YAVP: DDBe - The Dwarven Catapult

[RangerC]

My goal with this character was to play a quick game and check out the new trunk test vaults (Forest and Hallowed Halls). Somehow this turned into an 8 hour game (though I think some of that time the game was just idling while I was doing other things).

DDBe is a nice combo, though building piety is tough because Trog's Hand is your primary healing mechanism. I splatted a couple of these guys in 0.7, playing them as light armour melee types. This time, I planned on heavy armour and switching between a battleaxe and crossbow to try to minimize piety burn (killing as much as possible from a distance).

Between D:7 and D:10 I found these two items:
30 +2 steel sling bullets (thanks Joseph!)
the +3 leather armour of Tufaifen {+Lev rPois rN+ Str+2 Int-1 Dam+4}

Change of plans. I went with a light armour slinger instead and the game pretty much won itself. I did some berserk melee (Trog was nice enough to gift a +11 broad axe) but mainly blasted away with a sling of velocity for the whole game. Once I found a +1, +5 ring of slaying on D:18, most everything went down in 2-3 shots. Zot: 5 had 7 ancient liches and all but 1 went down in 3 shots (silver bullets). Even Mennas was an easy kill this game.

Hallowed Hall Feedback: wish I could give some, but the sling wiped out the holies just as easily as anything else. I guess I can say that they aren't super overpowered .

Forest Feedback: Fun map, spriggan monster set seems solid - theme is good (high EV, super fragile glass cannons) and Airstrike/Awaken Forest would probably be really scary for low HP builds stuck in the forest corridors. I think that any branch not picked in the level roulette (right now just one of snake/swamp/shoals) should have a high chance of spawning a 'theme' level post Vaults with that branch's monster set.

Other stuff:
- Having abjuration as a berserker (via a rod) sure is nice, but doesn't really feel right, given Trog's anti-magic theme. Using wands is OK, I guess, as they're purely destructive, but casting buffs, summoning magical creatures, and using abjuration doesn't seem Troggish, just because it comes from a magical stick.
- I got the Halls of the Hellbinder as a wizlab vault - great map and looks wonderful in Tiles. Also had about only the second or third volcano I can remember this game.

Character Dump:

  Code:

1540062 Drug the Dwarven Catapult (level 27, 81/237 (239) HPs)
             Began as a Deep Dwarf Berserker on Mar 12, 2011.
             Was a Priest of Trog.
             Escaped with the Orb
             ... and 3 runes (of 3 types) on Mar 18, 2011!
             
             The game lasted 08:32:30 (95243 turns).

Drug the Dwarven Catapult (Deep Dwarf Berserker)                   Turns: 95243, Time: 08:32:30

HP  81/237 (239) AC 23     Str 31      Exp: 27/1702572 (2260)
MP  23/23        EV 30     Int  6 (7)  God: Trog [***...]
Gold 3926        SH 42     Dex 22      Spells:  0 memorised, 28 levels left

Res.Fire  : + . .   See Invis. : +    E - +6 sling (velocity)
Res.Cold  : + . .   Warding    : . .  V - +3 leather armour of Tufaifen {+Lev rPois
Life Prot.: + + .   Conserve   : +    e - +1 large shield {AC+3}
Res.Acid. : + . .   Res.Corr.  : +    N - +2 helmet of the Armoured One {Str+3 Dam-1
Res.Poison: +       Clarity    : .    S - +2 cloak {rCorr, Cons}
Res.Elec. : +       Spirit.Shd : .    r - +1 pair of gloves of the Pit {rC+}
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    y - +2 pair of dwarf boots
Res.Mut.  : +       Ctrl.Telep.: .    I - amulet of resist mutation
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    d - +1,+5 ring of slaying
Saprovore : . . .   Ctrl.Flight: .    z - ring "Clewot" {+Inv +Lev rElec rPois rF+ S

@: non-regenerating, very slightly glowing, extraordinarily resistant to hostile enchantments,
extraordinarily stealthy
A: fast metabolism 1, life protection 1, sense surroundings 3, slow healing 3, Str +1, Dex +1
a: Device Recharging, Burn Spellbooks, Berserk, Trog's Hand, Renounce Religion, Evoke
Invisibility, Evoke Levitation


You escaped.
You worshipped Trog.
Trog was greatly pleased with you.
You were not hungry.

You visited 12 branches of the dungeon, and saw 76 of its levels.
You visited the Abyss 1 time.
You visited 1 Labyrinth.
You visited 5 portal chambers: ossuary, volcano, ice cave, wizlab, trove.

You collected 9444 gold pieces.
You spent 5538 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 o - the +0,+11 broad axe of the Candelabrum {god gift, drain, rElec Int+3 Stlth++}
   (Trog gifted it to you on level 2 of the Orcish Mines)   
   A truly terrible weapon, it drains the life of those it strikes.
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It makes you much more stealthy.
 w - the cursed +10,+4 trident of the Octopus King {venom, rElec rPois MR}
   (You found it on level 8 of the Vaults)   
   It poisons the flesh of those it strikes.
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It protects you from poison.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   This trident was stolen many years ago from the Octopus King's garden by a
   really unimportant and already dead man. But beware of the Octopus King's
   wrath!
   It has a curse placed upon it.
 E - a +6,+6 sling of velocity (weapon)
 G - the +3,+4 Vampire's Tooth {unknown, vamp}
   (You found it in a treasure trove)   
   It inflicts no extra harm, but heals its wielder somewhat when it strikes a
   living foe.
 H - a +5,+1 dwarven executioner's axe of flaming
Missiles
 A - 47 steel +5 sling bullets
 O - 40 silver +4 sling bullets (quivered)
Armour
 e - a +1 large shield of protection (worn)
 r - the +1 pair of gloves of the Pit (worn) {rC+}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 2 of the Orcish Mines)   
   It protects you from cold.
 y - a +2 pair of dwarven boots (worn)
 N - the +2 helmet of the Armoured One (worn) {Str+3 Dam-1 Stlth++}
   (You found it on level 3 of the Realm of Zot)   
   It affects your strength (+3).
   It affects your damage-dealing abilities (-1).
   It makes you much more stealthy.
 R - a +3 dwarven shield of positive energy
 S - a +2 cloak of preservation (worn)
 V - the +3 leather armour of Tufaifen (worn) {+Lev rPois rN+ Str+2 Int-1 Dam+4}
   (You found it on level 10 of the Dungeon)   
   It affects your strength (+2).
   It affects your intelligence (-1).
   It affects your damage-dealing abilities (+4).
   It protects you from poison.
   It protects you from negative energy.
   It lets you levitate.
Magical devices
 a - a wand of disintegration (12)
 b - a wand of fire (4)
 c - a wand of healing (2)
 j - a wand of digging (7)
 k - a wand of teleportation (0)
 m - a wand of healing (0)
 q - a wand of teleportation (3)
 B - a wand of cold (7)
 P - a wand of digging (10)
 W - a wand of digging (11)
 Y - a wand of draining (10)
Comestibles
 i - 7 royal jellies
 K - a meat ration
Scrolls
 g - 20 scrolls of identify
 h - 5 scrolls of blinking
 l - 11 scrolls of remove curse
Jewellery
 d - a +1,+5 ring of slaying (right hand)
 n - a cursed ring of protection from magic
 p - a cursed ring of protection from cold
 v - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 z - the ring "Clewot" (left hand) {+Inv +Lev rElec rPois rF+ SInv Stlth+}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 18 of the Dungeon)   
   [ring of poison resistance]
   It protects you from fire.
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It enhances your eyesight.
   It lets you turn invisible.
   It lets you levitate.
   It makes you more stealthy.
 C - an uncursed ring of teleport control
 I - an amulet of resist mutation (around neck)
 J - an uncursed amulet of the gourmand
 M - an uncursed ring of protection from fire
 X - an uncursed amulet of stasis
Potions
 s - 9 potions of restore abilities
 u - 2 potions of agility
 D - 4 potions of might
 Q - a potion of speed
 U - 14 potions of healing
Magical staves
 F - a +0 rod of demonology (14/14)
   (You found it in The Hall of Zotav the Hellbinder)
 Z - a +2 rod of summoning (13/13)
   (You found it on level 8 of the Vaults)
Orbs of Power
 T - the Orb of Zot
Miscellaneous
 f - a serpentine rune of Zot
 t - the horn of Geryon
 x - a silver rune of Zot
 L - a decaying rune of Zot


 You had 2260 experience left.

   Skills:
 + Level 16 Fighting
 + Level 21 Axes
 * Level 27 Slings
 + Level 10 Armour
 + Level 20 Dodging
 + Level 14 Stealth
 - Level 5 Stabbing
 + Level 16 Shields
 + Level 8 Traps & Doors
 - Level 1 Spellcasting
 - Level 2 Translocations
 + Level 12 Evocations


You had 28 spell levels left.
You didn't know any spells.

Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (27/27)            Temple (0/1) D:6             Orc (4/4) D:6
    Elf (5/5) Orc:3          Lair (8/8) D:10          Swamp (5/5) Lair:3
  Slime (0/6) Lair:8        Snake (5/5) Lair:3         Hive (2/2) D:12
  Vault (8/8) D:14          Blade (1/1) Vault:5       Crypt (5/5) Vault:4
   Tomb (0/3) Crypt:3         Zot (5/5) D:27       
   Dis: Hell:1         Geh: Hell:1         Coc: Hell:1         Tar: Hell:1

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Nemelex Xobeh
The Shining One
Trog
Xom
Zin

Shops:
D:5: /  D:6: =(  D:8: (/[  D:15: *[[[  D:18: =  Orc:2: [  Orc:3: %  Orc:4: +(*+  Elf:2: *
Elf:3: *  Elf:4: [([+*  Vault:1: (  Vault:2: +[*  Vault:5: *[  Vault:6: /  Vault:8: ?

Portals:
Hell: D:21 D:22 D:24 D:25 D:26 D:27
Abyss: D:25 D:26
Pan: D:22 D:24 D:26
Ziggurat: D:21 (4630 gp)

Annotations
Lair:4 exclusion: oklob plant


                    Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You are resistant to damage.
You can recharge devices by infusing magical energy.
You resist negative energy.
You passively map a large area around you.
You do not heal naturally.
You are agile (Dex +2).
You have a fast metabolism.
Your muscles are strong, but stiff (Str +1, Dex -1).


Message History

You remove your ring of teleport control.
d - a +1,+5 ring of slaying (right hand)
Are you sure you want to leave the Dungeon?
Alright, then stay!
You feel less exhausted.
Are you sure you want to leave the Dungeon?
You have escaped!

       #.#   #.........
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          #'##########.
          #^#        #.
          #^#        #.
         ##(##       #.
    ######..<######  #.
    #.+....@....+.#  #.
#####.####<..####.#  #.
.........##.#####.####.
########..#.#..........
       ##.#.#.########.
     ####.#+#.########.
######.................
...(...................
######.###############.


There were no monsters in sight!

[Jenx]

Congratulations on your win! I haven't ran into the Hallowed Halls, but if you look around this subforum you'll find a morgue file of mine from my spriggan who had the unfortunate experience of running into the Forest. It ended pretty fast.

[mageykun]

I wholeheartedly support slinging Troglodytes.

Don't knock Trog allowing rods. Sometimes, a rod is all that allows you to squeak by. Besides, you won't think evokable abjuration is so great one you've experienced a caster with the spell and actual levels in summoning. The rod version never gets everything, costs a weapon swap (possibly removing resistance you might need from a Trog gifted randart) and burns out after a few quick uses. It's a quick fix in certain situations, but it can't be used to neutralize powerful enemy summoners the way the spell can.

[joellercoaster]

Nice one on the win... I think the ranged weaponry thing is the missing link in my (few so far) attempts to get a DDBe off the ground - or through the Lair, at any rate. Having to use Trog's Hand every time you get into a proper fight definitely cramps the ol' dancing style.

Cheers

[JeffQyzt]

Also:

  Code:

z - the ring "Clewot" (left hand) {+Inv +Lev rElec rPois rF+ SInv Stlth+}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 18 of the Dungeon)   
   [ring of poison resistance]
   It protects you from fire.
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It enhances your eyesight.
   It lets you turn invisible.
   It lets you levitate.
   It makes you more stealthy.


Wow.