couple of questions...

[lizardking215]

I'm giving this game a second go. I'm starting as a Kobold venom mage since they are newbie friendly. So far I've only been able to get to the temple, though. I had a few questions that I was hoping someone might be able to answer to help me pick it up a little more quickly.

1. What should I be looking for in a melee weapon? Do I change my skills so that I gain experience if I find a particularly melee weap?

2. I don't quaff, but is it worth using ID on scrolls? Most of them are beneficial so far and even the bad ones can be reversed pretty readily.

3. Should I pick up every new robe I find and try to ID it? For that matter, should I just pick up every non evasion-penalizing armor I can find and equip it (assuming I know it's not cursed)?

4. As a poison-caster, I get OWNED by any type of phantom/spirit. What is a good solution for this? Skip them?

5. Is it better to try and clear a floor or work your way downward as fast as possible?

I know I sound helpless, but I've never played a true crawler before, like nethack or anything else. Specific answers to my questions would be really appreciated, and I'll prolly come up with more over the coarse of the thread.

[Happy Corner]

1. VM's can do well with short blades, since they don't do a lot of melee. Mostly you'll be stabbing things that you've confused with Mephitic Cloud, and short blades give a bonus on that.

2. Usually no, for the reasons you stated. Of course, if you have extra ID scrolls and nothing else that needs to be identified...

3. Yes, if the robe is glowing/runed (and thus possibly an ego robe). Don't use your identify scrolls, either, just wear-ID it. You never know when you might fight a robe of resistance or even an archmage robe.

4. Skipping poison-resistant enemies is one option, yes. (Phantoms are easy, since you can lure them up some stairs, wait for them to blink again, then leave them on that level.) Other options are wands or using a blast/summon spell that can deal with them (if you've found one).

5. Try to clear every floor. You need as much loot and XP as you can get. Granted, that doesn't mean risking your character fighting a dangerous unique (or other monster) - survival is more important than loot/XP. But generally, try to clear floors.

[jejorda2]

I will usually change weapon classes for anything single handed with a base damage over 11 if my weapon skill was under 8 or cross trained with the new skill, and if my aptitude for the new weapon was -2 or better. Randarts of lower base damage cause a switch, too, and I'll switch between maces and axes or polearms if I find a branded one instead of a nice base type early enough. Elec brand is usually good enough to switch for on quick weapons, and pain can be if I'm already training necromancy.

[Konebred]

You can throw 8 or 10 levels in to crossbows if you find one. Kobolds dodge well so get that high and just shoot the shit out of things. They also have an average blunt weapon skill so you can level that some and leave your short weapons low just for stabbing.