User talk:Tjr

Welcome!

Well, I see that you've been around for almost a year now, but I still wish you welcome to Wikihack! :) —ZeroOne (talk / @) 00:37, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

Apparently people do read your user page :)

Re wishing for the Eyes of the Overworld: I agree that for Wizards the Eyes of the Overworld is probably a bad wish. The spells are better. However, for non-spellcasting roles, the Eyes of the Overworld are great. Your standard Valkyrie is not very likely to be able to cast magic mapping reliably, nor are they likely to succeed in writing one with a magic marker as you suggest (only Wizards can reliably write unknown spells).

Re Tourists: Wizards start with force bolt, which is a huge advantage over Tourists. Wizards can cast level 1 spells while wearing metal armor. There are quite a few useful level 1 spells, including sleep, healing, and light; also, Wizards are nearly guaranteed to read level 1 spellbooks successfully once you test for BUC. Wizards, even with zero luck, can usually successfully write unknown level 1 spellbooks with a magic marker. None of the above are things that Tourists can do. Finally, Wizards have lots of other minor advantages (cloak of magic resistance, guaranteed Magicbane, among others). Tourists have relatively few advantages; the only important ones are the expensive camera and the extra food. I would say that Wizards are quite a bit easier than Tourists.

djao 10:42, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

True, a valkyrie won't profit from those three spells. She won't raise them to skilled level, either. As this is my personal page, I can say I care about spellcasters.

Tourists:

• Early game wizards can't actually cast force bolt. In my experience, force bolt is a boon for beginners and the first few rounds. But once my wizard is snugly protected by iron armor, he can't even cast it. Let alone regenerate the energy. Daggers and Elbereth are the way to go. I find a tourist's darts are almost on par with force bolt.
• level 1 spells: The force bolt notes apply, and they are generally less useful that force bolt. Sleep ist great (if you get it); healing is only worthwile if you can rely on it - excludes armor. Why do people want light? I use it only to mark where I have already searched for the vibrating square.
• BUC test: spellbooks are only 3% chance cursed, so I don't even bother testing. As a non-wizard, I do BUC and price quotes.
• writing unknown: I didn't know that depended on the spell's level (and have never used it before mine's end). Thanks.
• cloak of magic resistance: I consider that a major advantage. How do other roles get by?
• MagicBane: writing Elbereth with your finger is doable. Always verify, and don't depend on instant success. Instead, block monsters' paths with E-squares early enough not to get into an emergency. In the later game, a tourist can simpliy wish for Magicbane and benefit from its curse catching function.
• the expensive camera negates Elbereth. I consider it a disadvantage.

In conclusion, the playing style early game wizard limitations caused me to develop also fits tourists. I can't see why people say tourists are so much harder.