Is this shield worth it?

[starhawk]

I'm playing a sword-and-board MiFi. Saw this artifact in a shop:

the +18 shield of the gong {rElec rN+ MR+ EV-5} (1264gp)

I have the money. i've completed Orc and am halfway through Lair. XL 14, AC 29, EV 6, SH 13.

The +18 on shields goes toward SH value, right? So does a highly inflated SH make up for the fact that the EV penalty would take my EV to 1? (I'm feverishly training Dodging from nothing, but it'd still be in the single digits for a long time).

[jejorda2]

Gong is loud enough that it will wake up every enemy on the level and bring them to your location so you have to fight them all at the same time. It's never worth it.

Shields don't block beams or many other forms of attacks. It is a trap.

[Turukano]

The shield of the gong

• is dangerous because of the noise it makes
• prevents you (like all shields) from wielding a two-handed weapon

I wouldn't wear it.

[Sandman25]

It can be fun but is very dangerous. It can be useful for some characters only (like axe-wielding MiFi of Makhleb).

[Bloax]

I like how everyone is trying to persuade you from using an incredibly strong item.
Go for it, you won't have another chance until much later.

[Sandman25]

I like how everyone is trying to persuade you from using an incredibly strong item.
Go for it, you won't have another chance until much later.

From my game with gong

Holy pan level was crazy, I killed at least 49+ creatures in the same tile (created a corridor and a hole in wall) without any resting, there were 49 weapons (a-z, A-U) after the fight

Vaults 5 was fun too

[starhawk]

Aha - I hadn't looked at the store description and didn't realize it was a noisemaker. Not that I am at all stealthy now, but.... whole levels at once could be painful. Especially with an EV of 1...

[jejorda2]

Go for it, you won't have another chance until much later.

This is actually a decent point.

"I played a game wearing gong" may be a more valuable experience/memory/story than "I won a game."

[Bloax]

I mean I wouldn't have anything against discouraging Maxwell's Coffin, but GONG is a really strong item that doesn't completely fuck you over.

[Sandman25]

I mean I wouldn't have anything against discouraging Maxwell's Coffin, but GONG is a really strong item that doesn't completely fuck you over.

Why is it so strong? I switched to +7 large shield of rF+ as soon as I could (lost SH 5 and MR) because even with Qazal (who already provides permanent Fireball-level noise) and AC 60+ the difference in survivability was huge. Without Gong I was able to rest before killing 70% monsters of the whole level.

[WalrusMcFishSr]

The best part of the shield of the gong is the suspenseful "More..." messages it generates.

OH SHIT how did I die I had 50 HP...never mind, it's just my shield going PTAAAAANNGG

[starhawk]

I was still hemming and hawing about going back for Gong, but found a +9 large shield with STR and DEX bumps. Yup, I'm good!

[rchandra]

go back for gong! it's a smaller shield (need to train less) with probably similar SH and much more fun.

[Lyrick]

If you have some kind of regeneration, Elyvilon, or vampircism, you'll have a funner time with gong.

[Sar]

but coffin is amazing, Bloax

[dck]

jokes aside the coffin is better than gong, given characters that would consider using any

[ElderVIII]

I wonder... Gong + Qazlal....

This must be done.

[Sandman25]

I wonder... Gong + Qazlal....

This must be done.

Done by rchandra