Advice for Ultra Ending (r59, Drakeling Wizard)

[Revontulet]

Still alive in Ancardia!

Still alive in Ancardia.PNG!

Currently at lvl 16, just cleared the Pyramid. I was kinda forced to go, I was nearing PClvl 17 and didn't want to risk losing it. I think that aside of the Ankh and the Wrappings, no other artifacts have spawned. I was careful not to enter places where there are guaranteed ones (such as the Gremlin Cave, Keetrax floor or Darkforge's second floor), so I still have a shot at pre-crowning as chaotic.

I've also been playing this Wizard mostly in melee (using magic mostly for dangerous foes). I found an adamantium spear (+1, 1d8+9) which has served me very well so far, along with a crystal medium shield (+10/+2); currently Polearms at lvl 8 and Shields at lvl 5. Currently at 46/19 DV/PV.

I did not find Invisibility after hanging around in the ID for a while, so I gave up (only a couple of Invisibility potion, which I'll keep for special occasions). I went around Ancardia looking for another altar, refreshing my memory while at it and uncovering all the map. I cleared the Moldy Dungeon and the Putrid Cave (left the others for later), no luck. Also cleared the Puppy Cave. In conjunction, a couple of lesser vaults with nothing remarkable, two herb floors, a pool, and two statues (jackal & figurines+charisma potions).

However, on the Shadowy Dungeon, I found a Chaotic Altar on the D:4. I aligned with Chaos (currently C) by saccing 1 gold (really, Ussarchs has easy entry fees). Raised piety by saccing 1000 gold, and was able to finally bless my waters.

Went back to Terinyo to ID all the loot so far (3XXXX stone, quite a lot given that I have perma-Strengh of Atlas :P). Got lucky only with the potions, as I got 2 PoGA and a couple of other stat raising ones (3 PoL, 1 PoM, 1 PoD, 1 PoCJ); blessed all of them and chugged them down happily.. The rest of the weapons and equipment server to replace some inferior parts, but none of the really outstanding. Headed to the Pyramid after this.

Concerning books, I haven't got Invisibility or Magic Mapping. No RoDS o AoLS yet either

I realized something important at this point: I'm at day 58. It seems I forgot that travelling through the Wilderness takes a *lot* of time without 7LB. I'm worried this may be a problem, as I know I won't be doing it in less that 90 days now. Should I be?

I was able to find a skull of a giant boar, for the Medal quest. The only one I fought dropped it! I also have a ton of books, I have around 30 books of bolt, and quite a few of Teleport. Should I just read them all now?

Concerning alignment, I found out that by using scrolls of familiar summoning and getting two pets to whack each other while healing them, I can work the alignment up to L+ even at lvl 50. I would still be doing this on much lower PClvl (30 at most I think, given the current pace of the game), but would it still work even then?

My next plan is to pre-crown. I'm gonna use the altar I found to try it. I should be able to farm Stomafilia herbs with some effort, should I go that route instead of live sacs? Aside of these two, any other advice on how to get the piety up there for pre-post crowning?

Thanks again!

OffT: I forgot how much time you can invest in the game. Grinding a bit and looking for the altar was around 6 hours. I don't really mind though, I haven't really felt I was grinding at any point, which is great as that usually leads to boredom. I do hope the AoLS does not require me too much effort.

[hapro]

My last ultra was won at like 220 days and I did the stone circle at day 180, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Soirana]

I've also been playing this Wizard mostly in melee (using magic mostly for dangerous foes).
... a ton of books, I have around 30 books of bolt...

Facedesk. Facedesk. FaCeDeSk.

[Revontulet]

I've also been playing this Wizard mostly in melee (using magic mostly for dangerous foes).
...have a ton of books, I have around 30 books of bolt...

Facedesk. Facedesk. FaCeDeSk.

Yeah, I know xD. I initially wanted to train the Polearms skill a bit and I...ah...got carried away. After I ID'd all my loot, I noticed just how many books a Wizard can get :P.

I haven't read the books so far because I wanted to improve my Learning a bit before doing so. Is 29 a good number?

I won't worry too much about the game time then. I'll try and get all guaranteed the scrolls of chaos resistance regardless (I'm guessing I'll need them anyways).

[Tyrnyx]

Is there a way to convince people that an ultra isn't the best way for your first time through??? I think it's just in the nature of people. An ultra is a grindy, painful, and easy to mess up beast. It's like people trying to play a symphony when they don't know chopsticks or even all the keys. Like climbing Everest without training. It doesn't make you better it makes you foolhardy and liable to unnecessary sadness.

Let me help you: STOP READING THE GUIDEBOOK. It shows you everything you can do. Not everything you should do. Also, it's often outdated. For instance: stoma saccing no longer works.

Also I would suggest not stepping on statues unless you want the RNG god to piss on your ultra attempt. Here's a small proof to help you in that decision: Statues are player created. Players are mostly dicks. Therefore statues are mostly dicks. QED.

Live saccing or saccing piles of gold are pretty much the only options for precrowning and most characters don't have piles of gold lying around in the early game. So live sacs. Most people only do it if the conditions are just right i.e. near the stairs of or preferably on a cavernous level.

Pre-crowning, at least in its current iteration, just one time practically negates a second pre or a post crowning. It's almost impossible with live sacs. It's a money only option and that kind of negates itself since you are usually much too far along to fit the requirements once you have enough money.

Lastly: When you get sacced on that chaotic alter, you will be sad at the hours you wasted. I will be sad for you a little but mostly not. About as sad as you might feel if you heard about a novice dieing on Everest. You'd feel sad alright but you'd also have to say "I'm not surprised"

P.s. You're a wizard, Revontulet. Every other class I would suggest a melee heavy approach and spells for the nasties. Wizards are the exception. You're practically causing the ChAoS to explode from Soirana.

[Blank4u47]

Well, 29 Le is a very good number, and with all those spellbooks you'll never run out of castings, even if your Le was only 15. Wizards in general don't have to worry about running out of castings as they get so many books.

Edit: tyrmix beat me to it and yes I agree, you're a wizard Harry!

[Tyrnyx]

Yeah, I know xD. I initially wanted to train the Polearms skill a bit and I...ah...got carried away.

More signs that you've read to much guidebook. As a wizard nannoks artifact sword is the business. I'd suggest getting at least as an artifact for the ratling but using it would be even better.

Also since I left this of my last post: good luck. More power to you if you can complete an ultra first. I'd just prefer people know they can reach certain milestones (each of the temples but fire and mana in particular) before doing a marathon that is an ultra.

[anon123]

I haven't read the books so far because I wanted to improve my Learning a bit before doing so. Is 29 a good number?

For a wizard, it's a great number. Make sure you equip the crown of science and any other Learning-boosting items (like rings of mental stability and gain attribute) you may have beforehand. After reading 30 books in a row, chances are you'll get one or two extra points from natural training too.

If you happen to have Create Item, read that one just once, and keep it. It's pretty useful to train Mana via bookcasting, and who knows, you may generate something useful.

[Revontulet]

Just precrowned with Thunderstroke...¬¬.

Thunderstroke.PNG

I found another chaotic altar in the Shadowy Dungeon on R2:9; non corrupting floor. I used a combination of everything: Stomafillias up to the limit (herbs on R2:12), live sacs, gold I collected (left the rest on Terinyo accidentally), and many corpses. I have Food Preservation at 100%, and I'm seeing a *lot* of corpses lately. May not be as good as the live sac, but I can raid a couple of floors and still have something to take back to the altar (specially while running for the herbs). I was thinking of attempting a second precrowning, but it seems it's not worth the time, right?

I was also *very* careful about not stepping into the altar. That happened to me a whole lot in the past (save-scummed characters, but still frustrating to farm for 1-2 hours and lose all the progress), so I already have an atheistic evasion for altars in general (:P).

I was stupid enough to kill a cave lion while doing this; I had been avoiding them perfectly up to now with Calm Monsters and/or Teleport. Tip: No beer while playing ADOM. So I've lost the ring and gained a possibly game-ending foe. I will try to minimize the kills from now on regardless.

R2:12 also generated Morgia and Mareilon (with a little bit of holy help), so I've had quite some increases in Wi and To in the meantime.

The Polearms training is mostly related to the DV bonus (as double shield has been nerfed) and the TotRR for the endgame. I did it with most characters regardless of class because it is the most efficient combination (with few exceptions). I guess the habit stuck.

Next step is to fulfill the Keetrax quest (for the Black Torc), and then start the dive into the CoC .

[Tyrnyx]

Have you tried using thunderstroke yet? It's one of the strongest weapons in the game! It returns and with high enough dex it's not obnoxious to use. It's practically over powered nowadays. Like a flying mino-axe! And missiles are strong to begin with. If you give it to the ratling I will cry. I would cry for joy with for that precrown. Even on a wizard.

One of the best ways to get super high dex is the cat ring so it's a shame that's gone. It's still strong. One of the reasons I play such a minimal game is too avoid killing cats. I could care less for the ring. Kinda. It's the unnecessary boss battle i try to avoid. He's my Achilles heel.

Pole arms are good for the TotRR. I'll give you that. But the are overrated. With a good shield you can get to 50-60 DV with anything. After that DV has diminishing returns. It's enough at least. Pole arms as main weapon works if they are the best weapon you have. Otherwise it's excessive min-maxing. I like nannok for the + willpower which makes getting 32 for big ball spells easier.

2nd precrown not worth the time. Correct.

Teleport and light spell make getting the phial super easy when it comes to that. Good luck.