What do you usually do with ZoT5 in 15 rune games?

[Sandman25]

What do you usually do with ZoT5 in 15 rune games?

[pratamawirya]

Clear after getting all runes

[Sandman25]

Clear after getting all runes

Sorry, I didn't create the poll properly. Now you can just vote instead.

Edit. Oops, I voted for a wrong item.

[nago]

Get the orb (without clearing the whole level) after getting all runes

[daggaz]

Other: Park my character outside of Zot and start a brand new character up, probably of a different race/species. Im collecting uber-powerful characters because I have an innate fear of completion, maybe some day I'll bother with some orb runs..

[joellercoaster]

Assuming I ever do another 15-rune run, it's normally: having got all the runes, grab the Orb without clearing the whole thing and leave. I suck at the ninja stuff, mostly this involves killing maybe 1/4 of the level.

I hate Zot in general (although not as much as the Hells) and try to spend as little time there as possible.

[and into]

I said "Clear before getting 6th rune" because I feel that's what I usually do, but it really depends.

Generally I will go ahead and do Zot 5 before Pan and Hell, because Zot 5 tends to be the most dangerous area of the game overall (outside of Ziggurats) and if I'm planning to spend several more hours taking a character through extended, I don't want to risk losing him in Zot 5, which (unlike Hells etc.) is not optional if you want to win, so I might as well clear it.

I'll hold off on doing Zot 5 until after Tomb and Slime if I can cobble together the things and spells that make those branches relatively easy.

I will definitely delay clearing Zot 5, however, if I have access to Death's Door or Revivification, but need more experience to get them reliably castable. I always do Zot 1 to 4 after getting three runes and doing Dungeon down to 27 (plus Crypt, Elven Halls, etc., I generally don't bother with Blade). Zot 1 to 4 is dangerous, but not ridiculously so, and the experience is very good. (Plus good shot at cloak of preservation from Draconians if one hasn't turned up yet, which makes Slime less of a headache.)

[tasonir]

I'll generally clear Zot:5 the random portion right after zot:4, but not enter the vault until I'm done with all rune collection for the game. I consider this close enough to the option "clear after all runes" that I just picked that option.

Also by clear I mean I walk to the orb, then walk out. I'm not fully clearing the other side of the end vault.

[Sandman25]

I am actually surprised by current results, even after taking into account my wrong vote for "Clear before getting 4th rune" instead of "Clear after getting all runes".

[and into]

I am actually surprised by current results, even after taking into account my wrong vote for "Clear before getting 4th rune" instead of "Clear after getting all runes".

What did you find surprising about them, if you don't mind my asking? (I'm interested in different people's rationale for when/how they do Zot 5, too.)

[Sandman25]

I am actually surprised by current results, even after taking into account my wrong vote for "Clear before getting 4th rune" instead of "Clear after getting all runes".

What did you find surprising about them, if you don't mind my asking? (I'm interested in different people's rationale for when/how they do Zot 5, too.)

I believe it is optimal not to enter ZoT5 before obtaining all 15 runes for 2 reasons: mutations and too high danger.

[Turukano]

I voted for Get the orb (without clearing the whole level) after getting all runes.

Having 15 runes means you're usually overpowered on Z:5. I only once had a problem in Z:5 after picking up the orb: cerebov and some other nasty foes arrived before I was able to take the stairs up to Z:4.

Another question - slightly related to this topic - is what to do with Z:1-4. This depends on how strong my char seems to be. If I want to improve XL and skills before entering pan I usually clear most of Z:1-4.

[Sandman25]

I voted for Get the orb (without clearing the whole level) after getting all runes.

Having 15 runes means you're usually overpowered on Z:5. I only once had a problem in Z:5 after picking up the orb: cerebov and some other nasty foes arrived before I was able to take the stairs up to Z:4.

Another question - slightly related to this topic - is what to do with Z:1-4. This depends on how strong my char seems to be. If I want to improve XL and skills before entering pan I usually clear most of Z:1-4.

I always do Z1-4 ASAP when I don't have cloak of preservation. In my last game I got slime rune before entering ZoT but partly it is because I felt lazy to return back to Lair (I have no stash).