How do I beat a BLACK PUDDING?

[Bradley Rosser]

I've been playing the version of 'urogue' which came with Sco Xenix 2.3.4.
The 'v' version command tells me that it is "UltraRogue Version 1.02.1 gamma
(Tall Brian SCO release)".

I've descended far enough into the dungeon to come across a monster called
a "Black Pudding", and I don't have a CLUE as to how I can defeat it! It seems
to "absorb" any offense - sword hits, wand zaps, etc. Ultimately after a long
(and boring!) exchange of hits my own Hit Points gets knocked down to zero I
and die.

Can someone tell me how I can defeat a Black Pudding? Do I try and *eat* the
darn thing? (and how?).

Thanks,
Bradley Rosser (br...@interconnect.com.au)

[Karen Joe]

I've been playing a version of Rogue called Advanced Rogue which also has
Black Puddings. In my version, if you hit them, they divide into two,
compounding your problem.

I like the wands of disintegration or drain life to kill them. Once I
got them by using another wand, but I don't remember which one. Magic
missle just causes them to divide.

There's another monster called a white pudding which comes along a few
levels further down ( and is "called" by dragons down even further )
that does the same cell division thing. Whenever I get a scroll of
genocide, I do the white pudding first and the black ones if I get another
one.

BTW, both puddings acquire magic items as they move along, so if you can
paralyze them, or have the strength to withstand multiple hits, try
stealing items from them.

--

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Karen L. Joe Internet: gwis2.circ.gwu.edu +
+ Voice: 301 774-6571 +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[John W. Jones]

Bradley Rosser writes:

I have played other versions of urogue, but I assume they
are similar enough on this point. Black Puddings are tough
because if you hit or zap them with most things, they split
into two roughly 1/3 of the time. So even if you kill one,
it has probably split into several in the mean time. So,
. . .

Strategy 1: Run away! They don't move, so they can't chase
you. You can hope they are not blocking the stairs. If
they are, you can probably make a trap door (with the "^"
command, and drop through it), or phase down through the
floor.

Stategy 2: Hope you have picked up a genocide scroll by
then. Keep one handy for just such occasions. One of the
later monsters summons Black puddings, so it is doubly
handy.

Strategy 3: Be a super stud. If you have maxed out your
hit points and dexterity, you may be able to kill it before
it reproduces.

Strategy 4: Use a wand or spell of disintigration. This
should work on all monsters except the highest level ones
(i.e., the various gods).

Chances are that if you still have trouble with them, then
you are not making the most of items you got on earlier
levels. But, here is where different versions may really
differ (in the chances a certain item will appear, such as a
ring of wizardry or a scroll of aquirement).
--

John Jones
j...@asu.edu

[Michael S. Zraly]

In article <JJ.95Fe...@hobbes.la.asu.edu> j...@asu.edu writes:
>Bradley Rosser writes:
>
> > [...]

> > Can someone tell me how I can defeat a Black Pudding? Do
> > I try and *eat* the darn thing? (and how?).
>
>I have played other versions of urogue, but I assume they
>are similar enough on this point. Black Puddings are tough
>because if you hit or zap them with most things, they split
>into two roughly 1/3 of the time. So even if you kill one,
>it has probably split into several in the mean time. So,
>. . .
>

>[ 4 strategies deleted ]

Strategy 5: Get a ring of levitation. When the puddings are a comin' find a
a suitable spot and set a trap door using the ^ command. Step away
and the pudding falls throught the trap door and goes away.

If you don't need to use that spot again, then don't worry about
the ring of levitation.

--
Mike Zraly Every man is as God made him, ay, and
mzr...@cs.umb.edu often worse. -- Miguel de Cervantes