Mines Malingerer
Posts: 37
Joined: Saturday, 26th November 2011, 15:20
CIP: 3-rune CeHu about to do Zot:5 (looking for advice)
The essential points, I think, are:
32 Str, 14 Int, 12 Dex
EV: ~3-5, unless I equip a longbow of evasion
AC: ~47 with +inv-branded good randart chain mail and excellent yet ponderous centaur barding; +~20 or -~10 based on whether I go for another barding or a +19 plate armour instead.
Main weapons: ~200 unbranded arrows, ~400-500 branded arrows, longbows of frost/flame/vorpal, unarmed combat (no forms).
Skills: 27 Bows, 24 Fighting, 22 Unarmed Combat, 14 Armour, 14 Shields, 10 Spellcasting, 14 Charms, 12 Air Magic, 9 Evocations, no traps (I've entered Zot traps ~3-4 times and luckily not mutated).
Spells: Portal Projectile, Blink, Repel Missiles, Flight, Swiftness, Apportation, Summon Butterflies; also Haste and Deflect Missiles as long as I'm not wearing plate armour (the hunger cost is high).
Here are the items I have on the floor (so they're not in the above dump) that I'm also considering make use of:
- Code:
Hand Weapons (select all with ))
a - an uncursed blowgun
b - a +5,+0 longbow of evasion
Missiles (select all with ()
c - 21 arrows of dispersal
d - 117 arrows of flame
e - 121 arrows of frost
f - 137 arrows
g - 16 curare-tipped needles
h - 127 poisoned arrows
Armour (select all with [)
i - a +2 elven buckler of protection
j - a +2 centaur barding of fire resistance
k - a +2 centaur barding of cold resistance
l - the +19 crystal plate armour of Qoqadgh {Dam+4}
m - the +0 helmet "Ghekoepu" {Acc+2 Dam+6}
n - the -1 helmet of Xefydgh {rC+ Int+2}
o - a +2 plumed helmet of see invisible
p - a large shield of reflection
q - the +10 plate armour of the Snail {+Blink +Inv rN+ Acc+3 SInv}
r - the +3 ring mail of Phuecl Ashrer {+Inv MR Acc+5 SInv}
s - the +3 shield of the Mutiny {MR SInv}
Wands
t - a wand of fire (6)
Scrolls (select all with ?)
u - 6 scrolls of blinking
v - 12 scrolls of enchant armour
w - 3 scrolls of fog
x - 3 scrolls of holy word
y - 2 scrolls of remove curse
z - a scroll of silence
A - 13 scrolls of teleportation
B - a scroll of torment
Jewellery
C - an uncursed ring of wizardry
Potions (select all with !)
D - 7 potions of agility
E - 7 potions of brilliance
F - 7 potions of curing
G - 7 potions of heal wounds
H - 6 potions of invisibility
I - 6 potions of magic
J - 3 potions of might
K - a potion of resistance
L - 4 potions of restore abilities
M - 2 potions of speed
Magical Staves
N - an uncursed staff of energy
I also have many more wands (and ID and remove curse scrolls--but those are prep items, probably not ones I'll take with me to the orb vault) in another stash. I have tons of food--~13 more bread rations and ~10+ meat rations.
On top of that, I have 3 beneficial mutation, 3 acquirement, 1 experience (just found it), and 1 cure mutation.
My buckler makes my firing speed ~.71 instead of .6 (so I guess I take on average +20% more damage while firing) but I really like my buckler's properties.
I'm currently at my stash in the lair, preparing my inventory and equipment for Zot:5 and the orb vault. At this point, I just want to get the orb and win.
I'd like to ask the forum, especially those skilled/experienced with this type of character, for both general and specific advice.
1. Any tips on how I could have balanced my skills better? I basically raised bows and fighting and then had no idea, so I tried to get some useful charms, and then I realized that UC was killing things as well or better than my bow, so I went into that. This is my first time playing a centaur (not my first win or almost-win), and the first time I've gotten past the mid-game with a "non-caster". By the way, I know that I'm fairly terrible (given my turn count), so feel free to offer frank, dramatic advice. What should I use my potion of experience on right now?
2. Does beneficial mutation ignore my mutation resistance mutation, or should I quaff cure mutation before I quaff my 3 beneficial mutation potions?
3. What should I acquire? I can never decide, so I never use it... Not gold.
4. What should I use my enchant weapon scrolls on? The vorpal longbow?
5. Does anyone notice anything I should really worry about in the orb vault? I've cleared it 3-4 times before, but I can't remember well offhand what's there. Ancient liches will be troublesome, and maybe orbs of fire too but I haven't faced one yet in Zot. Electric golems seems like they'll be a problem. Were there greater mummies in the orb vault?
6. What armor will work best in the orb vault? Ponderousness seems like it'll be more trouble than it's worth now that I'm going to be trying to pull enemies and shoot them instead of melee'ing them. And I could really use some cold resistance. So I was thinking of replacing my current fixedart barding with my rC+ barding. I kind of want to make up for the AC with that plate armor, Deflect Missiles was never that usable anyway given the hunger cost, but if I don't mind food costs and plan to attract as few enemies as possible for short individual battles and plan to fight at range which makes GDR irrelevant, maybe large amounts of Deflect Missiles + permafood consumption would help me more than the extra AC? Am I on the right track with my line of thinking?
7. As an unstealthy centaur, can I do just half of the orb vault, read a scroll of teleport, pick up the orb a turn or two later (before it activates), and then flee (hoping I didn't teleport into the other half of the vault)?
- Dag Hammarskjöld