Tengu monk with a great sword of speed

[nagdon]

My XL11 Tengu Monk just identified the cursed +8,+10 great sword "Raoni" {speed, Stlth++}. Now I am relatively easily killing things in unarmed combat (sometimes with the help of my amulet of rage against tough opponents), and I started learning Summonings after I found the book of Beasts for some backup.

How useful/strong is this weapon? Would it be an optimal / suboptimal but possible / bad decision to switch to long blades and use it?
.

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.14-a0-1822-g4ba8154 (console) character file.

Num the Martial Artist (Tengu Monk)                Turns: 12630, Time: 00:38:02

HP  69/69        AC  8     Str 11      XL: 11   Next: 48%
MP  22/22        EV 15     Int 14      God: the Shining One [***...]
Gold 420         SH  0     Dex 19      Spells:  2 memorised,  6 levels left

rFire  + . .     SeeInvis .       - Unarmed
rCold  . . .     Clarity  .     v - +0 orc ring mail
rNeg   + . .     Conserve .     (no shield)
rPois  .         rCorr    .     (helmet restricted)
rElec  .         rRot     .     n - +1 orc cloak
SustAb . .       Spirit   .     y - +0 pair of gloves
rMut   .         Warding  .     (boots unavailable)
Saprov . . .     Stasis   .     q - amulet of rage
                                S - ring of protection from fire
                                m - cursed +2 ring of dexterity

@: burdened, glowing, slow, somewhat resistant to hostile enchantments,
extremely unstealthy
A: able to fly, beak, talons 3
a: Fly, Divine Shield, Renounce Religion, Evoke Berserk Rage


You are on level 9 of the Dungeon.
You worship the Shining One.
the Shining One is most pleased with you.
You are encumbered.
You are hungry.

You have visited 2 branches of the dungeon, and seen 10 of its levels.
You have also visited: Sewer.

You have collected 498 gold pieces.
You have spent 78 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 h - a +2,+4 trident
 H - the cursed +8,+10 great sword "Raoni" {speed, Stlth++}
   (You found it on level 9 of the Dungeon)   
   
   Attacks with this weapon are significantly faster, but cause slightly less
   damage.
   
   It makes you much more stealthy.
   It has a curse placed upon it.
Missiles
 l - 4 tomahawks (quivered)
 I - 24 arrows
Armour
 n - a +1 orcish cloak (worn)
 v - a +0 orcish ring mail (worn)
 w - a troll hide {Purgy}
 y - a +0 pair of gloves (worn)
Magical devices
 a - a wand of confusion {zapped: 2}
 p - a wand of slowing {zapped: 7}
 r - a wand of digging {zapped: 1}
 t - a wand of slowing {zapped: 4}
 x - a wand of teleportation {zapped: 4}
 K - a wand of cold {zapped: 1}
 L - a wand of polymorph (6)
 M - a gold wand
Comestibles
 b - 5 bread rations
 z - 3 meat rations
 D - a pear
 E - an apple
Scrolls
 d - 3 scrolls of remove curse
 f - 2 scrolls of fog
 i - a scroll labeled ZIAMYENWIR {tried}
 C - a scroll labeled CUFIAKK PLURU {tried on troll hide}
 N - 2 scrolls of teleportation
Jewellery
 m - a cursed +2 ring of dexterity (left hand)
 q - an amulet of rage (around neck)
 G - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 S - a ring of protection from fire (right hand)
Potions
 c - 3 lumpy pink potions
 e - 2 potions of might
 g - 5 potions of heal wounds
 j - 3 potions of speed
 k - 6 potions of curing
 s - 3 white potions
 u - a viscous white potion
 A - a murky black potion
 B - a glowing yellow potion
 F - 3 fizzy yellow potions
 J - a blue potion
Books
 o - a book of Beasts   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   *Summon Butterflies                Summoning                    1
   Sticks to Snakes                   Transmutation                2
   *Call Canine Familiar              Summoning                    3
   Ice Form                           Ice/Transmutation            4
   Summon Ice Beast                   Ice/Summoning                4
   Summon Hydra                       Summoning                    7


   Skills:
 + Level 8.5 Fighting
 + Level 9.6 Dodging
 - Level 2.0 Stealth
 * Level 11.4 Unarmed Combat
 * Level 5.9 Summonings
 + Level 5.0 Invocations
 - Level 5.8 Evocations


You have 6 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Summon Butterflies    Summ           ###.....     6%          1    ##.....
b - Call Canine Familiar  Summ           ###.......   17%         3    ####...


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (9/16)             Temple (1/1) D:4            Lair (0/8) D:9
   Orc: D:9-12     

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Sif Muna
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
the Shining One

Shops:
D:5 !


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You can fly.
You have a beak for a mouth.
You have claws for feet.


Message History

H - the cursed +8,+10 great sword "Raoni" {speed, Stlth++}
Unknown command.
J - a blue potion
F - 3 fizzy yellow potions (gained 1)
Drop what? (_ for help) (? for menu, Esc to quit)
Okay, then.
Unknown command.
Drop what? (_ for help) (? for menu, Esc to quit)
You drop 2 scrolls of remove curse.
Unknown command.
Unknown command.
Unknown command.
Saving game... please wait.
You are being weighed down by all of your possessions.
Welcome back, Num the Tengu Monk.
The Shining One says: Lead the forces of light to victory!
Press ? for a list of commands and other information.
Unknown command.
Char dumped to 'morgue/Num.txt'.
Saving game... please wait.

         #.........#
         #.........#
         #.........#
         #.........#
         #.........#
         #.........#
######   #.........####
#....##  #.................
#...[.#  #@............J...
#.....#  #####.#...........
##.##.#      #.#...........
 #.##.#      #.#)..........
 #.##.#      #........>....
 #%##.#      #.#...........
 #.##.#      #.#...........
 #.##.#      #)#...........
##.##.###    #.#...........


There are no monsters in sight!

Vanquished Creatures
  The ghost of Vum the Cleaver, an experienced FoWr of Makhleb (D:8)
  Pikel (D:4)
  A feature mimic (D:7)
  2 trolls (D:9)
  3 spiny frogs (D:9)
  Grinder (D:5)
  Prince Ribbit (D:6)
  The ghost of Juun the Ruinous, an average FeCj (D:4)
  3 hippogriffs
  Eustachio (D:5)
  Grum (D:8)
  A hungry ghost (D:7)
  3 wolves (D:8)
  5 yaks (D:8)
  Edmund (D:5)
  Menkaure (D:5)
  A necrophage (D:8)
  A sky beast (D:9)
  A slave (D:4)
  Purgy (Sewer)
  2 orc warriors
  A phantom (D:8)
  3 ice beasts (D:7)
  2 centaurs
  The ghost of Aumo the Digger, an average FoEE of Fedhas (D:6)
  Sigmund (D:5)
  6 ogres
  4 crocodiles
  Blork the orc (D:5)
  4 giant frogs
  3 killer bees (D:8)
  9 wights (D:8)
  7 crimson imps
  4 goliath beetles
  A centaur zombie (D:8)
  A spider (D:9)
  A yellow wasp zombie (D:6)
  4 hounds
  An orc priest (D:9)
  7 iguanas
  2 orc wizards (D:7)
  A giant frog skeleton (D:8)
  3 scorpions
  4 worker ants
  Ijyb (Temple)
  An ogre skeleton (D:6)
  A worker ant zombie (D:7)
  6 adders
  4 giant mites
  An inept item mimic (D:9)
  An inept feature mimic (D:7)
  5 worms
  An adder zombie (D:5)
  4 adder skeletons
  3 giant eyeballs
  14 giant geckos
  14 orcs
  20 bats
  10 giant cockroaches
  15 goblins
  11 hobgoblins
  3 jackals
  10 kobolds
  5 quokkas
  2 ball pythons
  4 giant newts
  A giant spore (D:8)
  A hobgoblin skeleton (D:5)
  2 kobold skeletons
  An orc skeleton (D:8)
  22 rats
  A rat skeleton (D:7)
  A rat zombie (D:5)
  6 ballistomycetes
  A butterfly (D:7)
  A fungus (D:1)
277 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
  2 giant spores
2 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 279 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
--------------------------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | Num, the Tengu Monk, began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 14/14 MP: 1/1
   370 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 19/19 MP: 3/3
   384 | D:1      | Reached skill level 5 in Unarmed Combat
   885 | D:2      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 23/23 MP: 4/4
  1409 | D:2      | Reached skill level 1 in Evocations
  1913 | D:3      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 28/28 MP: 6/6
  2213 | D:3      | Found a snail-covered altar of Cheibriados.
  2502 | D:3      | Noticed an ogre
  2516 | D:3      | Killed an ogre
  2516 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 26/32 MP: 8/10
  2771 | D:3      | Found a blossoming altar of Fedhas.
  2854 | D:4      | Noticed an ogre
  2858 | D:4      | Killed an ogre
  2858 | D:4      | Reached skill level 5 in Evocations
  2858 | D:4      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 29/37 MP: 13/13
  2927 | D:4      | Found a glowing drain.
  2961 | Sewer    | Entered a sewer
  3137 | Sewer    | Noticed Purgy
  3144 | Sewer    | Killed Purgy
  3144 | Sewer    | Reached skill level 6 in Unarmed Combat
  3273 | D:4      | Noticed a slave
  3296 | D:4      | Killed a slave
  3339 | D:4      | Noticed a slave
  3341 | D:4      | Found a radiant altar of Vehumet.
  3392 | D:4      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  3397 | D:4      | Noticed Ijyb
  3402 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple
  3410 | Temple   | Killed Ijyb
  3410 | Temple   | Reached XP level 7. HP: 41/41 MP: 15/15
  3673 | D:4      | Noticed a slave
  3674 | D:4      | Noticed a slave
  4096 | D:4      | Found a glowing golden altar of the Shining One.
  4101 | D:4      | Became a worshipper of the Shining One
  4101 | D:4      | Acquired the Shining One's first power
  4101 | D:4      | Acquired the Shining One's second power
  4272 | D:4      | Noticed Juun's ghost (average FeCj)
  4277 | D:4      | Killed Juun's ghost
  4279 | D:4      | Noticed Pikel
  4374 | D:4      | Killed Pikel
  4374 | D:4      | Reached skill level 5 in Dodging
  4374 | D:4      | Reached skill level 7 in Unarmed Combat
  4374 | D:4      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 48/48 MP: 14/18
  4688 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  4722 | D:5      | Noticed Eustachio
  4738 | D:5      | Killed Eustachio
  4738 | D:5      | Reached skill level 5 in Fighting
  4815 | D:5      | Noticed Menkaure
  4824 | D:5      | Killed Menkaure
  4824 | D:5      | Reached skill level 8 in Unarmed Combat
  5046 | D:5      | Noticed Sigmund
  5058 | D:5      | Killed Sigmund
  5182 | D:5      | Noticed Grinder
  5200 | D:5      | Killed Grinder
  5200 | D:5      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 53/55 MP: 19/19
  5280 | D:5      | Found a bloodstained altar of Trog.
  5364 | D:5      | Found Wepuli's Distillery.
  5392 | D:5      | Bought a potion of mutation for 39 gold pieces
  5392 | D:5      | Bought a potion of heal wounds for 39 gold pieces
  5402 | D:5      | Noticed Edmund
  5410 | D:5      | Killed Edmund
  5629 | D:5      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  5629 | D:5      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  5629 | D:5      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  5630 | D:5      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  5630 | D:5      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  5648 | D:5      | Noticed Blork the orc
  5661 | D:5      | Killed Blork the orc
  5661 | D:5      | Reached skill level 9 in Unarmed Combat
  5907 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Invocations
  6274 | D:6      | Noticed Prince Ribbit
  6285 | D:6      | Killed Prince Ribbit
  6383 | D:6      | Noticed Aumo's ghost (average FoEE)
  6391 | D:6      | Killed Aumo's ghost
  7158 | D:7      | Found a white marble altar of Elyvilon.
  7212 | D:7      | Paralysed by a giant eyeball for 3 turns
  7227 | D:7      | Reached XP level 10. HP: 59/63 MP: 20/20
  7443 | D:7      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  7445 | D:7      | the staircase to the Ecumenical Temple was a mimic.
  7466 | D:7      | Reached skill level 10 in Unarmed Combat
  8530 | D:8      | Learned a level 1 spell: Summon Butterflies
  8776 | D:8      | Noticed Vum's ghost (experienced FoWr)
  8874 | D:8      | Reached skill level 1 in Summonings
  8879 | D:8      | Found a sparkling altar of Nemelex Xobeh.
  9037 | D:8      | Killed Vum's ghost
  9614 | D:8      | Noticed Grum
  9919 | D:8      | Reached XP level 11. HP: 42/68 MP: 22/22
 10185 | D:8      | Killed Grum
 10658 | D:8      | Reached skill level 11 in Unarmed Combat
 10714 | D:9      | Reached skill level 5 in Summonings
 10823 | D:9      | Got a jewelled great sword
 10827 | D:9      | Paralysed by a potion of paralysis for 4 turns
 11143 | D:9      | Found a bloodstained altar of Trog.
 11755 | D:9      | Found a staircase to the Lair.
 11811 | D:9      | Learned a level 3 spell: Call Canine Familiar
 12155 | D:9      | Paralysed by a giant eyeball for 3 turns
 12405 | D:9      | Reached skill level 5 in Invocations
 12610 | D:9      | Identified the cursed +8,+10 great sword "Raoni" {speed, Stlth++} (You found it on level 9 of the Dungeon)


Action                   |  1- 3 |  4- 6 |  7- 9 | 10-12 || total
-------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------++-------
Melee: Unarmed           |   103 |   132 |   226 |   405 ||   866
Throw: Tomahawk          |       |       |     1 |     2 ||     3
Invok: Divine Shield     |       |       |     4 |     1 ||     5
 Abil: Evoke Berserk Rag |       |     4 |     7 |     7 ||    18
Evoke: Wand              |       |       |     8 |     5 ||    13
  Use: Scroll            |     1 |     8 |     4 |     6 ||    19
       Potion            |       |       |     1 |     1 ||     2
 Stab: Sleeping          |     8 |     2 |       |       ||    10
       Distracted        |       |     1 |       |       ||     1


[crate]

Personally I wouldn't switch, but personally I would not have identified the sword in the first place, so I would not have this dilemma.

It might actually be better to switch but the thing is I know that UC is good enough to win with easily.

[Azrael]

Nope, stick with Unarmed Combat. Later on it'll hit just as fast and have a much higher base damage. Good sword, though.

Also, you're overtraining Fighting. That exp would be much better used pumped into UC.

[some12fat2move]

Nope, stick with Unarmed Combat. Later on it'll hit just as fast

I believe great sword of speed will get to 3.5 aut per swing whereas max skill unarmed is 5.

For more detailed information you could copy the character and use fsim.

[duvessa]

Speed brand rounds up the minimum delay. You cannot get a great sword of speed below 4 aut (well, unless you use haste or finesse).

[dck]

I think both switching and not switching leave you more or less with the same chances of winning.
Since that's a particularly cool and rare gs I would switch, Te have great apts for everything important anyway.
You're not overtraining fighting btw.

[pickled_heretic]

Its got ++stlth and a vaguely weeaboo sounding name. You are going to be a flaming glowy ninja with that thing, how could you not use it?

[Tedronai]

I would take switch to longblades for that weapon. Did it in a recent game of mine where I found a similar weapon (even after having invested 15 into polearms skill). Was definitely worth it, I had 0.5 normal attack speed and 0.2 while being hasted. If you play cautiously the game will not pose too much of a challenge with a weapon like that

[Hirsch I]

but even the weapon is more powerful at same skill level, the XP you will invest in that could better be used in other skills. as UC is very good, I would not swich.

[Lasty]

But you probably need more XP to get UC to its point of diminishing returns (because it doesn't have one) than it takes to get the great sword to that point. I haven't done the math, but I'm pretty sure the last 7 levels of UC cost more than the first 16 of LBL.