In need of advice

[Aielyn]

Hi all,

I've never beaten the game before (in fact, never even gotten one of the orbs). I mention this to put into perspective why I'm asking this.

I've got a bit of a puzzle, here. I've taken on both the Ancient Dwarven Graveyard (killed Nonnak, used Holy Water on Griff's grave, beaten the golem and gotten both the sword of nonnak and the elemental gauntlets) and the Pyramid (beaten Rehetep, got Ankh and ancient mummy wrapping), both with relative ease. I've got a High Elf Wizard with Magic Missile, Improved Fireball and Lightning Ball as my only real offensive spells, plus Teleportation (and a variety of less useful or less notable spells).

I need advice on a few things. First, there's the weapon question - I've actually been using Swords, as I found a short sword of mayhem early on. Right now, I have three swords to choose from. First is the aforementioned short sword of mayhem (when using it, +26, 3d6+12 - lost a bit of damage/accuracy when accidentally attacking a corrosive jelly). Second is, of course, Sword of Nonnak (+26, 4d3+13). Third is a blessed eternium scimitar I recently found (+24, 2d8+19). Given the sword of Nonnak's Willpower boost and defense/protection boost, but the effect of artifacts on satiation, and it being weakest, I'm not sure whether it's a good choice to use it or not (already wearing ankh and elemental gauntlets, and will likely wear the wrappings - also have a pendant of Mana (+5) and amulet of perseverence (Wi+2), if it matters). The mayhem sword has better accuracy but less power than the scimitar. Thus, I don't know which of the three is best to use. (note: to-hit, damage numbers are when unburdened and on normal tactics)

In case it is relevant, here's my current stats:
St:22 (18+4) Le:16 Wi:25 Dx:25 To:16 Ch:14 Ap:15 Ma:21 Pe:23.
DV 50, PV 12, HP 100, PP 186.

Second, Thrundarr gave as my first quest, a Dwarven Chaos Knight (DCK). I looked down below Dwarftown without going into DH/animated forest (also checked big room, for instance, just in case), and didn't find one, which was why I then went and took on the dwarven graveyard and the pyramid. I understand you find DCKs in Darkforge, but is Darkforge safe enough to take on, given what I've mentioned so far? Alternatively, is there another place where I might find DCKs? Or, should I ignore Thrundarr's quests, and go beyond the animated forest now? Note that I have an amulet of life saving (amazingly, the first amulet I found in the game), so I'm ready to save Khelevaster (not that I want to do a special ending - right now, I'll settle for a normal ending). Or is there another location I'm better off going to now, in order to achieve something while levelling up, without screwing up any Thrundarr quest objective?

While I await an answer, I'll just go and farm some morgia roots, to try to get that Toughness higher.

[JellySlayer]

It looks like the eternium sword is your best weapon and the one I'd use for general purposes. Switch to Nonnak if you plan on casting ball spells and need to get your Wi above 32 (at 32 Wi, it increases their range).

If you are strong enough, Dwarven Chaos Knights often spawn on the lower level of Darkforge. You need to clear out most of the steel goelms though in order to activate monster spawns. Lightning ball will tear through them though... use your perserverence amulet + Nonnak. You will hopefully find some armor there that will get you above 12 PV...

[Aielyn]

It looks like the eternium sword is your best weapon and the one I'd use for general purposes. Switch to Nonnak if you plan on casting ball spells and need to get your Wi above 32 (at 32 Wi, it increases their range).

If you are strong enough, Dwarven Chaos Knights often spawn on the lower level of Darkforge. You need to clear out most of the steel goelms though in order to activate monster spawns. Lightning ball will tear through them though... use your perserverence amulet + Nonnak. You will hopefully find some armor there that will get you above 12 PV...

Well, I took your advice, and went for Darkforge. Took out all the golems in the right side (before the central area) without too much hassle. Turns out I got 8 pools, just by happenstance. Then, when I went for the central area, unfortunately, my Lightning Balls ran out... and therefore, so did I (out of Darkforge, I mean).

Went to the ID, hoping to at least get another offensive spell. The RNG was on my side, I got a new spellbook of Lightning Ball. So, I sorted out the central room of Darkforge by casting it from the book. I'm currently in the Armor room, hopefully I've cleared enough to start monster generation, now.

[fazisi]

I agree with Jellyslayer.

Use the eternium sword for general purpose ass-kicking, but don't get caught in the trap that you have to actually use it. You're a ass-kicking *caster*, don't forget it. Hopefully you find something better in the Darkforge weapon room.

And I would have recommended Darkforge as well with Lightning Ball. I think you actually have to clear a couple more, as in the final hallway at the far left where the crown and CoC shortcut (not open yet) are hidden.

After you finish Darkforge, check if you have any Frost spells or wand of colds and possibly do the TotHK.

[Aielyn]

I agree with Jellyslayer.

Use the eternium sword for general purpose ass-kicking, but don't get caught in the trap that you have to actually use it. You're a ass-kicking *caster*, don't forget it. Hopefully you find something better in the Darkforge weapon room.

And I would have recommended Darkforge as well with Lightning Ball. I think you actually have to clear a couple more, as in the final hallway at the far left where the crown and CoC shortcut (not open yet) are hidden.

After you finish Darkforge, check if you have any Frost spells or wand of colds and possibly do the TotHK.

I'm an ass-kicking caster with only one bolt-type spell, plus Lightning Ball and Improved Fireball. I really need a bigger repertoire before I can depend on casting.

Anyway, I'd like to thank Jellyslayer again. I eventually cleared the level of the original golems, and have just beaten a Dwarven Chaos Knight... and then made my way quickly to the exit (already collected all the weapons, armor (including crown of science), and money).

On that point, I found a leather armor of life [+0,+5], which addresses that PV issue (although I suppose the wrappings did that, too), as well as an adamantium splint mail, in the armour room. In the weapon room, unfortunately, I didn't find anything exceptional in one-handed swords. I got a couple of staves of smiting (+4/6, 1d37+2) - would be a pretty good item, if I hadn't trained up swords and I didn't have this great tower crystal shield (-1) [+14,+5] that I found rather early. I did get a mithril two-handed sword (+6,3d5+6)[-1,+0], but I'm not even sure that two-handed swords count as swords in terms of weapon training. Also got an eternium halberd (+11,4d7+8)[-2,+0] - again, wrong type of weapon.

Through all this, my level went up from 15 to 19, which now makes this one of my highest level characters ever. It's sad, considering that I've been playing this game off-and-on for years.

[Grey]

Sounds like you're doing pretty well. I'd suggest selling the weapons you're not interested in and saccing the gold for piety (always useful). Clearing the High Kings dungeon should net you more spells and loot. Be careful crossing the ice though... If I were you I'd go get the water orb after that and prepare for the Tower of Eternal Flames.

[Al-Khwarizmi]

I agree with the advice that you have been given, but I add: if I were you I'd wear the wrapping most of the time. Its various resistances, cold immunity, see invisible and indestructibility make it much better than a pesky [+0,+5] armour of life.

I usually wear the AMW until the endgame unless if I wear things like dragon scale mails for immunities.

[Dudley]

I hate AMW.
it's an artifact. An artifact which, agreed, gives +1+5. that's ONE good point. The only, in fact, for wearing it all time.
1 : resistance. you don't need -sleep, neither -stun. -pois you should get easily. -Death is useful against onyl some monsters, as SeeI
2) arti : more food, less precrowns.
3) -8 apearance Oo

[nathrakh]

I keep AMW more as backup for some fights, especially handy against mana temple.

Usually DFG raid gives something better to wear for most of the game.

[Al-Khwarizmi]

Well, I said "if I were you, I would..." because the power of the AMW is debatable. But that's my opinion, I'd wear it right away.

-Deth, SeeI: True, they are only needed against some monsters. But I personally have a quite bad memory, so minimising the chance of forgetting to wear it in places like the mana temple or the cat lord level is reason enough for me to use it. And it should be even a better reason for a player that isn't familiar with those places yet.

Food: Not an issue after the arena. When was the last time you starved because you were wearing too many artifacts? In my case, never.

Ap: Obviously irrelevant unless you roleplay a character who cares about that.

DFG raid giving better things: maybe. But a [+0,+5] armour of life is definitely not better. And even an eternium plate mail is not clearly better. Much more weighty, negative to-hit, and gives more PV which is not really so relevant in the late game. I'll take protection from forgetting to wear -Deth gear against the archmage or getting surprised by the cat lord over getting hit for 5 or 6 less HP when I'm a wizard, most dangerous foes won't even get to touch me before they're fried by a bolt and I can teleport if my HP get low. Anyday. With a melee char on the other hand I would maximise PV, but that's different.