Difference between revisions of "Zot:5"

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(Trap Strategies)
(The strategies section is more for overall approaches to obtaining the orb, not for individual steps; additionally, those two sections were already covered under Preliminaries; condensed and updated some advice)
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'''Zot:5''' is the final floor of [[the Realm of Zot]]. Part of the floor is similar to Zot:1-4, but the rest is taken over by the massive Orb chamber, one of several pre-designed vaults containing the [[Orb of Zot]]. Picking up the Orb allows you to ascend the [[Dungeon]], escape, and win the game.
 
'''Zot:5''' is the final floor of [[the Realm of Zot]]. Part of the floor is similar to Zot:1-4, but the rest is taken over by the massive Orb chamber, one of several pre-designed vaults containing the [[Orb of Zot]]. Picking up the Orb allows you to ascend the [[Dungeon]], escape, and win the game.
  
The Orb chamber is one of the hardest places you'll have to trudge through, barring some of the worst [[Ziggurat]] floors. It is almost entirely constructed of indestructible walls and has a layout that makes monsters likely to come at you in groups. These monsters include:
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The Orb chamber is one of the most dangerous places you'll have to trudge through, barring some of the worst [[Ziggurat]] floors. It is almost entirely constructed of indestructible walls and has a layout that makes monsters likely to come at you in groups. These monsters include:
  
 
*{{monsterlink|Ancient lich}} - Very powerful spellcasters that can [[paralyse]] you, summon [[Tier-1 demon|Tier-1]] and [[Tier-2 demon|-2]] demons, and cast brutal [[Conjurations]] ([[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], etc.).
 
*{{monsterlink|Ancient lich}} - Very powerful spellcasters that can [[paralyse]] you, summon [[Tier-1 demon|Tier-1]] and [[Tier-2 demon|-2]] demons, and cast brutal [[Conjurations]] ([[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], etc.).
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*{{monsterlink|Electric golem}} - Extremely fast constructs that blink constantly and deal heavy [[electricity]] damage.
 
*{{monsterlink|Electric golem}} - Extremely fast constructs that blink constantly and deal heavy [[electricity]] damage.
 
*{{monsterlink|Orb guardian}} - Although fairly bland compared to everything else on Zot:5, these melee monsters are powerful, move quickly, and come in great numbers.
 
*{{monsterlink|Orb guardian}} - Although fairly bland compared to everything else on Zot:5, these melee monsters are powerful, move quickly, and come in great numbers.
*{{monsterlink|Killer Klown}} - Unpredictable blinking pests whose melee attacks can inflict a very wide variety of random effects.
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*{{monsterlink|Killer Klown}} - Unpredictable blinking pests whose [[Throw Klown Pie|thrown pies]] can inflict a variety of unpleasant effects.
 
*All manner of [[list of dragons|dragons]] and [[list of draconians|draconians]].
 
*All manner of [[list of dragons|dragons]] and [[list of draconians|draconians]].
  
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The following items, abilities, and intrinsics are recommended for surviving the Orb chamber. They are ordered in terms of importance. A more experienced player can clear the chamber with fewer, while a player who just reached Zot:5 for the first time will probably want to have as many of them as possible.
 
The following items, abilities, and intrinsics are recommended for surviving the Orb chamber. They are ordered in terms of importance. A more experienced player can clear the chamber with fewer, while a player who just reached Zot:5 for the first time will probably want to have as many of them as possible.
 
*High HP ([[Fighting]] skill), MP ([[Spellcasting]], [[Invocations]], or [[Evocations]] skill), [[experience]] level, [[AC]], [[EV]], [[SH]], [[Piety]], etc.
 
*High HP ([[Fighting]] skill), MP ([[Spellcasting]], [[Invocations]], or [[Evocations]] skill), [[experience]] level, [[AC]], [[EV]], [[SH]], [[Piety]], etc.
*Max [[fire resistance]] for [[orbs of fire]].
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*[[Fire resistance]] for [[orbs of fire]] (as much as you can muster -- three ranks is best, but two ranks are adequate if you can kill them quickly).
*Ways to increase your damage output and mobility, such as potions of haste and might and several god abilities such as Okawaru's [[finesse]].
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*Ways to increase your damage output and mobility, such as [[potions of haste]] and [[potion of might|might]] and several god abilities such as Okawaru's [[finesse]].
 
*[[Electricity resistance]] for [[electric golem]]s.
 
*[[Electricity resistance]] for [[electric golem]]s.
 
*High [[magic resistance]] for ancient liches (MR+++ or better to reliably avoid [[paralysis]]).
 
*High [[magic resistance]] for ancient liches (MR+++ or better to reliably avoid [[paralysis]]).
 
*[[Negative energy resistance]] and [[cold resistance]] for [[ancient lich]]es.
 
*[[Negative energy resistance]] and [[cold resistance]] for [[ancient lich]]es.
*[[Potions of mutation]] for when Orbs of Fire inevitably malmutate you.
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*[[Potions of mutation]] for when Orbs of Fire inevitably [[malmutate]] you.
 
*[[See invisible]] for ancient liches.
 
*[[See invisible]] for ancient liches.
*A [[Potion of cancellation]] to get rid of the "Mark" status, should you step on an alarm trap far away from the next upstairs.
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*[[Potions of cancellation]] to get rid of the [[Sentinel's Mark]] status, should you trigger an [[alarm trap]] far away from the nearest stairs.
 
*Optional: [[Darkness]] if you intend to sneak in attracting as little attention as possible.
 
*Optional: [[Darkness]] if you intend to sneak in attracting as little attention as possible.
  
 
==Preliminaries==
 
==Preliminaries==
 
*Clear Zot:1-4. This is optional, but it gives a large amount of experience and makes the ascension run safer.
 
*Clear Zot:1-4. This is optional, but it gives a large amount of experience and makes the ascension run safer.
*If you have one, use a [[scroll of magic mapping]] once you reach Zot:5 to see the layout of the chamber.
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*If you have one, use a [[scroll of magic mapping]] once you reach Zot:5 to see the layout of the chamber. Consider [[exclusion|excluding]] the entrance to the orb chamber so you don't autoexplore into it (shift-x, select the entrance, press e twice to block the spot).
*Clear everything outside the chamber first. This section will be just like the upper floors of Zot. Doing this will make escapes much safer. If the level has permanent teleport traps, expect monsters to be scattered everywhere, including in places that you've already cleared!
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*Clear everything outside the chamber first, which makes escaping from Zot:5 much safer; this section will be similar to the upper floors of Zot. Do note that as you explore the orb chamber, monsters may stumble into the permanent teleport traps within and be scattered across the level, including areas you have already cleared.
 
*If you have a way to dig, consider making a [[kill hole]] near the entrance to the Orb chamber; this can help pare down the dangerous monsters you'll be fighting at once. Be sure to leave an exit for yourself, as [[teleport]]ing away will be slow and potentially dangerous, as you might end up teleporting into the Orb chamber itself.
 
*If you have a way to dig, consider making a [[kill hole]] near the entrance to the Orb chamber; this can help pare down the dangerous monsters you'll be fighting at once. Be sure to leave an exit for yourself, as [[teleport]]ing away will be slow and potentially dangerous, as you might end up teleporting into the Orb chamber itself.
  
 
==Monster Strategies==
 
==Monster Strategies==
 
*Killing off ancient liches should be your top priority.
 
*Killing off ancient liches should be your top priority.
**Check which spells the lich can have and what their range is. 7 tiles away, an ancient lich is far less terrifying than 3 tiles from you. Use corners to exploit that.
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**Check which spells the lich can have and what their range is. An ancient lich with [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]] is far less terrifying when at the edge of your [[line of sight]] than when it's up close.
**Buff yourself up whenever dealing with them. They can summon brutal demons with [[torment]] and [[damnation]], or cast Iron Shot or Crystal Spear for massive damage. Some of the best ways of killing them are: good weapons of [[antimagic]] (a short sword of antimagic is ''not'' a good weapon) or [[holy wrath]], [[Dispel Undead]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Shatter]], [[Iron Shot]], [[Tornado]], [[Summon Horrible Things]], [[Dragon's Call]], or [[Shadow Creatures]]. If using heavy [[Conjurations]], couple it with a [[Spellforged Servitor]].
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**Buff yourself up whenever dealing with them. They can summon brutal demons with [[torment]] and [[damnation]], or cast Iron Shot or Crystal Spear for massive damage. Some of the best ways of killing them are: good weapons of [[antimagic]] (a [[short sword]] of antimagic is ''not'' a good weapon) or [[holy wrath]], [[Dispel Undead]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Shatter]], [[Iron Shot]], [[Tornado]], [[Summon Horrible Things]], [[Dragon's Call]], or [[Shadow Creatures]]. If you're using heavy [[Conjurations]], couple it with a [[Spellforged Servitor]].
**Ideally you'll be able to kill any ancient liches before they summon too many demonic reinforcements. If they do get anything frightening out, remember that killing the summoner is the fastest method for destroying their summons. Attempting to flee by blinking is extremely risky, and by foot often results in death by torment and damnation. Don't let the liches last long enough to make this a problem!
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**Ideally you'll be able to kill any ancient liches before they summon too many demonic reinforcements. If they do get anything frightening out, remember that killing the summoner is the fastest method for destroying their summons. Attempting to flee by blinking is extremely risky, and fleeing by foot often results in death by torment and damnation. Don't let the liches last long enough to make this a problem!
 
**Remember that they won't cast anything if they can't see a target; try not to spend too long with them in your [[line of sight]] without attending to them. Melee characters will want to retreat around corners to force them into melee range, as rushing towards them gives them several turns to hit you with a crystal spear or summon fiends, not to mention the fact that you'll likely encounter even more enemies as you enter unexplored areas.
 
**Remember that they won't cast anything if they can't see a target; try not to spend too long with them in your [[line of sight]] without attending to them. Melee characters will want to retreat around corners to force them into melee range, as rushing towards them gives them several turns to hit you with a crystal spear or summon fiends, not to mention the fact that you'll likely encounter even more enemies as you enter unexplored areas.
**[[Silence|Silenced]] Liches cannot cast spells. It is a pure pleasure to start shooting at a Lich, see it speed up, then step behind a corner and just as it would turn around the corner to brutalize you with its spells... silence. That grin on the Lich's face just got transferred to yours as you shred him with your melee or ranged attacks.
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**[[Silence]]d liches cannot cast spells and will instead rely on their pathetic melee skills; their single attack is [[draining]]-branded, but it's still far less terrifying than their magic. Of course, you'll block your own spells at the same time.
*Orbs of fire are next on the list (but if you're facing ancient liches and orbs of the fire at the same time, you should strongly consider making an escape). If you lack at least rF++, they can deal incredible damage very quickly, and they will almost certainly mutate you several times if you don't resist mutations. There's no safe way to deal with them, since they chew through most summons fast and resist almost everything. Melee fighters should use antimagic weapons to negate their attacks (if you haven't found one yet, [[freezing]] or [[vorpal]] weapons are your best alternatives). Conjurers should cast their most powerful non-elemental Conjurations, such as [[Iron Shot]], [[Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Tornado]], [[Glaciate]], or [[Fire Storm]].
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*Orbs of fire are next on the list (but if you're facing ancient liches and orbs of the fire at the same time, you should strongly consider making an escape). If you lack at least rF++, they can deal incredible damage very quickly, and they will almost certainly mutate you several times if you don't resist mutations.
**Again, [[spellforged servitor (monster)|spellforged servitors]] shine here. Their elemental resistances allow them to soak a few orb of fire attacks without dying, their spells are nearly as potent as your own, and you can hide behind one to avoid any bad mutations reaching you.
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**There's no safe way to deal with them, since they have very high HP and defenses, resist almost all elements, and have enough damage output to chew through most summons almost as fast as you can create them. Melee fighters should use antimagic weapons to negate their attacks (if you haven't found one yet, [[freezing]] or [[vorpal]] weapons are your best alternatives). Conjurers should cast their most powerful non-elemental Conjurations, such as [[Iron Shot]], [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Tornado]], or [[Fire Storm]]. [[Absolute Zero]] is perfect for dealing with them, if you can cast it and get them within range.
*Whenever you come across a melee monster (Killer Klown, Orb Guardian, etc.), grab its attention and retreat to a safe place to kill it. Keep in mind that dragons and electric golems will shoot their breath/special attacks at you, so you may have to hide behind a corner to force it follow you.
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**Again, [[spellforged servitor (monster)|spellforged servitors]] shine here. Their elemental resistances allow them to soak a few fire spells without dying, their spells are nearly as potent as your own, and you can hide behind one to avoid any bad mutations reaching you.
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**There is no such thing as overkill when it comes to orbs of fire. Pull out all the stops -- [[potions of might]], [[potion of brilliance|brilliance]], [[potion of haste|haste]], or [[potion of resistance|resistance]], god-given abilities like [[Okawaru]]'s Finesse or [[Sif Muna]]'s Divine Exigesis... Do everything in your power to kill them as quickly as possible.
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*Whenever you come across a monster, grab its attention and retreat to a safe place to kill it. Keep in mind that creatures with ranged attacks (Killer Klowns, dragons/draconians, electric golems) will shoot at you as they chase you, so you may have to hide behind a corner to force them to follow you.
 
*Speaking of Orb Guardians, they are fast and strong, but they ''can'' be confused. If you're about to be swarmed by a bunch, it's often a great idea to have them bashing one another instead of you.
 
*Speaking of Orb Guardians, they are fast and strong, but they ''can'' be confused. If you're about to be swarmed by a bunch, it's often a great idea to have them bashing one another instead of you.
 
*Moths of wrath may berserk monsters or you. Try not to be there when this happens to a pack of Orb Guardians.
 
*Moths of wrath may berserk monsters or you. Try not to be there when this happens to a pack of Orb Guardians.
  
 
==Trap Strategies==  
 
==Trap Strategies==  
(Up to date for 0.25) The inner chamber and the lungs are littered with [[Trap|traps]]. Dispersal will blink you around and Alarm will wake up everyone and Mark you. The really nasty thing is that these traps do not only trigger if you step on them, but also if a monster does. However, the traps will only affect you if you are within their line of sight - so it may be the safer play to stay out of sight and yell into the lungs to attract monsters to fight you.
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The inner chamber and the lungs are littered with [[trap]]s. [[Dispersal trap]]s will blink you around randomly, possibly putting you behind enemy lines and in sight of something unpleasant. [[Alarm trap]]s will wake most of the floor and ensure everything can hunt you down. [[Net trap]]s will drop [[throwing net]]s on you, potentially pinning you down long enough for something to come along and kill you. [[Pressure plate]]s will drop a bunch of Killer Klowns on top of you. [[Zot trap]]s will apply one of several unpleasant effects (list includes draining your MP, paralyzing you, durably summoning a greater demon, and more). Furthermore, monsters can and will use traps against you by stepping on them. However, traps can only affect you if you can see them; it may be safer to stay out of sight and [[shout]] into the chamber lungs to attract attention.
  
If all that precaution still leads to you being Marked, remember to instantly quaff a [[Potion of cancellation]] to get rid of that debuff and plan your exit. You must make it out of LOS to the dispersal traps, otherwise, you may never be able to leave the chamber due to constantly getting blinked around. Should that happen, then reading a scroll of teleport may be your last desperate hope to get out alive.
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Be sure to immediately quaff a potion of cancellation if you get marked and begin planning a retreat (as creatures will continue to move towards your last known location for a time). Be especially wary of dispersal traps in this situation, as random blinking will almost certainly stymie any attempt to flee on foot. Should you be trapped in an endless cycle of blinking, reading a scroll of teleportation may be your last chance to get out alive.
  
This is one of the rare cases where a ring or weapon with -Tele may become a lifesaver.
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An [[artefact]] with -Tele may become a lifesaver, as it will prevent dispersal traps from blinking you. However, it will also prevent you from teleporting to safety; be prepared to begin retreating the instant things start to turn south.
  
 
==Strategies==
 
==Strategies==
 
'''WARNING: The strategies below call for specific abilities and tactics, and may not apply to your character!'''
 
'''WARNING: The strategies below call for specific abilities and tactics, and may not apply to your character!'''
===Map the Dungeon===
 
Save at least one Scroll of Magic Mapping for Zot:5, so you do not inadvertently stumble into the main hall. Set a travel exclusion on the entrance to the main hall (shift-x, select the entrance, press e twice to block the spot).
 
 
===Clear the surrounding area, multiple times===
 
Zot:5 can have permanent teleportation traps in the Orb Chamber. This means that even when you cleared everything outside of the hall, there may well be nasties in the "explored territory" that were teleported out of the main chamber. If you have set the travel exclusions, you can use the "Forget Map" command (shift-x ctrl-f) and auto-explore. Rinse and repeat several times.
 
  
 
===Clear the Chamber Gradually===
 
===Clear the Chamber Gradually===
The most straightforward strategy is to simply walk into the chamber, wake up as few monsters as possible, then retreat and kill them one by one. Repeat. When exploring the two areas adjacent to the Orb's chamber, stick to the dividing wall, peek around the corner, and lure back anything you find. Approaching too aggressively will likely lure out more than you'd like to take on all at once.
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The most straightforward strategy is to simply walk into the chamber, wake up as few monsters as possible, retreat and kill them one by one; rinse and repeat. When exploring the two areas adjacent to the Orb's chamber, stick to the dividing wall, peek around the corner, and lure back anything you find. Approaching too aggressively will likely pull down more threats than you can handle at once.
  
===Lure Monsters Out===
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This strategy can also be accomplished with careful use of [[noise]] (shouting and spells are the most reliable means of attracting attention). Make some noise to attract some monsters, get them chasing you, and run away. Note that due to the chamber layout and the patrolling Orb Guardians, this may be hard to do without getting swamped.
By careful use of noise (shouting and spells are the most reliable means of generating this), you may be able to wake up a few monsters, get them chasing you, and run away. Note that due to the chamber layout and the patrolling Orb Guardians, this may be hard to do without getting swamped.
 
  
 
===Go In With an Army===
 
===Go In With an Army===
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*The [[demonspawn mutations#Demonic Guardian|Demonic Guardian]] [[demonspawn]] mutation gives you demonic guardians when [[tension]] is high. Zot:5 qualifies.
 
*The [[demonspawn mutations#Demonic Guardian|Demonic Guardian]] [[demonspawn]] mutation gives you demonic guardians when [[tension]] is high. Zot:5 qualifies.
 
*Why compromise? [[Dragon's Call]]: There is no substitute.
 
*Why compromise? [[Dragon's Call]]: There is no substitute.
*Worshipers of [[Fedhas]] can grow an [[oklob]] farm and lure enemies to it.
 
 
  
 
It's worth noting that in Zot, almost any permanent servant will be annihilated quickly, especially when the orbs of fire start tossing around fireballs. Hordes of minions can certainly take down any given local, but you'll be going through a ''lot'' of minions! Since all of these units are fairly short-lived, this makes summons and divine companions much more attractive than the more "permanent" minions, as they depend less on limited resources like corpses.
 
It's worth noting that in Zot, almost any permanent servant will be annihilated quickly, especially when the orbs of fire start tossing around fireballs. Hordes of minions can certainly take down any given local, but you'll be going through a ''lot'' of minions! Since all of these units are fairly short-lived, this makes summons and divine companions much more attractive than the more "permanent" minions, as they depend less on limited resources like corpses.
  
 
===Blast Your Way Through===
 
===Blast Your Way Through===
A [[Conjurations]] specialist with a reliable means of recharging MP ([[potions of magic]], [[Sif Muna]]'s channeling, [[Sublimation of Blood]], etc.) can often simply blast his way through with high-end spells like [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Fire Storm]], or [[Glaciate]]. This is especially true when you're accompanied by a spellforged servitor. Mind the noise, don't attract more monsters than your MP can handle, and don't be afraid to fall back and recover if need be.
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A [[Conjurations]] specialist with a reliable means of recharging MP ([[potions of magic]], [[Sif Muna]]'s channeling, [[Sublimation of Blood]], etc.) can often simply blast his way through with high-end spells like [[Lehudib's Crystal Spear]], [[Orb of Destruction]], [[Fire Storm]], or [[Shatter]]. This is especially true when you're accompanied by a [[spellforged servitor]]. Mind the noise, don't attract more monsters than your MP can handle, and don't be afraid to fall back and recover if need be.
  
 
===Lugonu's Corruption===
 
===Lugonu's Corruption===
Worshiping [[Lugonu]] can make rushing into the Orb chamber a much less daunting task. If you corrupt the level at the entrance of the left or right side of the chamber, you will likely break through a path to the Orb room and in the meantime create walls and demons blocking the path of monsters. Haste yourself if you have any potions left, rush past any remaining guardians, read a [[scroll of teleportation]], and grab the Orb. If you wind up in a dangerous spot, teleport yourself again and hope for a better landing. If need be, banishing yourself to the Abyss can save your life and give you a chance to heal, but don't forget that you will return to the exact same spot you left from.
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Worshiping [[Lugonu]] can make rushing into the Orb chamber a much less daunting task. If you corrupt the level at the entrance of the left or right side of the chamber, you will likely break through a path to the Orb room and in the meantime create walls and demons blocking the path of monsters. Haste yourself if possible, rush past any remaining guardians, read a [[scroll of teleportation]], and grab the Orb. If you wind up in a dangerous spot, teleport yourself again and hope for a better landing. If need be, banishing yourself to the Abyss can save your life and give you a chance to heal, but don't forget that you will return to the exact same spot you left from.
  
===Shatter/Lee's Rapid Deconstruction===
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===Shatter===
If you don't worship Lugonu, but can cast [[Shatter]] or (prior to 0.22) [[Lee's Rapid Deconstruction]], you may use them to dig through the shatterable stone walls. Note, however, that this is much slower and will make a '''lot''' of noise, enough to instantly awaken almost every monster on the floor. As a bonus, however, Shatter deals very respectable damage to most enemies found here (apart from orbs of fire). Once you clear a path to the Orb, grab it quickly and teleport away as described above. [[Zin]]'s Sanctuary ability is a nice addition to keep you alive when all else fails.
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If you don't worship Lugonu but can cast [[Shatter]], you can make yourself a shortcut through the stone walls in the orb chamber. Note, however, that this is much slower and will make a '''lot''' of noise, enough to instantly awaken almost every monster on the floor. As a bonus, however, Shatter deals very respectable damage to many enemies found here (apart from dragons, orbs of fire, and electric golems). Once you clear a path to the Orb, grab it quickly and teleport away as described above. [[Zin]]'s Sanctuary ability is a nice addition to keep you alive when all else fails.
  
 
===Stealth/Stabbing===
 
===Stealth/Stabbing===
Walk into the Orb chamber and try to stab any sleeping monsters (Orb Guardians, ancient liches, orbs of fire, etc.). If possible, cast [[Darkness]] to limit the number of opponents you have to deal with. Be sure to have a means of escape and make sure you are extremely stealthy if you want to try this approach. If an Orb Guardian wakes up, lure it outside the chamber before fighting it to avoid waking up any other monsters. When you're in sight of the Orb, grab it and teleport away.
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Walk into the Orb chamber and try to stab any sleeping monsters (Orb Guardians, ancient liches, orbs of fire, etc.). If possible, cast [[Darkness]] to limit the number of opponents you have to deal with. Be sure to have a means of escape and stack as much stealth as possible if you want to try this approach. If an Orb Guardian wakes up, lure it outside the chamber before fighting it to avoid waking up any other monsters. When you're in sight of the Orb, grab it and teleport away.
 
 
 
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
Prior to [[0.19]], the translocations restrictions of the [[Orb of Zot]] did not apply to the entire Realm of Zot
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*Prior to [[0.19]], the translocations restrictions of the [[Orb of Zot]] did not apply to the entire Realm of Zot
 
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*Before the removal of [[teleport control]] in [[0.17]], [[teleport control]] was disabled on Zot:5
Before the removal of [[teleport control]] in [[0.17]], [[teleport control]] was disabled on Zot:5
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*Prior to [[0.12]], digging out everything outside the Orb chamber would increase the chances of landing somewhere safe after a random teleport.
 
 
Prior to [[0.12]], digging out everything outside the Orb chamber would increase the chances of landing somewhere safe after a random teleport.
 
  
 
[[Category:Spoilers]]
 
[[Category:Spoilers]]
 
[[Category:Strategy_Guides]]
 
[[Category:Strategy_Guides]]

Revision as of 00:38, 16 August 2020

Version 0.21: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Zot:5 is the final floor of the Realm of Zot. Part of the floor is similar to Zot:1-4, but the rest is taken over by the massive Orb chamber, one of several pre-designed vaults containing the Orb of Zot. Picking up the Orb allows you to ascend the Dungeon, escape, and win the game.

The Orb chamber is one of the most dangerous places you'll have to trudge through, barring some of the worst Ziggurat floors. It is almost entirely constructed of indestructible walls and has a layout that makes monsters likely to come at you in groups. These monsters include:

Charging in is almost certain suicide. To succeed, consider your build and plan your approach around that. The rest of the page provides helpful information and outlines common strategies.

Preparations

The following items, abilities, and intrinsics are recommended for surviving the Orb chamber. They are ordered in terms of importance. A more experienced player can clear the chamber with fewer, while a player who just reached Zot:5 for the first time will probably want to have as many of them as possible.

Preliminaries

  • Clear Zot:1-4. This is optional, but it gives a large amount of experience and makes the ascension run safer.
  • If you have one, use a scroll of magic mapping once you reach Zot:5 to see the layout of the chamber. Consider excluding the entrance to the orb chamber so you don't autoexplore into it (shift-x, select the entrance, press e twice to block the spot).
  • Clear everything outside the chamber first, which makes escaping from Zot:5 much safer; this section will be similar to the upper floors of Zot. Do note that as you explore the orb chamber, monsters may stumble into the permanent teleport traps within and be scattered across the level, including areas you have already cleared.
  • If you have a way to dig, consider making a kill hole near the entrance to the Orb chamber; this can help pare down the dangerous monsters you'll be fighting at once. Be sure to leave an exit for yourself, as teleporting away will be slow and potentially dangerous, as you might end up teleporting into the Orb chamber itself.

Monster Strategies

  • Killing off ancient liches should be your top priority.
    • Check which spells the lich can have and what their range is. An ancient lich with Lehudib's Crystal Spear is far less terrifying when at the edge of your line of sight than when it's up close.
    • Buff yourself up whenever dealing with them. They can summon brutal demons with torment and damnation, or cast Iron Shot or Crystal Spear for massive damage. Some of the best ways of killing them are: good weapons of antimagic (a short sword of antimagic is not a good weapon) or holy wrath, Dispel Undead, Orb of Destruction, Shatter, Iron Shot, Tornado, Summon Horrible Things, Dragon's Call, or Shadow Creatures. If you're using heavy Conjurations, couple it with a Spellforged Servitor.
    • Ideally you'll be able to kill any ancient liches before they summon too many demonic reinforcements. If they do get anything frightening out, remember that killing the summoner is the fastest method for destroying their summons. Attempting to flee by blinking is extremely risky, and fleeing by foot often results in death by torment and damnation. Don't let the liches last long enough to make this a problem!
    • Remember that they won't cast anything if they can't see a target; try not to spend too long with them in your line of sight without attending to them. Melee characters will want to retreat around corners to force them into melee range, as rushing towards them gives them several turns to hit you with a crystal spear or summon fiends, not to mention the fact that you'll likely encounter even more enemies as you enter unexplored areas.
    • Silenced liches cannot cast spells and will instead rely on their pathetic melee skills; their single attack is draining-branded, but it's still far less terrifying than their magic. Of course, you'll block your own spells at the same time.
  • Orbs of fire are next on the list (but if you're facing ancient liches and orbs of the fire at the same time, you should strongly consider making an escape). If you lack at least rF++, they can deal incredible damage very quickly, and they will almost certainly mutate you several times if you don't resist mutations.
    • There's no safe way to deal with them, since they have very high HP and defenses, resist almost all elements, and have enough damage output to chew through most summons almost as fast as you can create them. Melee fighters should use antimagic weapons to negate their attacks (if you haven't found one yet, freezing or vorpal weapons are your best alternatives). Conjurers should cast their most powerful non-elemental Conjurations, such as Iron Shot, Lehudib's Crystal Spear, Orb of Destruction, Tornado, or Fire Storm. Absolute Zero is perfect for dealing with them, if you can cast it and get them within range.
    • Again, spellforged servitors shine here. Their elemental resistances allow them to soak a few fire spells without dying, their spells are nearly as potent as your own, and you can hide behind one to avoid any bad mutations reaching you.
    • There is no such thing as overkill when it comes to orbs of fire. Pull out all the stops -- potions of might, brilliance, haste, or resistance, god-given abilities like Okawaru's Finesse or Sif Muna's Divine Exigesis... Do everything in your power to kill them as quickly as possible.
  • Whenever you come across a monster, grab its attention and retreat to a safe place to kill it. Keep in mind that creatures with ranged attacks (Killer Klowns, dragons/draconians, electric golems) will shoot at you as they chase you, so you may have to hide behind a corner to force them to follow you.
  • Speaking of Orb Guardians, they are fast and strong, but they can be confused. If you're about to be swarmed by a bunch, it's often a great idea to have them bashing one another instead of you.
  • Moths of wrath may berserk monsters or you. Try not to be there when this happens to a pack of Orb Guardians.

Trap Strategies

The inner chamber and the lungs are littered with traps. Dispersal traps will blink you around randomly, possibly putting you behind enemy lines and in sight of something unpleasant. Alarm traps will wake most of the floor and ensure everything can hunt you down. Net traps will drop throwing nets on you, potentially pinning you down long enough for something to come along and kill you. Pressure plates will drop a bunch of Killer Klowns on top of you. Zot traps will apply one of several unpleasant effects (list includes draining your MP, paralyzing you, durably summoning a greater demon, and more). Furthermore, monsters can and will use traps against you by stepping on them. However, traps can only affect you if you can see them; it may be safer to stay out of sight and shout into the chamber lungs to attract attention.

Be sure to immediately quaff a potion of cancellation if you get marked and begin planning a retreat (as creatures will continue to move towards your last known location for a time). Be especially wary of dispersal traps in this situation, as random blinking will almost certainly stymie any attempt to flee on foot. Should you be trapped in an endless cycle of blinking, reading a scroll of teleportation may be your last chance to get out alive.

An artefact with -Tele may become a lifesaver, as it will prevent dispersal traps from blinking you. However, it will also prevent you from teleporting to safety; be prepared to begin retreating the instant things start to turn south.

Strategies

WARNING: The strategies below call for specific abilities and tactics, and may not apply to your character!

Clear the Chamber Gradually

The most straightforward strategy is to simply walk into the chamber, wake up as few monsters as possible, retreat and kill them one by one; rinse and repeat. When exploring the two areas adjacent to the Orb's chamber, stick to the dividing wall, peek around the corner, and lure back anything you find. Approaching too aggressively will likely pull down more threats than you can handle at once.

This strategy can also be accomplished with careful use of noise (shouting and spells are the most reliable means of attracting attention). Make some noise to attract some monsters, get them chasing you, and run away. Note that due to the chamber layout and the patrolling Orb Guardians, this may be hard to do without getting swamped.

Go In With an Army

If you can, summon as many creatures as possible. You can then hang back as they fight the enemies. This may be accomplished in many ways:

It's worth noting that in Zot, almost any permanent servant will be annihilated quickly, especially when the orbs of fire start tossing around fireballs. Hordes of minions can certainly take down any given local, but you'll be going through a lot of minions! Since all of these units are fairly short-lived, this makes summons and divine companions much more attractive than the more "permanent" minions, as they depend less on limited resources like corpses.

Blast Your Way Through

A Conjurations specialist with a reliable means of recharging MP (potions of magic, Sif Muna's channeling, Sublimation of Blood, etc.) can often simply blast his way through with high-end spells like Lehudib's Crystal Spear, Orb of Destruction, Fire Storm, or Shatter. This is especially true when you're accompanied by a spellforged servitor. Mind the noise, don't attract more monsters than your MP can handle, and don't be afraid to fall back and recover if need be.

Lugonu's Corruption

Worshiping Lugonu can make rushing into the Orb chamber a much less daunting task. If you corrupt the level at the entrance of the left or right side of the chamber, you will likely break through a path to the Orb room and in the meantime create walls and demons blocking the path of monsters. Haste yourself if possible, rush past any remaining guardians, read a scroll of teleportation, and grab the Orb. If you wind up in a dangerous spot, teleport yourself again and hope for a better landing. If need be, banishing yourself to the Abyss can save your life and give you a chance to heal, but don't forget that you will return to the exact same spot you left from.

Shatter

If you don't worship Lugonu but can cast Shatter, you can make yourself a shortcut through the stone walls in the orb chamber. Note, however, that this is much slower and will make a lot of noise, enough to instantly awaken almost every monster on the floor. As a bonus, however, Shatter deals very respectable damage to many enemies found here (apart from dragons, orbs of fire, and electric golems). Once you clear a path to the Orb, grab it quickly and teleport away as described above. Zin's Sanctuary ability is a nice addition to keep you alive when all else fails.

Stealth/Stabbing

Walk into the Orb chamber and try to stab any sleeping monsters (Orb Guardians, ancient liches, orbs of fire, etc.). If possible, cast Darkness to limit the number of opponents you have to deal with. Be sure to have a means of escape and stack as much stealth as possible if you want to try this approach. If an Orb Guardian wakes up, lure it outside the chamber before fighting it to avoid waking up any other monsters. When you're in sight of the Orb, grab it and teleport away.

History

  • Prior to 0.19, the translocations restrictions of the Orb of Zot did not apply to the entire Realm of Zot
  • Before the removal of teleport control in 0.17, teleport control was disabled on Zot:5
  • Prior to 0.12, digging out everything outside the Orb chamber would increase the chances of landing somewhere safe after a random teleport.