CIP: Newb KoBe ready for lair?

[tomas1297]

First of all: hi. Occasional lurker, first time poster here. Usually I discuss Crawl on a different forum in the "games" board, but the thread isn't very active, so I thought posting here would be better.
So, as the thread name says, am I ready to go to the lair, or should I stick with the dungeon? I rarely get to this point so I'm kind of stressed. Advice about skills would be nice too. Also does the amulet of rage improve berserker rage too?
I'd say this is a pretty good character. Nice weapon, magical resistance, ring of sustenance. Also many, many wands... Anyway, file:

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.8.0 character file.

  Code:

Tomas1298 the Basher (Kobold Berserker)                                                                            Turns: 13013, Time: 00:30:58

HP  64/64        AC  5     Str 20      Exp: 10/6605 (149), need: 1155
MP   9/9         EV 19     Int  6      God: Trog [*****.]
Gold 270         SH  0     Dex 14      Spells:  0 memorised,  9 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : +    x - +7,+4 morningstar "Mny Leso" {god gift, sl
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : . .  t - +1 leather armour (curse)
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .    (no shield)
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    (no helmet)
Res.Poison: .       Clarity    : .    e - +0 cloak
Res.Elec. : .       Spirit.Shd : .    (no gloves)
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    (no boots)
Res.Mut.  : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .    c - amulet of rage
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    v - ring of protection from magic
Saprovore : + + .   Ctrl.Flight: .    b - ring of sustenance

@: extremely resistant to hostile enchantments, stealthy
A: carnivore 3, saprovore 2
a: Burn Spellbooks, Berserk, Trog's Hand, Brothers in Arms, Renounce Religion, Evoke Berserk Rage


You are on level 8 of the Dungeon.
You worship Trog.
Trog is exalted by your worship.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 1 branch of the dungeon, and seen 8 of its levels.

You have collected 250 gold pieces.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 g - an uncursed orcish dagger
 x - the +7,+4 morningstar "Mny Leso" (weapon) {god gift, slay orc, MR SInv}
   (Trog gifted it to you on level 8 of the Dungeon)   
   
   It is especially effective against all of orcish descent.
   
   
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It enhances your eyesight.
Missiles
 d - 13 steel +3 darts (quivered)
Armour
 e - a +0 cloak (worn)
 t - a cursed +1 leather armour (worn)
Magical devices
 a - a wand of magic darts {zapped: 1}
 m - a wand of cold {zapped: 2}
 p - a wand of frost (7)
 q - a wand of flame {zapped: 3}
 s - an ivory wand {zapped: 2} {tried}
 w - a blackened copper wand {zapped: 1} {tried by monster}
 y - a sharpened bronze wand {zapped: 1} {tried}
Comestibles
 h - 2 meat rations
Scrolls
 f - a scroll of fog
 i - a scroll of teleportation
 n - a scroll of identify
 o - 2 scrolls of fear
 r - 3 scrolls of detect curse
Jewellery
 b - a ring of sustenance (left hand)
 c - an amulet of rage (around neck)
 v - a ring of protection from magic (right hand)
Potions
 j - a potion of berserk rage
 k - a potion of invisibility
 l - 2 potions of healing
 u - a potion of restore abilities


 You have 149 experience left.

   Skills:
 + Level 8 Fighting
 + Level 12 Maces & Flails
 + Level 6 Throwing
 - Level 2 Armour
 + Level 10 Dodging
 - Level 4 Stealth
 - Level 2 Stabbing
 - Level 1 Traps & Doors

[Doc Brown]

The Lair usually isn't any more difficult than the regular dungeon at the same depth. The main threats in Lair 1-7 are hydras, spiny frogs and packs of elephants, all of which can easily be handled with berzerking and/or brothers in arms. Just don't let yourself get surrounded and don't forget that berzerking can be used to retreat, too. Due to the open design of the Lair levels you should be careful to make sure that you're in a safe spot whenever you get exhausted from zerking. If you ever get caught by anything remotely dangerous while you're in a slow and exhausted state, you should try to blink/teleport away to rest.

The amulet of rage may extend the duration of berserking, but I think the gain is marginal compared to Trogs effect.

[tomas1297]

Many thanks. I have never considered using berserk to run away. I should try it. I will probably have problems with running away due to lack of teleport/blink scrolls. Spiny frogs, from my experience aren't that bad. Hydras... I don't know. the only character i faced hydras with was an axe user, so understandably, I kind of have a phobia of them. That time I used all my wands on one hydra and got killed by the second hydra I encountered. Let's hope I survive. I'll try now.

[Doc Brown]

As a follower of Trog you can always line up some spellbooks between you and the hydra and then burn them. The hydra will walk straight through the flames and take heavy damage.

Also be careful when fighting elephants, as they will push you around, possibly pushing you away from stairs and such.

Good luck!

[tomas1297]

Greed takes another life.
I easily cleared the first three levels of the lair. Nothing could stand before me and I didn't even need to go berserk. Then I found an entrance to the labyrinth. The game warned me it would disappear later, so I couldn't resist the temptation. And then I found out that even with berserk I can't compare to a minotaur. YASD.
It seems I do best with Draconian Berserkers anyway (natural fire support and bonus AC is very nice). Let's try that again. And not do labyrinth this time.

[KoboldLord]

And not do labyrinth this time.

Feh! The lesson should be to send in your Brothers first, once you've found the minotaur. If the first one dies because the minotaur picked up a weapon acquirement from the loot, the next one will avenge that death.

[XuaXua]

Poison the minotaur and run; keep it up till he dies.

Always have that blowgun with poison ready as your backup. It has worked wonders against hard stuff like minotaurs and death yaks.