ADOM beginner, have a few questions

[Xcode_t]

So, I have been playing the original ADOM for a few months now, but I have only become really interested this past week. The second ADOM looks amazing, but does not have as many classes and options as I feel it needs to. I'm sure that is already part of a heated-discussion so I will simply move on to the questions.

1. I have become quite attached to the dwarves recently due to their strength and the mining skill, but I have not actually been able to find a pickaxe, so I cannot actually do the mining. When and where can I get a pickaxe for early game?

2. A few classes are really appealing to me, such as the farmer and the mindcrafter, but I also want to try something different this week. The barbarian caught my eye, but how is it different from the fighter?

3. I have never made it out of the starting valley because I cannot find the things the quests are talking about, I always starve to death before getting to the left edge, and I always get ambushed by wandering wizards near the river and can never escape. Any advice on how to ensure my character doesn't starve do death?

[Alucard]

There is a guaranteed pickaxe hidden on the first level of the pyramid (level 13-17). I think dwarves also drop them.

Buy as much food as you can carry from Muxnip in Terinyo. Dive to the arena in the Caverns of Chaos (main dungeon) and buy cooked lizards from one of the ratling traders. Hope for a stomafillia herb patch.

The CoC is in the middle of the wilderness, only accessible by moving diagonally at it:

*^
^.

[gut]

There is a guaranteed pickaxe when you reach xl 13 and explore a particular location.

Fighters get more PV and barbarians do more damage.

The starting quests are optional. You can achieve them if you keep exploring though.
To prevent starving, choose a class or race that has food preservation skill, as it will increase
corpse drop rate when it is highly trained.

[Xcode_t]

Alucard: So, where is this pyramid?

gut: The PV is the only difference that effects gameplay?

[TheViscount]

1. There is no guaranteed pickaxe in the early game. If you find find a dwarf enemy, there is a chance that he will drop pickaxe upon death. When you reach level 13, there is a guaranteed pickaxe in the pyramid.

2. Barbarians have a different skill set than fighters, they also become stronger in the long run. Most barbarians lack literacy in the early game, though.

3. Almost all of the quests in the really early game apply to dungeons located in the vicinity of Terinyo. To avoid starvation, buy one or two large rations from Munxip. Should you run out of food, applying the "survival" skill in the wilderness can save you. Luckily, barbarians start with this skill.

[TheViscount]

So, where is this pyramid?

It is located to the left of the river, at the end of a road, represented by a brown asterisk.

[Xcode_t]

One more thing real quick: I am being attacked by a big troll in the village dungeon. My god will not heal me, my health is really low, and my melee attacks do not seem to do damage. I am thinking of using a longbow I picked up, but I do not know how to shoot. How can I do this, and will ranged weapons hurt trolls as much as melee weapons?

Extra: I am a playing level 3 dwarf barbarian.

[Silfir]

Well, you need arrows. If you have some, "e"quip the bow in the missile weapon slot, equip a stack of arrows in the missiles slot, and use "t" to Target the troll.

Ranged weapons will hurt trolls just like melee weapons - but if you're completely untrained and playing an archer, you won't be doing as much damage as you would in melee. Can you run?

[Xcode_t]

Well, you need arrows. If you have some, "e"quip the bow in the missile weapon slot, equip a stack of arrows in the missiles slot, and use "t" to Target the troll.

Ranged weapons will hurt trolls just like melee weapons - but if you're completely untrained and playing an archer, you won't be doing as much damage as you would in melee. Can you run?

I am almost certain that I am going to die, but I figured I should ask. If nothing else, I know I did some damage to him already and I might be able to kill him before he kills me.

[Qui]

To be honest, lvl 3 dwarf barbarian shouldn't be really encountering trolls. Where exactly did you go? You want the dungeon to the south-east of the village for starters, not the one to north-west, which can be quite deadly. Alternatively, you descended too quickly. Make sure to explore a level, kill its inhabitants and collect their stuff before going deeper so that you're prepared.