The Void

[Blackdog]

Following Neil's comment that I focus too much on the Void, I decided to actually try it. I'd killed Morgoth in pre-2.2.x versions, so I was curious about the 'ultimate' ending. Of course I'd read about Lord Dimwit's multiple successes there, so I figured it couldn't be impossible...well, it's darn close.
Tantar, the Hobbit Geomancer vanquished Melkor today after wading through hordes of demons, which plagued him far more than Spirits. It's rather like playing a lost soul. You have to keep track of the stairs while looking for the next set, always ready to beat a hasty retreat. High stealth definitely helped him avoid waking up demons, which effectively caused dozens of potentially-summoned monsters to not exist.

Paradoxically, the Nether Realm seemed easier than the Void, even though everything was level 150. This is probably because most of the monsters were trapped in nice little vaults which block LOS.


Tantar had a little surprise when he took the stairs up from the top of the Nether Realm back to Lothlorien, and another when he took the stairs up from the bottom of the Void to the Halls of Mandos.

Anyway, it was a fun jaunt, and as always, thanks to Darkgod for his constant innovation.

[Lord Dimwit]

I find that it helps to orient a character toward survival in the Void from the very beginning of the game. Knowing all of your possible abilities/attributes before you go is very helpful.

I think that the Void is less impossible than many might think it is, but going in there without the essentials (Genocide for one thing, and some means of disrupting monsters' LOS) would make it very close to impossible.

Anyway, congratulations and all! Not many people have got to where you did.

PS: I think your poll is rigged.

[Neil]

Bah, I hit the wrong entry. I clicked that I haven't won yet, but I meant to click the one on the left.

Technically it's not true, though. I've never had a character die in the Void. I had a winner get ejected from the Void by a bug, but that's it.

[Blackdog]

Thanks Dimwit, and you were right about the mage staff bug -- you have to *identify* your plain mage staff first.

[Zombie Yeek]

I went through there with my last thaumaturge, but I never did figure out where I was supposed to get that silly eternally flaming thing, so I retired when I ran low on potions (annoying, that lack of air thing).

[rakanishu]

Like Zombie Yeek I have been there, failed to figure out what to do but rather than retiring I fought to the end when my healing potions ran out.

[Blackdog]

*Major Void spoiler*



Take the stairs from Lothlorien and work through the first 20 levels of the Void. At level 148 you can take the purple stairs down to the Nether Realm. Fight your way to Tik'srvzllat on level 696. Beat her to get the Flame Imperishable. You need to 'A'ctivate the Flame on an unenchanted heavy crossbow, longsword, power dragon scale mail, or mage staff. Walk back to 666, the stairs from which will take you back to Void 148 or, sometimes, Lothlorien. In either case, you can now take the stairs from 148 to 149, and then to 150 where Melkor awaits you!

[jschultz]

You need to 'A'ctivate the Flame on an unenchanted heavy crossbow, longsword, power dragon scale mail, or mage staff.

And then you have to wield it, I presume. This excludes Monks and Dragon-Possessors. Barehand-fighting means you can't use a mage staff, longsword, or heavy armour. The dragon-possessors don't even have the shooter slot, and doesn't the heavy crossbow disturb dodging?

Maybe add a Feanorian Lamp?

[darkgod]

Just siwitch back to a "normal" body , wield something, enter and reswitch.
There are penalities to be a mighty dragn you know ?

[zasvid]

Hoom... in a dragon-body or being a monk you can wear the PDSM for a while, can't you? Just take it off after going down.

[Zizzo]

[...] and doesn't the heavy crossbow disturb dodging?

No more so than any other 20-pound object, worn or carried: a 2% penalty to base dodge chance. Only the six armor slots count toward the massive worn-armor-weight penalty.

[Guest]

Erm... blackdog... If your earlier *Identify* comment meant you have to *Identify* the Mage Staff before using the Flame Imperishable on it, it would have been AWESOME to have mentioned that in the *Spoiler* part where you give instructions on what to do.... I think my little guy who I've been working on for over about a month and who's gotten further than I ever have before is BUGGERED now!

Is this right? Or is there some way I can proceed? For future reference, do you need to *ID* whatever you're using the Flame on before use?

[Blackdog]

The bug only affects the mage staff, which must be *identified* before it can be turned into Eternity.

[Lord Dimwit]

Hmmm... I notice that someone else seems to believe that they are me.

Come forth, imposter, and do battle!!!

[Tachyon]

Went to void, died there.

I was running a powerful symbiant with a Master Q symbiote, capable of taking on almost anything. However, I had stupidly forgotten to kill all (or most) unique monsters. (D'oh!!! *Slams head on keyboard*) Met Ancalagon the Black on the third level of the Void while looking for a staircase down. Ancalagon saw me first, and immediately summoned half a dozen leveled wyrms, who proceded to summon more wyrms, etc. I started summoning dragons myself, but Ancalgon out-summoned me, and I was ground into powder by leveled GWoBs. I should have taken a closer look at what I thought was an Ancient Black Dragon...