Re: improvement scrolls

["Michael B. Martin" <martinm@mbmartin.bevc.blacksburg.va.us>]

> Since I was not very pleased noticing that weapon improvement has been
> severely crippled, I have added a couple of spiffy new scrolls in
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I think I would have to disagree with this.  I haven't used the old
improvement code much, but I think even with the tighter restrictions
the new code still allows powerful weapons.  My 48th level barbarian
has a holy mace +10 which does dam+83 (over 100 damage total with other
bonuses), Str/Dex/Con +2.  With potions, spells, and magic items I can
make myself immune to everything except lightning (got a helm of Uriel
for protection from that, though, and my polished shield protects me
as long as I don't move), acid (is there anything that gives immunity
to acid?), and some of the other rarer ones (like cancellation, death,
etc.).  Even without any protection from cold, he can practically walk
through Chinese dragons (and even red dragons one at a time with only
protection from fire).  The only thing that still gives me trouble is
lightning.  If I had immunity to lightning, I could do anything (could
finally take Jessy without any trouble :).

> Now before you call me a "cheater" or whatever, about game balance:
> - each protection is offset by a vulnerability; so if you apply all of the
> cold resistance scrolls, you suddenly find yourself vulnerable to fire and
> path_denied :-)

What about lightning?  What would the vulnerability be?  Acid, maybe?
Also, a general question to all: what if you are using a magic item
which gives you a vulnerability (to fire, say) and then drink a potion
of (fire) resistance?  Which one takes precendence?

> - *artifact weapons* must be sacrificed for the scroll to work
> e.g. lightning immunity would cost you only 5 mjoellnirs (now where to get
> 5 mjoellnirs?? :-)

Having said all that above, I would *love* to get immunity to
lightning (even if it's only short-term, like the "resistance"
potions).  :)  Actually 5 mjoellnirs might be a bit low (considering
just how powerful immunity to lightning would be).  Artifacts are not
that hard to come by for high-level characters (e.g. the Tower of
Demonology has four at the end which my character can get pretty
easily).  You can go through the gates of Hell pretty easily and get
two artifacts at the end (the treasure key can be gotten easily via
dimension door without having to fight Jessy).

Also, how could one get weaponmagic attacks?  Sacrifice a bunch of
artifact swords that have it?

I like this scheme, as it allows one to make good use of the otherwise
"worthless" artifact weapons (my enchanted holy mace does better for
me overall than any of them, so I just sell them).

> - as long as they don't appear in the treasures file, they don't appear
>   in the game at all except explicitly (i.e. as high-level quest items)

Good idea, IMHO.  I happen to really like the idea of quest items
(like the dragonbreath and large icestorm spells in the dragon quest
cave and the special weapons in the Tower of Demonology).

> BTW the version 0.92.0 is great! very nice that it doesn't crash anymore
> on the skills code and that alchemy works again :-)
> This skill code adds a lot to the game IMHO.

Agreed (although my server still crashes more frequently than I would
like; my roommate has discovered a way to crash it with certainty by
dumping a rather large number of comets into a "director trap" (two
opposing directors) and letting a monster walk into it).  BTW, for
anyone using the skills code: I would suggest getting Brian's gods
patch.  It makes all the difference in being able to get your wisdom
skills past about 8th or 9th level (at "lower" levels you can gain
another level just for using a summoned avatar to kill a lich or
demilich).  Plus it adds a little more spice to the game.

-Michael