Love at the time or TrTm

[torrenera]

Hi Everybody,

so I'm in love with Trolls. I've generated like 100, I'm not joking, and every and each of them has found an horrible death before reaching lvl 15 at max. Not that I am this guru of the crawl, but I had my lvl 20's and a couple of wins, but not with Trolls.
Those green giants are a mistery to me.
In order of time my last combination is Trasmuter of Chei, but this evolutionary line is not an evolution at all.
And so I'm here to ask for general and/or specific advice on the greenskin.
How shall I pump their skills?
UC ftw until 20? If I go this way I find myself really squishy, capable of dying to a couple of well assested GSC from a wandering Ogre.
Split skill points into other areas?
Neglecting Chei and abusing the spider speed? (even if for a Tr this is a big investment).
Any suggestion is appreciated.
Thanks a lot,

t.

[Psieye]

Well, here's my TrWr YAVP, which isn't the best ever but it's a start. If looking at morgue files is useful to you, consider looking through the online morgues of better players.

I do not see much point in going TrTm - the point of Tm is to upgrade your UC with forms, but a troll already has Claws 3. Ok ok, some forms also help with defences and affect movement but generally you transmute yourself so you can UC through your problems.

[Turukano]

so I'm in love with Trolls.

Keep your love

I've generated like 100, I'm not joking, and every and each of them has found an horrible death before reaching lvl 15 at max. [...] Those green giants are a mistery to me.

Trolls are among the least versatile races in the game and crawl wiki is right at this point. Trolls

• are great in offensive power with claws 3,
• lack means of defense due to low AC and low EV.

As long as you are able to kill single foes in two or three turns you're fine. Problems show up in the midgame within longer fights with a couple of enemies. Spiny / blink frogs and especially centaurs / yaktaurs probably spoiled your game more than once.

It's a bit tricky to deal with this problem. Here are some ideas:

• Wielding a shield is useful, unfortunately it will affect your UC.
• Look for a dragon armour. You might be lucky with butchering an early mottled dragon.
• Keep an eye (or better two of them) on dangerous foes. Confusing packs of centaurs / yaktaurs with mephitic cloud is nice. Unfortunately it's a level 3 spell which is not easy to cast for a troll. In this case consider wearing a ring of wizardry and/or worshipping Ash.
• Oka's heroism will buff your UC, use it for non-trivial fights. When you get in real danger finesse will double your attacks.
• Trog will help with berserk and summon brothers.
• Pacify dangerous enemies with Elyvilon.

How shall I pump their skills? UC ftw until 20?

UC gets very strong at high skill level. Sooner or later I'd look for 27 (or 22 with Oka, respectively, so you'd get 27 with heroism).

When you find a dragon armour things will become better anyway.

Good luck!

[floatboth]

Try a TrMo of Nemelex maybe?

[torrenera]

Thanks a lot to everybody for all the advices!
You made me (and my trolls family) SO happy
Thanks again!

[prozacelf]

TrEE of Nemelex is also fun, if you want to have a few spells.