[Coco] Re: Re: Re: Left/Right handed DoD playing...

[Frederick D Provoncha]

William,

> Yeah, I usually use that technique on the first level. It's an easy 
> way 
> to collect the objects there once the critters line up. I have found 
> 
> that on the first three levels, a hybrid between the "hang out with 
> a 
> spider" and the "pile of junk" strategies is quite effective.

I've found my "pile of junk" strategy especially effective on the second
level, though I use it for all of the first 3 levels.

> It turns out that you need pretty much as much strength as you can 
> accumulate reasonably before going on to level 4 so that you can 
> survive 
> the hit and run fight technique because you have not got enough 
> objects 
> for a pile and there are pretty much no critters to hide behind.

I definitely agree with you on that. Unfortunately, sometimes the
Wizard's Image shows up early :-(

> It seems to me that one should load a fresh solar torch before 
> heading 
> down to level 4. Also, I like to have an iron sword in one hand and 
> the 
> ring whose final hit killed the image in the other hand. (Attacking 
> with 
> a sword is easier on your heart rate.) I usually end up with a ring 
> with 
> one or two charges left when I kill the image. 

Actually, you're right. I misstated before what you need in your hands
before being transported to Level 4. You use up one of your rings
attacking the Wizard's Image. Before finishing off the Wizard's Image
with one blast of the second ring, you need to drop the used-up ring and
pull out an iron sword. You're right, what I stated was incorrect.


> Even so, I usually end up 
> getting clobbered farily quickly on level 4. I think my record is 
> lasting 20 minutes and that was after killing some extra big 
> critters on 
> a replay of level 1.

Heh heh, that's been my experience too. Level 4 is HARD! Definitely the
hardest of all 5 levels. I can't get through it without ZSAVE-ing and
reloading a lot.

> It's kind of nice when you can do the "hide behind a creature and 
> let 
> them line up" because then you can put out your torch and go and 
> have 
> coffee, watch the game, or what have you, then come back for another 
> 
> round of bashing on critters. :)

Uh, that's a good point! I never thought of that before. I guess I only
used it on Level 5 because on the upper levels I was always afraid that
though spiders can't kill you, they may adversely affect your heart rate,
which I'm always trying to keep as low as possible. But, I don't know...
at what point do you become so strong that spiders can't even affect your
heart rate?

Fred Provoncha