Am I ready to go for the Orb?

[hxy]

This is the first time I have a character past level 20. I now have 3 runes, from Snake, Swamp, and Vault. I've cleared Elf as well.
But I still feel not quite ready. I need a huge pile of rings to swap around depending on the situation.
Should I go for Crypt and maybe Tomb to look for better equipment? Is Pan more difficult?

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.7.1-24-ga64cc90 character file.

hxy the Devastator (Deep Elf Conjurer)                                                             Turns: 127701, Time: 1, 00:26:08

HP  93/93        AC 20     Str 14      Exp: 26/1149350 (1), need: 37849
MP  49/49        EV 17     Int 35      God: Vehumet [******]
Gold 5490        SH 16     Dex 20      Spells: 16 memorised,  2 levels left

Res.Fire  : + . .   See Invis. : .   r - +7,+1 hand axe of Xielyppi {drain, MR Str+
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : .   v - +5 elf leather armour {rF+}
Life Prot.: + . .   Conserve   : +   s - +3 elf buckler {AC+3}
Res.Poison: .       Res.Corr.  : +   n - +2 wizard hat {MR}
Res.Elec. : .       Clarity    : +   F - +2 elf cloak {rCorr, Cons}
Spirit.Shd: .       Stasis     : .   q - +1 pair of gauntlets {Dex+3}
Sust.Abil.: . .     Rnd.Telep. : .   o - +1 pair of dwarf boots {run}
Res.Mut.  : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .   R - amulet of Beogh's Supremacy {Clar Dam+1 St
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .   U - ring of Balance {Hunger- EV+5 Dex+1}
Saprovore : . . .   Ctrl.Flight: .   b - ring "Luxitwot" {rN+ Str+2 Stlth++}

@: quick, incredibly resistant to hostile enchantments, very stealthy
A: Int +2, Dex +1
a: Renounce Religion


You are on level 4 of the Vaults.
You worship Vehumet.
Vehumet is exalted by your worship.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 10 branches of the dungeon, and seen 68 of its levels.
You have visited 2 Labyrinths.
You have visited 3 portal chambers: sewer, bailey, wizlab.

You have collected 7541 gold pieces.
You have spent 2071 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 r - the +7,+1 hand axe of Xielyppi (weapon) {drain, MR Str+4 Int+3}
   (You found it in a Labyrinth)   
   A truly terrible weapon, it drains the life of those it strikes.
   It affects your strength (+4).
   It affects your intelligence (+3).
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
 L - the -5,-2 war axe of the Shoals {speed, +Blink +Lev Str+2 Int+4 Stlth++}
   (You found it on level 8 of the Vaults)   
   Attacks with this weapon take half as long as usual.
   It affects your strength (+2).
   It affects your intelligence (+4).
   It lets you levitate.
   It lets you blink.
   It makes you much more stealthy.
Armour
 n - a +2 wizard hat of magic resistance (worn)
 o - a +1 pair of dwarven boots of running (worn)
 q - a +1 pair of gauntlets of dexterity (worn)
 s - a +3 elven buckler of protection (worn)
 v - a +5 elven leather armour of fire resistance (worn)
 F - a +2 elven cloak of preservation (worn)
Magical devices
 c - a wand of digging {zapped: 1}
 t - a wand of fire {zapped: 1}
 B - a wand of disintegration (8)
 P - a wand of healing {zapped: 2}
 T - a wand of fireball (8)
Comestibles
 f - 5 bread rations
 g - 2 chunks of ugly thing flesh
 h - 5 chunks of centaur flesh
Scrolls
 l - 8 scrolls of teleportation
 m - 6 scrolls of remove curse
 y - 2 scrolls of blinking
 G - a scroll of summoning
 O - 2 scrolls of magic mapping
 Q - 3 scrolls of recharging
 V - 3 scrolls of identify
Jewellery
 b - the ring "Luxitwot" (left hand) {rN+ Str+2 Stlth++}
   (You found it on level 20 of the Dungeon)   
   [ring of strength]
   It affects your strength (+2).
   It protects you from negative energy.
   It makes you much more stealthy.
 e - the ring of Vusennun {rElec rF+ rN+}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 26 of the Dungeon)   
   [ring of protection from fire]
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It protects you from negative energy.
 k - an uncursed ring of see invisible
 u - an uncursed ring of protection from magic
 x - an uncursed ring of poison resistance
 C - an uncursed ring of teleport control
 D - an uncursed amulet of resist mutation
 H - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 N - an uncursed ring of protection from fire
 R - the amulet of Beogh's Supremacy (around neck) {Clar Dam+1 Stlth+}
   (You found it on level 3 of the Vaults)   
   [amulet of clarity]
   It affects your damage-dealing abilities (+1).
   It makes you more stealthy.
 U - the ring of Balance (right hand) {Hunger- EV+5 Dex+1}
   (You found it on level 18 of the Dungeon)   
   [ring of sustenance]
   It affects your evasion (+5).
   It affects your dexterity (+1).
Potions
 d - a potion of invisibility
 i - 5 potions of heal wounds
 j - 2 potions of speed
 w - 4 potions of healing
 z - a potion of magic
 Y - 4 potions of brilliance
 Z - a potion of resistance
Magical staves
 a - a staff of earth
 M - a staff of summoning


 You have 1 experience left.

   Skills:
 - Level 1 Armour
 - Level 3 Dodging
 - Level 5 Stealth
 + Level 2 Traps & Doors
 + Level 24 Spellcasting
 - Level 26 Conjurations
 + Level 11 Enchantments
 + Level 1 Summonings
 - Level 3 Necromancy
 - Level 21 Ice Magic
 + Level 3 Air Magic
 + Level 15 Earth Magic
 - Level 2 Poison Magic
 - Level 2 Evocations


You have 2 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power          Success   Level
a - Magic Dart            Conj           #####          Perfect     1
b - Levitation            Air/Ench       #######...     Excellent   2
c - Mephitic Cloud        Pois/Air/Conj  ########..     Excellent   3
d - Bolt of Cold          Ice/Conj       #########.     Excellent   6
e - Lehudib's Crystal Sp  Erth/Conj      #########.     Excellent   8
f - Selective Amnesia     Ench           N/A            Excellent   4
g - Orb of Destruction    Conj           #########.     Excellent   7
h - Abjuration            Summ           ######....     Excellent   3
i - Iron Shot             Erth/Conj      #########.     Excellent   6
j - Ice Storm             Ice/Conj       #########.     Excellent   9
k - Sublimation of Blood  Necr           #######...     Excellent   2
l - Deflect Missiles      Air/Ench       #######...     Great       6
m - Swiftness             Air/Ench       #######...     Excellent   2
n - Haste                 Ench           ########.      Excellent   6
o - Apportation           Tloc           ######....     Excellent   1
p - Lee's Rapid Deconstr  Erth/Trmt      #######...     Excellent   5


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (27/27)            Temple (1/1) D:6             Orc (4/4) D:8
    Elf (7/7) Orc:4          Lair (8/8) D:11          Swamp (5/5) Lair:5
  Slime (0/6) Lair:8        Snake (5/5) Lair:3         Hive (2/2) D:16
  Vault (8/8) D:19          Blade (1/1) Vault:6       Crypt (0/5) Vault:4
    Zot (0/5) D:27       

Altars:
Cheibriados
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Sif Muna
The Shining One
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
Jiyva

Shops:
D:5: +  D:7: *  D:8: *  D:10: [  D:12: *  D:18: /  D:19: (  D:26: =  Orc:1: (=/**  Orc:2: %*==(  Orc:4: +!  Elf:1: [
Vault:1: ?  Vault:6: =

Portals:
Hell: D:21 D:22 D:23 D:24 D:25 D:26 D:27 Lair:8
Abyss: D:22 D:23 D:24 D:25
Pan: D:21 D:22 D:24
Ziggurat: D:21 (3870 gp)

Annotations
Elf:1 exclusion: 9 flame clouds
Lair:3 exclusion: steam cloud
Swamp:5 exclusion: 51 foul pestilence clouds


                    Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You are agile (Dex +1).
Your mind is acute (Int +2).



[lucy_ferre]

I won with a similar character back in 0.5. You can definitely win the game anytime you want. The storm spells will annihilate everything before they can touch you, just try to stay out of an orb of fire's LOS. Their fireballs are very accurate, and deadly due to your low HP and limited resistances.

[mikee]

Yes, it would be perfectly fine to do crypt if you'd like.

Also, I'd like to add to minmay's advice about eq. This is probably the best item in your dump: e - the ring of Vusennun {rElec rF+ rN+}. You should definitely be wearing it over "Luxitwot." And if you were to go to zot *right now*, your other ring should be cold resistance, as you seem to have no other source of rC. Almost everything in zot has an elemental attack, so as a guideline you'd want something like rF++ rElec rC+ at least.

[XuaXua]

100% do crypt. Be careful at the bottom.
You can cautiously do the first 4 levels of Zot for equipment, no problem.
Try the first 3-7 levels of that ziggurat and also keep the distortion brand ready; randarts might not be worth it.
Pan could be fun, depending. You'll need RMUT, SUSTAIN ABILITIES and some good RF/RC. Keep a distortion brand ready so you can get out and screw around in the abyss.
You might have a bit of a time taking down the first level of Hell, but it is not inconceivable.
Tomb is very tough; don't do it.
Slime is not worth it for you especially since you don't seem to have artifact armor.

[hxy]

Thanks for all the input
Guess I'll try Crypt and the first few levels of Zig to see if I can get better gear.

I see a lot of mention of distortion-brand weapons. Is that the easiest way to get out of Pan? Are the exits there as rare as in Abyss? (I've not tried those levels before so I have no idea )

[Zicher]

I see a lot of mention of distortion-brand weapons. Is that the easiest way to get out of Pan? Are the exits there as rare as in Abyss? (I've not tried those levels before so I have no idea )

Usually it is the easiest way, but be careful to use this method only on cleared levels (random teleports) with some sort of mutation resistance (you can get a heavy glow).
Based on the numbers from my last winner, there's about 1/25 chance to have an exit to Dungeon and about 1/10 chance to have an exit to Abyss generated on any particular Pan level (just estimations, of course).

[Dustbin]

Get some EXP and go hit a plant to at least get level 1 fighting, incase anything manages to hit you

[pratamawirya]

Get some EXP and go hit a plant to at least get level 1 fighting

^ This.

[hxy]

alright, let me look for a plant

[XuaXua]

I see a lot of mention of distortion-brand weapons. Is that the easiest way to get out of Pan? Are the exits there as rare as in Abyss? (I've not tried those levels before so I have no idea )

There are perpetual exits to other Pan levels, but once you leave a level of Pan, you can't get back to it ever, which means if you want a specific rune, you really need to snag it. Exits to Abyss also exist but are less frequent, and exits back to the dungeon are even more infrequent. You can keep jumping to new Pan levels, but there is always the chance you'll be deposited into the lap of a randomized Pan lord on the next level (it's happened!) and there are no stairs to climb back "up".

I took down 3/4 named pan lords; stole the rune out from under Cerebov. He is super-tough. There are also demonic runes (they STACK in your inventory!!!) to snag, but not every level has one and they're always guarded by the randomized pan lords.

[XuaXua]

Also, a tip: if you need to banish yourself with a distortion weapon, don't do it by unwielding unless time is a big issue.

But then you lose the weapon.

[mikee]

Why are people telling this guy to do pan and zigs on *his first character past level 20*? Does he know that these places are optional and harder than the normal branches?

@hxy: If you just want to have fun and see more of the game, by all means go to pan. If you just want a first win, do not.

[hxy]

thanks for the caution mikee
At this point I still feel that my equipment is not good enough, not enough resistances, that's why I prefer to look around a bit more in the hope of getting better gear, and that's why I'm asking about exits, in case it gets too hot to handle

[hxy]

Update. Cleared Crypt, and decided I should go look in Zot first to see what it's like.
I found that it was not too difficult if I go slow and take out the monsters one or two at a time.
Eventually I made it to Zot:5 and cleared out the Orb room
I've left the Orb untouched. Since this is the first time I got this far, I might as well go take a look at Zig and maybe Pan

The 20k XP pool cap is a pain at the Orb room where every monster gives loads of XP, and since I don't want the points to go to waste, after every few monster, I had to go hide in a safe location to victory dance to "allocate" the points to the various skills.

[Dustbin]

The exp pool cap is gone in recent trunk versions.

[hxy]

Died at Zig:14 to a room full of assorted mummies...
Realised it was an impossible task after a few turns, so I blinked to the exit stair... wanted to pick up some loot before I leave, and got triple-smited
Must remember not to be so greedy next time