# Forum:First ascension without genocide
&lt; Forum:Watercooler
Finally, I ascended a wizard, and as usual tried to push back wishing and genocide as much as possible.
Every time before, I run into mindflayers and it was either the end of my vow of the end of me.
Except this last time, where I already had finger of death, magic mapping and identify.
So now I see how to do it with wizards, but there must be alternative strategies for other classes
Anyway, that was cool...
--Bose (talk) 23:39, 8 May 2014 (UTC)

Do lots of Elbereth -- mindflayers aren't really a worry -- until you or they go blind or you are stunned or confused or don't have a reliable way of engraving in one turn or aiming for non-E conduct Wikid (talk) 02:46, 17 May 2014 (UTC)
Ah! I never thought about that, too scared too engrave...
I must have been traumatized by mind flayers when I was a kid.
--Bose (talk) 13:58, 18 May 2014 (UTC)

I managed my first ascension recently as a Barbarian. AC was -32, two-weaponing +7 Stormbringer and +7 silver saber. Also had a ring of levitation, speed boots
and potions of speed. Essential too IMHO are scrolls of gold detection and potions of confusion/booze to find the portals QUICKLY. I got to the correct altar
(SET, chaotic) on the first pick but had a helm of opposite alignment just in case. Basically just blew in like an Abrams tank. -- Mannc (talk) 14:32, 30 July 2014 (UTC)
I tried a genoless game in Slash'EM once; it ended in tragedy.  After getting confused and having a very unpleasant run-in with a pair of master mind flayers, I staggered to safety with two hitpoints, four intelligence and virtually all of my items unidentified and tried to eat one of my tins of nurse meat.  A blacklight caught me off-guard, but I persevered and attempted once more to open a tin.  As it turns out I must have picked up another tin on my way through Gehennom.  KABOOM!! The tin was booby-trapped. You die...
Never again. BellisColdwine (talk) 20:05, 30 July 2014 (UTC)