YASD - L27 SpWi, killed in Zig by crystal ball of energy

[danr]

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.12-a0-1397-g08371cf (tiles) character file.

631330 Splat the Archmage (level 27, -1/133 (141) HPs)
             Began as a Spriggan Wizard on Jan 4, 2013.
             Was the Champion of Vehumet.
             Engulfed by their own freezing vapour (2 damage)
             ... on Level 14 of a ziggurat on Jan 9, 2013.
             The game lasted 10:47:16 (126445 turns).

Splat the Archmage (Spriggan Wizard)              Turns: 126445, Time: 10:47:16

HP  -1/133 (141) AC  6     Str 12      XL: 27
MP   0/50        EV 46     Int 29 (32) God: Vehumet [******]
Gold 428         SH  0     Dex 18      Spells: 18 memorised,  0 levels left

Res.Fire  : + . .   See Invis. : +   a - +3 crossbow (evade) (curse)
Res.Cold  : + . .   Warding    : .   c - +2 robe {rC+ rF+}
Life Prot.: + . .   Conserve   : +   n - +3 dwarf buckler
Res.Poison: +       Res.Corr.  : .   g - +2 hat of the Bear Spirit {Spirit, +Rage r
Res.Elec. : .       Clarity    : .   F - +0 dwarf cloak {rPois}
Sust.Abil.: . .     Spirit.Shd : +   (gloves unavailable)
Res.Mut.  : .       Stasis     : .   (boots unavailable)
Res.Rott. : .       Ctrl.Telep.: +   p - amulet "Pneys" {Cons MR Str+2}
Saprovore : . . .   Flight     : .   r - ring of the Oracle {cTele Str+4 Int+3}
                                     W - +5 ring of evasion

@: confused, very quick, almost entirely resistant to hostile enchantments,
unstealthy
A: unfitting armour, see invisible, deformed body, herbivore 3, speed 3, slow
metabolism 2, Int +1, Dex +2
a: Renounce Religion, Evoke Berserk Rage
}: 4/15 runes: serpentine, barnacled, slimy, silver


You were on level 14 of a ziggurat.
You worshipped Vehumet.
Vehumet was exalted by your worship.
You were full.

You visited 10 branches of the dungeon, and saw 65 of its levels.
You visited 1 Ziggurat, and saw 14 of its levels.
You also visited: Labyrinth, Sewer, Volcano and Wizlab.

You collected 7425 gold pieces.
You spent 3857 gold pieces at shops.
You used 3160 gold pieces for miscellaneous purposes.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - a cursed +3,+3 crossbow of evasion (weapon)
 b - a +9,+8 quick blade of draining
Armour
 c - a +2 robe of resistance (worn)
 g - the +2 hat of the Bear Spirit (worn) {Spirit, +Rage rN+ MR}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 4 of the Orcish Mines)   
   
   It protects you from negative energy.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It lets you go berserk.
 n - a +3 dwarven buckler (worn)
 s - the +3 crown of Dyrovepreva {Hunger rElec Int+2 SInv}
   (You found it on level 8 of a ziggurat)   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+2).
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It enhances your eyesight.
   It speeds your metabolism.
 E - a +2 robe of the Archmagi
 F - a +0 dwarven cloak of poison resistance (worn)
 S - the +1 wizard hat of Sutehemu {+Rage rF++ MR Int+2 Dam+2}
   (You acquired it on level 1 of the Lair of Beasts)   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+2).
   It affects your damage-dealing abilities (+2).
   It greatly protects you from fire.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It lets you go berserk.
Magical devices
 k - a wand of teleportation (3)
 A - a wand of fire (3)
 H - a wand of heal wounds (4)
 N - a wand of enslavement (9)
 O - a wand of digging (2)
Scrolls
 h - 3 scrolls of enchant armour
 i - a scroll of recharging
 t - 4 scrolls of blinking
 z - 2 scrolls of remove curse
 B - 5 scrolls of fog
 J - a scroll of holy word
 K - 3 scrolls of fear
 T - a scroll of amnesia
Jewellery
 f - the ring "Ela Nicydamm" {rC++ MP+9 SInv}
   (You found it on level 1 of the Lair of Beasts)   
   
   [ring of magical power]
   It greatly protects you from cold.
   It enhances your eyesight.
 m - a ring of the Octopus King {SustAb AC+1 EV+1 Str+1 Dex+1 Int+1, unknown}
   (You found it on level 13 of a ziggurat)   
   
   [ring of sustain abilities]
   It affects your AC (+1).
   It affects your evasion (+1).
   It affects your strength (+1).
   It affects your intelligence (+1).
   It affects your dexterity (+1).
 p - the amulet "Pneys" (around neck) {Cons MR Str+2}
   (You found it on level 3 of the Elven Halls)   
   
   [amulet of conservation]
   It affects your strength (+2).
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
 r - the ring of the Oracle (right hand) {cTele Str+4 Int+3}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 8 of the Dungeon)   
   
   [ring of teleport control]
   It affects your strength (+4).
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
 u - the ring of Dawn {rElec rC+ Int+2}
   (You found it on level 27 of the Dungeon)   
   
   [ring of intelligence]
   It affects your intelligence (+2).
   It protects you from cold.
   It insulates you from electricity.
 w - an uncursed ring of teleport control {unknown}
 x - an uncursed amulet of stasis
 y - the amulet "Tweehife" {+Rage Int+4}
   (You found it on level 5 of the Snake Pit)   
   
   [amulet of rage]
   It affects your intelligence (+4).
 G - an uncursed amulet of clarity
 M - the amulet of the Air {Inacc +Fly rElec EV+5 RMsl}
   (You found it on level 3 of a ziggurat)   
   
   [amulet of inaccuracy]
   It affects your evasion (+5).
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It lets you fly.
   It protects you from missiles.
 P - the ring of Rationality {Fire +Inv +Fly Dex+2}
   (You found it on level 3 of the Elven Halls)   
   
   [ring of fire]
   It affects your dexterity (+2).
   It lets you turn invisible.
   It lets you fly.
 Q - the amulet of Wonder {rMut +Blink}
   (You found it on level 5 of the Shoals)   
   
   [amulet of resist mutation]
   It lets you blink.
 R - the ring "Pliriteulu" {rF+ Int+3 SInv}
   (You found it on level 10 of a ziggurat)   
   
   [ring of protection from fire]
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It enhances your eyesight.
 W - a +5 ring of evasion (left hand)
 X - the ring "Eguheig" {Fire rElec MR}
   (You found it on level 11 of a ziggurat)   
   
   [ring of fire]
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
Potions
 e - a potion of brilliance
 l - a potion of porridge
 o - a potion of cure mutation
 D - a potion of invisibility
 U - a potion of agility
Books
 C - a book of Maledictions   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Corona                             Hexes                        1
   Sure Blade                         Hexes/Charms                 2
   Ensorcelled Hibernation            Hexes/Ice                    2
   Confuse                            Hexes                        3
   Enslavement                        Hexes                        4
   Invisibility                       Hexes                        6
 V - a manual of Stabbing
Magical staves
 I - an uncursed staff of cold
Miscellaneous
 d - a crystal ball of energy
 Z - a legendary deck of changes {the Shadow}
Rods
 j - a +4 rod of the swarm (10/10)
   (You found it on level 27 of the Dungeon)


   Skills:
 - Level 14.3 Fighting
 - Level 22.4 Dodging
 - Level 3.0 Stealth
 - Level 9.8 Traps
 O Level 27 Spellcasting
 + Level 16.9 Conjurations
 - Level 11.0 Summonings
 - Level 16.0 Necromancy
 - Level 4.1 Translocations
 + Level 18.3 Ice Magic
 - Level 4.0 Air Magic
 - Level 3.8 Earth Magic
 - Level 10.4 Evocations


You couldn't memorise any spells.
You knew the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Shadow Creatures      Summ           N/A          1%          5    None
b - Blink                 Tloc           N/A          1%          2    None
c - Phase Shift           Tloc           #######...   4%          5    None
d - Repel Missiles        Chrm/Air       #######...   1%          2    None
e - Mass Abjuration       Summ           ########..   1%          6    None
f - Flight                Chrm/Air       #######...   1%          3    None
g - Orb of Destruction    Conj           ########..   1%          7    None
h - Throw Icicle          Conj/Ice       ########.    0%          4    None
i - Throw Frost           Conj/Ice       #######      0%          2    None
j - Recall                Summ/Tloc      N/A          1%          3    None
k - Freezing Cloud        Conj/Ice/Air   ########..   1%          6    None
l - Bolt of Cold          Conj/Ice       ########..   1%          6    None
m - Regeneration          Chrm/Necr      #######...   1%          3    None
n - Ice Storm             Conj/Ice       ########..   14%         9    #####..
o - Animate Dead          Necr           N/A          0%          4    None
p - Cure Poison           Pois           ######....   1%          2    None
q - Iron Shot             Conj/Erth      ########..   1%          6    None
r - Dispel Undead         Necr           ########.    1%          5    None


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (27/27)            Temple (1/1) D:5             Orc (4/4) D:10
    Elf (3/3) Orc:3          Lair (8/8) D:8          Shoals (5/5) Lair:4
  Snake (5/5) Lair:4        Slime (6/6) Lair:6       Vaults (5/5) D:19
  Blade (0/1) Vaults:4      Crypt (0/5) Vaults:2        Zot (1/5) D:27


This kind of sucked. I was doing a zig, and hit a mummy level. This was the second one and the first one nearly did me in.

Weirdly, I entered the level and there was already a mummy priest in LOS who hadn't noticed me yet. I waited, hoping he would wander away, but he noticed me so I had to kill him.

Being mostly an ice conjurer, I knew mummies were cold resistant so I resorted to my backup, Orb of Destruction. That was pretty stupid because I guess it brought everything else running.

However, what happened next could have happened at the other side of the room just as easily. I knew I'd need lots of MP and that the ball of energy is most reliable the closer you are to full. In my opinion, it is still way too dangerous to use even then, because I was using it after each spell pretty much, and it confused me twice. So basically I sat there unable to do anything while I got pounded by a mummy army.

Does a potion of curing cure energy ball confusion? Not that it matters, I didn't have any !cure anyway.

It was a good game though, my first time using Ice Storm. The fact that it is not smite targetable really sucks, especially after using freezing cloud for so much of the game.

[Psieye]

Yes, curing solves CBoE confusion. As does clarity. There is a reason why I insist on wearing clarity + sust.ab x2 when CBoE spamming and it's not just to counter CBoE failures. I like having a horrible things army around me whenever I use CBoE so that if I'm left at 0 mp, I have a buffer of time to channel up some mp (and then self-sub.blood).

[nago]

10 Evoc is quite low to use a Cboe "reliably" . I 'd suggest at least 15 to use it seldom - and clarity or a lot of !curing is a must, being confused for a lot of turns is really dangerous in most of extended.

[danr]

I'm starting to see that Evocations can actually be a very important skill. In another game, a ring of invisibility was causing me some problems and I had like 16 Evo, and still getting contaminated more than I'd like from "miscasts".

[nago]

What? Ring of invis doesn't cause miscast - it's true the contrary: if you have enough patience, you can reliably use it with 0 evo, at least outside dangerous situation.
Probably magic contamination was due the fact you used to activate invis before the contamination you had was gone away: Invis is one of the biggest source of it in the game, I believe two (successful) repeated use of it guarantee yellow glow.

[Fungus]

For the most part, I feel like a staff of channeling is safer for the heat of battle. Cast Haste, then cast your Ice/Fire Storm, channel a few while they come, Storm, channel a few, etc. Fairly safe. In Zigs I like to use the CBoE to buff up and then get instant mana back before going down the stairs. If I lose mana or get confused, etc. I can wait it out.

[ebarrett]

Staff of channeling isn't "safer" because it's also rather useless.

But yes crystal ball in zig at 10 evo without clarity or curing is really asking to die.

[CommanderC]

I knew I'd need lots of MP and that the ball of energy is most reliable the closer you are to full.

With MaxMP=50 and Evoc=27, the chance of success when you only have 12 MP is the same chance you have with 40+ MP

[njvack]

crystal ball in zig without clarity or curing is really asking to die.

FTFY

I also like to have a super hyper backup source of "oh god oh god please don't die" (a distortion weapon, though an ID'd deck could possibly work) in the event that I screw up when I'm ballin'.