Octopode Wizard: Shields or Dodging?

[Rep Henry Clay]

I'm not having any trouble killing stuff at this point so I figure I should put some points into defense. My dodging is 15 and shields is 5 so I can use my buckler with no spellcasting penalty. Would I be better off investing in shields or dodging? I've found one (unbranded) regular shield and the buckler I'm currently using.

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.14-a0-2328-g18f63ac (webtiles) character file.


Challenger1337 the Spry (Octopode Wizard) Turns: 34532, Time: 02:37:19

HP 59/76 AC 10 Str 9 XL: 14 Next: 56%
MP 19/32 EV 20 Int 24 God: Vehumet [*****.]
Gold 1211 SH 10 Dex 12 Spells: 10 memorised, 6 levels left

rFire . . . SeeInvis + r - +4,+2 falchion (protect)
rCold . . . Clarity . O - +0 buckler
rNeg + . . Conserve . k - +1 hat {SInv}
rPois . rCorr . y - amulet of resist mutation
rElec + rRot . t - +3 ring of strength
SustAb . . Spirit . f - ring of sustenance
rMut + Warding . A - ring "Avvylegh" {+cTele +Rage rElec Acc-6 Dam+3}
Saprov . . . Stasis . h - ring of positive energy
MR ++... w - ring of protection from magic
o - ring of wizardry
v - ring of flight
D - +3 ring of protection

@: mildly poisoned, very resistant to hostile enchantments, quite stealthy
A: almost no armour, amphibious, 8 rings, constrict 8, camouflage 1, gelatinous
body 1
a: Renounce Religion, Evoke Berserk Rage, Evoke Flight, Evoke Teleport Control


You are on level 8 of the Lair of Beasts.
You worship Vehumet.
Vehumet is extremely pleased with you.
You are hungry.

You have visited 3 branches of the dungeon, and seen 20 of its levels.
You have also visited: Ice Cave.

You have collected 1361 gold pieces.
You have spent 150 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
r - a +4,+2 falchion of protection (weapon)
Armour
k - a +1 hat of see invisible (worn)
O - a +0 buckler (worn)
Magical devices
m - a wand of disintegration {zapped: 1}
s - a wand of frost {zapped: 1}
x - a wand of invisibility {zapped: 2}
z - a wand of cold {zapped: 1}
B - a wand of fire {zapped: 7}
Comestibles
d - 7 bread rations
C - a beef jerky
F - a choko
Scrolls
e - 4 scrolls of teleportation
g - 2 scrolls of magic mapping
j - 7 scrolls of remove curse
n - 2 scrolls of fog
q - a scroll of blinking
J - a scroll of recharging
K - 3 scrolls of identify
Jewellery
f - a ring of sustenance (right tentacle)
h - a ring of positive energy (on tentacle)
i - an uncursed amulet of guardian spirit
o - a ring of wizardry (on tentacle)
t - a +3 ring of strength (left tentacle)
v - a ring of flight (on tentacle)
w - a ring of protection from magic (on tentacle)
y - an amulet of resist mutation (around mantle)
A - the ring "Avvylegh" (on tentacle) {+cTele +Rage rElec Acc-6 Dam+3}
(You found it on level 7 of the Dungeon)

[ring of teleport control]
It affects your accuracy with ranged weapons and melee attacks (-6).
It affects your damage with ranged weapons and melee attacks (+3).
It insulates you from electricity.
It lets you go berserk.
D - a +3 ring of protection (on tentacle)
I - an uncursed ring of sustenance
L - an uncursed ring of ice
Potions
a - 3 potions of restore abilities
b - a potion of heal wounds
l - 2 fizzy green potions
p - 4 potions of curing
u - 3 potions of brilliance
E - 3 fuming purple potions
G - 3 potions of speed
H - a viscous inky potion
Magical staves
c - an uncursed staff of air


Skills:
+ Level 15.3 Dodging
- Level 2.6 Stealth
- Level 5.0 Shields
- Level 0.2 Unarmed Combat
- Level 10.0 Spellcasting
- Level 11.4 Conjurations
Level 1.0 Summonings
- Level 0.4 Necromancy
- Level 1.0 Translocations
- Level 7.0 Fire Magic
- Level 7.3 Earth Magic
- Level 5.1 Poison Magic


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

Your Spells Type Power Failure Level Hunger
a - Magic Dart Conj #### 1% 1 None
b - Blink Tloc N/A 2% 2 None
c - Repel Missiles Chrm/Air ##........ 3% 2 None
d - Conjure Flame Conj/Fire ######.. 1% 3 None
e - Mephitic Cloud Conj/Pois/Air #####... 1% 3 None
f - Sting Conj/Pois #### 1% 1 None
g - Stone Arrow Conj/Erth ###### 1% 3 None
i - Fireball Conj/Fire ######.... 1% 5 ###....
j - Venom Bolt Conj/Pois ######.... 1% 5 ###....
y - Sublimation of Blood Necr ##........ 3% 2 None

[Sar]

1. Put dump in code tags, not quote tags.
2. Get Fighting.

[Rep Henry Clay]

Noted.

So you think the extra HP from fighting would be more beneficial than increasing defenses so it doesn't get lowered in the first place?

[Rep Henry Clay]

I guess that does make sense because more HP will always be useful whereas shields and dodging will only block damage a percentage of the time.

[Sar]

Skills in Crawl get more expensive to raise as you raise them. Going from 10 to 11 will be significantly more costly than going from 0 to 1, etc. You have 0 Fighting, which is not good, raising it now will be cheap and a good boost to your survivability. That's what would make the most sense to me in this situation, since your Dodging is already quite high, and getting a shield is a significant investment (that I would consider on an Octopode).
I would also consider getting a good melee weapon.