Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Kestrel]

So, I've been toying around with adventure mode for the first time, in anticipation of the next DF release.  I'm pleasantly surprised to discover adventure is great fun.  I think I've grasped most of the vital concepts, and approach fights strategically rather than just rushing in.  However, I still end up getting mauled after completing a few quests, even as a demigod level character. The beauty of Dwarf Fortress is that there's no one good way to do something, but many good ways, and many many many bad ways.  I feel like I've stumbled through quite a few of the bad.  I've made a good read of the wiki, and floated around on the forums, but am still somewhat in the dark on what people are doing to achieve long-lasting heroes.

I typically focus on strength and agility, with a touch here and there of whatever the wiki says is important.  Thus far, I go for training in bladed weapons, shields, dodging, and a bit of fighting.  I aim attacks, going for the easiest limbs to lop off, or the head when it's most viable.  I also throw a lot of rocks.  I like throwing rocks.  Ask any teacher I had in grade school.

This being Dwarf Fortress, I expect and appreciate challenges and learning curves.  Of course, Dwarf Fortress also comes with its kinks, bugs, and imbalances that result in thrown fluffy wamblers exploding the extremities of bronze colossi.  That said, what am I missing that provides for sustainable adventuring?  Do I need to grind for a couple hours to better my skills?  Am I hopeless until I've somehow acquired Dwarf-fitting armor?  Should I limit my initial skill focuses so that I'm a ludicrously good dodger that can't do much else very well?

Thanks for any advice.

[Flaming Toadstool]

Get lots of cannon fodd... err, I mean volunteers. They will serve you well as meat shie... faithful companions through your adventures.

[nogoodnames]

I've found agility to be the most important attribute. When fighting something tougher than you, always go for the feet. A prone colossus isn't half as tough as a standing colossus, and you can easily outrun it if you need to.

I like to keep two dedicated companions rather than a whole army of random soldiers. It seems to work better for whatever reason.

[Trapezohedron]

To minimize overall grind, get your dodging skills high, possibly spending all you skill points on dodging itself.
Wrestling can be trained by choking someone else, and if they don't suffocate and you've just started choking, just hold a directional button towards the target until he dies.

Swords, same thing. You can easily train that skill provided a horse doesn't break your rib cage.

[Kestrel]

To minimize overall grind, get your dodging skills high, possibly spending all you skill points on dodging itself.

But what would that do to my ability to block with shields?  I realize they're both designed to negate or avoid damage, but wouldn't balancing dodging and shield use be preferable to focusing on one or the other?

My thinking is (and I could be wrong), if someone throws a punch at you, the game would check if you can dodge it, and if you fail that check, it'll check if you can block it.  Assuming that logic is correct, would it not be better to go through two good defense checks than one great defense check?

[kotekzot]

That's a question that is impossible to answer without understanding the actual game logic or a very large chunk of statistical data.

[Montague]

I think the game checks to see if you can block first, then sees if you can dodge, blocking gives you a nice chance to counter-attack as well. I usually start off with equal skill in both dodging and shield user.

Another idea if you feel like grinding a bit, is starting off with only novice fighter since its easy to level by wrestling zombie ducks/ groundhogs.

Might want to consider going novice weapon user and picking up a mining pick from the general store as a weapon. They are absolutely lethal, even at dabbling skill level.

[Kestrel]

That's a question that is impossible to answer without understanding the actual game logic or a very large chunk of statistical data.

Can't you just do what everyone else on the internet does and pretend to know the answer?

[Doro]

I always reduce all the useless adventure abilites into low as possible so you get a few extra points in adventure creating. i think you can get like 10 or 15 extra points with this, since every reduction gives you only one point. It's also fun to imagine an adventurer who has very low patience, creativity, musicality, memory etc. etc.

Agility is quite important ability for adventurer, but its easily trained with throwing macro, and i think throwing also increases willpower. Tougness is also good for adventurer.
Usually i take high agility and when training my throwing to legendary, my agility and willpower usually goes to undwarvenly level

[kotekzot]

If I had to choose I'd go with blocking, as it is great against breath attacks, and doesn't cause you to fall to your doom, unlike dodging.

[Fredd]

Now a dwarf can wear elf and goblin clothes, and armor. You could train up sneaking, and go scavenge items near lairs, or mug a goblin sentry on the outskirts of a camp for armor.
 A fun thing to do is to retire a dwarven adventurer, and embark near where it retired, and build an Adventurers guild house. Turn off invaders, lower pop cap, then build a mini fort. Stockpile armor,weapons, bolts and any other useful junk. When satisfied, either use Df hack to prevent scattering, or the retired fort trick. End result you have a headquarters for your adventurer, and companions.
 Its shiney level is up to you

[Kestrel]

Now a dwarf can wear elf and goblin clothes, and armor. You could train up sneaking, and go scavenge items near lairs, or mug a goblin sentry on the outskirts of a camp for armor.
 A fun thing to do is to retire a dwarven adventurer, and embark near where it retired, and build an Adventurers guild house. Turn off invaders, lower pop cap, then build a mini fort. Stockpile armor,weapons, bolts and any other useful junk. When satisfied, either use Df hack to prevent scattering, or the retired fort trick. End result you have a headquarters for your adventurer, and companions.
 Its shiney level is up to you

I like this idea..