So whats going on in this ADOM game?

[JellySlayer]

Thanks JellySlayer, that seems like quite a lot of nerfs... I couldn't kick rob a shop a few days ago, or do dragon gold doubling - money less free than before .

I did successfully please Yergis by invis robbing the black market though, so invis still seems fairly legit?

Invis doesn't let you bolt monsters endlessly while they're completely unable to detect you, and certain monsters will stalk you even if they aren't exactly sure where you are. In both darkness and invis, monsters may also randomly stumble into the PC and hit them. A lot of people feel the nerf to invis has rendered it kind of useless, but I still find it to be quite powerful. Just not instakill/completely avoid everything powerful.

Stealth has also got a nice boost, now that I think of it.

[quik]

JellySlayer, would you care to elaborate in some of the points you mentioned? In particular:

-Eating the Orb Guardian corpses is fairly worthwhile.
Do they corrupt less now?

-Thrown potions and disablers have been nerfed a bit. They still do okay, but some monsters are resistant to some types of potions now.
Are they still useful for the ACW and the Chaos Archmage or they have to be killed in other ways?

-Bug temple raid is a bit trickier.
What has changed here?

-HPCasting is much more brutal.
Is it still usable in the endgame?

-Pickpocketting is a bit less rewarding
Is it still worth it to use it?

Thanks!

[JellySlayer]

JellySlayer, would you care to elaborate in some of the points you mentioned? In particular:

-Eating the Orb Guardian corpses is fairly worthwhile.
Do they corrupt less now?

I think they corrupt the same, but they give better bonuses. The stat bonuses that they give also break potentials, which can be useful. As an example, probably the best one is Yulgash, which gives +4 Wi/Le/Ma.

-Thrown potions and disablers have been nerfed a bit. They still do okay, but some monsters are resistant to some types of potions now.
Are they still useful for the ACW and the Chaos Archmage or they have to be killed in other ways?

It's just some specific potions don't work. ACW can't be confused anymore, IIRC, but still can be blinded. Or maybe it's the other way around, I can never remember.

-Bug temple raid is a bit trickier.
What has changed here?

Bugs shrug bolts frequently and can't be easily tamed with music.

-HPCasting is much more brutal.
Is it still usable in the endgame?

Endgame, yes, as long as you don't care too much about stats. It abuses Wi and To, and you don't get as good return on HP to PP.

-Pickpocketting is a bit less rewarding
Is it still worth it to use it?

Monsters will occasionally become enraged and get extra attacks I think. I think the drop rate is changed a bit, but I don't PP enough to be sure. Thief class power is apparently still worth it.

[Grey]

Welcome back, vogonpoet!

On top of the many changes listed, one little tweak is that Khelevaster is no longer permanently invisible when he's in Terinyo. Turns out that was a bug and none of us ever knew. Silly us!

[vogonpoet]

Hi Grey

I actually have an Orcish Barb on the go right now who already has an AoLS, so maybe I will be able to save Khelly at somepoint... It got L precrowned with Protector, lost all its piety to a careless alignment change (forgot vampiric was chaotic), and then found an eternium two-hander in the SMC, so its horribly conflicted - which is more criminal to not use, Protector or the two hander??? I don't really have a good one-handed weapon - an adamantium +7 spear, but protector is protector....

Decisions decisions

[JellySlayer]

Oh, another note: Scrolls now have a literacy check associated with them, and can fail (or even disappear) if you try to use them with low literacy.

[gut]

> Khelevaster is no longer permanently invisible when he's in Terinyo. Turns out that was a bug and none of us ever knew. Silly us!

I knew, I just chose not to tell the rest of you suckers. mwuhahahah!

[vogonpoet]

Hi gut

My off-the-ground barbarian had to harness sods law to get the RotHK - after waiting ages in the caverns above (like really, a looooong time), he traipsed all the way back to Terinyo to learn bridge building and pick up the manual, then traipsed back to the caverns, hoping to level up my skill at least at little before actually trying to build a damned bridge... so of course, only like, 10 minutes later, an ogre mage pops up, and I invite her down for a Frozen party. I love freezing ALL the fish, even if its really not necessary. So, the portal is open, the RotHK is in my pack, its time I guess to go visit the snake? Somewhat troublingly, I have no fireproof blankets. I do have a ring of ice though... Its been such a long time though... maybe I will put on my fanciest light metal clothes, and take Big Punch and Protector through Darkforge before heading down to the Snake, just to see where my dude is at, fire-wise... I really don't remember how to judge my progress

Other things to remember/decide: where and what is the phial; have I found a scroll of danger; what level do boars appear at; having saved K, do I just try to close the gate anyway. Decisions decisions. If I want to do an Ultra, I will have to like, spoil myself all over again - I remember needing the artifacts for the ratling, I remember the crap I need for the crone, I remember regretting not being more careful of my first kill, I remember horrendously screwing up trying to enter the stone circle at the right time, but the chronology is all forgotten to me...

Huh, its day 59, and I just found some as yet un-identified worn boots, so maybe I can level up and get to the stone circle by day 90, maybe not... I also remember getting brutally p0wned (it was like, almost 10 years ago after all) by the dragon dude... Keriax?

phial (gremlin cave right?), ancient scythe (shit, not found yet, can it generate after Khelly, I seem to recall yes?), Crown of Science maybe, Sword of Nonnak, something and something... loath to part with mummy wrapping or ahnk, currently actually using big punch with protector... ha ha, my sieve like memory is rubbish. Already gave the gladius to the drunk... Hmmm.

[vogonpoet]

Well so much for my DForge plans... I entered the NDC (thats the cave right above dark forge right?), straight away there is a tension room, and in the room, a doppleganger king. I escaped to the wilderness with like, 15% of my HP, and now it looks like I am off to meet the snake after all... How does one deal with DKs again? Wands from afar? There is like, no corridor space to work with...

[JellySlayer]

Hi gut

My off-the-ground barbarian had to harness sods law to get the RotHK - after waiting ages in the caverns above (like really, a looooong time), he traipsed all the way back to Terinyo to learn bridge building and pick up the manual, then traipsed back to the caverns, hoping to level up my skill at least at little before actually trying to build a damned bridge... so of course, only like, 10 minutes later, an ogre mage pops up, and I invite her down for a Frozen party. I love freezing ALL the fish, even if its really not necessary. So, the portal is open, the RotHK is in my pack, its time I guess to go visit the snake? Somewhat troublingly, I have no fireproof blankets. I do have a ring of ice though... Its been such a long time though... maybe I will put on my fanciest light metal clothes, and take Big Punch and Protector through Darkforge before heading down to the Snake, just to see where my dude is at, fire-wise... I really don't remember how to judge my progress

There is now a guaranteed wand of cold in the Ice Queen area. It's hard to find unless you know where to look, but very handy for this problem.

Other things to remember/decide: where and what is the phial

Gremlin cave in SW corner. Bring a light source. The phial cases a really expensive light spell when 'u'sed, and blinds some humanoids when thrown.

What level do boars appear at

15+ in forested areas. They're fairly common.

phial (gremlin cave right?), ancient scythe (shit, not found yet, can it generate after Khelly, I seem to recall yes?), Crown of Science maybe, Sword of Nonnak, something and something... loath to part with mummy wrapping or ahnk, currently actually using big punch with protector... ha ha, my sieve like memory is rubbish. Already gave the gladius to the drunk... Hmmm.

RoTHK can be offered after you pass the eternal guardian, and Big Punch when you find a better weapon. No rush on this, right? There's greater vaults in the lower CoC (and one elsewhere), plus Casino that will have extra artifact potential.

[edit]

Well so much for my DForge plans... I entered the NDC (thats the cave right above dark forge right?), straight away there is a tension room, and in the room, a doppleganger king. I escaped to the wilderness with like, 15% of my HP, and now it looks like I am off to meet the snake after all... How does one deal with DKs again? Wands from afar? There is like, no corridor space to work with...

Wands are probably best for a barbarian, yeah. Fireball wand from Thrundarr if you have it is one option. I think they can be webbed and stunned as well if you have those effects.