Starting the game: AC or EV?

[dynast]

I was doing some TeWn runs and in one of them i started with a ton of exp on armour skill but a +0 robe, i got through the first floor with it and by the time i was nearly finished with the second i had already killed at least 3 adders and got to xl 4, then that i found a +0 plate armor on the floor, i put in on and went from 3AC 11EV to 11AC 3EV. Next thing i do is open a door and get demolished by a single adder.

I am not sure if i made a bad choice or just got unlucky on that one and i am not sure what do to the next time this situation happens. What do you guys think?

[kuniqs]

Adders are pretty random early game. You got unlucky.
Anyway, small races and smaller should train dodging. Large races should train armour (if they can wear it).
It's usually better to train fighting because the returns on that investment are universal and independent on your equipment.
Personally, I wear scale mail early game on fighter types.

[dynast]

I guess having a good balance is always the best choice, but in the case you have to choose i really dont know what to do. Tengus are not small, or tough or anything.

[kuniqs]

Tengus get EV bonuses once they get flight, so you can go either heavy armor or light.
I'd go for the middle...

[sanka]

I always found that AC is really effective against an adder, so maybe it was just bad luck.

Your accuracy however can be pretty bad if you have low STR (and low fighting/weapon skill), and adders have high EV. So wearing plate with low STR is not always as good.

[WingedEspeon]

Personally I find ring mail to be very good in the early dungeon.

[Badtown]

I don't believe AC helps much vs poison applications, but EV would help you avoid them.

Factor in that you were probably missing attacks due to wearing heavy platemail with low armour skill/strength, the fight probably took longer while you were getting hit with poison way more.

[Hurkyl]

I don't believe AC helps much vs poison applications,

If the adder doesn't do damage, it doesn't do poison.

[Badtown]

I don't believe AC helps much vs poison applications,

If the adder doesn't do damage, it doesn't do poison.

But even 1 damage can lead to it applying a regular stack of poison, right

[bcadren]

EV is much better for a lot of the game because of attacks with portions that partially or completely ignore AC. The following completely ignore AC, but check EV:

• Poison (Adder, Mamba, Ant, Spider, Enemies with Weapons of Venom, Needles)
• AF_FIRE (Fire Elemental)
• AF_COLD (Ice Beast, Ice Demon, Ice Fiend)
• Draining (Wights, Enemies with Weapons of Draining)
• Distortion (Enemies with Distortion Weapons, Spatial Maelstroms)
• Enemy Bolt Spells (Including Dragon Breath Weapons and the weaker "Throw Flame/Frost")

There are more...putting AC over EV is something I'd only recommend for Undead (since you are immune to half of those).

[Sprucery]

But at least with poison and draining, the attack has to do damage first, right? And AC can make the attack not do damage.

[Lacuenta]

What were your other stats? Str, dex wpnskl etc

[KoboldLord]

In the general case, I'll take plate over robes on D1-2 for any background that doesn't start with a book, no question. EV builds can be good, but you don't have what you need to get them ahead of the curve by D2, and for an AC build just having D2 plate is already ahead of the curve at that point. If you do happen to find an item that gives you +10 to EV, then that would probably be a good option on D2 as well, but those aren't anywhere near as common as +0 plate.

You died to the adder because adders are scary.

[Lacuenta]

In the general case, I'll take plate over robes on D1-2 for any background that doesn't start with a book, no question. EV builds can be good, but you don't have what you need to get them ahead of the curve by D2, and for an AC build just having D2 plate is already ahead of the curve at that point. If you do happen to find an item that gives you +10 to EV, then that would probably be a good option on D2 as well, but those aren't anywhere near as common as +0 plate.

You died to the adder because adders are scary.

I tend to forgo wearing plate even when found by a fighter on d1 until I start training armour, I prefer chain before that point.

[Badtown]

If you do happen to find an item that gives you +10 to EV, then that would probably be a good option on D2 as well, but those aren't anywhere near as common as +0 plate.

I think you're mischaracterizing plate a bit - you lose a ton of EV to gain the AC, and your offensive skills will suffer for wearing it as well. I think this is why many fighters stick to scale until their Strength and Armour skills go up.

EV is much better for a lot of the game because of attacks with portions that partially or completely ignore AC.

All great points, but don't forget that you can lose EV to an unlucky disabling effect.

[Abominae]

Enemy Bolt Spells (Including Dragon Breath Weapons and the weaker "Throw Flame/Frost")

Do enemy bolt spells ignore AC? I know they ignore SH, but I was under the impression they respect AC.

[kuniqs]

Enemy Bolt Spells (Including Dragon Breath Weapons and the weaker "Throw Flame/Frost")

Do enemy bolt spells ignore AC? I know they ignore SH, but I was under the impression they respect AC.

Throw flame/frost certainly respect ac. Lightning spells ignore half of your/enemy ac.

[Sar]

Do enemy bolt spells ignore AC?

No, but it's a pretty common mistake to think they do, I used to think all elemental damage bypasses AC for a year or so.