SpEn [CIP]: I can't imagine making it through Zot like this

[Confidence Interval]

I've two runes and I'm on Vaults 7. I've relied on stabbing and summoning Shadow Creatures to get me this far but I've no more powerful summons and have poor resists - I've not had much luck with finding armor or jewellery (or shops). I'm obviously underusing my spell capacity (could memorize more) but I've been hoping to find some Haunt or Summon Dragon or something like that.

Any suggestions about how to get this character tough enough to tackle Vaults 8 and then Zot? All comments welcome...

  Code:

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.9.0-27-g8a39726 character file.

ConfidenceInterval the Sorcerer (SpEn)             Turns: 62113, Time: 06:41:31

HP  86/86        AC  5     Str 10      XL: 19   Next: 17%
MP  45/45        EV 31     Int 19      God: Ashenzari [******]
Gold 3262        SH 19     Dex 19      Spells: 10 memorised, 36 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : +    a - +3,+5 dagger (stab) (curse)
Res.Cold  : + . .   Warding    : . .  A - +1 orc robe {rC+} (curse)
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .    l - +1 dwarf buckler (curse)
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    (helmet restricted)
Res.Poison: .       Clarity    : +    k - +2 elf cloak {darkness} (curse)
Res.Elec. : .       Spirit.Shd : .    (gloves unavailable)
Sust.Abil.: . .     Prev.Telep.: +    (boots unavailable)
Res.Mut.  : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .    Q - cursed amulet of controlled flight
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    C - cursed ring "Nyrali" {-TELE +Lev Str+3 Acc
Saprovore : . . .   Ctrl.Flight: +    e - cursed ring of protection from magic

@: invisible, very slightly glowing, very quick, extraordinarily resistant to
hostile enchantments, extraordinarily stealthy
A: unfitting armour, see invisible, deformed body 1, herbivore 3, speed 3, slow
metabolism 3
a: Scrying, Transfer Knowledge, Renounce Religion, Evoke Levitation
}: 2/15 runes: decaying, barnacled


You are on level 7 of the Vaults.
You worship Ashenzari.
Ashenzari is exalted by your worship.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 8 branches of the dungeon, and seen 50 of its levels.
You have visited 1 Labyrinth.
You have visited 2 portal chambers: sewer, bailey.

You have collected 3242 gold pieces.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - a cursed +3,+5 dagger of stabbing (weapon)
Armour
 k - a cursed +2 elven cloak of darkness (worn)
 l - a cursed +1 dwarven buckler (worn)
 w - a +2 cloak
 A - a cursed +1 orcish robe of cold resistance (worn)
Magical devices
 c - a wand of fireball {empty}
 g - a wand of disintegration {empty}
 i - a wand of fire
 o - a wand of draining {zapped: 1}
 p - a wand of cold
 r - a wand of digging {zapped: 2}
 v - a wand of cold {empty}
 z - a wand of lightning {zapped: 6}
Comestibles
 y - 4 bread rations
 M - 2 pears
 N - 2 chokos
Scrolls
 f - a scroll of curse jewellery
 m - 6 scrolls of remove curse
 q - a scroll of curse weapon
 B - a scroll of recharging
 D - 5 scrolls of teleportation
 E - 3 scrolls of fog
 J - 3 scrolls of blinking
 T - 4 scrolls of identify
Jewellery
 e - a cursed ring of protection from magic (left hand)
 s - the ring "Buarogh" {Hunger+ rPois rN+ Dex+1 SInv}
   (You found it on level 5 of the Shoals)   
   
   [ring of see invisible]
   
   It affects your dexterity (+1).
   It protects you from poison.
   It protects you from negative energy.
   It greatly speeds your metabolism.
 x - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 C - the cursed ring "Nyrali" (right hand) {-TELE +Lev Str+3 Acc+3}
   (You found it in a Labyrinth)   
   
   [ring of levitation]
   
   It affects your strength (+3).
   It affects your accuracy (+3).
   It prevents most forms of teleportation.
   It has a curse placed upon it.
 H - a cursed amulet of warding
 O - an uncursed ring of poison resistance
 Q - a cursed amulet of controlled flight (around neck)
Potions
 h - 2 potions of restore abilities
 n - 4 potions of healing
 t - 3 potions of speed
 F - a potion of might
 I - 2 potions of invisibility
 L - 2 potions of heal wounds
Books
 b - a book of Conjurations   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Magic Dart                         Conjuration                  1
   Throw Frost                        Conjuration/Ice              2
   Mephitic Cloud                     Conjuration/Poison/Air       3
   Lightning Bolt                     Conjuration/Air              5
   Bolt of Cold                       Conjuration/Ice              6
   Freezing Cloud                     Conjuration/Ice/Air          6
 d - a book of Power   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Teleport Other                     Translocation                3
   Iskenderun's Mystic Blast          Conjuration                  4
   Venom Bolt                         Conjuration/Poison           5
   Poisonous Cloud                    Conjuration/Poison/Air       5
   Iron Shot                          Conjuration/Earth            6
   *Mass Confusion                    Hexes                        6
   Orb of Destruction                 Conjuration                  7
 j - the Almanac of Poisonous Evil
   (You found it on level 13 of the Dungeon)   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Pain                               Necromancy                   1
   Animate Dead                       Necromancy                   4
   Olgreb's Toxic Radiance            Poison                       4
   Alistair's Intoxication            Transmutation/Poison         4
   Twisted Resurrection               Necromancy                   5
 u - a book of Dreams   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   *Ensorcelled Hibernation           Hexes/Ice                    2
   Alistair's Intoxication            Transmutation/Poison         4
   Flight                             Charms/Air                   4
   Phase Shift                        Translocation                5
   *Shadow Creatures                  Summoning                    5
 G - a book of Envenomations   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Spider Form                        Transmutation/Poison         3
   Poison Weapon                      Charms/Poison                3
   Summon Scorpions                   Summoning/Poison             4
   Olgreb's Toxic Radiance            Poison                       4
   Poisonous Cloud                    Conjuration/Poison/Air       5
 P - a book of Alchemy   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Fulsome Distillation               Transmutation/Necromancy     1
   Lethal Infusion                    Charms/Necromancy            2
   Sublimation of Blood               Necromancy                   2
   Evaporate                          Fire/Transmutation           2
   Condensation Shield                Ice/Transmutation            4


   Skills:
 - Level 5 Fighting
 - Level 1(2) Short Blades
 - Level 1 Throwing
 - Level 11(14) Dodging
 * Level 15(17) Stealth
 - Level 15 Stabbing
 - Level 5(8) Shields
 - Level 10 Traps & Doors
 + Level 24 Spellcasting
 - Level 14(18) Hexes
 * Level 13(17) Summonings
 - Level 1(2) Translocations
 - Level 1(2) Ice Magic
 - Level 1(2) Evocations


You have 36 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Success   Level  Hunger
a - Confuse               Hex            #######..    Perfect     3    None
b - Ensorcelled Hibernat  Ice/Hex        #######      Excellent   2    None
c - Invisibility          Hex            #######..    Excellent   6    Choko
d - Call Canine Familiar  Summ           #######...   Perfect     3    None
e - Mass Confusion        Hex            #######...   Excellent   6    Choko
f - Call Imp              Summ           #######...   Perfect     2    None
g - Animate Skeleton      Necr           N/A          Excellent   1    None
h - Apportation           Tloc           #####.....   Excellent   1    None
i - Summon Small Mammals  Summ           #####        Perfect     1    None
j - Shadow Creatures      Summ           N/A          Excellent   5    None


[slowcar]

first of all, a -tele ring will get you killed. more so as it is cursed.
stabbing is a weak brand, and a dagger is only useful to stab monsters. if you want to fight mobs that are awake: get a better weapon.
weapon skill at 1 is not going to work for a melee based char either (or do you rely on summons only?)

bad luck in not finding the appropriate spell books, but you'll have to adjust your playstyle to the game, not the other way around - unless you guarantee yourself some spells by following vehumet, for example.

Vault8 will be quite difficult with this char, shadow creatures is unreliable, but you can give it a try, maybe you find the good books there. did you do elf5?

[Confidence Interval]

first of all, a -tele ring will get you killed. more so as it is cursed.
stabbing is a weak brand, and a dagger is only useful to stab monsters. if you want to fight mobs that are awake: get a better weapon.
weapon skill at 1 is not going to work for a melee based char either (or do you rely on summons only?)

bad luck in not finding the appropriate spell books, but you'll have to adjust your playstyle to the game, not the other way around - unless you guarantee yourself some spells by following vehumet, for example.

Vault8 will be quite difficult with this char, shadow creatures is unreliable, but you can give it a try, maybe you find the good books there. did you do elf5?

Thanks for your advice. I recognize the problem with the -tele ring but thanks for reminding me. I haven't done any melee-ing so yes, stabs and summons only so far - and I don't feel confident that I can turn my weak Sp into a fighter. Furthermore I haven't find any good short blades (no artifacts, certainly); the one I'm wielding is just a standard one I've enchant-weapon-ed and vorpalized. I enjoy playing the Ash-SpEN combination but maybe I need Vehumet (or luck) to take on the endgame.

Haven't been to Elf yet but that may be more survivable than Vaults 8 so I will try that.

[slowcar]

if you could learn Alistair's Intoxication, that would be a great spell to have in elf. Ash gives you clarity, if you have sustAb you can cast it nearly without side effects, and it is double good for a stabber.
you will encounter enemies that you cannot stab - if you plan to overwhelm them with summons thats ok, but otherwise you need either some offensive spellcasting or a good weapon.
i suggested to do elf as you might find valuable equip there - and lots of spellbooks. just be careful with the end vault, but with your high stealth you should not be getting ganged up there.

[Confidence Interval]

if you could learn Alistair's Intoxication, that would be a great spell to have in elf.

I had the same thought and I'm now in Elf 2 casting AI gleefully. I'll have to see how far it takes me...

[sir_laser]

If you just want to win the game get the Abyssal rune, rElec, rF+++ and sprint for the Orb, but that requires alot of luck.

[Grildrak]

You have good summoning. Think you can quite easily do zot 5 with just shadow creatures