Skeleton Annihilator in NETA

[Big-J-Q]

In the Neta/Ros-place near DDD, where there is a skeleton generator and you have to trap skeletons behind the iron grate, there was suppose to be a lightning bolt thrower behind the grate when on the NETA path.

Well, just played that and I had to kill the skeleton with poison clouds. No lightning.

Amazing, I have managed to complete ROS and NETA with minimal effort. In the NETA I didn't have to cope with the Vexirks at all. In the ROS I didn't have to complete the throwing test. Makes me feel I'm missing something

[billgus]

There is a very global puzzle about the Neta/Ros skeleton puzzle. It depends on which path you use last to reach the DDD, etc. There was a forum thread at the Enclyclopia - try looking there.

The Ros path, like all the paths, has three 'entrances' from the 4-way. One brings you backwards through the throwing test and you don't have (get to) do it. It's just the way FTL designed it.

The Neta Vexirks - I assume you mean the little door maze leading you a teleporter? To exit, you most have found at least the main Vexirk. There is another one with food that may teleport in. There are also two treasures that can appear under special circumstances - I've never seen it happen. (Saw the setup via DMute)

[Big-J-Q]

Yes, I know all that, it's just that I have a feeling of LOSS not having to go through...everything. It's almost too easy this way. I hope DAIN proves to be a longer path. (It's also my least explored path to date.)

[Ameena]

That bit with the Skellies is either bugged or broken for me, too I trapped four Skellies behind there ot see if anything would happen and it didn't...I'm gonna try zapping them with poison spells since they fit through the grating and see if that works...

[Ameena]

...and it did, woohoo
So now all I have to do is go and sort out level 10 and find the Curbum Pit and chuck the Corbums and...hmm...ugh mobs everywhere Worms, Demons, Ghosty thingys...oh well, it's all exp I suppose (Muahahahahhaha ).

[Gambit37]

Well, that's gotta be another bug because poison shouldn't affect skeletons!

[Ameena]

Pfft...Fire shouldn't technically affect a Fire Dragon either, should it? Like weapons shouldn't do much to a Stone Giant or Death Knight...Oh well, death to all, muahahahahhahahaaa

[Lunever]

Yes, poison clouds shouldn't, but poison bolts should, and do so (I only ever used poison bolts). But it's right, the lightning is missing.
If you go Neta first, you have to be quick when killing a skeleton with poison bolts before it leaves through the Neta exit.

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[Ameena]

Ahh...well, I used Poison Bolts as well...I only ever normally use Fireball or Harm Non-Material Being (depending on the mob) when fighting, but if in a situation like this I use Poison Bolt 'cause Poison Cloud is just too slow and you have to wait for them to die and everything, ugh

[Lunever]

Ameena:
Ah, but in places where both material and immaterial beings lurk, poison bolt is very useful, for you only have to prepare a Des rune and thus are able to quickly decide whether to attack something material by adding a Ven rune or something immaterial by adding an Ew rune. And if you already have prepared a full poison bolt or banish spell, but are facing the other type of monster than you have prepared against, you can change quickly to the spell needed with very low loss of Mana, while changing from a FulIr fireball to a banishment spell is quite a waste of Mana.

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[Ameena]

Nah I just have a couple of strategies for dealing with being faced by either material or non-material unexpectedly.
If I have Fireballs scribed and I bump into a non-material mob, then I either chuck the Fireballs and quickly replace with Harm Non-Material Being or (usually if too low on mana) run away, chuck the Fireballs, and replace with Des Ew.
If I have Harm Non-Material Being spells scribed (usually because I've already seen at least one non-material mob in the area) and bump into a material mob, I either chuck the Des Ews and quickly replace with Fireballs, or run away, chuck the Des Ews, and replace with Fireballs
And as for Vorpal Blades? Bah usually can't be arsed to waste the time changing weps so I just deal with non-materials magically
Ah well, it works for me at any rate...and besides, the only place in CSB I can think of where I meet both materials AND non-materials in the same room is the Fire Elementals and Demons in the DDD (in which case I can easily prepare to attack the former), and Ghosty-thingys and Demons on level 10, in which case I hide at the top of the stairs and zap them for ages before getting bored and running away to take another route up . Still haven't finished it lol.

[Lunever]

As I said, changing from fireballs to banish spells or vice versa is a waste of Mana compared to changing from poison bolts to banish spells and vice versa, and besides, the poison bolts do a pretty good deal of initial damage. And Vorpal blades ain't that bad: In DM I kill all Faders for example with'em, 'cause they can hurt the Materializers at any time, not only when they solidify (and spit fireballs) like DesEw.
Ah, and speaking of Level 10 (according to Pat's Hintbook), the Zystazes respawn from a generator. You can only decrease their supply by entering their generator tile while in possession of the Pendant Ferral and the Crown of Nerra.

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[Ameena]

Ohh well, it don't use that much mana to switch spells like that...and anyway I thought you could hit Spell Vines (if that's what you meant by "Faders") either way, since they're non-material all the time and therefore susceptible to the spell...I never stand toe-to-toe with those things 'cause I get blown up lol
And as for the spawn generator on level 10...hmm well I tihnk I kept hold of the Pendant Feral, but I didn't bother with the Crown of Nerra 'cause it was crap. Ugh don't even know where thhose thigns are spawning from anyway hehe...I seem to recall getting past this bit (back on the Atari) by just kind of running around and somehow getting through, seeing Lord Chaos and running even more...something like that. I know it used to work but there seem about ten times the mobs in this version...either that or there was always that many and they just weren't bothered that I was tearing through the dungeon and doing stuff. Ugh smeggy things...still haven't finished CSB but might have a go later

[Lunever]

I wouldn't call the Crown of Nerra crap, it adds 10 to your Wisdom (don't confuse with the Calista, which does not have such a benefit).
Sorry for the word "Fader", I didn't pay attention while posting, I think correctly they are called "Materializer". The Materializers of DM and the Zystazes of CSB are only susceptible to DesEw while solidified, but can always be harmed with the vorpal blades. Since the Materializers in DM are kept back by an invisible barrier at Enc. z11/x44/y45 I lure them there and kill them one by one by stepping sideways 'round the corner, disrupting with the blades and retreating again. The Zystazes I banish with DesEw when they are in their fully visible state, but first I start from the Dain entrance to their generator at Enc. z00/x25/y35 (where the imaginary walls spring up) with the pendant and the crown, according to the hint oracle that should help against their reproduction.
To reduce the amount of material monsters there, use the "Wrath of God", the big fireball machine in that level that is activated by feeding all plain locks and coin slots with Gor coins and iron keys. Enter Chaos abode either by the Master door unlocking it with the Master key one of the Demons in it's ante-chamber possesses or the one from the Vexing Vexirk, or simply enter through the B-Lock door and then through the Topaz door, which can be opened with lockpicks also if you don't have the Topaz key, or use one of the secret teleporters into Chaos abode, visible in DMute. Throw the Corbums past the pit, and voilá, Chaos is defeated.

There are more monsters in RTC, because RTC's generators respawn more readily than FTL's, also their speed might be higher, depending on level of difficulty. But with the Wrath machine on your side, that is not too bad. Also, the invisibility spell is VERY useful in that final stage.

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[Gambit37]

Spawn times in RTC v0.25 (the next version) should be much more accurate than the current version because I posted all the correct timings and George has added them to the TXT files...

[Ameena]

Oh right, well...I've seen a few very large Fireballs whizzing about (when I came up from getting the Neta Corbum...think they killed me once...well, Fippy anyway )...I think I vaguely remember something like that from before...but I don't have any Gor coins 'cause I spent 'em all on the vending machine (was hoping for the Sar Shield 'cause the book says it can appear, but all I got was a Large Shield no matter how many times I killed myself and tried again lol). Still, I'm sure I can do it anyway. And I've never ever used the Invis spell, so I'm sure I can manage without. Bah there seem to be about fifty more monster generators in this version than the Atari. Well maybe I just got lucky...I'm sure I finished the game at least once, 'cause I remember chucking the Corbums across and then the Fire Elemental appears and the Grey Lord or something...hmm...well I'll find out eventually lol

[Lunever]

Always save before using the vending machine, for once you feed it with a Gor coin and neither of them two alcoves gives you an item in return, the machine is empty, no matter how many coins you spend in addition. Hmm, I don't think there is a Sar-shield/shield of Darc CSB, nor a shield of Lyte, they only appear like this in DM-format like in DMute, but actually they are the Dragon shield and the Ra shield in CSB.
If you don't have coins anymore, have a look at the alcoves in the FulYa-level, there are also some coins spread. The wrath is difficult to get at first, but useful once activated, for if you activate all locks/slots, position the walls around Enc. z00/x35/y36 in the southwest-northeast axis and open the master door it not only keeps the ante-chamber clear of demons but shoots right into Chaos abode.
I never used the invisibility spell for ages, it only recently came to me how damned useful it actually is.

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[Lunever]

Hey Ameena, you don't happen to use some IM like MSN or ICQ or something? If you do, come in and have a look, there are many DM people by know who can be found there.
Join IRC channel #dungeonmaster at any random quakenet-server like irc.quakenet.eu.org, you might also contact me in MSN Tobias_Lehmberg@hotmail.com, ICQ 131214153, Y! Lunever or AIM "Lunever Solarian" .
CU!

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[Ameena]

I haev MSN Messenger but I hardy use it these days. I do check my e-mail at least once a day if possible though, and my addy is ekky84@hotmail.com if you want to write to me

[George Gilbert]

Fixed for V0.27