I think we learned an important lesson today.

[Sandman25]

It's easier to play without mouse, even if you have been playing with mouse for 6+ months.

[Tiber]

Xom is known to trade your beloved weapon with a salamander's to keep you from getting it back, but he can accomplish the same thing by switching it with a monster and then polymorphing that monster into a brown ooze. That vampiric battleaxe served me well, but at least I had a freezing executioner's axe waiting for the chance to be used.

[Sandman25]

When you are playing for fun and have just decided to eat mutagenic chunks to double the fun, be prepared to get shoutis as first mutation and resistance to mutations as second one. Having "no potions" conduct turns the game into "How funny will the character die?" puzzle.

[Siegurt]

*sigh* Confused Stone Giant zombies *can* hit for 40 points of damage through 18 AC, 30 EV, and 20 Sh.

"Not likely" != "Can't happen"

[Sandman25]

*sigh* Confused Stone Giant zombies *can* hit for 40 points of damage through 18 AC, 30 EV, and 20 Sh.

"Not likely" != "Can't happen"

Confusion does not decrease to-hit chance as far as I know. That's why it is still very dangerous to stay adjacent to a confused melee monster in a corridor.

[Frelus]

*sigh* Confused Stone Giant zombies *can* hit for 40 points of damage through 18 AC, 30 EV, and 20 Sh.

"Not likely" != "Can't happen"

Confusion does not decrease to-hit chance as far as I know. That's why it is still very dangerous to stay adjacent to a confused melee monster in a corridor.

I think he meant the combined unlikelyness of the Giant attacking in the right direction, piercing both SH and EV, and dealing so much damage through his AC with a good roll.

[Sandman25]

*sigh* Confused Stone Giant zombies *can* hit for 40 points of damage through 18 AC, 30 EV, and 20 Sh.

"Not likely" != "Can't happen"

Confusion does not decrease to-hit chance as far as I know. That's why it is still very dangerous to stay adjacent to a confused melee monster in a corridor.

I think he meant the combined unlikelyness of the Giant attacking in the right direction, piercing both SH and EV, and dealing so much damage through his AC with a good roll.

Right, that's why GDR and high AC rule

[Siegurt]

I was in fact referring to the unlikeliness of that confluence of events.

SpEn have a tough time finding GDR (particularly when all 3 of the dragons (1 regular and 2 mottled) I'd killed were corpseless) The robe of resistance I was wearing was no slouch, but no GRD was in sight for me.

And he was in a wide open area not in a corridor (Although I am pretty sure it doesn't make a difference), but the truth is I just should've wandered off and healed (I'd just dug my way through a ton of critters and he was the last one that needed an offing) Ah well, def not a stellar "thinking cap" moment for me.

[Sandman25]

I was in fact referring to the unlikeliness of that confluence of events.

SpEn have a tough time finding GDR (particularly when all 3 of the dragons (1 regular and 2 mottled) I'd killed were corpseless) The robe of resistance I was wearing was no slouch, but no GRD was in sight for me.

And he was in a wide open area not in a corridor (Although I am pretty sure it doesn't make a difference), but the truth is I just should've wandered off and healed (I'd just dug my way through a ton of critters and he was the last one that needed an offing) Ah well, def not a stellar "thinking cap" moment for me.

Yes, I know the feeling. It would help if we had dynamic "The monster has N% chance to kill you with a single attack" in monster description, that would bring more respect to frequently killed monsters.

[Lasty]

I was in fact referring to the unlikeliness of that confluence of events.

SpEn have a tough time finding GDR (particularly when all 3 of the dragons (1 regular and 2 mottled) I'd killed were corpseless) The robe of resistance I was wearing was no slouch, but no GRD was in sight for me.

And he was in a wide open area not in a corridor (Although I am pretty sure it doesn't make a difference), but the truth is I just should've wandered off and healed (I'd just dug my way through a ton of critters and he was the last one that needed an offing) Ah well, def not a stellar "thinking cap" moment for me.

Yes, I know the feeling. It would help if we had dynamic "The monster has N% chance to kill you with a single attack" in monster description, that would bring more respect to frequently killed monsters.

Naw, then we'd go "only a 2% chance to kill me? I got this!" and get much more angry when it happens anyway.

[Herode2]

Scrolls of Acquirement can give you The Absolute Crap : the -18 Crystal Plate Armor "Chulocimp" (Acc+4) maybe...

[Hurkyl]

Naw, then we'd go "only a 2% chance to kill me? I got this!" and get much more angry when it happens anyway.

It's amazing how that works, sometimes. I've even seen (on the Civ 4 forums) people come right out and say that the computer is cheating if you lose one out of every 20 fights for which you have a 95% chance of success. Things would probably be worse here, given how many chances you give a monster to one-shot you.

I wonder how percentages would work anyways; if they account for weapon enchantment (this "D:1 Hobgoblin can club you for 8 damage"), this gives you an annoying way to cheat the identify game. If they don't account for weapon enchantment (this "D:1 Hobgoblin can't one-shot your 0 XP DeWz"), people will cry foul when it happens.

[Sandman25]

Yes, I know the feeling. It would help if we had dynamic "The monster has N% chance to kill you with a single attack" in monster description, that would bring more respect to frequently killed monsters.

Naw, then we'd go "only a 2% chance to kill me? I got this!" and get much more angry when it happens anyway.

Naw, it would change your mind from "Ok, I will quaff a potion of healing or cBlink if something goes wrong" to "Oops, I have to be really careful with the monster". I really experienced this feeling when playing "no potions/items/cBlink" conduct, you cannot just stand and throw spells at Orc Wizard, first you need ensure that you have 100% hp, you are far from unexplored territory and you can hide behind a corner in a turn if something goes wrong. It didn't work for Fe though when a Gnoll showed me his Wand of Draining

[Tristian]

I know it's been said....
But you know that Crawl hates you when your Conjurer finds a robe of resistance on D:1.
And Grinder and Sigmund are waiting for you, on either sides of the stairs, right when you head down to D:2.

[Grimm]

They put the robe there.

[Denniz]

Conjure Flame (lvl 3 spell) can set fire to trees. Never knew that until my finger slipped...

[Raptorssiah]

Was fighting some ballistomycete, just trying to clear them out, when a kobold walks into my LoS. I figured I didn't need to rush over and melee him to death, so I kept attacking the ballistomycete. Turns out that kobold spawned with a blowpipe and curare needles. RIP.

[Sandman25]

When you enter a new level and are instantly surrounded by about 15 humans, use different stairs to go up. It will allow you to safely use third stairs which leads to a different region of the level (compare with 50% chance to be lucky if you use the same stairs for retreat).

[SchwaWarrior]

Do NOT hit yourself while multizapping Lightning Bolt, thinking you can just tank the damage without rElec. I did not think that I would hit myself for 47 damage and kill myself while fighting an ood Iron Troll. Talk about mortifying-- I'm really going to miss that {rF++ MR++} ring, but this time I think I deserved to lose it

[Zyrnak]

Not sure if this is the right spot to ask, but has anyone used Discord in .13? Is it any good? I'm playing a DjCj that ended up with a fair amount of Hexes for Fulminant Prism, and since Vehumet decided that I didn't deserve Fire Storm, I need a high-level spell to wreck havoc with.

[Sandman25]

Do NOT hit yourself while multizapping Lightning Bolt, thinking you can just tank the damage without rElec. I did not think that I would hit myself for 47 damage and kill myself while fighting an ood Iron Troll. Talk about mortifying-- I'm really going to miss that {rF++ MR++} ring, but this time I think I deserved to lose it

Lightning ignores 50% AC.

[Frelus]

Not sure if this is the right spot to ask, but has anyone used Discord in .13? Is it any good? I'm playing a DjCj that ended up with a fair amount of Hexes for Fulminant Prism, and since Vehumet decided that I didn't deserve Fire Storm, I need a high-level spell to wreck havoc with.

Well, it definetly sounds allright, but I do think that they may attack you, too.
Although pitting berserked enemies against each other *does* sound hillarious.
What does Xom think of this issue, btw?

[BlackSheep]

Xom doesn't seem to care about the spell itself. I'm not sure what his feelings are toward raging monsters killing each other. Chei, on the other hand, hates the spell.

[Frelus]

Well, if he doesn't care about the monsters killing each other yet, I think he should be at least slightly amused.
I think being amused by the spell itself would be a little too "strong".
Also, maybe he could be greatly amused by one of the monsters coming after you?

[Sandman25]

It is not enough to drop food and move away. Harpies will still happily destroy it (I guess because it is in player's LoS).

[BlackSheep]

They'll eat food from the floor if they move over it and food at your feet. If you want to preserve it, you can throw it in the opposite direction.

[Sandman25]

They'll eat food from the floor if they move over it and food at your feet. If you want to preserve it, you can throw it in the opposite direction.

I completely forgot I can throw food

[MoogleDan]

They'll eat food from the floor if they move over it and food at your feet. If you want to preserve it, you can throw it in the opposite direction.

I completely forgot I can throw food

Yeah, but not STACKS of food >_< Throwing rations one at a time is extremely obnoxious. When I do Shoals, I tend to get myself up to engorged and leave the food in Lair. Then I just have to worry about the legitimate threat of being torn to shreds by harpy swarms.

[Tonguetyd]

Some Orcs have a supply of enchanted Hand Axes that they can throw at you.

[Sandman25]

They'll eat food from the floor if they move over it and food at your feet. If you want to preserve it, you can throw it in the opposite direction.

I completely forgot I can throw food

Yeah, but not STACKS of food >_< Throwing rations one at a time is extremely obnoxious. When I do Shoals, I tend to get myself up to engorged and leave the food in Lair. Then I just have to worry about the legitimate threat of being torn to shreds by harpy swarms.

I usually enter Shoals without food also. I lost 3 meat rations and 1 bread ration (dropped 4 and 2 correspondingly, only 1 of each was present after the fight) to Harpies in main dungeon (I have a cursed ring of regeneration so I cannot rely on chunks only).

[MoogleDan]

I usually enter Shoals without food also. I lost 3 meat rations and 1 bread ration (dropped 4 and 2 correspondingly, only 1 of each was present after the fight) to Harpies in main dungeon (I have a cursed ring of regeneration so I cannot rely on chunks only).

Right, right, and those ones you really can't do MUCH about (except close a door on them if you're lucky). Even then though, I'd say killing them as quickly as possible is a better strategy than trying to preserve a bit of permafood. Harpies can HURT if you aren't a walking tank.

[epsilon]

~40 HP is not enough to fearlessly draw form Legendary Deck of Destruction. It's not like you'll be able to tank these nice 88 points of damage with them.

[and into]

No need to tell a story, because there'd be too many to tell, as I learn this lesson damn near every time I play Crawl:

A great item drop on D1 or D2 is infinitely less valuable than not having the game throw the book at you. Better that the RNG *not* generate wide open floors for dungeon levels (particularly pre-lair), *not* spawn grinder, *not* put a shaft trap under your feet, *not* throw three orc priests and a warrior at you (with an entourage of wizards and vanilla orcs in tow), etc. etc.

The most important kind of luck in Crawl does not involve HAVING good luck, but in NOT HAVING bad luck. So you tend not to appreciate the best sort of luck you have, when you have it. In this particular regard, DCSS is a lot like life, actually.

[Grimm]

the best we can hope for is a negative blessing

[Sandman25]

Potion of beneficial mutation can remove bad mutation. Not sure if it can remove good mutation, I hope not.

[Siegurt]

Potion of beneficial mutation can remove bad mutation. Not sure if it can remove good mutation, I hope not.

Any time you would get a new mutation, there is a chance of removing an old one instead. (Bad or good)

[Sandman25]

Potion of beneficial mutation can remove bad mutation. Not sure if it can remove good mutation, I hope not.

Any time you would get a new mutation, there is a chance of removing an old one instead. (Bad or good)

Yes, I know it. I hoped potion of beneficial mutation is special cased to never remove a good mutation.

[mopl]

Potion of beneficial mutation can remove bad mutation. Not sure if it can remove good mutation, I hope not.

Any time you would get a new mutation, there is a chance of removing an old one instead. (Bad or good)

Yes, I know it. I hoped potion of beneficial mutation is special cased to never remove a good mutation.

Some mutation (ie Str +1/Dex -1) have an opposite also considered as good (in this example Str-1/Dex+1)... In this case, potion of beneficial mutation can remove what it did before...

But here comes another question : can a potion a mutation "erase" a mutation of a demonspawn...
I got this afternoon a clove mutation that prevented me to wear wonderful boots...

[Sandman25]

Don't continue exploring Ice Cave when you barely survived going thru first region where freezing clouds appear. I think I will try to find this vault to see how the clouds are generated, I hope there is some safe period.

[and into]

But here comes another question : can a potion a mutation "erase" a mutation of a demonspawn...
I got this afternoon a clove mutation that prevented me to wear wonderful boots...

If the mutation is part of the Ds mutation (if so, the text description will be in purple on the mutation screen when you hit Shift + A), rather than a random one that your Ds got, then no. It is part of your inherent species traits, like Ogre's unfitting armor, etc. Certain forms can temporarily suppress it, but you can't get rid of it through cure mutation, nor Jivya or (even if you could worship him) Zin.

[Lasty]

Spectral weapon works badly on foes who use powerful AOE attacks (e.g. Margery). The attacks will just kill your weapon and deal extra damage to you.

On a related note, playing a Skald focusing on polearms is very powerful if you find a book with Haste early. Having reliable Haste and Spectral Weapon in the Lair is pretty fantastic.

[SchwaWarrior]

On a related note, playing a Skald focusing on polearms is very powerful if you find a book with Haste early. Having reliable Haste and Spectral Weapon in the Lair is pretty fantastic.

Story time!

I won my very first 15-rune game playing a Demonspawn Abyssal Knight (of Jiyva) with Spectral Weapon on a +8+7 Demon Trident of Distortion.

Hasted double-Distortion attacks every turn in a corridor with my trident behind me will wreck Hell Sentinels and Ancient Liches in just three or four hits. Greater Mummies in five. Orbs of Fire in about six. Though, this character also had Orb of Destruction and Iron Shot (I wanted physical damage that could hurt all enemy types and not be resisted), and all my fights went better when I combined both those spells as foes closed the gap, and finished them off in melee.

It was surreal. Best game I ever played though, definitely.

I will warn against one thing though. The Silence spell vs. Ancient Liches and Greater Mummies, plus Distortion attacks, can be a bit of a gamble. If your weapon Blinks the opponent out of your Silence aura then you will either have to tank a couple nasty spells or Torments, or escape suddenly. This happened several times, and I think at least once I had to unavoidably tank a full-powered Orb of Destruction because of it. >_< But did I get my revenge? Hell yes.

It was funnier though when it happened with a different Lich, he got Blinked out of my Silence aura and used it to summon two Fiends (a Brimstone Fiend and a Shadow Fiend). With my Spectral Weapon and my buffs all still up, I just ran up to both Fiends and melee'd them and killed them each in two hits, then dispatched their master just as quickly.

The only really bad part was that I banished several uniques with my weapon that I would have rather killed. And, I went into the Abyss to track them down and finish them off, but could not get them all. So even with it being a 15 Rune victory, it still felt like not a full sweep. Maybe I'm paranoid is all.

And don't even get me started on Saint Roka that game x_x he had a Holy Wrath battleaxe (and I was a demonspawn!), harassed me twice in Orc Mines with it and twice more in the Abyss after I Banished him, then on our fifth meeting I had taken Jiyva by then and I opted to just Slimify his brains out. And guess what? He never died. Somewhere in the Abyss, Saint Roka the Acid Blob was still running around wrecking stuff (and smiting them!), when I did a Ctrl+O it still said he was alive and in Abyss. Good stuff, Crawl, good stuff.

[epsilon]

Was Hall of Blades always THIS hard? I almost died twice to two freaking great maces! And second time was one-on-one! It looks easy, my ass.

[mopl]

Was Hall of Blades always THIS hard? I almost died twice to two freaking great maces! And second time was one-on-one! It looks easy, my ass.

Was Hall of Blade EVER necessary to win
Hall of Blade is the paradise of stabbers : get invisible and stab everything !

[Lasty]

Hall of Blades is easy for invisible stabbers and people with Iron Shot, but often challenging for other players, because the blades are very fast, hit hard, have good resistances, and have great defenses. They also have irritating brands a lot of the time.

[mopl]

Hall of Blades is easy for invisible stabbers and people with Iron Shot, but often challenging for other players, because the blades are very fast, hit hard, have good resistances, and have great defenses. They also have irritating brands a lot of the time.

That's quite normal : it is an easy place for people who "don't need" to go there.
I mean, nobody NEEDS to go there, but melee characters can find useful weapons there...

[epsilon]

When you think "Should I heal teleportisis mutation? But I'll lose acute sight and +2 Dex then". You really need to freaking heal it. -2 Dex and two turns for swapping rings won't kill you, teleportisis will.

[Sandman25]

deleted

[Amnesiac]

uh-oh, it's a heavy spoiler attack, take cover!

[Sandman25]

New control teleport mechanics can be fun when you get hit by distortion weapon while waiting for teleport. You select direction for blink and instantly get random teleport on your next turn. Double fun when it happens in Vault 5. I was lucky to land into an empty corner though.