The Mutation Game

[MainiacJoe]

It seems to me that it might be fun to try eating sky beasts and quaffing mutation potions just to roll the dice and see what you get, but I'm hesitant to do it because I do try to win every game. Is there a way to do this that doesn't devolve into elaborate start-scumming?

[nago]

The good rule is: don't do that.
The reasoning behind is that almost all good mutations gives actually no relevant benefits, while there's a decent number of bad game that can lead to the death of the char and some other that are quite decremental.

If you really want to try mutations roulette, do in the games where you find at least a couple of !cure muts early on. They're useless until slimes\zot (and by that time mutations aren't ***so*** significant), so you could use them if the roulette go bad without too problems.

[Midn8]

Generally, if your character is probably going to die, you consume muts to hopefully be able to survive.

At least, that is what I do.

[papilio]

The expectation value for mutagenic chunk is almost always negative.

[duvessa]

Generally, if your character is probably going to die, you consume muts to hopefully be able to survive.

we have different definitions of "generally"

[NhorianScum]

It's worth it if you have a ton ofearly curemut, are horribly mutated, or get absolute shit on by the RNG early on playing naga.

[MainiacJoe]

I was afraid you all were going to say that.

FR: reduce the frequency of bad mutations from non-Malmutate / non-Contamination enough so that gambling on mutation moves from bad idea to viable-albeit-suboptimal. I know Ds does it "right", but still, gambling can be fun at times if you know you aren't going wipe out your bank account / character.

[luckless]

FR: reduce the frequency of bad mutations from non-Malmutate / non-Contamination enough so that gambling on mutation moves from bad idea to viable-albeit-suboptimal. I know Ds does it "right", but still, gambling can be fun at times if you know you aren't going wipe out your bank account / character.

I don't know if that's necessary. fwiw, here's my system:

--) only gamble if you have at least two !cure mut.
--) gamble by eating chunks (never drinking potions) until you either get (a) robust, clarity or a useful resist, (b) two or three good-but-not-great mutations (stat bonuses, aux attacks, extra AC), or (c) something you have to cure.

The odds of getting (a) or (b) are pretty decent; as such I think the risk of wasting a backup !cure mut is generally worth it, provided you're willing to deal with neqoxecs/shining eyes by e.g. using summons to block their line of fire.

[dynast]

Get as much muts as possible if you are a felid/ogre.

[MainiacJoe]

FR: reduce the frequency of bad mutations from non-Malmutate / non-Contamination enough so that gambling on mutation moves from bad idea to viable-albeit-suboptimal. I know Ds does it "right", but still, gambling can be fun at times if you know you aren't going wipe out your bank account / character.

I don't know if that's necessary. fwiw, here's my system:

--) only gamble if you have at least two !cure mut.
--) gamble by eating chunks (never drinking potions) until you either get (a) robust, clarity or a useful resist, (b) two or three good-but-not-great mutations (stat bonuses, aux attacks, extra AC), or (c) something you have to cure.

The odds of getting (a) or (b) are pretty decent; as such I think the risk of wasting a backup !cure mut is generally worth it, provided you're willing to deal with neqoxecs/shining eyes by e.g. using summons to block their line of fire.

Oooh, I'm gonna try to math this and see what the chances actually are!

[MainiacJoe]

Forget it. It's a mess.