CiP: DDEE looking for early mid game advice

[thevogonpoet]

Previously, I have always failed miserably at getting a DDEE as far as one star Makhleb piety, but now I have one off the ground. This time I am using ultra caution, and have actually used my wand and stones, which probably helps

Found a book of clouds, but not sure Air magic is really my thing. I guess Meph would be awesome to shut down Orcish priests though - seems with a DD, I need to stay out of Orc for as long as possible, right?

Anyone got any tips about how my skills and spells should proceed? Should I train staves if I find one?

Edit: There is a scroll shop surrounded by monsters downstairs, which I am hoping to visit before I ID the rest of my scrolls - would quite like to avoid self immolation myself if possible.

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.12-a0-1141-gd170dc6 (console) character file.

vogonpoet the Geomancer (DDEE)                     Turns: 10462, Time: 01:29:19

HP  66/68        AC  5     Str 12      XL: 9   Next: 71%
MP  10/22        EV 12     Int 19      God: Makhleb [***...]
Gold 267         SH  0     Dex 13      Spells:  4 memorised, 10 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : .   a - halberd (venom)
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : .   S - +0 robe "Tasua" {+Fly rElec rPois}
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .   (no shield)
Res.Poison: +       Res.Corr.  : .   U - +0 helmet
Res.Elec. : +       Clarity    : .   (no cloak)
Sust.Abil.: . .     Spirit.Shd : .   T - +0 pair of orc gloves (curse)
Res.Mut.  : .       Stasis     : .   y - +0 pair of elf boots
Res.Rott. : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .   (no amulet)
Saprovore : . . .   Flight     : .   (no ring)
                                     (no ring)

@: non-regenerating, nauseated, somewhat resistant to hostile enchantments,
quite stealthy
A: damage resistance, recharge devices, sense surroundings 2, slow healing 3
a: Device Recharging, Minor Destruction, Lesser Servant of Makhleb, Renounce
Religion, Evoke Flight


You are on level 8 of the Dungeon.
You worship Makhleb.
Makhleb is greatly pleased with you.
You are hungry.

You have visited 1 branch of the dungeon, and seen 9 of its levels.
You have also visited: Sewer.

You have collected 383 gold pieces.
You have spent 136 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - an uncursed halberd of venom (weapon)
 c - an uncursed orcish anti-magic hand axe
 e - an uncursed blowgun
 I - the war axe "Zurphairo" {drain, -Cast Dex+2 Int+2}
   (You found it on level 4 of the Dungeon)   
   
   A truly terrible weapon, it drains the life of those it strikes.
   
   It affects your intelligence (+2).
   It affects your dexterity (+2).
   It prevents spellcasting.
Missiles
 b - 61 stones
 g - 25 darts (quivered)
 u - 42 poisoned needles
 J - 6 darts of flame
 P - 9 exploding darts
Armour
 v - a +0 pair of elven boots
 y - a +0 pair of elven boots (worn)
 S - the +0 robe "Tasua" (worn) {+Fly rElec rPois}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 5 of the Dungeon)   
   
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It protects you from poison.
   It lets you fly.
 T - a cursed +0 pair of orcish gloves (worn)
 U - a +0 helmet (worn)
Magical devices
 i - an iron wand
 B - an ivory wand
 H - an ivory wand
 R - a wand of heal wounds (4)
 X - an iron wand
 Z - a glowing glass wand
Comestibles
 f - 2 bread rations
 m - 2 meat rations
 E - 2 chunks of troll flesh
 Q - a choko
Scrolls
 h - a scroll labeled SKUUSU PISAILI {tried on wand of heal wounds (1)}
 k - 3 scrolls of teleportation
 l - 6 scrolls labeled TOIHOFIHIN
 q - 2 scrolls of identify
 r - a scroll of fear
 s - 3 scrolls labeled PRAICL TOTIDWA {tried}
 w - 3 scrolls labeled WEVOJ USTRU
 A - a scroll labeled WUANUI DAFIR
 K - a scroll labeled SHYMUCIYREO
 M - a scroll labeled FOKHLY MUUFYLI
 N - 2 scrolls labeled BOITUO FEBIESU
 O - a scroll labeled GEICYM SUPEOM
 V - a scroll labeled SEQAESAYWO
 W - a scroll labeled FRUERE HEBI
 Y - 2 scrolls labeled SOUWKOILOPH
Potions
 j - 4 potions of curing
 x - 3 potions of might
 z - an oily black potion
 C - a potion of heal wounds
 D - 3 potions of magic
 F - 2 potions of brilliance
 G - a black potion
 L - a potion of resistance
Books
 d - a book of Geomancy   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   *Sandblast                         Earth                        1
   *Stoneskin                         Transmutation/Earth          2
   Passwall                           Transmutation/Earth          3
   *Stone Arrow                       Conjuration/Earth            3
   Petrify                            Transmutation/Earth          4
   *Lee's Rapid Deconstruction        Earth                        5
 o - a book of Clouds   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Mephitic Cloud                     Conjuration/Poison/Air       3
   Conjure Flame                      Conjuration/Fire             3
   Poisonous Cloud                    Conjuration/Poison/Air       6
   Freezing Cloud                     Conjuration/Ice/Air          6
   Ring of Flames                     Charms/Fire                  7


   Skills:
 - Level 2.1 Dodging
 - Level 5.1 Stealth
 + Level 6.5 Spellcasting
 - Level 4.0 Conjurations
 - Level 0.8 Transmutations
 + Level 11.1 Earth Magic
 - Level 2.2 Invocations
 - Level 2.2 Evocations


You have 10 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Sandblast             Erth           ######.      1%          1    None
b - Stoneskin             Trmt/Erth      #####.....   1%          2    None
c - Stone Arrow           Conj/Erth      ######.      1%          3    ##.....
d - Lee's Rapid Deconstr  Erth           ######....   3%          5    #####..


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (9/27)             Temple (0/1) D:5             Orc (0/4) D:7
  Lair: D:8-13     

Altars:
Makhleb
Trog
the Shining One

Shops:
D:5: [  D:9: ?


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You are resistant to damage.
You can recharge devices by infusing magical energy.
You passively map the area around you.
You do not heal naturally.


Message History

Identify which item? (? for menu, Esc to quit)
p - a potion of confusion
You climb upwards.
There is a stone staircase leading down here.
Things that are here:
2 potions of heal wounds; 2 scrolls of recharging
You drop a potion of confusion.
Drop what? (_ for help) (? for menu, Esc to quit)
You drop a book of Geomancy.
Unknown command.
You can't go up here!
Okay, then.
Okay, then.
There are several objects here.
Pick up a book of Geomancy? ((y)es/(n)o/(a)ll/(m)enu/*?g,/q)
d - a book of Geomancy
Evoke which item? (* to show all) (? for menu, Esc to quit)
Okay, then.
Char dumped successfully.
Save game and exit?

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#...........#      #^#
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[Psieye]

Immolation is not scary. As a mage (i.e. someone who can run around with a cursed dagger just fine), there was no reason to not ID all those scrolls by D:2.

Once you have some more mp, consider getting petrify as well. It works well with LRD if you can meet the hefty mana/food costs.

[WhiteShark]

Having a cursed weapon of any sort in the early game is pretty bad for EE's because it means you can't wield stones for sandblast.

[Psieye]

Having a cursed weapon of any sort in the early game is pretty bad for EE's because it means you can't wield stones for sandblast.

Point, but that just delays the scroll ID time to around D:4 when stone arrow and remove curse should be around.

[thevogonpoet]

I found I was still using my stones long after stone arrow was online for hunger reasons. Anyway, every time I post for advice here, my character dies immediately, so nevermind.

Was a bit unlucky to run into Nessos on D11, which is as shallow as he gets, but never mind. Not sure how I could have played it differently, he destroyed me utterly. Ah well, time for some Air.

[JeffQyzt]

...time for some Air.

Probably want something other than a Deep Dwarf for that.

Oh, wait, you meant...never mind.

[BlackSheep]

Was a bit unlucky to run into Nessos on D11, which is as shallow as he gets, but never mind. Not sure how I could have played it differently, he destroyed me utterly. Ah well, time for some Air.

Nessos has relatively low magic resistance, so he's a good candidate for Petrify or one of your status inflicting wands. Depending on how you're doing, (did he ambush you and take off a big chunk of health? do you have fire resistance? can you summon demons?) you can then decide whether to take him down now or head for greener pastures.

[Psieye]

That's a point, what's with that huge pile of unidentified wands? Crawl keeps throwing out really weak things occasionally (like bats) so you can safely test them.

[thevogonpoet]

The scrolls and wannds werer ID'd by time I met Nessos. I should have used my scroll of fog probably, I never remember those guys, and yeah, petrify, not sure I have ever actually used petrify (as I said, not good at getting EE off ground).

Thanks for post mortem advice anyway folks... I'll get you next time Nessos