Is *Contam worth it for extra Int?


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Zot Zealot

Posts: 1004

Joined: Thursday, 16th August 2018, 21:19

Post Friday, 5th July 2019, 10:55

Is *Contam worth it for extra Int?

I'm playing in the bcrawl tournament, currently playing with a reaver Avariel^Vehm. I'm mainly a blaster caster using battleshpere + sting.

So I just found the +8 falchion "Qamu" {slice, *Contam rF- rC+ Int+8}, and I'm wondering whether it's worth wielding. On the one hand, +8 Int in very nice and a +8 falchion will do respectable damage (this is still D:8, XL 10). On the other hand, *Contam is really nasty in my experience, giving bad mutations if I don't use cancellation potions. rF- is also bad, and I have a respectable +1 dagger of elec which I wouldn't be able to use anymore.

For more context, here is the character dump: https://underhound.eu/crawl/morgue/pete ... iaCSDC.txt
and here is the skill screen with the aptitudes:
  Code:
      Skill           Level Train  Apt       Skill           Level Train  Apt
  a + Fighting         4.5  33%    -1    k - Spellcasting     2.7         +2
  b - Short Blades     3.6         +1    l - Conjurations    10.1         +3
  c - Long Blades      6.0         +1        Hexes            0.0         +2
      Maces & Flails   0.0         -2    m - Charms           8.0         +2
      Axes             0.0         -2        Summonings       0.0         +2
      Polearms         0.0         -1        Necromancy       0.0         +1
  d - Staves           0.0          0        Translocations   0.0         -1
  e - Unarmed Combat   0.0         -1    n - Transmutations   0.0         -1
                                         o - Fire Magic       0.0         +1
      Bows             0.0         +2        Ice Magic        0.0          0
      Crossbows        0.0         +1        Air Magic        0.0         +3
  f - Throwing         0.0          0        Earth Magic      0.0         -3
  g - Slings           0.0         -1    p - Poison Magic     2.0         +1

  h + Armour           2.8  33%    +1        Invocations      0.0         +1
  i + Dodging          5.6  33%    +1    q - Evocations       0.0         +1
  j - Shields          4.0         -1    r - Stealth          1.7         +1


Also, the species has -20% hp and bonus EV, and long blades give SH but no reposte.
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Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 4478

Joined: Wednesday, 23rd October 2013, 07:56

Post Friday, 5th July 2019, 11:47

Re: Is *Contam worth it for extra Int?

Contam would not be a problem normally, just don't unwield it. But the rF- combined with Contam makes it not worth it in my opinion. So personally, I would wait until I have rF from somewhere. But if you want a melee weapon and not just a stat stick, you might have a better one already at that point...
DCSS: 97:...MfCj}SpNeBaEEGrFE{HaAKTrCK}DsFESpHu{FoArNaBe}
FeEE{HOIEMiAE}GrGlHuWrGnWrNaAKBaFi{MiDeMfDe}{DrAKTrAMGhEnGnWz}
{PaBeDjFi}OgAKPaCAGnCjOgCKMfAEAtCKSpCjDEEE{HOSu
Bloat: 17: RaRoPrPh{GuStGnCa}{ArEtZoNb}KiPaAnDrBXDBQOApDaMeAGBiOCNKAsFnFlUs{RoBoNeWi

For this message the author Sprucery has received thanks: 2
nago, petercordia

Blades Runner

Posts: 616

Joined: Thursday, 25th October 2012, 03:19

Post Friday, 5th July 2019, 14:59

Re: Is *Contam worth it for extra Int?

You're not very stealthy (not stabbing with dagger), you have long blades trained to 6 but not daggers, you have low STR and you're primarily a spell caster by a fair margin. I'd recommend you take the +8 int. The primary concern is the -rF, but as a blaster-caster, you need to be able to nuke stuff pretty quickly before taking damage anyways, and you shouldn't be in melee much at all. This means, you'll only be threatened by ranged fire. I think the INT and the +8 enchant for a weapon that can riposte occasionally while you are casting is worth it overall. The contamination sucks, but I doubt you'll find anything to use in the weapon slot much better than taking the INT bonus (especially this early on). You'll eventually find mutation potions, which have a tendency to remove one bad mutation when quaffed (so it's practically a waste to drink one until you have at least one bad mutation). If you find a better item for the weapon slot, you can unwield then (possibly drink cancellation), see if you even get a bad mut, and if it even matters depending on what you get, then quaff a mutation potion and probably end up with a positive set overall.

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