alex@sdcsvax.UUCP (Alex Pournelle) (06/10/84)
As a followup to the lists of hints, here's some of mine... Never walk by a sleeping I in a party room. They'll wake up and freeze you just before you reach for that 2handed sword you spent so long getting. Also, do some "s"s every step of the way in party rooms. The program likes putting trapdoors in them. I's only take two arrows to kill, unless you're extremely unlucky. Prepare to switch to your mace/prime weapon just before they get to you; it gives you much more hitting power. ALWAYS go after Ns. If you're really worried about your goodies, drop them in a corridor (where you know there aren't any traps). Then stand away and chuck arrows at it. Wear all your good rings, armor, and weapons. Remember, the Ns only take magical stuff which you aren't wearing/using. If you have a good five or more spaces between you and the N, wield your bow, throw one less arrow than the distance between you and it, then switch to your prime weapon. If you're really paranoid, make it two distance and drop your bow first. They can't take what you aren't carrying. Oh, and watch out for the things in party rooms, they come after you. Carry all the crappy magic you have. Ns are as likely to take it as good stuff. Then drop it when you run into good stuff. It never harms you to carry it--unless you're wearing it. Always kill Is until fourth level. You get 5 points per, nothing to sneeze at when you only need 40 points. Fourth level doesn't guarantee that Rs leave you alone, but there's a lot better chance than first level. Pray real hard when going down stairs that you don't get thrown into a party room. If you do, and aren't near a door, try standing on scrolls. If monsters are leaving some scroll alone, jump to it! Don't read unknown scrolls unless you've thoroughly explored a level and are at near full hits. It could be a teleport scroll, and take you right next to 2 or 3 monsters (help!) Quaff all the potions you run into on the first 2 levels. If they're crappy, quit (unless you're in a "really good" game).. Don't just attack monsters as you see them. THink for a moment--do I want to put on a ring, run for it, back into a doorway? I get into the "if it moves, kill it" mode and it's done me in mroe than once. Potions of healing always increase your hits by 1 if you're at full, 2/3 for extra. That's why I'm always at full when quaffing--unless I've id'ed both heal and extra. Of course, I could be wrong about this. I've never even seen the stupid amulet. Sometimes I just want to break down and cry, I've gotten such good breaks--only to see: |TA ########@+TC |TT Help! Why did I have to read that scare monster scroll! Oh, one more thing: Decide for yourself if it isn't worth trying that unk potion/scroll just before you die. Maybe it'll be just what you need. Alex
kaufman@uiucdcs.UUCP (06/12/84)
#R:sdcsvax:-88600:uiucdcs:34500014:000:508 uiucdcs!kaufman Jun 12 00:12:00 1984 I disagree with the hint of trying an unknown scroll at the end of a level. The odds at well against you being thrown into too terrible a situation. I usually wait till the start of a level, just in case it's a map. But usually, I don't break out an unknown scroll until I have gained most of the following: potions, other scrolls, rings or wands, weapons, and armor - just in case it's an identify. And I prefer to read those I have more than one of. Ken Kaufman (what a wimpy name - Kestrel Emu Nymph)
chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) (06/13/84)
>I disagree with the hint of trying an unknown scroll at the end of a level.
The strategy I've found to work best (it is the one that has been used for
most of the wins here at nsc) is this:
Until you find magic mapping, read at the beginning of a level.
If you have found magic mapping but not aggravate monster read
at the end of the level.
When you have found (or identified, of course) both, read when you
get them.
Aggravate monster can be a real bad scroll, but the percentages seem to
show that mapping is more likely so reading for it is the better bet on the
long run. After that, and especially on lower levels, you don't want to
wake up all of those nice monsters.
--
From the ledge of the seventh cornice: Chuq Von Rospach
{amd70,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4}!nsc!chuqui (408) 733-2600 x242
Love is the process of my leading you gently back to yourself.
- Saint Exuperymwm@ea.UUCP (06/13/84)
#R:sdcsvax:-88600:ea:3900002:000:573 ea!mwm Jun 13 13:03:00 1984 I mostly agree with Ken Kaufman about how to handle scrolls: wait until you've got things to identify before you start reading them. The exception is when you have good armor (7 or better in 5.3, maybe even 6). I start reading scrolls early in hopes of finding a protect armor. As for where to read the things: at the end of a level, always. I'd much rather waste one map than read an aggravate monster on a fresh level. Potions are the exact opposite: there's nothing to get you into global trouble, and the locate whatevers are the most useful on a fresh level. <mike
dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (06/14/84)
You should indeed read scrolls at the end of a level rather than
at the beginning. Yes, you'll waste your first magic mapping; but
aggravate mobsters is too dangerous - you'll have I's (E's in 5.2)
and L's (and N's, if you're deep enough) coming at you.
Dave Sherman
Magnifibeast
(P.S. "Aggravate mobsters" isn't a typo - that's what I always call
it when I'm asked. For that matter, I use "confuse beastie", "RS"
for restore strength potion, and a few others. [Yes, I know what all
the "real" names are.] Anyone else got interesting names for things?)
--
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsrgv!davendsss@ihuxx.UUCP (Alfred R. Z) (06/14/84)
> Have you hugged a Nymph lately? <
I have also noticed on the version 9.0 we have here at
AT&T-BELL LABS that if you use the space bar you can regain your
hit points WITH-OUT moving around at all. On the upper levels it
takes several spaces to regain a hit point, on lower levels it only
takes a space or two to get a hit point back. EXTRMELY USEFULL !!
Since NOTHING moves when hit the space bar you can stand next to
a monster, take a swing or two at it, space bar until you have your
hit points back, take some swings, etc. until you wipe it out. The
only thing to remember it that you will burn food at the same rate
as moving around will. This allows you to use food like a potion
of healing, which is nice since I seem to always have loads (6-12)
of food in just about every game.
Known only as:
K I C K E R O F B U T T S