Stalker Strategies

[Baldurino]

Can someone tell me the reasoning behind the Stalker?

You can branch off into Necromancy (But why not just play Ne)

You can branch off into transumutations (But why not play Tr)

You can branch off into earth (Why not play EE,Co,Wi, FE, IE)

Their main play style is sneaky with transmutations. First with meph cloud then with petrify. But it seems to me that petrify is an unreliable spell. How does it hold up in the mid to late game? What transition would the stalker make in the really late game (zot, Hell, pan, tomb, slime,)

[mrbobbyg]

You get a good stabbing weapon, evaporate, and dig. Those alone will take you to your next career path.

[Kate]

Petrify is pretty great for stabbing. It has no power cap like EH does, and affects almost anything, so despite not allowing you to kill things instantly, it still remains effective for a long time.

Also you can petrify flying monsters and drop them into deep water, which is hilariously fun.

[galehar]

What transition would the stalker make in the really late game (zot, Hell, pan, tomb, slime,)

This question is irrelevant when discussing starting backgrounds. They are only supposed to bring you past the early game. From then, it depends on which god you have chosen and which books and items you have found.

[frankhovis]

Can someone tell me the reasoning behind the Stalker?
You can branch off into Necromancy (But why not just play Ne)
You can branch off into transumutations (But why not play Tr)
You can branch off into earth (Why not play EE,Co,Wi, FE, IE)

There is a word for this: flexibility. You play a Stalker because it gives you a start in several different paths. Stay open-minded and adapt your strategy as you crawl eg. finding an early staff of earth or a book with blade hands may serve to influence your character's direction.

[Silk]

Stalker is a background that allows you to survive the early game pretty easily (Stealth, Evaporate, good dagger, no blatant weakness) while already including Spellcasting, Fighting and no reliance on a god which means that you can enter various paths depending on what you find in the earlygame. Make your strategy shamelessly dependant on what the dungeon is ready to gift you. This is especially true for god selection. If you can't find spellbooks early on for Vehumet or Sif Muna, surely Nemelex or Cheibriados are hiring.