Still playing in 1.2.0 pre 23, looking for some advice

[magpie]

As the title says, I'm still playing with pre 23 - mostly because I want to get a melee win on it to go with my previous archer and wizard wins.

I've currently got a very nice Dark Elf bard going - done up to Khelavaster, who I managed to save, so I've just got a few questions:

1: Is the amount required for crowning still the same? One problem with Dark Elves is that they don't get particularly good shop prices, so money is still an issue - I've got about 40k at the moment, along with a stash of higher-metal weapons and other stuff like that.

2: I also have Big Punch, but am having slight weight issues (Str 19, and no girdle of carrying found yet), so I've just been using a pretty early sword of sharpness. My Sword skill is pretty high, as is my Shields skill, so I've just been getting along with that. Should I switch to Big Punch now, or just keep going with the sword of sharpness and use Big Punch to go toward a crowning? Is a sword of sharpness an adequate end-game weapon for a melee character?

3: I'd love to get my hands on the Concentration skill at some point - I've got a lot of spellbooks stashed away in the Ogre Cave. Worth a (theoretical) wish? My skillset is otherwise pretty damn good.

I'm not going for an ultra or anything like that - I'd just like to complete the ADOM trifecta of melee/magic/missile weapon wins.

Thanks in advance.

[AlterAsc]

1. Yes, it's the same.
2. No, sword of sharpness is not end-game worthy, because it's made of iron, thus it's highly prone to be destroyed.
3. If you already have spellbooks that you like then Concentration is wish worthy. Or you can first wait till level25 where you can get it randomly and wish for it afterwards if you don't get it.

[magpie]

I did rustproof the sword of sharpness, but I realise that's not the only threat to it.

So what do you reckon, switch over to Big Punch and start cranking up my Maces and Flails skill for the end-game?

I've also got a phase dagger which generated with something like +1 to hit and +3 damage, but I don't know if the base damage is good enough as an endgame weapon, even with a blessed ring of damage and a ring of slaying on my off-hand.

[Blank4u47]

Hey, just for comparison, damage for sos is 10-38 dmg, but it's easily smithable. Or use scrolls if you want to be quicker. Anyways big punch does 11-43 dmg, which isn't that much better, and if you have a weight issue already, there's no sense lugging that thing around. Now for item damage? Don't ever squish a jelly! That's it! You see a j, just shoot it! With whatever you have! Seriously, all melee characters should be good at bows, slings, or xbows if they want to see the end and not have all their stats drained by liches or demons or vampires. My last 30 wins have never had a stat drain, and I play with a random roll. Every time.

[magpie]

Yeah, I've got the Sword of Nonnak for squishing corrosive enemies.

And yeah, I've been training up my Bows and Crossbows skills (slaying ammo is too common and too good not to) - in fact, I only survived the early game thanks to throwing daggers.

[JellySlayer]

As the title says, I'm still playing with pre 23 - mostly because I want to get a melee win on it to go with my previous archer and wizard wins.

I've currently got a very nice Dark Elf bard going - done up to Khelavaster, who I managed to save, so I've just got a few questions:

1: Is the amount required for crowning still the same? One problem with Dark Elves is that they don't get particularly good shop prices, so money is still an issue - I've got about 40k at the moment, along with a stash of higher-metal weapons and other stuff like that.

2: I also have Big Punch, but am having slight weight issues (Str 19, and no girdle of carrying found yet), so I've just been using a pretty early sword of sharpness. My Sword skill is pretty high, as is my Shields skill, so I've just been getting along with that. Should I switch to Big Punch now, or just keep going with the sword of sharpness and use Big Punch to go toward a crowning? Is a sword of sharpness an adequate end-game weapon for a melee character?

3: I'd love to get my hands on the Concentration skill at some point - I've got a lot of spellbooks stashed away in the Ogre Cave. Worth a (theoretical) wish? My skillset is otherwise pretty damn good.

I'm not going for an ultra or anything like that - I'd just like to complete the ADOM trifecta of melee/magic/missile weapon wins.

Thanks in advance.

I'd probably use sword of sharpness in your situation, but keep your eyes open for something higher metal. Phase daggers aren't bad if your base damage is high, and they get better as the game goes on. I don't normally think of them as an endgame weapon, but lots of people are quite fond of them.

If you do get a wish, I might suggest holding off on getting Concentration until level 25, especially if you're already pretty close. You get a bunch of random skills for a class power, so there's a chance you'll get it then anyway. If you really need it earlier for some reason, then by all means, but keep the random skill thing in mind.

[Burb]

I wouldn't say iron is "highly prone to being destroyed". If you bless it, the chance of it melting or dissolving in acid is actually really quite low. The most consistent annoyance is jellies but that's easily mitigatible if you aren't careless. That being said it IS destroyable so have a backup.

Big punch is nothing special.

As far as guaranteed weapons go, "end game" worthy artifacts include axe of the minotaur emperor (though it's two handed) and needle and sting (two weapon fighting). Otherwise hope to find a high metal weapon of devastation, or a random artifact with good slaying properties. Phase daggers are extremely useful come late game as well, you should probably save your scrolls of increase melee accuracy/damage for them if you don't want to spend time smithing, which is tedious.

[magpie]

I wouldn't say iron is "highly prone to being destroyed". If you bless it, the chance of it melting or dissolving in acid is actually really quite low. The most consistent annoyance is jellies but that's easily mitigatible if you aren't careless. That being said it IS destroyable so have a backup.

Big punch is nothing special.

As far as guaranteed weapons go, "end game" worthy artifacts include axe of the minotaur emperor (though it's two handed) and needle and sting (two weapon fighting). Otherwise hope to find a high metal weapon of devastation, or a random artifact with good slaying properties. Phase daggers are extremely useful come late game as well, you should probably save your scrolls of increase melee accuracy/damage for them if you don't want to spend time smithing, which is tedious.

Ah ... minotaur maze. I'd better start saving up my scrolls of magic mapping. I don't like the idea of giving up shields, though ...

[AlterAsc]

For one thing he can't even take his SoS to ToEF without Ring of Ice. Secondly all fireball traps, all acid traps, all fire and acid breaths can melt his SoS. Sure you can put your trust in RNG, but why do it when you have higher damage indestructible weapon?

[hapro]

Ah ... minotaur maze. I'd better start saving up my scrolls of magic mapping. I don't like the idea of giving up shields, though ...

You don't need a shield if you kill everything before it attacks