Non-eating polymorph

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My character is quite hungry and lacks proper food (and being a monk I
don't want to rely too much on corpses), plus prayers timeout is, I think,
a bit too high to regularly pray for food (I already do this quite often
whenever I sacfest), among other things because of the hunger provide by
a won amulet of reflection.

Fortunately, I have both polymorph and polymorph control (those slash'em
doppelganger are really good).

It looks like that a few monsters don't need to eat (eg gargoyles) and so
I could solve my problem in this way.

The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be "best" to
polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?

Subsidiary question: I should very soon face a few MMF (those spice-girls
on the lawful quest), is there a polyself that could avoid the usual
desagreements ? (not that I don't like thinking of Maud, but, well...)

Hypocoristiquement,
Jym.

 

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On 2005-03-12, Jym <moyen@loria.fr> wrote:
> My character is quite hungry and lacks proper food (and being a monk I
> don't want to rely too much on corpses), plus prayers timeout is, I think,
> a bit too high to regularly pray for food (I already do this quite often
> whenever I sacfest), among other things because of the hunger provide by
> a won amulet of reflection.
>
> Fortunately, I have both polymorph and polymorph control (those slash'em
> doppelganger are really good).
>
> It looks like that a few monsters don't need to eat (eg gargoyles) and so
> I could solve my problem in this way.
>
Well, since you are a doppelganger, if you dont mind your stats randomly
changing slightly you can always just polyself into a "doppelganger"
when you get hungry, and reset your nutrition to 500-1000 (you start
the game at 900, satiated is >1000, hungry is 150 or less).
[It also fixes stoning which can be VERY important for a monk, in hell for
example]

If you arent a dop, and you poly into your own race, then you also
will have your level adjusted, etc, and could die of it-- but its much
safer for doppelgangers..


> The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be "best" to
> polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
> magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?
>
I think a xorn is a good bet-- I seem to recall that they dont need food
(although they can eat metal stuff)-- they are decently strong..

> Subsidiary question: I should very soon face a few MMF (those spice-girls
> on the lawful quest), is there a polyself that could avoid the usual
> desagreements ? (not that I don't like thinking of Maud, but, well...)

Well, apparently you need to be headless, not simply mindless..
If it were mindless, i would suggest a crystal golem-- although you could
still do that and just use your breath from a distance (btw MMFs respect
the E word)

So maybe giant shoggoth?

--
Andrew D. Hilton
UPenn Phd Student

 

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Andrew D. Hilton wrote:
> On 2005-03-12, Jym <moyen@loria.fr> wrote:

>>The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be "best" to
>>polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
>>magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?
>>
>
> I think a xorn is a good bet-- I seem to recall that they dont need food
> (although they can eat metal stuff)-- they are decently strong..
>
Xorns are a great choice, especially for monks because they can't wear
body armor (too big). Xorns are also stoning proof, which can be an
awesome addition. At least in vanilla, Vampire Lords are noneating and
provide all of the abilities of a normal player, as well as flying,
level-draining, and unbreathing, but IIRC they have a touch attack so
you shouldn't melee a cockatrice. Those two are the best choices in
vanilla; upgrade appropriately for .

 

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"Jym" <moyen@loria.fr> wrote in message
newsine.LNX.4.51.0503121812560.7646@hagen.loria.fr...
> My character is quite hungry and lacks proper food (and being a monk I
> don't want to rely too much on corpses), plus prayers timeout is, I think,
> a bit too high to regularly pray for food (I already do this quite often
> whenever I sacfest), among other things because of the hunger provide by
> a won amulet of reflection.
>
> Fortunately, I have both polymorph and polymorph control (those slash'em
> doppelganger are really good).
>
> It looks like that a few monsters don't need to eat (eg gargoyles) and so
> I could solve my problem in this way.
>
> The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be "best" to
> polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
> magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?
High end liches (Master/Arch) are always a good choice if you haven't
genocided them.
>
> Subsidiary question: I should very soon face a few MMF (those spice-girls
> on the lawful quest), is there a polyself that could avoid the usual
> desagreements ? (not that I don't like thinking of Maud, but, well...)
Hands down, black dragon. Line them up in a corridor, #monster, no more
MMF's.

My Monk did the black dragon thing on the plane of Air, Elementals can't
engulf if they're destroyed.

Good luck
Danny

 

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Andy Johnson wrote:
> Andrew D. Hilton wrote:
>
>> On 2005-03-12, Jym <moyen@loria.fr> wrote:
>
>
>>> The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be
>>> "best" to
>>> polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
>>> magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?
>>>
>>
>> I think a xorn is a good bet-- I seem to recall that they dont need food
>> (although they can eat metal stuff)-- they are decently strong..
>>
> Xorns are a great choice, especially for monks because they can't wear
> body armor (too big). Xorns are also stoning proof, which can be an
> awesome addition. At least in vanilla, Vampire Lords are noneating and
> provide all of the abilities of a normal player, as well as flying,
> level-draining, and unbreathing, but IIRC they have a touch attack so
> you shouldn't melee a cockatrice. Those two are the best choices in
> vanilla; upgrade appropriately for .
>

A quick check in wizard mode shows that Vampire (Lords) get hungry in
SlashEM, which makes you die from lack of food quite easily. (I think
they also violate vegetarian conduct)

Then again, they have a bite attack, which should make you satiated way
too easily, IIRC. Either way, I like Xorn better.

And, of all the things, no one mentions that Xorns are the only
polymorphable monster that can phase (go through walls)?

--
____ (__)
/ \ (oo) -Shadow
|Moo. > \/
\____/

 

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On Sat, 12 Mar 2005, Andy Johnson wrote:

> Andrew D. Hilton wrote:
> > On 2005-03-12, Jym <moyen@loria.fr> wrote:
>
> >>The question is: in what kind of non-eating monster would it be "best" to
> >>polyself in order to still be able to perform regular action (blowing my
> >>magic whistle is needed) and be quite powerfull ?
> >>
> >
> > I think a xorn is a good bet-- I seem to recall that they dont need food
> > (although they can eat metal stuff)-- they are decently strong..
> >
> Xorns are a great choice, especially for monks because they can't wear
> body armor (too big). Xorns are also stoning proof, which can be an
> awesome addition.

In , robes are worn in the "suit" location, allowing monks (and other)
to wear both a robe *and* a cloak (and, of course, a shirt). (this is by
the way my reason #2 why monks are far easier in )

> At least in vanilla, Vampire Lords are noneating and
> provide all of the abilities of a normal player, as well as flying,
> level-draining, and unbreathing, but IIRC they have a touch attack so
> you shouldn't melee a cockatrice.

Yes, that's also what I found. But vampire (as a player race choosen
at beginning) have to feed on fresh blood (only possible food for them),
so I'm not sure about it.

Hypocoristiquement,
Jym.

 

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On Sun, 13 Mar 2005, Shadow wrote:

> Andy Johnson wrote:
> > Andrew D. Hilton wrote:
> >
> >> On 2005-03-12, Jym <moyen@loria.fr> wrote:

> And, of all the things, no one mentions that Xorns are the only
> polymorphable monster that can phase (go through walls)?

Making them the best choice to rob Sam, it's far too easy if you can poly
into a xorn once in the market to quickly go out.

Hypocoristiquement,
Jym.

 

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On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:10:46 -0500, also sprach "Daniel Morris"
<puterdan@optonline.net>:

>
>"Jym" <moyen@loria.fr> wrote in message
>newsine.LNX.4.51.0503121812560.7646@hagen.loria.fr...
>> Subsidiary question: I should very soon face a few MMF (those spice-girls
>> on the lawful quest), is there a polyself that could avoid the usual
>> desagreements ? (not that I don't like thinking of Maud, but, well...)
>Hands down, black dragon. Line them up in a corridor, #monster, no more
>MMF's.

I've been playing doppleganger monks as well, and I have to second the
black dragon idea. Makes Fort Ludios a breeze, without the hassle of
bombs exploding under your feet every three seconds. (Since I
accidentally angered One-eyed Sam in my current game), I'm thinking
I'll evaporate all his pets, then pay him off to pacify him.)

Vampire Lords are good stuff too - you fly right over ground-based
traps, and you're level-drain resistant. As far as food goes, the game
doesn't give messages about breaking vegetarianism when you "feed on
the lifeblood" of a creature, but you will feel guilty if you drain
the blood from a corpse.

--
Keiran