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zeteginara
02-09-2012, 05:48 PM
I'm currently trying for an ultra with a Grey Elven Thief (yep, i'm a masochist). I'm doing pretty well, saved Khelly, am loaded up with artifacts (Got preserver from the casino, am currently using Rolf's Companion and Rolf's Savior as my main weapons, which has been working really really well, actually). I have a girdle of giant strength, a pair of 7lbs, and some red dragon scale mail. I also got the Ring of the Master Cat! First time I've gotten that since my first ultra. I'm pretty powerful, and pretty deep into the CoC (I have the Air and Earth Orbs).... but there's one problem. I'm only like level 27. I'm pretty confident that I could clear the blue dragon caves and the mana temple with little issue. I don't know if that, combined with killing Shyssiryxius in the water dragon cave, will push me up to level 45... which I need to be at to start the trident quest.

Any ideas? My best guess is to hope for a ring of djinni summoning in the blue dragon caves (or gremlin bomb for one, and I really don't want to do that), and wish for the emperor moloch, then grind off the greater molochs that result.

Silfir
02-09-2012, 06:08 PM
Cross that bridge when it comes to it. I should point out that levels can come very quickly and suddenly in the lategame. One tension room of wyrms can push you to 50 with wyrms to spare. Same for a greater vault or even regular vault full of dragons.

If you do end up lacking in levels, I'd make sure I've exhausted my options beforehand. Don't forget the Rift, for example.

anon123
02-09-2012, 06:08 PM
I'm only like level 27. I'm pretty confident that I could clear the blue dragon caves and the mana temple with little issue.

You already have +SeeI from the RotMC. But you need a source of +Deth for the Mana temple, because you'll regret lacking one. The AMW works pretty well.

If you end up going for the emperor moloch wish, you should post a VLG of your character - that way we can know more about your character, what potentially useful items you have, how much damage you can dish out... because meleeing (if that's what you want to do) GMs is no joke. They have sturdy PV and can easily hit for 200-300 damage. The +Fate you get from the ring could save you from a critical hit, but don't rely on that, because it's not guaranteed. And note you can easily get surrounded in the blue dragon caves.

grobblewobble
02-09-2012, 06:20 PM
The blue dragon caves alone should be enough to reach level 45. If not, killing the ancient karmic wyrm afterwards will do it.

JellySlayer
02-10-2012, 06:36 AM
As the others have said, don't worry about it. You can probably hit level 45 by killing 3 monsters: the Archmage, the big dragon in the BDC, and the AKW on your way out of the BDC. The Earth temple is usually good for a level or three as well, now that I think about it. Greater vaults can easily give 10 levels each.

If you're desperate, there's also the Casino shopkeeper, whose worth a couple million points.

mim
02-11-2012, 02:01 AM
Invisible monsters give twice as much xp. Throwing those useless potions of invisibility on nearly dead bosses can really speed up leveling. And according to AdomGB "Invisible monsters yield double xp when even when the PC has +SeeI".
Btw cat ring is way over rated and bugged, it doesn't give said +crit, which -apart from the final score- would only interest me. I'd rather boost cat daddy in big room and then collect those 6lvls for 1kill.

JellySlayer
02-11-2012, 04:32 AM
The other bonuses (+16 Dx, +16 speed, luck, fate, Luck, and some PV) all also make the cat ring worth considering as well.

That said, I only worry about the thing if I'm playing a bard or a druid or something. Life it too short to worry about running away from cats.

anon123
02-11-2012, 04:50 AM
The other bonuses (+16 Dx, +16 speed, luck, fate

The ring only gives +Fate. Considering that the +Crit is bugged, and Dexterity and speed can be attained via claw bug corpses (and mosses of mareillon if corruption took you under 25; you can't take it to 99 this way though), I'd consider that and maybe the PV to be the biggest assets.

Note I do think it's a nice item, and I used to care a lot about not killing cats since "wow, the RotMC is so awesome", but now I only avoid them within what's humanly possible and doesn't make my game less fun. If I can get it, the bonuses are nice. If not, then no more small heart attacks and immediately pressing :k after killing something out of LOS. It's a win-win!

mim
02-11-2012, 01:08 PM
Talking about luck, e.g. being crowned or very close + Ankh +RoMC+RoLuck your luck is higher than with just fate+lcuk from piety? Does it stack? My friend once told me that he tested piety luck+Ankh+2RoLuck while hanging out with banshee in the forest, and then just with piety luck. With first option he found ~5RoDS, ~20PoGS, few WoWI and plenty of great stuff after 20min. With second he also found some, but not that many. So stacking or just... luck?
Btw I'm always wearing Ankh+coward when I descend to the new level, that 1hp thingie saved PC from instagib many times. Plus maybe luck is being considered when generating levels. Who knows.

anon123
02-11-2012, 10:00 PM
Talking about luck, e.g. being crowned or very close + Ankh +RoMC+RoLuck your luck is higher than with just fate+lcuk from piety? Does it stack? My friend once told me that he tested piety luck+Ankh+2RoLuck while hanging out with banshee in the forest, and then just with piety luck. With first option he found ~5RoDS, ~20PoGS, few WoWI and plenty of great stuff after 20min. With second he also found some, but not that many. So stacking or just... luck?

Being crowned while wearing the ankh, RotMC and a ring of luck gives you: luck bonus from being Blessed, intrinsic lucky and Fate smiles from very close status, increased luck, lucky (they aren't the same) and Fate smiles from the ankh, Fate smiles from the RotMC, and increased luck and lucky from the ring of luck. The lucky and Fate smiles intrinsics do stack from items, as the Revelation spell or a potion of insight will tell you. I don't know if "it increases your luck" items have the same effect. According the guidebook, however, the PC's luck value has no role in what items get generated in shops, and it's probably the same for regular loot generation.

I'd be inclined to think to think your friend was just outrageously lucky (in real life ;)) with his first PC, as I usually wander the dungeons with his same setup (sans the ring of luck) if I manage to get the RotMC, and have only found one wand of wishing in years.


Btw I'm always wearing Ankh+coward when I descend to the new level, that 1hp thingie saved PC from instagib many times.

I usually wear the ankh for the entire game after I obtain it. The only thing I'd exchange it for is Preserver, which I've only found twice on PC:5. Both of those characters died to game bugs - crash while reading a spellbook, and a lightning vortex killing me from a doorcase tile.

JellySlayer
02-12-2012, 12:05 AM
The ring only gives +Fate. Considering that the +Crit is bugged, and Dexterity and speed can be attained via claw bug corpses (and mosses of mareillon if corruption took you under 25; you can't take it to 99 this way though), I'd consider that and maybe the PV to be the biggest assets.

It's not worth sacrificing Wi for Dx for most PCs though. It also means you have to waste time scumming claw bug corpses.


With first option he found ~5RoDS, ~20PoGS, few WoWI and plenty of great stuff after 20min. With second he also found some, but not that many. So stacking or just... luck?

AFAIK, luck has no effect on item drops. I've played the whole game through with stacked doomed intrinsics and have never noticed drops being any worse than normal.

anon123
02-12-2012, 01:41 AM
It's not worth sacrificing Wi for Dx for most PCs though. It also means you have to waste time scumming claw bug corpses.

A PC with the ability to take on the bug-infested temple and survive can probably get his Willpower back up reasonably quickly. At least, I was able to, when I munched on many greater claw and killer bugs to pump my natural speed over 200 (Slow Monster and greased boots were a large help :)).

JellySlayer
02-12-2012, 02:48 AM
Well, that depends. It's easy to get your Wi up to 25. It takes a lot of work to get it from 25 to 32 or 48.