Noob Question: Stats

[Shalinar]

What does it mean when a stat has an exclamation mark (!) instead of a colon after it? I have a couple stats now that are, for example, "STR! 18/160" instead of "WIS: 18/10".

Second question: Why did one of my stats become "DEX! 18/***"? What does that mean?

Thanks in advance everyone

[Estie]

The ! means that it is maxed for your character; drinking more stat gain potions wont increase it anymore (but stat modifiers from items still apply, except for):

18/*** means the stat is at its absolute cap. Increases from any source wont have any effect.

Stats got up to 18/220 which is the cap, and if its reached, the stat is displayed as 18/***.

Note that going from 18/200 to 18/220 has no effect already except for strength.

[jevansau]

Internally (before modifiers - the Self value) stats cannot go above 18/100. When you reach that it is shown with a !.
Values above 18/220 do not provide extra benefits and are just shown as 18/***.

If you will look on the character screen (Using the C command) you can see all the details.

[Shalinar]

Thanks fellas! I thought it might be something along those lines. I didn't actually know there was a stat cap. Although I'm a bit surprised my stats are maxing out this early! My character is only CL39

[Derakon]

You're probably playing pretty leisurely then; "early" is relative. Angband doesn't tell you how fast to dive, so theoretically you could max your stats out without ever going deeper than level 1...

[Adam]

Note that going from 18/200 to 18/220 has no effect already except for strength.

Maybe I'm wrong but INT over 18/200 still affects failure rate, isn't it?
The lower level spells reach 0% at 18/200 but mana storm benefits from higher intelligence.

[Pete Mack]

@Adam--
Yes. Also, DEX matters right out to 18/220 for max blows for heavy weapons, especially if you want to get to 6 blows. (In the old days, this didn't used to be so, where it maxed at 18/150.)

[wobbly]

/**

 * Stat Table (DEX) -- index into the "blow" table

 */

static const int adj_dex_blow[STAT_RANGE] =

{

	0	/* 3 */,

	0	/* 4 */,

	0	/* 5 */,

	0	/* 6 */,

	0	/* 7 */,

	0	/* 8 */,

	0	/* 9 */,

	1	/* 10 */,

	1	/* 11 */,

	1	/* 12 */,

	1	/* 13 */,

	1	/* 14 */,

	1	/* 15 */,

	1	/* 16 */,

	2	/* 17 */,

	2	/* 18/00-18/09 */,

	2	/* 18/10-18/19 */,

	3	/* 18/20-18/29 */,

	3	/* 18/30-18/39 */,

	4	/* 18/40-18/49 */,

	4	/* 18/50-18/59 */,

	5	/* 18/60-18/69 */,

	5	/* 18/70-18/79 */,

	6	/* 18/80-18/89 */,

	6	/* 18/90-18/99 */,

	7	/* 18/100-18/109 */,

	7	/* 18/110-18/119 */,

	8	/* 18/120-18/129 */,

	8	/* 18/130-18/139 */,

	8	/* 18/140-18/149 */,

	9	/* 18/150-18/159 */,

	9	/* 18/160-18/169 */,

	9	/* 18/170-18/179 */,

	10	/* 18/180-18/189 */,

	10	/* 18/190-18/199 */,

	11	/* 18/200-18/209 */,

	11	/* 18/210-18/219 */,

	11	/* 18/220+ */

};

Dex for blows maxs at 18/200. In fact all dex bonuses max by 18/200. You reach the max 6 blows with a light enough weapon at 18/180, though I haven't calculated what weight that is. Depends on the class.