Dum-dum da dumb dumb dumb!

[Sadface]

Promising character if there ever was one...human wizard, 23 LE to start, with a PoCC and teleport book, firebolt book and frostbolt book in inventory and a ring of luck and searching. First kill: Greater claw bug. Last kill: Greater claw bug. Because I can't count spaces correctly, one of the bugs got too close and destroyed me. Arguh! :mad:

[LuciusKain]

I lost a wizard last night, first one I've got past level 4 or so. An altar generated in PC6 (I think). I didn't pay attention to it's colour. Dropped everything using [:d $]. 'The ground rumbles' 'Get you rubbish off my altar' 'Thankyou Blasphemer' 'Some rats appear' 'Some rats appear' and so on > sick > dead.

[Conundrum]

Heh, I did something similar last night with a very promising looking Fighter (started with a (+3, 1d8+3) scimitar and a [+3, +3] medium shield O.o). Found a black altar, tried to drag a chaotic (non-human) mob back to it to convert it to neutral. As I walked over it to lure the monster over it, the Ghost who just entered the room through the wall sacrificed me :(

[JellySlayer]

Heh, I did something similar last night with a very promising looking Fighter (started with a (+3, 1d8+3) scimitar and a [+3, +3] medium shield O.o). Found a black altar, tried to drag a chaotic (non-human) mob back to it to convert it to neutral. As I walked over it to lure the monster over it, the Ghost who just entered the room through the wall sacrificed me

If I may suggest, there is really no reason to be walking on chaotic altars for any length of time unless you absolutely sure you won't be sacrificed. For livesaccing, 99% of the time, you can coax the monster you want to sac onto the altar without stepping on it yourself. This is much safer. Here's how your approach should look:




Suppose we want to sac this goblin on a chaotic altar.
##########
#...._.@.g
#.........
#.........
#.........


Let him approach and stand on space next to the altar.
Now, if you step on the altar, he'll sac you, so we'll just go around:

##########
#...._@g..
#.........
#.........
#.........

Stepping diagonally around the altar
##########
#...._g...
#....@....
#.........
#.........

Now step diagonally around again:
##########
#...@g..
#.........
#.........
#.........

And sac. In some cases, the goblin might follow you when you step diagonally.
This might give you this situation:
##########
#...@_....
#....g....
#.........
#.........

If this happens, keep walking left until he gets in line with you:

##########
#@g.._....
#.........
#.........
#.........
Then step diagonally around him and repeat the process in the other direction.

You can simplify the process greatly by doing this:
Pre-place a closed door at the marked location, you can lock it if you want
##########
#...._@g..
#.....+...
#.........
#.........

Now when you step around the door, the goblin should never step diagonally
with you because the door is in the way. It is very unlikely he'll waste the time
opening the door when he can follow you directly. Even if he does, once he's
opened the door, you will be behind the altar, so he will walk forward into it
anyway.



Monsters who prefer to walk on diagonals (eg. hill orcs) may not be fooled by this if the altar parity doesn't match their steps. Most others should work after 1 or 2 passes at most.

As a general rule, I do this even if the monster is neutral or lawful. First, because it's good practice. Second, because if you get unlucky, stepping on the altar could get you killed anyway. Nothing worse than a quickling or ghost suddenly coming into the room and saccing you before you can get away.

[gym21]

Nothing worse than a quickling or ghost suddenly coming into the room and saccing you before you can get away.

Or a pixie archer teleporting into a room while you're trying to convert a neutral altar!

[ancient karmic drake]

that happened to me with drow beastfighter lol.