Dudley's dungeon -- Monday, 7 January, 2008

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Average rating: Good
Number of ratings: 12

Comments

Richante	January 7, 2008 00:20
First comment: 27 August, 2007	32 comments written
This is the first comic in a series of 10, and I'm afraid Dudley doesn't get killed by a newt(kinds of) small animal, like a lizard, which spends most of its time in the water. [ Oxford's Student's Dictionary of Current English ] "Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog, Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and howlet's wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble." [ Macbeth, by William Shakespeare ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. in ANY of them :(
@	January 7, 2008 02:20
First comment: 26 July, 2004	155 comments written
So DUDLEY is that wiz on alt.org who constantly startscums until he (apparently) gets what he wants then dies on something like level 3...
Kernigh	January 7, 2008 02:23
First comment: 6 April, 2005	349 comments written
This will be fun. Dudley is playing NetHack again! Welcome back, Dudley. Today, Dudley is startscumming. I like to believe that startscumming is on the list of abuses to avoid. I would enjoy Richante's series if it led to the moral that startscumming is bad. But players do startscum, and startscumming does help. In the extreme case, recall Tenaya11, chaotic female orcish WizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details., who ascended with eleven conducts, thanks to both startscumming and puddingThese giant amoeboid creatures look like nothing more than puddles of slime, but they both live and move, feeding on metal or wood as well as the occasional dungeon explorer to supplement their diet. But we were not on a station platform. We were on the track ahead as the nightmare, plastic column of fetid black iridescence oozed tightly onward through its fifteen-foot sinus, gathering unholy speed and driving before it a spiral, re-thickening cloud of the pallid abyss vapor. It was a terrible, indescribable thing vaster than any subway train -- a shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and unforming as pustules of greenish light all over the tunnel-filling front that bore down upon us, crushing the frantic penguins and slithering over the glistening floor that it and its kind had swept so evilly free of all litter. [ At the Mountains of Madness, by H.P. Lovecraft ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. farming: YAAP at http://xrl.us/tenaya11
Eskimo	January 7, 2008 07:54
First comment: 14 April, 2004	166 comments written
When doing super-hard conducts you almost have to startscum. I did try Pacifist, Atheist, Illiterate, Naked as is but that was a lifetime's worth. There are no obvious required starting items but some do speed things up considerably. Not that I ever got it done anyway.
Mordae	January 7, 2008 13:45
First comment: 11 May, 2007	116 comments written
Let the crusade begin!
Wellan	January 7, 2008 17:53
First comment: 27 November, 2007	247 comments written
Heh. Bad start for Dudley. Sometimes you just have to restart the game, though, when you get a really bad deal.(I'm talking force bolt + knock + fruit juice + booze + healing + detect goldA metal of characteristic yellow colour, the most precious metal used as a common commercial medium of exchange. Symbol, Au; at. no. 79; at. wt. 197.2. It is the most malleable and ductile of all metals, and very heavy (sp. gr., 19.3). It is quite unalterable by heat, moisture, and most corrosive agents, and therefore well suited for its use in coin and jewelry. [ Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. + punishment + lightStrange creatures formed from energy rather than matter, lights are given to self-destructive behavior when battling foes. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. + secret doorThrough me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain: Through me among the people lost for aye. Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd: To rear me was the task of power divine, Supremest wisdom, and primeval love. Before me things create were none, save things Eternal, and eternal I endure. All hope abandon ye who enter here. [ The Inferno, from The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, translated by H.F. Cary ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. detection + hunger[Pestilence:] And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. [War:] And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. [Famine:] And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [Death:] And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. [ Revelations of John, 6:1-8 ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. + searching + int 11 + wis 8. As a wizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details..)
Henry J Cobb	January 7, 2008 18:44
First comment: 28 June, 2007	29 comments written
I only startscum when I get less than 10 daggers, or if they're orcish daggers.
GreyKnight	January 7, 2008 20:03
First comment: 24 March, 2006	48 comments written
Bah, the only thing you need to startscum for is a blindfoldThe blindfolding was performed by binding a piece of the yellowish linen whereof those of the Amahagger who condescended to wear anything in particular made their dresses tightly round the eyes. This linen I afterwards discovered was taken from the tombs, and was not, as I had first supposed, of native manufacture. The bandage was then knotted at the back of the head, and finally brought down again and the ends bound under the chin to prevent its slipping. Ustane was, by the way, also blindfolded, I do not know why, unless it was from fear that she should impart the secrets of the route to us. [ She, by H. Rider Haggard ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details..
@	January 7, 2008 23:13
First comment: 26 July, 2004	155 comments written
I usually don't have much trouble with finding blindfolds... I almost always have one by the time i get to Minetown (provided I haven't bit it first)... main thing with a wiz is to use as many force bolt spells as possible to get the skill up, and if you start out with something like spellbookThe Book of Three lay closed on the table. Taran had never been allowed to read the volume for himself; now he was sure it held more than Dallben chose to tell him. In the sun- filled room, with Dallben still meditating and showing no sign of stopping, Taran rose and moved through the shimmering beams. From the forest came the monotonous tick of a beetle. His hands reached for the cover. Taran gasped in pain and snatched them away. They smarted as if each of his fingers had been stung by hornets. He jumped back, stumbled against the bench, and dropped to the floor, where he put his fingers woefully into his mouth. Dallben's eyes blinked open. He peered at Taran and yawned slowly. "You had better see Coll about a lotion for those hands," he advised. "Otherwise, I shouldn't be surprised if they blistered." [ The Book of Three, by Lloyd Alexander ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. of identify or remove curseCurses are longstanding ill-wishings which, in Fantasyland, often manifest as semisentient. They have to be broken or dispelled. The method varies according to the type and origin of the Curse: [...] 4. Curses on Rings and Swords. You have problems. Rings have to be returned whence they came, preferably at over a thousand degrees Fahrenheit, and the Curse means you won't want to do this. Swords usually resist all attempts to raise their Curses. Your best source is to hide the Sword or give it to someone you dislike. [ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details., that's just that much better. Force bolt is an excellent weapon to use in the beginning- granted, it misses sometimes, but when it does hit it quickly pwns most low-level monsters like gnomes. Plus it's ranged which makes fighting puddings, jellies and eyes a lot easier.
Antheridium	January 8, 2008 00:26
First comment: 17 May, 2007	442 comments written
Force Bolt is surprisingly powerful at the beginning, which is when wizards have the most trouble. It has a good cost/damage ratio, and it can break boulders. The only problem is that you're kind of screwed if that nymphA female creature from Roman and Greek mythology, the nymph occupied rivers, forests, ponds, etc. A nymph's beauty is beyond words: an ever-young woman with sleek figure and long, thick hair, radiant skin and perfect teeth, full lips and gentle eyes. A nymph's scent is delightful, and her long robe glows, hemmed with golden threads and embroidered with rainbow hues of unearthly magnificence. A nymph's demeanour is graceful and charming, her mind quick and witty. "Theseus felt her voice pulling him down into fathoms of sleep. The song was the skeleton of his dream, and the dream was full of terror. Demon girls were after him, and a bull- man was goring him. Everywhere there was blood. There was pain. There was fear. But his head was in the nymph's lap and her musk was about him, her voice weaving the dream. He knew then that she had been sent to tell him of something dreadful that was to happen to him later. Her song was a warning. But she had brought him a new kind of joy, one that made him see everything differently. The boy, who was to become a hero, suddenly knew then what most heroes learn later -- and some too late -- that joy blots suffering and that the road to nymphs is beset by monsters." [ The Minotaur by Bernard Evslin ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. steals your cloakCloaks are the universal outer garb of everyone who is not a Barbarian. It is hard to see why. They are open in front and require you at most times to use one hand to hold them shut. On horseback they leave the shirt-sleeved arms and most of the torso exposed to wind and Weather. The OMTs [ Official Management Terms ] for Cloaks well express their difficulties. They are constantly _swirling and dripping_ and becoming _heavy with water_ in rainy Weather, _entangling with trees_ or _swords_, or needing to be _pulled close around her/his shivering body_. This seems to suggest they are less than practical for anyone on an arduous Tour. [ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. and wears it. I actually like Knock. It can unlock chests without breaking anything, and it trains Matter spells. I also like rings of searching because of the time they save... but then, what do I know, I never get that far really. By the way, unless the spoiler I'm reading is outdated, you can't get rings of hunger[Pestilence:] And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. [War:] And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. [Famine:] And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [Death:] And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. [ Revelations of John, 6:1-8 ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. in your starting inventory. There are a few truly worthless items it won't burden you with.
Callie	January 8, 2008 02:42
First comment: 16 July, 2007	31 comments written
The only problem with Force Bolt is that it tends to break stuff like potions and some wands. I think I accidentally Force Bolted a wand of'Saruman!' he cried, and his voice grew in power and authority. 'Behold, I am not Gandalf the Grey, whom you betrayed. I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death. You have no colour now, and I cast you from the order and from the Council.' He raised his hand, and spoke slowly in a clear cold voice. 'Saruman, your staff is broken.' There was a crack, and the staff split asunder in Saruman's hand, and the head of it fell down at Gandalf's feet. 'Go!' said Gandalf. With a cry Saruman fell back and crawled away. [ The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. wishing once. I wanted to die.
Slowpoke	January 8, 2008 18:43
First comment: 27 February, 2007	239 comments written
If it's true that you can't start with a ring ofThree Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. [ The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. hunger[Pestilence:] And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. [War:] And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. [Famine:] And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [Death:] And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. [ Revelations of John, 6:1-8 ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details. (etc), then never mind. But I don't mind starting with a negative item in my inventory. One less thing to have to worry about until I can ID it. I could be wrong, but I don't think the character Wellan proposed would take much longer to ascend than any other WizardEbenezum walked before me along the closest thing we could find to a path in these overgrown woods. Every few paces he would pause, so that I, burdened with a pack stuffed with arcane and heavy paraphernalia, could catch up with his wizardly strides. He, as usual, carried nothing, preferring, as he often said, to keep his hands free for quick conjuring and his mind free for the thoughts of a mage. [ A Dealing with Demons, by Craig Shaw Gardner ] Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 by the NetHack Development Team Copyright (c) 1994 by Boudewijn Wayers NetHack may be freely redistributed. See license for details..
Antheridium	January 10, 2008 07:09
First comment: 17 May, 2007	442 comments written
The problem isn't his starting kit. The problem is his low stats; the starting kit just means that he has nothing to redeem him. I don't much care for playing wizards with intelligence below 15, much less an int of 11.
Grognor	January 12, 2008 09:01
First comment: 4 April, 2007	1161 comments written
Startscumming hurts only the startscummer. case closed.
Fathead	January 12, 2008 20:45
First comment: 1 April, 2006	1136 comments written
To combat startscumming, there ought to be a mandatory 15 second wait or something.

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