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I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 01:25
by Wolfechu
Share your retroactive gems of wisdom here. Things that really ought to have been obvious at the time, but you thought you'd try it anyhow. With hilarous consequences.

Mine? When they say Jiyva is a god best suited to late game players, they're not kidding.

"Hey, stop dissolving all the crap on the floor! I need that stuff! I need to eat!"

*slurpslurpslurpslurp*

Eventually decided enough was enough, and recanted my religion. Oh, all the jellies then turn hostile? There's about 40 on every level? Including the temple?

Managed to escape the dungeon alive, at least. And I have to admit, that looks like it'd be amusing as hell once you actually have some decent gear.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 02:27
by colma
I've got a pretty good one:

I had a level 18 summoner die on D:6 or so from screwing around and abandoning a god (don't remember which one really) and it left a ghost. As soon as it got me in LOS there were demons and elementals everywhere :? .

Don't die where your lowbies play.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 02:36
by szanth
Eh, don't underestimate Nikolai.

And if you see a hog, run the other way, because Kirke is probably right behind it.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 07:19
by Priority7
If you are in a section of a floor that you can bypass completely (no connection to the rest of the except through stairs), don't duke it out with three named enemies. Just leave.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 14:43
by Regnix
I lost a HeCr to Nessos today.. I cast Repel Missiles, but then foolishly berserked him whilst not wearing my ring of posion resistance. Despite him blinking away I did manage to kill him, but the poison got me as I couldn't drink potions whilst berserk.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 20:06
by joellercoaster
szanth wrote:Eh, don't underestimate Nikolai.


+1

Even when he's asleep :(

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Sunday, 2nd January 2011, 20:34
by starless
Never carry around too many unidentified potions or scrolls. You never know when you might need some of them.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 14:04
by Stormfox
joellercoaster wrote:
szanth wrote:Eh, don't underestimate Nikolai.


+1

Even when he's asleep :(


Especially when he's asleep. You'll be tempted to stab him and he will invariably wake up when you get adjacent.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 16:14
by GameKnut
Always ID your potions, scrolls, and wands. Better to waste a healing potion than to not know what healing potions are when you're poisoned.

Remember that you have potions, scrolls, and/or wands. If something's too hard for you, use more potions, scrolls, and wands.

You have all the time in the world to make your next move. If you don't know what to do, open your inventory, check your spell/ability list, examine your opponents, or ask someone for advice (like the ##crawl IRC channel.)

Don't mess around with statues. Bring a good wand, or just leave them alone.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 16:17
by styrix
GameKnut wrote:Remember that you have potions, scrolls, and/or wands. If something's too hard for you, use more potions, scrolls, and wands.
I have found so many wands and potions that I never end up using. I'm afraid of "wasting" them. This advise reminds me that I should err toward using them more. Do I need much of an evocation skill to use wands? Does spellcasting skill help?

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 17:18
by szanth
Evocation's completely separate from spellcasting, far as I know, so even pure melee characters can use items and wands effectively.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 18:22
by Sometimes
I didn't realise just how precious and valuable potions of cure mutation were until I finally started making it to the late game on a regular basis. I was just using them to cheat at mutation roulette.

Melee characters have to start training maces and flails if they haven't found a flaming edge by mid dungeon, unless they're packing some serious wands. (Or a quick blade. Very happy to find my KoBe could just stab the hell out of hydras.)

Don't carry precious potions or scrolls around after the early game. They'll be frozen or burned away every other encounter, and you're going to want to use that amulet slot for something more immediately handy than conservation.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 3rd January 2011, 23:08
by tormodpwns
Sometimes wrote:Don't carry precious potions or scrolls around after the early game. They'll be frozen or burned away every other encounter, and you're going to want to use that amulet slot for something more immediately handy than conservation.


True, true. Drop scrolls that don't need immediate attention such as Enchant Armour, Enchant Weapon, and Recharging. Leave a stash somewhere and return to it as needed.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 5th January 2011, 05:54
by Nobody
"Oh hey, what's this 'Slime Pits' place? Jellies are easy... I can probably take it."

WRONG.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 5th January 2011, 10:22
by szanth
Yeah the slime pits were ... ugh. They make me stabby.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 12:02
by Zicher
Three words:
Fear. Giant. Eyeballs.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 12:28
by KoboldLord
Boris is better at handling his Orb than you are. If you blink to the opposite side of him in a crowded chamber, not only can his Orb make a 180-degree U-turn, it can also negotiate a path through those monsters without hitting anything. If you teleport instead, the Orb will make the journey across the entire level to reach you anyway, so you better hope you end up by an escape hatch.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 19:01
by Jenx
I learned that having offensive spells does not substitute poison resistance. Died from poison in the Hive.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 20:07
by szanth
It could if you had Ignite Poison. That's really fun to use in The Hive.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 21:02
by Kate
Ignite Poison is a real man's way of curing poison.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 21:50
by Grimm
Hitting the direction keys harder does not increase the damage your character does.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 22:12
by szanth
Grimm wrote:Hitting the direction keys harder does not increase the damage your character does.


Doesn't it, though?

Doesn't it?

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 22:37
by Jenx
Grimm wrote:Hitting the direction keys harder does not increase the damage your character does.


Lies! Lies and treachery!

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 22:43
by Wolfechu
Grimm wrote:Hitting the direction keys harder does not increase the damage your character does.


Hitting the wrong direction key can dramatically decrease the damage your steaming corpse does, however.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 6th January 2011, 23:14
by tcjsavannah
Grimm wrote:Hitting the direction keys harder does not increase the damage your character does.


No, Dex >>> Str, so you just need to hit them faster ...

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Friday, 7th January 2011, 02:04
by lollipopman91
Never blindly hold down the 5 key to let a rat train your dodging in the lair. There is always a nine headed hydra just waiting around that corner. Always.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Friday, 7th January 2011, 07:46
by Zicher
lollipopman91 wrote:Never blindly hold down the 5 key to let a rat train your dodging in the lair. There is always a nine headed hydra just waiting around that corner. Always.


So? Then let that nine-headed hydra train your Dodging ;-).

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Friday, 7th January 2011, 13:46
by galehar
lollipopman91 wrote:Never blindly hold down the 5 key to let a rat train your dodging in the lair. There is always a nine headed hydra just waiting around that corner. Always.


Never. Hold down. Any key. Ever!

Someday, I'll implement that.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Friday, 7th January 2011, 13:58
by dpeg
galehar wrote:
lollipopman91 wrote:Never blindly hold down the 5 key to let a rat train your dodging in the lair. There is always a nine headed hydra just waiting around that corner. Always.


Never. Hold down. Any key. Ever!

Someday, I'll implement that.

The real issue is already with training Dodging by not fighting rats. There is a proposal to get rid of this: https://crawl.develz.org/wiki/doku.php?id=dcss:brainstorm:armour_training

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Saturday, 8th January 2011, 22:26
by dtsund
If your character knows Ice Storm and meets Mara, your first priority should be to use some sort of amnesia to get rid of Ice Storm.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 10th January 2011, 04:08
by mageykun
Trolls apparently cannot simply rip hyrdae apart with their claws. Even when hasted.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 10th January 2011, 04:16
by Mike255
Hasted AND under Might, they certainly can!

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 10th January 2011, 09:20
by Zicher
mageykun wrote:Trolls apparently cannot simply rip hyrdae apart with their claws. Even when hasted.


No problem when berserk.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 10th January 2011, 17:50
by christhawk
Never forget that Crazy Yiuf's staff can send you to the Abyss. It doesn't happen often, but when it happens, it will be your best character in a week and the Lair entrance will be on the same level. Sure, I'll just take out Yiuf first...

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Monday, 10th January 2011, 21:58
by VictorG
Shift-G is not the same thing as Shift-X.

I had just barely escaped from the bottom level of the swamp after meeting three hydras and two swamp dragons. So after healing while standing on the stairs down, I pressed "Shift-X" and ">" to find another set of stairs down. Except that I typed "Shift-G" instead of "Shift-X". Which took me back down immediately, where those three hydras were faithfully waiting for me. They were only too happy to kill my poor SETr. :roll:

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 00:15
by mageykun
Firing un-IDed wands at giant spores is a bad idea. I accidentally charmed the horrid thing! I managed to kill it before it could kamikaze-cuddle me, but now I'm under Oka penance... o_o

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 02:59
by fnwc
mageykun wrote:Firing un-IDed wands at giant spores is a bad idea. I accidentally charmed the horrid thing! I managed to kill it before it could kamikaze-cuddle me, but now I'm under Oka penance... o_o

Hahahaha... this kind of thing is what makes Crawl -- and roguelikes in general -- great.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 13:00
by szanth
Uh, I think they may have buffed up Gastronok in .8; so, yeah. Keep it in mind.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 14:15
by Fnord
If you evoke levitation from an item while you are still levitating it does not increase the duration. Unlike when you cast the spell.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 14:30
by tcjsavannah
Fnord wrote:If you evoke levitation from an item while you are still levitating it does not increase the duration. Unlike when you cast the spell.


Yeah, I was levitating with an item in the Abyss (like it suggests you do) and I kept waiting for the levitation to wear off.. 10000 turns later I finally hit 'a' in exasperation and saw the choice to 'end levitation'. I felt like a schmuck.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Tuesday, 11th January 2011, 17:44
by danr
Don't wield an unID'd randart weapon at the bottom level of the slime pits, especially one you are not trained in, unless you have a way to remove curses.

I wielded a very nice broadaxe in Slime:6 with my HaBe only to find it stuck to my hand, and suddenly the level became a lot more lethal. Even though I had already killed the royal jelly, I barely made it out alive after that.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 08:23
by Grimm
Don't teleport on Elf:7.

Also, don't try to run from a master archer down a straight corridor.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 08:30
by Grimm
As an addendum to that, here is a general rule of Crawl:

No matter how tough your character is, there is always a bigger dog.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 17:07
by Stormfox
Hitting the direction keys more slowly, or more lightly, does not give you a stealth bonus.

Do not zap-test against hydras.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 18:41
by danr
Stormfox wrote:Hitting the direction keys more slowly, or more lightly, does not give you a stealth bonus.

That's hilarious, I actually find myself doing that.

Here's a good lesson:
Slings can be awesome even in the endgame. Don't spurn the sling gifts. Use them and keep them on (at least with a halfling).

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 13th January 2011, 15:07
by mageykun
If you magic map a level to find the bazaar, stop and look if it's actually accessible before you being charging towards it. Apparently the entry vaults can appear inside a wall, necessitating dig or cTele.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 13th January 2011, 15:56
by Zicher
Have some means of Haste in Zot:5. You don't want to be caught by an ancient lich and four 1's there.

Re: I think we learned an important lesson today.

PostPosted: Thursday, 13th January 2011, 18:52
by danr
Iguanas are not the same league as newts and geckos.

So says my recently deceased XL 5 HaAM with a +2 dagger of electrocution, who died in the act of casting swiftness so he could run away after discovering the true crunchingness of those jaws... :(