CSDC S2 Week 2 - FoAE - CLOSED

[tabstorm]

Interesting. My strategy is more like:

1. Go downstairs and stairdance the entry vault with the guards + whatever random stuff pops out of the quadrants.
2. If a vault warden shows up, either buff and try to tank until you can kill it or go back upstairs before it seals.
3. If you end up on Vaults:4 with a vault warden on the stairs on V:5, shaft down and pray you don't land next to 3 ancient liches.
4. Otherwise just keep stairdancing until you can clear out enough to walk around safely.

As a Fo, I think I would generally not move too far from the stairs until I knew I had some sort of defensible point to run back to. And I would probably not feel great about entering Vaults:5 until I was sure I could tank enough to kill a vault warden if it happened to pop up early on. My FoAE was plenty strong by that point, and with makh's hp regen it wasn't really ever an issue.

I'm paranoid about stair dancing in general especially on Fo because you are just inviting yourself to get stair-sealed. Since you are stairdancing right in the middle of the level, you will attract everything there to you, and once you get stair-sealed, spammed with summons, etc. you are totally screwed since you don't have tele and half of the level is onscreen.

When I first started playing, I would stair dance V:5 until I realized that eventually I would get stair sealed or trampled anyway, so it was better to not bother, so I started using fear and running to the corner. Well, that was good until V:5 was hit with the interest bat, and the corners were removed so that isn't as safe anymore, so I started just random teleing until I get an OK landing instead. I can't do that on Fo, but I'd like to replicate it as closely as possible, which is how I came up with that plan.

Unfortunately I got killed before I got to try this but it should be OK.

[duvessa]

its easier to get shatter

[tabstorm]

its easier to get shatter

Do you bother to hit all the enemies that fly with single-target spells to kill them, or just spam it until everything dies? I've never really had a desire to use earth magic outside of killing enemies that are immune to fire.

[duvessa]

well i would probably lrd a bone dragon before it gets next to me, personally

[Sandman25]

well i would probably lrd a bone dragon before it gets next to me, personally

Oops, I assumed Iron Shot does more damage to Bone Dragon than LRD because of being higher level spell.

[WalkerBoh]

Pff, spells are for nerds. I prefer to tear my enemies limb from limb, thank you very much.

I used to blink/run for the edges, but I've found stairdancing to actually be more reliably safer since the V:5 changes. You do get the occasional warden seal, but they no longer block you if you start going upstairs before they seal the stairs, so you should never truly get stuck in a bad situation if you're paying attention. I know that for most species cTele'ing to a good spot is safer, but I've never had too much trouble so I haven't bothered.

[mopl]

Nooooooooo !

I was doing well, going for Abyssal rune, but things went hard... I never faced so much enemies at the same time, I felt like new monsters kept arriving

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.15-a0-1239-g4e31f84 (webtiles) character file.

378150 mopl the Earth Mage (level 23, -2/125 HPs)
             Began as a Formicid Air Elementalist on June 3, 2014.
             Was the Champion of Okawaru.
             Killed by divine providence
             ... invoked by a smoke demon
              (7 damage)
             ... on Level 3 of the Abyss.
             The game lasted 05:46:35 (65718 turns).

mopl the Earth Mage (Formicid Air Elementalist)    Turns: 65718, Time: 05:46:37

HP  -2/125       AC 19     Str 13 (14) XL: 23   Next: 89%
MP  26/26        EV 28     Int  9 (15) God: Okawaru [******]
Gold 4127        SH 53     Dex 17 (18) Spells:  7 memorised, 20 levels left

rFire  + + .     SeeInvis +     a - +4,+7 lajatang (vamp)
rCold  + + .     Clarity  .     z - +2 ring mail "Teolapno" {rElec MR++ Str+2 Acc+5 SInv}
rNeg   . . .     rCorr    .     J - +5 large shield of Prudence {rF+ Dex+3}
rPois  +         rRot     .     (helmet unavailable)
rElec  +         Spirit   .     P - +0 cloak of Starlight {rElec rC+ EV+4 Stlth-}
SustAb .         Warding  .     q - +2 pair of gloves {Dex+3}
rMut   +         Stasis   +     V - +2 pair of boots "Jokorer" {rPois rC+ Acc-3 Dam+4}
Gourm  .                        B - amulet of resist mutation
MR     ++++.                    Q - ring of protection from fire
                                e - ring of regeneration

@: heroism, incredibly resistant to hostile enchantments, unstealthy
A: permanent stasis, dig shafts and tunnels, four strong arms, antennae 3,
blurry vision 1, breathe flames 1, clumsy 2, deformed body, deterioration 1,
dopey 2, fast metabolism 2, frail 3, low mp 3, screaming 3, weak 1, no device
heal 1
a: Dig, Shaft Self, Heroism, Renounce Religion, Breathe Fire
}: 2/15 runes: barnacled, gossamer


You were on level 3 of the Abyss.
You worshipped Okawaru.
Okawaru was exalted by your worship.
You were not hungry.

You visited 9 branches of the dungeon, and saw 46 of its levels.
You visited the Abyss 1 time.
You also visited: Ice Cave and Wizlab.

You collected 6339 gold pieces.
You spent 2212 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - a +4,+7 vampiric lajatang (weapon)
 g - the +0,-2 quarterstaff "Clef" {crush, rF+, unknown}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 3 of the Abyss)   
   
   It inflicts extra damage upon your enemies.
   
   It protects you from fire.
Missiles
 K - 14 throwing nets (quivered)
 U - 176 tomahawks
Armour
 q - a +2 pair of gloves of dexterity (worn)
 z - the +2 ring mail "Teolapno" (worn) {rElec MR++ Str+2 Acc+5 SInv}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 4 of the Orcish Mines)   
   
   It affects your strength (+2).
   It affects your accuracy with ranged weapons and melee attacks (+5).
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It affects your resistance to hostile enchantments.
   It enhances your eyesight.
 J - the +5 large shield of Prudence (worn) {rF+ Dex+3}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 3 of the Elven Halls)   
   
   It affects your dexterity (+3).
   It protects you from fire.
 L - the +3 salamander hide armour {+Rage rF++}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 4 of the Vaults)   
   
   It greatly protects you from fire.
   It lets you go berserk.
 P - the +0 cloak of Starlight (worn) {rElec rC+ EV+4 Stlth-}
   (You bought it in a shop on level 3 of the Elven Halls)   
   
   It affects your evasion (+4).
   It protects you from cold.
   It insulates you from electricity.
   It makes you less stealthy.
 V - the +2 pair of boots "Jokorer" (worn) {rPois rC+ Acc-3 Dam+4}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 4 of the Spider Nest)   
   
   It affects your accuracy with ranged weapons and melee attacks (-3).
   It affects your damage with ranged weapons and melee attacks (+4).
   It protects you from cold.
   It protects you from poison.
Magical devices
 b - a wand of polymorph (5)
 i - a wand of confusion (14)
 j - a wand of invisibility (2)
 p - a wand of cold (8)
 x - a wand of lightning (0)
 C - a wand of disintegration (4)
 D - a wand of fire (7)
 I - a wand of fireball (5)
 S - a wand of draining (7)
 W - a wand of confusion (8)
 Y - a wand of lightning (3)
 Z - a wand of disintegration (7)
Comestibles
 c - 8 bread rations
Scrolls
 f - 2 scrolls of fear
 h - 5 scrolls of identify
 k - 3 scrolls of immolation
 n - 14 scrolls of remove curse
 t - 3 scrolls of magic mapping
 G - 6 scrolls of fog
 M - a scroll of summoning
Jewellery
 e - a ring of regeneration (left hand)
 B - an amulet of resist mutation (around neck)
 H - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 O - an uncursed amulet of clarity
 Q - a ring of protection from fire (right hand)
 R - an uncursed ring of poison resistance
Potions
 d - 4 potions of lignification
 m - 22 potions of curing
 o - 2 potions of resistance
 s - a potion of might
 F - 2 potions of agility
Books
 v - a book of Ice   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Metabolic Englaciation             Hexes/Ice                    5
   Ozocubu's Refrigeration            Ice                          6
   Bolt of Cold                       Conjuration/Ice              6
   Freezing Cloud                     Conjuration/Ice/Air          6
   Simulacrum                         Ice/Necromancy               6
Miscellaneous
 l - a stone of tremors
 r - a sack of spiders {used: 3}
 u - a stone of tremors
 w - a box of beasts {used: 2}
 y - a phial of floods (inert)
 E - a phial of floods (inert)
 N - a fan of gales (inert)
 T - a lamp of fire (inert)
 X - a phial of floods (inert)


   Skills:
 - Level 14.4(19.4) Fighting
 - Level 14.0(19.0) Staves
 + Level 17.9(22.9) Armour
 - Level 15.0(20.0) Dodging
 - Level 2.4(7.4) Stealth
 - Level 15.0(20.0) Shields
 - Level 10.0 Spellcasting
   Level 1.0 Conjurations
 - Level 5.0 Charms
 - Level 10.0 Translocations
 - Level 3.0 Air Magic
 + Level 18.0 Earth Magic
 - Level 6.0 Invocations
 - Level 10.0 Evocations


You had 20 spell levels left.
You knew the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Phase Shift           Tloc           ###.......   8%          5    #####..
b - Passwall              Trmt/Erth      ###.......   1%          3    ###....
c - Lee's Rapid Deconstr  Erth           #####.....   1%          5    #####..
f - Flight                Chrm/Air       ##........   10%         3    ###....
i - Repel Missiles        Chrm/Air       ##....       4%          2    #......
l - Swiftness             Chrm/Air       ##......     4%          2    #......
s - Stoneskin             Trmt/Erth      ###.......   1%          2    #......


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (15/15)            Temple (1/1) D:6             Orc (4/4) D:12
    Elf (3/3) Orc:4          Lair (8/8) D:8          Shoals (5/5) Lair:5
 Spider (5/5) Lair:4        Slime (0/6) Lair:6       Vaults (4/5) D:13
  Blade (1/1) Vaults:4      Crypt (0/3) Vaults:3   
Depths: D:15       

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Dithmenos
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Gozag
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Qazlal
Sif Muna
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
The Shining One
Beogh

Shops:
D:6 :   D:12 *   D:15 }   Orc:4 =([:   Elf:2 *   Elf:3 ?[%[   Vaults:1 [
Vaults:3 [(


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

Your are under a permanent stasis effect.
You can dig through walls and to a lower floor.
Your four strong arms can wield two-handed weapons with a shield.
You have a pair of large antennae on your head (SInv).
You can breathe flames.
[Your vision is a little blurry.]
[You are very clumsy. (Dex -4)]
[Armour fits poorly on your strangely shaped body.]
[Your body is slowly deteriorating.]
[You are very dopey. (Int -4)]
[You have a very fast metabolism.]
[You are extremely frail (-30% HP).]
[Your magical capacity is extremely low (-30% MP).]
[You frequently scream uncontrollably at your foes.]
[You are weak. (Str -2)]
[Potions and wands are less effective at restoring your health.]


Message History

A spatial vortex comes into view.
You scream at the spatial vortex!
The thrashing horror roars!
The spatial maelstrom completely misses you.
You block the spatial maelstrom's attack.
The wretched star pulses with an eldritch light!
The thrashing horror tramples you!
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
You hold your ground! The thrashing horror misses you.
The spatial maelstrom hits you.
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
You block the spatial maelstrom's attack.
Unknown command.
The thrashing horror roars!
The thrashing horror misses you.
You block the thrashing horror's attack. x2
The thrashing horror tramples you but does no damage.
The smoke demon gestures at you.
Something smites you!
You die...

# ##..#..{#..#..##3* #§#. #
#.. .....##.3#.#.. .#.
......###....3#.v#.  # 3
 #.###  #{x#*v##..#..##  .#
 .     ####X5.X.#.     .   .
       #..#.v#.#..#  #  .  #
        ###X...# #..#. #
        #.vvXX.#   .. #.
         #.@X.#..##.
         #.v.......#
         ##....##.#.
          ###..v..
         ##.#......
          ####....
              ...
              ##


You could see a spatial maelstrom, a wretched star, a sun demon, 6 spatial
vortices, 3 thrashing horrors, 3 large abominations, a smoke demon, a small
abomination and an ufetubus.

[Sprucery]

Just out of curiosity: has anyone tried playing the FoAE as an air elementalist rather than going for earth magic?

[Sandman25]

I never faced so much enemies at the same time, I felt like new monsters kept arriving

  Code:

screaming 3

[rchandra]

Just out of curiosity: has anyone tried playing the FoAE as an air elementalist rather than going for earth magic?

I did, both on my challenge game and when my hyper account got FoAE at random. After getting lightning bolt I wanted to get melee instead of continuing towards high-level air spells. Antennae letting you bounce bolts at enemies out of LOS as well as dig making it easier to set up bizaps was neat. Both characters died to foolishness.

[Moose]

I never faced so much enemies at the same time, I felt like new monsters kept arriving

  Code:

screaming 3

Reading this must made me chuckle aloud and attract the attention of my co-workers.

[tasonir]

To be fair, that was a temporary mutation and he probably didn't have it for that long. I guess it comes down to if he means they keep coming at him the whole time he was in the abyss or just in the final battle with the screaming 3 mutation.

In either case he made it a good bit further than my FoAE who splatted trying to fight an ogre. I really miss old swiftness.

[Tedronai]

Maxwell + GONG = win

Too bad I did not find the obsidian axe :-/