What spellschool to branch towards as DSVM


Ask fellow adventurers how to stay alive in the deep, dark, dangerous dungeon below, or share your own accumulated wisdom.

Shoals Surfer

Posts: 267

Joined: Friday, 26th April 2013, 17:05

Post Friday, 20th August 2021, 06:41

What spellschool to branch towards as DSVM

I've been playing as Demon spawn Poison mage, I've got sif muna as god and paralizing spellcasting mutation, which makes me pretty solid caster. Poison magic and poking enemies with rapier when they get paralyzed seems to work very well with me so far, but I wonder what magic I should branch towards, since I know poison magic starts to fall of with late game content when you have to deal with demons and undead. I also have rapier of speed, which is awesome weapons for tearing through opponents paralyzed by my spellcasting and is actually pretty damn strong weapon at it's own right.

I've got few options I've been considering:

Air magic seems to be best option for me so far. I've got chain lightning, Conjure Ball lightning, airstrike and lightning bolt in my spell book. Air magic has good options for damage and deflect missiles would work great with my high evasion.

Necromancy is another consideration. It's only school Demon Spawns are really good at, the dispel undead allows me to deal with undead easily and it has many nice support spells for melee, if I decide to go more stabbing focused build.

Translocation would be very cool. Using malign gateways to molest my paralyzed foes seem pretty strong... and paralize allows me to use blinks to escape easily. Main downside is while I have some good translocation spells, I actually lack the critical good ones.

  Code:
 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.27.0 (tiles) character file.

Game seed: 452758312711882569

Siprus the Tainter (Demonspawn Venom Mage)         Turns: 22016, Time: 01:12:04

Health: 72/94      AC: 19    Str:  9    XL:     14   Next: 45%
Magic:  13/26      EV: 18    Int: 22    God:    Sif Muna [*****.]
Gold:   2154       SH: 10    Dex: 16    Spells: 3/30 levels left

rFire    . . .     SeeInvis .   F - +3 rapier (speed)
rCold    . . .     Faith    .   f - +0 buckler
rNeg     . . .     Spirit   .   M - +0 troll leather armour
rPois    .         Reflect  .   w - +0 helmet
rElec    +         Harm     .   D - +0 cloak
rCorr    .         Rampage  .   r - +2 pair of gloves
Will     +....                  G - +0 pair of boots
Stlth    +++.......             (no amulet)
HPRegen  1.25/turn              p - ring of wizardry
MPRegen  0.20/turn              O - ring "Xytirurch" {rElec EV+4 Dex+3}

@: no status effects
A: talons 2, icemail 2, sanguine armour 1, condensation shield, demonic magic 3,
deterioration 1
a: Renounce Religion, Channel Magic, Forget Spell, Divine Exegesis


You are on level 5 of the Lair of Beasts.
You worship Sif Muna.
Sif Muna is extremely pleased with you.
You have visited 4 branches of the dungeon, and seen 18 of its levels.
You have also visited: Ice Cave.

You have collected 2154 gold pieces.

Inventory:

Hand Weapons
 F - a +3 rapier of speed (weapon)
 P - a +1 dagger of electrocution
Missiles
 t - 4 throwing nets
Armour
 d - a +0 tower shield of fire resistance
 f - a +0 buckler (worn)
 r - a +2 pair of gloves (worn)
 w - a +0 helmet (worn)
 D - a +0 cloak (worn)
 G - a +0 pair of boots (worn)
 K - +0 acid dragon scales
 M - a +0 troll leather armour (worn)
 Q - a +0 kite shield
Magical Staves
 g - a staff of conjuration
Jewellery
 p - a ring of wizardry (left hand)
 I - a ring of protection from cold
 N - a ring of wizardry
 O - the ring "Xytirurch" (right hand) {rElec EV+4 Dex+3}
   (You found it on level 9 of the Dungeon)   
   
   [ring of evasion]
   
   EV:        It affects your evasion (+4).
   Dex:       It affects your dexterity (+3).
   rElec:     It insulates you from electricity.
 S - a ring of protection from cold
Wands
 a - a wand of flame (77)
 l - a wand of paralysis (24)
 v - a wand of charming (6)
 E - a wand of iceblast (40)
 H - a wand of polymorph (8)
 J - a wand of mindburst (13)
 U - a wand of digging (6)
 W - a wand of acid (9)
Scrolls
 h - 3 scrolls of fog
 j - 2 scrolls of magic mapping
 o - 7 scrolls of teleportation
 x - 3 scrolls of vulnerability
 y - 2 scrolls of immolation
 B - 2 scrolls of fear
 L - a scroll of noise
 Y - a scroll labelled VUTWAM IMMANK
 Z - a scroll labelled IREHAO YLLIVVAJ
Potions
 b - 5 grey potions
 c - 2 potions of magic
 e - 3 potions of invisibility
 i - 2 potions of lignification
 k - 4 potions of heal wounds
 m - 3 potions of haste
 n - a potion of ambrosia
 q - 3 potions of brilliance
 s - 2 potions of mutation
 u - 3 potions of curing
 z - 2 fizzy cyan potions
 A - a potion of resistance
 C - 4 potions of attraction
 R - 2 potions of might
 V - a potion of cancellation
 X - a golden potion


   Skills:
 * Level 3,6 Fighting
 * Level 6,7 Short Blades
 + Level 0,4 Staves
 * Level 4,7 Armour
 * Level 5,5 Dodging
 + Level 6,1 Stealth
 * Level 6,6 Shields
 * Level 8,9 Spellcasting
 * Level 2,4 Conjurations
 * Level 2,2 Hexes
 * Level 7,3 Transmutations
 * Level 6,8 Fire Magic
 * Level 6,6 Air Magic
 * Level 10,9 Poison Magic
 * Level 5,8 Invocations
 * Level 7,5 Evocations


You have 3 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power      Damage    Failure   Level
a - Sting                 Tmut/Pois      100%       1d8       1%          1
b - Poisonous Vapours     Pois/Air       96%        N/A       1%          2
c - Mephitic Cloud        Conj/Pois/Air  39%        N/A       1%          3
d - Olgreb's Toxic Radia  Pois           55%        N/A       1%          4
e - Ignite Poison         Fire/Tmut/Pois 46%        N/A       1%          3
f - Alistair's Intoxicat  Tmut/Pois      32%        N/A       2%          5
g - Sticky Flame          Conj/Fire      30%        2d5       5%          4
h - Yara's Violent Unrav  Hex/Tmut       15%        3d8       14%         5

Your spell library contains the following spells:

 Spells                   Type           Power      Damage    Failure   Level
 Corpse Rot               Necr/Air       N/A        N/A       1%          2
 Conjure Flame            Conj/Fire      30%        6-21      1%          3
 Slow                     Hex            19%        N/A       2%          2
 Animate Skeleton         Necr           18%        N/A       3%          1
 Pain                     Necr           36%        1d5       3%          1
 Ensorcelled Hibernation  Hex/Ice        28%        N/A       3%          2
 Confusing Touch          Hex            19%        N/A       4%          3
 Sublimation of Blood     Necr           4%         N/A       6%          2
 Frozen Ramparts          Ice            18%        1d3       11%         3
 Gell's Gravitas          Tloc           4%         N/A       11%         3
 Lesser Beckoning         Tloc           4%         N/A       11%         3
 Ozocubu's Armour         Ice            9%         N/A       11%         3
 Teleport Other           Tloc           9%         N/A       11%         3
 Vampiric Draining        Necr           4%         2d6       11%         3
 Airstrike                Air            19%        N/A       2%          4
 Ice Form                 Ice/Tmut       25%        N/A       9%          4
 Petrify                  Tmut/Erth      25%        N/A       9%          4
 Summon Lightning Spire   Summ/Air       24%        N/A       9%          4
 Irradiate                Conj/Tmut      15%        3d18      13%         5
 Eringya's Noxious Bog    Tmut/Pois      24%        N/A       13%         6
 Lightning Bolt           Conj/Air       14%        1d28      16%         5
 Silence                  Hex/Air        14%        N/A       16%         5
 Iskenderun's Mystic Bla  Conj/Tloc      15%        2d5       21%         4
 Leda's Liquefaction      Hex/Erth       7%         N/A       22%         4
 Bolt of Magma            Conj/Fire/Erth 11%        4d7       26%         5
 Freezing Cloud           Conj/Ice/Air   11%        6-21      26%         5
 Summon Ice Beast         Ice/Summ       9%         N/A       32%         4
 Starburst                Conj/Fire      15%        8x6d6     58%         6
 Conjure Ball Lightning   Conj/Air       14%        3x3d6     61%         6
 Borgnjor's Vile Clutch   Necr/Erth      4%         N/A       65%         5
 Manifold Assault         Tloc           9%         N/A       65%         5
 Statue Form              Tmut/Erth      16%        N/A       73%         6
 Storm Form               Tmut/Air       20%        N/A       83%         7
 Dispersal                Tloc           4%         N/A       99%         6
 Simulacrum               Ice/Necr       4%         N/A       99%         6
 Ozocubu's Refrigeration  Ice            4%         4d5       100%        7
 Chain Lightning          Conj/Air       14%        3d19      100%        9


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (10/15)            Temple (1/1) D:7            Lair (5/6) D:10
 Shoals (0/4) Lair:4       Spider (0/4) Lair:2          Orc (2/2) D:9
    Elf (0/3) Orc:2         IceCv (visited)         
 Slime: Lair:5-6   

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Dithmenos
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Gozag
Hepliaklqana
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Qazlal
Ru
Sif Muna
Trog
Uskayaw
Vehumet
Wu Jian
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
The Shining One

Shops:
Orc:2 =(***


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You have razor-sharp toenails.
A meltable icy envelope protects you from harm. (AC +8)
When seriously injured, your bleeding wounds create armour. (AC +0)
A meltable shield of frost defends you. (SH +4)
Spells you cast and wands you use may paralyse nearby enemies.
Your body sometimes deteriorates upon taking damage.

Message History

Sif Muna accepts your kill.
The death yak gores you!! Your blood congeals into armour.
Casting: Ignite Poison (safe; 1% risk of failure)
Confirm with . or Enter, or press ? or * to list all spells.
Aiming: Sticky Flame (dangerous; 5% risk of failure)
Press: ? - help, Shift-Dir - straight line, f - death yak
Aim: a death yak (severely wounded, 100% to hit)
The sticky flame hits the death yak but does no damage.
The death yak is severely wounded.
The death yak is covered in liquid flames!
Malevolent energies surge around you. The death yak burns! The death yak gores
you!
Casting: Sticky Flame (dangerous; 5% risk of failure)
Confirm with . or Enter, or press ? or * to list all spells.
Aiming: Poisonous Vapours (safe; 1% risk of failure)
Press: ? - help, Dir - move target, f/p - death yak
Aim: a death yak (severely wounded, covered in liquid flames)
Poisonous vapours surround the death yak!
The death yak is poisoned. Malevolent energies surge around you. The death yak
burns! The death yak gores you!
Casting: Poisonous Vapours (safe; 1% risk of failure)
Confirm with . or Enter, or press ? or * to list all spells.
Aiming: Poisonous Vapours (safe; 1% risk of failure)
Press: ? - help, Dir - move target, f/p - death yak
Aim: a death yak (severely wounded, covered in liquid flames, very poisoned)
Poisonous vapours surround the death yak!
The death yak looks as sick as possible!
Malevolent energies surge around you. The death yak burns! The death yak stops
burning. The death yak misses you.
You puncture the death yak!
The death yak is almost dead.
You hit the death yak.
You kill the death yak!
Sif Muna accepts your kill.
You pick up Sif Muna's Handbook of Damaging Feathers {god gift} and begin
reading...
You add the spells Corpse Rot, Silence, Starburst, Conjure Ball Lightning,
Storm Form and Chain Lightning to your library.
Okay, then.
Unknown command.
Unknown command.
Unknown command.
You start resting.
Your blood armour dries and flakes away.
Unknown command.

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There are no monsters in sight!

Vanquished Creatures
  An orc warlord (Orc:2)
  Harold (D:9)
  Erolcha (D:9)
  5 hydras
  2 ogre magi (Orc:2)
  Erica (D:9)
  An orc high priest (Orc:1)
  10 two-headed ogres
  Urug (Lair:2)
  5 death yaks (Lair:5)
  2 bog bodies (IceCv)
  2 deep trolls (Orc:2)
  Pikel (D:8)
  3 orc sorcerers
  An orb spider (Lair:2)
  An ugly thing (D:10)
  6 elephants (Lair:5)
  3 cyclopes
  A manticore (Lair:4)
  An ice statue (IceCv)
  3 black mambas
  2 cane toads
  An unseen horror (D:10)
  Psyche (D:9)
  3 kobold demonologists (D:10)
  A rime drake (Lair:3)
  An anaconda simulacrum (IceCv)
  4 komodo dragons
  An entropy weaver simulacrum (IceCv)
  A wind drake (Lair:4)
  Prince Ribbit (D:6)
  9 trolls
  A polar bear (Lair:5)
  12 dream sheep
  Grinder (D:5)
  11 blink frogs
  A hornet (D:8)
  A shadow (D:9)
  A wraith (D:9)
  2 dire elephant simulacra (IceCv)
  Sigmund (D:6)
  5 wyverns
  3 basilisks
  37 yaks
  Eustachio (D:6)
  6 death yak simulacra (IceCv)
  A steam dragon (D:9)
  3 wargs
  A harpy simulacrum (IceCv)
  2 acid dragons
  8 water moccasins
  16 orc warriors
  3 ice beasts
  2 black bears
  A necrophage (D:7)
  3 sky beasts
  21 ogres
  4 centaurs
  3 lemures (D:8)
  19 wolves
  2 phantoms (D:5)
  A kobold brigand (D:6)
  10 bullfrogs
  6 two-headed ogre simulacra (IceCv)
  2 cane toad simulacra (IceCv)
  6 killer bees (D:7)
  2 elephant simulacra (IceCv)
  The ghost of Siprus the Slasher, a weakling DsGl of Jiyva (D:4)
  2 howler monkeys (D:9)
  4 wights (D:7)
  2 electric eels
  4 centaur zombies
  A bullfrog zombie (D:4)
  2 jellies
  2 orc priests
  An iron imp (D:6)
  3 iguanas
  11 orc wizards
  6 troll simulacra (IceCv)
  8 spriggan simulacra (IceCv)
  A polar bear simulacrum (IceCv)
  2 wolf simulacra (IceCv)
  A hound skeleton (D:4)
  Robin (D:3)
  6 adders
  6 naga simulacra (IceCv)
  2 shadow imps
  2 white imps (IceCv)
  8 ufetubi (IceCv)
  An adder skeleton (D:4)
  3 worms (D:2)
  10 dart slugs
  40 orcs
  9 ball pythons
  13 endoplasms
  A giant cockroach (D:2)
  16 goblins
  12 hobgoblins
  3 jackals (D:1)
  7 quokkas
  3 bats
  11 frilled lizards
  23 kobolds
  2 rats
506 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
  A white imp (IceCv)
  24 fungi
  19 plants
44 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 550 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
-------+----------+-------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | Siprus the Demonspawn Venom Mage began the quest for the
                  | Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 13/13 MP: 3/3
   288 | D:1      | Reached skill level 1 in Transmutations
   544 | D:1      | Gained mutation: A meltable shield of frost defends you.
                  | (SH +4) [demonic ancestry]
   544 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 19/19 MP: 1/5
   877 | D:1      | Learned a level 2 spell: Poisonous Vapours
  1317 | D:1      | Gained mutation: You have sharp toenails. [demonic
                  | ancestry]
  1317 | D:1      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 24/24 MP: 1/6
  1840 | D:1      | Learned a level 3 spell: Mephitic Cloud
  2607 | D:2      | Gained mutation: Spells you cast may paralyse adjacent
                  | enemies. [demonic ancestry]
  2607 | D:2      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 30/30 MP: 0/7
  3484 | D:3      | Reached skill level 4 in Poison Magic
  3650 | D:3      | Noticed an ice beast
  3650 | D:3      | Noticed Robin
  3666 | D:3      | Killed Robin
  3667 | D:3      | Reached skill level 1 in Air Magic
  3822 | D:3      | Killed an ice beast
  3823 | D:3      | Reached skill level 1 in Shields
  3823 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 21/35 MP: 1/9
  4059 | D:3      | Found a shimmering altar of Xom.
  4360 | D:4      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 32/41 MP: 10/10
  4634 | D:4      | Found a runed translucent door.
  4634 | D:4      | Noticed Siprus's ghost (weakling DsGl)
  4944 | D:4      | Learned a level 4 spell: Olgreb's Toxic Radiance
  5597 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  5638 | D:5      | Noticed a sky beast
  6116 | D:5      | Killed a sky beast
  6117 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Evocations
  6117 | D:5      | Gained mutation: A meltable icy envelope protects you from
                  | harm. (AC +8) [demonic ancestry]
  6117 | D:5      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 47/47 MP: 7/11
  6151 | D:5      | Found a sacrificial altar of Ru.
  6156 | D:5      | Found an ornate altar of the Wu Jian Council.
  6459 | D:5      | Noticed Grinder
  6471 | D:5      | Killed Grinder
  6472 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Short Blades
  6472 | D:5      | Reached skill level 5 in Poison Magic
  6622 | D:5      | Gained mutation: A meltable icy envelope protects you from
                  | harm. (AC +8) [demonic ancestry]
  6622 | D:5      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 53/53 MP: 3/13
  7076 | D:4      | Learned a level 3 spell: Ignite Poison
  7080 | D:4      | Killed Siprus's ghost
  7461 | D:6      | Noticed Prince Ribbit
  7482 | D:6      | Killed Prince Ribbit
  7483 | D:6      | Reached skill level 1 in Fire Magic
  7603 | D:6      | Noticed Eustachio
  7617 | D:6      | Killed Eustachio
  7618 | D:6      | Reached skill level 1 in Fighting
  7758 | D:6      | Reached skill level 6 in Poison Magic
  7920 | D:6      | Found a snail-covered altar of Cheibriados.
  7937 | D:6      | Identified a scroll of acquirement
  8035 | D:6      | Acquired a +0 tower shield of fire resistance
  8112 | D:6      | Noticed Sigmund
  8117 | D:6      | Killed Sigmund
  8118 | D:6      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 59/59 MP: 3/15
  8347 | D:7      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  8356 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple
  8535 | Temple   | Became a worshipper of Sif Muna the Loreminder
  8651 | D:7      | Noticed a cyclops
  8658 | D:7      | Killed a cyclops
  9085 | D:7      | Found a shadowy altar of Dithmenos.
  9483 | D:8      | Reached * piety under Sif Muna
  9614 | D:8      | Reached skill level 5 in Spellcasting
  9614 | D:8      | Gained mutation: When seriously injured, your bleeding
                  | wounds create armour. (AC +0) [demonic ancestry]
  9614 | D:8      | Reached XP level 10. HP: 65/65 MP: 13/17
  9843 | D:8      | Noticed Pikel
  9860 | D:8      | Killed Pikel
  9861 | D:8      | Reached skill level 7 in Poison Magic
 10082 | D:8      | Learned a level 5 spell: Alistair's Intoxication
 10367 | D:8      | Reached skill level 5 in Transmutations
 10526 | D:8      | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 10539 | D:8      | Killed a two-headed ogre
 10540 | D:8      | Reached skill level 5 in Evocations
 10777 | D:9      | Noticed Erolcha
 10787 | D:9      | Found a staircase to the Orcish Mines.
 10788 | D:9      | Killed Erolcha
 10789 | D:9      | Reached skill level 8 in Poison Magic
 10991 | D:9      | Noticed Erica
 11010 | D:9      | Killed Erica
 11019 | D:9      | Reached XP level 11. HP: 21/70 MP: 9/19
 11363 | D:9      | Noticed Harold
 11377 | D:9      | Killed Harold
 11619 | D:9      | Noticed Psyche
 11630 | D:9      | Killed Psyche
 11632 | D:9      | Reached skill level 1 in Armour
 12135 | D:9      | Identified the ring "Xytirurch" {rElec EV+4 Dex+3}
 12390 | Orc:1    | Entered Level 1 of the Orcish Mines
 12390 | Orc:1    | Noticed an orc high priest
 12402 | Orc:1    | Killed an orc high priest
 12402 | Orc:1    | Reached ** piety under Sif Muna
 12403 | Orc:1    | Reached skill level 5 in Shields
 12811 | Orc:1    | Noticed an orc sorcerer
 12823 | Orc:1    | Killed an orc sorcerer
 13286 | Orc:2    | Entered Level 2 of the Orcish Mines
 13286 | Orc:2    | Noticed an orc sorcerer
 13289 | Orc:2    | Paralysed by an orc sorcerer for 4 turns
 13295 | Orc:2    | Killed an orc sorcerer
 13299 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13305 | Orc:2    | Noticed an orc warlord
 13307 | Orc:2    | Found Fistodi's CLEARANCE SALE! EVERYTHING MUST GO!.
 13310 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 13311 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 5 in Air Magic
 13312 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 9 in Poison Magic
 13313 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 5 in Fire Magic
 13322 | Orc:2    | Killed an orc warlord
 13323 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13443 | Orc:2    | Noticed a deep troll
 13446 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 13447 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 5 in Stealth
 13448 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 5 in Short Blades
 13454 | Orc:2    | Gained mutation: Spells you cast may paralyse nearby
                  | enemies. [demonic ancestry]
 13454 | Orc:2    | Reached XP level 12. HP: 58/77 MP: 3/22
 13458 | Orc:2    | Noticed an ogre mage
 13458 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13465 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13680 | Orc:2    | Paralysed by an ogre mage for 5 turns
 13681 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 13686 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13687 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 13688 | Orc:2    | HP: 2/74 [orc sorcerer/bolt of negative energy (12)]
 13693 | Orc:2    | Reached *** piety under Sif Muna
 13826 | Orc:2    | Killed an ogre mage
 13826 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 13827 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 1 in Invocations
 14218 | Orc:2    | Found a staircase to the Elven Halls.
 14240 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 14253 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 14262 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 14300 | Orc:2    | Noticed an ogre mage
 14302 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 14316 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 14322 | Orc:2    | Killed an ogre mage
 14460 | Orc:2    | Found Coem's Weapon Boutique.
 14474 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 14629 | Orc:2    | Noticed a two-headed ogre
 14638 | Orc:2    | Killed a two-headed ogre
 14678 | Orc:2    | Reached skill level 10 in Poison Magic
 14686 | Orc:2    | Found Coopawno's General Store.
 14693 | Orc:2    | Reached **** piety under Sif Muna
 14694 | Orc:2    | Found Besoddibb's Jewellery Emporium.
 14701 | Orc:2    | Found Zes Syshri's General Store.
 15033 | D:10     | Entered Level 10 of the Dungeon
 15157 | D:10     | Gained mutation: Spells you cast and wands you use may
                  | paralyse nearby enemies. [demonic ancestry]
 15157 | D:10     | Reached XP level 13. HP: 83/83 MP: 24/24
 15458 | D:10     | Found a staircase to the Lair.
 15974 | Lair:1   | Entered Level 1 of the Lair of Beasts
 16747 | Lair:2   | Learned a level 4 spell: Sticky Flame
 16808 | Lair:2   | Found a frozen archway.
 16810 | Lair:2   | Noticed Urug
 16817 | Lair:2   | Killed Urug
 16839 | IceCv    | Entered an ice cave
 17254 | IceCv    | Reached ***** piety under Sif Muna
 17254 | IceCv    | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 17306 | IceCv    | Learned a level 5 spell: Yara's Violent Unravelling
 18209 | IceCv    | Reached skill level 5 in Dodging
 18594 | Lair:2   | Found a hole to the Spider Nest.
 19418 | Lair:3   | Reached skill level 1 in Conjurations
 19519 | Lair:3   | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 19529 | Lair:3   | Got Roucemot's Tome of the Icy Traveller {god gift}
 19629 | Lair:3   | Reached skill level 5 in Invocations
 19679 | Lair:3   | Reached skill level 1 in Hexes
 20234 | Lair:3   | Gained mutation: You have razor-sharp toenails. [demonic
                  | ancestry]
 20234 | Lair:3   | Reached XP level 14. HP: 89/93 MP: 26/26
 20584 | Lair:4   | Found a staircase to the Shoals.
 21525 | Lair:5   | Gained mutation: Your body sometimes deteriorates upon
                  | taking damage. [you]
 21984 | Lair:5   | Received a gift from Sif Muna
 21993 | Lair:5   | Got Sif Muna's Handbook of Damaging Feathers {god gift}

Illustrated notes

Skill      XL: |  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 |
---------------+-------------------------------------------+-----
Transmutations |  1           2     3     4  5     6  7    |  7,3
Dodging        |     2                          3  4  5    |  5,5
Poison Magic   |           4        5  6     8  9 10       | 10,9
Air Magic      |           1  2        3  4     5     6    |  6,6
Shields        |           1        2  3     4  5     6    |  6,6
Spellcasting   |              3        4  5     6  7  8    |  8,9
Stealth        |                 2     3  4     5        6 |  6,1
Evocations     |                 1  3     4  5     6  7    |  7,5
Short Blades   |                    1     2  4  5     6    |  6,7
Fire Magic     |                       1  3  4  5     6    |  6,8
Fighting       |                       1              3    |  3,6
Armour         |                                2  3  4    |  4,7
Invocations    |                                   3  5    |  5,8
Conjurations   |                                      1  2 |  2,4
Hexes          |                                      1  2 |  2,2
Staves         |                                           |  0,4

Action                   |  1- 3 |  4- 6 |  7- 9 | 10-12 | 13-15 || total
-------------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------++-------
Melee: Unarmed           |    54 |       |       |       |       ||    54
       Staff             |    42 |     9 |       |       |       ||    51
       Kick              |     7 |    16 |    20 |    45 |    96 ||   184
       Short sword       |       |    22 |       |       |       ||    22
       Dagger            |       |    58 |    33 |       |       ||    91
       Rapier            |       |       |    89 |   194 |   414 ||   697
 Cast: Sting             |    76 |    87 |    53 |    49 |    26 ||   291
       Poisonous Vapours |       |     7 |    22 |    16 |    10 ||    55
       Mephitic Cloud    |       |     2 |     6 |     6 |    11 ||    25
       Olgreb's Toxic Ra |       |       |    12 |    66 |    51 ||   129
       Ignite Poison     |       |       |     7 |    12 |    22 ||    41
       Alistair's Intoxi |       |       |       |     3 |       ||     3
       Sticky Flame      |       |       |       |       |    37 ||    37
       Yara's Violent Un |       |       |       |       |     3 ||     3
Invok: Channel Magic     |       |       |       |       |     1 ||     1
Evoke: Wand              |       |     1 |     9 |     8 |    11 ||    29
  Use: Scroll            |       |     4 |     4 |    11 |     8 ||    27
       Potion            |       |       |       |     3 |     1 ||     4
 Stab: Paralysed         |       |    23 |    27 |    36 |    50 ||   136
       Sleeping          |       |     3 |     8 |     1 |     7 ||    19
       Confused          |       |     1 |       |     1 |       ||     2
       Distracted        |       |       |       |       |     1 ||     1
Armor: Robe              |    17 |    33 |    37 |     4 |       ||    91
       Troll leather arm |       |       |       |    49 |   101 ||   150
       Acid dragon scale |       |       |       |     4 |       ||     4
       Ice dragon scales |       |       |       |       |     3 ||     3
Dodge: Dodged            |    66 |    51 |    52 |    86 |   223 ||   478
Block: Other             |     3 |       |       |       |       ||     3
       Buckler           |    22 |    34 |    68 |    86 |   174 ||   384

Zot Zealot

Posts: 1004

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

Post Friday, 20th August 2021, 08:59

Re: What spellschool to branch towards as DSVM

Personally I'd probably go for Air magic, with Summon Lightning Spire --> Ball Lightning --> Chain Lightning.
The new Chain Lightning is very good, and at least with Sif you can use it even before you can properly 'cast' it.

I'd consider Necromancy very questionable on this kind of build. Sure, Death Channel can help deal with large groups of enemies (but you already have AOE), Dispel Undead with undead (which any non-poison conjuration could do decently well), and Torment + Drain can help some characters take on uniques that they otherwise wouldn't be able to, but it costs a lot of spell levels and still leaves you unable to deal with some situations.
That said, with sif you could at least divinely cast Chain Lightning, which makes me think you could win with it if you wanted to.

Translocations are great, but I'd never have translocations as my 'main' school. If you're going to get Malign Gateway I'd also get some other translocations and/or summons. I'm not really familiar with the demonic magic trait. Depending on how it works Summons could be awesome or awefull.

With this character I'd aim for either fully-enchanted Acid dragon scales or fully-enchanted Swamp dragon scales. At +2 and beyond I think either of those would be unequivocally better than your Troll leather.

For this message the author petercordia has received thanks:
siprus

Shoals Surfer

Posts: 267

Joined: Friday, 26th April 2013, 17:05

Post Friday, 20th August 2021, 09:19

Re: What spellschool to branch towards as DSVM

petercordia wrote:Personally I'd probably go for Air magic, with Summon Lightning Spire --> Ball Lightning --> Chain Lightning.
The new Chain Lightning is very good, and at least with Sif you can use it even before you can properly 'cast' it.

I'd consider Necromancy very questionable on this kind of build. Sure, Death Channel can help deal with large groups of enemies (but you already have AOE), Dispel Undead with undead (which any non-poison conjuration could do decently well), and Torment + Drain can help some characters take on uniques that they otherwise wouldn't be able to, but it costs a lot of spell levels and still leaves you unable to deal with some situations.
That said, with sif you could at least divinely cast Chain Lightning, which makes me think you could win with it if you wanted to.

Translocations are great, but I'd never have translocations as my 'main' school. If you're going to get Malign Gateway I'd also get some other translocations and/or summons. I'm not really familiar with the demonic magic trait. Depending on how it works Summons could be awesome or awefull.

With this character I'd aim for either fully-enchanted Acid dragon scales or fully-enchanted Swamp dragon scales. At +2 and beyond I think either of those would be unequivocally better than your Troll leather.


Demonic trait just attempts to paralyze monster in vision when ever you cast spells or invokes wands. It can be resisted, i don't think it scales with spell-level or spell power, but I'm not sure. At this level it means that whenever i cast spell bunch of enemies get paralyzed, not sure if it keep scaling for late game content. It could be very awesome with high level summoning, where is summon bunch of big monsters and then spam low level summons to paralyze enemies and keep myself safe, but that's gonna require some experimentation.

Thank you for your advice, I'll go with Air spells for now, since I already have most top spells for that school. Maybe another run I'll try the summoner.

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