CIP KoSu looking for advice

[odexios]

After a month of countless deaths with my KoSus, KoEns and VaEns, I finally have a character who seems to be able to get the Orb.

This is the first time I get all the three runes, and I'm now clearing the vaults; I've already cleared the Orc Mines, the Shoals, the Slime, the Snake Pit, the Lair and the Hive.

Any advice on equipment, skills, spells and so on is appreciated; this is my first character to pass XL 15, so I have a lot to learn yet XD

By the way, would he be able to get the Orb, by now?

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.8.1-0-g3982a66 character file.

Kosumak the Eclecticist (Kobold Summoner)          Turns: 85573, Time: 14:02:47

HP 110/110       AC 19     Str 13      Exp: 22/475952 (3), need: 18048
MP  40/42        EV 25     Int 14 (26) God: Vehumet [******]
Gold 760         SH 19     Dex 21 (22) Spells: 17 memorised,  2 levels left

Res.Fire  : + . .   See Invis. : .    a - +6,+3 dagger "Stringbean" {pain, rPois rF+
Res.Cold  : . . .   Warding    : . .  C - +2 elf robe {MR}
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .    c - +0 dwarf buckler {AC+3}
Res.Acid. : . . .   Res.Corr.  : .    D - +0 spiked helmet (curse)
Res.Poison: +       Clarity    : .    O - +3 cloak of Flash {+Lev EV+4}
Res.Elec. : .       Spirit.Shd : .    x - +3 pair of gloves of Restlessness {Str+3 D
Sust.Abil.: . .     Stasis     : .    u - -2 pair of boots {Lev}
Res.Mut.  : +       Ctrl.Telep.: .    Z - amulet of Mnuw {rMut Int+4 Dam+4}
Res.Rott. : .       Levitation : .    K - ring of poison resistance
Saprovore : + + .   Ctrl.Flight: .    y - ring of regeneration

@: extraordinarily resistant to hostile enchantments, very stealthy
A: claws 1, breathe flames 1, carnivore 3, deformed body 1, regeneration 1,
saprovore 2, AC +5, Str +1, Int +1, Dex -1
a: Renounce Religion, Breathe Fire, Evoke Levitation


You are on level 4 of the Vaults.
You worship Vehumet.
Vehumet is exalted by your worship.
You are completely stuffed.

You have visited 10 branches of the dungeon, and seen 63 of its levels.
You have visited 2 bazaars.
You have visited 2 portal chambers: bailey, trove.

You have collected 5283 gold pieces.
You have spent 4543 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 a - the +6,+3 dagger "Stringbean" (weapon) {pain, rPois rF+ MR Dex+3 Int+1 Stlth+}
   (You found it on level 6 of the Pits of Slime)   
   
   In the hands of one skilled in necromantic magic, it inflicts extra damage
   on living creatures.
   
   
   It affects your intelligence (+1).
   It affects your dexterity (+3).
   It protects you from fire.
   It protects you from poison.
   It increases your resistance to enchantments.
   It makes you more stealthy.
Armour
 c - a +0 dwarven buckler of protection (worn)
 u - a -2 pair of boots of levitation (worn)
 x - the +3 pair of gloves of Restlessness (worn) {Str+3 Dex+3}
   (You bought it in a shop in a bazaar)   
   
   
   It affects your strength (+3).
   It affects your dexterity (+3).
 C - a +2 elven robe of magic resistance (worn)
 D - a cursed +0 spiked helmet (worn)
 O - the +3 cloak of Flash (worn) {+Lev EV+4}
   (You bought it in a shop in a bazaar)   
   
   
   It affects your evasion (+4).
   It lets you levitate.
Magical devices
 g - a wand of disintegration (11)
 l - a wand of teleportation {zapped: 2}
 n - a wand of digging (2)
 P - a wand of hasting (2)
 T - a wand of lightning (6)
Comestibles
 b - 3 chunks of hill giant flesh
 f - 2 honeycombs
 o - a meat ration
Scrolls
 d - 6 scrolls of recharging
 j - a scroll of identify
 r - 2 scrolls of magic mapping
 w - 6 scrolls of teleportation
 L - 5 scrolls of remove curse
Jewellery
 m - an uncursed ring of magical power
 q - an uncursed ring of see invisible
 v - an uncursed ring of protection from magic
 y - a ring of regeneration (left hand)
 E - an uncursed ring of life protection
 J - an uncursed amulet of warding
 K - a ring of poison resistance (right hand)
 N - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 S - an uncursed ring of protection from fire
 U - an uncursed ring of protection from fire
 X - an uncursed ring of protection from cold
 Z - the amulet of Mnuw (around neck) {rMut Int+4 Dam+4}
   (You found it in a treasure trove)   
   
   [amulet of resist mutation]
   
   It affects your intelligence (+4).
   It affects your damage-dealing abilities (+4).
Potions
 i - a potion of cure mutation
 p - a potion of speed
 A - 9 potions of healing
 I - a potion of resistance
 M - 3 potions of magic
 R - 6 potions of restore abilities


 You have 3 experience left.

   Skills:
 + Level 7 Fighting
 - Level 5 Short Blades
 - Level 2 Throwing
 - Level 7 Dodging
 - Level 5 Stealth
 - Level 2 Stabbing
 - Level 6 Shields
 + Level 6 Traps & Doors
 - Level 2 Unarmed Combat
 + Level 18 Spellcasting
 - Level 4 Charms
 - Level 17 Summonings
 + Level 13 Necromancy
 + Level 3 Translocations
 - Level 6 Ice Magic
 + Level 5 Air Magic
 + Level 4 Evocations


You have 2 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Success   Level  Hunger
a - Summon Small Mammals  Summ           #####        Perfect     1    None
b - Call Imp              Summ           #######...   Perfect     2    None
c - Call Canine Familiar  Summ           #######...   Perfect     3    None
d - Summon Ice Beast      Ice/Summ       ######....   Excellent   5    Choko
e - Animate Dead          Necr           N/A          Excellent   4    None
f - Animate Skeleton      Necr           N/A          Excellent   1    None
g - Repel Missiles        Air/Chrm       #####.....   Excellent   2    None
h - Dispel Undead         Necr           ######...    Excellent   4    None
i - Abjuration            Summ           #######...   Perfect     3    None
j - Haunt                 Summ/Necr      #######...   Excellent   7    Ration
k - Flight                Air/Chrm       #####.....   Great       4    None
l - Summon Horrible Thin  Summ           #######...   Great       8    Ration
m - Summon Butterflies    Summ           #######..    Perfect     1    None
n - Swiftness             Air/Chrm       #####.....   Excellent   2    None
o - Blink                 Tloc           N/A          Excellent   2    None
p - Control Teleport      Chrm/Tloc      ####......   Very Good   4    None
q - Sublimation of Blood  Necr           ######....   Excellent   2    None


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (27/27)            Temple (1/1) D:5             Orc (4/4) D:8
    Elf (0/5) Orc:3          Lair (8/8) D:9          Shoals (5/5) Lair:5
  Slime (6/6) Lair:7        Snake (5/5) Lair:4         Hive (2/2) D:12
  Vault (4/8) D:15          Blade (0/1) Vault:4       Crypt (0/5) Vault:3
    Zot (0/5) D:27       
   Dis: Hell:1         Geh: Hell:1         Coc: Hell:1         Tar: Hell:1

Altars:
Ashenzari
Cheibriados
Elyvilon
Fedhas
Kikubaaqudgha
Makhleb
Nemelex Xobeh
Okawaru
Sif Muna
The Shining One
Trog
Vehumet
Xom
Yredelemnul
Zin
Jiyva

Shops:
D:6: ?(=(  D:7: %  D:23: +  D:27: (  Orc:1: =  Orc:2: /  Orc:4: +[/!
Shoals:5: ?  Snake:4: *%[

Portals:
Hell: D:21 D:22 D:23 D:24 D:25 D:26 D:27
Abyss: D:21 D:24 D:25 D:26
Pan: D:24
Bazaar: D:26
Ziggurat: D:22 (3650 gp)

Annotations
D:22 exclusions: downstairs, eye of devastation, eye of draining, great orb of eyes, shining eye and 4 more exclusions
Lair:2 stash


                    Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You recuperate from illness quickly.
You are small and have problems with some larger weapons.
You are carnivorous and can eat meat at any time.
You can eat rotten meat.
You have sharp fingernails.
You are partially covered in colourless scales (AC +1).
You are partially covered in rough black scales (AC +4, Dex -1).
You can breathe flames.
Your mind is acute (Int +1).
Armour fits poorly on your unusually shaped body.
Your natural rate of healing is unusually fast.
Your muscles are strong (Str +1).



[XuaXua]

You cleared slime, but not without damaging those pretty boots; throw some scrolls of shoe polish (enchant armor) on them; then-again, you have levitation from your cloak. Put on different boots.

Don't carry around those PRECIOUS FLAMMABLE scrolls of recharging or that BRITTLE RARE SHATTER-PRONE pot of CureMut.

I'm not a fan of "Haunt", but if it works for you... Vampiric Draining is an excellent zero-range spell for necromancers. Things really do take a good hit; granted you have to be hurt first.

Clear out all of Dungeon and try to find rN+++ (Shadow Dragons) before trying Vault:8 or Crypt.

[odexios]

You cleared slime, but not without damaging those pretty boots; throw some scrolls of shoe polish (enchant armor) on them; then-again, you have levitation from your cloak. Put on different boots.

Didn't notice o.o Thank you!

I don't think I found any other enchanted boots during the game, but I guess that even a simple +0 would be better by now.

Don't carry around those PRECIOUS FLAMMABLE scrolls of recharging or that BRITTLE RARE SHATTER-PRONE pot of CureMut.

Well, I have 5 other CureMut in my stash, I thought that taking one with me could get handy if I took some sudden and terrible mutation. I'll leave the scrolls in Hell, though.

I'm not a fan of "Haunt", but if it works for you...

Well, Haunt was marvellous until a few levels ago, now I'm (maybe over) depending on Horrible Things. Hunger's not a problem for my Kobold, for now at least, and the Int drop doesn't seem to be noticeable.

Vampiric Draining is an excellent zero-range spell for necromancers. Things really do take a good hit; granted you have to be hurt first.

For now my summons and zombies seem to be able to let me stay (mostly) unhurt; I guess I could use it as a last resort, though. I didn't find any other useful spell for now, after all.

Clear out all of Dungeon and try to find rN+++ (Shadow Dragons) before trying Vault:8 or Crypt.

Dungeon cleared. I suppose I can't depend on the two rings of life protection...

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

Awesome neck you have.

Absolutly stash your scrolls/potions. While you are there, I'd reccomend drinking a potion of restore abilies :p

Your get rpoison from your weapon. Swap that ring for a ring of rcold (valuable first pip) or sinvis for normal wear. The ring of magical power is suprisingly helpful since it lets you get an extra summon straight up, and gives you a higher mana regen over a battle.

rN is not that critical. If you see a shadow dragon, make it target #1 and try to stay out of breath range.

Unless you are using it to make chunks, you get a bit of spell room by forgetting Animate Skeleton, ditto for call imps and dogs, and small mammals (butterflies works better).

You can rearrange your spell list using the "=" (I have read, but not yet tried)

You swiftness + fly is a game changer and oblivates the need for boots of levitation. I'd stash them (not reenchant) and grab a normal pair of boots if I could find nothing better, since that will save you some scrolls of enchant armor. As they now stand they are doing more harm than good.

I hear that shadow creatures can trivialize Zot.

I would probably turn off necro, air, and evocations. It does not look like you are using them for direct damage, and you can already cast the spells well enough. Putting all that xp into spellcasting (I think) will give you more bang for your buck.

Conversly, since you are not using very noisy spells, I have heard many speak well of stealth, and as a small creature you get a slight bonus with it.

I would definitly turn shields on again. As a small creature I believe you need at least skill 7 to remove the casting malus, and more defense is always good. Ditto for dodging. With your summons, your kill power is not too bad, time to work on your "not getting killed" abilites.

Nice mutation set.

[JeffQyzt]

RE: Boots of levitation - They still have a niche if you're going to go for extended bouts of levitation (e.g. in Shoals), as their levitation does not expire (as opposed to e.g. the evokable levitation from your cloak.) Depends on how much of a burden re-upping your flight enchantment is for you.

[XuaXua]

Awesome neck you have.

Absolutly stash your scrolls/potions. While you are there, I'd reccomend drinking a potion of restore abilies :p

I always carry one with me now, especially when I have royal jellies in reserve.

You can rearrange your spell list using the "=" (I have read, but not yet tried)

I love it. I always re-map the crap out of it for me EE and Ne characters.
z to Vampiric Draining = win.

You swiftness + fly is a game changer and oblivates the need for boots of levitation.

You saw his cloak, right?

I hear that shadow creatures can trivialize Zot.

+1 to comment; I've never tried it.

[Yet Another Stupid Noob]

Does the cloak work like the ring or the boots?

Ring = invoke and must be back on solid ground before it wears off
boots = invoke and it stays on until you turn it off.