http://crawl.chaosforge.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Quik&feedformat=atomCrawlWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T08:02:09ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0http://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Talk:Majang%27s_Caster_Walk-Through&diff=45248Talk:Majang's Caster Walk-Through2017-05-26T17:08:35Z<p>Quik: Added a suggestion regarding the scope of the guide</p>
<hr />
<div>==Go ahead, make changes!==<br />
I have created this walk-through with the idea to provide a start-to-end guide for a first time caster-victory. Once version 0.16 is official, I intend to put a link on the strategic guides page.<br />
<br />
Since I am not an English mother-tongue speaker, and also because I may have gotten some things wrong, and even may have given bad advice, I'd appreciate if others are not bashful about improving this guide in any possible way. At least let me know, here on this page, how this guide could be improved, but you are all welcome to do edits yourself. [[User:Majang|Majang]] ([[User talk:Majang|talk]]) 07:47, 7 February 2015 (CET)<br />
<br />
==You're awesome!==<br />
I would like to thank you for making this amazingly detailed and complete walkthrough, you are single-handedly responsible for my first 3-rune victory and I finally learnt how to manage my skills well enough to build a decent caster, which I never did before. I also borrowed some advice from your other gargoyle walkthrough, but most of the credit goes to this one. You've done some amazing work and I wanted you to know it.--[[User:Fingolfin|Fingolfin]] ([[User talk:Fingolfin|talk]]) 11:03, 18 April 2015 (CEST)<br />
:Thanks, I'm glad to hear it works for others, too. [[User:Majang|Majang]] ([[User talk:Majang|talk]]) 21:06, 25 April 2015 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== Majin-Bo ==<br />
<br />
While following this walkthrough I found the +6 [[Majin-Bo]] {vamp, Archmagi, MP+6 Int+6} around D:10, rught before Lair. Of course I love it, but the HP cost is really scary, especially considering the Gargoyle's low HP.. So my question (to anyone who might read this) : should I use it? Until when? In terms of firepower it is clearly superior to a staff of earth or fire, since its spellpower bonus is universal, and the huge Int boost... And it also holds its ground as a melee weapon... Decisions, decisions... -- [[User:Fingolfin|Fingolfin]] ([[User talk:Fingolfin|talk]]) 13:45, 5 December 2015 (CET)<br />
:Many special items ([[randart]] and [[unrandart]]) have awesome characteristics, paired with really undesirable drawbacks. This is one of them, and personally, I keep my hands off [[vampiric]] weapons. The main reason for this is the hunger of cost wielding them, which means you are really tied to this. I have not tried the Majin-Bo, and its HP penalty for casting. But it sounds scary enough to me that I would not use it. [[User:Majang|Majang]] ([[User talk:Majang|talk]]) 18:33, 5 December 2015 (CET)<br />
::Thanks for the quick answer! Well abandoning the Majin-Bo was probably the best thing to do, but it still didn't save my poor gargoyle... Oh well I'll just start again ! -- [[User:Fingolfin|Fingolfin]] ([[User talk:Fingolfin|talk]]) 22:11, 7 December 2015 (CET)<br />
<br />
==Amulet of Faith==<br />
Correct me If I'm wrong, but it seems that an amulet of faith would be really good on this character. You get to max piety really fast, meaning that you get your top-tier destructive spells. When you remove it, you don't lose much because he doesn't take back the spells and you keep your range extension. Also, if you don't have enough levels for bolt of magma or Iron shot, you can remove it to buy more time.<br />
:I know I put it on if I find it very early on, because it will help skip all the crap spells, but otherwise I don't think it's much good (but that's just my opinion) However since this walkthrough is intended for beginners, I think it's better to leave the advice as is since amulets of faith are risky : they take up an essential slot that could have been used for an amulet of magic/health regen or shielding which are much better choices IMO -- [[User:Fingolfin|Fingolfin]] ([[User talk:Fingolfin|talk]]) 09:43, 20 June 2016 (CEST)<br />
:I believe there is a point to this objection. If my goal is to get to the three stars I need to cast LRD or Fireball ASAP, then the Amulet of Faith is a good thing, provided I want to carry it around long enough until all the stars are up. I usually don't, as failure rate is not the only or even the biggest problem with these early high-level spells. The hunger cost is much more debilitating even a long time after the failure rate goes down to 5% or less. Amulet of Gourmand is the only thing that really helps with this. But I still need to consider this, because I remember faintly that now the Amulet of Faith has been tweaked somewhat, so that the punishment for taking it off isn't as bad as before. It will take me a few weeks before I can update the guide to 0.18, and maybe I take the warning out. Thanks for the thought! [[User:Majang|máɟáŋ]] ([[User talk:Majang|talk]]) 19:47, 20 June 2016 (CEST)<br />
<br />
==Scope of the guide==<br />
I found this guide when I was starting to play, back in 2015, and it didn't work out too well. I wasn't even able to get to Lair. By that time, I got the advice to play MiBe and, soon after, I got my first win. A week later, after winning a HOFi^Beogh, I came back to GrEE and managed to win a game. However, it was really difficult and it is my slowest win to date (23 hours).<br />
<br />
This said, I'd like to suggest a change in the scope of the guide, and focus it towards players who have already won the game and want to get their first caster win.<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
--[[User:Quik|quik]] ([[User talk:Quik|talk]]) 19:08, 26 May 2017 (CEST)</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Tasonir%27s_Melee_Naga_Guide&diff=37172Tasonir's Melee Naga Guide2015-05-20T06:06:42Z<p>Quik: Improved paragraph division.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Version016}}<br />
{{Advice}}<br />
<br />
==Warnings and Scope of this guide==<br />
This is not intended to be a guide for new players. It is assumed that you have already decided to worship Cheibriados - Cheibriados requires significant conducts in that you cannot walk at normal speed, or use any haste or speed weapons. This makes Cheibriados a challenge god - this guide is how to cope with the challenge and become as strong as possible; NOT to compare directly to a build with haste.<br />
<br />
Much of the guide focuses on a hybrid character who follows Cheibriados. It is NOT necessary to play as [[Naga]]. It is NOT necessary to be melee! Ranged weapons work fine, casters are probably strongest - I am simply less fond of them. Remember this is a guide written by one person, and above all else, adapt it to your needs.<br />
<br />
==Melee Nagas of Cheibriados==<br />
Melee [[Naga]]s of [[Cheibriados]] are powerful fighters with high health, very strong AC by the mid game, and several useful intrinsics like poison spit, poison resistance, and see invisible. They pay for these benefits with slow movement; and cheibriados makes you twice as slow. In return you will gain very powerful god abilities and a passive +15 to all stats, which allows you to hybridize and fight very effectively if managed properly. Your extra slow movement speed will increase slouch damage, but is still worse than a flat 2.0 turn move speed on other Cheibriados races.<br />
<br />
Most typical builds will want to end up in a medium armor such as fire or ice dragon armor, and learn a fairly wide range of the standard support spells: regeneration, blink/Cblink, repel/deflect missiles, transmutations if you are using unarmed, abjuration, etc. You obviously cannot learn haste, a significant drawback.<br />
<br />
[[Cheibriados]] is a fairly straightforward god - you refuse haste and move slowly in exchange for +15 to all stats and powerful abilities. See the god page for more details on them. Due to the lack of speed a lot of players consider Cheibriados to be a weak god. Learning to deal with the conduct will take patience, and the early game can have some deaths which are extremely difficult to avoid. You will become slower before you become significantly stronger; but eventually it will smooth out.<br />
<br />
==Background and Weapon Choice==<br />
Many [[background]]s can be made to fit this guide. Naga [[Fighter]]s, [[Gladiator]]s, [[Skald]]s, [[Monk]]s, [[Hunter]]s or [[Transmuter]]s all work well with this build.<br />
<br />
A main decision is what weapon/shield you will be using: I personally prefer using unarmed, shields, and statue form; but many players prefer weapons like polearms. Feel free to experiment with the background that suits you best; very little of this guide changes based on your background, just train your weapon skill instead of unarmed and the choice of shield vs two-handed weapon is up to you. <br />
<br />
Of weapon skills, polearms are generally favored for the innate reaching ability. No, hunters was not a mistake - they play fairly similar to melee except removing the need to move during combat entirely can make the early game smoother. Just train your launcher skill early on, and you can either stay with it all game long or hybridize into melee depending on how your game progresses.<br />
<br />
In short, whatever you put in your hand slots can be made to work - Nagas have fairly flat aptitudes and work well with basically any weapon type. I personally love unarmed and transmutations, but do not feel forced into picking this style. It is extremely powerful, but comes at a cost of very high experience requirements to get it performing well.<br />
<br />
Note that since Nagas are large, they have slightly lowered EV and they require less skill to learn to use shields without penalty. They can eliminate the penalty for bucklers at 3 levels in shields skill, for shields at 9 levels, and for large shields at 15. It is still important to train dodging and you will eventually be able to have high EV. See the [[Naga]] page for more details on the race.<br />
<br />
==Skill Training==<br />
<br />
Skill training is not that different from most characters, although hybrids tend to need a fair bit more experience and can be tougher as you’ll want to cast magic with your +15 int, while also training fighting skills.<br />
<br />
Start with your weapon skill until either min delay, or a reasonable amount of skill for a ranged weapon. With Chei’s stat boosts, reaching min delay is typically possible at around 13-15 skill, making ranged weapons a very cheap investment and an excellent way to deal with the early game, provided that you have enough ammo to use them. Slings and bows tend to have more early ammunition. If you are using unarmed, around 10-15 skill before you branch into other skills is a good stopping point.<br />
<br />
When you join Cheibriados, train invocations to ~10 for slouch to reach 1% fail, and then get some defenses started. Keep balancing your offensive skill with defenses and when you are comfortable train whatever magic schools you need for spells you have found. Avoid training magic schools for spells you haven’t found yet - you always need more damage and more dodging.<br />
<br />
Around mid game get invocations to 14 for 1% fail step from time. When you have the time for it, raise fighting for the health - you can somewhat afford to delay this since nagas have +20% health, but more always helps. As you can see, hybrids can be very demanding on skill training order. Dodging is your best overall defense, but you will eventually want high armor as well, and shields if you are using them. Stealth and evocations can be reasonable options depending on what you have found, but are not required. Try to only train the least amount of skills that you can to survive until you’re through lair and orc at least.<br />
<br />
==Spellcasting Hybrid==<br />
While your damage may be primarily physical, support magic is an important part of any character who doesn't worship Trog; Cheibriados worshippers should use all the standard utility spells with an emphasis on blink and controlled blink if available. Common utility spells to look out for include repel/deflect missiles, regeneration, blink/controlled blink, control teleport, phase shift, stoneskin, abjuration/aura of abjuration, etc.<br />
<br />
If you are using unarmed, blade hands is an excellent spell, although you can't also use a shield. Statue form is an all around useful form that can be used with melee or ranged weapons, including shields, and won't slow down your movement very much since you're nearly as slow as a statue already (2.8 vs 3.0). Keep in mind that the slow also applies to non-movement, so all your combat and potions etc are 50% slower too. Still, it is worth using if that's the setup you're interested in; the 50% reduction to torment is particularly useful in the extended game with high regeneration. If you do learn statue form, picking up several other earth spells is practically free: stone arrow or even iron shot can be affordable, LRD is single school, and if you have enough, shatter is also single school. It is unlikely you'll ever need that much firepower, though, and the massive noise generated can make it quite risky.<br />
<br />
Watch out for wasting experience training too much armor skill/wearing medium armor if you intend to go statue form - it will be melded and not factor into your strength. It isn't necessarily a complete waste though, as you will not want to be slowed at all times.<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
At various phases in the game, you'll have different incentives to switch between working on AC and working on EV. Early game, avoid heavy armor because of your deformed body mutation. A +0 plate mail with 0 skill is generally bad even on d:1; but by the time you're in lair a +4 plate with 5-10 skill may be worth wearing. Early on it will be much easier to raise EV quickly through dodging because of the +15 dex; you should generally train dodging first and raise armor later on. When you can finally afford to train armor somewhat, a medium armor such as troll leather, ring mail, scale mail, or chain mail are reasonable options, generally if they have some enchantment. <br />
<br />
It's perfectly fine to stay in light armor until you can find a dragon armor; if you are using unarmed combat, you especially need to stay in light (encumbrance 11 or lower, the lower the better) armor because heavy armor can slow unarmed attacks. If you do wear medium armor and use unarmed, training armor will reduce this penalty significantly, but don't neglect your offense. In .16, the delay for heavy armor on unarmed was made fixed rather than a random roll. You generally can wear up to scale mail with 0 penalty, but wearing something heavier will require high strength and some level of armor skill to bring the penalty back down to 0. In good news, it is in fact possible to wear very heavy armor like crystal plate armor and still have 0 penalty, with roughly 20+ armor skill and 35 or so strength (values approximate).<br />
<br />
Aside from the body slot, nagas wear bardings instead of boots, which provide significantly more AC, with only a minor EV penalty. This is a large benefit, but they are much less common and you may not find one until the late game. If you are still having trouble finding one late game they can be commonly generated from scrolls of acquirement, so pick armor until you get one. This does make getting non-barding armor slots less likely, so beware if you have a barding you already like. Consider jewelry, rods, or wands. You cannot generate a wand of hasting, so you have a slightly better chance of getting a wand of heal wounds. It's still far from certain, however. Once you have a barding, training the armor skill becomes more valuable as it's four base ac will be boosted by armor skill like all other base ac.<br />
<br />
==Stats==<br />
With the +15 to all stats, you have all you need of the three. Dex will boost your EV slightly, int will help with casting and strength will raise your damage slightly. I generally go with int, but when you already have 30 of each, it isn't as critical as other builds. Strength increases your damage significantly, but you generally already have more than enough damage. It can be a decent option if you are wearing very heavy armor, though. Builds with a fair amount of spells should probably still default to int.<br />
<br />
==Survival Advice ==<br />
<br />
Make sure you are familiar with how to explore safely; this generally means autoexplore, but also using shift+ direction will stop as soon as a monster is noticed. Never take more than one manual step at a time - this is true for any character, but will be extremely deadly when worshipping Chei.<br />
<br />
Use poison spit very frequently in the early game - macroing af. to a convenient key will make it easy to use and remember.<br />
<br />
It is possible for mobs who just come into your LOS to notice you and then get 1-2 additional turns before your next turn. You may take two hits; this is uncommon and you should have plenty of health to absorb such damage, but make sure not to exaggerate the problem by moving several steps at a time. Auto-explore is much safer; like every character holding down movement keys is deadly. It's just three times as deadly with Chei!<br />
<br />
While uncommon, there are times where you may wish to split up your constriction attack and melee attacks. If you are fighting something with high health that cannot be constricted, spare an attack to hit something smaller in order to constrict it. Then you can continue to melee the larger target while the small target will be constricted to death.<br />
<br />
Wands of Invisibility and teleport are excellent escape options, especially when running is not possible. Raising stealth is also an effective way to prevent swarms of monsters from noticing you, and nagas have the highest aptitude in the game for it, +5.<br />
<br />
Expect non-ranged monsters to move roughly 3 tiles each time you take a step; monsters who are 2 tiles away can be engaged by taking a step back, 4 tiles away can be walked towards, 3 tiles away you can move sideways or rest (resting will only burn 1 turn). It is always a viable choice to simply rest on the tile where you are and let them come to you. Casting buffs on yourself while you wait is a great way to kill time. Methods for closing to melee range against powerful ranged mobs:<br />
<br />
Controlled blink to melee range. Probably the best choice and one you won't have for a very long time. When and if you finally do, use it.<br />
Temporal distortion. Fairly cheap, and instantaneous. This means that after you use it and the mobs have moved towards you, you still get to attack before they do.<br />
<br />
Retreat around a nearby wall or door. Depending on how the dungeon layout is this may bring them all the way to melee or at least two to three tiles away.<br />
<br />
Scroll of Fog. They'll have to come inside the fog to see you.<br />
Block their LOS with another mob. Most monsters won't shoot through other mobs and will follow the melee monster right along to you. Note that a few monsters are more than happy to roast their fellow dungeon dwellers, so this isn't universal. Dragons and demons in the late game are generally willing to shoot through each other, so this is more useful for Centaurs/Yaktaurs in the mid game.<br />
<br />
Fight back with ranged attacks. Similar to resting for mobs that will come closer to you, you can just use a few turns attacking with spit poison, wands, slings, or throwing weapons. Against stronger mobs you'll probably only soften them up, but they'll get closer to you on any turns they don't use their ranged abilities and then they're faster to kill in range.<br />
<br />
==Sample Morgue Files==<br />
'''15 rune Statue Form Hybrid'''<br />
<br />
Morgue: [http://crawl.develz.org/morgues/0.10/Tasonir/morgue-Tasonir-20120418-062739.txt]<br />
<br />
YAVP: [https://crawl.develz.org/tavern/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4340]<br />
<br />
This is the best example of the build, using my now preferred statue form as the main transmutation. Note that this game never generated a book of the warp so I had no controlled blink - it was not skipped intentionally. I also never found a cloak of preservation, which I would have worn instead. The berserk potion at the end was just to experiment with max health records, so I don't have Chei's boosted stats in the log file.<br />
<br />
'''5 rune pure melee in Crystal Plate Mail'''<br />
<br />
Morgue: [http://crawl.develz.org/morgues/0.10/Tasonir/morgue-Tasonir-20120310-013421.txt]<br />
<br />
YAVP: [https://crawl.develz.org/tavern/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4047]<br />
<br />
This build is recommended for people who have not won any games yet - you will avoid spellcasting and just focus on melee power. Statue form is not very important for the regular game, as you will rarely be tormented. Skip going to slime if you have never done it before, I included it in this run as I'm very familiar with the area. Remember you only need 3 runes to win!<br />
<br />
'''7 Rune ranged combat (bows)'''<br />
<br />
Morgue: [http://dobrazupa.org/morgue/tasonir/morgue-tasonir-20121101-052133.txt]<br />
<br />
Ranged combat is very powerful in the early game, and an excellent way to start since the loss of constriction. Conserve ammunition with melee once you have time to develop it, but use ranged combat for anything dangerous. This can allow you to drop transmutations, which will free up a lot of experience for other skills.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Character guides]]</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Potion_of_decay&diff=36910Potion of decay2015-04-29T06:20:37Z<p>Quik: /* History */ Removed from the game in Trunk.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{version012}}<br />
{{item<br />
|itemtype = Potion<br />
|name = Potion of decay<br />
|cost = ?<br />
|weight = 4<br />
}}<br />
{{Flavour|A vile and putrid cursed liquid which causes your flesh to decay before your very eyes.}}<br />
[[Quaff]]ing a '''potion of decay''' will make characters without [[rot]] resistance immediately lose 2+1d3 max [[HP]] (as though they had suffered rot damage). You can repair this damage by [[healing]] yourself while already at full HP. [[Undead]] characters are unaffected.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Potions of decay have been removed from the game in 0.17 [[Trunk]] [http://crawl.develz.org/wordpress/trunk-updates-29-march-2015].<br />
<br />
Prior to [[0.12]], the loss of max HP occurred over time through the rot [[status effect]]. Also, the potion was useful when coupled with [[Evaporate]], an obsolete spell that allowed you to turn potions into harmful [[cloud]]s. Potions of decay would create clouds of extremely powerful [[miasma]].<br />
<br />
The following methods for generating potions of decay have been removed in recent versions:<br />
*[[mummy (monster)|Mummy]] death curses could convert other potions (Unknown version)<br />
*Casting [[Sublimation of Blood]] on a [[potion of blood]] (Unknown version)<br />
*Casting [[Fulsome Distillation]] on any rot-inducing [[corpse]] (Removed in 0.12)</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Unborn&diff=36909Unborn2015-04-29T06:18:42Z<p>Quik: /* History */ Merged into Death Knights in Trunk.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{version014}}<br />
<!--monster-bot-begin--><br />
{{monster<br />
|name=unborn<br />
|glyph={{Brown|L}}<br />
|tile=[[File:Unborn.png]]<br />
|flags={{Evil flag}}<br>{{Speaks flag}}<br />
|resistances={{Cold resistance}}, {{Poison resistance 3}}, <br>{{Negative energy resistance 3}}, {{Torment resistance}}, <br>{{Rot resistance 3}}, {{Drown resistance}}, <br>{{Water resistance}}<br />
|vulnerabilities={{Holy vulnerability 2}}, {{Holy wrath vulnerability}}<br />
|max_chunks=0<br />
|meat={{No corpse}}<br />
|xp=1171<br />
|holiness={{Undead}}<br />
|magic_resistance=Immune<br />
|hp_range=62-90<br />
|avg_hp=76<br />
|armour_class=2<br />
|evasion=10<br />
|habitat=Land<br />
|speed= 10<br />
|size={{Medium}}<br />
|item_use={{Weapons armour}}<br>{{Starting equipment}}<br>{{Open doors}}<br />
|attack1=17 ({{Hit type}}: {{Plain flavour}})<br />
|attack2=<br />
|attack3=<br />
|attack4=<br />
|hit_dice=11<br />
|base_hp=5<br />
|extra_hp=4<br />
|fixed_hp=0<br />
|intelligence={{High intelligence}}<br />
|genus=unborn<br />
|species=unborn<br />
}}<br />
{{Flavour|A devotee of Yredelemnul that has committed to eternal worship and servitude — even beyond death.}}<br />
<!--monster-bot-end--><br />
<br />
'''Unborn''' are [[Yredelemnul]]-worshiping [[lich]]es whose spell set focuses entirely on powerful [[Necromancy]]. They also possess the ability to [[Injury Mirror|reflect damage]] you inflict upon them back at you. They can be found in [[the Crypt]], [[the Abyss]], and [[the Depths]].<br />
<br />
<!--spl-bot-begin--><br />
==Spells==<br />
{{Spellcaster5<br />
|number=<br />
|slot1=[[Agony]]<br />
|flags1={{Wizard slot flag}}<br />
|slot2=[[Dispel Undead]] (3d19)<br />
|flags2={{Wizard slot flag}}<br />
|slot3=[[Injury Mirror]]<br />
|flags3={{Priest slot flag}}<br />
|slot4=[[Animate Dead]]<br />
|flags4={{Wizard slot flag}}<br />
|slot5=[[Haunt]]<br />
|flags5={{Wizard slot flag}}<br />
}}<br />
{{clear}}<br />
<!--spl-bot-end--><br />
<br />
==Tips & Tricks==<br />
*Living characters facing unborn should definitely bring at least one rank of [[life protection]] to negate Agony. Undead characters can rely on summoned hordes to block the line of fire necessary for Dispel Undead to hit you. A few shots of [[Abjuration]] can exorcise whatever horrible things Haunt surrounds you with. In the end, though, Mirror Damage is still the most dangerous spell they possess.<br />
*As with the [[deep dwarf death knight]], when an unborn "kneels in prayer and is bathed in unholy energy," that means it has activated Mirror Damage. In the console game, its glyph will change from a steady brown {{Brown|L}} to an alternating purple {{Magenta|L}} and grey {{DarkGrey|L}}. Tiles players should look for a little red arrow icon. You can also see if Mirror Damage is active by e'''[[x]]'''amining the unborn to see if it is "reflecting injuries." The spell lasts approximately 20 turns.<br />
*When an unborn is reflecting damage, do not hit it with any big [[Conjurations]]. Even if it isn't reflecting damage, don't use any massive multi-turn spells like [[Ice Storm]], [[Fire Storm]], or [[Tornado]], as it may turn on reflection halfway through the spell. Instead, snipe at it while it is not reflecting, or use summons to take it out.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Unborn have been merged into [[Death knight (monster)|Death Knights]] in 0.17 [[Trunk]] [http://crawl.develz.org/wordpress/trunk-updates-29-march-2015].<br />
<br />
Prior to [[0.13]], this monster was known as an [[unborn deep dwarf]] and could be found in [[list of deep dwarves|deep dwarf]] bands. Like all deep dwarves, they did not regenerate.</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Rune_of_Zot&diff=36589Rune of Zot2015-04-24T12:51:58Z<p>Quik: /* Easy */ Changed the description for the Vault rune</p>
<hr />
<div>{{flavour|A talisman which allows entry into Zot's domain.}}<br />
<br />
'''Runes of Zot''' are required to enter [[the Realm of Zot]], which contains the [[Orb of Zot]], the goal of your quest, housed in a vault on its fifth level. They are thus necessary to win the game. Unlocking the portals to the Realm requires three runes, but advanced players may choose to collect more to earn a higher [[score#Rune Score|final score]]. In any given game, there will be a total of 15 possible runes to obtain. Runes do not occupy inventory slots, are weightless, and cannot be dropped. You can see what runes you have by typing '''}''' or by checking the '''%''' screen (your Player Character resistances).<br />
<br />
==Rune locations==<br />
<br />
Runes can be found on the bottom floors of several dungeon [[branch]]es.<br />
<br />
* [[The Lair]] has no rune itself, but in any game, it has two of the following four branches (it always has the Slime Pits for a third):<br />
** [[Image:Decaying_rune.png]] [[The Swamp]]:5 contains the decaying rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Barnacled_rune.png]] [[The Shoals]]:5 contains the barnacled rune of Zot. Will not occur in the same game as The Swamp.<br />
** [[Image:Serpentine_rune.png]] [[The Snake Pit]]:5 contains the serpentine rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Gossamer_rune.png]] [[The Spider's Nest]]:5 contains the gossamer rune of Zot. Will not occur in the same game as The Snake Pit.<br />
* [[Image:Slimy_rune.png]] [[The Slime Pits]]:6 contains the slimy rune of Zot.<br />
* [[Image:Silver_rune.png]] [[The Vaults]]:5 contains the silver rune of Zot.<br />
* [[The Crypt]] has no rune itself, but contains a branch to The Tomb.<br />
** [[Image:Gold_rune.png]] [[The Tomb]]:3 contains the golden rune of Zot.<br />
<br />
You will also come across special runes in the following bonus levels.<br />
<br />
* [[Image:Abyssal_rune.png]] [[The Abyss]] contains the abyssal rune of Zot. This rune has a very low chance of being generated, increasing with time you spend wandering around in the Abyss - but if you happen to be a follower of Lugonu, this rate is greatly accelerated. If you see the rune but cannot get it, e.g. if the Abyss shifts before you can reach it, do not despair: the game will keep generating abyssal runes until you pick one up.<br />
* [[Pandemonium]] contains five runes. <br />
**The four unique Pandemonium lords each guard a unique rune that is generated ''once''. Leaving the level without the rune means it is lost forever:<br />
*** [[Image:Glowing_rune.png]] [[Mnoleg]] guards the glowing rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Magical_rune.png]] [[Lom Lobon]] guards the magical rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Fiery_rune.png]] [[Cerebov]] guards the fiery rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Dark_rune.png]] [[Gloorx Vloq]] guards the dark rune of Zot.<br />
** The fifth is the demonic rune of Zot. This may be found either guarded by random [[Pandemonium lord]]s, or found in any of several vaults ('hellion island', 'smiting', and 'eyes of draining' vaults guaranteed; others have 1/9 chance). Like the abyssal rune, it will be regenerated until picked up.<br />
{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:auto; padding:0; text-align: center"<br />
| [[Image:Demonic_rune_1.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_2.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_3.png]]<br />
|-<br />
| [[Image:Demonic_rune_4.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_5.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_6.png]]<br />
|}<br />
* [[Hell]] contains a rune in each of its four subbranches:<br />
** [[Image:Iron_rune.png]] [[Dispater]] in [[The Iron City of Dis]]:7 guards the iron rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Icy_rune.png]] [[Antaeus]] in [[Cocytus]]:7 guards the icy rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Obsidian_rune.png]] [[Asmodeus]] in [[Gehenna]]:7 guards the obsidian rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Bone_rune.png]] [[Ereshkigal]] in [[Tartarus]]:7 guards the bone rune of Zot.<br />
<br />
==Strategy and Difficulty==<br />
All runes are not equal in difficulty of obtaining them. Below they are in rough order of difficulty, with some basic strategy notes. See the articles on the specific branches for more details. Depending on your character build, some of the branches may be different in difficulty from what is given here.<br />
===Easy===<br />
These are the runes which are most commonly used for three or four rune ascensions. None is particularly hard to get, although they may require some basic preparation.<br />
* Serpentine ([[Snake Pit]]): Less straightforward since the introduction of [[constriction]], and [[poison resistance]] is a necessity. Still, among the easier branches. Make sure you can take a beating or have the ability to avoid melee combat.<br />
* Decaying ([[Swamp]]): Swamp can be annoying, and be prepared to deal with a ton of [[hydra]]s and [[swamp drake]]s, but the branch is generally pretty tame.<br />
* Barnacled ([[Shoals]]): This area is easier if you have good [[EV]] or [[Repel Missiles|Repel]]/[[Deflect Missiles]]. [[Invisibility]] is very useful here.<br />
* Gossamer ([[Spider's Nest]]): Most of the monsters in this branch are faster than you and will swarm you easily. Very few of them have ranged attacks, though.<br />
* Abyssal ([[Abyss]]): Mostly just tedious, since it requires wandering for several thousand turns. Have enough food, and be prepared to avoid the occasional [[lich]] or [[draconian]] if you can't take them.<br />
* Silver ([[Vault]]): The hardest of the basic runes, since [[Vault]]:5 has over a dozen [[vault guard]]s waiting for you around the stairs, plus several other opponents such as [[titan]]s, [[storm dragon]]s, [[quicksilver dragon]]s, [[shadow dragon]]s, and [[lich]]es.<br />
<br />
===Medium===<br />
For those looking to expand beyond a basic ascension, these are the runes to start with. They all require some type of special resistance: if you don't have it, you will likely die.<br />
* Slimy ([[Slime Pits]]): [[Resist corrosion]] and [[mutation resistance]] are absolutely necessary, and be prepared to switch between them if you don't have a [[cloak of preservation]]. Be very careful with [[the royal jelly]]: stair dance it or take it in the corridors. And bring a [[wand of digging]] if you don't have the spell. Make sure you can kill things very quickly or take a fair bit of damage, as everything down here hits very hard in melee.<br />
* [[Pandemonium]]: Be prepared for a journey: like the Abyss, the only way out is via a rare return portal. Stairways just conduct you to another of Pan's infinite levels. You will need some protection from [[torment]]. rN+++ or [[Kiku]] protection is generally enough. You need [[mutation resistance]]: the place is littered with [[neqoxec]]s and [[cacodemon]]s. In fact, you may want to bring a [[potion of cure mutation]], just in case you get hit with something nasty. Keep in mind that when you reach a level with a [[Pan lord]] and his rune, you're only going to get one chance at acquiring this rune: ''leaving the level means that rune never generates again'' (unless it was the demonic rune). The unique Pan lords each need a different set of resistances to get their rune:<br />
** Dark: [[Gloorx Vloq]] is the most difficult Pan lord, owing to his speed and spell set. rN+++ is vital, as is some form of [[Haste]]. Unlike the rest of Pan, you also need [[poison resistance]], since otherwise his [[Poison Arrow]]s will be very painful. Allies, if you can get them, are helpful in ensuring that all of his many attacks and spells aren't directed against you.<br />
** Glowing: [[Mutation resistance]] is even more vital here. Try to lure the [[neqoxec]]s around corners, so they don't get tons of free shots at you with [[Polymorph Other]]. [[Mnoleg]] himself isn't that difficult, although be prepared to [[abjuration|abjure]] if he starts summoning [[giant eyeball]]s. And try to take him in a corridor, so you won't get mobbed by the [[large abomination]]s and [[tentacled monstrosities]] he summons.<br />
** Fiery: As the name suggests, you really need [[fire resistance]] here. rF++ is a bare minimum, and rF+++ is really what you need, since [[Cerebov]]'s sword hits you for one less level of fire resistance than you have. Cerebov has a lot of hit points, so be prepared to teleport away and reengage him several times: he won't have fully healed before you do. [[Abjuration]] is quite helpful since he enjoys summoning greater demons on you. Cerebov has poor evasion, so spells such as [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]] can be useful against him. [[Chain Lightning]] is also very effective.<br />
** Magical: Have at least two levels of [[cold resistance]] and some source of [[electricity resistance]]. [[Lom Lobon]] is fairly weak if you can engage him in melee, although his [[blink]]ing can make that somewhat difficult. Have high [[magic resistance]] so that the [[wizard (monster)|wizard]]s around his tower don't banish you.<br />
** Demonic: Three specific vaults always have this rune. The [[hellion island]] vault requires the use of ranged attacks: 10+ [[hellion]]s all dropping 3d15 [[hellfire]] bursts on you up to twice a turn is a quick death. The [[smiting]] vault is generally doable: [[Shatter]] or [[teleport control]] can greatly assist in getting past it, but even without them sufficient speed will generally let you survive. The eyes vault is not difficult, but requires a [[wand of digging]] or [[disintegration]] to get the rune at all. As for random vaults which might contain the rune, they vary hugely in difficulty. Be prepared to run away.<br />
* Golden ([[Tomb]]): Like the [[Hells]] and [[Pandemonium|Pan]], you will have to endure a fair amount of [[torment]]. Unlike the Hells and Pan, you will also endure mummy [[death curse]]s. This includes stat drain, [[rotting]], [[pain]], slowing, and even more [[torment]]. [[Kikubaaqudgha]] provides a good protection against it. [[Necromutation]] protects you from the worst of the curses as well as torment, and nothing in [[Tomb]] has [[Dispel Undead]]. [[Zin]] can protect you from the rotting effects and stat drain, but [[The Shining One]] is more useful here: You can always do a quick conversion to [[Elyvilon]], and use purification to cure all the rotting. See the [[Tomb]] article for more specific strategies, but know that it is very difficult to simply force your way through Tomb. You need something to deal with its nasty effects or you will die.<br />
<br />
===Hard===<br />
These runes are the riskiest to get, or require some very specific character builds. Only go for them if you know what you're doing.<br />
* [[Hell]]: This area is one of the hardest in the game. It is filled with fiends, both found naturally and summoned by the Hell forces. [[Zin]] gives a piety-dependent chance of blocking Hell effects: at full piety it is complete, making the area a lot easier. Others have to be prepared for a fiend and a hellion to appear next to them at any moment, making [[regeneration]] and some means of [[torment]] protection absolutely vital. As with Pan, specific strategies and resistances are needed for each rune:<br />
** Iron ([[Dis]]): Dis is often perceived as the "easiest" Hell, but this is not entirely true. It requires no specific resistances but a little of everything. Or sometimes a lot of everything, as the last level contains both [[Brimstone fiend]]s and [[Ice fiend]]s. [[Dispater]] himself is no pushover, casting powerful earth spells and bringing lots of greater demons to the party. Have [[Abjuration]] ready.<br />
** Icy ([[Cocytus]]): Have rC+++ for Cocytus. This place is filled with [[Ice fiend]]s, who have, in addition to torment and [[Bolt of Cold]], a horribly damaging cold-branded melee attack. [[Antaeus]] himself hits like a truck but luckily doesn't summon any friends. Unluckily he tends to be escorted by four Ice fiends. Separate them first.<br />
** Obsidian ([[Gehenna]]): Have rF+++, but be aware that this doesn't help against the numerous [[Brimstone fiend]]s and [[hellion]]s who will gladly spam [[hellfire]] at you until you die. Make sure to kill them quickly. [[Asmodeus]] himself is not horribly difficult, but be aware that he is surrounded by a ring of flames and loves summoning fiends and [[Balrug]]s.<br />
** Bone ([[Tartarus]]): If you're not undead, Tartarus can be easier than the other branches. This occurs because rN+++ completely protects you against the draining attacks so frequent there. Be aware that [[Ereshkigal]] is a little meaner than she looks: she may be somewhat low on HP, but she is fast, has absurdly high evasion, and can torment and summon greater demons to torment. If you are undead, be very, very careful. [[Shadow fiend]]s can make short work of you with [[Dispel Undead]].<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
Formerly, there were many, indistinguishable demonic runes of Pandemonium, which could be collected ''ad infinitum'' (the record was 250-odd). In version [[0.9]], the demonic rune is treated like the abyssal rune: once you've picked one up, no more demonic runes will be generated.<br />
<br />
Before [[0.9]], runes were carried in main inventory, which led to silliness like piling extras on D:1 before going for the [[Orb of Zot|Orb]], or characters locking themselves out of Zot by forgetting their runes. <br />
[[Category:Items]]<br />
[[Category:Strategy]]</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Rune_of_Zot&diff=36588Rune of Zot2015-04-24T12:45:39Z<p>Quik: /* Easy */ Changed Vault:8 for Vault:5</p>
<hr />
<div>{{flavour|A talisman which allows entry into Zot's domain.}}<br />
<br />
'''Runes of Zot''' are required to enter [[the Realm of Zot]], which contains the [[Orb of Zot]], the goal of your quest, housed in a vault on its fifth level. They are thus necessary to win the game. Unlocking the portals to the Realm requires three runes, but advanced players may choose to collect more to earn a higher [[score#Rune Score|final score]]. In any given game, there will be a total of 15 possible runes to obtain. Runes do not occupy inventory slots, are weightless, and cannot be dropped. You can see what runes you have by typing '''}''' or by checking the '''%''' screen (your Player Character resistances).<br />
<br />
==Rune locations==<br />
<br />
Runes can be found on the bottom floors of several dungeon [[branch]]es.<br />
<br />
* [[The Lair]] has no rune itself, but in any game, it has two of the following four branches (it always has the Slime Pits for a third):<br />
** [[Image:Decaying_rune.png]] [[The Swamp]]:5 contains the decaying rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Barnacled_rune.png]] [[The Shoals]]:5 contains the barnacled rune of Zot. Will not occur in the same game as The Swamp.<br />
** [[Image:Serpentine_rune.png]] [[The Snake Pit]]:5 contains the serpentine rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Gossamer_rune.png]] [[The Spider's Nest]]:5 contains the gossamer rune of Zot. Will not occur in the same game as The Snake Pit.<br />
* [[Image:Slimy_rune.png]] [[The Slime Pits]]:6 contains the slimy rune of Zot.<br />
* [[Image:Silver_rune.png]] [[The Vaults]]:5 contains the silver rune of Zot.<br />
* [[The Crypt]] has no rune itself, but contains a branch to The Tomb.<br />
** [[Image:Gold_rune.png]] [[The Tomb]]:3 contains the golden rune of Zot.<br />
<br />
You will also come across special runes in the following bonus levels.<br />
<br />
* [[Image:Abyssal_rune.png]] [[The Abyss]] contains the abyssal rune of Zot. This rune has a very low chance of being generated, increasing with time you spend wandering around in the Abyss - but if you happen to be a follower of Lugonu, this rate is greatly accelerated. If you see the rune but cannot get it, e.g. if the Abyss shifts before you can reach it, do not despair: the game will keep generating abyssal runes until you pick one up.<br />
* [[Pandemonium]] contains five runes. <br />
**The four unique Pandemonium lords each guard a unique rune that is generated ''once''. Leaving the level without the rune means it is lost forever:<br />
*** [[Image:Glowing_rune.png]] [[Mnoleg]] guards the glowing rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Magical_rune.png]] [[Lom Lobon]] guards the magical rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Fiery_rune.png]] [[Cerebov]] guards the fiery rune of Zot.<br />
*** [[Image:Dark_rune.png]] [[Gloorx Vloq]] guards the dark rune of Zot.<br />
** The fifth is the demonic rune of Zot. This may be found either guarded by random [[Pandemonium lord]]s, or found in any of several vaults ('hellion island', 'smiting', and 'eyes of draining' vaults guaranteed; others have 1/9 chance). Like the abyssal rune, it will be regenerated until picked up.<br />
{| class="prettytable" style="border:none; margin:auto; padding:0; text-align: center"<br />
| [[Image:Demonic_rune_1.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_2.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_3.png]]<br />
|-<br />
| [[Image:Demonic_rune_4.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_5.png]] || [[Image:Demonic_rune_6.png]]<br />
|}<br />
* [[Hell]] contains a rune in each of its four subbranches:<br />
** [[Image:Iron_rune.png]] [[Dispater]] in [[The Iron City of Dis]]:7 guards the iron rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Icy_rune.png]] [[Antaeus]] in [[Cocytus]]:7 guards the icy rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Obsidian_rune.png]] [[Asmodeus]] in [[Gehenna]]:7 guards the obsidian rune of Zot.<br />
** [[Image:Bone_rune.png]] [[Ereshkigal]] in [[Tartarus]]:7 guards the bone rune of Zot.<br />
<br />
==Strategy and Difficulty==<br />
All runes are not equal in difficulty of obtaining them. Below they are in rough order of difficulty, with some basic strategy notes. See the articles on the specific branches for more details. Depending on your character build, some of the branches may be different in difficulty from what is given here.<br />
===Easy===<br />
These are the runes which are most commonly used for three or four rune ascensions. None is particularly hard to get, although they may require some basic preparation.<br />
* Serpentine ([[Snake Pit]]): Less straightforward since the introduction of [[constriction]], and [[poison resistance]] is a necessity. Still, among the easier branches. Make sure you can take a beating or have the ability to avoid melee combat.<br />
* Decaying ([[Swamp]]): Swamp can be annoying, and be prepared to deal with a ton of [[hydra]]s and [[swamp drake]]s, but the branch is generally pretty tame.<br />
* Barnacled ([[Shoals]]): This area is easier if you have good [[EV]] or [[Repel Missiles|Repel]]/[[Deflect Missiles]]. [[Invisibility]] is very useful here.<br />
* Gossamer ([[Spider's Nest]]): Most of the monsters in this branch are faster than you and will swarm you easily. Very few of them have ranged attacks, though.<br />
* Abyssal ([[Abyss]]): Mostly just tedious, since it requires wandering for several thousand turns. Have enough food, and be prepared to avoid the occasional [[lich]] or [[draconian]] if you can't take them.<br />
* Silver ([[Vault]]): The hardest of the basic runes, since [[Vault]]:5 is filled with [[stone giant]]s, [[shadow dragon]]s, and other nasties. Be very careful not to face too many monsters at once.<br />
<br />
===Medium===<br />
For those looking to expand beyond a basic ascension, these are the runes to start with. They all require some type of special resistance: if you don't have it, you will likely die.<br />
* Slimy ([[Slime Pits]]): [[Resist corrosion]] and [[mutation resistance]] are absolutely necessary, and be prepared to switch between them if you don't have a [[cloak of preservation]]. Be very careful with [[the royal jelly]]: stair dance it or take it in the corridors. And bring a [[wand of digging]] if you don't have the spell. Make sure you can kill things very quickly or take a fair bit of damage, as everything down here hits very hard in melee.<br />
* [[Pandemonium]]: Be prepared for a journey: like the Abyss, the only way out is via a rare return portal. Stairways just conduct you to another of Pan's infinite levels. You will need some protection from [[torment]]. rN+++ or [[Kiku]] protection is generally enough. You need [[mutation resistance]]: the place is littered with [[neqoxec]]s and [[cacodemon]]s. In fact, you may want to bring a [[potion of cure mutation]], just in case you get hit with something nasty. Keep in mind that when you reach a level with a [[Pan lord]] and his rune, you're only going to get one chance at acquiring this rune: ''leaving the level means that rune never generates again'' (unless it was the demonic rune). The unique Pan lords each need a different set of resistances to get their rune:<br />
** Dark: [[Gloorx Vloq]] is the most difficult Pan lord, owing to his speed and spell set. rN+++ is vital, as is some form of [[Haste]]. Unlike the rest of Pan, you also need [[poison resistance]], since otherwise his [[Poison Arrow]]s will be very painful. Allies, if you can get them, are helpful in ensuring that all of his many attacks and spells aren't directed against you.<br />
** Glowing: [[Mutation resistance]] is even more vital here. Try to lure the [[neqoxec]]s around corners, so they don't get tons of free shots at you with [[Polymorph Other]]. [[Mnoleg]] himself isn't that difficult, although be prepared to [[abjuration|abjure]] if he starts summoning [[giant eyeball]]s. And try to take him in a corridor, so you won't get mobbed by the [[large abomination]]s and [[tentacled monstrosities]] he summons.<br />
** Fiery: As the name suggests, you really need [[fire resistance]] here. rF++ is a bare minimum, and rF+++ is really what you need, since [[Cerebov]]'s sword hits you for one less level of fire resistance than you have. Cerebov has a lot of hit points, so be prepared to teleport away and reengage him several times: he won't have fully healed before you do. [[Abjuration]] is quite helpful since he enjoys summoning greater demons on you. Cerebov has poor evasion, so spells such as [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]] can be useful against him. [[Chain Lightning]] is also very effective.<br />
** Magical: Have at least two levels of [[cold resistance]] and some source of [[electricity resistance]]. [[Lom Lobon]] is fairly weak if you can engage him in melee, although his [[blink]]ing can make that somewhat difficult. Have high [[magic resistance]] so that the [[wizard (monster)|wizard]]s around his tower don't banish you.<br />
** Demonic: Three specific vaults always have this rune. The [[hellion island]] vault requires the use of ranged attacks: 10+ [[hellion]]s all dropping 3d15 [[hellfire]] bursts on you up to twice a turn is a quick death. The [[smiting]] vault is generally doable: [[Shatter]] or [[teleport control]] can greatly assist in getting past it, but even without them sufficient speed will generally let you survive. The eyes vault is not difficult, but requires a [[wand of digging]] or [[disintegration]] to get the rune at all. As for random vaults which might contain the rune, they vary hugely in difficulty. Be prepared to run away.<br />
* Golden ([[Tomb]]): Like the [[Hells]] and [[Pandemonium|Pan]], you will have to endure a fair amount of [[torment]]. Unlike the Hells and Pan, you will also endure mummy [[death curse]]s. This includes stat drain, [[rotting]], [[pain]], slowing, and even more [[torment]]. [[Kikubaaqudgha]] provides a good protection against it. [[Necromutation]] protects you from the worst of the curses as well as torment, and nothing in [[Tomb]] has [[Dispel Undead]]. [[Zin]] can protect you from the rotting effects and stat drain, but [[The Shining One]] is more useful here: You can always do a quick conversion to [[Elyvilon]], and use purification to cure all the rotting. See the [[Tomb]] article for more specific strategies, but know that it is very difficult to simply force your way through Tomb. You need something to deal with its nasty effects or you will die.<br />
<br />
===Hard===<br />
These runes are the riskiest to get, or require some very specific character builds. Only go for them if you know what you're doing.<br />
* [[Hell]]: This area is one of the hardest in the game. It is filled with fiends, both found naturally and summoned by the Hell forces. [[Zin]] gives a piety-dependent chance of blocking Hell effects: at full piety it is complete, making the area a lot easier. Others have to be prepared for a fiend and a hellion to appear next to them at any moment, making [[regeneration]] and some means of [[torment]] protection absolutely vital. As with Pan, specific strategies and resistances are needed for each rune:<br />
** Iron ([[Dis]]): Dis is often perceived as the "easiest" Hell, but this is not entirely true. It requires no specific resistances but a little of everything. Or sometimes a lot of everything, as the last level contains both [[Brimstone fiend]]s and [[Ice fiend]]s. [[Dispater]] himself is no pushover, casting powerful earth spells and bringing lots of greater demons to the party. Have [[Abjuration]] ready.<br />
** Icy ([[Cocytus]]): Have rC+++ for Cocytus. This place is filled with [[Ice fiend]]s, who have, in addition to torment and [[Bolt of Cold]], a horribly damaging cold-branded melee attack. [[Antaeus]] himself hits like a truck but luckily doesn't summon any friends. Unluckily he tends to be escorted by four Ice fiends. Separate them first.<br />
** Obsidian ([[Gehenna]]): Have rF+++, but be aware that this doesn't help against the numerous [[Brimstone fiend]]s and [[hellion]]s who will gladly spam [[hellfire]] at you until you die. Make sure to kill them quickly. [[Asmodeus]] himself is not horribly difficult, but be aware that he is surrounded by a ring of flames and loves summoning fiends and [[Balrug]]s.<br />
** Bone ([[Tartarus]]): If you're not undead, Tartarus can be easier than the other branches. This occurs because rN+++ completely protects you against the draining attacks so frequent there. Be aware that [[Ereshkigal]] is a little meaner than she looks: she may be somewhat low on HP, but she is fast, has absurdly high evasion, and can torment and summon greater demons to torment. If you are undead, be very, very careful. [[Shadow fiend]]s can make short work of you with [[Dispel Undead]].<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
Formerly, there were many, indistinguishable demonic runes of Pandemonium, which could be collected ''ad infinitum'' (the record was 250-odd). In version [[0.9]], the demonic rune is treated like the abyssal rune: once you've picked one up, no more demonic runes will be generated.<br />
<br />
Before [[0.9]], runes were carried in main inventory, which led to silliness like piling extras on D:1 before going for the [[Orb of Zot|Orb]], or characters locking themselves out of Zot by forgetting their runes. <br />
[[Category:Items]]<br />
[[Category:Strategy]]</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Vault&diff=36163Vault2015-04-16T15:48:49Z<p>Quik: Wrote "The Vaults" instead of "the Vaults"</p>
<hr />
<div>''Not to be confused with the dungeon branch [[The Vaults]].''<br />
<br />
<br />
The term '''vault''' refers to any [[Dungeon features|dungeon feature]] that is not part of the dungeon's normal layout. Vaults generally have a fixed layout, though many include random items or monsters, and some (notably [[Xom]]'s altar vault) randomize the terrain as well.<br />
<br />
==How do I recognize a vault?==<br />
<br />
Vaults can often be spotted as areas on a level that don't match the level's theme, like finding green crystal walls in a level made of rock. Particularly devious vaults may not be obvious at first glance... until you open a door and find yourself face-to-face with a room full of [[big kobold]]s or worse.<br />
<br />
Out-of-branch or very out-of-depth monsters can also be a sign of a vault: if you find a [[red devil]] in the main dungeon, or a [[lich]] on D:11, it's probably as a result of a vault.<br />
<br />
==How big are vaults?==<br />
<br />
A vault can be very small, like the 3x4 "elevator" vault. This vault is nothing more than two staircases, one up and one down, enclosed in a ring of walls. Very small vaults may be referred to as '''minivaults'''.<br />
<br />
On the other end, a vault can encompass an entire level. The final levels of many [[dungeon branches]], including [[Zot:5|the big one]], are guaranteed to be whole-level vaults. Other such vaults may appear as a floor of the main dungeon.<br />
<br />
==Where do I find vaults?==<br />
<br />
Vaults can appear anywhere in the dungeon, though most (if not all) of them are restricted to specific parts. Some vaults are tied to specific branches, while others will only appear if you're deep (or shallow) enough in the main dungeon.<br />
<br />
==What kinds of vaults are there?==<br />
<br />
The easiest kind of vault to find is an entrance vault. Entrance vaults are generated on D:1 as something interesting for the player to look at or interact with when they first enter the game. A few can be dangerous if handled badly--one has a large number of monsters behind a warning-scrawled door in a clear wall--but they're generally just eye candy.<br />
<br />
Altar vaults are also common in the first few levels, giving the player a chance to join a religion before the [[Ecumenical Temple]] or for a god who's missing from it.<br />
<br />
Deeper in the dungeon, however, you can find vaults with good treasure or dangerous monsters, and often both. One vault is nothing more than a pair of angled corridors with hostile [[statue]]s at the end and a bit of treasure behind them.<br />
<br />
The entrances to new [[branch]]es are often contained in a vault that reflects their nature. [[Orcish Mines]] is often surrounded by many [[orc]]s, [[natural]] monsters surround [[The Lair]], and [[The Vaults]] may have some treasure just outside.<br />
<br />
==How many vaults are there?==<br />
<br />
Though it's difficult to read, the full list of vaults can be viewed [http://gitorious.org/crawl/crawl/trees/master/crawl-ref/source/dat/des here] as part of the game's source. A quick search of that directory reveals that there are over 1,000 vaults in the game as of 0.10 and more than twice as many in master (the development version). Do note, however, that these counts include the tutorials, [[the Hive]], and presumably other vaults that aren't seen in the game proper.<br />
<br />
==Oooh, shiny!==<br />
<br />
Be careful! While vaults can contain very good items, they may also spawn with [[out-of-depth]] monsters, like a [[golden dragon]] on D:14. When approaching a vault, remember that it may have loose monsters, devious traps, or intelligent denizens who will come out to investigate if you make too much noise. If you actually open a door, be prepared to run if you don't like what's on the other side.<br />
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== See Also ==<br />
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* [[Example Vaults]]<br />
* [[:Category:Vault monsters|List of vault-defined monsters]]<br />
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[[Category:Dungeon_Features]]</div>Quikhttp://crawl.chaosforge.org/index.php?title=Crypts&diff=36099Crypts2015-04-16T06:33:00Z<p>Quik: Added redirect for "Crypts"</p>
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<div>#REDIRECT [[The Crypt]]</div>Quik