YASD: DDBe, died immediately after getting the *perfect* axe

[tasonir]

So I was having trouble keeping my life high because I'm not that experienced, having already recharged my healing wand several times, when trog finally gifts me my first weapon...It's a +0, +6 VAMPIRIC broad axe. I'm a deep dwarf, remember....I was so happy I started running around trying to regen my low health through combat, having been around 16/80 health or so and level 9 at this point. I regen off one or two monsters (even risked using it on a jelly and killed it in two hits with no corrosion via berserk)...and then I see a shop around a corner. I quickly tap right 2-3 times to head over to the shop...and there's an two-headed ogre with a giant club and a giant club sitting just past the corner who whacks me twice and kills me. I think I would have cried if I wasn't still in shock

I even had some wonderful things like an amulet of the gourmand for easy food and lots of berserking, further increased by a ring of sustenance. No resist rings yet or I'd have taken them over the sustenance, gourmand is very powerful.

As a side note, should I be equipping DDBe's with heavy armor (as I have) or light armor? I was thinking heavy armor would stack with their damage resistance, but I don't know the exact formulas for how they would stack. And they are certainly a strength oriented class, and by using axes I'm not likely to ever use a shield, so my armor's all I've got.

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.9.1 character file.

2208 Tasonir the Cleaver (level 9, -9/78 HPs)
             Began as a Deep Dwarf Berserker on Dec 6, 2011.
             Was a High Priest of Trog.
             Mangled by a two-headed ogre
             ... wielding a +0,+0 giant club
              (15 damage)
             ... on Level 7 of the Dungeon on Dec 7, 2011.
             The game lasted 00:39:28 (6561 turns).

Tasonir the Cleaver (Deep Dwarf Berserker)                                                                  Turns: 6561, Time: 00:39:28

HP  -9/78        AC  9     Str 30      XL: 9   Next:  3%
MP   6/6         EV  6     Int  8      God: Trog [*****.]
Gold 348         SH  0     Dex 12      Spells:  0 memorised,  8 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : .    h - +0,+6 broad axe (vamp) {god gift}
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : . .  s - +0 splint mail
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .    (no shield)
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    (no helmet)
Res.Poison: .       Clarity    : .    y - +0 elf cloak
Res.Elec. : .       Spirit.Shd : .    (no gloves)
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    (no boots)
Res.Mut.  : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .    e - amulet of the gourmand
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    g - +6 ring of strength
Gourmand  : +       Ctrl.Flight: .    u - ring of sustenance

@: non-regenerating, somewhat resistant to hostile enchantments, extremely unstealthy
A: damage resistance, sense surroundings 2, slow healing 3
a: Device Recharging, Burn Spellbooks, Berserk, Trog's Hand, Brothers in Arms, Renounce Religion


You were on level 7 of the Dungeon.
You worshipped Trog.
Trog was exalted by your worship.
You were very hungry.

You visited 2 branches of the dungeon, and saw 8 of its levels.

You collected 328 gold pieces.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - a +0,+0 dwarven hand axe
 h - a +0,+6 vampiric broad axe (weapon) {god gift}
 L - a +0,+0 sling
 M - a +0,-2 orcish battleaxe
Missiles
 o - 33 +0 stones (quivered)
 C - 38 +2 sling bullets
 K - 6 curare-tipped +0 needles
 Q - 31 +0 bolts
Armour
 s - a +0 splint mail (worn)
 y - a +0 elven cloak (worn)
 E - a +0 cloak
Magical devices
 c - a wand of healing (0)
 G - a wand of confusion (8) {unknown}
 N - a wand of frost (22) {unknown}
Comestibles
 d - 9 bread rations
 m - 2 meat rations
 n - 2 apples
 F - 13 sultanas
 H - a snozzcumber
 J - a honeycomb
Scrolls
 i - a scroll of detect curse {unknown}
 p - 2 scrolls of teleportation {unknown}
 q - a scroll of blinking {unknown}
 w - a scroll of enchant weapon II {unknown}
 z - a scroll of magic mapping {unknown}
 I - a scroll of identify
 O - 2 scrolls of random uselessness {unknown}
 S - a scroll of recharging {unknown}
Jewellery
 b - an uncursed ring of teleportation
 e - an amulet of the gourmand (around neck)
 g - a +6 ring of strength (right hand)
 j - an uncursed ring of see invisible {unknown}
 u - a ring of sustenance (left hand)
 v - an uncursed ring of fire
 x - an uncursed ring of invisibility
 D - an uncursed ring of levitation
Potions
 f - a potion of levitation {unknown}
 k - 2 potions of degeneration {unknown}
 l - 2 potions of heal wounds {unknown}
 r - 11 potions of healing
 A - a potion of agility {unknown}
 B - 2 potions of magic {unknown}
 R - a potion of restore abilities {unknown}
Books
 t - a book of Air   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Shock                              Conjuration/Air              1
   Swiftness                          Charms/Air                   2
   Repel Missiles                     Charms/Air                   2
   Levitation                         Charms/Air                   2
   Static Discharge                   Conjuration/Air              3
   Lightning Bolt                     Conjuration/Air              5
   
   
   Trog disapproves of the use of such an item.
Magical staves
 P - a staff of fire


   Skills:
 - Level 3 Fighting
 + Level 11 Axes
 - Level 2 Armour
 - Level 2 Dodging
 - Level 1 Stealth
 - Level 1 Traps & Doors
 - Level 1 Evocations


You had 8 spell levels left.
You didn't know any spells.

Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (7/27)             Temple (1/1) D:4         
   Orc: D:6-11     

Altars:
Ashenzari
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
The Shining One
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin

Shops:
D:7: (


                    Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You are resistant to damage.
You can recharge devices by infusing magical energy.
You passively map the area around you.
You do not heal naturally.


Message History

You now have 348 gold pieces.
You see here 31 bolts.
You see here 31 bolts.
Q - 31 bolts
Found a white potion.
There is a stone staircase leading up here.
r - 11 potions of healing
R - a white potion
There is a stone staircase leading up here.
There is a stone staircase leading up here.
Found 17 runed arrows.
Found Faopn's Antique Weapon Boutique.
S - a scroll labeled KHIANE CAEREMN
A two-headed ogre comes into view. It is wielding a giant club and a giant spiked club.
The two-headed ogre shouts in stereo!
The two-headed ogre barely misses you.
The two-headed ogre hits you with a giant spiked club!
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
The two-headed ogre hits you with a giant club!
You die...

................   ............#
#.#.###...###### * ###.........#
#.#.# #...#    #.#   ######.####
#.#.# #...#    #.#        #.#
#.#.###...#    #.#        #.#
...>......#    #.#        #.#
#.....##.##    #.###      #.#
#....(##.#     #(.(#      #.#
#.....##.##### #.n.#      #.######
.............###O.(########.#....#
#.#.#............@...............#
#.#.##.......###.##########.#....#
..............##.# #.............#
.......#.#.......# #........######
.......#.#.......# #........#
.......#.#.......# #........#
.......#.#.......# ########.#
.......#.#.#(###.#        #.#
....<..#.#.#.# #.#        #.#
.......#.#.#.# #.#       ##.####
..#........#.# #<#       #.....#


You could see a two-headed ogre.

Grand Total: 188 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
--------------------------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | Tasonir, the Deep Dwarf Berserker, began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 21/21 MP: 0/0
    99 | D:1      | Reached skill level 4 in Axes
   184 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 22/28 MP: 1/1
   446 | D:1      | Acquired Trog's second power
   830 | D:1      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 18/36 MP: 2/2
   926 | D:2      | Reached skill level 5 in Axes
  1247 | D:2      | You fall through a shaft!
  1260 | D:4      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 39/43 MP: 3/3
  1499 | D:3      | Found a sparkling altar of Nemelex Xobeh.
  1579 | D:3      | Noticed Tasonir's ghost (average DDBe)
  1594 | D:3      | Defeated Tasonir's ghost
  1594 | D:3      | Reached skill level 7 in Axes
  1594 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 49/49 MP: 4/4
  2061 | D:3      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 45/57 MP: 5/5
  2087 | D:3      | Acquired Trog's third power
  2291 | D:4      | Reached skill level 1 in Traps & Doors
  2425 | D:4      | Found a glowing drain.
  2569 | D:4      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  3034 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple
  3351 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  3366 | D:5      | Noticed Prince Ribbit
  3394 | D:5      | HP: 6/57 [Prince Ribbit (14)]
  3474 | D:5      | Noticed Tasonir's ghost (average FeBe)
  3483 | D:5      | Defeated Tasonir's ghost
  3483 | D:5      | Reached skill level 8 in Axes
  3483 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Stealth
  3894 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Evocations
  3973 | D:5      | Defeated Prince Ribbit
  3973 | D:5      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 59/63 MP: 5/5
  4032 | D:5      | Reached skill level 9 in Axes
  5031 | D:6      | Reached skill level 10 in Axes
  5031 | D:6      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 24/72 MP: 6/6
  5124 | D:6      | HP: 15/108 [giant frog (3)]
  5455 | D:6      | Reached skill level 11 in Axes
  6321 | D:7      | Received a gift from Trog
  6348 | D:7      | Gained mutation: You passively map the area around you.
  6348 | D:7      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 15/78 MP: 6/6
  6550 | D:7      | Found Faopn's Antique Weapon Boutique.
  6560 | D:7      | HP: 6/78 [two-headed ogre/giant club (19)]
  6561 | D:7      | Mangled by a two-headed ogre



[cerebovssquire]

Heavy armour is the way to go. It'll be stronger (low dex, AC helps a bunch preventing damage). There won't be any problems getting good heavy armour early on either, the first couple of orc warriors usually provide.
You're right regarding the shield too; axes are much stronger two-handed.

[greepish]

Heh, so excited you forgot about trog's hand?

[tasonir]

It's more like I'm a greedy-minded player. If I succeed in using the axe to heal, I save the piety I would have used on trog's hand. I try to converse resources a great deal; unfortunately roguelikes tend to reward players who play a good bit safer than I do I'll learn one day...

[cerebovssquire]

Well, having 6 maximal MP and a wand with 0 charges is the main problem that character seemed to have. You have the recharge ability for a reason - what are you going to use the MP for anyway? Before you get some decent gifts, the wand should be more important than Trog's Hand for healing anway. Trog's Hand increases in power (duration) with higher piety too, so it pays off regardless of gifts.

[rebthor]

It's more like I'm a greedy-minded player. If I succeed in using the axe to heal, I save the piety I would have used on trog's hand. I try to converse resources a great deal; unfortunately roguelikes tend to reward players who play a good bit safer than I do I'll learn one day...

Don't worry, dead characters don't incur any piety loss or need consumables.

It's far better to waste everything you have to keep 99.9% of the characters* alive than to save consumables (and piety is a consumable). Now, I'm no expert and I've never ascended, so feel free to take this with a grain of salt, but since I came to this realization, I find that my characters live longer and get further.

* Yes, I realize that there is .1% of the time you may make your game essentially unwinnable, but especially on a low level character, the chance that this will be your last X is vanishingly small.

[greepish]

It's far better to waste everything you have to keep 99.9% of the characters* alive than to save consumables (and piety is a consumable). Now, I'm no expert and I've never ascended, so feel free to take this with a grain of salt, but since I came to this realization, I find that my characters live longer and get further.

* Yes, I realize that there is .1% of the time you may make your game essentially unwinnable, but especially on a low level character, the chance that this will be your last X is vanishingly small.

This is totally correct. Endgame is easier than midgame is easier than early game (so long as you know some vital things, like whether ancient liches have paralysis and such ). Furthermore, you get reusable panic buttons (cblink, wand of haste, etc), making temporary panic buttons almost obsolete. Less so with trog because of 0 spells, but certainly don't be ashamed of a measly few piety.