amaril wrote:Plus using consumables early generates a feedback loop, of sorts. You need to use fewer, less valuable consumables when you do use consumables (in general), thereby giving you access to a greater # of powerful consumables as the game progresses.
Strategic tips: At some point I realized that the majority of my winning characters could be summarized as "heavy armour melee fighters with a ranged weapon and some evo." Not that magic is weak, but spells > lv 2 are rarely needed to win, and it is usually better to spend xp on things that are useful now than things that might hypothetically be useful after draining your xp for a couple of branches.
Magic is some tricky shit in crawl. To be good at rolling mages, you have to know where the flaws and strengths of each spell school are. Not just what spells are good, but what BOOKS give the best value, which schools have the best synergy, at what point schools stop being a good investment, when to start transitioning to another school to avoid hitting a wall in the mid or late game... you also have to have a good feel for just how much XP you'll need to sink into armor and still be able to cast your desired spellset.
This all isn't necessarily a bad thing. Hitting a wall as a mage and dying, swamped by enemies, my frail emaciated magely body being pulped by the clubs and giant rocks of Depths baddies, as I clutch my obsolete spellbooks, cursing the gods as I go down... is actually my idea of a fun time. So, mages are great for that. Every mage is a learning experience.
Edit: forgot to include some actual advice. Dont be frustrated when you lose. A good roguelike WILL kill you now and then. Just make adjustments based on how you died and have fun with it. If you arent at least a little impressed or amused when you die, you arent enjoying the genre the way its meant to be enjoyed.