Wandering and the single Gnoll


Ask fellow adventurers how to stay alive in the deep, dark, dangerous dungeon below, or share your own accumulated wisdom.

Halls Hopper

Posts: 74

Joined: Monday, 23rd April 2018, 04:59

Post Wednesday, 13th January 2021, 04:12

Wandering and the single Gnoll

Playing a wandering Gnoll, and a question or two.

How do you handle magic? I have a ring of wizardry, and some staffs. I could do some magic as part of the overall mix. If you were going to have skill levels below 16, is there a particular school of magic or a particular set of spells I should be looking for?

Also, never played a gnoll before, and I notice objects now that I can not get to. "o" says I have explored the whole map, but there appear to be objects off the map. I have been up and then down, and down, then up every set of combinations, and can not seem to get to the objects.

Shoals Surfer

Posts: 305

Joined: Friday, 13th December 2019, 01:33

Post Wednesday, 13th January 2021, 06:17

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

I think there are sometimes disconnected vaults? I'm not sure, though.
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Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 4478

Joined: Wednesday, 23rd October 2013, 07:56

Post Wednesday, 13th January 2021, 07:30

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

What's the dungeon branch? Are the walls diggable, i.e. rock?

Spells up to at least level 6 should be ok even in a 3-rune game. Just pick whatever you find and like. Definitely pick up some spells, since you will have the skills anyway.
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Zot Zealot

Posts: 1004

Joined: Thursday, 16th August 2018, 21:19

Post Wednesday, 13th January 2021, 09:21

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

For me it depends on whether I'm playing an int-focused gnoll or a strength-focused gnoll.
A stength-focused gnoll picks up whatever spells provide best utility, but doesn't compromise on melee offence or defenses do do so, and doesn't use a staff (only because it's not worth the bother).
In contrast a int-focused gnoll does whatever he needs to to get the highest level damaging spell he can castable. (and also learns some utility spells and some other elemental magics if applicable).

I'd only use wizardry on a gnoll temporarily, if it brings the fail chance of a spell I want below 5-10%. If the fail chance is below 5-10% anyways you don't need the ring of wizardry.

For the off-map objects, check whether you're missing any stairs.

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 6454

Joined: Tuesday, 30th October 2012, 19:06

Post Wednesday, 13th January 2021, 16:52

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

petercordia wrote:For me it depends on whether I'm playing an int-focused gnoll or a strength-focused gnoll.
A stength-focused gnoll picks up whatever spells provide best utility, but doesn't compromise on melee offence or defenses do do so, and doesn't use a staff (only because it's not worth the bother).
In contrast a int-focused gnoll does whatever he needs to to get the highest level damaging spell he can castable. (and also learns some utility spells and some other elemental magics if applicable).

I'd only use wizardry on a gnoll temporarily, if it brings the fail chance of a spell I want below 5-10%. If the fail chance is below 5-10% anyways you don't need the ring of wizardry.

For the off-map objects, check whether you're missing any stairs.

Rarely, but not never, a staff is a better one-handed weapon than anything else you might have available, slightly more frequently with a gnoll, who will have applicable skills regardless of what your actual intent is. (And if the spellcasting bump is useful for spells you want to cast, then it's worth carrying around even as a swap)
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Halls Hopper

Posts: 74

Joined: Monday, 23rd April 2018, 04:59

Post Saturday, 16th January 2021, 00:12

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

Ran all the stairs, could not find a way. Digging did not get me there either. Hard to decide to play int-gnoll given I have never started with any spells.

But was wondering what you consider good utility spells. Blink? Swift?

Zot Zealot

Posts: 1004

Joined: Thursday, 16th August 2018, 21:19

Post Saturday, 16th January 2021, 16:39

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

Blink, Swiftness, conjure flame, mephitic cloud, beckoning, passwall, PoG, lightning spire, the dancing weapon spell, frozen rampards, shadow creatures / mana vipers, raise dead...

Dungeon Master

Posts: 388

Joined: Monday, 18th August 2014, 20:04

Post Sunday, 17th January 2021, 19:12

Re: Wandering and the single Gnoll

grinrain wrote:Also, never played a gnoll before, and I notice objects now that I can not get to. "o" says I have explored the whole map, but there appear to be objects off the map. I have been up and then down, and down, then up every set of combinations, and can not seem to get to the objects.


If this is offline or the game is over, you could post the seed (and level) and someone could take a look for generation bugs; or the save would do. Otherwise, the first step is to double check in `X` for all three stone stairs on the level you're seeing these items and both adjacent levels; also read magic mapping when you get one. Be aware that if this isn't a bug, vaults that are only accessible via stairs are usually about runed door difficulty for their depth (although could have no enemies at all).

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