CIP: MfIE found Book of Changes on D:2

[MainiacJoe]

I've killed a lot of DgIEs lately, a few of them after Lair which is embarrassing. So for a change I went MfIE, and the first one found Changes on the second dungeon level. I'm at the Temple now, I have an altar for every temple god, and no polearms have dropped yet but Alchemy has. I did learn Sticks to Snakes already since it is cheap and would go well with ice beasts. So it looks like UC and forms is going to be my weapon for at least the near future. Ice form will be easy to get online I expect. I have never even contemplated playing a transmuter before, and while I've looked at threads about them, none of them of course involve also having the book of Frost. What should I do from here?

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.19.1 (tiles) character file.

Laiwnar the Frost Mage (Merfolk Ice Elementalist)   Turns: 7373, Time: 00:39:37

Health: 52/52      AC:  6    Str:  9    XL:     8   Next: 51%
Magic:  14/14      EV: 13    Int: 16    God:   
Gold:   248        SH:  0    Dex: 14    Spells: 4 memorised, 5 levels left

rFire  . . .      SeeInvis .    a - +2 dagger (elec)
rCold  + . .      Gourm    .    q - +0 robe
rNeg   . . .      Faith    .    (no shield)
rPois  .          Spirit   .    v - +1 helmet
rElec  .          Reflect  .    (no cloak)
rCorr  .          Harm     .    r - +1 pair of gloves
MR     +....                    (no boots)
Stlth  ++........               (no amulet)
                                k - ring of protection from cold
                                d - ring of protection from magic

@: no status effects
A: change form in water, swift swim, stealthy swim
a: no special abilities


You are in the Ecumenical Temple.
You are hungry.

You have visited 2 branches of the dungeon, and seen 7 of its levels.

You have collected 368 gold pieces.
You have spent 120 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand Weapons
 a - a +2 dagger of electrocution (weapon)
 b - a +0 hunting sling
 x - a +2 whip of freezing
 U - a trident
Missiles
 j - 167 stones (quivered)
 n - 18 bolts
 y - 5 curare-tipped needles
 z - 62 arrows
 C - 3 tomahawks
 D - 9 sling bullets
Armour
 q - a +0 robe (worn)
 r - a +1 pair of gloves (worn)
 v - a +1 helmet (worn)
Jewellery
 d - a ring of protection from magic (left hand)
 k - a ring of protection from cold (right hand)
 H - an uncursed amulet of guardian spirit
Wands
 P - a wand of iceblast (8/15)
Scrolls
 h - 5 scrolls of teleportation
 u - a scroll of magic mapping
 F - 2 scrolls of fog
 G - 2 scrolls of remove curse
 I - a scroll labeled NIYRGH BOUMPA
 J - a scroll labeled KEXZYQ QYSSIU
 L - a scroll labeled LEB GETOGEUCIE
 M - a scroll labeled CODOER ZESTICH
 O - a scroll labeled FUH JAWIDGHINIRR
 Q - a scroll labeled RONNIZEIREE
Potions
 e - 2 potions of berserk rage
 g - a cyan potion
 l - a glowing orange potion
 o - a potion of haste
 p - a coppery potion
 t - a silvery potion
 A - 3 yellow potions
 E - an inky potion
 S - 2 potions of resistance
 T - a black potion
Books
 i - a book of Frost   
   
    Spells                             Type                      Level
    a - Freeze                       Ice                           1
    b - Throw Frost                  Conjuration/Ice               2
    c - Ozocubu's Armour             Charms/Ice                    3
    d - Throw Icicle                 Conjuration/Ice               4
    e - Summon Ice Beast             Ice/Summoning                 4
 s - a book of Changes   
   
    Spells                             Type                      Level
    a - Beastly Appendage            Transmutation                 1
    b - Sticks to Snakes             Transmutation                 2
    c - Spider Form                  Transmutation/Poison          3
    d - Ice Form                     Ice/Transmutation             4
    e - Blade Hands                  Transmutation                 5
 w - a book of Alchemy   
   
    Spells                             Type                      Level
    a - Sublimation of Blood         Necromancy                    2
    b - Ignite Poison                Fire/Transmutation/Poison     3
    c - Petrify                      Transmutation/Earth           4
    d - Alistair's Intoxication      Transmutation/Poison          5
    e - Irradiate                    Conjuration/Transmutation     5
Comestibles
 c - 6 bread rations
 f - 2 slices of pizza
 B - a beef jerky
 K - a royal jelly
 N - 3 meat rations


   Skills:
 - Level 2.6 Dodging
 - Level 2.1 Stealth
 - Level 4.0 Spellcasting
   Level 0.7 Conjurations
 - Level 2.6 Charms
 - Level 5.0 Summonings
 + Level 1.5 Transmutations
 + Level 8.3 Ice Magic


You have 5 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Freeze                Ice            ####         1%          1    None
b - Sticks to Snakes      Tmut           #.......     14%         2    ##.....
c - Ozocubu's Armour      Chrm/Ice       ###.....     8%          3    ###....
d - Summon Ice Beast      Ice/Summ       ###.....     12%         4    ####...


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (6/15)             Temple (1/1) D:6         

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Dithmenos
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Gozag
Hepliaklqana
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Qazlal
Ru
Sif Muna
Trog
Uskayaw
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
The Shining One

Shops:
D:5 *

Message History

There is a sacrificial altar of Ru here.
There is a snail-covered altar of Cheibriados here.
There is an opulent altar of Gozag here.
There is an open door here.
Key pressed, stopping explore.
Done exploring.
There is an open door here.
As you read the scroll of enchant armour, it crumbles to dust.
Your +0 pair of gloves glows green for a moment.
Saving game... please wait.
Welcome back, Laiwnar the Merfolk Ice Elementalist.
Press ? for a list of commands and other information.
There is a shadowy altar of Dithmenos here.
There is a sacrificial altar of Ru here.
There is a snail-covered altar of Cheibriados here.
There is an opulent altar of Gozag here.
There is an open door here.
There is an open door here.
You are feeling hungry.
Saving game... please wait.

...P..P.....?.........???
........?..........?..P.??
...............P.........P
?..........?......???.....
....###################...
....8.#...............#...
P.....#._._._._._._._.#..?
....8.#...............#...
......'._._._._._._._.#??P
....8.#......@........# ??
......#._._._._._._._.#??.
....8.#...............#..?
.P..###################...
.........................P
???????.......?........P??
?     ????.........??????
         ???????????


There are no monsters in sight!

Vanquished Creatures
  A sky beast (D:5)
  2 ogres
  Blork the orc (D:4)
  A bullfrog (D:6)
  A howler monkey (D:5)
  3 crimson imps (D:5)
  A hound (D:4)
  4 orc priests
  An orc wizard (D:4)
  2 iguanas
  Natasha (thrice) (D:3)
  4 worker ants (D:4)
  A worker ant zombie (D:5)
  11 adders
  An ooze (D:2)
  An adder skeleton (D:5)
  An adder zombie (D:6)
  A dart slug (D:2)
  A leopard gecko (D:5)
  9 orcs
  5 giant cockroaches
  10 goblins
  15 hobgoblins
  4 jackals
  3 quokkas
  A ball python (D:1)
  10 bats
  2 frilled lizards
  7 kobolds
  A leopard gecko zombie (D:6)
  A quokka skeleton (D:5)
  10 rats
119 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (collateral kills)
  Menkaure (D:6)
  A jelly (D:6)
  2 orcs (D:6)
4 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 123 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
-------+----------+-------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | Laiwnar the Merfolk Ice Elementalist began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 13/13 MP: 3/3
   416 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 19/19 MP: 0/5
   445 | D:1      | Reached skill level 4 in Ice Magic
   982 | D:2      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 24/24 MP: 2/6
  1071 | D:2      | Learned a level 3 spell: Ozocubu's Armour
  1337 | D:1      | Reached skill level 1 in Charms
  1421 | D:2      | Reached skill level 5 in Ice Magic
  1423 | D:2      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 30/30 MP: 0/7
  2413 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 34/35 MP: 2/8
  2669 | D:3      | Noticed Natasha
  2674 | D:3      | Killed Natasha
  2674 | D:3      | Reached skill level 6 in Ice Magic
  2704 | D:3      | Learned a level 4 spell: Summon Ice Beast
  3042 | D:3      | Noticed Natasha
  3049 | D:3      | Killed Natasha
  3166 | D:3      | Noticed Natasha
  3179 | D:3      | Killed Natasha
  3179 | D:3      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 18/41 MP: 0/10
  3745 | D:4      | Reached skill level 7 in Ice Magic
  3786 | D:4      | Noticed Blork the orc
  3792 | D:4      | Killed Blork the orc
  3792 | D:4      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 46/46 MP: 6/13
  4296 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  4378 | D:5      | Reached skill level 8 in Ice Magic
  4389 | D:5      | HP: 2/46 [something (5)]
  5197 | D:5      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 18/52 MP: 2/14
  5414 | D:5      | Found Ugonkofi's Elemental Accessories.
  5422 | D:5      | Bought a wand of iceblast (8/15) for 120 gold pieces
  5899 | D:5      | Found a shattered altar of Ashenzari.
  6138 | D:6      | Noticed Menkaure
  6258 | D:6      | Killed Menkaure
  6728 | D:6      | Learned a level 2 spell: Sticks to Snakes
  6802 | D:6      | Reached skill level 1 in Transmutations
  6856 | D:6      | Reached skill level 5 in Summonings
  6965 | D:6      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  7037 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple

Skill      XL: |  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8 |
---------------+-------------------------+-----
Ice Magic      |     4  5     6  7  8    |  8.3
Charms         |        1              2 |  2.6
Spellcasting   |                 4       |  4.0
Summonings     |                    3  5 |  5.0
Transmutations |                       1 |  1.5
Dodging        |                         |  2.6
Stealth        |                         |  2.1
Conjurations   |                         |  0.7

Action                   |  1- 3 |  4- 6 |  7- 9 || total
-------------------------+-------+-------+-------++-------
Melee: Dagger            |    26 |    21 |    22 ||    69
       Whip              |       |       |     5 ||     5
 Fire: Hunting sling     |     6 |   109 |    80 ||   195
Throw: Stone             |    14 |     5 |     6 ||    25
 Cast: Freeze            |    35 |    55 |    66 ||   156
       Ozocubu's Armour  |     1 |     2 |     5 ||     8
       Summon Ice Beast  |       |       |     3 ||     3
  Use: Scroll            |     2 |     2 |     6 ||    10
       Potion            |       |       |     1 ||     1
 Stab: Sleeping          |     1 |       |     1 ||     2
       Distracted        |       |       |     1 ||     1
  Eat: Chunk             |     2 |     9 |     7 ||    18
       Bread ration      |       |       |     1 ||     1
Armor: Robe              |    14 |     8 |    17 ||    39
Dodge: Dodged            |    46 |    56 |    43 ||   145



[bel]

Tm requires a lot of investment in UC before it becomes any good. You can do it if you want; just play normally for a while till you get your UC up. You can probably easily get ice form already.

Since you have an elec dagger, it would be easier to simply stick with IE and train sbl a bit. Later on, you can switch to polearm.

[ThreeInvisibleDucks]

Like bel said, if you go the Tm route, it takes quite a lot of specific skill investment: UC, Trmt, and Earth when you find Statue Form. With your Ice investment, Ice Form comes online quickly.

If you choose that route, and I know I would be tempted to do so as I like Tm a lot, I'd pick either Oka or Ash. Oka's Heroism comes at * and is a big power-up to melee. Ash's skill boosts come at **, help with many skills but not UC, and they are most effective at full piety, so it'd be the worse choice at this point. Ash helps a lot when eventually going for the high-level forms though, and her other abilities make Ash my favourite god in Abyss, Hells, and Pan because she puts portals on the map and by revealing the map it's easier to find stairs as well.

+4 apt in Polearms is quite enough reason not to go Tm though, although +1 in UC quite nice as well.

Edit: If you go UC+Oka, I'd train Invocations to 2-3 as soon as you get Heroism, then all the way up to 9-10 with Finesse to get the fail down and increase the durations. Ash doesn't require any Invo investment however, so those skill points can be put to UC and Trmt.

[MainiacJoe]

I decided that switching to transmuter was both too expensive and too far out of my experience, so I went with Sif and stayed IE, plus Sticks to Snakes. And a wight dropped a +5 halberd on the very same floor the Temple stairs was on!

[ThreeInvisibleDucks]

I decided that switching to transmuter was both too expensive and too far out of my experience, so I went with Sif and stayed IE, plus Sticks to Snakes. And a wight dropped a +5 halberd on the very same floor the Temple stairs was on!

I'm sorry to hear that. Although, my first 2 15-rune wins were with a bardicher, so you should be fine. Go get'em!