walkthrough understandings: zot impossible?

[neverEnough]

Hi,
i'm a new 6-months offline player, definitely charmed by this amazing game. The only char i'm tryin with is SpWa, pretty lovely for hybridizing (i still need to learn the game so i mostly try smthing new every good game by relyin on random books/weapons. Never directly skillin conjuration). As for gods i'm familiar with Namelex, Xom, Fedhas, Ashenzari. So late i stick to Ash because i want to win my first with him. Pretty enjoiable char

Only recently i managed to take my first rune, guess the joy ! I felt like the Irradiate spell
It was pretty surprisingly that i took many months to even enter a runed branch, and 2 weeks to collect some for 5 times.

Ok gettin now in topic: i died at zot:2 two times, 5 runes first time -3 lair's+vaults+abyss-, 4 runes second one (unlike the previous didn't fall into abyss so i didn't have chance for it, but the spell build was more solid). I felt pretty powerful both.
I know i could have managed zot:2 more carefully, but also i found it amazingly hard at this point of the game, and dyin 2 times at same level is frustrating. Since the short game is supposed to end with 3 runes i wonder how a weaker char than mines is supposed to beat/clear zot lvls. When i took the third rune i felt like digging around and exping till possible before the last run (esily earning 1-2 more runes), and as u will see in the log i cleared anything and explored any "cheap" level. I avoided last Tomb level because of heavy drains, didn't ever enter Hell and Pande because afaik they are for extended runs (and supposedly harder?).
So at that point i could only try to clear Zot, but it was very much harder than anything meet previously.

Am i misunderstand smthing? What's wrong?
Three-rune game is supposed to clear zot as previous levels or should just use tricks to steal the rune and run?
What if i feel like tryin the 15rune game, where to enter first?

Thanks in advance, i won't give up!

[and into]

I'd recommend getting a three-rune ascension before you try other stuff.

Zot always has the potential to be rough. In this case, you really, really want to have at least one pip of rF when you fight orbs of fire. Fighting an orb with a low HP character is one of the few times where you really appreciate having two pips of rF, actually. You had four potions of resistance, the moment you saw the OoF, you should have quaffed one, that would give you rF+. You should have possibly considered leaving one ring uncursed so you could swap in a ring of protection from fire, assuming you found one.

Not a bad character at all, but I would have done things a bit differently.

I would have trained more dodging (not that it necessarily would have helped in this case, as fireball ignores EV). I think you overtrained spellcasting, hexes and probably translocations, given your current and available spells, and you undertrained summonings.

You should have had these spells memorized, IMO:

Deflect missiles (replace Repel, train a bit of air magic if necessary)
Summon butterflies
Invisibility
Shadow creatures and/or Monstrous menagerie

However I want to emphasize that it was the tactical error of taking on an Orb of Fire with 130 max HP and no rF that killed you.

Best of luck on your next run, and welcome to the Tavern!

[Hellmonk]

The best zot strategy is often to not fight things. Just look for a nearby staircase (read a scroll of magic mapping if you have one) and dive to the next floor. This is especially true for a low hp spriggan without fire resistance. Walk away (possibly while hasted) is a viable strategy versus almost everything in zot for a spriggan. I would strongly suggest learning passage of golubria as well, since it's one of the best spells in the game and makes stealing the orb fairly safe.

[ximxim]

With that character you probably had all the tools you needed to clear Zot fairly safely by just exploring carefully, if something threatening appears (mostly ancient lich/OoF) cast malign gateway and back away. I generally like to invest a bit more into stealth as well with characters that fragile.

[Eyesburn]

I avoided last Tomb level

I guess that Tomb is extended too (although lately I tend to pick up golden rune as 4th or 5th rune when Im doing extended).

You should avoid first and second Tomb levels (nothing much to get there) if you are not going for all 15 runes.

[neverEnough]

Sorry guys for being so late but.. that's me

Best of luck on your next run, and welcome to the Tavern!

Thank u very much

I would strongly suggest learning passage of golubria as well, since it's one of the best spells in the game and makes stealing the orb fairly safe.

Isn't it a loud spell? I was used to learn it when i couldn't clean the early dungeon and was havin fun by kiting monsters into it when the portal random placement was unfriendly for me, but i noticed blink is pretty the same as for "normal" situations. If i avoid to clear zot, come to orb and cast it i kinda figure an effect like entering vault:5.... or not?

if something threatening appears (mostly ancient lich/OoF) cast malign gateway and back away

iirc i've meet some ALich in those 2 games for the very first time, fought them carefully with no real harm (even with some melee hits). According to the wiki, i guess i was lucky
I also seen a few malign gateway disappear with the sad emoticons a few turns after the tentacle started digging. It was surrounded by LOTS draconians and friends. I guess he got a somehow low for zots income damage limit...
Anyway, that's the way i fought my very first vault:5 and the tentacle resisted. The second time (last till now) i tried that level i used the teleport till safe way found in the forum, both times i almost died multiple times so i'm still not sure what is best.


I'm always unsure how much to rely on hexes: while the early+mid game spells are amazingly good, is it worth to reach Discord? i still never casted it. I'm also curious about Darkness.. it sounds kinda good for a stealthy char as when runnin away harmed, or? Pumping hexes so high will mostly prevent to get some other high level bolts or summons online so i need some discussion about. Thanks!

[Hellmonk]

I would strongly suggest learning passage of golubria as well, since it's one of the best spells in the game and makes stealing the orb fairly safe.

Isn't it a loud spell? I was used to learn it when i couldn't clean the early dungeon and was havin fun by kiting monsters into it when the portal random placement was unfriendly for me, but i noticed blink is pretty the same as for "normal" situations. If i avoid to clear zot, come to orb and cast it i kinda figure an effect like entering vault:5.... or not?

It makes some noise (not really a ton) when you enter it or it snaps closed on its own, casting it is silent iirc.

For Zot 5 I will start by clearing the area immediately around the stairs if there's anything there. Then I'll buff up with whatever I need. This always includes haste, usually resistance, brilliance, agility, regen, etc. Then cast passage of golubria right next to the stairs. Then teleport. If the teleport puts me reasonably close to the orb, I blink scroll and/or run close enough to apport it, grab it, cast passage again and take the passage back to the stairs. If the teleport puts me far away but not in danger I can just teleport again. If it puts me far away and in a bad situation, I cast passage again immediately and take it back to the stairs, then I can try again. Passage of golubria has a 30+ turn duration before it closes on its own so you can make multiple teleport attempts each time.