This was an advice thread for a berserk Crawl DSCj killed by an 8-headed hydra

[vimpulse]

Hi all,

I would like your advice again please.  I'm playing Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup 0.4.4.  My character, a level 10 demonspawn crusader of Lugonu, is up against an eight-headed hydra.  I'm holding an uncursed runed trident:  not my best weapon, but my best weapon is shield-incompatible.  I forgot how powerful eight-headed hydras are.  So, when I came across the hydra, I used Fire Brand to temporarily make it flaming.  I hit the hydra twice.  The first time, my necklace of Bloodlust {*Rage +Rage MR Str+2 Int-2 Dam+3 Stlth- Curse} made me go berserk.  The second time, I stayed berserk and hit the hydra again.  Each time it hit me back, it took away 45% or so of my health.  I don't know why I hit it the second time:  maybe I figured it wouldn't hurt me so badly that time.  Anyway, now the hydra is at yellow strength and I've taken a step away.

Here is my resultant screen.  I'm still berserk.

                                     J the Spear-Bearer
                                     Level 10 Demonspawn of Lugonu
                                     Health: 11/109    ==----------------------
                                     Magic:  14/15     ======================--
                                     AC: 15            Str: 23
                                     EV: 12            Int: 10
                                     SH:  5            Dex: 13
                                     Exp Pool: 1       Place: Lair:3
          ###      ##                Wp: v) trident (flame)
          #.#######.#                Qv: r) hand axe
          #.....@.D.#                Fast
          #.#######.#
          #.#      .#                D _ eight-headed hydra
          #.#      .#
          #.#      .#
          #.#      .#
          #.#      .#
          #.#      .#
          #.#      .
          #.#
          #.#


1.  Did I enter the Lair too early in the game?

2.  What should I do now?  I can't read, quaff, cast, zap, shoot, or unwield anything.  Nor can I use any of my Lugonu-given abilities.

Please see the attached character dump.  I've inserted a couple of screens of Ctrl+P information into the dump file.

Thanks in advance,
--vimpulse

[jim]

1) No... hydras... hydrae... are just really hard sometimes. Try to whittle them down a little before they reach you so that those 2-3 melee rounds are enough to finish them off.

2) Since you have a scroll of blinking, I would put distance between myself and the hydra with your few remaining turns of berserk, then blink down the long hallway to put even more distance between you and it. Then you can use a scroll of fear (or two) in order to make it stop chasing you for those precious turns you'll need in order to flee back to safety. Alternately, depending on how damaged the hydra is, you can use your wand of cold to kill it - a few shots is all it should take. Alternately alternately, after you run out of berserk speed, you can quaff a potion of speed in order to maintain a "normal" rate of speed for another dozen turns or so. All in all, you want to put distance between you and the hydra so that you can either heal up and try again or take pot shots with your wand and finish it off.

Some notes-

-Anything that induces rage randomly, in my book, is delayed suicide as a melee character. (EDIT: Plus you have berserk as a spell. The STR bonus isn't worth it, dude.)
-If this character lives to fight another day, try using your halberd next time. Berserk + flaming halberd should be enough to win that battle. Plus, as a mid-level caster, the shield is going to be putting a damper on your spellcasting; when you get higher success rates, then a shield can better justify itself. Oh - and a flaming halberd will sever heads.

[vimpulse]

2) Since you have a scroll of blinking, I would put distance between myself and the hydra with your few remaining turns of berserk, then blink down the long hallway to put even more distance between you and it. Then you can use a scroll of fear (or two) in order to make it stop chasing you for those precious turns you'll need in order to flee back to safety. Alternately, depending on how damaged the hydra is, you can use your wand of cold to kill it - a few shots is all it should take.

I walked a couple of steps away; the berserk ended that soon.  Then I zapped cold.  This was a mistake.  The hydra soon got me.

Too bad.  Thank you for the help anyway Jim.

[jim]

Sorry dude... didn't want to overwhelm with information. The reason why berserk is such a bitch-goddess is that how long it lasts depends on what you're doing. Say you get roughly 10-15 rounds of berserk: if you're fighting, each attack takes one turn. If you're moving, each move takes maybe 4-5 rounds in terms of berserk length. So it's really hard to run away, because the effect ends just as soon as you start trying to run... I should have emphasized the blink scroll a little more. Sorry man.

[vimpulse]

Sorry dude... didn't want to overwhelm with information. The reason why berserk is such a bitch-goddess is that how long it lasts depends on what you're doing. Say you get roughly 10-15 rounds of berserk: if you're fighting, each attack takes one turn. If you're moving, each move takes maybe 4-5 rounds in terms of berserk length. So it's really hard to run away, because the effect ends just as soon as you start trying to run... I should have emphasized the blink scroll a little more. Sorry man.

Not your fault.  I should have stopped for a few more seconds between each move and though carefully what to do; I was, after all, fighting a hydra.  My fault. 

[corremn]

Unless you blasted this hydra with wands first, you should not of engaged in hand-to-hand combat.  Level 10 is a little too low for this unless you were absolutely prepared to engage this creature. 
Hydras are a great example of why crawl is great!