Few Newb Questions

[AngelicPenguin]

I've played Angband on and off since about 1995 (ZAngband on my old Amiga 500), but never gotten too far. I've always enjoyed it, though.

Haven't tried in a good 5 years and had a couple newb questions that I'm probably just forgetting the answers to.

My new ranger got hit by an eye that lowered her strength from 18 something to 16. Is my only recourse to wait until a Potion of Restore Strength shows up in the shop? I thought it would go away on its but it doesn't seem to have.

While googling for "Angband restore stat" I came across many forum posts about Nexus stat swapping and how devastating it was. I saw a post where someone said the "nightlies" changed it to be a temporary but more devastating thing. I checked the change logs for the last couple versions and saw no mention of it - does this mean the current version still has the old Nexus? I'm obviously nowhere near the depth, but if it's the old version, how do I avoid it? Just spam detect monsters and run from Nexus Hounds?

If you folks don't mind I would like to keep posting random questions here if I could in this thread.

[Gwarl]

Stats can be restored by potions of the relevant stat, or mushrooms of vigor, or by reaching a new character level (usually the latter in the early game).

Nexus is a temporary effect.

[Ingwe Ingweron]

Welcome back! One of the great things about Angband, I think, is that it is always being developed, and that with the input of the community. Though Nick does wield ultimate and omnipotent power.

Stat drains will be returned to normal once any of the following occur: (1) @ moves up to the next experience level; (2) @ quaffs a stat-swap potion for the drained stat (returns stat to normal, adds to the stat while taking away from another stat); (3) @ quaffs a stat gain potion for the drained stat (returns stat to normal and adds to the stat); (4) @ eats a mushroom of vigor; (5) restore stat either with a rod of restoration or the priestly spell of restoration.

As for nexus swap. I don't remember whether it is in the current version or in the nightlies, but, if I recall correctly, at some point the nexus swap was changed to a timed effect that would eventually fade. I could be wrong about this.

[AngelicPenguin]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Quick question about keymaps.

I know I used to use them so that I wouldn't have to move my hand around as much.

I use the numeric keypad and keymapped SHIFT 5 to fire at last target and I was trying to keymap CTRL 5 to fire at nearest, but when I enter either CTRL or ALT as a modifier for a key it doesn't seem to take it. CTRL SHIFT key works, as does SHIFT ALT key, so I could go that route.

Can you not keymap CTRL and ALT modifiers directly? Is this a UI limitation and I have to edit the prf file directly?

Edit - a couple other basic questions.

I know in the old days you had to stay on each level a certain amount of time to ensure you got a level feeling - is that long gone? If a level has nothing interesting am I free to dive quickly?
In the early levels is it about right to be on the dungeon level = your character level?

[Gwarl]

Keymaps are surprisingly difficult stuff. The answers very much depend on which port you're using and which OS you're running.

Level feelings for treasure show up when you find a predetermined number of 'feeling squares' which are scattered randomly throughout the level. You get level feelings for monsters as soon as you enter. I tend to explore enough to get the item feeling (once found a potion of experience at '100 that way).

I'd say that CL~=DL is playing it safe. Decent enough rule of thumb until you find your stride though.

[Pete Mack]

CL ~ DL is what happens by default up to around DL 20. (Even if you dive fast, you'll level right up the first time you kill a group of wolves or hounds.) After that, it pays to get below dl 30 fast, where stat potions show up, IF you can recognize on sight the low level monsters that paralyze in combat (Homunculus, carrion crawler, Gorgimaera, Ghast, Basilisk...)

[Ingwe Ingweron]

TCan you not keymap CTRL and ALT modifiers directly?

Try typing a caret ^ (shift 6). I believe that is interpreted as a CTRL in the keymaps.

[Sideways]

My new ranger got hit by an eye that lowered her strength from 18 something to 16. Is my only recourse to wait until a Potion of Restore Strength shows up in the shop? I thought it would go away on its but it doesn't seem to have.

There are no potions of Restore Stat anymore; but it's easier to restore a stat than in the old days, since reaching a new level restores all stats.

[AngelicPenguin]

Try typing a caret ^ (shift 6). I believe that is interpreted as a CTRL in the keymaps.

That doesn't seem to work. The "Create a Keymap" function asks you to hit the key you want to keymap, so if you hold shift and hit 6 for carat it just drops this in there for the key "\^" and then asks for the action for that key.

It's strange - it's like it ignores any key that you press if you are also holding down CTRL or ALT (or even CTRL+ALT) unless I also hold down SHIFT.

[AngelicPenguin]

There are no potions of Restore Stat anymore; but it's easier to restore a stat than in the old days, since reaching a new level restores all stats.

Oh ok - that makes sense - thank you very much!

[takkaria]

That doesn't seem to work. The "Create a Keymap" function asks you to hit the key you want to keymap, so if you hold shift and hit 6 for carat it just drops this in there for the key "\^" and then asks for the action for that key.

It's strange - it's like it ignores any key that you press if you are also holding down CTRL or ALT (or even CTRL+ALT) unless I also hold down SHIFT.

What platform are you on? This kind of stuff varies a lot from OS to OS.

[AngelicPenguin]

This seems like a really basic question -

I had Soft Leather Armor [8,+0]
Then I bought Chain Mail (-2) [32+1], which I thought meant -2 to hit.

My char screen shows this though:
Soft Leather Armor
Melee
To-hit 35, +9
Shoot
To-hit 51, +7

Chain Mail
Melee
To-hit 35, +7
Shoot
To-hit 51, +5

I don't understand why the "to hit" bonuses dropped by 2 as expected with the Chain Mail, but the total number is the same for both armors.

[AngelicPenguin]

What platform are you on? This kind of stuff varies a lot from OS to OS.

Windows 10. Sorry, Linux folks.

[takkaria]

I don't understand why the "to hit" bonuses dropped by 2 as expected with the Chain Mail, but the total number is the same for both armors.

The total number isn't the same - it's 35 base, plus 9 before you wore the Chain Mail, and 35 base, plus 7 after.

[takkaria]

Windows 10. Sorry, Linux folks.

Ah, I can't help then. I have no idea why it wouldn't be picking Ctrl up, I'm pretty sure this worked on previous versions of Windows I've tested on.