Archived from groups: rec.games.roguelike.nethack (More info?)
Ascension! After a mere 18 months, with a break of about 6 months
after I became discouraged by the seemingly endless stream of YASDs.
I have been alternately playing Elven Wizards and Samurai. Maybe 50 of
each so far. I've gotten into a pattern of descending to about lvl 5
of the main branch looking for a co-aligned altar and then to Minetown
if the mines are lit (or I have a lamp) or first to Sokoban otherwise.
I usually go to Mine's End after Sokoban for the luckstone. About
half the Wizards were making it past Mine's End (those polytraps can
generate insane foes), but this Wizard was the first to see Medusa's
Lair. They would always meet something that they couldn't get away
from and I'd never gotten below -6 AC before, so they'd just get
eaten. The Samurai were getting further, but usually lacked one of
reflection or magic resistance, so eventually they'd fall as well.
Sylvanti started with force bolt, remove curse, an enchant armor scroll
and not a lot else. The main branch yielded a cursed magic lamp (just
lying on the dungeon floor) and the mines were lit, allowing quick
access to Minetown. By the time I got to Minetown, I had two large
dogs. I've gotten much better at pet management, which really helps
a beginning Wizard. I'm still usually about level 8 when I get to
Minetown. I don't even try for the protection racket. I'm happy
to return at about level 11 with 30-40 thousand gold and get protection
then. I seem to always have plenty of cash by that time.
The Minetown altar was the first I'd seen and was co-aligned. I
quickly made holy water, blessed the lamp and used it to wish for +2
SDSM. I'm not really good enough to hold off using an early magic
lamp like this. I also got Magicbane with just a few sacrifices.
Magicbane makes a huge difference for the young Wizard, I find. Then I
head off to Sokoban.
The Oracle level is very lethal for me. I've been killed there
numerous times by soldier ants and the like. I try to spend as little
time there as possible. This time was even worse, because there was a
polytrap on the level and very scary monsters showed up on telepathy.
Happily, the downstairs was very near the upstairs and I was able to
avoid the level until I'd completed Sokoban.
It is amazing how much easier Sokoban is with decent armor. I've
memorized the solutions, so only wandering monsters surprise me.
Sokoban gave a bag of holding, which was very nice since Wizards have
such low starting strength.
The armor also helped with the descent to Mine's End, I'd bought
some protection and used some blessed enchant armor scrolls by this
time, so I think I had around -12 AC or so. Mine's End was one I
hadn't seen for a while - where you have to search for 7 secret
doors. There was a polytrap in a corridor that turned my dogs into a
quivering blob and something reasonable. I was still at level 8, I
think, so I didn't get anything super. The quivering blob got left
behind.
Below Sokoban, there were three successive levels with smallish general
stores on them. One of those had a book of identify in them. I think
that was the turning point for the game. (I'd earlier emptied a
magic marker trying to write one). I ID'ed everything I had and soon
had my armor down to -25 with speed boots and a ring of slow digestion
(which is a key piece of equipment for me). I also preemptively
genocided L and h (and later
. I was level 11 at that point, and
from then on I was fairly unstoppable.
I did Fort Ludios before the Quest, and acquired some pet dragons. (I
was sad that they never used their breath weapons). I've been killed
by Croesus before. I had Magic Missile by that time, so I gave him a
bit of long distance respect. The Quest was easy, and, with the eye, I
didn't run out of energy again until I started polypiling in
preparation for the ascension run.
I used water walking boots at Medusa. I was invisible, but had just
read on RGRN that SDSM would still work if I wore a mummy wrapping.
(Thanks Raisse, I think you saved me there!) I force-bolted the door
of the Castle and used a wand of cold to get inside. I was still
fairly low level (I had to drink potions of gain level to get into the
Quest), so there was nothing too dangerous in the Castle. I charmed
some more dragon pets.
The wand was at 0:1, but I already had scrolls of charging. I wished
for a helm of brilliance, a ring of levitation (which I should have
polypiled for), and a magic marker. I saved an emergency wish, which I
didn't use in the end. My AC was soon at -40 and everything
fooproof. I was starting to think I was actually going to ascend. I
think I got crowned around this time, which turned out not to be a
problem, since I only really prayed to make holy water by this time.
I used magic mapping and detect treasure heavily in Gehennom. Bribed
the demon lords, dug out of Jubilex, chased Orcus for levels and
levels. A black dragon disintegrated all my pets - which was pretty
damn cool, actually - so I made him my new pet, but Blacky was killed
soon after.
After find the VS, I cleared a path back to lvl 1, then polypiled to
fill out my ascension kit. My HPs were at 250, which seemed low, but I
didn't really know how to get them higher without leveling up, and I
didn't want to do that, so that is what they were when I ascended.
I was level 18 at ascension. But I used charging scrolls to get my
energy to about 480 - which did start to run low on Astral - I
mostly used wands of death and teleport there.
Rodney double troubled me in Moloch's Sanctum, but he fell easily to
the finger of death (although the major demon lords just ignored it).
I killed him 7 times in all. I was mysterious forced about 6 or 7
times. He didn't steal or curse any of my inventory.
Earth, fire and air were easy. I used conflict on fire, air and water,
and teleported air elementals away at need. I gained two pet archons
on fire, but they were useless on Astral. I had trouble on water. I
couldn't find the portal for a long time, but I must have stumbled on
to it.
I went to all three altars on Astral. I killed Pestilence and Famine
with wands of death, and used wands of teleport to get the other
monsters out of the way - I couldn't put a dent in them with
Magicbane, and they were certainly putting a dent in me with only 250
HPs. I used one full heal. I did kill Death with Magicbane though -
she only had 50 HPs or so.
Finally the choir sang. Sorry, no dump because I played with
NetHackW.exe, but the inventory was pretty cookie cutter in the end
anyway. The game took around 62000 turns.
Thanks to the good folk of the RGRN, without whom I would never have
finished the game, and, of course, to the RNG, who giveth and who
taketh away.
Trajic
If the RNG be for me, who can stand against me?
Ascension! After a mere 18 months, with a break of about 6 months
after I became discouraged by the seemingly endless stream of YASDs.
I have been alternately playing Elven Wizards and Samurai. Maybe 50 of
each so far. I've gotten into a pattern of descending to about lvl 5
of the main branch looking for a co-aligned altar and then to Minetown
if the mines are lit (or I have a lamp) or first to Sokoban otherwise.
I usually go to Mine's End after Sokoban for the luckstone. About
half the Wizards were making it past Mine's End (those polytraps can
generate insane foes), but this Wizard was the first to see Medusa's
Lair. They would always meet something that they couldn't get away
from and I'd never gotten below -6 AC before, so they'd just get
eaten. The Samurai were getting further, but usually lacked one of
reflection or magic resistance, so eventually they'd fall as well.
Sylvanti started with force bolt, remove curse, an enchant armor scroll
and not a lot else. The main branch yielded a cursed magic lamp (just
lying on the dungeon floor) and the mines were lit, allowing quick
access to Minetown. By the time I got to Minetown, I had two large
dogs. I've gotten much better at pet management, which really helps
a beginning Wizard. I'm still usually about level 8 when I get to
Minetown. I don't even try for the protection racket. I'm happy
to return at about level 11 with 30-40 thousand gold and get protection
then. I seem to always have plenty of cash by that time.
The Minetown altar was the first I'd seen and was co-aligned. I
quickly made holy water, blessed the lamp and used it to wish for +2
SDSM. I'm not really good enough to hold off using an early magic
lamp like this. I also got Magicbane with just a few sacrifices.
Magicbane makes a huge difference for the young Wizard, I find. Then I
head off to Sokoban.
The Oracle level is very lethal for me. I've been killed there
numerous times by soldier ants and the like. I try to spend as little
time there as possible. This time was even worse, because there was a
polytrap on the level and very scary monsters showed up on telepathy.
Happily, the downstairs was very near the upstairs and I was able to
avoid the level until I'd completed Sokoban.
It is amazing how much easier Sokoban is with decent armor. I've
memorized the solutions, so only wandering monsters surprise me.
Sokoban gave a bag of holding, which was very nice since Wizards have
such low starting strength.
The armor also helped with the descent to Mine's End, I'd bought
some protection and used some blessed enchant armor scrolls by this
time, so I think I had around -12 AC or so. Mine's End was one I
hadn't seen for a while - where you have to search for 7 secret
doors. There was a polytrap in a corridor that turned my dogs into a
quivering blob and something reasonable. I was still at level 8, I
think, so I didn't get anything super. The quivering blob got left
behind.
Below Sokoban, there were three successive levels with smallish general
stores on them. One of those had a book of identify in them. I think
that was the turning point for the game. (I'd earlier emptied a
magic marker trying to write one). I ID'ed everything I had and soon
had my armor down to -25 with speed boots and a ring of slow digestion
(which is a key piece of equipment for me). I also preemptively
genocided L and h (and later
. I was level 11 at that point, andfrom then on I was fairly unstoppable.
I did Fort Ludios before the Quest, and acquired some pet dragons. (I
was sad that they never used their breath weapons). I've been killed
by Croesus before. I had Magic Missile by that time, so I gave him a
bit of long distance respect. The Quest was easy, and, with the eye, I
didn't run out of energy again until I started polypiling in
preparation for the ascension run.
I used water walking boots at Medusa. I was invisible, but had just
read on RGRN that SDSM would still work if I wore a mummy wrapping.
(Thanks Raisse, I think you saved me there!) I force-bolted the door
of the Castle and used a wand of cold to get inside. I was still
fairly low level (I had to drink potions of gain level to get into the
Quest), so there was nothing too dangerous in the Castle. I charmed
some more dragon pets.
The wand was at 0:1, but I already had scrolls of charging. I wished
for a helm of brilliance, a ring of levitation (which I should have
polypiled for), and a magic marker. I saved an emergency wish, which I
didn't use in the end. My AC was soon at -40 and everything
fooproof. I was starting to think I was actually going to ascend. I
think I got crowned around this time, which turned out not to be a
problem, since I only really prayed to make holy water by this time.
I used magic mapping and detect treasure heavily in Gehennom. Bribed
the demon lords, dug out of Jubilex, chased Orcus for levels and
levels. A black dragon disintegrated all my pets - which was pretty
damn cool, actually - so I made him my new pet, but Blacky was killed
soon after.
After find the VS, I cleared a path back to lvl 1, then polypiled to
fill out my ascension kit. My HPs were at 250, which seemed low, but I
didn't really know how to get them higher without leveling up, and I
didn't want to do that, so that is what they were when I ascended.
I was level 18 at ascension. But I used charging scrolls to get my
energy to about 480 - which did start to run low on Astral - I
mostly used wands of death and teleport there.
Rodney double troubled me in Moloch's Sanctum, but he fell easily to
the finger of death (although the major demon lords just ignored it).
I killed him 7 times in all. I was mysterious forced about 6 or 7
times. He didn't steal or curse any of my inventory.
Earth, fire and air were easy. I used conflict on fire, air and water,
and teleported air elementals away at need. I gained two pet archons
on fire, but they were useless on Astral. I had trouble on water. I
couldn't find the portal for a long time, but I must have stumbled on
to it.
I went to all three altars on Astral. I killed Pestilence and Famine
with wands of death, and used wands of teleport to get the other
monsters out of the way - I couldn't put a dent in them with
Magicbane, and they were certainly putting a dent in me with only 250
HPs. I used one full heal. I did kill Death with Magicbane though -
she only had 50 HPs or so.
Finally the choir sang. Sorry, no dump because I played with
NetHackW.exe, but the inventory was pretty cookie cutter in the end
anyway. The game took around 62000 turns.
Thanks to the good folk of the RGRN, without whom I would never have
finished the game, and, of course, to the RNG, who giveth and who
taketh away.
Trajic
If the RNG be for me, who can stand against me?
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