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Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup Nanonymous No.497 [D][S][L][A][C]

Who else plays DCSS? What's your strategy and what's the best/worse/most interesting situation you've come across?

#..# Elvenar the Skirmisher
#..# Human
#..# HP: 15/15
#..# Magic: 0/0
#..# AC: 6 (5)
#.$# EV: 8
####..# Str: 14
......# Int: 9
####@##### Dex: 13
#.# #........# Gold: 39
#.# #.###.#.## Experience: 1/5 (4)
#.# #.# ..# # Level 1 of the Dungeon
#.# #.# ... a) +0 short sword
. ..#.# #.######
.....#.# #....#
...#.# ####.#
..#.#########.#

Nanonymous No.531 [D] >>534 >>628

Oh nice, hello from /tech/. I've won one time as a

2606501 Anon the Slayer (level 27, 202/202 HPs)
Began as a Gargoyle Fighter on Aug 6, 2018.
Was an Initiate of Gozag.
Escaped with the Orb
... and 4 runes!

The game lasted 03:02:48 (64146 turns).

Anon the Slayer (Gargoyle Fighter) Turns: 64146, Time: 03:02:49

Health: 202/202 AC: 63 Str: 39 XL: 27
Magic: 25/25 EV: 13 Int: 7 God: Gozag
Gold: 10122 SH: 36 Dex: 20 Spells: 0 memorised, 43 levels left

rFire + + + SeeInvis + R - +9 broad axe (flame)
rCold . . . Gourm . o - +12 plate armour of Conscience {rF+ MR+ Regen+}
rNeg + . . Faith . H - +7 large shield of the Garden {+Inv rElec Dex+4}
rPois ∞ Spirit . c - +0 mask of the Dragon {MR+ Slay+3 SInv}
rElec + Reflect . O - +2 cloak
rCorr . Harm . n - +2 pair of gloves of the Iron Devil {+Blink Str+2}
MR +++++ x - +1 pair of boots of Context {Str+6}
Stlth +......... Z - amulet of regeneration
J - ring "Pennuf" {*Contam rElec rF+++ MP-9 Str+4}
v - ring of Goch {rPois MR+ Int-2 Dex+3 SInv}


No wonder Gargoyle was demoted to the easy races. I've been trying Naga tank with the god of slowness as well as Centaur peashooter, recently. Pretty mad about killer bees in general, such annoying shits.

By the way, am I the only one losing 90% of my games by getting overconfident?

Nanonymous No.534 [D] >>539

>>531
I've heard that experienced players rarely die to random chance and instead always die to retarded mistakes.
I've never gotten past score 4360 (with a deep elf wizard), mostly because I still see crawl as an action game rather than a turn based game. If I had slowed down like I would have when playing chess I would have gotten higher scores.

Nanonymous No.535 [D] >>536

I got to the accession run once. I always play Monk Ghoul (just because I don't want to deal with my ghosts). I always pray to Okawaru, and just pop a hero buff before any big fights, and Hero+Finesse+Potion of might before boss fights (27-headed hydra, Arachne, the snake boss, whatever it was called). I usually die because I can't find a see invisible item for the wrath moths.

Nanonymous No.536 [D] >>537

>>535
>I don't want to deal with my ghosts
Dude if you can't even beat your character from previous runs (taking into account the fact that it's an AI) then you're no better than it and are unlikely to get much further anyway.

Nanonymous No.537 [D] >>538

>>536
COme on, they're not the same as you. Being immune to everything makes it pretty strong. And the recompense is nil, if it dropped one of your previous items, I'd be willing to take more chances.

Nanonymous No.538 [D]

>>537
>the recompense is nil
You get a hefty chunk of experience. I'm using a fairly old version of crawl for various reasons, so correct me if that is no longer the case.

Nanonymous No.539 [D]

>>534
>deep elf wizard
Dude how come you got such a low score. Wizard is the easiest class to play. Literally just keep spamming magic darts until your enemies die. Don't even need to learn any other spells or wear armour or other useless crap. Enemies won't even get close enough to hurt you.

Nanonymous No.626 [D] >>627

I know all guides say to roll Minotaur Berserker if you want to get anywhere on your first wins, but I actually learn more playing the Spriggan Enchanter instead. You have little room for error and this really makes you stop thinking about this as an action game.

Nanonymous No.627 [D] >>629

>>626
I've heard that playing deep elf fighter is pretty hard too. Probably even harder than the spriggan enchanter, since the deep elf is not as fast and can't escape from nasty situations.

Nanonymous No.628 [D]

>>531
>killer bees
In my experience mephitic cloud wipes them out pretty well. But I've only been to the first few levels with killer bees present, and I can certainly imagine how they would be a bigger danger if you got completely surrounded.

Nanonymous No.629 [D]

>>627
That would be too hard for me at the moment. The deepest I got with MiBe was Snake, and for the SpEn it was the very first level of Lair. Spriggan just makes you think about escape routes and keeping a mental map of monsters and stairs while fighting. Whereas when I'm playing MiBe, I rely too much on Rage and summoned companions even when I should be looking for an escape.

Nanonymous No.632 [D]

Oh shit a dcss thread, I haven't played in a while but I must have 200+ hours in the game. I won a couple times, one with centuar archer and the unrandart storm bow, and one with minotuar knight of mahkleb. Winning isn't really why I played tho, the game is fun to mess around with. I like to make OP builds and see how I can get killed. The things that rekt me most would be hellions and most things in the crypt. I lost a couple really strong builds in the bottom level of frozen hell. also stay the hell away from hydras and killer bees unless you can deal with them. Spriggan enchanter is probably my favorite class.

Nanonymous No.655 [D]

A cool combo to win with is Earth Mage Gargoyle of Vehumet. He doesn't die as fast as other mages and still has tons of damage. Just spam stone arrows and your good.
Truly the MiBe of mages

Nanonymous No.656 [D][U][F]
File: 05b6d19a9f5bc11d85c639a01f3b5765cf874af4c1890fc3ff44f04ccd4a8faa.png (dl) (68.48 KiB)



Nanonymous No.657 [D]

My Orc Moncs of Beogh always splat in lair. Maybe it's time I start to recognize Trog as the one true God and embrace the ways of the 2 int MiBe

Nanonymous No.679 [D] >>680

I've been playing it on and off for like 3 last years.
It is a solid game, though there are several annoying mechanics you have to deal with.

First, there is a source of irresistible paralysis in the game, it's one of the eye monster whateverthefuck. That means that no matter what you do, if you get hit, you are fucked. It is actually detrimental to weak characters. Even MR-based paralysis is bullshit, because you can get fucked over by the RNG and not get any at all, while most situations will want you to have at least mr+++.
Second, the current mutation system needs to get reworked or removed. There are very few rMut items in the game in the first place, and there are NO ways to become completely immune to it unless you worship Zin at max piety, and Zin is shit with weak Invo. Potions of mutations were reworked (no curemuts, no beneficial muts potions) and mutagenic chunks removed, so mutation roulette became mostly harmful and there are not enough mutation potions to mutate out of bad muts. And before you ask and try to say any bullshit, YES, having teleportitis is almost 100% game losing for weaker characters and extremely dangerous for strong characters. Like, unless you can casually walk out of the Orb chamber, you are in trouble.
Third, my personal opinion, there should be no irresistible damage sources in game. DCSS has the Hellfire AKA Damnation. The damage output of Brimstone Fiends and Hellions is obscene. Also torment is pretty nasty too, it is a direct counter for a strong pure melee, and LOS manipulation is not always possible in general.
Last but not least, is traps. Traps are bullshit. It's RNGG that fucks over weaker characters and is fairly trivial on stronger, there is no way shafts should be real at all, this is complete and utter SHIT straight out of a dev's FUCKING asshole.

I'm not that good of a player though, but I can pretty consistently win pure melee/melee hybrids (transmuter, skald, random-ass spellcaster with buffs and couple nukes on the side), but I cannot win (or have yet to win) some harder species, like Mummy, Octopode or Felid (Felids are such a pain to play without any fun, that I consider never playing that garbage race at all; seriously having statue form pretty much as a requirement for being not a pain in the ass is dogshit). Also I don't want to play summoners because I don't want to manage my summons, it's annoying. I want to win a blaster-caster though, but I have yet to LOL. I just die later in the game because of glass cannon issues, mostly.
As for god choices, any strong god is fine (TSO, Chei, Ru, Ash, Oka, Makhleb are very strong), and I have some wins with weaker gods like Zin, though I probably didn't win every religion out there.

Anyway my final thoughts are that the game feels very same-y after the Lair. After your character hits strong power spike at about 12-14 XL, you just stomp the game in general, unless your character has some weaknesses that could fuck you over. And of course, there is still pure bullshit I mentioned earlier that can fuck you regardless of how diesel your character is. Also can add that strong artifacts really carry the game, because you can be RNGG'd into having shitty gear too LOL.

There is not much skill to this game outside of clever tactics and general strategy which you acquire as you play more. And then you end up in Tavern to circlejerk with other GEEKS on how cool it would be to make the game even more BS than it already is, like removing digging (not done yet) or LRD destroying walls (already done).

Nanonymous No.680 [D] >>681

>>679
>the chad Game Developer vs the virgin whiny bitch
just play old versions. i have a version without autoexplore and tab-fighting, it makes it more fun if you can't just alternate between o and tab like a braindead nigger.

Nanonymous No.681 [D] >>682

>>680
>tabbing = braindead
You are a shithead.
Tabbing saves you pain of winning a trivial fight, and will actually fuck you over if the situation requires thinking. You cannot mindlessly Tab in general and win anything else than Makhleb/vamp weapon melee character.

Nanonymous No.682 [D] >>683

>>681
Pussy. If only we had a Tab functionality in real life eh?
Adding tab and autoexplore makes the game faggy and boring.

Nanonymous No.683 [D] >>684

>>682
I ain't not no pussy, you beaaatch. I hold Tab until I start dying and then throw a fit at a stupid game which didn't warn me LMAO.

Nanonymous No.684 [D] >>685

>>683
I don't play on new versions much as I said, but even I can remember that it gives a * * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * * whenever you try to tab in a low hp situation.

Nanonymous No.685 [D]

>>684
1) The warning comes at like a quarter HP by default. I think it's configurable, but fuck this shit.
2) There are situations when you want to run even at full HP, either to get a better position or because enemies are actually that dangerous and will kill you in like 3 turns

Nanonymous No.687 [D][U][F] >>688
File: 4d0c8e88fb28235a556a73df3d9aee9596e5110d5fbc610e9b639ae5464b58d4.png (dl) (224.51 KiB)

Just use Minotaur and tank like a mother fucker. Easiest strategy.

Nanonymous No.688 [D]

>>687
Minotaur and Gargoyle are pretty much the most degenerate races in game. Minotaur DPS is actually obscene. Gargoyle defenses makes it immune/resistant to the most sources of bullshit in game, and it can fly at XL 14 too, like, WTF.
Also I would say that Formicids are actually really easy as well, despite what the choosing screen says. Sure, you cannot TP out, nor haste, but you cannot get paralysed/slowed, which is pretty big, and you can DIG, which becomes absolutely degenerate because it is unlimited dig. Also, the ability to wield 2-handed weapons with a shield makes your character highest DPS AND defense combined in game, so it pretty much compensates for losing the TP. Why TP if you can just kill them all LMAO?

Also RN I'm playing Demigod Fighter, and it was a rough road until I acquired Rift, the new unrandart demon trident. This weapon is bullshit and carried me through what was supposed to be a hard game.

ayylien the Peltast (Demigod Fighter) Turns: 52289, Time: 05:20:39

Health: 192/192 AC: 32 Str: 27 XL: 22 Next: 5%
Magic: 37/37 EV: 18 Int: 22 God:
Gold: 1324 SH: 20 Dex: 20 Spells: 2/35 levels left

rFire + + + SeeInvis + b - +8 demon trident {distort, reach+}
rCold + + . Gourm . c - +1 shield
rNeg + . . Faith . D - +8 fire dragon scales
rPois + Spirit . M - +1 helmet
rElec . Reflect + W - +2 cloak {+Inv}
rCorr . Harm . R - +2 pair of gloves
MR +++.. g - +2 pair of boots
Stlth +......... H - amulet "Oddurag" {Reflect rPois rF+ rC+ rN+ SH+4}
HPRegen 0.42/turn n - ring "Xuzxuapy" {rC+ Str+4}
MPRegen 0.25/turn S - ring "Kaujy" {rPois MR+ Dex+3 SInv}

@: no status effects
A: talons 1, thin skeletal structure 1, cold resistance 1, high mp 1
}: 2/15 runes: decaying, serpentine
a: Evoke Invisibility


You are on level 5 of the Depths.
You are not hungry.

You have visited 8 branches of the dungeon, and seen 41 of its levels.
You have also visited: Trove, Bailey, Volcano and Wizlab.

You have collected 5071 gold pieces.
You have spent 3747 gold pieces at shops.

Skills:
- Level 15.0 Fighting
- Level 14.0 Polearms
+ Level 10.5 Armour
- Level 10.0 Dodging
- Level 15.0 Shields
+ Level 7.0 Spellcasting
- Level 10.0 Hexes
- Level 6.0 Charms
- Level 3.0 Summonings
- Level 10.0 Necromancy
- Level 6.1 Translocations
+ Level 11.5 Transmutations
+ Level 13.2 Earth Magic
+ Level 6.8 Evocations

You have 2 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:

Your Spells Type Power Failure Level Hunger
a - Confusing Touch Hex ###### 1% 1 None
b - Apportation Tloc ####.. 1% 1 None
c - Corona Hex ######. 1% 1 None
d - Confuse Hex ######.. 1% 3 None
e - Tukima's Dance Hex ######.. 1% 3 None
f - Cause Fear Hex ######.... 3% 4 ###....
g - Regeneration Chrm/Necr #####..... 1% 3 None
h - Borgnjor's Vile Clut Necr/Erth ######.... 4% 5 #####..
i - Statue Form Tmut/Erth ######... 17% 6 ######.
j - Summon Butterflies Summ ###..... 4% 1 None
k - Stone Arrow Conj/Erth #####. 3% 3 None
l - Blink Tloc N/A 2% 2 None


Nanonymous No.689 [D]

…aaand I died in Zot to 2 berserked draconians. Even though I was invis. Even though I tried to blink away gazillion times - I just landed next to it.
How it went down: basically I was corroded to shit and they were hitting me for a lot. I also forgot I had cancellation potion on me ('twas only one though, the game being stingy on that basically makes me forget about them). I had rCorr on a swappable ring too, but CBF to swap every time when fighting corrosive draconians. Also I was a statue and therefore slow. Also I could've probably done something else, too.

I have no excuses but one: I fucking hate playing "optimally" in this game. It's not fun. And that's how you die in Zot, boys. Also draconian packs are dangerous as shit, it's easy just as dangerous as ancient liches and probably almost as dangerous as OOF. Also fuck OOF's, fuck them and their 30HD. Also fuck the swingy RNGG combat system, like, when damage rolls go like for example 3d20 it means it can hit like 3-60, which is going to be mostly trivial until it high rolls couple times and fucks you. I swear to God, it happens all the time. I get that being a good strategist mostly deals with it, but just one little slip and your character goes to shit. I don't have that much patience, really. I shall quit DCSS for a time again to ponder about my life choices.

So, that's how you die in Zot.

526238 ayylien the Peltast (level 23, -1/258 HPs)
Began as a Demigod Fighter on Apr 7, 2019.
Slain by a yellow draconian monk (20 damage)
... on level 2 of the Realm of Zot.
The game lasted 06:03:14 (56506 turns).

The yellow draconian monk kicks you.
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
The yellow draconian monk tail-slaps you!
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
Casting: Blink (safe; 1% risk of failure)
Confirm with . or Enter, or press ? or * to list all spells.
You blink.
The yellow draconian monk hits you but does no damage.
You block the yellow draconian monk's attack.
The yellow draconian monk completely misses you.
The yellow draconian monk hits you!!
* * * LOW HITPOINT WARNING * * *
The yellow draconian monk completely misses you.
The yellow draconian monk misses you.
You feel much better.
The yellow draconian monk completely misses you.
The yellow draconian monk closely misses you.
The yellow draconian monk tail-slaps you but does no damage.
The yellow draconian monk hits you!!
You die...


Nanonymous No.690 [D]

Also to add to rants above:
Corr and Elec damage are complete bullshit in this game.

Corroded status really fucks you and stacks infinitely (on you, not the npcs, but that's irrelevant), and rCorr is not a guarantee in game, like, you can easily not have it after 2 runes.
And you can see how broken acid damage is: just use acid wand on your enemies and destroy them. Also that "acid burns" additional damage is bullshit as it makes it really high mostly irresistible damage.

Elec damage is broken too. Again: use your own Elec damage sources to shit on your enemies completely. rElec + Conjure Ball Lightning at high spellpower = win the game. Just a few Elec immune/res enemies won't do shit. BUT if you meet somebody with elec dagger early you may very well be dead - or be carried by that dagger all the way to Lair and a bit into it, probably. I hate the fact that you HAVE to pick up irrelevant shit sometimes just to win the game. Dagger will swing at 1.0 at no training and elec brand will deliver irresistible damage procs. Like, maybe I want to roleplay as a sword fighter, why do I have to pick that shitty dagger up? Because I may very well not find anything better than a long sword until the end of the Lair or something, and hydras will fuck me? Fuck this, FUCK this.

Nanonymous No.691 [D] >>735

Oh, yeah, and while I'm at it, fuck shock serpents, and fuck the fact that the game usually registers them as just "dangerous" or below, while they can cut your HP in half in like 1 turn if you have no rElec (which you usually won't at the stage you face them).

Nanonymous No.734 [D]

Are you a dumb nigger? They are easy to kill past level 5.

Nanonymous No.735 [D] >>736

>>691
Just use a wand of flame to destroy them with steam. Steam is actually pretty underrated in this game.

Nanonymous No.736 [D]

>>735
Don't confuse electric eels with shock serpents LOL.
SS is that crazy elec shit you meat at naga branch.
EEs are very dangerous too BTW, but at least you can reliably skip them.
>steam
Early game steam is just broken.
Clouds in general are kinda flat damage, I think they don't scale with spellpower and other skills. That makes them kinda like early cheese and then they fall off. I don't mind them being that way, it just makes Freezing Cloud spell kinda weak later on.