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What is the most important thing in MAngband? [Poll]

Posted: Sat 12.07.2008, 12:19
by Flambard
10 options, you can pick 3. All are important no doubt, but which are MOST important?

I just wanna gather some wisdom from you, so don't be shy. And feel free to post any comments :)

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Sun 13.07.2008, 17:40
by PowerWyrm
Most important thing... your brain!
The rest is secondary...

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Wed 16.07.2008, 01:56
by Maegdae
I'm certainly not the posterboy for surviving, so I could cry good luck for this character's good fortune to avoid death so far, *knock on wood* =)

Even so, I'd say tactical awareness, means of escape, and resists. I notice the first two were already popular (and I pushed resists up to form a trinity). IMHO, good weapon / blows per round could've been combined and AC replaced with HP..

Being greedy would be pretty bad without great heals and other niceties, but this is enough to keep you alive.

A. resists save you from unavoidable instadeth. most of the time.
B. means of escape mean that, if necessary, you can teleport or *destruct* the area, thereby making the hurting stop.
C. tactical awareness means you'll theoretically have the foresight for B. without it everything else is uselesss.

I'd say most of the actual risk in Mangband comes from lazy playing rather than gold-filled eyes, since many dangerous monsters (summoner Ps, Black Reavers, zoos..) are worth very little for their difficulty. Luck's nice but relying on it is asking for failure. Decent AC makes the game easier early on and is basically required late-game to keep the damage level manageable, but damage usually comes in spellbreath blobs. Killing monsters faster reduces risk but if you're scared about not killing it fast Lady Luck's hovering too close =o Healing is very nice to have but whatever hit you is still there.

In my experience most deaths are preceded by one or two giant mistakes and often a dose of bad luck. For example, I was once charging down a corridor at a ranger. It launched two fire bolts in a row, burning both my teleport staves, then summoned hounds on me. Not having enough backup escape gear + horrible positioning + really, really bad luck there.

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Wed 16.07.2008, 11:47
by Jug
I too voted for means of escape, tactical awareness, and resists.

For me means of escape is more important early on, and tactical awareness more important later on. Afterall, there's a limited amount of tactical information available to a level 1 warrior.

Carrying phase door scrolls and a couple of cure crits to clear confusion certainly provide enough means of escape for me through the early and mid levels. Particularly if you're a Dwarf with racial resist blind. Although blindness itself is a means of escape, and I've certainly carried a staff of blindness to help in sticky situations (when not a Dwarf).

Later on when you have enough resists you can easily rely on scrolls of teleportation to get you out of the frying pan and into the fire. :)

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Sat 27.09.2008, 08:01
by Noble Kale
Knowledge of how the game does certain things.

Ie: time passes, even when you are sensing creatures, etc.

Don't stand around outside sensing the contents of a room full of creatures able to open doors. They will move and splat you, before you press a key to update the screen.

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Fri 10.10.2008, 07:53
by Warrior
My votes:

Tactical awareness
Luck (constant sacrifises to RNG)

I think most people read this poll like this: "What is the most important thing to survive in MAngband?" while I just wanted to reply to a "What is the most important thing in MAngband - what makes it so enjoyable" and to me that is the mix of tactical awareness and just pure luck, when you find something fantastic, when you make a ridiculous escape or when you manage to kill something you really shouldn't even have gone near. And tactical awareness - when you feel that you really understand the situation and you make a play that is "perfect" - when you can make the right move time and time again even when there is no time to think.

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband? [Poll]

Posted: Wed 15.04.2009, 16:55
by Michailski
My top place is Luck
Finding Nether Istaris at the Armoury, finding an Item which rescues your life just a minute later or if your next Enemy attack you with someting you don´t resist. All depends on your Luck.

My second place is for Tactical awareness
You will need it. (Almost at the moments when your luck is afk.^^)

The Number 3 is Means of escape
Its a part of tactical awareness to know "I will need escapes". It may happen at the next dive or a few dives later but you will need them.

All three points together in the following Story (really happend):

My small level 10 Paladin Michailski planned to recall to the bottom. He collected trash and money for the two needed WoR s. He sold all he found without 3 CLW and a White Potion. At 6350 feet he could hear some Doors burst open. Then he was rounded from a pack of Crebains ! =P
Watching the Health running down he used his oly escape, the Speedpotion and then the CLW´s to survive. He recalled victorious back to Town as a level 12 Paladin. =)

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband?

Posted: Wed 26.08.2009, 01:46
by Ardor
Warrior wrote:My votes:

Tactical awareness
Luck (constant sacrifises to RNG)

I think most people read this poll like this: "What is the most important thing to survive in MAngband?" while I just wanted to reply to a "What is the most important thing in MAngband - what makes it so enjoyable" and to me that is the mix of tactical awareness and just pure luck, when you find something fantastic, when you make a ridiculous escape or when you manage to kill something you really shouldn't even have gone near. And tactical awareness - when you feel that you really understand the situation and you make a play that is "perfect" - when you can make the right move time and time again even when there is no time to think.
That says it all.

Re: What is the most important thing in MAngband? [Poll]

Posted: Wed 26.08.2009, 07:54
by Ace
I dont enjoy bad luck ... :) So maybe I have to change my vote.