Expert advice for noobs: Best 3-rune character builds

[danr]

As I've never won (honestly) yet, this question is foremost on my mind - what character combination gives me the relatively best chance at getting out with three runes, the orb, and my own hide intact.

From my general reading so far, it seems the nominees would be:

- Berserkers (Mi, MD, DD, Ko or Ha)
- DDCK, or DDNe (Makhleb)
- SpEN

I know that more advanced players probably find these combos boring, and yes I know many of you play random combos, but this is the place for the experts to tell the noobs what are the most "boring" (read: safe, easy, as if there is such a thing in Crawl) character builds?

This is not for most powerful overall. It's fine if the build would have major problems in an extended endgame.

[lucy_ferre]

This list should be useful:

http://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?t ... _Beginners

SpEn of Nemelex is probably the easiest combo on that list. I managed to win it on my 1st try.

[MrMisterMonkey]

More easymode: MfCr, MfTm

[colma]

DDNe is just nasty. It has my vote for you to try if you've never won. I'd also recommend a DD Hunter of Makhleb.

Maybe try a High Elf Hunter (cliche combo, I know). Only my second win so I was still kind a noob and I pulled out a "W" after 3-4 tries. Melee everything early game and use your scarce arrows on casters/uniques/ogres at first. Even not using the bow very often early game the skill advances fast with HE aptitude. Save all your enchant weapon scrolls for a big pile of mundane arrows for mid-late game as enchanted ammo is less likely to break. I think I wound up with a stack of 700 +6 arrows at level 16 .

^ I'm not 100% if you can still enchant your own arrows/bolts with scrolls. I think it's been a few versions since I did this.

[angrykoopa]

I've ascended four SpEn of Ashenzari thanks to all the EXP boosts that go right into spellcasting, ench, stealth, and stabbing...the combo is monster

[colma]

Ashenzari needs to take a tour of the Nerf Incorporated building . I'm pretty sure most race/background combos would be monsters with that crazy experience boost.

[MrMisterMonkey]

The EXP boost is going away; this is on the Ashenzari todo list on the Ashenzari wiki page (on the development wiki).

[angrykoopa]

SpEn is so baller that a god isn't even necessary for the most part. Nemelex is always a good idea. So was Zin before they made him completely worthless again since for a minute recite at high invo could take anything down.

Pre-nerf Ash just makes it even simpler, not just on regular runs but on (three rune) speed runs as well when you really only need ench, stealth, and stabbing. EXP boost + occasionally dumping all my dodging/short blades/etc into one of those three makes it a breeze. Spellcasting is not really necessary if you're not in it for the long haul

The EXP boost is going away; this is on the Ashenzari todo list on the Ashenzari wiki page (on the development wiki).

repost riposte

[MrMisterMonkey]

On SpEn, additionally consider Kikubaaqudgha; the books help, spriggan necromancy apt isn't bad at all, it's an easy golden rune, and the pain weapon is great, especially after hibernation stops effortlessly murdering everything (pain weapon will take its place; in a 3-runer, a pain weapon with good necromancy skill will murder pretty much everything other than shadow dragons and undead (and you can dispel undead)).

If you're boring you can also go Okawaru for might and gifts and whatever else Okawaru does (but don't).

[danr]

I like the Kiku idea for SpEn because necro, like enchantment, is a pretty melee-oriented magic school. Also, it's precisely the undead and demons that are most resistant to ensorcelled hibernation.

Cool.

I know Nemelex is powerful, but I find deck management too tedious. And I've never really liked Okawaru - perhaps because I always get killed before I find an altar. I wish Oka was a starting god like Trog.

[tormodpwns]

more classes I find are easy: HEFe and TrHe.

I can consistently reach the Lair on a Troll Healer, but I usually make dumb mistakes after that.

[Jk]

I find it immensely troubling that I've tried some of these combinations and have still been unable to get past about the middle of the mid-game (dying around D:20, Elf, Shoals, Swamp, Snake Pit, etc.)

[szanth]

I've tried MeCr over and over again, and I've continually found that when I need them to be physically powerful, they just aren't, and die because of it.

[MrMisterMonkey]

Jk, have you tried a different dungeon order? Early Vaults and Crypt are probably easier than D:20, and if you're trying the branch ends of Elf/Swamp/Shoals/Snake, I'd advise saving them for later.

szanth, what do you mean by physically powerful? They're plenty powerful, have some of the best spells in the game (berserk for early game, regen for all the time, and haste after it becomes castable), and are great at dodging.

[szanth]

Eh, I guess maybe I don't berserk enough, then.

EDIT: And holy crap what Crypt are you playing that it's easier than D:20?! I went all the way through D27, and Hell, and both were easier than Crypt.

[MrMisterMonkey]

You're thinking of Tomb, a branch off of Crypt.

[szanth]

Really? I could've swore it was the other way around... regardless, if it is as you say, then yes, Crypt is not -that- difficult. Tomb, however, is godawful. -_-

[Jk]

My best characters have been DEWi, which the only downside of has been their fragility - I usually end up with one or two wrong moves, followed by a swift death. I think the SpEN sounds like a great character for my next attempt.

What would be the easiest 3 runes for a SpEN to pick up?

[MrMisterMonkey]

depends on your god and perhaps style too

[szanth]

Generally shoals never seemed that difficult in comparison to some of the other vaults, but I was a magic user at the time so maybe that had something to do with it. So there's one. SpEn should be one of the best-equipped characters to deal with the abyss and running away till he finds a rune, so there's two. And, uh, crypt I guess. *shrugs* I don't remember where the other runes are.

[MrMisterMonkey]

Crypt doesn't have a rune.
Shoals is easymode for a SpEn with some means of levitation or flight and Invisibility, since you can invis up and stab pretty much everything there dead; alternatively, sneak up and apport the rune.
I'd go with two of Swamp(invisstab works wonders here too)/Snake(silence disables spellcasting nagas)/Shoals and Vaults, unless you're Kikubaaqudgha, in which case you can do Tomb as well (my first win was a spen of kiku that 4-runed including Tomb; it also did Vaults, Snake, and I forget which other Lair branch, but I've done both Swamp and Shoals a good few times on spen speedrun attempts, so I know they're both easy).
Abyss is probably fine, too, especially with Lugonu for easy escape, but watch out for the really nasty bits, particularly boredom.

[szanth]

Just stay the crap away from slime pits. Jesus. I hate every inch of that place.