CIP DsMo of Okawaru / now YA(very)SD

[duruk]

hey there people,
my first post here, so sorry if anything is wrong with the post..
After falling through a shaft from D11 to D14 and barely saving my (apparently overconfident) skin, I thought: ok this time I'm definitely asking for some help.
Never won the game before and I'm in the brink of the phase where I usually die.
I'm particularly feeling lost about which spells to focus on, took regeneration for training charms since I got a book with haste in it. I understand that haste is considered to be the best spell, but never had the chance to use it before, and don't know if it is equivalently good for this character, does Okawaru's powers not give similar benefits?
Another point is whether I should stick with unarmed combat and robes (not that I found a weapon/armor that made me hesitate yet though)
Food & weight management seem to be other problems that I'll be facing (I fear I have hoarder tendencies while playing this game )
Not also really sure about where to progress next. Since I don't have poison resistance and nearly died on a couple of deeper levels of the dungeon, I suppose it should be Orcish Mines next?
I usually loose my characters due to stupid mistakes that follow long duration of a single sessions, I'm just glad this time I managed to save and will not go back to this character until I'll get some tips from you
So, anything about these or any other advice you consider to be useful will be appreciated.

  Code:

 Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup version 0.11.0 (tiles) character file.

who the Martial Artist (Demonspawn Monk)      Turns: 16178, Time: 01:39:43

HP  89/89        AC  5     Str 11      XL: 12   Next: 15%
MP  25/25        EV 21     Int 13      God: Okawaru [*****.]
Gold 521         SH  0     Dex 20      Spells:  5 memorised, 13 levels left

Res.Fire  : + . .   See Invis. : +     - Unarmed
Res.Cold  : + . .   Warding    : .   C - +2 orc robe {rC+}
Life Prot.: . . .   Conserve   : .   (no shield)
Res.Poison: .       Res.Corr.  : .   (helmet restricted)
Res.Elec. : .       Clarity    : +   D - +0 elf cloak
Sust.Abil.: . .     Spirit.Shd : .   (no gloves)
Res.Mut.  : .       Stasis     : .   (boots unavailable)
Res.Rott. : .       Ctrl.Telep.: .   y - amulet of clarity
Saprovore : . . .   Levitation : .   O - ring of protection from magic
                    Ctrl.Flight: .   e - ring of see invisible

@: quite resistant to hostile enchantments, stealthy
A: claws 2, hooves 3, horns 1, conserve scrolls, demonic guardian 1, fire
resistance 1
a: Heroism, Finesse, Renounce Religion


You are on level 11 of the Dungeon.
You worship Okawaru.
Okawaru is extremely pleased with you.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 2 branches of the dungeon, and seen 15 of its levels.
You have also visited: Sewer and Bailey.

You have collected 593 gold pieces.
You have spent 72 gold pieces at shops.

Inventory:

Hand weapons
 k - a hand axe of returning (quivered)
 p - an uncursed whip of electrocution
 r - an uncursed elven whip of reaching
 u - an uncursed trident of dragon slaying
 F - an uncursed orcish blowgun
Missiles
 E - 52 poisoned needles
Armour
 g - a +0 orcish robe of fire resistance
 C - a +2 orcish robe of cold resistance (worn)
 D - a +0 elven cloak (worn)
Magical devices
 B - a wand of confusion {zapped: 2}
 I - a wand of confusion
 M - a wand of magic darts (10)
 T - a wand of cold (4)
 U - a wand of slowing (17)
Comestibles
 b - 4 bread rations
 l - 3 meat rations
Scrolls
 c - 5 scrolls of recharging
 d - 3 scrolls of fog
 i - 2 scrolls of teleportation
 m - a scroll of fear
 x - 3 scrolls of amnesia
 G - 8 scrolls of remove curse
 J - a scroll labeled VYUFEX LOKUF
 N - a scroll of magic mapping
 S - a scroll of vulnerability
 X - 2 scrolls labeled ERHUEB MONI {tried on +2 orcish robe of cold resistance}
 Y - a scroll of blinking
Jewellery
 e - a ring of see invisible (left claw)
 y - an amulet of clarity (around neck)
 O - a ring of protection from magic (right claw)
Potions
 n - 3 potions of resistance
 o - a gluggy yellow potion
 s - a sedimented orange potion
 t - 2 potions of heal wounds
 v - 2 potions of brilliance
 w - a potion of might
 z - 6 potions of curing
 A - 2 potions of agility
 H - a potion of berserk rage
 K - 3 potions of restore abilities
 V - 2 potions of magic
Books
 a - a book of Callings   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Summon Small Mammals               Summoning                    1
   Call Imp                           Summoning                    2
   Call Canine Familiar               Summoning                    3
   Summon Scorpions                   Summoning/Poison             4
   Summon Ice Beast                   Ice/Summoning                4
 f - a book of Enchantments   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Tukima's Dance                     Hexes                        3
   See Invisible                      Charms                       4
   Cause Fear                         Hexes                        4
   Silence                            Hexes/Air                    5
   Deflect Missiles                   Charms/Air                   6
   Haste                              Charms                       6
 j - a book of Unlife   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   Recall                             Summoning/Translocation      3
   *Animate Dead                      Necromancy                   4
   Control Undead                     Necromancy                   4
   Twisted Resurrection               Necromancy                   5
   Death Channel                      Necromancy                   6
   Simulacrum                         Ice/Necromancy               6
 q - a book of Necromancy   
   
   Spells                             Type                      Level
   *Pain                              Necromancy                   1
   *Animate Skeleton                  Necromancy                   1
   Lethal Infusion                    Charms/Necromancy            2
   *Vampiric Draining                 Necromancy                   3
   *Regeneration                      Charms/Necromancy            3
   *Animate Dead                      Necromancy                   4
   Control Undead                     Necromancy                   4
Magical staves
 h - an uncursed staff of power


   Skills:
 + Level 8.6 Fighting
 + Level 0.3 Throwing
 + Level 10.4 Dodging
 + Level 3.9 Stealth
 - Level 2.0 Stabbing
 - Level 0.2 Traps & Doors
 + Level 10.6 Unarmed Combat
 + Level 7.0 Spellcasting
 + Level 4.6 Charms
 - Level 5.6 Necromancy
 + Level 4.4 Invocations
 + Level 0.2 Evocations


You have 13 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

 Your Spells              Type           Power        Failure   Level  Hunger
a - Animate Skeleton      Necr           N/A          1%          1    None
b - Pain                  Necr           ####.        1%          1    None
c - Vampiric Draining     Necr           ####......   6%          3    ###....
d - Animate Dead          Necr           N/A          17%         4    ####...
e - Regeneration          Chrm/Necr      ####......   8%          3    ###....


Dungeon Overview and Level Annotations

Branches:
Dungeon (14/27)            Temple (1/1) D:6             Orc (0/4) D:11
   Lair (0/8) D:11       
Vaults: D:14-19     

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

Shops:
D:11: *

Annotations
D:12 Fannar


Innate Abilities, Weirdness & Mutations

You have very sharp fingernails.
You have hooves in place of feet.
You have a pair of small horns on your head.
You are very good at protecting items from fire.
A weak demonic guardian rushes to your aid.
Your flesh is heat resistant.


Message History

You swap places.
You swap places.
You swap places.
Your hippogriff skeleton flies safely over a trap.
Your hippogriff zombie flies safely over a trap.
Your hippogriff zombie flies safely over a trap.
Your hippogriff zombie flies safely over a trap.
Your hippogriff zombie flies safely over a trap.
You see here a throwing net.
A spear shoots out and hits you!
Your hippogriff skeleton flies safely over a trap.
There is a spear trap here.
You open the door.
Your hippogriff skeleton flies safely over a trap.
Found a staircase to the Orcish Mines.
There is an open door here.
There is a staircase to the Orcish Mines here.
Your hippogriff zombie disappears!
You start resting.
HP restored.

 ### ### ###
##8###8###8#######
#^..#...#...#.˜§§#
.^^.........#..˜˜#
(^^......Z^^'.@>˜#
...^^^....(^#..˜˜#
#...#...#...#.§˜§#
##8###.###8#######
 ### ### ###


You can see a friendly hippogriff skeleton.

Vanquished Creatures
  Gastronok (D:8)
  Erica (D:9)
  Harold (D:9)
  Erolcha (D:9)
  An unseen horror (D:11)
  2 skeletal warriors (D:12)
  2 hill giants
  A cyclops (D:14)
  A feature mimic (D:10)
  Prince Ribbit (D:7)
  A two-headed ogre (D:13)
  2 wraiths (D:14)
  16 yaks
  3 hippogriffs
  Edmund (D:5)
  A soldier ant (D:13)
  A wyvern zombie (D:13)
  3 sky beasts
  An ice beast (D:12)
  9 orc warriors
  3 phantoms
  4 centaurs
  7 ogres
  Sigmund (D:2)
  Duvessa (D:5)
  2 wargs (D:11)
  5 giant frogs
  A big kobold (Sewer)
  A water moccasin (D:11)
  An agate snail (D:11)
  A gnoll sergeant (D:9)
  A basilisk skeleton (D:11)
  14 killer bees
  2 killer bee zombies (D:7)
  3 wights (D:13)
  11 crimson imps
  3 goliath beetles
  5 orc priests
  A quasit (D:10)
  Dowan (D:5)
  A big kobold skeleton (D:14)
  2 hounds
  A big fish (Sewer)
  2 iguanas
  A gnoll shaman (D:8)
  2 scorpions
  A jelly (D:10)
  13 orc wizards
  8 worker ants
  Jessica (D:3)
  18 gnolls
  13 adders
  2 green rats
  An adder zombie (D:6)
  A white imp (D:4)
  3 giant mites
  2 adder skeletons
  2 worms
  A grey rat (D:5)
  3 giant eyeballs
  6 giant geckos
  An ooze (D:1)
  60 orcs
  7 giant cockroaches
  27 goblins
  28 hobgoblins
  9 jackals
  9 bats
  A giant gecko skeleton (D:5)
  4 giant newts
  A giant spore (D:9)
  28 kobolds
  An orc zombie (D:5)
  6 quokkas
  17 rats
  4 ballistomycetes (D:13)
405 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (collateral kills)
  Pikel (D:7)
  2 hill giants
  A hill giant zombie (D:13)
  A troll (D:13)
  2 yaks (D:13)
  Eustachio (D:7)
  A hungry ghost (D:7)
  An ogre (D:6)
  An orc warrior (D:9)
  A phantom (D:9)
  A yellow wasp zombie (D:7)
  Blork the orc (D:5)
  A killer bee (D:10)
  A wight (D:13)
  2 crimson imps
  A goliath beetle (D:10)
  3 worker ants
  An iguana (D:10)
  A scorpion (D:9)
  A jelly (D:10)
  An inept feature mimic (D:7)
  5 orcs
  A bat (D:8)
  A jackal (D:9)
  A goblin (Bailey)
  2 kobolds
36 creatures vanquished.

Vanquished Creatures (others)
  A wizard (D:5)
  A slave (D:7)
  2 yak zombies (D:13)
  A yak skeleton (D:13)
  A centaur zombie (D:13)
  2 giant frog skeletons
  A centaur skeleton (D:8)
  An ogre zombie (D:11)
  2 crimson imps (D:13)
  2 ogre skeletons
  5 iron imps
  2 hound skeletons
  A scorpion (D:5)
  3 lemures
  A human skeleton (D:5)
  6 adder skeletons
  2 ufetubi
  A bat skeleton (D:5)
  A gnoll skeleton (D:8)
  A hobgoblin (D:2)
  A jackal (D:5)
  A giant spore (D:13)
  A goblin skeleton (D:7)
  A goblin zombie (Bailey)
  A hobgoblin zombie (D:11)
  2 jackal skeletons (D:5)
  5 kobold skeletons
  4 orc skeletons
  7 orc zombies
  A quokka skeleton (D:6)
  2 rats
  2 rat skeletons (D:5)
  3 toadstools
68 creatures vanquished.

Grand Total: 509 creatures vanquished

Notes
Turn   | Place    | Note
--------------------------------------------------------------
     0 | D:1      | who, the Demonspawn Monk, began the quest for the Orb.
     0 | D:1      | Reached XP level 1. HP: 16/16 MP: 0/0
   163 | D:1      | Reached XP level 2. HP: 12/22 MP: 1/1
   695 | D:1      | Found a sparkling altar of Nemelex Xobeh.
   751 | D:1      | Reached skill level 4 in Unarmed Combat
  1106 | D:1      | Gained mutation: You are very good at protecting items from fire. [demonic ancestry]
  1106 | D:1      | Gained mutation: You have large cloven feet. [demonic ancestry]
  1106 | D:1      | Reached XP level 3. HP: 19/28 MP: 2/2
  1303 | D:2      | Noticed Sigmund
  1585 | D:2      | Reached skill level 1 in Stabbing
  1763 | D:3      | Found a shattered altar of Ashenzari.
  1770 | D:3      | Saw a vision of the Shoals and the Snake Pit.
  1770 | D:3      | Noticed a sea snake
  1770 | D:3      | Noticed a water moccasin
  1770 | D:3      | Noticed a merfolk
  1770 | D:3      | Noticed a naga
  1770 | D:3      | Noticed a black mamba
  1771 | D:3      | Noticed a sea snake
  1771 | D:3      | Noticed a black mamba
  1772 | D:3      | Noticed a water moccasin
  1772 | D:3      | Noticed an anaconda
  1772 | D:3      | Noticed a hippogriff
  1772 | D:3      | Noticed a black mamba
  1773 | D:3      | Noticed a centaur
  1773 | D:3      | Noticed a hippogriff
  1876 | D:3      | Noticed Jessica
  1887 | D:3      | Killed Jessica
  1887 | D:3      | Reached XP level 4. HP: 20/34 MP: 3/3
  2538 | D:3      | Gained mutation: You have hoof-like feet. [demonic ancestry]
  2538 | D:3      | Reached XP level 5. HP: 22/40 MP: 4/4
  3719 | D:4      | Noticed a phantom
  3761 | D:4      | Killed a phantom
  3761 | D:4      | Reached skill level 5 in Unarmed Combat
  3761 | D:4      | Gained mutation: Your flesh is heat resistant. [demonic ancestry]
  3761 | D:4      | Reached XP level 6. HP: 17/47 MP: 5/5
  4414 | D:4      | Learned a level 1 spell: Animate Skeleton
  4416 | D:4      | Learned a level 1 spell: Pain
  5090 | D:3      | Noticed an ogre
  5099 | D:3      | Killed an ogre
  5227 | D:2      | Killed Sigmund
  5227 | D:2      | Reached XP level 7. HP: 25/52 MP: 5/7
  5532 | D:5      | Entered Level 5 of the Dungeon
  5559 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Spellcasting
  5567 | D:5      | Noticed Edmund
  5625 | D:5      | Killed Edmund
  5732 | D:5      | Reached skill level 1 in Necromancy
  5822 | D:5      | Your ally Sigmund died
  5925 | D:5      | Reached skill level 5 in Dodging
  5946 | D:5      | Found a glowing drain.
  5973 | Sewer    | Entered a sewer
  6164 | Sewer    | Found a white marble altar of Elyvilon.
  6315 | D:5      | Gained mutation: A weak demonic guardian rushes to your aid. [demonic ancestry]
  6315 | D:5      | Reached XP level 8. HP: 48/59 MP: 9/11
  6704 | D:5      | Noticed Duvessa
  6715 | D:5      | Noticed Dowan
  6744 | D:5      | Killed Dowan
  6763 | D:5      | Killed Duvessa
  7161 | D:5      | Found a bloodstained altar of Trog.
  7162 | D:5      | Noticed a terrified wizard
  7163 | D:5      | Noticed Blork the orc
  7167 | D:5      | Killed a terrified wizard
  7176 | D:5      | Killed Blork the orc
  7325 | D:6      | Learned a level 3 spell: Vampiric Draining
  7378 | D:6      | Found a staircase to the Ecumenical Temple.
  7435 | Temple   | Entered the Ecumenical Temple
  7626 | Temple   | Became a worshipper of Warmaster Okawaru
  7626 | Temple   | Acquired Okawaru's first power
  8090 | D:6      | Found an iron altar of Okawaru.
  8378 | D:7      | Noticed Prince Ribbit
  8399 | D:7      | Killed Prince Ribbit
  8399 | D:7      | Reached skill level 5 in Fighting
  8399 | D:7      | Reached skill level 6 in Unarmed Combat
  8744 | D:7      | Gained mutation: You have hooves in place of feet. [demonic ancestry]
  8744 | D:7      | Gained mutation: You have a pair of small horns on your head. [demonic ancestry]
  8744 | D:7      | Reached XP level 9. HP: 41/65 MP: 11/16
  9090 | D:7      | Noticed Eustachio
  9105 | D:7      | Killed Eustachio
  9434 | D:7      | Reached skill level 1 in Invocations
  9615 | D:7      | Found a bloodstained altar of Trog.
  9757 | D:7      | Noticed Pikel
  9773 | D:7      | Killed Pikel
  9996 | D:7      | Your ally freed slave died
 10140 | D:7      | Reached skill level 7 in Unarmed Combat
 10296 | D:8      | Noticed Gastronok
 10701 | D:8      | Killed Gastronok
 10701 | D:8      | Reached skill level 5 in Necromancy
 10701 | D:8      | Reached XP level 10. HP: 49/73 MP: 11/19
 11538 | D:9      | Found a sparkling altar of Nemelex Xobeh.
 11794 | D:9      | Paralysed by a giant eyeball for 2 turns
 11803 | D:9      | Reached skill level 8 in Unarmed Combat
 11823 | D:9      | Reached skill level 5 in Spellcasting
 11901 | D:9      | Noticed a hill giant
 11921 | D:9      | Killed a hill giant
 11938 | D:9      | Paralysed by a potion of paralysis for 6 turns
 12192 | D:9      | Noticed Erolcha
 12199 | D:9      | Killed Erolcha
 12469 | D:10     | Entered Level 10 of the Dungeon
 12688 | D:10     | Noticed Harold
 12690 | D:10     | Noticed a hill giant
 12705 | D:9      | Killed Harold
 12705 | D:9      | Reached skill level 9 in Dodging
 12705 | D:9      | Gained mutation: You have sharp fingernails. [demonic ancestry]
 12705 | D:9      | Gained mutation: You have very sharp fingernails. [demonic ancestry]
 12705 | D:9      | Reached XP level 11. HP: 65/80 MP: 21/21
 12798 | D:10     | Learned a level 4 spell: Animate Dead
 12852 | D:10     | Learned a level 3 spell: Regeneration
 12936 | D:10     | Reached skill level 1 in Charms
 13049 | D:10     | Noticed Erica
 13066 | D:9      | Killed a hill giant
 13203 | D:10     | Noticed a hill giant
 13210 | D:9      | Killed Erica
 13404 | D:10     | Killed a hill giant
 13824 | D:11     | Found a staircase to the Lair.
 13848 | D:11     | Acquired Okawaru's second power
 13916 | D:11     | Paralysed by a giant eyeball for 2 turns
 13928 | D:11     | Noticed an unseen horror
 13942 | D:11     | Killed an unseen horror
 13951 | D:11     | Found Creh's General Store.
 14035 | D:11     | Bought a potion of curing for 24 gold pieces
 14036 | D:11     | Bought a meat ration for 48 gold pieces
 14297 | D:11     | You fall through a shaft!
 14297 | D:14     | Entered Level 14 of the Dungeon
 14534 | D:13     | Reached skill level 10 in Unarmed Combat
 14595 | D:13     | Found a flagged portal.
 14629 | Bailey   | Entered a bailey
 14777 | Bailey   | Reached skill level 10 in Dodging
 15498 | D:13     | Noticed a hill giant
 15506 | D:13     | Killed a hill giant
 15506 | D:13     | Reached XP level 12. HP: 75/89 MP: 25/25
 16003 | D:12     | Noticed a centaur warrior
 16062 | D:12     | Noticed Fannar
 16170 | D:11     | Found a staircase to the Orcish Mines.



[Psieye]

Haste > Finesse when it comes to moving around or casting spells. They're equal when you're attacking with a weapon.

You're at the point in the game where you need to form a stash. Lair:2 is the standard location to do this - not that you can't do it anywhere but there's risk of humanoid mobs and jellies interacting with your stash. At your stash, optionally set a waypoint with Ctrl-W #, to which you return to with Ctrl-G #. # being a number from 0~9.

You have regen and 6 curing potions. rPois is utterly unnecessary to clear Lair: just kill faster (i.e. UC should be 15 soon).

Oh incidentally, I question your god choice. You had demonic ancestor and was learning necromancy before you took Okawaru. This seems extremely counter-productive - doesn't he hate it whenever your demonic guardian or undead allies die?

[crate]

Finesse is better than haste when attacking with any weapon that has a delay of at least 0.4 (this is anything but quickblades and shortblades of speed). Like Psieye says though, haste makes all your actions better. If you have the spell it's also much more repeatable than finesse, but having finesse does mean that delaying or not learning haste makes more sense than it would otherwise.

You should definitely stick with unarmed, you have good skill already and you have claws mutation. Robes are good all game; you can also consider mottled, fire, pearl, and maybe ice dragon armours (or leather armour is fine also). Probably I would not aim to go heavier than that with this character and what you have done so far.

[duruk]

thanks to both of you for replies
I'm a bit disappointed that my stupidest death came to this character..
While trying to heal myself in Lair 1, had to hide from corner to corner to avoid fighting an unaware 8 headed hydra..
After the healing was complete I went into the general direction to hunt the hydra..
The next creature I saw was a harmless little jellyfish in a little pond with a little plant in the center.. went all out fast attack
Well.. turns out I can mistake a 8 headed hydra for a plant...
speechless..

[Psieye]

That you even saw an 8-headed hydra on Lair:1 was good grounds to outright abandon the floor and skip to Lair:2. Hydra are somewhat rare, just like elephants.

[SchwaWarrior]

thanks to both of you for replies
I'm a bit disappointed that my stupidest death came to this character..
While trying to heal myself in Lair 1, had to hide from corner to corner to avoid fighting an unaware 8 headed hydra..
After the healing was complete I went into the general direction to hunt the hydra..
The next creature I saw was a harmless little jellyfish in a little pond with a little plant in the center.. went all out fast attack
Well.. turns out I can mistake a 8 headed hydra for a plant...
speechless..

Don't worry about it man, we all have moments like that. *brohugs*

Here's a good way to think: whenever you die with a good character, just remember, you could have an even better character next time-- and whenever you're playing an early, really-good-loot character, keep telling yourself over and over "c'mon, c'mon, D:2 Centaur, D:2 Centaur, D:3 Grinder, I knooowww you're down here hiding".

I also have a theory that if you can effectively (key word) fight Spiny Frogs, Black Mambas, and Komodo Dragons, one on one, then it's possible to defeat a Hydra at any time. In some ways I'd even prefer the Hydra over the Spiny Frog; at least you can out-run the Hydra (unless you mistake it for a plant).

You could also, y'know, use your Wands on the plants just in case they're Hydras... (no just kidding don't do that unless you have like a loooottttt of wands ehehe)