Shield specialist challenge

[Sami]

Yet another challenge with quite simple rules:
- Only shields can be used to deal damage against monsters (so no meleeing is allowed and only shields may be used in ranged combat).

Some clarifications:
- Combat spells and pets are definitely not allowed (both are too strong and can be used alone to win the game). Spells that doesn't damage enemies are still allowed.
- Throwing potions or zapping wands... I'm not sure if these should be allowed or not but I think wands should not be allowed but throwing potions is ok (wands might be a bit too powerful, especially wand of fireballs + endless supply of potions of booze).
- Using traps and sacrificing monsters are ok.
- Using or wearing any items that doesn't deal damage is ok.


And some notes about the challenge and shields:
- Throwing shields gives skill marks in shields skill.
- Each level in shield skill gives +2 to damage and to hit, it also lowers energy cost of throwing shields. Range isn't affected by shield skill.
- Good shot, keen shot and eagle eye talents give bonus also when throwing shields.
- Quick shot and lightning shot works as well.
- Strong thrower talent does not increase range.
- Archer level abilities (at least level 6 ability) helps too. Level 12 ability increases base range from 1 to 4 (= real range from 2 to 5).
- There's a guaranteed shield in small cave.
- If you don't hate dopplegangers or summoners yet, now you will definitely start hating them.
- Archery skill gives bonus also when throwing shields.

[Silfir]

Where the hell would you get enough shields? You can start with one and that's it! Probably best to start a wand merchant that has a shield, hope for a wand of digging, and kickrob the black market to get a worthy stock. That or ID stairhopping.

[Maul]

No thanks, my archers already have enough trouble squashing hordes of very experienced large spiders (EDIT: or tarantulas *shudder*).

"The large spider appears to be nearly omnipotent." I'm just waiting for this to happen...

[Sami]

I stairhopped in ID for a few levels (got to level 8 iirc) and some shields (acid trap destroyed 2 small shields on the way and ended up having only 3-4 shields when I left ID).

Now I'm at level 14, done puppy cave, village dungeon, UD, top level of dwarven graveyard and first 13 levels of CoC. Getting shields haven't been too big problem and now I have these:


uncursed large shield (-1) [+7, +3]
uncursed large shield (-1) [+5, +3]
5 uncursed medium shields [+3, +1]
uncursed small shield [+2, +0]
uncursed wooden shield (+1) [+3, +2]
uncursed wooden shield [+3, +2]
heap of 2 uncursed large shields (-1) [+5, +1]
uncursed small shield [+1, +0]
heap of 2 uncursed wooden shields [+3, +1]
uncursed small adamantium shield [+5, +0]


And shields skill is at level 8.

Edit: Actually a bigger problem is the weight of shields than getting the shields. :P

[Sami]

No thanks, my archers already have enough trouble squashing hordes of very experienced large spiders (EDIT: or tarantulas *shudder*).

"The large spider appears to be nearly omnipotent." I'm just waiting for this to happen...

Alarm traps ftw. :)




The dark elven wizard cringes in pain! The dark elven wizard mumbles cryptic
words! The tarantula is hit by strong magical energies! The tarantula
misses you. The shadow troll breaks free of the webs holding it! The dark
elven wizard cringes in pain! The dark elven wizard screams words of
magic! The tarantula is hit by strong magical energies!

[Maul]

Actually, it goes like this: (message order may vary)

"The dark elven wizard cringes in pain! The dark elven wizard mumbles cryptic words! The tarantula is hit by strong magical energies! The tarantula misses you. The shadow troll breaks free of the webs holding it! The dark elven wizard cringes in pain! The dark elven wizard screams words of magic! The tarantula is hit by strong magical energies! The tarantula misses you. The tarantula misses you. The tarantula misses you. The tarantula misses you. The tarantula misses you. The tarantula hits you. You feel poisoned! You feel the poison coursing through your veins! The large spider misses you. The large spider hits you. You feel poisoned! The large spider misses you. The large spider misses you. You hear a slurping sound. You hear a ripping sound. You hear a ripping sound. You hear a ripping sound. You notice a slurping sound in the distance. You hear a slurping sound. The dark elven wizard summons some help! (more)

The dark el-... the player feels exhausted. The dark elven wizard summons some help! The lich king mutters arcane formulae! Some kind of force seems to attack your mind. The lich king summons another load of summoners! You feel depressed. You die... (more)"

Ok, so a single dark elven wizard may be "a damn lot of pain" instead of "makes you want to self-mutilate", but you get the point.

[_Ln_]

I wonder how ACW and especially ASB can be killed with shields and thrown potions... "Diiiieee, foul creature!" *equips phase eternium shield of demon slaying in missile slot and laughs hysterically*? Seems quite unbelievable ;)

Unfortunately, PoCCs work only 1 time...

[Sami]

Well... Here are damages for some shields (shield level 12, dexterity 34, 2 rings of slaying and berserk):


medium eternium shield: base range: 8, +104 to hit, 1d6+65 damage (66-71, avg 68.5)
wooden shield: base range: 4, +104 to hit, 1d6+65 damage (66-71, avg 68.5)
tower shield: base range: 4, +104 to hit, 1d8+66 damage (67-74, avg 70.5)


Add find weakness and you can get quite good killers. :)
So far I have killed 2 lich kings, 1 balor, a room of chaos warriors and snake from beyond for example.
Steel golems in darkforge took 1-12 shots to die (it's quite funny to watch a steel golem to die on a single shield :P).

I'm most worried about the backround damage in ToEF as it might destroy my iron and wooden shields on floor.

[_Ln_]

That's ... impressive! Now I believe in you =)

[JellySlayer]

The fact that you've killed a balor makes me think that you should be able to finish this. You might not be able to do enough damage to drop, say, a greater moloch, but with 70+ base damage, there are few things with enough PV that you won't be able to kill them.

It's interesting that shield damage seems to be based entirely on the size of the shield, rather than its metal. Your eternium shield has better to-hit, but is otherwise the same as your wooden one.

You might want to consider scumming chaos knights in the wilderness if you haven't already done so. They often drop eternium shields... it might also be interesting to see if the shield of raw steel is any good for you.

[Sradac]

and rolf's companion, or any other artifact shield for that matter. Wonder if artifact shields do considerably more damage.

[Maul]

I loaded up a backup of a(n unfortunately WMoPC'd) gnomish assassin who incidentally was the one who got accidentally crowned, but before, got prec'd with Protector. While I wouldn't know about the 'z' value (as in xdy+z), the base dice is 1d6 like with all other shields.

[Sami]

Now the worst part is over... ACW is dead!
It took just 2 criticals to kill him (8 shields, 1 normal hit, 5 misses and 2 criticals).

According to the guidebook small shields do 1d4, medium shields 1d6, large shields 1d8 and tower shields 1d8+1 damage.

[Sami]

It's possible to win the game by using shields only as weapons (not even potions were used). :)

Kill list includes also 11 greater molochs, several great wyrms (1 black, 6 blue, 10 red and 1 white), greater balor, 11 balors and ancient blue wyrm (Sraxxarrakex) so basically anything can be killed.

http://ancardia.ath.cx/adom_users/samim/shieldex.flg

[Harwin]

Your list of shields carried boggles the mind.

I find it unfortunate that you managed to generate 8 non-guaranteed artifact weapons (counting Farslayer) but no shields...