[slashem] Weapon choice for Rogue

[Janis Papanagnou]

I'm used to play my Slashem Rogues similar to the way I did in Nethack.
Heavily relying on the initial daggers as ranged weapons, increasing
that stack by daggers from the mines' gnomes, and enchanting them early
(if possible). In Slashem (as in Nethack) you can be lucky to find an
early altar, and Rogues get (in Slashem) a fantastic weapon as first
sacrifice gift; the Bat from Hell. This time I found also the Serpent's
Tongue on the first mines level - and this is another fantastic weapon
(for non-Lawfuls, and especially if enchanted).

Incidentally I got two ranged artifact weapons as well; the Hellfire
(crossbow with exploding projectiles), and Plague (bow with poisonous
projectiles). I carried them with me, but since the standard daggers
got #enhanced already (and multi-shot is awesome) I don't see a point
for Rogues to use these two-handed weapons. (My chaotic non-Rogues also
rarely use them.) Switching from melee to ranged and two-handed-ness
appear not to be appealing choices. Or am I missing something?

This specific Rogue, BTW, got meanwhile crowned with Stormbringer, and
(besides other loot, like Firebrand and Snickersnee from a bones heap,
the terrific but limited use one-time-insta-kill Houchou, and some
minor artifacts from sacrifices) two more artifacts in the Castle, one
noteworthy, the Disruptor (to quasi-insta-kill undead). (Christmas is
early this year.)

Janis