-Crawl- How to cope with beserk mutation
Dafty
in combat" mutation. So how do I live with it? I'm a melee character so
that's no problem but I'm worried about the slowing effects coming out
of beserk. I have an amulet of rage which should stop me passing out. I
guess that's one option. I also have an amulet of resist slowing, but
the magical contamination i'm bound to get from beserking lots, plus
Xom speeding me up and beserking me every now and then is bound to
leave me mutated to hell and back quite literally. Although that might
end up quite interesting! (I do have control teleport demonspawn
mutation which I think is safe from removal?)
Any advice appreciated:
Dungeon Crawl version 4.0.0 beta 26 character file.
Kaos the Fencer
Race : Demonspawn Res.Fire : + . . See Invis. : +
Class : Chaos Knight Res.Cold : + . . Warding : .
Worship : Xom Life Prot.: + . . Conserve : .
Level : 19 Res.Poison: . Res.Corr. : .
Exp : 354826 Res.Elec. : . Gourmand : .
Next Level : 408099
Exp Needed : 53273 Sust.Abil.: . Rnd.Telep. : .
Spls.Left : 8 Res.Mut. : . Ctrl.Telep.: +
Gold : 1273 Res.Slow : . Levitation : .
Clarity : . Ctrl.Flight: .
HP : 238
MP : 31
Str : 17 Weapon : +4 katana (slice)
Int : 13 Armour : +3 leather armour (R-fire)
Dex : 26 Shield :
AC : 18 Helmet : +2 horned helmet
Evasion : 16 Cloak : +1 cloak
Shield : 0 Gloves : +1 pair of elf gloves
Boots : +1 pair of orc boots (run)
Play time : 19:53:19 Amulet : amulet of rage
Turns : 62996 Ring : ring of Invincibility
Ring : +3,+2 ring of slaying
You are in the Vaults.
You worship Xom.
You are full.
Inventory:
Hand weapons
a - a +4,+4 katana of slicing (weapon)
b - the +6,+5 long sword of the Spheres
It emits flame when wielded, causing extra injury to most foes and
up to
double damage against particularly susceptible opponents.
It affects your strength (+1).
It partially protects you from negative energy.
// Hydra killer
Armour
e - a pair of dwarven boots
j - a +1 pair of elven gloves (worn)
x - a +1 cloak (worn)
C - a +3 leather armour of fire resistance (worn)
H - a +2 horned helmet (worn)
P - a +1 pair of orcish boots of running (worn)
Magical devices
h - a wand of cold
i - a wand of cold
m - a wand of digging
o - a wand of digging
t - a wand of fireball
B - a wand of teleportation
L - a wand of polymorph other
Comestibles
s - 4 bread rations
z - 3 royal jellies
Scrolls
f - 2 scrolls of remove curse
g - 2 scrolls of identify
l - a scroll of immolation
p - 3 scrolls of teleportation
D - a scroll of magic mapping
Jewellery
c - an amulet of rage (around neck)
d - an amulet of the gourmand
n - a ring of strength
r - a +3,+2 ring of slaying (left hand)
E - the ring of Invincibility (right hand)
This ring increases or decreases the mental ability of its wearer,
depending on the degree to which it has been enchanted.
It affects your intelligence (-3).
It affects your dexterity (+4).
It protects you from magic.
It enhances your eyesight.
It lets you go berserk.
Potions
k - a potion of might
u - 6 potions of heal wounds
v - 4 potions of speed
J - 7 potions of restore abilities
Books
M - a manual of Earth Magic
You have 4 experience left.
Skills:
+ Level 12 Fighting
+ Level 18 Long Blades
- Level 4 Maces & Flails
+ Level 15 Dodging
+ Level 7 Stealth
+ Level 8 Stabbing
+ Level 3 Unarmed Combat
+ Level 7 Spellcasting
- Level 3 Conjurations
- Level 5 Enchantments
- Level 2 Summonings
+ Level 1 Translocations
- Level 1 Transmigration
- Level 3 Divinations
- Level 1 Fire Magic
- Level 3 Air Magic
+ Level 2 Earth Magic
+ Level 6 Evocations
You have 8 spell levels left.
You know the following spells:
Your Spells Type Success
Level
a - Summon Small Mammals Summoning Very Good 1
b - Call Imp Summoning Good 3
c - Magic Dart Conjuration Very Good 1
e - Evaporate Fire/Transmigration Good 2
f - Levitation Air/Enchantment Very Good 2
g - Repel Missiles Air/Enchantment Very Good 2
h - Stone Arrow Earth/Conjuration Good 3
i - Detect Creatures Divination Very Good 2
j - Detect Secret Doors Divination Very Good 1
l - Selective Amnesia Enchantment Very Good 3
m - Detect Items Divination Very Good 2
n - Blink Translocation Good 2
// I've got a wide range of utility spells, some that are about due for
an upgrade. Couldn't decided what to do with this guy. Think I need to
keep going with his melee and then learn spells for fun :)
Mutations & Other Weirdness
Your mind is acute (Int +1).
You are agile (Dex +2).
Your flesh is cold resistant.
You have a very fast metabolism.
* You can control translocations.
Armour fits poorly on your badly deformed body.
You can spit poison.
You tend to lose your temper in combat.
Your body is slowly deteriorating.
* You resist negative energy.
* You can raise the dead to walk for you.
You have sharp fingernails.
* You are completely covered in white scales (AC + 5).
// A pretty nice set at the moment, but my main worry is uncontrollable
continued mutations.
Rich
Mechanoid
removal. Anything with a * is safe and assured.
If you dont want any more mutations, i suggest you find a amulet of
resist mutation stat... otherwise your "nice set" of mutations will go
down the crapper even more so.
Dafty
> resist mutation stat... otherwise your "nice set" of mutations will go
> down the crapper even more so.
Wear amulet of resist mutation. Go berserk next time I kill something,
pass out coming out of beserk, dead :)
I think I'll have to take my chances with mustations until I get rid of
the going beserk mutation. Or I guess I could just permanantly wear
resist slowing and just take my mutations as they come. I am a Xom
demonspawn after all! Can't quite decide which will be the most fun :)
Rich
Erik Piper
Dafty wrote:
> My Xom demonspawn has just picked up the "you tend to lose your temper
> in combat" mutation. So how do I live with it? I'm a melee character so
> that's no problem but I'm worried about the slowing effects coming out
> of beserk. I have an amulet of rage which should stop me passing out. I
> guess that's one option.
The mutation itself offers some protection.
int chance = 10 + you.mutation[MUT_BERSERK] * 25
+ (wearing_amulet( AMU_RAGE ) ? 10 : 0)
+ (player_has_spell( SPELL_BERSERKER_RAGE ) ? 5
: 0);
...and then it goes on to set your chance of passing out at one chance
in "chance". So as it is, you'll pass out in one in 35 berserkings. The
amulet of rage would raise the "35" by 10 pts. Just the very act of
learning Berserk Rage raises it by 5 pts.
> I also have an amulet of resist slowing, but
> the magical contamination i'm bound to get from beserking lots,
Just berserking doesn't do it. It's the extension of berserking as such
IIRC. I'd think this is from any source; in practice I've only ever
glowed from Trog. Too lazy to check the source again. :-)
> plus Xom speeding me up and beserking me every now and then
Or when berserk extends haste, yes. Same for berserk extending might
IIRC.
> is bound to
> leave me mutated to hell and back quite literally. Although that might
> end up quite interesting!
Although mutations from magic contamination can occasionally be of good
types, it's a poor thing to bet on, if that's what you mean.
> (I do have control teleport demonspawn mutation which I think is safe from removal?)
Yes; demonspawn mutations can't be removed. (Random tidbit of the week:
...and mutations are less likely to be removed the rarer they are.
"Temper" is one of the commoner ones, at 7 out of a maximum of 10 (the
lower the rarer).)
> Any advice appreciated:
Expect increased food usage.
When feasible, use a ranged attack against roadbump monsters to keep
them from provoking berserk rage.
Use the Rubinstein tactic of checking all three down staircases before
really getting started with a level. Especially do this when it's an
open level. This gives you more options of where to escape to via the
ring of teleport control.
On open levels, consider just giving in and wearing the AoRS,
especially if you determine that many of the stairs are clumped
together (thus increasing the percentage of the level that is "far from
the nearest stairs").
This goes triple for no-TC levels.
Cast Detect Creatures every now and then, especially on open levels.
Don't run with scissors.
Stripes and polka-dots rarely make a good fashion statement...
> Mutations & Other Weirdness
> Your mind is acute (Int +1).
> You are agile (Dex +2).
> Your flesh is cold resistant.
> You have a very fast metabolism.
> * You can control translocations.
> Armour fits poorly on your badly deformed body.
> You can spit poison.
> You tend to lose your temper in combat.
> Your body is slowly deteriorating.
> * You resist negative energy.
> * You can raise the dead to walk for you.
> You have sharp fingernails.
> * You are completely covered in white scales (AC + 5).
...unless you're a Demonspawn.
> // A pretty nice set at the moment, but my main worry is uncontrollable
> continued mutations.
>
> Rich
If things get *really* nasty, it might be worth a crack at a deck of
Wonders if you have one, for the Normalisation card. (There's also the
Freak card, though. IME I've been normalized more than freakified, but
that's just anecdotal.) The Abyss is a bit worrisome, but what with the
teleport control, you should be able to handle Pan. Just in case, I'll
remind you that a) you can't be banished from a Labyrinth, b) you can't
be banished if you're levitating (not flying) -- cheesy but effective,
and c) the minimum stat to observe if you get statdrained from cards is
4, not 1.
e.
Jim Tran
> that's no problem but I'm worried about the slowing
> effects coming out of beserk. I have an amulet of
> rage which should stop me passing out. I guess
> that's one option. I also have an amulet of resist
> slowing, but the magical contamination i'm bound to
> get from beserking lots, plus Xom speeding me up
> and beserking me every now and then is bound to
> leave me mutated to hell and back quite literally.
Well, the mutation thing is kind of a given with any Xomite. You've
got a pretty nice set of mutations. taken as a whole, but the one bad
part is very fast metabolism + berserker rage, which is going to
deplete your food levels very quickly. Unfortunately, not much can
help you; as mentioned by Mechanoid, "oRM will help somewhat, or you
could get a lucky score and develop the stable genetics mutation at
some point. As noted, your *'d mutations are safe from alteration, so
if things get really ugly, you can try zapping them with a !oCM, or
gamble for a Normalization card from a Deck of Wonder.
> + Level 12 Fighting
> + Level 18 Long Blades
> - Level 4 Maces & Flails
> + Level 15 Dodging
> + Level 7 Stealth
> + Level 8 Stabbing
> + Level 3 Unarmed Combat
> + Level 7 Spellcasting
> - Level 3 Conjurations
> - Level 5 Enchantments
> - Level 2 Summonings
> + Level 1 Translocations
> - Level 1 Transmigration
> - Level 3 Divinations
> - Level 1 Fire Magic
> - Level 3 Air Magic
> + Level 2 Earth Magic
> + Level 6 Evocations
You've got a lot of skill dilution going on in your magic skills, as
far as hindrance goes. Enchantments, Conjuration and Divinations are
your highest skills, and that's actually kind of bad, because it will
limit your skill rate gain for Translocations for Blink, which is
arguably the most useful spell in your arsenal. I'm not convinced that
Summoning or Conjurations will be of any use to you at this point,
you're probably down near the Vaults or so by now and things there just
won't die to Stone Arrow or Imps anymore, so I would recommend dropping
both of those magic schools in favor of Translocations and
Enchantments. And if you happen to have a spellbook with Deflect
Missiles, upgrading to that would make a lot of sense.
Jim
Dafty
> Well, the mutation thing is kind of a given with any Xomite. You've
> got a pretty nice set of mutations. taken as a whole, but the one bad
> part is very fast metabolism + berserker rage, which is going to
> deplete your food levels very quickly. Unfortunately, not much can
> help you; as mentioned by Mechanoid, "oRM will help somewhat, or you
> could get a lucky score and develop the stable genetics mutation at
> some point. As noted, your *'d mutations are safe from alteration, so
> if things get really ugly, you can try zapping them with a !oCM, or
> gamble for a Normalization card from a Deck of Wonder.
>
Yep. Fortunately the RNG seems to be amazingly kind with food! Extended
trips to the abyss or doing the hells could get interesting though
unless I find !oCM to help.
> > + Level 12 Fighting
> > + Level 18 Long Blades
> > - Level 4 Maces & Flails
> > + Level 15 Dodging
> > + Level 7 Stealth
> > + Level 8 Stabbing
> > + Level 3 Unarmed Combat
> > + Level 7 Spellcasting
> > - Level 3 Conjurations
> > - Level 5 Enchantments
> > - Level 2 Summonings
> > + Level 1 Translocations
> > - Level 1 Transmigration
> > - Level 3 Divinations
> > - Level 1 Fire Magic
> > - Level 3 Air Magic
> > + Level 2 Earth Magic
> > + Level 6 Evocations
>
> You've got a lot of skill dilution going on in your magic skills, as
> far as hindrance goes. Enchantments, Conjuration and Divinations are
> your highest skills, and that's actually kind of bad, because it will
> limit your skill rate gain for Translocations for Blink,
Hmmm. I knew that learning fire magic hinders learning cold, and vice
versa, but didn't know about others. Exactly what are the restrictions?
To be honest my plan was only really to learn utility spells, although
I was considering learning some summoning for the Tomb as I've always
done it by my self recently. My summon imp is still useful to take out
any mummies that turn up (without having to muck about with my
potions).
> you're probably down near the Vaults or so by now and things there just
> won't die to Stone Arrow or Imps anymore, so I would recommend dropping
In theory I learned stone arrow to train a bit of earth magic, but
never got around to using it much. I got the 2 levels from a tome.
> both of those magic schools in favor of Translocations and
> Enchantments. And if you happen to have a spellbook with Deflect
> Missiles, upgrading to that would make a lot of sense.
>
> Jim
Yeah unfortunately deflect missiles is still too tricky to learn
(without wielding staves/rings). I just cleared the entrance to vault 8
and the top left quadrant with just repel though so I can't really
complain. I may just go and try and win with this char after getting
the rune, last 2 decent characters died pretty much unavoidably in the
Tomb/Abyss when they had winning kit. Still I really would like to do
an all rune game, my all but 1 game was close but no cigar.
Incidentally I've just been wearing "oRage for that extra help against
passing out (thanks Erik), and eating as much as demonly possible with
my "otG. Still got plenty of food stashed and some new nice kit found
in vaults :) Also since ditching the "oRS I've not had any glow
mutations, although the 1 CM I found only helped my deformed body (who
cares?) and something else I also didn't care one way or another about.
Rich
Jim Tran
> vice versa, but didn't know about others. Exactly what are the
> restrictions? To be honest my plan was only really to learn utility
> spells, although I was considering learning some summoning for
> the Tomb as I've always done it by my self recently. My summon
> imp is still useful to take out any mummies that turn up (without
> having to muck about with my potions).
There's two forms of magic hindrance in Crawl. Elemental alignment,
and School alignment.
Here's a breakdown of all magical skills and their various properties
and limitations:
Magic skills include:
Spellcasting
'Schools'
Conjuration, Summoning, Divination, Enchantment, Necromancy,
Transmigration, Translocation
'Elemental'
Fire, Ice, Air, Earth
'Neutral'
Poison, Invocation, Evocation
Skills of the 'School' type oppose each other as follows:
When attempting to gain skill in any School where your current skill is
lower than that of 3 or more other schools, your skill gain rate is
reduced by an amount based on how many skills are higher than the skill
trying to gain XP. The more 'School' skills that are above the skill
trying to gain XP, the harder it is to raise it successfully, where 1
attempt in (9 - number of skills above) aborts. For instance, your
Translocations is 1, Summoning is 2, Conjuration is 3, and Enchantment
is 5. If no other skills change, Summoning, Conjuration and
Enchantment will raise normally, but Translocations is hindered by
failing to level up 1/6th of the time. If you get your Translocations
up to 2, then your Transmigration skill suffers even more than it does
now, failing to level up 1/5 of the time when it ought to otherwise do
so. In the most extreme case, trying to raise the 7th and final skill
would be very painful, as you'd lose 1/3 of your attempts to this
hindrance effect.
Elemental skills are even worse. If you're trying to raise any
elemental skill, if any other elemental school is higher than the one
attempting to increase, it will fail as above 1/3 of the time. If the
elemental skill that is directly opposed to the one trying to increase
is higher than the one trying to increase, another 1/3 check is made,
so collectively you lose 5 of 9 attempts if the opposed skill is
higher. In your example, you have 1 Fire, 2 Air, and 3 Earth magic.
Fire is opposed to Ice, so it only suffers from a 1/3 penalty. But Air
is opposed to Earth, so any attempt to raise Air magic for you will
fail 55% of the time (5/9).
Jim
Erik Piper
Jim Tran wrote:
> > Hmmm. I knew that learning fire magic hinders learning cold, and
> > vice versa, but didn't know about others. Exactly what are the
> > restrictions? To be honest my plan was only really to learn utility
> > spells, although I was considering learning some summoning for
> > the Tomb as I've always done it by my self recently. My summon
> > imp is still useful to take out any mummies that turn up (without
> > having to muck about with my potions).
>
> There's two forms of magic hindrance in Crawl. Elemental alignment,
> and School alignment.
[explanation of them]
Note, however, that when magic skills hinder the learning of other
magic skills, you don't lose experience -- just the chance to funnel
it. No learning, no charge.
e.
Dafty
detect traps frequently (as my skill won't detect an entire level), and
blundering into a Zot trap. I'm suddenly glowing like chernobyll!
Oh no! You have blundered into a Zot trap!
Your body is flooded with distortional energies!
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel weaker.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel a little disoriented.
Xom's power touches on you for a moment.
A wave of agony tears through your body!
You flicker for a moment.
You flicker back into view.
You feel clumsy.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel clumsy.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel a little hungry.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel yourself wasting away.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
Your vision blurs.
You feel weakened.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel frail.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel a little more calm.
You feel dopey.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel frail.
You feel less contaminated with magical energies.
Your body shudders with the violent release of wild energies!
You mutate.
You feel clumsy.
You feel weakened.
You feel weakened.
Ooops! Lightning fast metabolism now, but at least no beserking. But
maprot. I'll throw my hat in the ring here and state I *HATE* maprot. I
have no stashed !oCM. Infact have only seen 2 the entire game. I think
I'm going to go back to my stash and quaff the 6 or so !oM I have and
see what happens. :) Could be fun!
Rich
Dafty
potions. But I got careless as I was having fun. I have -ve AC with my
artifact evasion kit, and was happily killing everything including
acid blobs with no problem. Ajure jelly turns up and before I notice it
i'm at 20HP despite single cold resist. My massive evasion didn't help
me there.