Difference between revisions of "Stash"

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[[Image:Stash.jpg|right|thumb|200px|An elaborately arranged Lair:2 stash.]]
 
  
Technically, a '''stash''' is any item which has been left on [[the Dungeon]] floor. In more common usage, however, a stash is a location in which a player dumps any items she does not wish to carry around at all times, but which may be useful later. Although there are arguments both for and against creating a massive, centralized stash for all your loot, all players will at some point or other need to drop items. Carrying valuable [[potions]] and [[scrolls]] around puts them at risk of [[item destruction]], and many of these items serve no purpose in the heat of combat anyway. Also, both [[strength]] and [[inventory]] space restrict the amount of gear you can lug around with you. Squirreling away items intelligently can help safeguard your hoarded loot.
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Technically, a '''stash''' is any item which has been left on [[the Dungeon]] floor. In more common usage, however, a stash is a centralized location in which a player dumps any items they do not wish to carry around at all times, but which may be useful later. This can fit in a single tile, or span throughout an entire floor.
  
 
==Strategy==
 
==Strategy==
Since intelligent monsters can pick up items like weapons, wands, potions, or scrolls for their own use, and because [[jellies]] will eat anything they come across, stashes are generally established in areas where these monsters are unlikely to generate. After clearing an entire floor, you need only worry about random [[monster generation]] creating a monster capable of using your items, and even then it's unlikely that they'll stumble across your stash; unlike players, monsters do not go out of their way to grab items. You can reduce the odds of monsters finding your stash even further by placing your items in the corners of large rooms; wandering monster AI makes it extremely unlikely for them to be discovered.
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It's very easy to forget where you left a particular item as you explore. Fortunately, pressing '''"CTRL+f"''' brings up a search prompt which allows you to pinpoint where you left your things quickly and easily. This can be used to search for individual items (e.g. scroll of amnesia, +1 helmet), item categories (body armour, Maces & Flails, wand), and even particular resistances or intrinsics.
  
It's very easy to forget where you left a particular item as you explore. Fortunately, pressing '''"CTRL+f"''' brings up a search prompt which allows you to pinpoint where you left your things quickly and easily. This can be used to search for individual items (e.g. bread ration, +1 helmet), item categories (body armour, Maces & Flails, wand), spells (this will bring up all spell books which contain the spell), and even particular resistances or intrinsics.
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In modern Crawl, there's little need to put all your items in one place. You could certainly forget what you need to search for in the first place. But as you get used to what items you drop, even that becomes less relevant. Regardless, it's a good idea to open a few slots in your inventory before entering a timed [[portal]]. Portals permanently close once you leave them, so you don't want to leave any items behind. In most other cases, its trading a few (largely irrelevant) turns in the [[Zot clock]] for a (marginally) more organized and memorizable Dungeon.
  
Some players choose to create a single stash for all of their loot in [[branch]]es which guarantee their safety. Common stash branches include:
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Players aiming to complete many [[Ziggurat]]s can establish elaborate, floor-wide stashes for the sake of it; your collection of [[artefact]]s is only bound to grow.
*Not Dungeon:5-15 or [[the Slime Pits]]
 
**These are the floors on which jellies can randomly generate
 
*The [[Ecumenical Temple]]
 
**No monsters unless you bring them in yourself
 
**Easily reached by all characters
 
*[[Lair]]:2
 
**No monsters capable of using or eating items can generate here
 
**Found roughly halfway through the Dungeon, making it a common area to walk past while exploring the various branches
 
*[[The Vestibule of Hell]]
 
**Multiple entrances found throughout the late game make it quickly accessible, especially if an entrance occurs on Lair:8
 
**Few monsters generate here, and most of them are incapable of using items
 
*[[Teleport trap]]
 
**Teleport traps only affect players and monsters, not items. So long as you have access to the [[stasis]] intrinsic, any items you place on a teleport trap will be untouchable.
 
*[[Deep water]]
 
**[[Merfolk]], [[octopode]], and grey [[draconian]] characters can dump their goods in deep water to render them inaccessible to all non-jelly, non-[[list of merfolk|merfolk]] threats
 
  
There are arguments for and against making centralized stash locations, however.
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==Gallery==
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[[Image:Stash.jpg|thumb|center|500px|An elaborately arranged Lair:2 stash.]]
  
===Pros===
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==History==
*'''Tracking Inventory''' - Keeping all of your consumables in one place allows you to easily take stock of what you have and what you're lacking. Also, poring over your inventory may remind you that you have resources you'd forgotten about, and which would have otherwise gone to waste.
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*Many quality of life changes are aimed at reducing inventory management, and thus, a need to stash items at all. [[Scrolls of remove curse]] and [[manual]]s in [[0.27]], [[food]] in [[0.26]], and [[spellbook]]s in [[0.22]] are just some of the once-necessary items that have been either removed or otherwise 'goldifed' (no longer taking inventory slots).
*'''Spell Decisions''' - Placing all your books in one pile allows you to see all spells currently available to you. While experienced players will often know exactly which spells they intend to use, others may benefit from seeing all their options at once and determining how best to use their available spell levels.
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*Prior to [[0.17]], jellies could eat any item left on the floor, putting your stash in grave danger.  
*'''Convenience''' - Rather than manually typing in an item name each time you need to find one, you can simply autotravel to the branch where you left all your stuff.
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*Prior to [[0.15]], items could be destroyed through [[item destruction]], forcing the player to risk losing items in the inventory or leave them behind. Items had [[aum|weight]] and would eventually be too much of a burden for your character to carry. These facts greatly increased the need for a stash, as well as what was stashed at all. Also, all teleport traps were permanent, so characters with [[stasis]] could use them as untouchable stash sites.
*'''Safety''' - Although stashes placed throughout the Dungeon are generally safe if placed intelligently, putting your items in the Ecumenical Temple, Lair:2, or on top of a teleport trap is slightly safer. It may be paranoia, but no one likes discovering that their last [[potion of cure mutation]] is now jelly food.
 
  
===Cons===
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[[Category:Items]]
*'''Unnecessary''' - As stated above, it is perfectly reasonable to drop items wherever you want and to expect them to be there when you get back. This is especially true for items which item-using monsters ignore, such as food, scrolls, and most potions.
 
*'''Wasteful''' - If you leave items which are commonly used lying in multiple locations throughout the Dungeon, you'll spend less time reaching them and returning to the area you were exploring than if you haul them all back up a dozen Dungeon floors for deposit. This conserves your food and reduces your turn count.
 
*'''Loss in Transit''' - Although a stashed item is safe, an item in your inventory is susceptible to item destruction, and you'll need to keep things in your inventory while transporting them. Simply leaving potions and scrolls on the floor never generates that window of opportunity.
 
 
 
[[Category:Item]]
 
 
[[Category:Strategy]]
 
[[Category:Strategy]]

Latest revision as of 23:14, 22 January 2023

Version 0.29: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Technically, a stash is any item which has been left on the Dungeon floor. In more common usage, however, a stash is a centralized location in which a player dumps any items they do not wish to carry around at all times, but which may be useful later. This can fit in a single tile, or span throughout an entire floor.

Strategy

It's very easy to forget where you left a particular item as you explore. Fortunately, pressing "CTRL+f" brings up a search prompt which allows you to pinpoint where you left your things quickly and easily. This can be used to search for individual items (e.g. scroll of amnesia, +1 helmet), item categories (body armour, Maces & Flails, wand), and even particular resistances or intrinsics.

In modern Crawl, there's little need to put all your items in one place. You could certainly forget what you need to search for in the first place. But as you get used to what items you drop, even that becomes less relevant. Regardless, it's a good idea to open a few slots in your inventory before entering a timed portal. Portals permanently close once you leave them, so you don't want to leave any items behind. In most other cases, its trading a few (largely irrelevant) turns in the Zot clock for a (marginally) more organized and memorizable Dungeon.

Players aiming to complete many Ziggurats can establish elaborate, floor-wide stashes for the sake of it; your collection of artefacts is only bound to grow.

Gallery

An elaborately arranged Lair:2 stash.

History

  • Many quality of life changes are aimed at reducing inventory management, and thus, a need to stash items at all. Scrolls of remove curse and manuals in 0.27, food in 0.26, and spellbooks in 0.22 are just some of the once-necessary items that have been either removed or otherwise 'goldifed' (no longer taking inventory slots).
  • Prior to 0.17, jellies could eat any item left on the floor, putting your stash in grave danger.
  • Prior to 0.15, items could be destroyed through item destruction, forcing the player to risk losing items in the inventory or leave them behind. Items had weight and would eventually be too much of a burden for your character to carry. These facts greatly increased the need for a stash, as well as what was stashed at all. Also, all teleport traps were permanent, so characters with stasis could use them as untouchable stash sites.