Time to advance levels

[Canuck]

Hour 13: level 39 permadeath

Exited the Charwood mine, helped Cithurn and discovered a hidden room with some.armour, and visited the Iqhan cave. On my way back to Remgard now to clear up loose ends.

Current stats: attack 228 31–40 +55×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 122/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Flagstone's Pride, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of Backstabbing (×2), Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

[Canuck]

Hour 14: level 41 permadeath

Two more levels this hour. Toured the Aurlir cave (without workboots or a safety helmet) and returned to Remgard to tie up loose ends before starting the full Green Maze quest.

With the new beta out, I have a strong incentive to keep this character alive until it can try the new Lake Laeroth quests in production. I've temporarily switched from the attack-optimised Polished Ring of Backstabbing to the defense-optimised Polished Right of the Protector for the last part of the trip back from Remgard, where avoiding being hit can be very helpful (that's why the crits are down a bit).

When I hit level 44, it will be time for the Cleave skill. I've never tried it with Dual Wield, but I think it will be a good combination.

Current stats: attack 238 27–42 +41×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 156/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Flagstone's Pride, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of the Protector (×2), Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

[Antison]

Cleave level 1 is (nearly) useless when AP attack cost > 3.

[Canuck]

Thanks! That's why I'm thinking it might be good for dual-wielding two 4-AP weapons with an amulet that reduces the cost to 3 AP.

[Canuck]

Hour 15: level 42 permadeath

Just one level-up this hour. Back from second visit to Remgard, cleared a cemetery of undead and opened a chest, fought a big worm, met a witch, was accused by a priest of not following the Shadow, stocked up on cooked meat and major health potions, and re-entered the Green Maze (in earnest this time, to find Lodar).

Current stats: attack 252 37–44 +44×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 125/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Lifetaker, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of Backstabbing (×2), Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

[Canuck]

Hour 16: level 44 permadeath

Two levels this hour: through the Green Maze to Lodar, killed a beast, found a strange sword, exited the maze by a different route, and cleared a cavern of cave burrowers (just because I'm a completionist). Just arrived at a smithy to discuss the sword when the 1-hour timer ran out.

Gained the Cleave skill, which should be helpful with dual-wielding against swarms.

Current stats: attack 252 39–46 +44×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 125/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Lifetaker, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of Backstabbing ×2, Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

[Canuck]

Hour 17: (still) level 44 permadeath

No level-up this hour. Destroyed a dangerous sword, cleaned up some loose ends, sold some plunder, stored some other excess equipment in the chest in Michael's house, and started on the second round of Prim/BWM quests (Climbing up is Forbidden, etc). The XP don't flow very fast right now, but the story-telling is solid. Cleave is proving moderately useful with Dual Wield, not nothing jaw-dropping yet.

Current stats: attack 252 39–46 +44×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 125/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Lifetaker, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of Backstabbing ×2, Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

Bonus stat: 52,153 gold pieces

[RaptorNXT]

Great going! Reading this is thrilling!

[Canuck]

Hour 18: level 45 permadeath

One level-up this hour. At the beginning of the thread, I mentioned that I've never taken a permadeath character above about level 45, and I did almost lose Epsi this hour in the Elm mine. I got a little overconfident after rescuing the general, got swarmed by some nasty monsters nearby, and was down to 9 HP before I realised what was happening. Fortunately, I pulled through that, and the rest of the quest was uneventful.

After getting out of the BWM area I cooked some of the meat I've been accumulating, bought some new emergency major health potions to replace the ones I had to use, and then just before today's one-hour timer ran out I decided to take a nap in my own bed in Crossglen. Nothing weird can happen in my own home, right?

Current stats: attack 252 40–47 +44×3.0 (4 attacks/round), defence 125/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Lifetaker, Dagger of the Shadow Priests, Polished Ring of Backstabbing ×2, Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter

[Canuck]

Hour 19: level 46 permadeath

Thought I wouldn't level up this hour, wandering aimlessly in a world of rats, but a skeleton dance and a room of angry trolls gave me the XP I needed just before the timer ran out. I should get more organised and start a hexagon map, but it's fun just drifiting around and exploring (it's only my third time here).

Not wielding the Ratcave Torch at the moment, because the timer ran out in the Troll Room. which is lighted

Current stats: attack 226 57–76 +19×2.0 (2 attacks/round), defence 154/5

Current equipment: Dark Protector, Serpent's Haubeck, Marrowtaint, Greataxe of Shattered Hope, Polished Ring of The Protector ×2, Feline Gloves, Boots of Globetrotter