Sphinx pack

[Whelk]

I was looking forward to my first ever win the other day when I was doing significantly better than I'd ever done before. I needed a third rune, though, and being a follower of Shining One I decided to try my luck in the crypts, blasting all those undead into dust. I barreled though a bunch of stuff before I got to a huge sphinx pack, who proceeded to smite me into nothingness in a matter of a few turns. Ouch!

As far as I know, there's no way to resist smiting. Considering the open design of Crypt (at least the one I was in, first time I've ever been there), the size of the sphinx pack (there mush have been around ten on of them) and the inability to teleport in there, what could be done in that situation? I tried to summon a couple angels to distribute the smiting over multiple targets, but that didn't save me.

[Jarlyk]

Fog might have helped cover an escape, since they can't easily smite what they can't see (not sure if they can blindly smite a square, though.) They can see invisible, unfortunately, so that wouldn't have helped.

I'm not sure if Silence stops smite, but that's another possibility if you can get close enough.

For Crypts, I thought that didn't have -cTele? Even if it does, you can still teleport, it just takes longer (so could be combined with some other delaying tactic like fog). If you had access to cBlink, that still gives you at least rough directional control under -cTele and a scroll of Blinking still gives you at least a random Blink (which may or may not help, but is better than definitely dying.)

[Sar]

You mean Tomb, not Crypt. There are many ways to pull the sphinxes apart. Fog breaks line of sight, haste allows you to walk away, swiftness in 0.13 allows the same. Probably you should've started retreating once you saw the first couple of sphinxes instead of moving towards them.

Tomb is such a newbie trap.

[mikee]

This may be counterintuitive to some people since sphinxes are fast, but it actually makes perfect sense to walk backwards when you see the first sphinx or two. Killing them (or really, anything in crawl) is so much easier once you realize this.

[Whelk]

Ah, Tomb, not Crypt. Sorry for the confusion!

Huh, I tried reading a scroll of blinking, but nothing happened. I was admittedly in Panic Mode and don't recall what the message was when I tried it. As far as retreating, I was in the middle of a very long, open area along the edge of the map, so I didn't have any corners to duck behind or anything. First thought: "Huh, a sphinx. No problem for me and my angel buddies. ... Okay, two sphinxes. ... wait, now five- aw, crap." Also no magic, pure fighter of Shining One, so that's my fault - no haste or swiftness or anything. Anyway, now I know to pull a Sir Robin and run at the first sight of one on my next adventure into Tomb.

I think I had used up my scrolls of fog in Forest previously (loved that branch), darn!

Thanks for the advice. It was so nice to finally die somewhere new instead of the places I always tend to lose my character! It was a great adventure to finally see some new branches that I've only ever read about. Still looking forward to venturing into Hell (how many people say that over the course of their life?) and Pandemonium someday, but I think I'm going to take a three-rune win before I ever try that. I just need that darned third rune!

[Jarlyk]

Personally, I think 'Panic Mode' is the biggest challenge to overcome with this game. The thing to bear in mind is that this isn't an Action RPG. Adrenaline kicks in and makes me want to react quickly to danger, but the turn-based nature of the game means that this is not only unnecessary, but is in fact the surest path to a gruesome death. Part of playing this is learning to not get panicked and instead react to danger by slowing down and considering more carefully. It's really somewhat interesting in that respect, as this game does an excellent job of building tension (perma-death being the key mechanic), but at the same time rewards thoughtful, careful play at the very times when we are most driven to react blindly. I've encountered very few cases with this game where I felt as if I was purely screwed over by randomness; in almost every case, I could see in retrospect that I had tools at my disposal to escape my death or could have avoided getting into the lethal situation in the first place if I had approached it more intelligently. This is not at all an easy skill to develop, but there is a lot of value in cultivating attentiveness and the capacity to reflect even in emotionally charged situations. This is part of what makes this game so compelling for me.

[Sandman25]

Very true, I can't even remember when my death could not be prevented by taking a break for a day or two. I am always killed by disappointment/hurry/laziness.

[battaile]

I was looking forward to my first ever win the other day when I was doing significantly better than I'd ever done before. I needed a third rune, though, and being a follower of Shining One I decided to try my luck in the crypts, blasting all those undead into dust. I barreled though a bunch of stuff before I got to a huge sphinx pack, who proceeded to smite me into nothingness in a matter of a few turns. Ouch!

As far as I know, there's no way to resist smiting. Considering the open design of Crypt (at least the one I was in, first time I've ever been there), the size of the sphinx pack (there mush have been around ten on of them) and the inability to teleport in there, what could be done in that situation? I tried to summon a couple angels to distribute the smiting over multiple targets, but that didn't save me.

1. Just so you know for next time, that Sphinx pack is always there so plan accordingly
2. Going for Tomb as your third rune because TSO is faulty logic (unless you're a Gargoyle maybe, and even then I think I'd do it 4th or 5th)
3. If you're just trying to get your first win and going for three runes, TSO is probably not the best god choice

For most melee-centric combos in a three rune win, you're going to be better off going with Okawaru or Trog, and getting the rune from the Vaults for your third rune.

[crate]

As far as retreating, I was in the middle of a very long, open area along the edge of the map, so I didn't have any corners to duck behind or anything.

It sounds like you don't really understand why backing up is a good idea. mikee is correct, you should back up as soon as you see the first sphinx. The important thing is that when you do this there is only one sphinx in your LOS.

[Whelk]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice! I really appreciate the supportive community here.

2. Going for Tomb as your third rune because TSO is faulty logic (unless you're a Gargoyle maybe, and even then I think I'd do it 4th or 5th)

Yeah, I was in new territory, and enjoying exploring. I figured, "Tomb, huh? Must have lots of undead - I'm a Shining Oneite, let's go purge the place of those unholy monstrosities!"

3. If you're just trying to get your first win and going for three runes, TSO is probably not the best god choice
For most melee-centric combos in a three rune win, you're going to be better off going with Okawaru or Trog, and getting the rune from the Vaults for your third rune.

Whether it's the "best" isn't really that important to me. I'm not just trying to win to win, I'm trying to win while playing with a style and theme that I enjoy. It may not be the easiest way to win, but it's possible, and that's enough for me. You could tell me a pure casting elf was the easiest way to win and I would still never play it - I dislike elves, and I dislike the "mage" archetype. I'm also really picky when it comes to god choice - Okawaru is boring to me conceptually, and Trog is too much of a bloodthirsty brute (not that I wouldn't consider something like a troll berserker at some point, that sounds fun).

I know, I'm a total geek. I play Crawl as if it were an RPG where roleplay matters. I have a lot of fun doing it, though! That's what's most important, right?

It sounds like you don't really understand why backing up is a good idea. mikee is correct, you should back up as soon as you see the first sphinx. The important thing is that when you do this there is only one sphinx in your LOS.

Yeah, I know that now! At the time I had no idea there was going to be a whole huge pack of em in there (nor that they could (and would) smite me like there's no tomorrow). Call me a masochist, but I prefer to avoid too much spoilery information, so I didn't really read up on what to expect on the wiki or anything. It dampens the sense of exploration and discovery! (Yes, even more than death, in my opinion.)

[crate]

It's generally safer to assume that anywhere you haven't yet explored is full of really nasty things. When you're wrong about that assumption, it doesn't hurt your character. When you're right, you just turned dying into not-dying.

[battaile]

Whether it's the "best" isn't really that important to me. I'm not just trying to win to win, I'm trying to win while playing with a style and theme that I enjoy.

Ok, well do whatever then I guess.

[Whelk]

Different strokes for different folks is all; didn't mean to sound ungrateful for your advice.

[Tiktacy]

Different strokes for different folks is all; didn't mean to sound ungrateful for your advice.

You didn't sound ungrateful, his community just hates anything sub optimal, that's all.

[rchandra]

You didn't sound ungrateful, his community just hates anything sub optimal, that's all. :)

Well, it can generally be assumed that if somebody asks for advice they want the best advice not the advice that is kind of ok, maybe, sometimes.