Lich summons in the Abyss keep munching my face

[SchwaWarrior]

It's finally become a bad enough issue where I have to ask for help. Three Abyss visits in a row with my Tengu Monk build have wound up with me dead, each time during a Lich encounter after it summoned something unspeakable such as a Shadow Fiend, Brimstone Fiend, etc. I can't run away, resist or dodge any of their attacks and I get overwhelmed before Teleport Scroll kicks in, even one of the times when I used the scroll the moment the Lich appeared on the screen. The obvious solution is the Abjure spell, but I never have it, and am typically playing with medium armor on anyway and thus am not even able to memorize or cast it if I were to find it. Each Abyss visit, whether banished or voluntary, I have ROCKED everything in sight, being able to tear apart nearly anything in melee, while using either Okawaru or Yredumul as deities, and I did in fact kill one Ancient Lich just barely alive before it summoned anything by turning its damage against itself via Mirror Injury. But the moment they start summoning powerful demons en masse, I get overwhelmed and torn apart before I get a chance to escape safely.

What do people recommend for this kind of issue? If you were a high level (XL 20 or higher) melee character going for the Abyssal Rune, without any means to cast spells the normal way, what do you do to prepare or deal with high-level summons like Fiends?

[varsovie]

Wait until you have reliable mean to deal with it. Amulet of warden and scroll of silence can help to...

[Psieye]

Well, my MiBe was thrown in there at XL13[1] and got out with only 3 mutations (because silver bolts are awesome). As soon as a Lich showed up, I ran away on foot. I had a speed potion on me in case I got ambushed by a Lich (or a Fiend). As a Be I always have the option to just summon and abandon my brethren (Trog has no concept of honour!). But no, I didn't need to use any OhNo buttons, I just ran backwards. Stealth helps a lot in these situations but because I was a crystal plate Mi, that was irrelevant in this case. I don't think I've ever relied on a teleport to get me out of trouble in the Abyss - takes so long and a Hellwing will probably show up to cancel it with Teleport Other.

That same MiBe got sent to the Abyss again at XL15 or so due to a Zot trap but again I walked out. Floated out rather, the exit had a moat of lava but I had a +Lev axe on me.

[1]I went into Elf:1 because I was hungry after clearing Orc:4. It would have made a hilarious YASD post if I'd actually died, but no I didn't.

[SchwaWarrior]

Wait until you have reliable mean to deal with it. Amulet of warden and scroll of silence can help to...

Does Warding even work against Hellfire-throwing summons?

And jesus I never even CONSIDERED Silence, it's one of the ones I hardly ever think of using, same with Vulnerability... x.x I know that in one of my runs I definitely had a scroll. Dangit, well now I'll have to remember.

[Psieye]

Just remember that invocations and scrolls don't work either when silenced. This is why potions of berserk are useful for Trog worshippers.

[njvack]

Warding only helps against melee attacks. It might buy you the turns you need before tele kicks in. Silence will stop liches from summoning further, but won't affect demons.

Ancient Liches are some of the most dangerous monsters in the game -- for reasons you've discovered. When you see one, it's time to leave. Now. If it hasn't noticed you, don't worry, just walk away. If it has... don't wait, make escape plans THIS TURN. At least they aren't faster than you, unless they haste up. Which they can. Especially the ones who can summon fiends.

In the Abyss, do whatever you can to break line of sight -- dudes won't summon friends when they can't see you, and what can't see you can't hurt you, either.

Do not. Fight stuff. In the Abyss. Unless you have absolutely no choice or really know what you're doing (in which case, you'd probably be fighting stuff in Pan anyhow.)

Also also: you can always convert to Lugonu. Probably not if you're following Trog, but otherwise...

[Psieye]

Also also: you can always convert to Lugonu. Probably not if you're following Trog, but otherwise...

My first ever win was a Be who converted to Lugonu, but that was a lategame switch. Definitely not for midgame. Gosh, the very very first time I got sent to the Abyss as a XL13 MiBe I was so proud of myself for killing a Balrog (all while some orange brain was making a mess of my genetic integrity) before dying.