The Level Rocket

[cybersaint2k]

I've played DC for a long time. Two ascends, sprig enchanter and a recent demon earth elementalist. Not a pro by any means, but I know my way around and can die with great applause.

I've thought about the advantages of leveling up and getting more experience, especially with the Ashenzari, shackled god of divinations build.

This led me to the human fighter. Lots of leveling, lots of hit points. And oddly, lots of dying. Snakes kill me all the time, and when they don't, something else does. This build is hard to start!

But what the level rocket will do, I believe, is make it possible to maximize the **** favor of Ashenzari and move my abilities around, turning my fighter into a powerful fighter-mage in a very short period of time, with the flavor depending on the books I find.

Has anyone else experimented with this approach? I'm at level 3 by the end of level 1 in the dungeon, and level 6 by the third level. Then I die. So something isn't quite right yet, but I'm having very bad RND luck.

Any thoughts?

[Rapigel]

I play a lot of no-magic straight melee types, and you are right, these builds are hard to get going, which is somewhat counter to the usual situation of characters that bash things in roguelikes (easy to start, hard to finish).

The problem is basically that you only have one option - bash things or die. So to keep your poor fighter alive, you need to utilise everything the dungeon gives you. Throw darts, stones, daggers to soften things up. Don't be afraid of getting the throwing skill, you'll have xp to spare later. Hope for a blowgun. Or darts of dispersal. Start using a sling as soon as you find one. Empty junk wands when you get them. Play cowardly: leave the level when you see something iffy. Remember that you don't have the skill at the start to use your kit effectively. Take your shield off if you can't anything. Don't jump into the first platemail you see.

Good luck!

[galehar]

Has anyone else experimented with this approach? I'm at level 3 by the end of level 1 in the dungeon, and level 6 by the third level. Then I die. So something isn't quite right yet, but I'm having very bad RND luck.

Are you start scumming for an altar on D:1? Anyway, if you want to hybridise, you'd better starting off as a gladiator rather than a fighter. Or even better, start as a wizard and do it the other way around. Humans are great for hybrids, and Ashenzari is too. Even more with the change from XP boost to skill boost in 0.9.

[cybersaint2k]

No, I'm not scumming for an altar on D:1, though it would be nice.

I lost about 20 humans, both fighters and wizards, to a variety of snakes and gnolls. Terrible run of deaths on snakes.

So I did something I've never done; a human wanderer.

Here's what came up--I'd do this more often if I got a character like this!

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.9-a1-141-g3e33e22 character file.

Dude the Grave Robber (Human Wanderer)                                                   Turns: 531, Time: 00:03:45

HP  13/16        AC  2     Str  9      Exp: 2/9 (2), need: 21
MP   3/5         EV 11     Int 17      God:
Gold 50          SH  0     Dex 10      Spells:  2 memorised,  3 levels left

Res.Fire  : . . .   See Invis. : .    g - 46 stones
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : . .  b - +0 robe
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .    (no shield)
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    (no helmet)
Res.Poison: .       Clarity    : .    (no cloak)
Res.Elec. : .       Spirit.Shd : .    (no gloves)
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    (no boots)
Res.Mut.  : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .    (no amulet)
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    (no ring)
Saprovore : . . .   Ctrl.Flight: .    (no ring)

@: very slightly glowing, not resistant to hostile enchantments, unstealthy
A: no striking features
a: no special abilities


You are on level 1 of the Dungeon.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 1 branch of the dungeon, and seen 1 of its levels.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 c - a +0,+0 dagger (quivered)
Missiles
 g - 46 stones (in hand)
Armour
 b - a +0 robe (worn)
 f - a robe
Comestibles
 d - a bread ration
Potions
 e - a fizzy yellow potion
Books
 a - a book of Minor Magic   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   *Magic Dart                        Conjuration                  1
   Blink                              Translocation                2
   Call Imp                           Summoning                    2
   Repel Missiles                     Charms/Air                   2
   Slow                               Hexes                        2
   Conjure Flame                      Conjuration/Fire             3
   Mephitic Cloud                     Conjuration/Poison/Air       3


 You have 2 experience left.

   Skills:
 + Level 1 Stabbing
 - Level 1 Shields
 + Level 2 Spellcasting
 + Level 1 Conjurations
 + Level 1 Hexes
 + Level 1 Charms
 + Level 3 Necromancy
 + Level 1 Earth Magic


You have 3 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Success   Level  Hunger
a - Sandblast             Erth           ##.....      Very Good   1    Strawberry
b - Magic Dart            Conj           ##...        Very Good   1    Strawberry

[galehar]

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.9-a1-141-g3e33e22 character file.

So you're playing 0.9. Maybe you should reconsider your strategy, or at least rename the thread. As I've said in my previous post, Ashenzari's XP boost as been replaced by a skill boost.

[cybersaint2k]

Thanks for that correction. I did not realize .9 had such a dramatic change. I'll go back to .8 and run a character through that instead and give my results.

However, if one were to run a "skill rocket" through .9 Ashenzari, to create that happy unbalance of a rapidly growing skill, you'd start with something like a Mountain Dwarf using an ax, curse it, and watch it grow. Though humans are still not bad because gaining levels impacts gaining skills.

In looking at the table on crawlwiki at the bottom of Ashenzari entry, this boost to skill benefits melee characters and their tools most, and magic users less, since staves and jewelry get less of a boost.

I'll go back to playing .8 now, after I kill a cool human wanderer that I created in .9.

Thanks again for the help.

[galehar]

In looking at the table on crawlwiki at the bottom of Ashenzari entry, this boost to skill benefits melee characters and their tools most, and magic users less, since staves and jewelry get less of a boost.

Basically, you get a lower bonus when more skills are boosted. Jewellery boost a lot of skills, that's why it gets the lowest one. It's still pretty powerful. Anyway, hybrids get the most of it, that's for sure. I think HuWz of Ashenzari is going to be a great combo in 0.9 (I'm testing one).