CIP->YASD DrAE with Staff of Earth Questions

[LackofCertainty]

Important points:
-Started AE, got flight, swiftness, reflect missiles.
-Matured into grey draconian. Halted Air magic, trained up Earth.
-Grabbed iron shot and stoneskin.
-Cranked up my Conjurations.
-Suffering from lack of AoE spells, I grabbed Lightning Bolt. (unfortunately sif wasn't giving me a great selection at this point)
-Conjurations highly trained. (17 iirc?)
-Grabbed the Battlesphere, which is now my workhorse spell.
-Just found staff of earth.

My current combat boils down to:
Prebuff and summon the sphere.
Sphere + shock for weaker/single targets.
Lightning bolt for groups of tougher stuff.
Iron shot to annihilate tougher single enemies.

I have books with bolt of magma, fireball, firestorm, ring of flames etc.

So I had the idea that maybe I should start using the staff of earth. I would drop lightning bolt and shock, and instead grab magic dart, (just for proc'ing the battlesphere) bolt of magma, and fireball to round out my aoe. Eventually working toward fire magic for aoes and earth for single target booming.

Aside from the downside of weakening some of my buffs, I am currently using an un-id'ed waraxe that has rPois and MR++, and seems to hit pretty durn hard, considering I have no axe skill.

Would it be a good idea to switch to the staff of earth, or am I too diversified to make it worthwhile?

Follow-up Question: If I do start using the staff of earth, should I train up staff/evocation skills to make it more powerful? (I also have an artifact ring with +inv on it that'd benefit from some evo)


Unrelated question: I've seen a couple necronomicons in stores. Should I crank my transmutations in preparation for eventual lichform?

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.13.0 (tiles) character file.

Vorelulhar the Destroyer (DrAE)                    Turns: 70753, Time: 06:31:19

HP 115/116 (118) AC 25     Str 13      XL: 16   Next: 90%
MP  24/35        EV 15     Int 24      God: Sif Muna [******]
Gold 2048        SH  9     Dex 16      Spells: 12 memorised,  4 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : .   H - war axe of Precise Incision {chop, rPois MR++, was cursed}
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : .   (armour unavailable)
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .   l - +0 buckler
Res.Poison: +       Res.Corr.  : .   c - +1 wizard hat
Res.Elec. : .       Clarity    : .   j - +2 cloak
Sust.Abil.: . .     Spirit.Shd : .   g - +2 pair of orc gauntlets
Res.Mut.  : .       Stasis     : .   (no boots)
Res.Rott. : .       Flight     : +   L - amulet of the gourmand
Gourmand  : +                        t - ring of protection from magic
                                     z - ring of Ghiniw {Wiz Dex+5 Int+3}

@: repel missiles, stone skin, flying, quick, extraordinarily resistant to
hostile enchantments, unstealthy
A: walk through water, unfitting armour, unbreathing, AC +14
a: Channel Energy, Forget Spell, Renounce Religion


You are on level 1 of the Shoals.
You worship Sif Muna.
Sif Muna is exalted by your worship.
You are completely stuffed.

You have visited 6 branches of the dungeon, and seen 32 of its levels.
You have also visited: Trove, Sewer and Bailey.

You have collected 3063 gold pieces.
You have spent 1035 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 H - the war axe of Precise Incision (weapon) {chop, rPois MR++, was cursed}
   (You found it on level 1 of the Lair of Beasts)   
   
   It inflicts extra damage upon your enemies.
   
   It protects you from poison.
   It affects your resistance to hostile enchantments.
 O - an uncursed scimitar of flaming
Armour
 c - a +1 wizard hat (worn)
 g - a +2 pair of orcish gauntlets (worn)
 j - a +2 cloak (worn)
 l - a +0 buckler (worn)
Magical devices
 q - a wand of digging (13)
 r - a wand of lightning
 x - a wand of invisibility (4)
 B - a wand of fireball {zapped: 1}
 M - a wand of cold (6)
Comestibles
 d - 8 chunks of cyclops flesh
 w - 3 bread rations
 C - 4 sultanas
 F - a chunk of mermaid flesh
 G - a meat ration
Scrolls
 h - 3 scrolls of remove curse
 i - a scroll of blinking
 n - a scroll of magic mapping
 s - a scroll of enchant weapon I
 D - a scroll of enchant weapon II
Jewellery
 f - an uncursed ring of see invisible
 k - an uncursed ring of positive energy
 t - a ring of protection from magic (right hand)
 v - a ring of protection from fire
 y - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 z - the ring of Ghiniw (left hand) {Wiz Dex+5 Int+3}
   (You found it in a treasure trove)   
   
   [ring of wizardry]
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It affects your dexterity (+5).
 K - an uncursed amulet of conservation
 L - an amulet of the gourmand (around neck)
 S - the ring "Ikirghot" {+Inv rF+}
   (You found it on level 6 of the Dungeon)   
   
   [ring of invisibility]
   It protects you from fire.
Potions
 a - 2 potions of restore abilities
 b - 2 potions of magic
 e - a potion of speed
 m - 2 potions of resistance
 p - a potion of mutation
 u - 3 potions of curing
 A - 2 potions of brilliance
 E - 2 potions of berserk rage
Magical staves
 I - an uncursed staff of earth
Miscellaneous
 o - a lamp of fire


   Skills:
 - Level 6.4 Fighting
 - Level 0.2 Axes
 - Level 6.0 Dodging
 - Level 1.7 Stealth
 - Level 1.6 Shields
 - Level 13.0 Spellcasting
 - Level 17.7 Conjurations
 - Level 6.4 Charms
 - Level 8.0 Translocations
 - Level 5.7 Transmutations
 - Level 6.0 Air Magic
 - Level 12.3 Earth Magic
 + Level 5.7 Invocations


You have 4 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Shock                 Conj/Air       ####         1%          1    None
b - Swiftness             Chrm/Air       #####.....   1%          2    None
c - Repel Missiles        Chrm/Air       #####.....   1%          2    None
d - Petrify               Trmt/Erth      ######..     1%          4    None
e - Flight                Chrm/Air       #####.....   1%          3    None
f - Lightning Bolt        Conj/Air       ######....   1%          5    ##.....
g - Iron Shot             Conj/Erth      ######....   1%          6    #####..
h - Passwall              Trmt/Erth      ######....   1%          3    None
i - Stoneskin             Trmt/Erth      ######....   1%          2    None
j - Iskenderun's Battles  Conj/Chrm      ######..     1%          4    None
k - Blink                 Tloc           N/A          1%          2    None
l - Conjure Flame         Conj/Fire      ######..     1%          3    None


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (18/27)            Temple (1/1) D:6             Orc (4/4) D:11
    Elf (0/3) Orc:3          Lair (6/8) D:12         Shoals (1/5) Lair:5
 Spider (2/5) Lair:5     
 Slime: Lair:6-8    Vaults: D:15-20     

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Sif Muna
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
the Shining One
Beogh

Shops:
D:9 +!   D:10 !   D:12 ?+   Orc:1 !   Orc:2 [   Orc:3 /   Orc:4 %=!(

Annotations:
D:7 Vorelulhar's ghost, experienced DrWr
D:8 Maurice
D:11 exclusion: silver statue
Spider:2 Arachne


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You can walk through water.
Your dull iron-grey scales are very hard (AC +14).
Your body does not fit into most forms of armour.
Your cold-blooded metabolism reacts poorly to cold.
You can survive without breathing.


Message History

Aim: a mermaid, wielding a crooked jewelled staff and wearing an amulet of resist corrosion (heavily wounded)
You hear a mighty clap of thunder!
The bolt of lightning hits the mermaid.
You kill the mermaid!
Your battlesphere fires!
You now have 2048 gold pieces (gained 54).
There is a large open door, spattered with blood here.
Things that are here:
a crooked jewelled staff; an amulet of resist corrosion
G - an amulet of resist corrosion
I - a crooked jewelled staff
You drop an amulet of resist corrosion.
I - an uncursed staff of earth (weapon)
H - the war axe of Precise Incision (weapon) {chop, rPois MR++, was cursed}
There is a large open door here.
G - a meat ration
There is a large open door here.
Casting: Lightning Bolt
Confirm with . or Enter, or press ? or * to list all spells.
Okay, then.

             #.......#P...#.....・
             ##..(..##.#####..・・
              ###'###榔.  ##...・・
                #(#  ・・ #..・・・
.             ###%###・. .....・・
.    ・.・   ##..)..##.P ......・・
.  P・・・.. #.......#    ....榔・
# #....・... #.......#     ###..・
###.・P....  ##.....##       ##.榔
....・....##  ###"###         #..・
...・・....##・##@##          ..榔
...・・.・...# #.*.#      #   P...
##(.....・...# #...#・####..PPP..#
###........#   ##.##・......# #...
##..m.>....#    ###・・...PP###...
[...・....##     .・・・・...#.P..
##H.・...##     ...・・・・...PP..
##HHS.....#    #..)・・・....PP...
...mm......#   #.・・・・.........
...・......#   ##・・・......####.
...・・.....#  #.・・・.##...####.


There are no monsters in sight!

Vanquished Creatures
  Agnes (D:17)
  Aizul (D:18)
  Jorgrun (D:18)
  A green death (D:16)
  A merfolk aquamancer (Shoals:1)
  Harold (D:13)
  7 hydras
  3 ogre magi
  Erica (Lair:4)
  An alligator (shapeshifter) (D:16)
  4 orc high priests (Orc:4)
  5 death yaks (Lair:5)
  12 centaur warriors
  2 rakshasas
  A shadow wraith (D:15)
  Nergalle (D:11)
  A soul eater (D:16)
  14 skeletal warriors
  A large abomination (D:16)
  5 unseen horrors
  6 harpies (Shoals:1)
  3 sea snakes
  A giant amoeba (D:17)
  A wizard (D:17)
  7 orc knights
  9 hill giants
  3 red wasps
  2 orc sorcerers (D:17)
  11 cyclopes
  2 griffons
  A moth of wrath (shapeshifter) (D:13)
  A wolf spider zombie (D:15)
  10 wolf spiders
  3 black mambas
  7 spiny frogs
  A frost giant skeleton (D:18)
  3 spriggan druids (Lair:6)
  Psyche (D:10)
  4 orb spiders
  4 demonic crawlers
  A fire drake (Lair:5)
  5 mermaids (Shoals:1)
  A giant firefly (shapeshifter) (D:16)
  3 giant fireflies (Lair:6)
  8 trolls
  9 jumping spiders
  19 spriggans (Lair:6)
  11 two-headed ogres
  7 blink frogs
  A fire drake (shapeshifter) (D:15)
  5 komodo dragons
  A dragon zombie (D:14)
  A raven (shapeshifter) (D:16)
  2 hydra skeletons
  42 slime creatures
  A snapping turtle (Shoals:1)
  A vampire (D:18)
  2 basilisks
  19 redbacks
  22 ugly things
  A dragon skeleton (D:16)
  54 yaks
  3 trapdoor spiders
  3 griffon skeletons
  5 shadows
  5 tarantellas
  3 wraiths
  3 hill giant zombies
  A chaos spawn (D:16)
  7 water elementals
  A golden eye (shapeshifter) (D:16)
  A deep elf fighter (D:17)
  10 hippogriffs
  9 merfolk (Shoals:1)
  5 sharks
  2 hungry ghosts
  3 hill giant skeletons
  3 wyverns
  8 wolves
  6 manticores
  Menkaure (D:7)
  A necrophage (D:13)
  2 rock worms (D:17)
  11 vampire mosquitoes
  A small abomination (D:16)
  6 porcupines
  3 ice beasts
  2 mottled dragons
  3 soldier ants
  A swamp drake (D:11)
  A deep troll skeleton (D:18)
  2 sky beasts (D:13)
  3 giant goldfish
  3 black bears
  A freezing wraith (D:18)
  47 orc warriors
  2 phantoms
  The ghost of Alton the Slasher, an average DsFi (D:3)
  30 centaurs
  6 boring beetles
  3 yellow wasps
  21 ogres
  9 crocodiles
  An orc zombie (D:17)
  6 giant slugs
  3 wargs
  A yaktaur zombie (D:15)
  4 big kobolds
  3 brain worms
  21 giant frogs
  5 water moccasins
  2 yaktaur skeletons (D:18)
  A cyclops skeleton (D:17)
  A manticore skeleton (D:11)
  3 agate snails
  2 cyclops zombies
  3 gnoll sergeants
  A boulder beetle zombie (D:16)
  2 hippogriff zombies
  An eye of draining (D:11)
  2 yak zombies
  3 troll zombies
  5 jellyfish
  2 hippogriff skeletons
  15 wights
  17 killer bees
  3 electric eels (D:15)
  A troll skeleton (D:13)
  6 goliath beetles
  9 crimson imps
  A quasit (D:10)
  A jelly (D:7)
  A basilisk zombie (D:9)
  A centaur zombie (D:6)
  38 orc priests
  4 scorpions
  4 big fish
  A giant frog skeleton (D:11)
  23 orc wizards
  9 hounds
  16 spiders
  A two-headed ogre skeleton (D:13)
  5 iguanas
  6 orange rats
  9 worker ants
  10 sheep
  A big kobold zombie (D:14)
  An ogre skeleton (D:5)
  A big kobold skeleton (D:15)
  3 boggarts (D:18)
  3 mummies
  16 adders
  12 gnolls
  5 giant centipedes
  5 giant mites
  44 green rats
  2 inept feature mimics
  A white imp (D:11)
  6 worms
  4 ufetubi
  2 giant eyeballs
  4 giant geckos
  An ooze (D:1)
  234 orcs
  7 giant cockroaches
  4 grey rats (D:10)
  21 hobgoblins
  41 jackals
  11 quokkas
  3 ball pythons (Sewer)
  19 bats
  11 giant newts
  4 giant spores
  22 goblins
  3 hobgoblin skeletons
  A hobgoblin zombie (D:6)
  4 illusory rakshasas (D:17)
  40 kobolds
  A kobold skeleton (D:6)
  A kobold zombie (D:6)
  A quokka zombie (D:8)
  29 rats
  2 spectral orcs (D:11)
  6 ballistomycetes
  2 fungi
  10 plants
1439 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
  A blink frog (D:14)
  A centaur (D:17)
  A big fish (D:13)
  A hound (D:14)
  A kobold (D:14)
  4 fungi (Lair:6)
  36 plants
45 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 1484 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
--------------------------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | Vorelulhar, the Draconian Air Elementalist, began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 14/14 MP: 3/3
   424 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 20/20 MP: 2/4
   429 | D:1      | Learned a level 2 spell: Swiftness
  1101 | D:1      | Reached skill level 1 in Charms
  1705 | D:2      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 26/26 MP: 1/6
  2310 | D:3      | Reached skill level 4 in Air Magic
  2355 | D:3      | Noticed Alton's ghost (average DsFi)
  2382 | D:3      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 33/33 MP: 2/8
  2836 | D:3      | Reached skill level 6 in Air Magic
  2836 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 38/38 MP: 6/9
  2880 | D:3      | Killed Alton's ghost
  2880 | D:3      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 36/45 MP: 0/11
  3405 | D:3      | Found a glowing drain.
  3413 | D:3      | Reached skill level 7 in Air Magic
  3558 | Sewer    | Entered a sewer
  5230 | D:4      | Your scales start taking on a dull iron-grey colour.
  5230 | D:4      | Gained mutation: You can survive without breathing. [draconian maturity]
  5230 | D:4      | Reduced skill Air Magic to level 5
  5230 | D:4      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 50/50 MP: 5/15
  5524 | D:4      | Reached skill level 6 in Air Magic
  6076 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  6335 | D:5      | Reached skill level 5 in Spellcasting
  6850 | D:5      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 50/57 MP: 8/20
  6958 | D:6      | Learned a level 2 spell: Repel Missiles
  7858 | D:6      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  7865 | D:6      | Got a fine lapis lazuli ring
  7869 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple
  7873 | Temple   | Identified the ring "Ikirghot" {+Inv rF+} (You found it on level 6 of the Dungeon)
  7975 | Temple   | Became a worshipper of Sif Muna the Loreminder
  8812 | D:7      | Noticed Menkaure
  8823 | D:7      | Killed Menkaure
  8823 | D:7      | Acquired Sif Muna's first power
  9182 | D:7      | Reached skill level 5 in Charms
  9219 | D:7      | Noticed Vorelulhar's ghost (experienced DrWr)
  9707 | D:7      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 38/62 MP: 1/22
 10291 | D:8      | Acquired Sif Muna's second power
 10351 | D:8      | Noticed Maurice
 10372 | D:9      | Reached skill level 1 in Shields
 10645 | D:9      | Found Jeah Tra's Book Shop.
 10656 | D:9      | Bought a book of Hinderance for 280 gold pieces
 10686 | D:9      | Learned a level 4 spell: Petrify
 10948 | D:9      | Reached skill level 1 in Earth Magic
 11024 | D:9      | Found Ozoggot's Distillery.
 11126 | D:9      | Bought a potion of mutation for 42 gold pieces
 11126 | D:9      | Bought a potion of slowing for 14 gold pieces
 11126 | D:9      | Bought a potion of degeneration for 28 gold pieces
 11126 | D:9      | Bought a potion of paralysis for 14 gold pieces
 11763 | D:6      | Paralysed by a giant eyeball for 3 turns
 12182 | D:8      | Found a flagged portal.
 12274 | Bailey   | Entered a bailey
 12715 | Bailey   | Noticed Sinort's ghost (experienced MiFi)
 13312 | D:10     | Entered Level 10 of the Dungeon
 13312 | D:10     | Found Immir's Distillery.
 13314 | D:10     | Bought a potion of confusion for 14 gold pieces
 13314 | D:10     | Bought a potion of resistance for 98 gold pieces
 13377 | D:10     | Reached skill level 5 in Earth Magic
 13462 | D:10     | Reached XP level 10. HP: 51/69 MP: 12/23
 13921 | D:10     | Noticed Psyche
 13953 | D:10     | Killed Psyche
 14077 | D:10     | Reached skill level 7 in Earth Magic
 14213 | D:10     | Reached skill level 1 in Transmutations
 14441 | D:10     | Acquired Sif Muna's third power
 14449 | D:10     | Reached skill level 5 in Transmutations
 15425 | D:11     | Noticed a hill giant
 15461 | D:10     | Noticed a hill giant
 15814 | D:11     | Found a portal to a secret trove of treasure.
 15907 | D:11     | Noticed Nergalle
 16263 | D:10     | Learned a level 3 spell: Flight
 16305 | D:10     | Killed a hill giant
 16837 | D:10     | Killed a hill giant
 17096 | D:11     | Reached skill level 8 in Spellcasting
 17434 | D:11     | Killed Nergalle
 17434 | D:11     | Reached XP level 11. HP: 43/74 MP: 2/27
 17732 | D:11     | Noticed a skeletal warrior
 18071 | D:11     | Killed an unseen horror
 18202 | D:11     | Reached skill level 9 in Spellcasting
 18298 | D:11     | Found a staircase to the Orcish Mines.
 19267 | D:11     | Found a blossoming altar of Fedhas.
 19339 | D:11     | Noticed a skeletal warrior
 19339 | D:11     | Noticed a skeletal warrior
 19339 | D:11     | Noticed a skeletal warrior
 20318 | D:12     | Reached skill level 10 in Spellcasting
 20927 | D:11     | Noticed a skeletal warrior
 21971 | D:12     | Found Skoataeta's Magic Scroll Shoppe.
 21980 | D:12     | Bought a scroll of blinking for 77 gold pieces
 21980 | D:12     | Bought a scroll of curse jewellery for 28 gold pieces
 21991 | D:12     | Found a staircase to the Lair.
 22020 | Lair:1   | Entered Level 1 of the Lair of Beasts
 23287 | Trove    | Entered a treasure trove
 23290 | Trove    | Got a fine amber ring
 23301 | Trove    | Got a smoking bronze ring
 23311 | Trove    | Got a wavering granite ring
 23350 | Trove    | Identified the ring "Xosyec" {+Rage +Fly rPois} (You found it in a treasure trove)
 23351 | Trove    | Identified the ring of Ghiniw {Wiz Dex+5 Int+3} (You found it in a treasure trove)
 23352 | Trove    | Identified the ring of Deikucw {Dex+1 Int+3} (You found it in a treasure trove)
 23791 | Lair:2   | Identified a cursed +3 rod of fiery destruction (11/11) (You found it on level 11 of the Dungeon)
 24057 | Lair:2   | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 24058 | Lair:2   | Identified Shriuhiun's Volume of Enhancements and the Snowflakes (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 2 of the Lair of Beasts)
 24323 | Lair:2   | Reached skill level 1 in Fighting
 24436 | Lair:2   | Noticed a four-headed hydra
 24507 | Lair:2   | Learned a level 5 spell: Lightning Bolt
 25438 | Lair:1   | Got a bloodstained war axe
 25594 | Lair:1   | Identified the cursed war axe of Precise Incision {chop, rPois MR++} (You found it on level 1 of the Lair of Beasts)
 25788 | Lair:3   | Reached skill level 5 in Conjurations
 26579 | Lair:3   | Reached XP level 12. HP: 81/86 MP: 14/30
 27690 | Lair:4   | Noticed Erica
 27700 | Lair:4   | Killed Erica
 28396 | Lair:4   | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 28399 | Lair:4   | Identified Sif Muna's Disquisition on Stones and Shape Shifting (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 4 of the Lair of Beasts)
 28414 | Lair:4   | Learned a level 6 spell: Iron Shot
 28438 | Lair:4   | Found an iron altar of Okawaru.
 28628 | Lair:5   | Found a hole to the Spider Nest.
 28806 | Lair:5   | Noticed a seven-headed hydra
 29537 | Lair:5   | Killed a seven-headed hydra
 29988 | D:12     | Reached skill level 10 in Earth Magic
 30158 | D:11     | Killed a skeletal warrior
 30159 | D:11     | Killed a skeletal warrior
 30325 | D:11     | Killed a skeletal warrior
 30325 | D:11     | Reached skill level 11 in Earth Magic
 30449 | Lair:2   | Learned a level 3 spell: Passwall
 30454 | Lair:2   | Learned a level 2 spell: Stoneskin
 30639 | Lair:5   | Found a staircase to the Shoals.
 32060 | Lair:6   | Reached skill level 12 in Earth Magic
 32069 | Lair:6   | Reached XP level 13. HP: 58/93 MP: 12/31
 32529 | Lair:6   | Noticed a five-headed hydra
 32538 | Lair:6   | Killed a five-headed hydra
 32814 | Lair:6   | Killed a spriggan rider
 32814 | Lair:6   | Killed a giant firefly
 32841 | Lair:6   | Reached skill level 10 in Conjurations
 33062 | Lair:6   | Noticed a spriggan rider
 33065 | Lair:6   | Killed a spriggan rider
 33065 | Lair:6   | Killed a giant firefly
 33454 | Lair:6   | Noticed a spriggan rider
 33470 | Lair:6   | Killed a spriggan rider
 33470 | Lair:6   | Killed a giant firefly
 33470 | Lair:6   | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 33471 | Lair:6   | Identified Sif Muna's Incunabulum of Attacks (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 6 of the Lair of Beasts)
 34467 | Lair:2   | Identified a scroll of acquirement
 34758 | Orc:1    | Entered Level 1 of the Orcish Mines
 34807 | Orc:1    | Found a roughly hewn altar of Beogh.
 35051 | Orc:1    | Found Yqayg's Distillery.
 35563 | Orc:2    | Found Khezow's Armour Boutique.
 36461 | Orc:3    | Found Thutio's Magical Wand Boutique.
 36609 | Orc:3    | Found a staircase to the Elven Halls.
 36909 | Orc:4    | Entered Level 4 of the Orcish Mines
 37762 | Orc:4    | Reached skill level 1 in Invocations
 41129 | Orc:4    | Reached XP level 14. HP: 21/100 MP: 22/33
 42268 | Orc:4    | Found Wuxeif's Weapon Boutique.
 42269 | Orc:4    | Found Deptaic's Distillery.
 42269 | Orc:4    | Found Juygiusym's Food Boutique.
 42269 | Orc:4    | Found Fetouh's Jewellery Shop.
 42282 | Orc:4    | Bought an uncursed ring of see invisible for 180 gold pieces
 43330 | D:12     | Found Tosojaev's Book Emporium.
 44021 | D:13     | Noticed Harold
 44791 | D:13     | Found a white marble altar of Elyvilon.
 44953 | D:13     | Reached skill level 5 in Fighting
 45492 | D:13     | Killed Harold
 45809 | D:14     | Entered Level 14 of the Dungeon
 46467 | D:14     | Reached skill level 5 in Dodging
 48254 | D:15     | Entered Level 15 of the Dungeon
 48806 | D:15     | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 48812 | D:15     | Identified Sif Muna's Almanac of Arcane Weapons (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 15 of the Dungeon)
 49774 | D:15     | Reached skill level 13 in Conjurations
 52152 | D:15     | Reached XP level 15. HP: 76/110 MP: 7/34
 52290 | D:16     | Reached skill level 14 in Conjurations
 53887 | D:16     | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 53888 | D:16     | Identified Sif Muna's Grimoire of Attacks (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 16 of the Dungeon)
 53918 | D:16     | Found a basalt altar of Yredelemnul.
 55244 | D:15     | Reached skill level 15 in Conjurations
 57507 | D:17     | Reached skill level 16 in Conjurations
 58572 | D:17     | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 58590 | D:17     | Identified Sif Muna's Grimoire of Confrontation (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 17 of the Dungeon)
 59040 | D:17     | Noticed Agnes
 59047 | D:17     | Killed Agnes
 59839 | D:16     | Reached skill level 17 in Conjurations
 60832 | D:17     | Reached XP level 16. HP: 106/116 MP: 29/34
 62332 | D:18     | Noticed Jorgrun
 62336 | D:18     | Killed Jorgrun
 63838 | D:18     | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 64045 | D:18     | Identified Sif Muna's Almanac of Conjuration (Sif Muna gifted it to you on level 18 of the Dungeon)
 64051 | D:18     | Learned a level 4 spell: Iskenderun's Battlesphere
 64111 | D:18     | Noticed Aizul
 64495 | D:18     | Killed Aizul
 65315 | D:12     | Bought a book of Minor Magic for 260 gold pieces
 65319 | D:12     | Learned a level 2 spell: Blink
 65323 | D:12     | Learned a level 3 spell: Conjure Flame
 65521 | Spider:1 | Entered Level 1 of the Spider Nest
 65712 | Lair:5   | Reached skill level 1 in Translocations
 68062 | Spider:2 | Reached skill level 5 in Translocations
 68397 | Spider:2 | Noticed Arachne
 69431 | Shoals:1 | Entered Level 1 of the Shoals
 70628 | Shoals:1 | Reached skill level 5 in Invocations


Action                   |  1- 3 |  4- 6 |  7- 9 | 10-12 | 13-15 | 16-18 || total
-------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------++-------
Melee: Unarmed           |    31 |       |       |       |       |       ||    31
       Dagger            |    56 |   638 |    17 |    12 |       |       ||   723
       Staff             |       |       |    32 |    69 |       |       ||   101
       Halberd           |       |       |     5 |       |       |       ||     5
       War axe           |       |       |       |   332 |  1616 |   331 ||  2279
       Scimitar          |       |       |       |       |     2 |       ||     2
 Cast: Shock             |    78 |   130 |   626 |   807 |   166 |   222 ||  2029
       Swiftness         |     1 |       |    55 |   163 |   201 |    82 ||   502
       Repel Missiles    |       |       |     6 |    17 |    93 |    26 ||   142
       Petrify           |       |       |       |    18 |       |       ||    18
       Lightning Bolt    |       |       |       |    55 |   139 |    40 ||   234
       Flight            |       |       |       |     2 |     2 |    12 ||    16
       Stoneskin         |       |       |       |     2 |   210 |    73 ||   285
       Iron Shot         |       |       |       |     2 |   169 |    64 ||   235
       Iskenderun's Batt |       |       |       |       |       |    43 ||    43
       Blink             |       |       |       |       |       |     4 ||     4
Invok: Channel Energy    |       |       |       |     1 |       |    42 ||    43
 Abil: Evoke Invisibilit |       |       |       |     2 |     1 |       ||     3
Evoke: Wand              |       |       |    10 |     6 |     2 |     1 ||    19
  Use: Scroll            |       |       |     9 |    12 |    11 |    14 ||    46
       Potion            |       |       |    13 |    10 |     3 |     5 ||    31
 Stab: Invisible         |       |       |       |       |     4 |       ||     4
       Sleeping          |       |       |       |       |       |     2 ||     2



[Sar]

If you just want to win you don't really need anything stronger than iron shot, so covering your defensive and melee weaknesses might be a good idea instead of getting another magic school. Staff of earth melee is pretty good but will require Staves, some Evo investment and more Earth; you can also grab something like a demon weapon with good brand and use that instead and swap to earthstaff for stronger iron shot. Your Fighting and Dodging look really neglected, too.

[LackofCertainty]

On the subject of dodging, a shop has a book with phase shift in it. Would it be a good idea to skimp on dodging for translocations and phase shift, or is the dodging skill the better way to go? (actually I want to say that phase shift would already be comfortably castable, so this might be a moot question)

Also, I want to play every character for the extended. If I'm going to win, I'd like to win with 15 runes rather than prematurely finishing with 3. (probably a silly strategy, but I hate the idea of giving up on a character that could've gone all the way)

[Sar]

Phase Shift isn't really a substitute for Dodging, it just gives you more EV, which is nice.
Fighting, Dodging and melee skill will surely be the opposite of useless in extended, but I can't say more as I lack extended experience.

[Mankeli]

On the subject of dodging, a shop has a book with phase shift in it. Would it be a good idea to skimp on dodging for translocations and phase shift, or is the dodging skill the better way to go? (actually I want to say that phase shift would already be comfortably castable, so this might be a moot question

General note: You can get both since you have been training translocs anyways, and even if you wouldn't, also because of skills, dodging in this case, getting more and more expensive in terms of experience as you progress with skill levels. So for many (probably all) characters there is a point where it is actually cheaper to get the additional EV from investing in translocs than it would be to just train dodging. This depends on your aptitudes, size modifier, attributes etc. Phase shift always gives you + 8 EV so it's a nice addition to the EV provided by your dodging skill but certainly isn't a substitue for dodging skill (reasons: you have to cast it, for one, and the amount of EV doesn't scale with your stats, unlike with dodging).

Eventually on a 15-rune game you can easily afford pretty much anything you want, though, experiencewise. So this advice was more an the general side of things.

Less general note: I think with 8 translocs, wizardry and 13 spellcasting you probably can cast it but I'm a bit rusty. Also translock miscasts are not that entertaining. Get fighting to level 10 or so. Then I would go for a bit of dodging, like 4-6 skill levels. After that, I'd follow Sar's excellent melee ponderings. Whatever you do, don't train transmutations just for Necromutation: the spell isn't necessary (many say not even worth getting at all) and preparing for a spell that is possibly useful in Tomb at this point of the game is pointless. In general, earth skill is much more important for EE's than transmutations.

[KoboldLord]

I would take the staff of earth over a war axe without a moment's thought. The staff of earth makes your Iron Shot better, and once you have a few levels of evocations and staves it'll save you a lot of mp, too. But the spell enhancer is the best part.

Definitely work on your support and defensive skills before you think about picking up another element or transmutations or whatever else you're thinking might be handy three Runes later than now. You haven't even finished Lair. Iron Shot is all you need for that, but more hit points or EV is going to benefit you now and is going to benefit you for the rest of the game. Think about the 15-Rune game when you actually have the resources from the mid-game, because your final decisions on how to handle those last ten Runes are going to depend an awful lot on the stuff you actually end up getting.

Certainly you don't want to spend a billion xp grinding transmutations and necromancy that you never use just so you can die in Depths because you didn't have quite enough hit points or damage output to handle a deep troll clawing you in the face.

[LackofCertainty]

Thanks for the tips, everybody.

Updates:
I finally got haste from sif, and trained up charms to be able to use it easily.
Pushed my fighting and dodging both up to 11.
Got invo to 8, for slightly better channeling. (I seem to be leaning on that ability really heavily)

Finished off the Lair. Was the spriggan forest end, and I basically burnt the whole thing down with lightning bolts. Was it necessary? Probably not, but it was too much fun to not.
Explored down to Spider's Nest 5, and cleared a good chunk of it. Ran into Sojobo there, but I don't have any rElec yet.
Switched over to exploring a little of the Shoals and Vaults. Vaults seems to be a bit easier for me, so I'm gonna delve deeper in there next. (it might just be that the merfolk javelineers still scare me)

Ran into Donald and got a +0 shield of reflection. Was considering training shields to 11 for it, but the wiki tells me it's not a very good ego, so maybe not? All my armor's still vanilla, so part of me wants to use it just because it has an ego. (and also because I'd like to give the merfolk javelineers a taste of their own medicine)

[LackofCertainty]

I didn't realize that redbacks could two shot me via poison. Ran into a pair of them and forgot that my rPois was on my other weapon.

[tasonir]

can you post the morgue? the poison damage itself shouldn't be that high - I'm assuming it was mostly melee damage and then the poison damage on top of that may add some additional damage. Did you kill the redbacks and die while resting?

I'm just asking because accurately understanding what killed you and how much damage was physical vs poison is an important part of learning from your deaths