Andor's Trail

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Great going! Reading this is thrilling!

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

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).
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