Beginner Questions

**nobody** · May 30, 2010, 06:19

well i feel like i can reply to a few of these.

play with random artifacts if you wish, i never do. i'd reccomend playing with regular artifacts for awhile first, then switching over to random if you get bored with the artifacts. random artifacts could be harder or easier, depending on your luck.

there are plenty of variants being actively developed, unangband, fangband, dajangband come to mind as being constantly worked on and updated. vanilla has the best streamlined basic gameplay i think though, the current vanilla team with takkaria, powerdiver, magnate, etc etc are doing a great job. its really amazing to think that this game has essentially been in development since 1983 or 1990 depending on how you look at it.

**Derakon** · May 30, 2010, 06:26

Originally posted by ramier

- All the info I've found regarding level feelings seems to be outdated...is there anything specific that would be good to know about the different feelings? Do any of the level feelings have any guarantee on eq, or is it always a mix btwn monsters and eq? And if I skip some levels that have artifacts generated, are those lost forever? (I noticed birth_no_preserve, so I think the default is that artifacts aren't lost?)

The level feeling is simply a rating, with each specific description (e.g. "superb feeling", "feel uneasy", etc.) simply corresponding to a small range of possible values. Out of depth monsters, various special rooms, vaults, and items all add to the rating, so no, there are no ratings that say "awesome equipment here, you should check it out." Generally speaking level feelings are not worth paying too much attention to. Especially you should not feel any obligation to stay on a level just because it has a good feeling.

As for artifacts, the default is that artifacts that you do not identify can be re-generated. There is an option to make it so that each artifact can only be generated at most one time; that option also enables the "special" level feeling, which triggers when an artifact has been generated on the floor, as well as for some other not-very-interesting situations like jelly pits.

- Should I play with random artifacts?

As a new player, the standard artifact set will serve you just fine, and is more reliably able to give you a useful set of gear. But randarts can be fun; if you feel like it, go for it.

- Is vanilla the most commonly played and updated version, or should I check some other variant?

Vanilla is currently under active development. So are several other variants -- FAangband, Unangband, and ToME spring to mind. Vanilla almost certainly has the largest playerbase, but again, there's nothing wrong with checking out variants. Find the game that interests you the most and play it; you're here to have fun, after all.

- How do I avoid the nexus stat-swapping effects? Nexus hounds are native to dl27, so should I always try to find a nexus resist before then? Stat swapping is always disastrous...

There are two ways to avoid nexus stat swapping. The first is to resist nexus, but it's not all that common a resistance. Boots of Stability are one possible source; the others are all artifacts that you're not very likely to find before the hounds show up, or items that get random "high" resistances (and not only are you unlikely to find these; they're also statistically unlikely to have nexus resistance). The second is to not get breathed upon. You should be detecting for hounds like mad if you have magic spells (priests, paladins, and warriors get the shaft here). If you see nexus hounds, get the hell out of there. They are not worth being in LOS of if you do not resist the element, since if they do stat-swap you (at 1 in 7 odds, with a saving throw, every time one of them breathes on you), your character is almost certainly basically dead.

**Zikke** · May 30, 2010, 07:56

Originally posted by ramier

- What does squelching do? I see it talked about on the forums and in options, but when some bad items are {squelched}, nothing seems different; I can still see them, pick them up, do stuff with them, so what changed?

Make sure the option "Hide items set as squelchable" is set to on. This will basically have the game never show you these items on the floor and will automatically drop them if in your inventory. Squleching is very important to keep your item management from getting tedious.

You can set items to squelch based on name (like "Ring of Resist Cold" or "Scroll of Blessing") via either the knowledge menu '~' key or via the options list (hit '=' and then 'S'). Another way is to attempt to destroy an item you have (like a scroll or staff you never want to see again) is hit 'k' to destroy the item, but instead of hitting 'y' when it asks you if you're sure, hit 's' to set it to squelch that type.

You can also set pieces of gear to be squelched based on their quality. Hit '=' and then 'S' and then 'Q' to set the various types of gear to squelch at different qualities.

Hang in there will these options and keys! I know the learning curve of Angband can be a little steep while you make sense of the interface and the key commands, but when you finally get it the game is effortless to play and very fun!

**Timo Pietilä** · June 1, 2010, 10:39

Originally posted by ramier

I played Angband a few years ago, and just got back into it. The documentation seems a little limited so I had a few basic questions, relating to the latest version 3.1.2b2:

- All the info I've found regarding level feelings seems to be outdated...is there anything specific that would be good to know about the different feelings? Do any of the level feelings have any guarantee on eq, or is it always a mix btwn monsters and eq? And if I skip some levels that have artifacts generated, are those lost forever? (I noticed birth_no_preserve, so I think the default is that artifacts aren't lost?)

Non-identified artifacts are not lost. Identified and then left behind are. Feelings do not guarantee much. They don't count monster drops, so you can find excellent gear from quite boring level and superb level might be only jelly pit with no interesting items around.

Originally posted by ramier

- Should I play with random artifacts?

Can be fun, but also can be slightly frustrating depending what you find. Or not find.

Originally posted by ramier

- Is vanilla the most commonly played and updated version, or should I check some other variant?

Probably. For both questions. Some of the variants have moved quite far from original angband. ToME especially (it can't really be called a variant anymore).

Originally posted by ramier

- How do I avoid the nexus stat-swapping effects? Nexus hounds are native to dl27, so should I always try to find a nexus resist before then? Stat swapping is always disastrous...

Two ways: 1) have resistance, 2) have perfect saving throw.

You get a saving throw against stat-scrambling and level-teleporting effects of nexus. For other effects you need resistance.

Perfect saving throw protects also against level-teleports, paralyzation, blindness, mind blast and slowing spells. For paralyzation also melee is protected. You can still be blinded, slowed or knocked out by melee or breaths.

Originally posted by ramier

- What does squelching do? I see it talked about on the forums and in options, but when some bad items are {squelched}, nothing seems different; I can still see them, pick them up, do stuff with them, so what changed?

Set "hide squelched items" on. That removes them from sight.

**ramier** · June 1, 2010, 17:43

Thanks for the help guys, much more thorough than I had hoped

. I played around with squelching options and it saves a lot of effort. I have some more questions about play...

I've been playing a half-troll warrior with the cheat_death option on (Being new, I didn't think I could learn that much from dying at every opportunity, and spending time getting back to where I was; I also wanted to see later parts of the game which would take a lot more time without cheating). At a certain point, around when I'm clvl 45-48 and I'm hanging around dlvl 70-90, I find that I can't kill many of the stronger uniques, no matter how many potions or blinks I have. I can't hit them hard enough to wear them down using the various tactics, so do I just need to find better eq? or do I need better tactics? Are there any guidelines I should focus on, such as damage, or hp, or AC?

I wanted to play a spellcaster and started an Elf Mage, and cannot stop dying. A little squishier than Halftroll War. What should I do? A different race? Don't dive as fast as a warrior, and level up a bit to get some hp? Run away from everything?

**PowerDiver** · June 1, 2010, 17:50

The way to do the most damage is with ego ammo and a great launcher. IMO the mage class is for experienced players. You need to understand the game better before you will be able to keep one alive very long, and they do much less damage than warriors.

**Zikke** · June 1, 2010, 17:50

As a mage, you are quite survivable at high levels since you have so many tricks. Keep using Detect Monsters regularly if you don't have telepathy, which you need to have at that depth. Use blink and teleport self a lot as necessary if you need to avoid baddies.

You should stay around dlvl 97-98 for the best gear. The danger at these levels is the same as at 70 but with better gear.

Avoid any uniques that you need to avoid at this level. When you get a better kit you can go after them in bulk. Use Teleport Other when you see them, or *Destruction* if necessary. *Destruction* doesn't mark them as dead, it removes them from the level until the game randomly spawns them again.

Also, when you hit 50 and have the book with Genocide (banishment) that will make your gear searching MUCH easier.

**buzzkill** · June 1, 2010, 17:52

I can't really speak to the specifics of the warrior life style at that depth. What I did want to comment on is cheat_death. Make sure that you are trying to stay alive and not just lunging into potentially deadly or suicidal situations. If you're just wandering about putting your life on the line constantly, then you're learning nothing useful (except building the monster memory).

Angband is 75% avoiding fights, 20% fighting, 4.99% planning, .01% luck. IMO, you will never "get lucky" and win.

**ramier** · June 1, 2010, 17:52

You guys are faaaast.

**ramier** · June 1, 2010, 17:58

And thanks for the speedy responses

. And yea, I try to pretend death is permanent even with cheat_death on, but I was getting annoyed with recalling to dlvl 98, seeing one of those walk-through-walls uniques on me, and having to recall out immediately and teleport around to stall for a while.

I also found that I can find stairs leading below dlvl100, without killing any important endgame uniques; I saw a post previously about this happening with Create Stairs scroll or something...but I just see stairs without doing anything, is this normal?

**ramier** · June 1, 2010, 18:02

More things I was wondering, does sustain life force mean not being affected by exp-lowering spells? And i've had various sustain stats and life sustains, but sometimes my stats/exp still go down, what spells or who can do that past my sustains?

**Derakon** · June 1, 2010, 18:09

Hold life will protect you against experience drain. It will either completely protect you from the drain, or significantly reduce the effects of the drain; either way, experience drain becomes even more negligible when you have hold life.

Stat sustains can be penetrated by time breath, which in Vanilla can only come from Time Vortices, Time Hounds, Aether Vortices (unlikely, since they have so many other breath weapons to choose from), and Aether Hounds (ditto). To my knowledge, stat sustains are otherwise perfect. The most important stats to sustain are CON, STR, and your spellcasting stat (or, as a warrior, CON, STR, and DEX).

**buzzkill** · June 1, 2010, 18:15

Sustain life prevents most life draining. It works well against the undead. Unlike most sustains in Angband it isn't perfect, and can't be made perfect as far as I know. You should also know that it offers no resistance at all to elemental "time" based attacks (I think. If I'm wrong, someone will correct me).

**Sirridan** · June 1, 2010, 18:34

Absolutely right Buzzkill, nothing stops time's exp drain. (Or stat drain, or hp drain for that matter)

Beginner Questions

Beginner Questions

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