Forum:Post-mines strategy for intermediate player?
So I've been playing Nethack for ~6 years. I've only made it to the first quest level once, and I've only run Sokoban a few times. But I'm getting better.
Here's the situation I end up with in nine out of ten games:
My Lawful Human Valkyrie (or sometimes Samurai, Knight, or whatever) has just finished the mines. Usually, I've got Mithril and a cloak and iron shoes, plus the starting +3 shield, for an AC around -3 or -4. I'll have my starting sword, a pick-axe, and usually an offensive wand or two; whatever the loot from Mine's End was; and a whole mess of unidentified gems. I'll leave most of my potions, scrolls, and whatever else I've found that's too heavy to carry in a stash in Minetown, protected by a locked door and the E-word. (Yeah, by the way, I usually play 3.4.3, so Elbereth still works in this context.)
At this point, I'll usually have leveled up to 7 or 8.
From here, I've got the whole main dungeon before me. So my strategy up to this point has been to attack it headlong. I do really well for about six or seven levels, and then I run into a lot of difficult monsters and get swamped. Usually I either panic and make a dumb mistake, or I find myself in a very tight spot and get killed.
My question is: What early-to-mid-game goals should I prioritize after the mines? Getting a good artifact weapon and better armor? Finishing Sokoban for the scrolls? What's my next step towards getting ready for the quest?
JMarieStanton (talk) 02:40, 25 May 2016 (UTC)
