Best Drop, Overall, for a New Char?

[sir_laser]

What do you guys think is the best drop a Lvl. 1-5 Char. can get?

I remember picking up The Singing Sword on D:4 and steamrolling the rest of the game because it can apparently kill Greater Mummies in 3-5 shouts in 0.9.

[Grimm]

boots of running

[bobross419]

boots of running

[Jabberwocky]

boots of running

boots of running=boots of winning.

[giygas]

boots of running

boots of running=boots of winning.

They're not all that useful for melee builds early on, imo. You can either take something, or you can't. And on early floors, you don't have much to retreat to. But I would still take them, because they are useful later on.

Conversely, for a ranged/magic build, boots of kiting are actually quite good.

[pratamawirya]

+0/+2 sling of flame on D:1.

[tself55]

Potion of Experience maybe (especially on a mummy )

[tasonir]

I'd go with a good dragon armor like fire/ice/pearl or possibly golden dragon (if you're planning pure melee) on a character that otherwise can't use most armors - trolls, ogres. Shortcuts the entire hard part of the game for those races. If we're going for uber best, then a randart version with large bonuses, of course

[defen]

Wand of healing. Ring of vitality on any of the squishier species.

[cerebovssquire]

rod of ice

[IronJelly]

I second finding a !experience on D1 or D2.

[cerebovssquire]

because obviously using the same crappy weapon or the same level 3 spells with higher skills on D:2 is better than having one of the best level 6 spells evocable on D:2

And on early floors, you don't have much to retreat to

stairs gone in trunk?

[omegasean]

dagger of electrocution.

[Confidence Interval]

orb of zot

[Grimm]

CI FOR THE WIN

[cerebovssquire]

dagger of electrocution.

obviously better than freezing cloud

[Blade]

rod of summoning

wolf spiders > freezing clouds

[cerebovssquire]

rod of summoning

wolf spiders > freezing clouds

butterflies and scorpions >
oh wait

[IronJelly]

Can I supplement my !experience comment by saying I've never found a rod on D1. Come to think of it, not on D2 either.

And I agree, finding the Orb of Zot on D1 would be the best, but that seems unlikely. One time I thought I saw the Abyssal Rune in that neutered Abyss that AKs start in. Would that count?

[pratamawirya]

why you guys dare to underestimate the power of a flame sling

[Patashu]

a rod with freezing cloud or poisonous cloud in it, or maybe a quick blade of electrocution, or maybe a ring of teleport control if you're a wizard/warper, or maybe a venom brand sling/bow/long bow/xbow