run#2
So through a bit of research (shuffled through ‘viable options’ and then looked them up to see if they were bright grey or dark grey), I learned that Ghoul Venom Mage is ‘not a viable character’. Perfect!
Anyway, this is run #2, and this time the commentary will be more clear. Instead of using level for character level AND dungeon depth, I’ll call the dungeon levels by names. Dungeon 1, or D1, is the starting floor. I like that. So level is my character strength. I’m aiming for level 6. I think that would be brilliant. I wonder what D-# that is achievable at.
Ok, D1 is weird, a lot of diagonals and stuff. That will make it harder for me to shoot people at range? Also, I wonder if the ‘claws’ weapon is strong enough to justify only training unarmed. Look at me! I’m attempting to use strategic thinking! Well who knows what’s best. Good players, I assume. But for right now, I’ll do what’s the most fun.
First monster is a rat. He’s sleeping, “sucker!”. Miscast. Missed shot…uh…I mean, “you’re a worthy adversary and I honor your presence and stuff”. Used last MP and killed him. Ok, I guess I have to honor the monsters before I can hit them. Picked up a ring mail, but those things are heavy and annoying, definitely not wearing it. Doing normal stuff, killing monsters like it’s my job (why is this class not viable?) and getting some loot. Ooh! A potion! I totally want to drink it. I’m doing it.
What luck! It was a potion of Heal Wounds. AAAANNNND, right through the next door was another Potion of Heal Wounds. Solariska is awesome! Now I got a scroll named YNOSIO GUSAFF, and I had a good feeling about that name, so I read it. Scroll of identify. Then found another that I could use twice (is that random or something?). Now I’ve identified potions of healing and cure wounds. AND a scroll of teleportation. Life is awesome.
Made it to level 3 without leaving D1. I wonder if that’s common. Anyway, I take Intelligence because my spellcaster somehow only had 10 Int to start with; that seems low. Onward to D2!! I kill a bunny, I get wrecked by a snake, bad snake. Retreating to D1, and remembering why ghouls are the worst. Where’s my regen, yo?? Ruminating on that, I log off for the time being.
Part 2
Starting D2, things have been good so far. But lucks supposed to average out, so worries are up ahead. Nothing crazy is happening, a large number of snakes it seems, and I have a heck of a time with them. Two situations at or below 6HP, don’t like those. I wonder what’s better to be quivered/thrown. Darts or clubs; is there any place where I can see base damage and stuff? Kobolds, no prob. Rats, quokka (?), whatever. But snakes? Man, I hate them. And I’m even poison resistant! Also, I see an altar to Vehemut, is he the guy I can worship? It is!! Unfortunately the altar is surrounded by lava, so I have no idea how to get there.
Well, I’m annoyed by how fragile I am. What’s the way around that? Anyway, D2 cleared out and now I’m on to D3, yay. Here the monsters be! Cockroach, snake, goblin. All waiting for me, so the excitement begins. First two dealt with, but the snake remains and I’m running low on MP. Will I resort to the classic tactic of “running away in cowardice”? Not this time, the snake has slunk away. But there are bigger problems, for Sigmund has been spotted. And he’s spotted me, this is terrible. Running towards a revealed staircase, I find an orc warrior/wizard duo. Perfect, simply perfect. Up and down, up and down. All 3 staircases to D3 lead to essentially neighboring rooms, and Sigmund is tracking me like a crazed demon. Will he ever stop?? He seems to be leaving me alone for now but I’m paranoid. Meanwhile, Solariska has gone to Level 5. Which reminds me that I should check for new spells to memorize.
No spells, and Sigmund is still AWOL. However, I have picked up a special dagger (those purple, more likely to be awesome/terribles), cavalierly equipped it and got a dagger of speed. Sounds good. Crapper, he found me, fired a magic missle, then blinked. I have no idea where he’s at, this is terrifying. I will escape to D4.
Down here I see new monsters, never yet killed. Ants and ball pythons, interesting. Somehow, I have 4 scrolls of teleportation, and no scrolls of identify. I thought the latter was supposed to be common. A warren (?) of orcs comes upon me, four of them. Backing towards some stairs to D5, I sling a few spells at them. Olgreb’s Toxic Radiance sounds neat, but I still wait for the day when I successfully cast it. However, a few well timed Stings plus some fancy dagger-work seems to be working. Level 6! More intelligence! Olgreb’s Toxic Radiance is awesome! Ran into a club (?) of orcs, with wizards and priests and all that weird stuff. They dead now. Things are good, D4 is cleared and I’m trying on new clothes. One of them is a +2 robe. I’m learning about different armors, some are good for AC, some for evasion. I like the evasion of the robe, with the +2 for nice AC. Keeping that. Also, none of the armor that I’ve picked up is cursed… what is it with the luck and stuff? Got a scroll of identify, and found that I had a stack of 4 magic mappings. Those sound neat.
Part 3
D5 achieved. A whole slew of people are waiting, so I burst the Toxic Orb, and watch them die. Except for this dumb snake. He keeps hitting me. I don’t like it. Oh, he’s poison resistant, that’s great for a Venom Mage, jeez. Used magic mapping, and learned that there is a secret room on D5 reachable from a staircase on D6. Excited for that. Anyway, I’m onto D6, nothing to it.
What is this madness??!?? The floor is burning and it’s an “excluded area”??? What the heck is that? Also, ice bear or something, and another monster that was new. Super exciting. I still have no idea what a rune is, so hopefully I can beat Grujah just on levels. Well I killed Blork the Orc, so decided to go back and slay Sigmund. He’s a pansy. But I still can’t figure out how to worship Vehumet, because of the lava. I need flight or something. Hopefully a shop has this. Or I can identify a scroll of flight. I’ll keep delving for now.
On to D7. Ecumenical Temple found! I hope Vehumet is in there! Saving again; time for drinks!
interlude
Ecumenical Temple. No Vehumet, very boring. Dang, swarm of wights chased me upstairs. Hit 2 more monsters, now I’m dancing between D5,6,7 and trying to take on only one at a time. Huge swarms of poison immune creatures, not my Venom Mage’s favorite.
Survived them, after much dancing. Took a quick trip down and back a stairs to D8 in case that helps me beat Grujah. Will play more tomorrow.
Part 4
Continuing on; D7 is cleared so I’m now entering D8 fully. Character is doing fine, and I’m beginning to rely on Mephitic Cloud more. However, it causes hunger and right now Sting is hunger-free. Oh crap, it’s Eustachio. I think I’ll try to take him on. Start with Toxic Radiance, boom. Now confuse the mean-pants. He got no summons off; killed him plus a swarm of bees using antoerh Toxic Radiance plus a few Stings. Brilliant. Ok, I’ve found a lake that apparently spawns infinite monsters. Nothing too tough but when there are multiple electric eels plus land-people chasing me, HP gets dangerously low. So I back up and come in again, but no matter how many I kill there are still scores of monsters. And by scores I mean 3+. That’s still a fair number.
Finally cleared that out only to run into Erolcha. She turns me to stone and wails on me. I finally confuse them for time and teleport out. Safe for now! Exploring the rest of the level; Erolcha is not to be found. I peek quickly into D9, hoping that it’s enough to edge out Grujah. Saving for now.
conclusion:
The conclusion:
Getting tired of playing it safe. Just put on a cloak blind. It was +2Dex, +4Int, huzzah! Another is Robe of Boredom, with +Invis and rPois. However, the rPois isn’t really useful, and I have no evoke skill, so that fails 71% of the time. I’d rather wear my +2 robe than this +0 robe, sorry.
Quick peek into D10, then into D11. Hey, a 5 headed hydra zombie! That sounds terrifying! I also spotted a +12,+16 plutonium sword that causes contam when not equipped. I probably want that. Equipped; now I’m a badass. Whoa, a fake door just bit me, better bust his butt. Done and done.
Found a Cyclops...aaaaaand I’m dead. Dang. That was a fun run!
So I made it down to 11. I'm gonna do a sprint-runthrough to see if I can get lower. But I think runes are out of the question.