Wow. I played rogue for hundreds of hours in the early 80s, some nethack later on, and Rogue Touch for the last 2 months, and I never even made it to level 26 before! Tonight, for the very first time, I won! It wasn't a perfect run. I didn't have that much gold even (something over 6000). I was lucky with some +3 plate mail early on; and I immediately got a protect armor scroll. I built it up to -3. This seriously helped, because I got rattlesnaked down to 10 strength, and I was super lucky I found a restore strength down on level 10 or so. Then I found a +5 strength ring, and subsequently a slow digestion ring. Also; a vorpalize weapon scroll against wraiths, and several enchant weapons so my mace was +5,+3. Some polymorph wands helped, but I was able to defeat any creature in a pinch, though medusas were pretty dreadful if they confused me. I had many close calls. A bad moment when I drank a confusion potion on a low level and I forgot what some of my already identified potions and rings were. As a result, I accidentally drank some poison. Was that a bug? I've never seen that happen. Soooo frustrating falling into pit traps on the way up. And why were the easy monsters so much harder to kill on the way up? Anyway, I am so psyched!!!!
Ramona