Word of Recall

[shell]

I used to play. Isn't there a way to inscribe a Word of Recall to have it pick a certain depth?

Something like @1000 for level 10?

Anybody know?

[Bandobras]

Nope, use the stairs. Nor in any variants I know. Somewhat related: I don't know if V has reset recall (to the level you recall from), but probably not, either. In variants with wilderness, just choose another dungeon...

[shell]

Ahh!

Found it. It's in Mangband. Inscribe with @R400 and it takes you to that depth.

Too bad! That was a great feature.

[zaimoni]

Somewhat related: I don't know if V has reset recall (to the level you recall from),

While there have been some long-standing questions about whether to eliminate this, it's still there in all recent versions of V.

[will_asher]

Why would they get rid of it?

[zaimoni]

"Long-standing" := "since before V2.9.3". The prompt goes useless as the player gets more experienced.

Once you have reasonable access to some form of Detect Traps, there really is no point to "reset recall level" in any form since it's completely controllable anyway. The prompt is just a hassle when you're intentionally oscillating between two DL's because you don't think you're ready for the next one.

Most miscalculations in that regard are revealed in-game only when it's too late (e.g., one-breath instant death, surrounded by breeding confusers without confusion resistance, Time Hounds without telepathy, etc.), so again no real use.

[will_asher]

The use is when you go to a level which you realize is too deep for you (and survive that realization). And there's no drawback to having that option.

[K.I.L.E.R]

Learn from your mistake next time.

[fink]

Nah, it can't be just us MAngband people who have this feature - what other variants use it?

[Daven_26d1]

Once you have reasonable access to some form of Detect Traps, there really is no point to "reset recall level" in any form since it's completely controllable anyway.

Simply not true, the prompt is a potential (though rarely so) lifesaver for inexperienced/unspoiled players who dived too deep, and managed to live to tell the tale. Having to climb to safety once, not on every recall is good thing. In removing the prompt I would want all recalls to "reset".

The prompt is just a hassle when you're intentionally oscillating between two DL's because you don't think you're ready for the next one.

By "hassle" we are talking about hitting one extra key once per dive, of course...actually more hassle for those players who have chronic stair-scummitis, a good thing in my book! =)


@K.I.L.E.R:- "learn from your mistake" is all well and good, but without major use of spoilers, or tedious note-taking, who in the 9 hells can learn the native depths of all monsters so well that after a long break from the game they still have full depth-savvy upon replay?

[zaimoni]

Simply not true, the prompt is a potential (though rarely so) lifesaver for inexperienced/unspoiled players who dived too deep, and managed to live to tell the tale. Having to climb to safety once, not on every recall is good thing. In removing the prompt I would want all recalls to "reset".

Which breaks the oscillation strategy I mentioned (loot levels until out of expendable inventory space). If I was removing the prompt, "never reset".

[Daven_26d1]

Which breaks the oscillation strategy I mentioned (loot levels until out of expendable inventory space). If I was removing the prompt, "never reset".

Interesting that I we have different opinions on the prompt for exactly the same reason: You dislike it because it breaks the strategy of oscillating between two floors, I like it because it annoys stair scummers! ;P

EDIT - always resetting doesn't really break the strategy, either, if you are oscillating then you'll still recall to one of those floors, if you want to recall to the deeper one, recall to town from that floor as usual.

I think the best solution all round is an option in '='.

[nobody]

you don't need to remember the native depth of every creature to learn not to dive too fast.

[aeneas]

Actually, I can think of one potential use of reset, though it's a bit abusive, IMHO. If you have a stealthy character who you don't think you could keep alive indefinitely at 3750 you could drop there fast, grab a big RoS and whatever else you could get in the process, and then return to 2500' to complete your kit/finish stat gain. It's counter to my playstyle- once you are at 3750 you will get what you need to stay alive there pretty quickly, or die trying. But I imagine it would be effective, particularly if you are wiling to stair scum/use create stairs.

[Seany C]

That's quite easily doable for some variants with shafts such as ToME and FAa... it's rather scummy but it would work quite well for quick grabs ...(although I suspect perma-awake monsters like Zs would get you sooner rather than later once below 2500)