I have about enough of this skill :\ i always have to spend my first level on it if i take archeologist, but when i actually start without archeologist i am getting smacked by traps and find ton's of useless artifacts all around the first level (no not the regular high amounts, INSANE TONS!) and its a shame to sell them for crappy 90 zork's which are a collectible after floor 3 if you are not a crafter... So yeah, what do you guys think about the skill? Cos i am starting to hate archeologist and the fact that i HAVE to have it and can't actually swap it because of the insane power the skill gives (It belongs...). Also i am starting to hate that Fedora ;P
There is no NEED to take the skill, it's just very powerful. If you hate the artifacts and zorkmids aren't good enough, lutefisk them; the traps can be dealt with by leading the enemies into them, summoning friendlies on top of them, or being buff/ed enough to take the hits from the traps you can't avoid. As long as you can at least see the traps, you can plan around them, and archaeology isn't the only way to gain decent starting trap sight+affinity. Now, if your beef is with the part where Dredmor has skills that are more exceptionally useful in general for builds than others, that might be a different topic.
You can take perception or tinkering (or even burglary) instead of archaeology if it's about traps. And yes, archaeology has some useful bonuses, but most of the time you'll fare just as well if you take another skill, if only you know how to use it.
I've found that I often have a pretty big zorkmid shortage early game if I keep sending all of the artifacts I find for XP. Like, a serious disadvantage in not being able to buy ammo or a good item or craftables.
