Can't scratch the Snake

[YourMum]

Hello hello hello

My high elven paladin lady is sort of stuck at the water temple. Just hit level 18 strength 23 but when I go up against the snake from beyond she hits like she trying to pat it on the back as it chokes on breakfast. Level 11 with swords, got crowned with Trusted One so I tend to use my eternium broadsword to kill tougher stuff, but even then the maximum damage is only just over the snakes PV. I've got the ring if the high kings, saved khelly (AoLS randomly pickpocketed from a goblin rockthrower while training up to receive detect traps) I don't see much point in trying the Tower yet (no fire proof blanket) or dark forge as I can't damage the golems even though there's a chance there's a more suitable weapon. The water dragons loot pile was full of rubbish potions, gold and corpses, no nice weapons there.

So my question is, what should I do now? The next 3 possible destinations for this character involve killing things that just I can't scratch. I would be most grateful for any advice!

[Superteeth]

Do you have slaying ammo? Because training up bows and finding some would be the best way to go. Critical hits with slaying ammo do quadruple damage, so the snake will go down in 2-3 shots at the most. If you don't have demon slaying ammo, then milk some slaying ammo from the barbarian encounters in the wilderness. It may take a while to get the slaying ammo, but you don't need much. I am assuming you are already trying to fight it in berserk mode (but don't do so if you are not fast enough to hit and run before it gets an attack, because it can hit hard on a critical).

[anon123]

If you don't have demon slaying ammo, then milk some slaying ammo from the barbarian encounters in the wilderness.

Barbarian arrows are never slaying ammunition to my knowledge (this tactic would probably be a bit more dangerous otherwise), although they can have the "of slaying" suffix.

My tactic for the SfB these days is to throw a potion of cure poison at it, then berserk it with the best weapon available :) Don't forget to bless it for the +50% damage bonus.

[sylph]

My tactic for the SfB these days is to throw a potion of cure poison at it, then berserk it with the best weapon available :) Don't forget to bless it for the +50% damage bonus.

Seconded. On both counts. it can still be a fair battle for some characters (thief/merchant etc), but a paladin should find it pretty easy.
Alternatively, slaying ammo from barbarians is effective, yes.
You can also berserk melee him by timing your strikes with your speed advantage, but it's a lot more finicky than the (better) 2 methods mentioned here.

[littlebrather]

Fighting a Snake your char should already have the Wand of Fireballs, that is pretty OP against coldblooded water-based body of the Snake.
Potion of cure poison is also a decent way. You may wish to use some cursed potions of invisibility or wonder as well, but I suggest to save it for ACW.

[YourMum]

I've got plenty enough slaying ammo for a greater vault of jellies but not much else. I might try Big Punch over the rune-covered tooth-pick while chucking a few of those potions at it. Used the wand of fireballs on rehetep and the skeletal king. Shoulda known I'd face problems later down the line if I couldn't beat those two.

[_Ln_]

I've got plenty enough slaying ammo for a greater vault of jellies but not much else. I might try Big Punch over the rune-covered tooth-pick while chucking a few of those potions at it. Used the wand of fireballs on rehetep and the skeletal king. Shoulda known I'd face problems later down the line if I couldn't beat those two.

Am I understanding it right that you have RCT? And you are using an eternium sword?
Snake should be dead in 3-4-5 throws of this thing or the same amount of melee hits.

[grobblewobble]

got crowned with Trusted One

He means this one Ln.

[_Ln_]

He means this one Ln.

Oh, that makes sense now.

[Harwin]

Wait... potions of cure POISON work on the snake? I guess I could see them making him non-poisonous briefly...

[Superteeth]

Barbarian arrows are never slaying ammunition to my knowledge (this tactic would probably be a bit more dangerous otherwise), although they can have the "of slaying" suffix.

My tactic for the SfB these days is to throw a potion of cure poison at it, then berserk it with the best weapon available :) Don't forget to bless it for the +50% damage bonus.
Yes, they only use ammo with the "of slaying" suffix, but that slays everything.


Wait... potions of cure POISON work on the snake? I guess I could see them making him non-poisonous briefly...

I forgot about that. I am not sure if they make it non-poisonous, but I know that they should stun it (at least, it works on Keriax, and then he wanders around for a good 20 turns).

[SirTheta]

Potions of cure poison stun any creature that uses poison, yes.

[sylph]

Yes, they only use ammo with the "of slaying" suffix, but that slays everything.



I forgot about that. I am not sure if they make it non-poisonous, but I know that they should stun it (at least, it works on Keriax, and then he wanders around for a good 20 turns).

Yep, it works in version 1.2.0 prerelease 20, and it's a *serious* stunning. Easily long enough for most characters to kill him in berserk.

[anon123]

You may wish to use some cursed potions of invisibility or wonder as well, but I suggest to save it for ACW.

After prerelease 7, that no longer works for either monster :(

[sylph]

After prerelease 7, that no longer works for either monster :(

Just a query - confusion and blindness are 2 seperate effects. Are you 100% certain that both the ACW and the SFB are ~100% immune to both blindness *and* confusion?

[SirTheta]

I'm pretty sure blindness works for ACW, if I'm recalling correctly (paralysis does not, cursed potion of invis does).

[anon123]

Just a query - confusion and blindness are 2 seperate effects. Are you 100% certain that both the ACW and the SFB are ~100% immune to both blindness *and* confusion?

Oops, I missed the part where he mentioned potions of wonder, which indeed cause confusion. I haven't tried that and so can't comment, but I am 100% sure about blindness for both, since I verified it myself and it didn't work. Although now you mention it, I think someone once posted it can still be done if you throw several potions...

These nerfs are messing with my head :rolleyes:

[SirTheta]

Actually, reading your post, you're right: blindness and paralysis do not work on ACW, confusion (potion of wonder) does. Not sure why I got that backwards..

[magpie]

Ammunition of darkness still works on the ACW IIRC from my last game where I got that far.

Also: potions of cure poison are super-effective, perhaps TOO effective, against the Snake from Beyond. And any other poison-using monster, I suppose, although I usually save them to use on it.

[Utnapishtim]

Actually, reading your post, you're right: blindness and paralysis do not work on ACW, confusion (potion of wonder) does. Not sure why I got that backwards..

Just played through the ToEF an hour ago with a duelist (p20), and happened to use an uncursed potion of blindness, which was the only disabler I had found. The Wyrm was staggering right away.