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Thread: A classic: Ceci n'est pas une pick axe

  1. #1

    Default A classic: Ceci n'est pas une pick axe

    I think many others have shared this experience. Urkki, a male human priest blessed by the RNG, is taking on perhaps the most difficult obligatory fight in the game, "bouncing ideas back and forth" with Nuurag-Vaarn. With ideas I mean the Rune-covered trident and Death bolt. This had been going on for a while, and I had ran out of potions of ultra healing. Well, the archmage was almost dead so I thought there would be no point in retreating to use my slower healing methods. I'll just pray, that's what priests are supposed to do anyway, right?

    Next thing I know Urkki is dead, blasted to death by Nuurag-Vaarn. Doesn't seem to make sense, so I checked the message buffer.

    Turns out it had gone something like this: "Father, I think I'm dying! Would you please heal me?" "Yeah, that's great, Son. Have some pick axes."

    I wasn't even mad, the situation was simply so surreal. We had a good laugh about it with my wife, who doesn't play the game. "I prayed for healing but received shovels and died" sounds like a very special nightmare...

    I've played this game for such a long time that I know there are an insane number of ways you can get killed. I should have known better. The problem is, I have played this game for so long that I always come prepared with loads of pick axes, wands of digging or the mystic shovel spell and it never even crosses my mind that pick axes would be a problem.

    And, when you think about it, this feature is very bizarre: these are some of the toughest fights in the game. You would assume that your abilities and resources function the way they always do, with certain limitations, such as no teleportation. Then, suddenly, instead of healing, you receive a bunch of pick axes. In my opinion, this is actually a design flaw, especially for classes relying on "divine power". I can't imagine any level 36+ late game hero without access to wands of digging or pick axes (both are dropped by the purple dwarves of Chaosforge).

    I have also included the .flg for anyone who might be interested. There was no scumming, this character was truly blessed by the RNG (found two Wands of wishing, two djinni rings and a tension room full of black unicorns for those sweet, sweet Potions of cure corruption).
    Attached Files Attached Files

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    2,828

    Default

    Part of the problem was that you had Stiff Muscles. If you'd removed that corruption the moment it showed up, the archmage would have had fewer chances to act in the fight and you might have survived.

    Then again, I totally agree that this is a flaw in the game. It's good that there is an emergency way to get a pickaxe if you are desperate, but it should only trigger when you're nearly fully healed.
    You steal a scroll labelled HITME. The orc hits you.

  3. #3

    Default

    Well, stiff muscles wasn't really what broke the camel's back here. I would have survived using other forms of healing without problems. Then again, I should have removed it as soon as I got it, since it negated my speed advantage and made the battle (and others) less cost-effective.

    There were many things I could have done differently to make the battle safer. Camping in the corner and casting acid ball (using scrolls of power to recharge) would have been a workable solution for a while, killing any mobs coming from the main area with wands and melee. Then again, I don't want to play everything ultra-safe and overplan The resources I (thought I) had would have easily been enough 1-on-1 without the quirky prayer system.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Belarus
    Posts
    301

    Default

    Rune-covered trident? It's not good against the archmage. Train bows/crossbows and use ammo of humanoid slaying.

  5. #5

    Default

    Oh, right, apparently he's not actually demonic, just nasty (just like the Master summoner). Seemed to be working well enough, though.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    2,828

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    In fact he does count as a demon. All orb guardians do. For example, the ACW is a demon-dragon.
    You steal a scroll labelled HITME. The orc hits you.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Belarus
    Posts
    301

    Default

    Strange. Will try next time.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Groningen
    Posts
    159

    Default

    Wow I laughed out loud... Sorry for your loss, though

  9. #9

    Default

    No probs, it's the risk that really makes this game so compelling, even more so than DoomRL for instance.

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