CIP: scared FOAK

[Odds]

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.20.0-7-g3b7b877 (webtiles) character file.

Odds the Cleaver (Formicid Abyssal Knight)         Turns: 13297, Time: 00:37:26

Health: 77/77      AC: 15    Str: 19    XL:     10   Next: 60%
Magic:  14/14      EV:  9    Int: 12    God:    Lugonu [***...]
Gold:   188        SH:  0    Dex: 11    Spells: 9/9 levels left

rFire    + . .     SeeInvis +   a - +1 hand axe
rCold    . . .     Gourm    .   (no shield)
rNeg     . . .     Faith    .   f - +0 chain mail
rPois    .         Spirit   .   (helmet unavailable)
rElec    .         Reflect  .   (no cloak)
rCorr    .         Harm     .   n - +0 pair of gloves
MR       +....                  v - +0 pair of boots {Stlth+}
Stlth    ..........             (no amulet)
Regen    0.3/turn               e - ring of protection from fire
MPRegen  0.2/turn               F - +2 ring of protection

@: no status effects
A: permanent stasis, dig shafts and tunnels, four strong arms, antennae 3
a: Dig, Shaft Self, Depart the Abyss, Bend Space, Banish, Renounce Religion


You are on level 10 of the Dungeon.
You worship Lugonu.
Lugonu is most pleased with you.
You are very full.

You have visited 1 branch of the dungeon, and seen 11 of its levels.
You have visited the Abyss 1 time.

You have collected 398 gold pieces.
You have spent 210 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand Weapons
 a - a +1 hand axe (weapon)
Missiles
 i - 6 needles of sleeping
 A - 7 tomahawks (quivered)
 C - a throwing net
Armour
 f - a +0 chain mail (worn)
 n - a +0 pair of gloves (worn)
 p - a +0 ring mail
 v - a +0 pair of boots of stealth (worn)
Jewellery
 e - a ring of protection from fire (left hand)
 t - an uncursed ring of resist corrosion
 F - a +2 ring of protection (right hand)
 G - the ring of Nohu Ymp {+Fly Int+6}
   (You found it on level 8 of the Dungeon)   
   
   [ring of flight]
   
   It affects your intelligence (+6).
   It lets you fly.
Wands
 l - a wand of clouds (?/9) {empty}
 x - a wand of confusion (0/48)
 y - a wand of lightning (?/15) {empty}
 E - a wand of confusion (?/48)
Scrolls
 k - 2 scrolls of fog
 q - 2 scrolls of remove curse
 z - a scroll of fear
Potions
 b - 3 potions of mutation
 m - a potion of resistance
 o - 3 potions of brilliance
 s - a potion of flight
 u - 2 potions of lignification
 w - a potion of ambrosia
Books
 r - a book of Callings   
   
    Spells                             Type                      Level
    a - Summon Small Mammal          Summoning                     1
    b - Call Imp                     Summoning                     2
    c - Call Canine Familiar         Summoning                     3
    d - Summon Guardian Golem        Hexes/Summoning               3
    e - Summon Lightning Spire       Summoning/Air                 4
    f - Summon Ice Beast             Ice/Summoning                 4
Comestibles
 c - 5 bread rations
 d - 9 fruits
 g - a meat ration
 j - 3 royal jellies


   Skills:
 + Level 6.3 Fighting
 + Level 10.7 Axes
 * Level 6.9 Armour
 + Level 3.9 Dodging
 + Level 5.9 Invocations
 - Level 2.0 Evocations


You have 9 spell levels left.
You don't know any spells.

Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (11/15)            Temple (0/1) D:5         
  Lair: D:8-11         Orc: D:9-12     

Altars:
Cheibriados
Dithmenos
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Gozag
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Ru
Trog
Vehumet
Zin
The Shining One

Shops:
D:5 %[   D:6 *

Annotations:
D:10 AngelaSmythe's ghost, novice MiBe


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You cannot be hasted, slowed, berserked, paralysed or teleported.
You can dig through walls and to a lower floor.
Your four strong arms can wield two-handed weapons with a shield.
You have a pair of large antennae on your head. (SInv)


Message History

The adder moves out of view.
The adder bites you but does no damage. The adder closely misses you.
You miss the adder. The adder bites you but does no damage.
You miss the adder. The adder barely misses you.
You closely miss the adder. The adder completely misses you.
You miss the adder. The adder bites you but does no damage.
You slash the adder!
The adder is severely wounded.
The adder bites you but does no damage.
You barely miss the adder.
The adder is severely wounded.
The adder bites you but does no damage.
You closely miss the adder.
The adder is severely wounded.
The adder bites you but does no damage.
You hit the adder.
The adder is severely wounded.
You hit the adder.
You kill the adder!
Lugonu accepts your kill.

           #########
############.......#
#..........#.......#
#..........#.......#
#.....@....'.......#
#..........#.......#
#....##....#.......####
#....##....######...>..
#######.......  #......
      #........ +......
      #.........#......
      ##+####...#......
             #######...


There are no monsters in sight!

Vanquished Creatures
  The ghost of sophia the Geomancer, a novice GrEE (D:5)
  Grinder (D:6)
  A hippogriff (D:7)
  The ghost of Xoai the Stinger, an amateur OpVM (D:3)
  Sigmund (D:5)
  Eustachio (D:4)
  A black bear (D:6)
  An eye of draining (D:8)
  An orc warrior (D:8)
  3 sky beasts
  4 ice beasts
  2 ogres (D:7)
  4 centaurs
  A crocodile (D:8)
  4 bullfrogs
  A wyvern zombie (D:6)
  A scorpion (D:7)
  3 killer bees (D:7)
  2 howler monkeys (D:8)
  4 crimson imps
  3 hounds
  2 jellies
  An orc priest (D:8)
  A centaur skeleton (D:6)
  7 orc wizards
  3 iguanas
  5 worker ants
  A killer bee zombie (D:7)
  2 hound skeletons (D:4)
  3 gnolls (D:8)
  10 adders
  A shadow imp (D:11)
  2 oozes
  An adder skeleton (D:8)
  4 worms
  A dart slug (D:1)
  4 leopard geckos
  21 orcs
  5 ball pythons
  6 bats
  5 giant cockroaches
  11 goblins
  7 hobgoblins
  11 jackals
  5 quokkas
  3 frilled lizards (D:2)
  2 jackal skeletons
  14 kobolds
  2 leopard gecko zombies
  A quokka skeleton (D:5)
  8 rats
190 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
  A wyvern (D:8)
  A killer bee (D:7)
  A gnoll (D:8)
3 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 193 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
-------+----------+-------------------------------------------
     0 | Abyss:1  | Odds the Formicid Abyssal Knight began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | Abyss:1  | Reached XP level 1. HP: 18/18 MP: 2/2
    10 | Abyss:1  | Found a corrupted altar of Lugonu.
    14 | D:1      | Escaped the Abyss
    47 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 19/24 MP: 3/3
   397 | D:1      | Reached * piety under Lugonu
   557 | D:1      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 29/29 MP: 4/4
  1388 | D:2      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 32/37 MP: 4/6
  1436 | D:2      | Found a burning altar of Makhleb.
  1442 | D:2      | Found a glowing golden altar of the Shining One.
  1451 | D:2      | Reached skill level 3 in Axes
  2543 | D:3      | Reached ** piety under Lugonu
  2609 | D:3      | Found a shadowy altar of Dithmenos.
  2616 | D:3      | Found a radiant altar of Vehumet.
  2616 | D:3      | Found an ancient bone altar of Kikubaaqudgha.
  2619 | D:3      | Found a sacrificial altar of Ru.
  2620 | D:3      | Found a glowing silver altar of Zin.
  2701 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 32/42 MP: 7/7
  2720 | D:3      | Noticed Xoai's ghost (amateur OpVM)
  2727 | D:3      | Killed Xoai's ghost
  2727 | D:3      | Reached skill level 4 in Axes
  2727 | D:3      | Reached skill level 1 in Dodging
  2727 | D:3      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 35/49 MP: 8/8
  2865 | D:3      | Found a snail-covered altar of Cheibriados.
  3832 | D:4      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 53/55 MP: 9/9
  3918 | D:4      | Noticed Eustachio
  3983 | D:4      | Killed Eustachio
  3983 | D:4      | Reached skill level 5 in Axes
  4888 | D:4      | Reached skill level 6 in Axes
  4998 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  5109 | D:5      | Noticed sophia's ghost (novice GrEE)
  5705 | D:5      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 52/61 MP: 10/10
  5835 | D:5      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  5902 | D:6      | Found Acsaareu's Assorted Antiques.
  6012 | D:6      | Reached skill level 7 in Axes
  6154 | D:6      | Noticed Grinder
  6202 | D:6      | Killed Grinder
  6202 | D:6      | Reached skill level 8 in Axes
  6538 | D:6      | Reached skill level 9 in Axes
  6749 | D:6      | Reached *** piety under Lugonu
  7016 | D:6      | Bought a pair of glowing boots for 210 gold pieces
  7115 | D:6      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 49/66 MP: 11/11
  7578 | D:5      | Found Xaz Avaff's Food Shop.
  7700 | D:5      | Found a shadowy altar of Dithmenos.
  7708 | D:5      | Found Ryckaic's Antique Armour Shoppe.
  7813 | D:5      | Noticed Sigmund
  7864 | D:7      | Reached skill level 10 in Axes
  9055 | D:7      | Found a sparkling altar of Nemelex Xobeh.
  9084 | D:7      | Reached skill level 5 in Fighting
  9084 | D:7      | Reached skill level 1 in Evocations
  9129 | D:7      | Found an opulent altar of Gozag.
  9412 | D:5      | Killed Sigmund
  9536 | D:5      | Killed sophia's ghost
  9536 | D:5      | Reached skill level 5 in Armour
  9536 | D:5      | Reached XP level 10. HP: 63/74 MP: 13/13
 10554 | D:7      | Reached skill level 5 in Invocations
 11375 | D:8      | Found a white marble altar of Elyvilon.
 11381 | D:8      | Found a bloodstained altar of Trog.
 11924 | D:8      | Reached **** piety under Lugonu
 12436 | D:8      | Got a faintly glowing iron ring
 12438 | D:8      | Identified the ring of Nohu Ymp {+Fly Int+6} (You found it on level 8 of the Dungeon)
 12696 | D:8      | Noticed a tengu warrior
 12697 | D:8      | Noticed a centaur warrior
 12735 | D:8      | You fall through a shaft for 2 floors!
 12735 | D:10     | Entered Level 10 of the Dungeon
 12738 | D:10     | Noticed AngelaSmythe's ghost (novice MiBe)
 12738 | D:10     | Found a blossoming altar of Fedhas.
 12780 | D:9      | You fall through a shaft for 2 floors!

Skill      XL: |  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 |
---------------+-------------------------------+-----
Axes           |           3  4     6  9 10    | 10.7
Armour         |           3              5  6 |  6.9
Fighting       |              4           5  6 |  6.3
Dodging        |              1           2  3 |  3.9
Invocations    |              3           4  5 |  5.9
Evocations     |                          2    |  2.0

Action                   |  1- 3 |  4- 6 |  7- 9 | 10-12 || total
-------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------++-------
Melee: Hand axe          |   109 |   164 |   556 |   355 ||  1184
Throw: Tomahawk          |       |       |       |     3 ||     3
Invok: Depart the Abyss  |     1 |       |       |       ||     1
       Banish            |       |       |       |     3 ||     3
       Bend Space        |       |       |       |     1 ||     1
 Abil: Dig               |       |       |     1 |       ||     1
       Shaft Self        |       |       |       |     2 ||     2
Evoke: Wand              |       |       |    10 |       ||    10
  Use: Scroll            |     3 |     7 |     7 |     3 ||    20
       Potion            |       |     4 |     9 |     5 ||    18
 Stab: Confused          |       |       |     3 |       ||     3
       Invisible         |       |       |       |     9 ||     9
  Eat: Chunk             |     2 |     7 |    10 |     1 ||    20
       Bread ration      |       |       |     1 |     2 ||     3
       Meat ration       |       |       |     1 |     2 ||     3
Armor: Leather armour    |    19 |    22 |       |       ||    41
       Ring mail         |       |    45 |   147 |       ||   192
       Chain mail        |       |       |    80 |   182 ||   262
Dodge: Dodged            |    61 |   105 |   255 |   162 ||   583



So - my general problem is that this guy feels a bit underpowered. I'm finding a formicid hard - using lots of potions, wands etc to survive. Is my training off at this point?

My specific problem is that D8 was a fucking nightmare. Pack of killer bees with orc friends was a bad start, but after I got through that I saw centaur and tengu warriors, a vampire with a huge polearm, and a troll. All between me and the stairs. Shafted, ran from a huge ghost up some stairs, right into a pack of yaks. Shafted again, now immediately safe but a few floors out of my depth, so in deep trouble.

[Odds]

Surviving so far, but with liberal - probably unsustainable - levels of banishment. Down-stairs to lair is surrounded by elephants, who with push-back and strength I can't take. All feeling like the game wants my mini-streak to end.

[Magipi]

The problem is that you are (almost) in Lair, and you have a hand axe. Don't you have anything bigger?

[Odds]

Nope! Found a slightly better (+4) handaxe, but that's it so far. However, I've now picked up a plate armour on D:10, and it's going a lot better since then.

[VeryAngryFelid]

I am not sure if you use autoexplore as Fo, but if you do, stop it. Explore manually and always stay near rock walls if possible.
Consider using another weapon instead of hand axe, axes crosstrain with many things and even a +0 dagger of venom is better than that axe. As FoAK you will have plenty of experience so you should easily "waste" some experience on shortblades if needed.

Edit. There was a trident of freezing and antimagic halberd on D:8.

[Odds]

Cheers. Autoexplore is never great, but I get soooo bored when manually exploring and not going for a turn speedrun.

I always forget crosstraining makes switching fine these days. Silly me. Anyway, I've now cleared Lair and Orc, and have a +2 battleaxe of chopping, so things are looking up. Lugonu piety just got high enough to brand. Presumably it's well worth it, rather than holding out for an executioner's axe I may never see? Now I write that down, branding seems obviously right.

[4Hooves2Appendages]

Perhaps I would hold off the branding, until you have at least a reasonable alternative weapon to use, or strong ranged attacks. That's because some enemies are much more dangerous when they are a few squares away, especially if you need kill them quickly.

If you have good throwing and some javelins, or similar, the don't worry.

[upsidedownchuck]

Lugonu lets you unwield safely no?

[4Hooves2Appendages]

Yes, that is correct.

[upsidedownchuck]

Ah you meant dealing with the annoyance of people being blinked away, nevermind then.

[Airwolf]

An alternative is to distortion brand a hand axe and keep the battleaxe as is, swapping as desired.

[njvack]

I'm gonna vote: brand a polearm. Polearms make distortion like 75% less irritating.

[4Hooves2Appendages]

Ah you meant dealing with the annoyance of people being blinked away, nevermind then.

Not quite. I wasn't talking about the annoyance of random enemies blinking away, because you can just tab a few times.

I am talking about dangerous enemies blinking away, like Liches, ALiches, other dangerous casters/ranged enemies.

Some enemies you need to kill quickly, and spending more time in the LOS is dangerous. For most enemies it doesn't matter much. In some cases hitting them until the blink and then changing to strong ranged attacks is fine.

Other enemies are less dangerous in melee, like stone giants, because they stop throwing giant rocks.