ARCHIVED Nabalzbhf's Merfolk Ice Elementalist Guide - Revision history

Qqqqwe2: Qqqqwe2 moved page Nabalzbhf's Merfolk Ice Elementalist Guide to ARCHIVED Nabalzbhf's Merfolk Ice Elementalist Guide: old, many references to removed spells

2024-08-30T18:56:44Z

Qqqqwe2 moved page Nabalzbhf's Merfolk Ice Elementalist Guide to ARCHIVED Nabalzbhf's Merfolk Ice Elementalist Guide: old, many references to removed spells

Majang: /* Later Spells */ controlled teleport not available in 0.17

2016-02-04T13:36:41Z

‎Later Spells: controlled teleport not available in 0.17

Derrek: fix typo

2015-02-19T19:50:37Z

fix typo

Nabalzbhf: Added a category.

2014-12-13T05:31:24Z

Added a category.

MoogleDan: Typos; added some links; a troll leather is nice too; emphasized reaching weapon use and liberal consumables use

2014-09-02T12:30:13Z

Typos; added some links; a troll leather is nice too; emphasized reaching weapon use and liberal consumables use

Nabalzbhf at 14:48, 1 September 2014

2014-09-01T14:48:02Z

Nabalzbhf at 14:46, 1 September 2014

2014-09-01T14:46:53Z

Nabalzbhf: Added information explaining general etiquette for changes, and strengthed the stats section.

2014-08-31T00:40:12Z

Added information explaining general etiquette for changes, and strengthed the stats section.

Nabalzbhf at 23:38, 30 August 2014

2014-08-30T23:38:09Z

Nabalzbhf at 22:46, 30 August 2014

2014-08-30T22:46:21Z

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 Further ice spells you can learn include [[Bolt of Cold]], [[Freezing Cloud]] and [[Ozocubu's Refrigeration]]. All of these are very effective against groups of enemies, but none of them are necessary, so I would advise being choosy about which ones you memorize.
-Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Control Teleport]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent spells.
+Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent spells.
 Some cheap but useful spells from other schools include [[Animate Skeleton]], [[Apportation]], [[Blink]], [[Cure Poison]], and [[Summon Butterflies]].

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 *'''[[Spellcasting]]:''' This mainly gives you extra spell slots, level this if you need more spells.
 *'''[[Conjurations]]:''' This can help get spells like [[Throw Icicle]] castable, but it's not too important.
-*'''[[Summoning]]:''' A few levels for [[Summon Ice Beasts]] is fine, but don't invest in this much.
+*'''[[Summoning]]:''' A few levels for [[Summon Ice Beast]] is fine, but don't invest in this much.
 ===Other===

@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 *'''[[Yredelemnul]]:''' Perhaps the absolute best god if all you want to do is win. He allows you to raise the dead to fight by your side, and gifts undead allies, all of which become more powerful once you can [[haste]]n them. In addition to that, Pain Mirror is a great panic button, Drain Life can heal you when you need it most, and Enslave Soul allows to make any unique in the game your permanent servant.
-*'''[[The Shining One]]:''' A poor choice for the early game due to his restrictions, but one of the absolute strongest gods for the extended game. He has so many useful abilities, I'm not even going to try and list them all here. If you want to swap from Okawaru to TSO, make sure to not clear [[Crypt]] until you've made the change.
+*'''[[The Shining One]]:''' A poor choice for the early game due to his restrictions, but one of the absolute strongest gods for the extended game. He has so many useful abilities, I'm not even going to try and list them all here. If you want to swap to TSO later, make sure to save [[Crypt]] until you've swapped.
 ==General Tips==
@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 *''Better them than you''. If you have allies, such as [[ice beast]]s, generally you want them to take hits for you, or at the very least, distract the weaker enemies while you mop up the rest. The game will continue if they're dead. It'll stop if you're dead. Besides, you have a reaching weapon perfectly suited for combat from the back row.
 *''Items, Items, Items''. If you have less than 5 varieties of scroll, wand, ring, amulet and potion on your person, chances are you're woefully under-prepared for the challenges ahead. When you believe a situation has a decent chance of getting you killed, don't make the mistake of being too conservative - use those consumables!

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 *'''[[Spellcasting]]:''' This mainly gives you extra spell slots, level this if you need more spells.
 *'''[[Conjurations]]:''' This can help get spells like [[Throw Icicle]] castable, but it's not too important.
-*'''[[Summoning]]:''' A few levels for summon ice beasts is fine, but don't invest in this much.
+*'''[[Summoning]]:''' A few levels for [[Summon Ice Beasts]] is fine, but don't invest in this much.
 ===Other===
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ==Spells==
-If never use spells, your character will almost certainly die, it's as simple as that. If you don't want to cast, go play a Berserker. By the end of your game you'll want a wide selection, but it's best to start off slow, getting your most important spells castable. Then you can branch out.
+If you never use spells, your character will almost certainly die, it's as simple as that. If you don't want to cast, go play a Berserker. By the end of your game you'll want a wide selection, but it's best to start off slow, getting your most important spells castable. Then you can branch out.
 ===Starting Spells===
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 '''[[Ozocubu's Armour]]''' should be the second or third spell you learn. It offers AC, helping to offset your poor armour aptitude, and could last you well into the late game!
-'''[[Throw Frost]]''' is good for taking out stuff at a range, grab it when you get the chance, either before or after Ozo's.
+'''[[Throw Frost]]''' is good for taking out stuff at a range. Grab it when you get the chance, either before or after Ozo's.
 At this point, you have a few options. Pick up '''[[Condensation Shield]]''' for more defense, '''[[Throw Icicle]]''' for increased ranged damage, or '''[[Summon Ice Beast]]''' for allies that can help you fight and [[pillar dancing|escape]]! All of these are good, so pick up whichever you want, whenever you need it.
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ==Equipment==
-Equiptment is very important for any class, but it's especially so for a melee heavy one like MfIE. Thankfully, [[polearms]] are abundant in the dungeon, and decent armour isn't rare by any means.
+Equipment is very important for any class, but it's especially so for a melee heavy one like MfIE. Thankfully, [[polearms]] are abundant in the dungeon, and decent armour isn't rare by any means.
 ===Weapons===
-When you start, you'll have to use whatever polearms are available. This means even if you plan on using a shield later, it's fine to use a good two-handed weapon early on. Just swing your weapon a few times to check its current [[weapon speed|delay]], and be very cautious if it's anything above 1.0. Never bother with Scythes, unless they're an especially good artefact.
+When you start, you'll have to use whatever polearms are available. This means even if you plan on using a shield later, it's fine to use a good two-handed weapon early on. Just swing your weapon a few times to check its current [[weapon speed|delay]], and be very cautious if it's anything above 1.0. Never bother with scythes, unless they're an especially good artefact.
 For quick weapons like [[spear]]s and [[trident]]s, flat brands like [[draining]], [[electrocution]], and [[venom]] are good. Venom is especially good for kiting! For two-handed weapons like [[halberd]]s and [[glaive]]s, scaling brands like [[frost]], [[flame]], and [[vorpal]] are also good. If your two-handed weapon doesn't have a [[flame]] brand, make sure to keep a spear or trident for hydras.
@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 ===Armour===
-You'll want to stick to robes and leather armour at first, since [[Ozocubu's Armour]] requires armour with an [[encumbrance rating]] of 4 or lower. If you absolutely need a particular [[resistance]] (such as [[poison resistance]] for [[Swamp]]), it might be worth wearing ring mail to get it, if you have no other option (such as a ring).
+You'll want to stick to robes, leather, or troll leather armour at first, since [[Ozocubu's Armour]] requires armour with an [[encumbrance rating]] of 4 or lower. If you absolutely need a particular [[resistance]] (such as [[poison resistance]] for [[Swamp]]), it might be worth wearing ring mail to get it, if you have no other option (such as a ring).
 Eventually you might move on to a heavier armour. [[Dragon armour]] is popular in the late game, especially [[fire dragon armour]] for [[Zot]]. Anything heavier than that is not recommended, as it will heavily impede your [[evasion]].
@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 *'''[[Okawaru]]:''' The invocations Heroism and Finesse are both simple yet powerful additions to your toolbox, and he will give you weapons and armour of variable usefulness as you progress through the dungeon. While you can easily complete the game with Oka, if you want to collect all 15 [[Rune of Zot|Runes of Zot]], swapping to another god is recommended ([[The Shining One]] is a popular choice).
-*'''[[Makhleb]]:''' Health on kills, piety-powered destructive blasts and the ability to summon demons. His summons are much more powerful than ice-beasts, and HP is always useful, so Makhleb is a good choice. The one catch is you absolutely have to level invocations, or risk summoning hostile demons.
+*'''[[Makhleb]]:''' Health on kills, piety-powered destructive blasts and the ability to summon demons. His summons are much more powerful than ice-beasts, and HP is always useful, so Makhleb is a good choice. The one catch is you absolutely have to level Invocations, or risk summoning hostile demons.
 *'''[[Yredelemnul]]:''' Perhaps the absolute best god if all you want to do is win. He allows you to raise the dead to fight by your side, and gifts undead allies, all of which become more powerful once you can [[haste]]n them. In addition to that, Pain Mirror is a great panic button, Drain Life can heal you when you need it most, and Enslave Soul allows to make any unique in the game your permanent servant.
@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 *''Know thy enemy''. Examine every foe you encounter. If they look dangerous, they probably are, and you shouldn't wade into an entire horde of them.
 *''Merfolks love water''. It makes you faster, better at dodging, and deep water can keep away plenty of enemies.
-*''Better them than you''. If you have allies, such as [[ice beast]]s, generally you want them to take hits for you, or at the very least, distract the weaker enemies while you mop up the rest. The game will continue if they're dead. It'll stop if you're dead.
+*''Better them than you''. If you have allies, such as [[ice beast]]s, generally you want them to take hits for you, or at the very least, distract the weaker enemies while you mop up the rest. The game will continue if they're dead. It'll stop if you're dead. Besides, you have a reaching weapon perfectly suited for combat from the back row.
-*''Items, Items, Items''. If you have less than 5 varieties of scroll, wand, ring, amulet and potion on your person, chances are you're woefully under-prepared for the challenges ahead.
+*''Items, Items, Items''. If you have less than 5 varieties of scroll, wand, ring, amulet and potion on your person, chances are you're woefully under-prepared for the challenges ahead. When you believe a situation has a decent chance of getting you killed, don't make the mistake of being too conservative - use those consumables!

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 If you choose a [[Merfolk]] [[Ice Elementalist]], you get to play with a lot of different options. You're already an excellent melee fighter with your [[Polearms]]/[[Dodging]] aptitudes, but you also have [[Ozocubu's Armour|great]] [[Condensation Shield|buffs]] for defense, a [[Summon Ice Beast|summon]] for backup, and some [[Throw Frost|Conjuration]] [[Throw Icicle|spells]] for dealing with enemies at a distance!
-If you haven't already, read the [[walkthrough]] and [[strategy guides]]. This guide doesn't cover extremely general aspects of the game, and this guide assumes at least some familiarity with Crawl's interface.
+If you haven't already, read the [[walkthrough]] and [[strategy guides]]. This guide assumes at least some familiarity with Crawl, and therefore doesn't cover extremely general aspects of the game.
 This guide is partially based on [[Vigrid's Hill Orc Fighter Guide]], so if you're looking for something with less spellcasting and more smashing stuff with shiny weapons, definitely check that out. If anyone wants to edit ''this guide'', I only ask that you do two things: Replace incorrect information rather than outright removing it, and keep things general so that players can adapt it to suit their needs.

← Older revision	Revision as of 18:56, 30 August 2024
(No difference)

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 If you choose a [[Merfolk]] [[Ice Elementalist]], you get to play with a lot of different options. You're already an excellent melee fighter with your [[Polearms]]/[[Dodging]] aptitudes, but you also have [[Ozocubu's Armour|great]] [[Condensation Shield|buffs]] for defense, a [[Summon Ice Beast|summon]] for backup, and some [[Throw Frost|Conjuration]] [[Throw Icicle|spells]] for dealing with enemies at a distance!
 This guide is partially based on [[Vigrid's Hill Orc Fighter Guide]], so if you're looking for something with less spellcasting and more smashing stuff with shiny weapons, definitely check that out. If anyone wants to edit ''this guide'', I only ask that you do two things: Replace incorrect information rather than outright removing it, and keep things general so that players can adapt it to suit their needs.
-=Skills=
+==Skills==
-These are the skills you should be considering, and some information as to why. Visit the [[skill]] page for information on those I didn't cover.
+These are the skills you should be considering, and some information as to why. Visit the [[skill]] page for information on any I didn't cover.
 ===Major Skills===
@@ Line 28: / Line 30: @@
 *'''[[Stealth]]:''' Being able to run away before a fight even begins is always good. Invest a few levels in this.
-=Stats=
+==Stats==
-You'll want [[Dexterity]] for increased [[evasion]] most of the time, but if you move on to heavier armours, [[Strength]] can help offset the spellcasting and evasion penalties. For instance, you'll want at least 11 strength if you're wearing [[fire dragon armour]]. Your starting [[Intelligence]] is more than enough, just don't assume you'll ever be casting [[Glaciate]].
+You'll want [[Dexterity]] for increased [[evasion]] most of the time, but if you move on to heavier armours, [[Strength]] can help offset the spellcasting and evasion penalties. For instance, you'll want '''at least''' 11 strength if you're wearing [[fire dragon armour]]. Your starting [[Intelligence]] is more than enough, just don't assume you'll ever be casting [[Glaciate]].
-=Spells=
+===Starting Spells===
 '''[[Freeze]]''' will be your primary form of attack until you've raised your pole-arm skill. It ignores AC/EV, and slows cold-blooded enemies like [[adder]]s, but the damage caps out fairly quick.
@@ Line 41: / Line 45: @@
 At this point, you have a few options. Pick up '''[[Condensation Shield]]''' for more defense, '''[[Throw Icicle]]''' for increased ranged damage, or '''[[Summon Ice Beast]]''' for allies that can help you fight and [[pillar dancing|escape]]! All of these are good, so pick up whichever you want, whenever you need it.
-==Later Spells==
+===Later Spells===
-Further ice spells you can learn include [[Bolt of Cold]], [[Freezing Cloud]] and [[Ozocubu's Refrigeration]]. All of these are very effective against groups of enemies, but none of them are necessary, so I would advise being very choosy about which ones you memorize, if you even do so.
+Further ice spells you can learn include [[Bolt of Cold]], [[Freezing Cloud]] and [[Ozocubu's Refrigeration]]. All of these are very effective against groups of enemies, but none of them are necessary, so I would advise being choosy about which ones you memorize.
-Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Control Teleport]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent buffs.
+Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Control Teleport]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent spells.
 Some cheap but useful spells from other schools include [[Animate Skeleton]], [[Apportation]], [[Blink]], [[Cure Poison]], and [[Summon Butterflies]].
-=Equipment=
+==Equipment==
-==Weapons==
+Equiptment is very important for any class, but it's especially so for a melee heavy one like MfIE. Thankfully, [[polearms]] are abundant in the dungeon, and decent armour isn't rare by any means.
 When you start, you'll have to use whatever polearms are available. This means even if you plan on using a shield later, it's fine to use a good two-handed weapon early on. Just swing your weapon a few times to check its current [[weapon speed|delay]], and be very cautious if it's anything above 1.0. Never bother with Scythes, unless they're an especially good artefact.
 For quick weapons like [[spear]]s and [[trident]]s, flat brands like [[draining]], [[electrocution]], and [[venom]] are good. Venom is especially good for kiting! For two-handed weapons like [[halberd]]s and [[glaive]]s, scaling brands like [[frost]], [[flame]], and [[vorpal]] are also good. If your two-handed weapon doesn't have a [[flame]] brand, make sure to keep a spear or trident for hydras.
-In all cases, if you find a good weapon with a [[holy wrath]], [[Speed (brand)|speed]], or [[vampiric]] brand, hold onto it! [[Protection]] weapons can also be good, since your AC will be low throughout the early-mid game.
+In all cases, if you find a good weapon with a [[holy wrath]], [[Speed (brand)|speed]], or [[vampiric]] brand, hold onto it! [[Protection]] weapons can also be good, since your armour's AC value will be low throughout the early-mid game.
 Eventually you'll want a [[demon trident]] if you're using shields, and a [[bardiche]] if you aren't. While you can't use a [[demon trident]] while worshipping a [[good god]], [[The Shining One]] will transform one into the even better [[trishula]].
-==Armour==
+===Armour===
 You'll want to stick to robes and leather armour at first, since [[Ozocubu's Armour]] requires armour with an [[encumbrance rating]] of 4 or lower. If you absolutely need a particular [[resistance]] (such as [[poison resistance]] for [[Swamp]]), it might be worth wearing ring mail to get it, if you have no other option (such as a ring).
@@ Line 65: / Line 71: @@
 Shields are popular for their extra defense, at the cost of a lower damage output. Playing with and without a shield is acceptable, so often it's best to decide based on what spawns in your game. If you run across a "[[shield]] of [[Resistance (ego)|resistance]]" early on, definitely use shields. If you run across a [[vampiric]] [[bardiche]], use that instead!
-=Gods=
+==Gods==
 *'''[[Okawaru]]:''' The invocations Heroism and Finesse are both simple yet powerful additions to your toolbox, and he will give you weapons and armour of variable usefulness as you progress through the dungeon. While you can easily complete the game with Oka, if you want to collect all 15 [[Rune of Zot|Runes of Zot]], swapping to another god is recommended ([[The Shining One]] is a popular choice).
@@ Line 74: / Line 80: @@
 *'''[[The Shining One]]:''' A poor choice for the early game due to his restrictions, but one of the absolute strongest gods for the extended game. He has so many useful abilities, I'm not even going to try and list them all here. If you want to swap from Okawaru to TSO, make sure to not clear [[Crypt]] until you've made the change.
-=Strategy Overview=
+==General Tips==
 *''Remember your buffs''. Casting Ozocubu's Armour and Condensation Shield before a tough fight can be the difference between life and death.
-*''Soften up hard targets''. Trolls, giants, and any other highly-competent melee combatant should get some ice to the face before they get too close. Never engage them in straight melee.
+*''Use your ranged attacks''. Trolls, giants, and any other highly-competent melee combatant should get some ice to the face before they get too close. Never engage them in straight melee.
-*''Know thy enemy''. Examine every foe you encounter. If they look dangerous, they probably are, and you shouldn't wade into an entire horde of them. Anything the game doesn't tell you, the wiki is more than happy to divulge.
+*''Know thy enemy''. Examine every foe you encounter. If they look dangerous, they probably are, and you shouldn't wade into an entire horde of them.
-*''Blink is your friend''. Getting scrolls of blink or teleport control is a very, very good thing. The ability to make a controlled blink is invaluable. Try your best to not waste any scrolls, and if you're going to get any Translocations, get Blink.
+*''Merfolks love water''. It makes you faster, better at dodging, and deep water can keep away plenty of enemies.
-*''Better them than you''. If you have allies, such as [[ice beast]]s or Yredelemnul's gifts, generally you want them to take hits for you, or at the very least, distract the weaker enemies while you mop up the rest. The game will continue if they're dead. It'll stop if you're dead.
+*''Better them than you''. If you have allies, such as [[ice beast]]s, generally you want them to take hits for you, or at the very least, distract the weaker enemies while you mop up the rest. The game will continue if they're dead. It'll stop if you're dead.
-*''Items are your friend''. If you have less than 5 varieties of scroll, wand, ring, amulet and potion on your person, chances are you're woefully under-prepared for the challenges ahead.
+*''Items, Items, Items''. If you have less than 5 varieties of scroll, wand, ring, amulet and potion on your person, chances are you're woefully under-prepared for the challenges ahead.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ===Major Skills===
+*'''[[Polearms]]:''' Focus this immediately! Once you reach [[minimum delay]] with your current weapon, you can begin to focus on other skills.
 *'''[[Fighting]]:''' This increases your accuracy, and your [[HP]]. Good if you don't want to die from one hit.
 *'''[[Dodging]]:''' Your most important defensive skill. Keep it high, and stay away from heavy armour.
 *'''[[Charms]]:''' Used by everything from [[Ozocubu's Armour]] to [[Haste]]. Definitely keep an eye on this.
 *'''[[Ice Magic]]:''' Obviously you should raise this, all of your starting spells use it.
 ===Minor Skills===
 *'''[[Shields]]:''' Extra protection at the cost of decreased damage. Read the "armour" section below for more information.
-*'''[[Armour]]:''' You'll put XP into this at some point, especially if you end up wearing [[fire dragon armour]]. Just be careful that you don't invest in it at the expense of everything else.
+*'''[[Armour]]:''' You'll put XP into this eventually, especially if you end up wearing [[fire dragon armour]]. Just don't start off too fast.
 *'''[[Conjurations]]:''' This can help get spells like [[Throw Icicle]] castable, but it's not too important.
 *'''[[Summoning]]:''' A few levels for summon ice beasts is fine, but don't invest in this much.
@@ Line 26: / Line 25: @@
 ===Other===
 *'''[[Evocations]]:''' An early [[ring of invisibility]] or [[amulet of rage]] is very useful. Level this as needed.
-*'''[[Invocations]]:''' You'll want enough to bring your god abilities' failure rates into the single digits, or more if you're following [[Makhleb]].
+*'''[[Invocations]]:''' You'll want at least enough to bring your god abilities' failure rates into the single digits, possibly more depending on the god.
 *'''[[Stealth]]:''' Being able to run away before a fight even begins is always good. Invest a few levels in this.
 =Stats=
-You'll want [[Dexterity]] for increased dodging, and some [[Strength]] if you're wearing [[dragon armour]] (3 extra strength is good enough for [[fire dragon armour]]). Your starting [[Intelligence]] is more than enough, just don't assume you'll ever be casting [[Glaciate]].
+You'll want [[Dexterity]] for increased dodging, and some [[Strength]] if you're wearing [[dragon armour]] (you'll want at least 3 extra strength for [[fire dragon armour]], compared to starting values). Your starting [[Intelligence]] is more than enough, just don't assume you'll ever be casting [[Glaciate]].
 =Spells=
@@ Line 43: / Line 42: @@
 ==Later Spells==
-Further ice spells you can learn include [[Bolt of Cold]], [[Freezing Cloud]] and [[Ozocubu's Refrigeration]]. All of these are very effective against groups of enemies, but none of them are necessary, so I would advise being very choosy about which ones you memorize.
+Further ice spells you can learn include [[Bolt of Cold]], [[Freezing Cloud]] and [[Ozocubu's Refrigeration]]. All of these are very effective against groups of enemies, but none of them are necessary, so I would advise being very choosy about which ones you memorize, if you even do so.
-Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Control Teleport]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent buffs. Spells like [[Swiftness]] or [[Shroud of Golubria]] are also good, if you have the slots to spare.
+Meanwhile, charms are definitely recommended. [[Repel Missiles]], [[Regeneration]], [[Shroud of Golubria]], [[Spectral Weapon]], [[Control Teleport]], [[Deflect Missiles]], and [[Haste]] are all excellent buffs.
 Some cheap but useful spells from other schools include [[Animate Skeleton]], [[Apportation]], [[Blink]], [[Cure Poison]], and [[Summon Butterflies]].
@@ Line 51: / Line 50: @@
 =Equipment=
 ==Weapons==
-When you start, you'll have to use whatever is available. This means even if you plan on using a shield later, it's fine to use a good two-handed weapon early on. Just make sure to swing it a few times, to check its current [[weapon speed|delay]], and refer to the wiki to see at what point you'll reach minimum delay.
+When you start, you'll have to use whatever polearms are available. This means even if you plan on using a shield later, it's fine to use a good two-handed weapon early on. Just swing your weapon a few times to check its current [[weapon speed|delay]], and be very cautious if it's anything above 1.0. Never bother with Scythes, unless they're an especially good artefact.
-[[Antimagic]], [[Chaos]], and [[Distortion]] are all extremely useful, but have downsides you should carefully consider. [[Vorpal]] and [[Protection]] are both useful, but generally inferior to other brands. [[Pain]] is practically worthless for you.
+For quick weapons like [[spear]]s and [[trident]]s, flat brands like [[draining]], [[electrocution]], and [[venom]] are good. Venom is especially good for kiting! For two-handed weapons like [[halberd]]s and [[glaive]]s, scaling brands like [[frost]], [[flame]], and [[vorpal]] are also good. If your two-handed weapon doesn't have a [[flame]] brand, make sure to keep a spear or trident for hydras.
-The best one-handed polearm you're likely to find is a [[demon trident]], with an [[electrocution]], [[speed]], or [[vampiric]] brand. There are also [[Trishula]]s, purified demon tridents which carry the [[holy]] brand, but you'll likely only acquire one of these from The Shining One himself.
+In all cases, if you find a good weapon with a [[holy wrath]], [[Speed (brand)|speed]], or [[vampiric]] brand, hold onto it! [[Protection]] weapons can also be good, since your AC will be low throughout the early-mid game.
-As for two-handed polearms, you'll want a good [[glaive]] or [[bardiche]], preferably with a [[frost]], [[holy]], [[speed]], or [[vampiric]] brand.
+Eventually you'll want a [[demon trident]] if you're using shields, and a [[bardiche]] if you aren't. While you can't use a [[demon trident]] while worshipping a [[good god]], [[The Shining One]] will transform one into the even better [[trishula]].
 ==Armour==
-You'll generally want to stick to robes and leather armour, since [[Ozocubu's Armour]] requires armour with an [[encumbrance rating]] of 4 or lower. If you absolutely need a particular [[resistance]] (such as [[poison resistance]] for [[Swamp]]), it might be worth wearing ring mail to get it, but that's only if you have no other option.
+You'll want to stick to robes and leather armour at first, since [[Ozocubu's Armour]] requires armour with an [[encumbrance rating]] of 4 or lower. If you absolutely need a particular [[resistance]] (such as [[poison resistance]] for [[Swamp]]), it might be worth wearing ring mail to get it, if you have no other option (such as a ring).
-Eventually you will probably upgrade to a heavier armour. [[Dragon armour]] is popular in the late game, especially [[fire dragon armour]] for [[Zot]]. Anything heavier than that is not recommended, as it will impede your [[evasion]].
+Eventually you might move on to a heavier armour. [[Dragon armour]] is popular in the late game, especially [[fire dragon armour]] for [[Zot]]. Anything heavier than that is not recommended, as it will heavily impede your [[evasion]].
-Shields are popular for their extra defense, at the cost of a lower damage output. Playing with and without a shield is acceptable, so often it's best to decide based on what spawns in your game. If you run across a "[[shield]] of [[Resistance (ego)|resistance]]" early on, definitely consider using shields. If you run across a [[vampiric]] [[glaive]], use that instead!
+Shields are popular for their extra defense, at the cost of a lower damage output. Playing with and without a shield is acceptable, so often it's best to decide based on what spawns in your game. If you run across a "[[shield]] of [[Resistance (ego)|resistance]]" early on, definitely use shields. If you run across a [[vampiric]] [[bardiche]], use that instead!
 =Gods=
-*'''[[Okawaru]]:''' The invocations Heroism and Finesse are both simple yet powerful additions to your toolbox, and he will give you weapons and armour of variable usefulness as you progress through the dungeon. While you can easily complete the game with Oka, if you want to collect all 15 runes, swapping to another god before the [[Hells]] and [[Pandemonium]] is recommended ([[The Shining One]] is a popular choice).
+*'''[[Okawaru]]:''' The invocations Heroism and Finesse are both simple yet powerful additions to your toolbox, and he will give you weapons and armour of variable usefulness as you progress through the dungeon. While you can easily complete the game with Oka, if you want to collect all 15 [[Rune of Zot|Runes of Zot]], swapping to another god is recommended ([[The Shining One]] is a popular choice).
-*'''[[Makhleb]]:''' Health on kills, piety-powered destructive blasts and the ability to summon demons. His summons are much more powerful than ice-beasts, and HP is always useful, so Makhleb is always a good choice. The one catch is you absolutely have to level invocations, or risk summoning hostile demons.
+*'''[[Makhleb]]:''' Health on kills, piety-powered destructive blasts and the ability to summon demons. His summons are much more powerful than ice-beasts, and HP is always useful, so Makhleb is a good choice. The one catch is you absolutely have to level invocations, or risk summoning hostile demons.
-*'''[[Yredelemnul]]:''' The allies he provides are all useful, and once you can cast haste on them they become even more powerful. Pain Mirror and Drain Life are also great panic buttons.
+*'''[[Yredelemnul]]:''' Perhaps the absolute best god if all you want to do is win. He allows you to raise the dead to fight by your side, and gifts undead allies, all of which become more powerful once you can [[haste]]n them. In addition to that, Pain Mirror is a great panic button, Drain Life can heal you when you need it most, and Enslave Soul allows to make any unique in the game your permanent servant.
-*'''[[The Shining One]]:''' A poor choice for the early game, but one of the absolute strongest gods for the later game. He has so many useful abilities, it's probably best if you just read his page. The classic Okawaru to TSO swap is always strong, and being able to turn a demon trident into a [[trishula]] at high piety makes him particularly appealing to characters using shields.
+*'''[[The Shining One]]:''' A poor choice for the early game due to his restrictions, but one of the absolute strongest gods for the extended game. He has so many useful abilities, I'm not even going to try and list them all here. If you want to swap from Okawaru to TSO, make sure to not clear [[Crypt]] until you've made the change.
 =Strategy Overview=