CIP: FeEn skill training and god choice

[megawidget]

I realized a long time ago that I really suck at starting out hybrid characters -- transmuters, enchanters, etc. -- and I'm not sure if that's because they're simply terrible at the beginning or because I'm skilling them wrong.

  Code:

     Skill            Level Train  Apt      Skill            Level Train  Apt   
 a + Fighting          1.2   10%    0   d + Spellcasting      2.2   10%   -1   
 b * Unarmed Combat    2.6   20%    0   e * Hexes             5.7   20%   +4   
                                        f + Ice Magic         1.0   10%   -1   
                                                                               
 c + Dodging           3.1   10%   +3   g + Evocations        0.0   10%   +2   
                                        h + Stealth           5.0   10%   +4   


FeEn, I feel, gets the double whammy of desperately needing both hexes and unarmed combat, since UC skill's impact is so much higher than that of regular weapon skills, and having sleeping adders survive a stab is... problematic.
BTW I just started training Evo because I found the amulet of rage. It has a 50% chance of failure, currently, and perhaps I'm wasting those valuable skill points that would be better spent on Hexes. Or perhaps I'm not? Help.

On a different note I haven't found a temple yet but I'm currently thinking of picking between the following gods:

• Dithmenos's shadow mimic duplicating confuse and distracting enemies with melee attacks may help me set up stabbing opportunities.
• Makhleb's healing is probably even more crucial given Felids' absurdly shitty HP, and also yay for ranged attacks.
• Nemelex because escapes and ranged attacks and summons and no invocations.

If I find an early altar to any of these I was thinking of taking it. If I find a temple, I'm not sure which to pick, though with the amulet of rage I'm leaning slightly towards Nemelex.
I've also considered Ru, but his early survivability seems low and I also honestly have no idea what I'd be willing to sacrifice as a Felid given that they already don't really have anything.
EDIT: just found a temple on D:4 with all the usual suspects, so no Lugonu or Jiyva.

[agentgt]

Those gods are all good choices but Dith is especially good for FeEn.

Another good choice would be Fedhas. On stab fails (if you don't die of course that is ok) you just walk back to your shrooms.

There is also completely screwed up strategy of Xom -> Fedhas. Xom mutates you (hopefully good but yes it is equally likely to go bad).
Once you get a decent set of mutations you then switch to Fedhas. I won't go into the details why Fedhas because I'm afraid the developers will fix the loop hole but give it a try and you might see what I'm alluding to. Its completely unreliable but eventually you do get a killer char that way.... with possibly some ridiculously powerful allies to boot.

[and into]

I'd go Makhleb.

[Sandman25]

I don't understand. Why Makhleb? Is it a safe strategy to continue fighting with low HP hoping that Makhleb will heal you?

[megawidget]

  Code:

 You draw a card... It is the Storm.                                           
 The vortex of raging winds lifts you up.                                       
_You fly up into the air. A tornado forms.                                     
 You float gracefully downwards.                                               
 The vortex of raging winds lifts you up.                                       
 You fly up into the air.                                                       
 Ouch! That really hurt!                                                       
 Your air elemental hits the twister.                                           
 Your air elemental merges itself into the air.   
_Your air elemental forms itself from the air!                                 
 Okay, then.                                                                   
 You are engulfed in raging winds.                                             
 * * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *             


WTF is this card for, exactly? Why are there random suicide cards in the regular deck of destruction added since 0.14? A chance of drawing from the deck of oddities isn't enough?
I had to use my only blink scroll at 1 HP.

[Sar]

This card doesn't summon twisters anymore.

[and into]

I don't understand. Why Makhleb? Is it a safe strategy to continue fighting with low HP hoping that Makhleb will heal you?

Accidental thank.

Makhleb is really good in general, but I've also found him to be a good match for Enchanters in particular. HP on kills is always good; obviously you don't keep fighting if your HP drops too low, but healing on each kill does a lot in terms of keeping your HP up. And the Invocations are good for dealing with things that are tough to handle with hexes.

[Sandman25]

I don't understand. Why Makhleb? Is it a safe strategy to continue fighting with low HP hoping that Makhleb will heal you?

Accidental thank.

Makhleb is really good in general, but I've also found him to be a good match for Enchanters in particular. HP on kills is always good; obviously you don't keep fighting if your HP drops too low, but healing on each kill does a lot in terms of keeping your HP up. And the Invocations are good for dealing with things that are tough to handle with hexes.

Have you tried FeEn of Makhleb? I think Makhleb is more useful for Enchanters with higher HP, for Fe it might be too dangerous to stay in fight.

[Zwobot]

Don't forget Kiku! Undead armies on demand are pretty sweet~ Granted you don't get a pain weapon, but you might go for Haunt if you feel like it.

Edit: And I agree that Makhleb doesn't sounds so good for FeEn... I'd look for a panic button or a way to kill stuff from range - which Makhleb doesn't really provide.

[and into]

I've worshiped Makhleb on Felids. I suppose Makhleb is potentially more useful for characters with more HP (summon greater demon costs 10 HP, which is rather prohibitive for Felids until you have a high enough level), but I found Makhleb to be plenty useful on Felid all the same. All else being equal, I'd generally prefer Makhleb over Dith for enchanter of any species I can think of, including Fe.

I haven't played enough with new Nemelex to feel comfortable giving advice there, although amulet of rage means I would (like OP) be training evocations anyway, so the choice to go Nem makes sense.

EDIT: Of course Fedhas is a very strong choice, and Kiku is completely solid. I was simply basing my answer on the three gods mentioned as available options in the OP, as (at that time) no other altars had shown up.

[Berder]

In regard to skilling, you should train unarmed combat 100% from turn 1. It's your only way to kill things on d1 so it should be the only thing you're training initially. You don't really need more hexes because with your starting aptitude of +4 you can already cast all your spells. I had success with UC reaching 7 by lair, you could go a lot higher than that though if you are more focused.

After UC you want fighting, and after fighting you want dodging.

Then maybe more spellcasting, maybe some conj to bring the fail rate of dazzling spray down. I did a trial run and got some necromancy with kiku (just like 3-4 necro).

[megawidget]

Aaaand died to an orc smiting.

I still don't know why I keep playing Felids when they suck so hard.

[megawidget]

Trying Xom now.

  Code:

_You are now Xom's teddy bear.                                                 
_An adder comes into view.                                                     
 Xom's generous nature manifests itself.                                       
_Something appears before you!                                                 
_You see here a slice of pizza.       


Certainly no worse than Nemelex so far.