TOPIC: How useful is Orb of Venom?

So I have a +2 Keen Slayer Bow, some +1 Arrows of True Flight, and some Oils of Venom. Is there a reason to bring some Orb of Venoms on the run with me? They seem redundant to me, but I'm not sure if there is some reason to hold on to them.

I can think of two reasons: I temporarily lose the ability to use my Bow, or a monster requires poison damage to be damaged (but I think I have that covered with the Oil of Venom).

Orb of Venom, like Alchemist Fire or Orb of Lightning, are consumable ranged weapons.

The best use is for classes that can't use good ranged weapons. In those cases, the damage wheel is better than what they could normally use.

In your case, that doesn't seem the case. I guess you could use the Orb as a backup weapon, but you're probably better off with real (permanent) backup weapons instead.

99.9% of the time, a Relic will be a superior choice to an Uncommon.

Incognito wrote: I guess you could use the Orb as a backup weapon, but you're probably better off with real (permanent) backup weapons instead.

Great, thanks!

I have never previously brought any backup weapon with me. How likely are you to need one? Are there any particular situations that happened in the past I should know about?

I think I read something about silver weapons being temporarily not usable for one reason or another in 2013 perhaps.

You should always have at least one ranged and one melee weapon. Beyond that is personal preference.

Keep in mind if you're using a weapon that's part of your set bonus, you are somewhat locked-in to that weapon.

Kirk Bauer wrote: I think I read something about silver weapons being temporarily not usable for one reason or another in 2013 perhaps.

Only if you're a werewolf.

Kirk Bauer wrote:

Incognito wrote: I guess you could use the Orb as a backup weapon, but you're probably better off with real (permanent) backup weapons instead.

Great, thanks!

I have never previously brought any backup weapon with me. How likely are you to need one? Are there any particular situations that happened in the past I should know about?

I think I read something about silver weapons being temporarily not usable for one reason or another in 2013 perhaps.

Two years ago, the Sea-Lich had a pet rust monster, which destroyed (for the duration of the room) any metal melee weapons that hit it, and there was an electric eel that did retribution damage to non-wood melee wielders.

Last year the genie was in a room with high winds that prevented ranged attacks, and the will-o-wisp was flying, which prevented melee attacks.

That's just a partial list. So, yeah, having just one weapon is very risky.