top of
the mines I sacced at, and got Stormbringer.

Then on level 15, I found a massive bones level. Thanks to 4200, who
died, seemingly mid-polypile, choked on a wraith corpse. I had to laugh
- my 4th ever highest scorer (now 5th) went in the same way. He had
left many many goodies - armor, food, rings etc. This became my stash
and base for the rest of the game. 4200, if you are reading this, I
marvel at your patience in accumula ting all this stuff!

Then, two levels further down, another largish bones pile, by
brainlessness. I killed off the mind flayer with my daggers from a
distance, then took his 3(!) magic lamps, blessed them and used two for
wishes.

The rest of the game proceeded fairly uneventfully. I magic mapped all
of Gehenomm - I didn't need to hang around and collect stuff. I had a
near escape collecting the amulet - Rodney turned up, grabbed the
amulet from the priest and double troubled me; all three were attacking
at once and my wands of death were still in my BoH. I was down to about
50hp (from 300), so beat a retreat to recover before going back and
sorting them out.

Everthing else was pretty much fine until I got to the plane of air.
There, I couldn't find the portal (and was stupidly saving crystal ball
charges for the plane of water). I was wandering around looking for it,
when a ki-rin starting summoning wave after wave of monsters. Soon I
was surrounded by some pretty nasty beasts about 6 deep! I tried and
failed to teleport, and they got me. Any suggestions as to how I could
have got out of this are welcome.

Anyway:

No Points Name
Hp [max]
1 5901920 Owen-Val-Dwa-Mal-Law ascended to demigod-hood.
395 [395]
2 4963280 Owen-Sam-Hum-Mal-Law ascended to demigod-hood.
361 [388]
3 1910743 Owen-Rog-Orc-Mal-Cha died on the Plane of Air.
Killed by a minotaur (with the Amulet).
- [314]

Ah, well, next time!

Owen

 

[Guest]

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

The only suggestion I have not covered by Wes's plethora of ideas would
have been the use of conflict, if you weren't already.

Also you say you were saving "charges" in your crystal ball for water.
You only need one charge, the portal may move around but you would
still see it when you get to the right bubble.

 

[Guest]

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

Owen wrote:

> Everthing else was pretty much fine until I got to the plane of air.
> There, I couldn't find the portal (and was stupidly saving crystal ball
> charges for the plane of water). I was wandering around looking for it,
> when a ki-rin starting summoning wave after wave of monsters. Soon I
> was surrounded by some pretty nasty beasts about 6 deep! I tried and
> failed to teleport, and they got me. Any suggestions as to how I could
> have got out of this are welcome.

What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
XL20.
Locate the portal quickly and don't mess around fighting.
c?oGD work well.
Use a /oPoly if you get swallowed by an air elemental.
/oTeleportation to send that minotaur away.
Carry a couple of /oTeleportation at 0:1 to break if you get
surrounded.
If you can get swallowed by a steam vortex, just rest up.
Conflict would help.
Charm monster should be great. Better yet, b?oTaming while
confused.
The spell or scroll of scare monster.
Various attack spells.
Of course !oFH and "oLS should go without saying.
AC of -35 or so. in fact, it's hard for me to imagine
getting beat to death with a -35 AC, 300 HP and the MKoT.
If your are using [BoL then save a couple of b!oSpeed to
stay extra fast.
Don't be burdened. Be invisible.

You may have been doing all this stuff and I just don't
appreciate your dilemma, but maybe there's a new idea for
you. Good Luck.
--
Wes
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

 

[Guest]

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

Wes Irby wrote:
>
Damn, that didn't wrap at the same point as before I posted
it.

<Ideas to help survive the Plane of Air>

Oh, yeah, don't forget you can pray.
--
Wes
The early bird may get the worm,
but the second mouse gets the cheese.

 

[owen]

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

Wes Irby wrote:
> Owen wrote:
>
> > [Story of surrounding & death on plane of air]
>
> What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
> XL20.

23, I think

> Locate the portal quickly and don't mess around fighting.
> c?oGD work well.

This was my main problem

> Use a /oPoly if you get swallowed by an air elemental.
> /oTeleportation to send that minotaur away.

Well, it wasn't the minotaur alone that was the problem. It was the
other 25 monsters around me too!

> Carry a couple of /oTeleportation at 0:1 to break if you get
> surrounded.

Good idea. I didn't.

> If you can get swallowed by a steam vortex, just rest up.
> Conflict would help.

I had a ring of conflict in my BoH, didn't use it 🙁

> Charm monster should be great. Better yet, b?oTaming while
> confused.
> The spell or scroll of scare monster.
> Various attack spells.
> Of course !oFH and "oLS should go without saying.

Had 2 "oLS, in BoH. I was using "oR, though

> AC of -35 or so. in fact, it's hard for me to imagine
> getting beat to death with a -35 AC, 300 HP and the MKoT.
> If your are using [BoL then save a couple of b!oSpeed to
> stay extra fast.

yes, -35 or so.

> Don't be burdened. Be invisible.
>
> You may have been doing all this stuff and I just don't
> appreciate your dilemma, but maybe there's a new idea for
> you. Good Luck.

Thanks for the useful suggestions. Truth be told, in retrospect, there
were many things I could have done. I panicked, I guess (hence the S in
YASD). I think it was the sudden difficulty, after many many turns of
finding Gehenomm boringly easy. Still, I'm glad it was post first
ascension. I think I would have gone crazy getting that close on the
first one and failing! Having ascended a couple of times, it didn't
really bother me hugely missing one

Owen

 

[Guest]

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

Owen wrote:

> Wes Irby wrote:
>> Owen wrote:
>>
>>> [Story of surrounding & death on plane of air]
>>
>> What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
>> XL20.
>
> 23, I think

That's probably higher than you need to be. On my recent rogue ascension,
I only increased my experience level to 20 in order to become expert in
#twoweapon (I was already expert in dagger and knife, and skilled in
shortsword).

I don't remember ever even seeing any Ki-rin, but perhaps I just got lucky.

>> If you can get swallowed by a steam vortex, just rest up.
>> Conflict would help.

I enjoy resting in the steam/energy vortices on Air.

>> Of course !oFH and "oLS should go without saying.
>
> Had 2 "oLS, in BoH. I was using "oR, though

I rarely bother with the "oLS; there are more useful amulets.

--
Benjamin Lewis

A small, but vocal, contingent even argues that tin is superior, but they
are held by most to be the lunatic fringe of Foil Deflector Beanie science.

 

[owen]

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

Benjamin Lewis wrote:
> Owen wrote:
>
> > Wes Irby wrote:
> >> Owen wrote:
> >>
> >>> [Story of surrounding & death on plane of air]
> >>
> >> What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
> >> XL20.
> >
> > 23, I think
>
> That's probably higher than you need to be. On my recent rogue
ascension,
> I only increased my experience level to 20 in order to become expert
in
> #twoweapon (I was already expert in dagger and knife, and skilled in
> shortsword).

I see - by being too high level, the nasties get tougher, right? I'll
bear tat in mind in future.

Owen

 

[Guest]

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

Owen wrote:

> Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>> Owen wrote:
>>> Wes Irby wrote:
>>>>
>>>> What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
>>>> XL20.
>>>
>>> 23, I think
>>
>> That's probably higher than you need to be. On my recent rogue
>> ascension, I only increased my experience level to 20 in order to become
>> expert in #twoweapon (I was already expert in dagger and knife, and
>> skilled in shortsword).
>
> I see - by being too high level, the nasties get tougher, right? I'll
> bear tat in mind in future.

Exactly. The only reason for gaining levels is either to get the
additional skill slots, or to get more hit points, and you can get the
latter more effectively through alchemy.

(Okay, actually there's at least one more possible reason to gain levels
that I can think of, which is that various classes/races get intrinsics at
particular experience levels, but I don't think any intrinsics are gained
by any race or class after level 20. And even these cases are unlikely to
be useful; tourists gain poison resistance at level 20, and priest(esse)s
gain fire resistance at level 20, but it's unlikely that either class won't
have these by this point.)

--
Benjamin Lewis

A small, but vocal, contingent even argues that tin is superior, but they
are held by most to be the lunatic fringe of Foil Deflector Beanie science.

 

[Guest]

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

Benjamin Lewis wrote:
> Owen wrote:
>
> > Benjamin Lewis wrote:
> >> Owen wrote:
> >>> Wes Irby wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> What XL were you. Hold your Rogue to something close to
> >>>> XL20.
> >>>
> >>> 23, I think
> >>
> >> That's probably higher than you need to be. On my recent rogue
> >> ascension, I only increased my experience level to 20 in order to
become
> >> expert in #twoweapon (I was already expert in dagger and knife,
and
> >> skilled in shortsword).

xlevel 18 was my threshold where my rogue can get Dagger, Two-Weapon,
and all magic skills maxed out.

> (Okay, actually there's at least one more possible reason to gain
levels
> that I can think of, which is that various classes/races get
intrinsics at
> particular experience levels, but I don't think any intrinsics are
gained
> by any race or class after level 20. And even these cases are
unlikely to
> be useful; tourists gain poison resistance at level 20, and
priest(esse)s
> gain fire resistance at level 20, but it's unlikely that either class
won't
> have these by this point.)

Technically, rogues and wizards have another reason. Rogues
backstabbing bonus is d(exp level) and Wizards' magic missle is also
exp level dependent. Backstabbing bonus is great in early to mid-game
where you can scare large numbers of monsters but becomes less
important later, so pushing the exps higher for rogues are still not
very important though.

-K