jho@ihu1m.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (07/21/85)
It seems to me that the Speleologist (sp?) is by far the weakest character to start off with. Well, I found out it can be the most devastating one too! I only have played this anemic character on 1.0.1 a few times and was instantly vaporized upon encountering my first hobgoblin/gnome etc. But, one time, a fell through a trap door and landed on a ghost hord filled with a lot of goodies. All of the items were uncursed, and among them was a pair of gloves, and a tin. Eating the tin, my strength went from 12 to 16 (never to rise any higher, though!). So I hobble onwards with a Knights inventory and make it down to level 8. There, I kill a cockatrice and stuff it in my ice box which was so far nothing but an enormous burden. I take it out for a moment whenever I sees a monster and replace it as soon as the cadaver hits it. This way, by keeping my cockatrice fresh, I still keep it when I'm down to level 18 where I meet a dragon. No problem! One hit with the dead bird and the wyrm is dead meat. I go on this way, feeling real proud, killing demons, dragons, purple worms with one swing of the corpse. Everytime I'm finished, I immediately refreeze my weapon. But, all good things must come to an end, and so did my cockatrice, inevitablly rotting in the dank, warm dungeon air. I was easily dispatched by a dragon shortly thereafter. HOWEVER, not only does the ice box keep meat fresh, it also keeps them in. I never had to worry about the cockatrice touching me as I fell on my face going down the stairs since it was rattling in the box. Of course, you first need to kill a cockatrice & a pair of gloves & an ice box. But after that, a trapper has about as much hit points as a giant rat in the cockatrice cadaver's eyes! I'm not sure if the Speleologist gets a refrigerator in the newer Hack versions, but the ice box is awesome provided you can carry it! Gur Hoshen -- Yosi Hoshen, AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, Illinois, Mail: ihnp4!ihu1m!jho