YASD (going for 12th rune)

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

I don't normally post my YASDs, but this was my best character to date, ever since my previous wizard grossly underestimated hellion island. With maxed dodge and shield I was rocking upper 40s in both shield and evasion when buffed (and mid-low while not) and my armor was not terrible. However, for hells I had to put aside my +10 pearl dragon armor and wear the regular stuff since I had little luck finding rF gear.

So there I was in Dis 7. I had had little trouble before between tornado and a great blessed blade, when I see this tentacle thing. No worries, I had already killed a couple and this was basically alone. So I charge up and take a couple of swings when my health, which had been full, suddenly dropped to 85%. I was concerned so I tried to swing at the iron gargoyle next to me to heal up, nothing. I look at my messages and I see, shit, I am paralyzed. Space bar scrolls me through a mass of hits, I do it again, then a 3rd time. I am now at ~35% health and rather nervous. Space through another page of hits again and I am at 14 health and still paralyzed. With nothing else to do, I hit the space again, and I am dead.

Full hit points to dead in the duration of one paralyze. This is with an uncanny resistance to hostile enchantments. It is a rather unique feeling to pick up 11 runes, and spend 170k turns (plus about 12-15 hours of real played time) and go from totally fine to dead without being able to do anything about it.

Here is the morgue.

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.8.0 character file.

1070100 Dizzy the Meteorologist (level 27, -2/219 HPs)
             Began as a High Elf Wizard on Sept 2, 2011.
             Was the Champion of The Shining One.
             Slain by an eldritch tentacle (11 damage)
             ... called by the effects of Hell
             ... while paralysed
             ... on Level 7 of the Iron City of Dis on Sept 8, 2011.
             The game lasted 19:23:47 (171449 turns).

Dizzy the Meteorologist (High Elf Wizard)                                                                                                                         Turns: 171449, Time: 19:23:47

HP  -2/219       AC 24     Str 10      Exp: 27/4885614 (951244)
MP  53/55        EV  2     Int 43      God: The Shining One [******]
Gold 6539        SH  0     Dex 17      Spells: 16 memorised,  8 levels left

Res.Fire  : + + +   See Invis. : .    A - +9 Blessed Blade {god gift}
Res.Cold  : + + +   Warding    : . .  q - +3 dragon armour
Life Prot.: + + +   Conserve   : .    r - +3 dwarf shield {rC+}
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    N - +3 hat of Pondering {ponderous, MR Int+5 M
Res.Poison: .       Clarity    : .    U - +0 cloak of Starlight {rElec rC+ EV+4 Stlt
Res.Elec. : +       Spirit.Shd : .    Y - +0 pair of gloves "Eluol" {rC+}
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    m - +3 pair of boots of Misanthropy {god gift,
Res.Mut.  : +       Ctrl.Telep.: .    c - amulet of resist mutation
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : +    W - cursed ring of Ubriav {rF+ Dex+1 Int+3}
Saprovore : . . .   Ctrl.Flight: +    F - ring of the Mage {Wiz MR Int+3}

@: paralysed, petrified, deflect missiles (expires), flying, mildly poisoned, slow, uncannily resistant to hostile enchantments, unstealthy
A: screaming 1, Str +1, Int -1
a: Divine Shield, Cleansing Flame, Summon Divine Warrior, Renounce Religion, Evoke Blink


You were on level 7 of the Iron City of Dis.
You worshipped The Shining One.
The Shining One was exalted by your worship.
You were not hungry.

You visited 16 branches of the dungeon, and saw 92 of its levels.
You visited Pandemonium 6 times, and saw 41 of its levels.
You visited the Abyss 4 times.
You visited 1 Labyrinth.
You visited 2 Ziggurats, and saw 54 of their levels.
You visited 4 portal chambers: ossuary, sewer, trove, wizlab.

You collected 20904 gold pieces.
You spent 7625 gold pieces at shops.
You used 6760 gold pieces for miscellaneous purposes.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 b - a +4,+3 dagger of distortion {!*}
 n - the +6,+6 Lehudib's crystal spear (quivered) {return, Int+3}
   (You found it on level 11 of a ziggurat)   
   
   A skilled user can throw it in such a way that it will return to its owner.
   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   
   Presumably this relic led to the invention of the famous spell, or maybe the
   other way around.
 A - a +9,+9 Blessed Blade (weapon) {god gift}
Armour
 m - the +3 pair of boots of Misanthropy (worn) {god gift, +Blink rC+ MR}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 5 of the Shoals)   
   
   
   It protects you from cold.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It lets you blink.
 q - a +3 dragon armour (worn)
 r - a +3 dwarven shield of cold resistance (worn)
 N - the +3 hat of Pondering (worn) {ponderous, MR Int+5 MP+10}
   (You found it on level 5 of the Elven Halls)   
   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+5).
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It affects your mana capacity (+10).
   
   The favorite hat of the slug wizard Gastronok, stained with reddish slime
   and enchanted to aid in his arcane pondering. It has been specially
   enchanted to protect against the effects of salt, though you probably don't
   care.
 U - the +0 cloak of Starlight (worn) {rElec rC+ EV+4 Stlth--}
   (You found it on level 2 of the Hive)   
   
   
   It affects your evasion (+4).
   It protects you from cold.
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It makes you much less stealthy.
   
   A cloak woven of pure light beams.
 Y - the +0 pair of gloves "Eluol" (worn) {rC+}
   (You found it on level 16 of a ziggurat)   
   
   
   It protects you from cold.
Magical devices
 e - a wand of teleportation (9)
 f - a wand of healing (9)
 p - a wand of hasting (9)
 B - a wand of healing (8)
 K - a wand of disintegration (7)
Comestibles
 t - 4 royal jellies
 H - 3 bread rations
Scrolls
 s - a scroll of remove curse
 w - 4 scrolls of magic mapping
 L - 2 scrolls of detect curse
 S - 2 scrolls of fog
Jewellery
 a - an uncursed ring of teleport control
 c - an amulet of resist mutation (around neck)
 F - the ring of the Mage (left hand) {Wiz MR Int+3}
   (You found it on level 26 of a ziggurat)   
   
   [ring of wizardry]
   
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
 W - the cursed ring of Ubriav (right hand) {rF+ Dex+1 Int+3}
   (You found it on level 2 of the Hive)   
   
   [ring of protection from fire]
   
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It affects your dexterity (+1).
   It has a curse placed upon it.
Magical staves
 u - a staff of channeling
Miscellaneous
 d - the horn of Geryon


 You had 951244 experience left.

   Skills:
 + Level 22 Fighting
 - Level 6 Short Blades
 - Level 19 Long Blades
 - Level 2 Throwing
 + Level 10 Armour
 * Level 27 Dodging
 - Level 5 Stealth
 - Level 6 Stabbing
 * Level 27 Shields
 * Level 27 Traps & Doors
 - Level 2 Unarmed Combat
 * Level 27 Spellcasting
 + Level 13 Conjurations
 + Level 12 Charms
 - Level 4 Summonings
 + Level 14 Translocations
 - Level 5 Transmutations
 + Level 13 Ice Magic
 * Level 27 Air Magic
 - Level 2 Earth Magic
 - Level 3 Poison Magic
 + Level 12 Invocations
 + Level 9 Evocations


You had 8 spell levels left.
You knew the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Success   Level  Hunger
a - Airstrike             Air            #########.   Perfect     4    None
b - Blink                 Tloc           N/A          Perfect     2    None
c - Deflect Missiles      Air/Chrm       #########.   Excellent   6    None
d - Freezing Cloud        Ice/Air/Conj   #########.   Excellent   6    None
e - Dig                   Erth/Trmt      #######..    Excellent   4    None
f - Swiftness             Air/Chrm       #########.   Perfect     2    None
g - Flight                Air/Chrm       #########.   Perfect     4    None
h - Phase Shift           Tloc           #########.   Excellent   5    None
i - Apportation           Tloc           #########.   Perfect     1    None
j - Teleport Self         Tloc           N/A          Excellent   5    None
k - Summon Butterflies    Summ           ########.    Excellent   1    None
l - Haste                 Chrm           #########    Excellent   6    None
m - Tornado               Air            #########.   Excellent   9    None
n - Abjuration            Summ           ########..   Excellent   3    None
o - Controlled Blink      Tloc           N/A          Excellent   7    None
p - Orb of Destruction    Conj           #########.   Excellent   7    None


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (27/27)            Temple (1/1) D:7             Orc (4/4) D:6
    Elf (5/5) Orc:3          Lair (8/8) D:11         Shoals (5/5) Lair:4
  Slime (6/6) Lair:7        Snake (5/5) Lair:5         Hive (2/2) D:12
  Vault (8/8) D:14          Blade (1/1) Vault:4       Crypt (5/5) Vault:2
   Tomb (3/3) Crypt:3         Dis (7/7) Hell            Zot (4/5) D:27
   Geh: Hell:1         Coc: Hell:1         Tar: Hell:1     

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

Shops:
D:4: +/??(  D:14: +?/**  D:18: %  D:20: *  Orc:1: *  Orc:2: *  Orc:4: [([=  Vault:2: =  Vault:5: [  Vault:8: **/=

Portals:
Hell: D:21 D:22 D:23 D:24 D:25 D:26 D:27 Dis:1*** Dis:2* Dis:3 Dis:4 Dis:5 Dis:7**
Abyss: D:23 D:25
Pan: D:21 D:24
Ziggurat: D:25 (10040 gp)

Annotations
D:8 exclusion: oklob plant
D:16 2 exclusions


                    Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You are dopey (Int -1).
You occasionally shout uncontrollably.
Your muscles are strong (Str +1).


Message History

Helpless, you fail to dodge the metal gargoyle's attack.
The metal gargoyle claws you but does no damage.
Helpless, you fail to dodge the eldritch tentacle's attack.
The eldritch tentacle slaps you. The eldritch tentacle freezes you.
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
The eldritch tentacle claws you. Space bends around you.
You die...

                               ·
                            ¦¦··
                             ···
                            ¦¦··
                            ¦···
                             ¦·9
               ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦'¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
              ·······························
              ······························)
     ¦        ·····*···················%···))
  ·····      ·······w·9······n·n)n···········
 ·····¦           ¦··@···········)····)····)·
¦·····¦           ¦············¦¦¦¦¦¦¦···)···
¦·····¦           ¦············      ¦·······
¦·····¦           ¦···¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦      ¦·····¦¦
¦·····¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦···¦              ¦····#¦
¦·····················¦             ······#¦
¦·········¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦···¦             ·······¦
¦·········¦       ¦···¦             ·······¦
¦·········¦       ¦···¦                ¦¦··¦
¦····¦¦¦¦¦¦       ¦···¦         ·       ¦··¦
¦····¦            ¦···¦       ¦··¦      ¦··¦¦
¦····¦            ¦···¦       ¦··¦      ¦····
¦····¦            ¦···¦       ¦··¦      ¦····
¦····¦            ¦···¦       ¦··¦      ¦····


You could see an eldritch tentacle and a metal gargoyle.

Vanquished Creatures
  Cerebov (Pan)
  Mnoleg (Pan)
  the royal jelly (Slime:6)
  Khufu (Tomb:2)
  Lom Lobon (Pan)
  15 ancient liches

9262 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (collateral kills)
106 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
716 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 10084 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place   | Note
--------------------------------------------------------------

170102 | D:20     | Defeated Boris
170205 | Hell     | Entered the Vestibule of Hell
170205 | Hell     | Noticed Geryon
170217 | Hell     | Defeated Geryon
170573 | Dis:1    | Entered Level 1 of the Iron City of Dis
171242 | Dis:7    | Entered Level 7 of the Iron City of Dis
171447 | Dis:7    | Paralysed by an eldritch tentacle for 7 turns
171449 | Dis:7    | HP: 9/219 [eldritch tentacle[the effects of Hell] (5)]
171449 | Dis:7    | Slain by an eldritch tentacle



[KoboldLord]

Hmm… I thought this was a normal Hell Effect paralysis, but it was the result of an Eldritch Tentacle according to your log. You should have been able to simply walk away before it started attacking. I'm not sure you even get any xp if you win, and the chaos brand on it can do a whole lot of bad things.

[slowcar]

getting hit by an eldritch tentacle is a bit on the less attentive side i'd say.
i am not sure how long it takes until the tentacle comes out of the portal, but it is usually enough time to get the hell out.

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

First time in hell, and yes I was in attentive. I thought it was like a kracken tentacle in that I would have to deal with it sooner or later, and better sooner when there was nothing else around.

[Stormfox]

Think of eldritch tentacles like mimics crossed with Zot traps crossed with oklobs. Unless there is absolutely no other way around it, stay far away.

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

Think of eldritch tentacles like mimics crossed with Zot traps crossed with oklobs. Unless there is absolutely no other way around it, stay far away.

can you add this quote to the bots?

[Mackerel]

Tentacles move after you quite slowly. Turn on Tornado, stay 3 squares away, and they'll take damage for about four turns, and then poof.

[Mackerel]

Heh, OK. They seemed much slower than my spriggan, so I thought they were slower than the average character. Oh well

[slowcar]

They seemed much slower than my spriggan

More or less everything in the game...

[ebarrett]

Do you know what can take on a hell lord and pulverize multiple fiends at the same time without breaking a sweat? An eldritch tentacle. From the top of my head, it is immune to pretty much everything and then some, has decent enough defenses (all things AC/EV/hp combined - individually there might be one lousy stat there), and the attacks are 40(chaos), 30(chaos). In short, it's really goddamn scary. They just go away after a while (flavour-wise is "the portal closes and lops it off from whatever it's a part of, then it flails around for a bit before dying") so there's no reason to get anywhere near one.

This reminds me - since eldritch tentacles are now a hell effect, adding the portal spawn line to force_more_message might be a good idea. My latest hell trip had one incident in Cocytus:7 where I only noticed a tentacle after it was already out of the portal - I ran away and it decided to obliterate some of the local denizens instead.

[Jeremiah]

One thing an eldritch tentacle can't pulverise is the Lernaean Hydra - seems that 27 attacks is too much even for them...

[XuaXua]

Saw my first eldritch tentacle in Lair.

I hit a zot trap and there was a portal to "somewhere" so I went for it because what the hell, I was doing OK so I might as well chance it, right?

It popped me out nearby with some wounds, so I went back to check it out and an eldritch tentacle was making its way out.

Having read some posts in this thread, I RAN. Then I went to see how far it had gone, but there was just several bloody stains across the area where the portal had been.