What character am I playing ?

[mopl]

...when the Lab loot looks like this ?

  Code:

 b - an ancient scale mail
 c - a dyed leather armour
 d - an orcish plate armour
 e - a plate armour
 f - a glowing ring mail
 g - a scale mail
 h - a twisted leather armour

... oh yes, I remember, I'm an octopode...

[Klown]

On-topic: Does the game give useless/suboptimal loot on purpose? (wizardry for berserkers, plate armour for merfolk, etc.)

[duvessa]

In some places. For example, acquirement has code specifically to give you a negatively enchanted item if it fills an armour slot you are missing.

[Igxfl]

That's awful. Why would it do that?

Also, doesn't that encourage wearing the -3 Boots of Loathing {Dex -4, rC-} while reading armour acquirement just to get a better item if it does, in fact, give you boots?

[duvessa]

It looks at seen items instead of worn ones (or at least it's supposed to) so no, it doesn't encourage that.

[Igxfl]

It looks at seen items instead of worn ones (or at least it's supposed to) so no, it doesn't encourage that.

Phew! Game design train wreck averted...

[wheals]

In some places. For example, acquirement has code specifically to give you a negatively enchanted item if it fills an armour slot you are missing.

Not exactly...it normally has code to not allow negatively enchanted armour, but in the case of missing armour, it removes that code. This replaced the old behaviour which was to give a totally unenchanted item in the case of an unfilled slot. (see commit fc36ad2e)

[duvessa]

...Yeah, which has the exact same result.

[Igxfl]

Maybe it should just roll armour stats independent of what you already have, but, hey.

[wheals]

...Yeah, which has the exact same result.

I assume that it would be the same level quality as a normal randart you found on the ground so ---
Oh. yes.