Late Game Character Building

Version 0.17: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

This game covers basic character build strategy for players that already have at least one rune and are ready to collect the rest and finish the game with 3 runes. If you're going to 15 runes, you have enough experience and spellbooks/equipment to do whatever you want.

It is assumed you read mid-game strategy.

Skills

Wrapping up our skills for our characters...

Melee Focused

Melee focused players generally follow the same path as mid-game. Aptitudes should influence your decisions, but only mildly!

Weapon

Weapon skill should go to all the way to your weapon's minimum delay and stay there till Zot. This is, for the following end-game weapons (If it's not mentioned, go ahead and go to about 18 for damage):

• 26 for Executioner's axe, Bardiche
• 24 for Giant spiked club, Triple sword
• 20 for Great mace, Battleaxe, Glaive, Great sword
• 18 for Giant club

By Zot:5, you should probably raise these to be even higher, possibly all the way to 27 or so, but this is not necessary.

Armour & Dodging

While still not as important as weapon skill, it should close the gap after your weapon hits min delay. The most important factor to take into account here is the AC and ER of your body armour. Characters wearing armours with ER greater than 3 should prioritize Armour, and characters with low ER Dodging. Other significant factors are dexterity, size, and aptitudes.

Fighting

Again, this should close the gap after hitting your weapon's min delay. However, by Zot, your fighting skill should surpass even your weapon skill in importance.

Ranged weapons

Go to about 20, and once you have the spells you want, all the way up to 27.

God skills, invocations and evocations, should be decently high if your god requires them.

Spell Skills

Again, for a melee focused player, spell skills should only be raised enough to get the wanted spells castable with decent spellpower.

Spell Focused

Spell focused characters also follow a similar path as mid-game characters

Weapon

If you choose to use a weapon, your weapon should really only hit min-delay and stay there. For one handed weapons, this rarely exceeds about 12. If you have extra experience, go ahead and raise it, though, and if your character has extreme aptitudes for a weapon (+3 or 4), consider a melee focused end-game weapon.

Stealth

Now that you have lots of experience lee-way, consider dumping a decent amount here. No more then the early teens, though.

Dodge

Again, roughly the teens, possibly more.

Shields

If you're using a shield, get it to 15, if using a buckler, 5. This removes the penalty for medium races (which is most), if you are a different size, you will need a different level.

SpellCasting

Spellcasting should second only your 9th level spells in importance by the end-game, if you even use 9th level spells. If your 6th level spells cost more than strawberry, you need more.

Fighting

All spellcasters should invest a lot in fighting by the end-game. Most characters will want to hit Zot with 180+ HP, although 140 or less is certainly doable.

Spell Skills

Buff spells should reach either great or excellent, although if you always pre-buff you can get away with even as low as very good.

Damage spells below level 9, on the other hand, should be raised past excellent so they reap more benefits from higher spell power. If you feel like your survivability is fine at the moment, never be afraid to stick more into your damage spells.

Armour Level

Again, as in the mid-game, your armour should reflect how high you want to cast spells.

Spell Choice

By this point in the game, the amount of experience you have is so high that the lines between melee focused players and spell focused players gets considerably blurred. Thus, it's easiest to divide spell choice by armour level and category.

Choice by Armour

Spells by armour level:

Light armour level

Going robe/leather is the most common choice for spell-focused players, and is best for characters with no weapon or using a weapon only as emergency/clean-up. Any level of spell choice can be considered, and several high level buffs may be used.

However, 9th level spells are still an awkward choice for some species even in robes. Ogres and trolls, for example, should not even consider casting them. Other players may choose not to bother, using lesser attack spells like Freezing Cloud and taking advantage of a wider variety of utility spells with the spare spell slots.

Dragon Armour level

Players in fire dragon armour or heavier have generally foregone the thought of 9th level spells. Their highest level of offense is likely to be Freezing Cloud, bolt spells (and Iron Shot), and Orb of Destruction

This is a choice best for those who either were formerly melee focused and now want some escape options, for those casters who don't wish to cast 9th level spells, or for those severely lacking in resists. Additionally, some species may be forced into it for lack of equipment options even as a melee focused player if they can't find gold dragon armour

Furthermore, this is not a permanent decision, and dragon armour may be used temporarily before learning higher level spells.

Plate Mail level

Plate mail and heavier is the choice for those foregoing offensive magic and high level buffs altogether. To be able to cast Haste, your character will need about 18 levels in Charms depending on intelligence, wizardry and Spellcasting.

Choice by category

Spells By category:

Offensive

If you choose to go with a 9th level spell, don't be picky: they are a massive investment in experience and one should really only aim for one that you already have a lot of skill experience in. E.g., you got Bolt of Fire to excellent, so you learn Fire Storm. Additionally, unless you worship Vehumet (and sometimes even then) you well not get a 9th level spell reliable until you're just finishing your last rune. Thus, do not invest a drop of exp into it as it will not help you survive whatever branch you're currently doing. Instead, when your mid-level offense is solid, focus on fighting or buffs.

All players relying mostly on magic for offense should learn a high level non-elemental damage spell for Zot. Iron Shot, IOOD, Dragon's Call (for summoners), and Shadow Creatures are all good choices.

Lastly, crowd control spells like elemental bolts and freezing cloud are extremely convenient, although not 100% needed.

Low level damage spells are no longer needed at this point, weapons and mana channeling completely replace them.

Buffs/Escape/Misc spells

In addition to the low level buffs mentioned in Mid Game Tips...

Abjuration: Level 3, instakills all those fiends a lich or deep elf summons.

Haste: Haste is of absolute importance to anyone who can cast it. Just get it. The only reason not to get haste is if you have a wand of hasting and several recharge scrolls, but even then it's a good idea.

Controlled Blink: The penultimate spell for survivability, Controlled Blink is almost always an effective escape option. Learn it unless your character is terrible at translocations, probably even then.

Borgnjor's Revivification: Go from 20 HP to 180 in one cast. A total life saver. Unfortunately, it takes a bite to your max hp, but it's better to have 4 less hp than to be dead. Still, CBlink will get you out of a bad situation, while Borgnjor's will keep you in it with 7 less MP. Definitely worth considering

Deflect Missiles: Pretty awesome, but sometimes a bit overkill. A fine choice for those with terrible survivability or for those with nothing else to put experience into. However, if you choose not to use this, Repel Missiles is pretty mandatory.

Phase Shift: Nice for if you have to stair dance Vaults:5 because you screwed it up, or if you're melee focused and want some upfront dodging. That's.. about it really. Still, it's only 5 spell levels and requires very little experience.

Death's Door: As a dual spell category level 8 spell, this is so hard to cast that it is of questionable use as a 3 rune escape option. In addition, it is extremely dangerous to use, by far a last resort.

Silence: A superb spell for those in plate mail or heavier. Keep in mind it is very dangerous to use without a wand of teleport, though, and it won't work on demons or an Orb of fire

Invisibility: Of questionable use for non-stabbers.