I guess hobbits really are made of sturdier stuff

[Nystul]

After many sad endings with high elves, I try a hobbit and Morgoth goes down. Go figure.

Jimbo, the hobbit ranger, has had quite an interesting journey. It got off to a rather dubious start, when he ran out of torches trying to return to town after diving to 150'. Fortunately, the food supply did not run out as Jimbo reached around feeling walls and looking for stairs back to town.

From here, I will skip to the part of the story that happens around 1150'. One nexus hound, scrambled Jimbo's stats, increasing his intelligence (and charisma!) but severely crippling his constitution. Another nexus hound, inside a vault that was mostly unlooted, managed to knock Jimbo up through the ceiling into another level. But nexus hounds aside, Jimbo found an item at this depth which ultimately set up the whole game: boots of speed +9! Oddly enough, Jimbo has never found a single artifact boot, and it doesn't bother him in the least.

Stat gain was a slow process due to the previously mentioned constitution scramble. Jimbo's big finds early in stat gain were the armor of the Rohirrim, and Gurthang. Once Thranduil was added and the base stats started getting higher, I started getting that feeling like this guy had a future. Oddly enough, I was still using a basic lantern at this point (The Star showed up at 1900', and the Phial finally showed up even later).

At 2050', Medusa was kind enough to drop a ring of speed (+8). To be honest, that was all the luck I really needed. From this point on, it was just a matter of not doing something really stupid. Hitpoints were still a big problem, though.

A big scare came against Azriel. I knew he had nether attacks, but had forgotten that he could breathe the stuff. I had enough hitpoint to survive the breath, and not much more.

Tenser's was by far the hardest dungeon book to find, and by far the most valuable once found. With the ability to create flaming arrows, Jimbo suddenly felt more like Rambo. Kelek's... I think I cast each spell exactly once. Not sure why I wasted inventory space carrying this silly book, knowing full well that I hate *destruction*.

Some late game hijinks occurred when an invincible-feeling Jimbo randomly teleported into a room with a greater rotten quylthulg. The Q summoned some serious undead, and then a certain hobbit experienced a 5% failure on a teleport spell and immediately had some equipment disenchanted while in the meantime a lot more major undead were being summoned. I was up against Feagwath, and numerous black reavers, and all kinds of Ls and Ws. Jimbo looked into his backpack and smiled in a grim manner. Calris had been sitting there, uncursed but virtually unused, for the longest time. This turned into a pretty messy affair, but Jimbo did not flee the level until Feagwath and the Q were dead.

Once Feagwath was out of the way, it wasn't long before the other major undead bosses were taken out as well. And then, I came to realize that only 3 unique enemies remained: Gothmog, Sauron, and some other guy. I now had the power of Narya, and so the hardest part about Gothmog was identifying all of the loot. Sauron proved to be quite tough, due to him being a wussy teleporting coward. Oh yeah, and also the fact that none of my branded arrows work against him. Sauron dropped arrows of slay giant, which I immediately destroyed and then thought "Is Morgoth a giant?" He also dropped the ball and chain of Fundin Bluecloak, which I took as a very strong omen. My previous winner, a dwarven paladin, had used this weapon to kill Morgoth. Moreover, it has lightning resistance, which just happened to be something I needed to have on my weapon slot in order to use my best other gear. And the +4 speed would prove quite useful if Morgoth managed to summon gravity hounds or similar nonsense. So I made a final trip to town, and prepared for the final battle.

At 5000', I dug into a corner of the level and created a triangle of runes. Then I waited, but Morgoth was not coming. He was in the opposite corner and had no idea that there was a hobbit in his domain. I managed to solve that, and pelted him with arrows which were branded with various things Morgoth is resistant to. Then he would summon major undead, and I would start casting teleport other like crazy. I hardly used any of my many healing potions like this, but the restore mana potions almost ran out. But in the end, it is Morgoth who ran out.

 Name   Jimbo                                    Self  RB  CB  EB   Best
 Sex    Male              Age        24   STR! 18/100  -2  +2 +11 18/210
 Race   Hobbit            Height     40   INT! 18/100  +2  +2  +5 18/190
 Class  Ranger            Weight     62   WIS! 18/100  +1  +0 +11 18/220
 Title  ***WINNER***      Status     64   DEX! 18/100  +3  +1  +5 18/190
 HP     920/920           Maximize    Y   CON! 18/100  +2  +1  +7 18/200
 SP     84/363                            CHR! 18/100  +1  +1  +5 18/170

 Level           50       Armor   [62,+179]     Saving Throw   Legendary
 Cur Exp   19673473       Fight   (+84,+41)     Stealth           Superb
 Max Exp   19673473       Melee   (+97,+58)     Fighting          Heroic
 Adv Exp   ********       Shoot  (+101,+23)     Shooting       Legendary
 MaxDepth   5000 ft       Blows      5/turn     Disarming         Heroic
 Turns      2403926       Shots      3/turn     Magic Device   Legendary
 Gold       5129085       Infra       40 ft     Perception          Good
 Burden   237.0 lbs       Speed          28     Searching      Very Good

 You are one of several children of a Hobbit Warrior.  You are a credit
 to the family.  You have brown eyes, straight auburn hair, and an
 average complexion.


      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
 Acid:......++*.+.. Blind:.........+...
 Elec:+............ Confu:......+......
 Fire:+.*.+..+..... Sound:........+....
 Cold:......++..... Shard:.............
 Pois:....+........ Nexus:......+......
 Fear:..+.+.+.+.... Nethr:+.+...+......
 Lite:.....+....... Chaos:......+.+....
 Dark:.....++...... Disen:.............

      abcdefghijkl@       abcdefghijkl@
S.Dig:..+.......... Stea.:.......+.....
Feath:............. Sear.:.............
PLite:+............ Infra:.............
Regen:..+.......... Tunn.:.............
Telep:.........+... Speed:+.+++..+...+.
Invis:..+..+....... Blows:.............
FrAct:..+.....+.+.. Shots:.............
HLife:+....++.....+ Might:.+...........


  [Character Equipment]

a) The Ball-and-Chain of Fundin Bluecloak (4d4) (+13,+17) [+10] (+4) {Sauron}
   It increases your strength and wisdom by 4.  It increases your speed
   by 4.  It slays undead and all evil creatures.  It provides
   resistance to lightning, fire, nether, and life draining.  It
   usually provides light of radius 4.  It activates for dispel evil
   (x5) every 100+d100 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
b) a Long Bow of Extra Might (x3) (+17,+23) (+1)
   It increases your shooting power by 1.  
c) The Ring of Power 'Narya' (+6,+6) (+1) {4450' GWOL}
   It increases all your stats by 1.  It increases your speed by 1.  It
   provides immunity to fire.  It provides resistance to fear and 
   nether.  It sustains your strength, wisdom, constitution, and 
   charisma.  It slows your metabolism and speeds your regeneration.  
   It grants you immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible
   things.  It activates for large fire ball (120) every 20+d20 turns.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
d) a Sapphire Ring of Speed (+12) {3900'}
   It increases your speed by 12.  
e) The Elfstone 'Elessar' (+7,+7) [+10] (+2) {3650' horned reaper}
   It increases your strength, wisdom, and charisma by 2.  It increases
   your speed by 2.  It provides resistance to fire, poison, and fear.  
   It activates for heal (500) every 200 turns.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
f) The Arkenstone of Thrain {2950' gv}
   It provides resistance to light, dark, and life draining.  It
   usually provides light of radius 3.  It grants you the ability to
   see invisible things.  It activates for detection every 30+d30 turns.
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) The Adamantite Plate Mail 'Soulkeeper' (-4) [40,+20] (+2) (charging) {4000'}
   It increases your constitution by 2.  It provides resistance to acid,
   cold, fear, dark, confusion, nexus, nether, chaos, and life draining.
   It sustains your constitution.  It activates for heal (1000) every
   444 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) The Shadow Cloak of Luthien [6,+20] (+2) {4900' Gothmogs}
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and charisma by 2.  It
   increases your stealth and speed by 2.  It provides resistance to 
   acid, fire, and cold.  It activates for restore life levels every
   250 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) The Small Metal Shield of Thorin [3,+25] (+4) {4200' lv}
   It increases your strength and constitution by 4.  It provides
   immunity to acid.  It provides resistance to fear, sound, and chaos.
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
j) The Hard Leather Cap of Thranduil [2,+10] (+2) {1700'}
   It increases your intelligence and wisdom by 2.  It provides
   resistance to blindness.  It grants you the power of telepathy.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
k) The Set of Cesti of Fingolfin (+10,+10) [5,+20] (+4) {2450' lv}
   It increases your dexterity by 4.  It provides resistance to acid.  
   It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It activates for a magical
   arrow (150) every 30+d30 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
l) a Pair of Metal Shod Boots of Speed [6,+10] (+9) {1150' luck turning clvl 2}
   It increases your speed by 9.  


  [Character Inventory]

a) a Book of Magic Spells [Magic for Beginners] {@m1}
b) 2 Books of Magic Spells [Conjurings and Tricks] {@m2}
c) a Book of Magic Spells [Incantations and Illusions] {@m3}
d) a Book of Magic Spells [Sorcery and Evocations] {@m4}
e) a Book of Magic Spells [Resistances of Scarabtarices] {!d!v!k @m5}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
f) a Book of Magic Spells [Raal's Tome of Destruction] {!d!v!k @m6}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) 3 Books of Magic Spells [Mordenkainen's Escapes] {!d!v!k @m7}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
h) a Book of Magic Spells [Tenser's Transformations] {!d!v!k @m8}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
i) a Book of Magic Spells [Kelek's Grimoire of Power] {!d!v!k @m9}
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
j) 37 Pink Potions of Healing
k) 4 Orange Potions of *Healing*
l) 11 Pink Speckled Potions of Life
m) 3 Coagulated Crimson Potions of Restore Mana
n) 7 Scrolls titled "nus obliuco" of Teleportation {!*}
o) Double Chain Mail [16]
p) Metal Brigandine Armour [19]
q) a Large Metal Shield of Preservation [5,+24] {3800' undead}
   It provides resistance to confusion, disenchantment, and life
   draining.  It sustains your strength, dexterity, and constitution.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
r) a Morning Star (2d6)
s) 40 Arrows of Venom (1d4) (+10,+9)
   It is branded with poison.  
t) 16 Arrows of Frost (1d4) (+8,+7)
   It is branded with frost.  It cannot be harmed by cold.  
u) 13 Seeker Arrows of Flame (4d4) (+11,+9)
   It is branded with fire.  It cannot be harmed by fire.  


  [Home Inventory]

a) 19 Pink Potions of Healing
b) 3 Coagulated Crimson Potions of Restore Mana
c) 60 Scrolls titled "nus obliuco" of Teleportation {!*}
d) 8 Scrolls titled "sto rum ga" of *Identify*
e) a Sapphire Ring of Speed (+12) {4600 gv}
   It increases your speed by 12.  
f) The Necklace of the Dwarves (+3) {3450' ice wyrm}
   It increases your strength and constitution by 3.  It increases your 
   infravision by 3.  It provides resistance to fear.  It usually
   provides light of radius 4.  It speeds your regeneration.  It grants
   you immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible things.  
   It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
g) an Obsidian Amulet of Trickery (+4) {4200' lv}
   It increases your dexterity by 4.  It increases your stealth, 
   searching, infravision, and speed by 4.  It provides resistance to 
   poison and nexus.  It sustains your dexterity.  
h) The Palantir of Westernesse (+2) {4200' Cantoras}
   It increases your intelligence and wisdom by 2.  It increases your 
   searching and infravision by 2.  It provides resistance to blindness 
   and chaos.  It usually provides light of radius 3.  It grants you 
   the power of telepathy and the ability to see invisible things, but
   it also aggravates creatures around you and drains experience.  It
   activates for clairvoyance every 50+d50 turns.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  
i) The Augmented Chain Mail of Caspanion (-2) [16,+19] (+3) {2950' Baphomet}
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and constitution by 3.  It
   provides resistance to acid, poison, and confusion.  It activates
   for door and trap destruction every 10 turns.  It cannot be harmed
   by the elements.  
j) The Full Plate Armour of Isildur [25,+25] (+1) {2950' l. balrog}
   It increases your constitution by 1.  It provides resistance to acid,
   lightning, fire, cold, confusion, sound, and nexus.  It cannot be
   harmed by the elements.  
k) The Mithril Plate Mail of Celeborn (-3) [35,+25] (+4)
   It increases your strength and charisma by 4.  It provides
   resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, dark, and disenchantment.
   It activates for banishment every 500 turns.  It cannot be harmed by
   the elements.  
l) a Shadow Cloak of Protection [6,+32]
   It provides resistance to shards.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
m) The Large Metal Shield of Anarion [5,+20] {2950' gv}
   It provides resistance to acid, lightning, fire, and cold.  It
   sustains all your stats.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
n) The Set of Leather Gloves 'Cambeleg' (+8,+8) [1,+15] (+2) {4900' Gothmogs}
   It increases your strength and constitution by 2.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
o) The Bastard Sword 'Calris' (5d4) (+9,+20) (+5) {2000', uncursed}
   It increases your constitution by 5.  It slays trolls, demons, and 
   all evil creatures, and is especially deadly against dragons.  It
   provides resistance to disenchantment.  It aggravates creatures
   around you.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
p) The Two-Handed Sword 'Gurthang' (3d6) (+13,+17) (+2) {beorn 1600'}
   It increases your strength by 2.  It is especially deadly against 
   dragons.  It is branded with fire and poison.  It provides
   resistance to fire and poison.  It slows your metabolism and speeds
   your regeneration.  It grants you immunity to paralysis.  It cannot
   be harmed by the elements.  
q) The Beaked Axe of Hurin (3d6) (+12,+15) (+2)
   It increases your strength and constitution by 2.  It slays trolls 
   and dragons, and is especially deadly against demons.  It is branded
   with acid.  It provides resistance to acid, fire, and dark.  It
   usually provides light of radius 4.  It activates for berserk rage
   (50+d50 turns) every 80+d80 turns.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
r) The Glaive of Pain (9d6) (+9,+30) {3800' undead}
   It provides resistance to fear.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  
s) The Battle Axe of Balli Stonehand (3d8) (+8,+11) [+5] (+3) {4650' g balrog}
   It increases your strength and constitution by 3.  It increases your 
   stealth by 3.  It slays orcs, trolls, and demons.  It provides
   resistance to acid, lightning, fire, cold, and blindness.  It makes
   you fall like a feather and speeds your regeneration.  It grants you 
   immunity to paralysis and the ability to see invisible things.  It
   cannot be harmed by the elements.  
t) a Scythe of Slicing of Extra Attacks (8d4) (+11,+17) (+2) {3450' Tselakus}
   It increases your attack speed by 2.  
u) The Two-Handed Flail 'Thunderfist' (4d6) (+10,+18) (+4)
   It increases your strength and constitution by 4.  It slays animals, 
   orcs, and trolls.  It is branded with electricity and fire.  It
   provides resistance to lightning, fire, fear, and dark.  It cannot
   be harmed by the elements.  
v) The Short Bow of Amras (x2) (+12,+15) (+1 to speed) {3900'}
   It increases your intelligence, wisdom, and dexterity by 1.  It
   increases your speed, shooting speed, and shooting power by 1.  It
   provides resistance to lightning, fire, and cold.  It slows your
   metabolism.  It cannot be harmed by the elements.  
w) The Short Bow of Amrod (x2) (+12,+15) (+2) {4650' demon pit}
   It increases your strength and constitution by 2.  It increases your 
   shooting power by 2.  It provides resistance to lightning, fire, and 
   cold.  It speeds your regeneration.  It cannot be harmed by the
   elements.  


  [Options]

Adult: Maximize effect of race/class bonuses : yes (adult_maximize)
Adult: Randomize some of the artifacts (beta): no  (adult_randarts)
Adult: Auto-scum for good levels             : no  (adult_autoscum)
Adult: Restrict the use of stairs/recall     : no  (adult_ironman)
Adult: Restrict the use of stores/home       : no  (adult_no_stores)
Adult: Restrict creation of artifacts        : no  (adult_no_artifacts)
Adult: Don't stack objects on the floor      : no  (adult_no_stacking)
Adult: Preserve artifacts when leaving level : no  (adult_no_preserve)
Adult: Don't generate connected stairs       : no  (adult_no_stairs)
Adult: Monsters chase current location       : yes (adult_ai_sound)
Adult: Monsters chase recent locations       : yes (adult_ai_smell)
Adult: Monsters act smarter in groups        : yes (adult_ai_packs)
Adult: Monsters learn from their mistakes    : no  (adult_ai_learn)
Adult: Monsters exploit players weaknesses   : no  (adult_ai_cheat)
Adult: Monsters behave more intelligently (broken): no  (adult_ai_smart)
Score: Peek into object creation             : no  (score_peek)
Score: Peek into monster creation            : no  (score_hear)
Score: Peek into dungeon creation            : no  (score_room)
Score: Peek into something else              : no  (score_xtra)
Score: Know complete monster info            : no  (score_know)
Score: Allow player to avoid death           : no  (score_live)

[Dragonboneman]

I enjoyed reading that. Congratulations on the win!

[Garrie]

"At 2050', Medusa was kind enough to drop a ring of speed (+8). "
well that would turn a game around I guess, even with a crapped on constitution!