Pillar dancing - Revision history

Hordes: adjust header

2023-07-23T06:30:37Z

adjust header

Hordes: add a dated note

2023-07-23T06:30:09Z

add a dated note

Hordes at 06:29, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T06:29:16Z

Hordes at 06:27, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T06:27:38Z

Hordes: /* History */

2023-06-18T22:40:16Z

‎History

Hordes: /* Pillar Dancing */

2023-01-06T20:44:37Z

‎Pillar Dancing

Hordes: /* Tips & Tricks */

2022-10-29T20:35:43Z

‎Tips & Tricks

Hordes: /* Creating a Space */

2022-10-29T20:23:16Z

‎Creating a Space

Hordes: /* Attacks of Opportunity */

2022-10-29T20:21:25Z

‎Attacks of Opportunity

Hordes at 20:18, 29 October 2022

2022-10-29T20:18:12Z

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 The term [[Pillar dancing]] is a technique for avoiding or otherwise forestalling a battle until a more opportune moment. In simplest form, pillar dancing is just walking in circles for an indefinite amount of time. It has been severely nerfed as of version [[0.29]].
-===Pillar Dancing===
+==Useful Info==
 To pillar dance, simply flee a pursuing, ''non-adjacent'' enemy of the same (or lower) speed around a small "pillar" of walls - anywhere from a 1x3 block to a whole ring of rooms - always going away from the monster, so that you go around the pillar over and over. Preferably, you should be in a mapped out, open area, to minimize the chances of another monster wandering in. If the pillar is large enough, and you far enough, so that monsters leave your [[line of sight]], then your [[Stealth]] might cause the monster to forget about you and wander off.

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 {{version030}}
 {{advice}}
-The term [[Pillar dancing]] is a technique for avoiding or otherwise forestalling a battle until a more opportune moment. In simplest form, pillar dancing is just walking in circles for an indefinite amount of time. However, there are quite a few complexities that come along with it.
+The term [[Pillar dancing]] is a technique for avoiding or otherwise forestalling a battle until a more opportune moment. In simplest form, pillar dancing is just walking in circles for an indefinite amount of time. It has been severely nerfed as of version [[0.29]].
 ===Pillar Dancing===
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 <gallery widths="225px" heights="225px" class="left" mode="nolines">
-File:Pillar dance.png|thumb|left|1x3 pillar. Remember to cut corners diagonally.)
+File:Pillar dance.png|thumb|left|1x3 pillar. Remember to cut corners diagonally.
 </gallery>

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 If the enemy doesn't have any ranged attacks, then you should be regenerating both [[HP]] and [[MP]]. For the most part, monsters will also regenerate HP. So while not flawless, this strategy can be used to 'reset' fights from the beginning, or to just restore a few extra MP for a spell.
-<gallery widths="250px" heights="250px" class="center" mode="nolines">
+<gallery widths="225px" heights="225px" class="left" mode="nolines">
 File:Pillar dance.png|thumb|left|1x3 pillar. Remember to cut corners diagonally.)
 </gallery>
 ==Attacks of Opportunity==

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-{{version029}}
+{{version030}}
 {{advice}}
 The term [[Pillar dancing]] is a technique for avoiding or otherwise forestalling a battle until a more opportune moment. In simplest form, pillar dancing is just walking in circles for an indefinite amount of time. However, there are quite a few complexities that come along with it.
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 To pillar dance, simply flee a pursuing, ''non-adjacent'' enemy of the same (or lower) speed around a small "pillar" of walls - anywhere from a 1x3 block to a whole ring of rooms - always going away from the monster, so that you go around the pillar over and over. Preferably, you should be in a mapped out, open area, to minimize the chances of another monster wandering in. If the pillar is large enough, and you far enough, so that monsters leave your [[line of sight]], then your [[Stealth]] might cause the monster to forget about you and wander off.
-If the enemy doesn't have any ranged attacks, then you should be regenerating both [[HP]] and [[MP]]. For the most part, monsters will also regenerate HP. So while not flawless, this strategy can be used to 'reset' fights from the beginning, or to just restore a few extra MP for a spell that'll kill the foe, guaranteed.
+If the enemy doesn't have any ranged attacks, then you should be regenerating both [[HP]] and [[MP]]. For the most part, monsters will also regenerate HP. So while not flawless, this strategy can be used to 'reset' fights from the beginning, or to just restore a few extra MP for a spell.
 __TOC__
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 ''Main article: [[Attacks of opportunity]]''
-The [[attack of opportunity]] mechanic serves to restrict pillar dancing. If a same-speed enemy is adjacent to you, they will have a 33% chance to get a free attack while re-approaching you. This means that you are unable to pillar dance melee enemies that are threatening enough to warrant pillar dancing.
+The [[attack of opportunity]] mechanic serves to restrict pillar dancing. If a same speed enemy is adjacent to you, they will have a 33% chance to get a free attack while re-approaching you. This means that you are unable to pillar dance melee enemies that are threatening enough to warrant pillar dancing.
-Slow attacking monsters, like [[ogre]]s, will give up a space after an attack of opportunity. While this could allow for pillar dancing, typically these monsters have strong attacks for their depth. If they can 2KO you, taking even one extra attack can lead to death.
+Slow attacking monsters, like [[ogre]]s, will give up a space after an attack of opportunity or two. While this could allow for pillar dancing, typically these monsters have strong attacks for their depth. If they can 2KO you, taking even one extra attack can lead to death.
 ===Creating a Space===
 The following methods can separate yourself from an adjacent monster:
-*Being faster than your opponent.
+*Being faster than your opponent; dancing around a slower opponent is usually called [[kiting]] instead. (Note that [[Swiftness]] causes a speed penalty after it ends)
-** Though [[Swiftness]] causes you to be slow after it runs out, while faster species could've just [[kite]]d the monster, anyway.
+*[[Translocations]] magic: [[Blink]], [[Iskenderun's Mystic Blast]], [[Dispersal]], etc.
 *Disable or slow the opponent: [[curare|curare darts]], [[Hexes]] spells, [[wand of roots]]/[[Borgnjor's Vile Clutch]], [[net]]s.
-*Swap places with an [[ally]]. [[Summonings|Summons]], [[wand of charming|charmed enemies]], [[Beogh|friendly orcs]], or an [[Hepliaklqana|ancestor]] all work equally well for this purpose.
+*Swap places with an [[ally]] behind you. [[Summonings|Summons]], [[wand of charming|charmed enemies]], [[Beogh|friendly orcs]], or an [[Hepliaklqana|ancestor]] all work equally well for this purpose, preventing all attacks of opportunity.
 *Use items. [[Potion of invisibility]], [[scroll of fear]], [[phial of floods]], anything that can cause the above effects.
 *Get another, weaker monster in the way. An [[adder]] is typically better to face than a [[wight]]. It might not help while you're adjacent, but faster monsters will often swap places with slower ones.
-Generally, prevention is better than the cure. Early on, don't get melee monsters adjacent to you unless you are ''certain'' you are ready to fight. Having unknown floor nearby (i.e. unknown monsters) typically means you aren't certain, so don't be afraid to retreat a little.
+Generally, prevention is better than the cure. Early on, don't get melee monsters adjacent to you unless you are ''certain'' you are ready to fight. Having unknown floor nearby (i.e. unknown monsters) typically means you aren't certain, so don't be afraid to retreat to known area.
 ==Tips & Tricks==
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 ==History==
 *In [[0.29]], [[random energy]] was replaced with [[attacks of opportunity]], a much stricter counter to pillar dancing.
-**In prior versions, monsters could randomly get +0.1 or -0.1 turn, but without free attacks. The main take away is to always be prepared to take at least 1 hit from a same speed, adjacent enemy, else you could pillar dance melee enemies.
+:In prior versions, monsters could randomly get +0.1 or -0.1 turn, but without free attacks. The main take away is to always be prepared to take at least 1 hit from a same speed, adjacent enemy, else you could pillar dance melee enemies.
 *Prior to [[0.26]], [[food]] served as a (very) soft, medium-term counter to pillar dancing; running out of food would force you to take a turn to eat. Earlier versions had certain foodstuffs take even longer to eat.
-*Prior to [[0.21]], monsters would [[monster generation|spawn]] over time; these monsters could catch you off guard ("backspawn") and interrupt the pillar dance. Pre-generated awake monsters still serve the same function, though the chance of them actually affecting you are quite low.
+*Prior to [[0.21]], monsters would [[monster generation|spawn]] over time; these monsters could catch you off guard ("backspawn") and interrupt the pillar dance. In 0.21 onwards, monsters that are pre-generated awake can do the same thing, but the chances of them actually interrupting you are significantly lower.
 *Prior to [[0.6]], monster speed was not random, making pillar dancing much safer.
 [[Category:Strategy]]

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 **In prior versions, monsters could randomly get +0.1 or -0.1 turn, but without free attacks. The main take away is to always be prepared to take at least 1 hit from a same speed, adjacent enemy, else you could pillar dance melee enemies.
 *Prior to [[0.26]], [[food]] served as a (very) soft, medium-term counter to pillar dancing; running out of food would force you to take a turn to eat. Earlier versions had certain foodstuffs take even longer to eat.
-*Prior to [[0.21]], monsters would [[monster generation|spawn]] over time; these monsters could catch you off guard and interrupt the pillar dance. Pre-generated awake monsters still serve the same function, though them having an effect is much rarer.
+*Prior to [[0.21]], monsters would [[monster generation|spawn]] over time; these monsters could catch you off guard ("backspawn") and interrupt the pillar dance. Pre-generated awake monsters still serve the same function, though the chance of them actually affecting you are quite low.
 *Prior to [[0.6]], monster speed was not random, making pillar dancing much safer.
 [[Category:Strategy]]

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 ==Tips & Tricks==
 *Remember that both you and monsters can cross diagonals. Monsters will generally take the most efficient path to get to you, so one misstep means taking 1 attack.
-*If a ranged monster is just on the edge of line of sight, you can still pillar dance them (of course, requiring a pillar of sufficient size to do so). As monsters can't attack you while out of sight, they'll always spend their first turn chasing you; and if they then attack, you will most likely be able to escape.
+*If a ranged monster is just on the edge of unobstructed line of sight, you can still pillar dance them (of course, requiring a pillar of sufficient size to do so). Your movement will break LOS, and as monsters can't attack you while out of sight, they'll always spend their turn chasing you.
 ==History==