Train shields to 16, and then I get THIS!

[danr]

F - the +12 Executioner's Axe "Ajiffuac" {flame, rF+}

I had been quite happy relying on a +9 broad axe of flame while wearing a +2 large shield. Now I don't know what to wield.

Axe skill is at 22, or 27 when I activate Heroism.

EDIT: I've cleared Orc, Lair, Spider and Swamp (this was a gift on Swamp:5 AFTER clearing out the rune vault).

[duvessa]

W...why did you train shields to 16

[danr]

Cuz I'm stupid I guess. Haven't played in a while.

[danr]

Also, haven't found any armour better than plain plate yet, needed more defense, and I noticed the shield slowed down my attack, so I thought some shield skill might improve my attack speed.

[danr]

Here's my chardump, any other feedback welcome:

  Code:

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.15.2 (tiles) character file.

Glimt the Executioner (Hill Orc Fighter)           Turns: 32964, Time: 02:46:34

HP  53/170       AC 28     Str 30      XL: 18   Next: 23%
MP  31/31        EV  8     Int  8      God: Okawaru [******]
Gold 1988        SH  0     Dex 10      Spells:  0 memorised, 17 levels left

rFire  + . .     SeeInvis .     F - +12 executioner's axe "Ajiffuac" {flame, rF+}
rCold  + . .     Clarity  .     A - +0 plate armour
rNeg   . . .     rCorr    .     (no shield)
rPois  +         rRot     .     C - +2 helmet
rElec  .         Spirit   .     S - +2 cloak {+Inv}
SustAb .         Warding  .     W - +2 pair of gloves {Str+3}
rMut   .         Stasis   .     m - +0 pair of boots
Gourm  .                        O - amulet of faith
MR     +....                    P - ring of protection from cold
                                M - ring of poison resistance

@: heroism, finesse, somewhat resistant to hostile enchantments, extremely
unstealthy
A: no striking features
a: Heroism, Finesse, Renounce Religion, Evoke Invisibility
}: 2/15 runes: decaying, gossamer


You are on level 5 of the Swamp.
You worship Okawaru.
Okawaru is exalted by your worship.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 5 branches of the dungeon, and seen 27 of its levels.
You have also visited: Bailey.

You have collected 1988 gold pieces.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - a +9 broad axe of flaming
 b - a +2 hand crossbow
 F - the +12 executioner's axe "Ajiffuac" (weapon) {flame, rF+}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 5 of the Swamp)   
   
   It emits flame when wielded, causing extra injury to most foes and up to
   double damage against particularly susceptible opponents. Big, fiery blades
   are also staple armaments of hydra-hunters.
   
   It protects you from fire.
Missiles
 B - 55 steel bolts (quivered)
 H - 10 bolts of penetration
 J - 45 bolts of frost
 Z - 18 silver bolts
Armour
 m - a +0 pair of boots (worn)
 t - a +2 large shield
 A - a +0 plate armour (worn)
 C - a +2 helmet (worn)
 R - the -6 plate armour of Shroatte {Int+1 Slay+5}
   (Okawaru gifted it to you on level 2 of the Spider Nest)   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+1).
   It affects your accuracy and damage with ranged weapons and melee attacks
   (+5).
 S - a +2 cloak of darkness (worn)
 W - a +2 pair of gloves of strength (worn)
Magical devices
 G - a wand of enslavement {zapped: 1}
 K - a wand of fire
 Y - a wand of teleportation (4)
Comestibles
 p - 10 bread rations
 x - 5 royal jellies
Scrolls
 g - 2 scrolls of brand weapon
 j - 4 scrolls of fog
 k - 2 scrolls of fear
 l - a scroll of holy word
 q - 3 scrolls of recharging
 r - 2 scrolls of blinking
 s - 14 scrolls of remove curse
 v - a scroll of enchant weapon
 w - 6 scrolls of magic mapping
 y - 2 scrolls of summoning
 z - 6 scrolls of identify
 L - a scroll of acquirement
 T - 2 scrolls of vulnerability
 V - 2 scrolls of enchant armour
Jewellery
 c - an uncursed ring of teleport control
 o - an uncursed ring of see invisible
 u - an uncursed amulet of clarity
 M - a ring of poison resistance (left hand)
 O - an amulet of faith (around neck)
 P - a ring of protection from cold (right hand)
 Q - an uncursed ring of flight
Potions
 e - 6 potions of might
 f - 2 potions of agility
 h - 10 potions of heal wounds
 i - 3 potions of haste
 n - 3 potions of resistance
 D - 9 potions of curing
 E - 2 potions of berserk rage
Miscellaneous
 d - a sack of spiders
 I - a lamp of fire
 U - a stone of tremors
Rods
 N - a +0 rod of the swarm (11/11)
   (You found it on level 5 of the Spider Nest)


   Skills:
 + Level 17.2(22.2) Fighting
 - Level 21.8(26.8) Axes
 - Level 7.1(12.1) Crossbows
 * Level 8.3(13.3) Armour
 - Level 0.4(5.4) Dodging
 - Level 0.6(5.6) Stealth
 - Level 16.5(21.5) Shields
 - Level 11.0 Invocations
 - Level 10.6 Evocations


You have 17 spell levels left.
You don't know any spells.

Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (8/15)             Temple (1/1) D:5            Lair (8/8) D:8
  Swamp (5/5) Lair:6       Spider (5/5) Lair:4        Slime (0/6) Lair:6

[mps]

Eh, 16 isn't that much. Walk it off.

[Quazifuji]

For future reference, broad axes are pretty weak compared to 1-handed maces or swords. Axe users should almost always go 2-handed unless you find a particularly good artefact 1-hander like Arga.

Also, haven't found any armour better than plain plate yet, needed more defense, and I noticed the shield slowed down my attack, so I thought some shield skill might improve my attack speed.

On a normal sized race wearing armour with a non-zero ER, you need 5 shield skill to eliminate the penalty for using a buckler, 15 for a regular shield, and 25 for a large shield. The skill required for a large shield is rarely worth it on a normal sized race (the penalties are lower if you've got no ER from armour or you're a large race or formicid, and higher if you're a small or tiny race).

In this case, your biggest problem with your defenses isn't the fact that your best armour is plate, it's that your armour and dodging skill are really low for a level 18 character. You should train armour much more than that to get your AC up.

[crate]

broad axes are the only axes I like, fwiw

[xentronium]

Play a Fo, you can have your cake and eat it too!

[njvack]

I would hit stuff with the giant axe and make liberal use of heroism. +1 on "work on defenses." Assuming you've tried on all the glowing plates in the game (Orc usually yields *something* better than +0 plate) I guess maybe hold out for a dragon to skin or an ego plate mail. Maybe Oka will give you something nice but who knows. More EV would make you happier.

Also you might turn your ?Acquirement into something nice. Maybe a wand?

The swarm rod is usually great but unless I'm mistaken, if you're following Oka it's gonna be good mostly for incurring penance.

[damiac]

Well, the swarm rod won't incur penance unless you purposely kill your allies. It's not like the old version where Oka got mad when allies died for any reason.

[njvack]

Oh yeah, I forgot that change

[danr]

Well, I tried reverting to the Ex axe and not using the shield, but found I was having a harder time surviving fights. Then I ended up rebranding my broad axe to Chaos and there was no looking back. Chaos is a kick ass brand for the late game. Sure it occasionally hastes or heals an enemy, but for each of those, it slows, banishes and does cool other stuff to 10 others. That axe got me to the orb and out.