It's relatively simple to get to lvl 10 for me with what I call a combat-
focused class. After that, however, it seems like micromanagement,
running around getting one or two blessed waters here, identifying
this one pair of boots etcetera. These menial tasks don't seem
proportional to earlier acts where it is is basically hack and slash.
I want to get to lvl 14 to use a couple ! of gain levels. Is there a
better way to spend my time than flitting around like a bumblebee
about to hit a brick wall in the form of a soldier ant or mumak?

On the rare occasion it works out. My Snickersnee armed caveman
named Rowboat cut through 3 minotaurs to get to the front of the
castle. A master liche toyed with him there and then stunned him.
I recall now that he had a unicorn horn, but that thought did not even
enter my mind because I haven't played for a few years. He ran into
a shark and it was over.

Usually, however, it ends at lvl 10 or lvl 11. Rowboat is in first place
with over ten times as many points as the second place.

What do you do to keep it interesting lvl 10 - lvl 14?

On 11.05.2022 22:12, Praetor Mandrake wrote:
> It's relatively simple to get to lvl 10 for me with what I call a combat-
> focused class. After that, however, it seems like micromanagement,
> running around getting one or two blessed waters here, identifying
> this one pair of boots etcetera. These menial tasks don't seem
> proportional to earlier acts where it is is basically hack and slash.
> I want to get to lvl 14 to use a couple ! of gain levels. Is there a
> better way to spend my time than flitting around like a bumblebee
> about to hit a brick wall in the form of a soldier ant or mumak?
>
> [...]
> What do you do to keep it interesting lvl 10 - lvl 14?

I suppose you have asked for level 14 because it gets more interesting
once you're able to enter the quest? - Of course that design could be
fixed by the game developers only. (I'm playing Slashem now, so I don't
have that restriction.) - One factor is of course playing the fighter
classes; with those you'll proceed quite fast early (and may get stopped
quickly, mainly if becoming inattentive - which can only be fixed by the
player). If it's only about how to reach XL:14 quickly, well, then you
have the available options of level gains; potions, wraiths, foocubi.
For potions there's the possibility to alchemize potions of gain level.
Killing sea creatures that can drown you will provide large amounts of
experience points, so you can reach higher levels faster by taking that
risk. Creating (and killing) ghosts at a haunted former temple can be
used to advance level (boring, but effective).

Another approach to make the game more interesting is to not play only
fighter character classes. Choose a role that gets killed more often.
Or choose a role where the statistical dungeon range of killed classes
expands over a large dungeon level range. Here's some data from my
NH343 time... (it's R: roles, D: #deaths/role, and #deaths/dlvl/role)

1 11 21 31 41 51 dlvl
R D | | | | | |
Arc 30 0123535231120000100000000010000000000000000000000000
Bar 16 0011113011011000001001000000000000000000000000110010
Cav 19 1001241510000200000000010100000000000000000000000000
Hea 29 0101253241111000120000000000000110000000000100000010
Kni 28 0111442312420000001000010000100000000000000000000000
Mon 22 0000122222212000100000001101100000000000000000001000
Pri 17 0011121321000200000000100100000000000000000000010000
Ran 19 0010202413111000000000000100000000000100000100000000
Rog 27 2032037202300000010000001000010000000000000000000000
Sam 16 0002110310221000100000000000100000000000000000000001
Tou 37 1105635553200000001000000000000000000000000000000000
Val 13 0000211010102000001000000100010000000000000000001100
Wiz 26 1012337030302000000001000000000000000000000000000000

So Arc, Hea, Mon, Ran, Rog, Tou, Wiz may be more appealing. (Presuming
your data show a similar distribution in principle.)

Janis

On Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 12:12:22 AM UTC-5, Janis wrote:
> On 11.05.2022 22:12, Praetor Mandrake wrote:
> > It's relatively simple to get to lvl 10 for me with what I call a combat-
> > focused class. After that, however, it seems like micromanagement,
> > running around getting one or two blessed waters here, identifying
> > this one pair of boots etcetera. These menial tasks don't seem
> > proportional to earlier acts where it is is basically hack and slash.
> > I want to get to lvl 14 to use a couple ! of gain levels. Is there a
> > better way to spend my time than flitting around like a bumblebee
> > about to hit a brick wall in the form of a soldier ant or mumak?
> >
> > [...]
> > What do you do to keep it interesting lvl 10 - lvl 14?
> I suppose you have asked for level 14 because it gets more interesting
> once you're able to enter the quest? - Of course that design could be
> fixed by the game developers only. (I'm playing Slashem now, so I don't
> have that restriction.) - One factor is of course playing the fighter
> classes; with those you'll proceed quite fast early (and may get stopped
> quickly, mainly if becoming inattentive - which can only be fixed by the
> player). If it's only about how to reach XL:14 quickly, well, then you
> have the available options of level gains; potions, wraiths, foocubi.
> For potions there's the possibility to alchemize potions of gain level.
> Killing sea creatures that can drown you will provide large amounts of
> experience points, so you can reach higher levels faster by taking that
> risk. Creating (and killing) ghosts at a haunted former temple can be
> used to advance level (boring, but effective).
>
> Another approach to make the game more interesting is to not play only
> fighter character classes. Choose a role that gets killed more often.
> Or choose a role where the statistical dungeon range of killed classes
> expands over a large dungeon level range. Here's some data from my
> NH343 time... (it's R: roles, D: #deaths/role, and #deaths/dlvl/role)
>
> 1 11 21 31 41 51 dlvl
> R D | | | | | |
> Arc 30 0123535231120000100000000010000000000000000000000000
> Bar 16 0011113011011000001001000000000000000000000000110010
> Cav 19 1001241510000200000000010100000000000000000000000000
> Hea 29 0101253241111000120000000000000110000000000100000010
> Kni 28 0111442312420000001000010000100000000000000000000000
> Mon 22 0000122222212000100000001101100000000000000000001000
> Pri 17 0011121321000200000000100100000000000000000000010000
> Ran 19 0010202413111000000000000100000000000100000100000000
> Rog 27 2032037202300000010000001000010000000000000000000000
> Sam 16 0002110310221000100000000000100000000000000000000001
> Tou 37 1105635553200000001000000000000000000000000000000000
> Val 13 0000211010102000001000000100010000000000000000001100
> Wiz 26 1012337030302000000001000000000000000000000000000000
>
> So Arc, Hea, Mon, Ran, Rog, Tou, Wiz may be more appealing. (Presuming
> your data show a similar distribution in principle.)
>
> Janis

I noticed you reserved priest as a fighter class. I hadn't realized that. I
suppose their options of weapons and starting weapon are fairly good.
I think I'll go with them. I want a spellcaster who can function with a
weapon. The Wizard seems to work too. He can't handle watchmen
at the typical level, but he doesn't miss much. Therefore, I am shifting
in the direction you suggested, but not going wholly over and
running an archaeologist with his whip that can't penetrate chain mail.
Thank you for the summary.

On 12.05.2022 23:58, Praetor Mandrake wrote:
>
> I noticed you reserved priest as a fighter class. I hadn't realized that.

I just made a mistake, missed listing them; actually I wouldn't
consider Priests to be the typical fighter role (Bar, Val, Sam,
also Cav, and Kni). The Priest lies somewhere between these
fighter roles and the more "amorphous" roles (Arc, Hea, etc.);
certainly not an easy role (for me: #9/13).

> [...] Therefore, I am shifting
> in the direction you suggested, but not going wholly over and
> running an archaeologist with his whip that can't penetrate chain mail.

Makes sense. (Arc is for me the most challenging role.)

Janis