Angband FAQ Part Two

1. Spoiler Files
   1. Where can I get spoiler files and what are their contents?
2. Abilities and Resistances
   1. I don't have see invisible, but I occasionally see invisible monsters. What's going on?
   2. What's the best way to identify items?
   3. I just got a feeling about an item. What does it mean?
   4. What does free action do? Is it important?
   5. My stats got shuffled by a nexus attack! How do I prevent this? Can they be restored?
   6. What is the difference between resist confusion and resist chaos?
   7. What is the difference between ignore, resist and immune?
3. Items
   1. What is a weapon of freezing/burning/shocking/melting?
   2. What does a [insert item here] do ?
   3. I found a weapon of Morgul. Is is worth anything?
   4. What are the special powers of Dragon Scale Mail?
   5. Explain "good" and "great" items.
   6. Which items can have extra powers?
   7. How do I discover an item's special powers?
4. Artifacts
   1. Will I ever see an artifact in one of the stores in town?
   2. Explain the generation of artifacts.
   3. Can an artifact be stolen or destroyed by a monster attack?
   4. I found an artifact on a level that was not "special." What's up?
   5. One of my items/artifacts was disenchanted! How can I prevent this? Is there any way to restore the item?
   6. I found Calris. Joy! But how do I uncurse it?
5. Combat & Survival
   1. Is there a trick for surviving an attack by a group of monsters?
   2. What are some general survival tips?
   3. How many attacks should my character be getting?
   4. How do missile weapon to-hit and to-damage bonuses work?
   5. How do damage multipliers work?
   6. What are the damage mulipliers for ego weapons?
   7. I got a critical hit with my weapon. How much damage did it do?
   8. My priest character doesn't feel comfortable wielding his or her weapon. Why?
6. Spellcasting
   1. How do I keep my spellbooks from being destroyed by fire?
   2. Why did my maximum mana suddenly go down?
   3. I don't have enough mana to cast a spell. What are the consequences if I cast it anyway?
   4. I cast a spell twice in a row. Why doesn't the duration double?
   5. My bolt spell took out a row of monsters! What happened?
   6. Where do I find the higher-level spellbooks?
7. Monsters
   1. Are monsters susceptible to certain attacks, like they were in Moria?
   2. Why are there two different entries in my monster memory for the same monster?
   3. I killed a monster that I couldn't see. Do I get credit in the monster memory for the kill? What about experience?
   4. How do I kill large numbers of orcs or trolls fairly easily?
   5. Why can't I target a monster in a wall?
   6. Should I kill Farmer Maggot?
   7. I'm having lots of trouble with a unique monster. Help!
8. Dungeon Features
   1. How is the treasure in chests generated?
   2. What are monster pits?
   3. What are monster nests?
   4. What are lesser vaults?
   5. What are greater vaults?

1a. Where can I get spoiler files and what are their contents?

Descriptions of some useful spoiler files follow:

• initstat.spo: details how the computer generates starting statistics for a character based on class and race (outdated)
• stat.spo: modifiers to abilities based on statistics (outdated)
• store.spo: information on storekeepers (outdated)
• spells.spo: spell effects (outdated)
• dungeon.spo: information on dungeon level creation and level feelings
• obj-long.spo: detailed information on every object found in the game, mundane and magical, except for artifacts. Also includes information on wand/staff/rod failure rates
• obj-good.spo: how good and great items are created and their abilities
• artifact.spo: artifact list with complete descriptions
• attack.spo: determining player combat skill
• mon-blow.spo: information on monster attacks
• mon-info.spo: very long spoiler detailing monsters and uniques

2a. I don't have see invisible, but I occasionally see invisible monsters. What's going on?

2b. What's the best way to identify items?

For warriors, paladins and rogues, carry all the weapons and armor your character finds. The 'pseudo-identify' will give some idea of the item's value. For mages and rangers who have the identify spell and know it well enough to cast fairly often, ID everything. Warriors, priests, and low level mages and rangers have to depend on Scrolls of Identify and Rods and Staves of Perception. Priests with 'Orb of Draining' can use it to weed out non-artifact cursed items on the floor. Even priests, mages and rangers do get some feeling of 'good' or 'cursed' items if they carry things long enough, but this is much more general than the feelings other classes receive. See the next question.

2c. I just got a feeling about an item. What does it mean?

 'terrible'  - cursed artifact, usually bad
 'worthless' - cursed ego item
 'cursed'    - cursed item
 'broken'	 - useless normal item
 'average'   - normal item
 'good'      - item with bonuses
 'excellent' - item with special powers (ego item)
 'special'   - artifact, usually good

While priests, mages and rangers are limited to:

 'good'    - can be 'special,' 'excellent,' or 'good' as above
 'cursed'  - can be 'terrible,' 'worthless,' or 'cursed' as above

2e. My stats got shuffled by a nexus attack! How do I prevent this? Can they be restored?

2f. What is the difference between resist confusion and resist chaos?

2g. What is the difference between ignore, resist and immune?

Items with 'resist' powers make your character resist damage and side effects from those attacks, but they do not protect other equipment from harm.

Items with 'immune' powers make your character immune to damage of that type and protect carried items from harm.

3a. What is a weapon of freezing/burning/shocking/melting?

3b. What does a [insert item here] do ?

• Potion of Life - restores lost experience, restores any drained stats, cures poison, confusion, blindness, hallucination, removes fear and stunning, heals cuts and fully heals you.

• Potion of Augmentation - restores all your stats, then attempts to raise each one.

• Potion of Death or Ruinations - Need you ask? Don't drink it!

• Potion of Detonations - Don't drink it! It makes a good thrown weapon, though, inflicting 25d25 points of damage.

• Potion of Enlightenment - a Potion of Enlightenment maps and lights the entire level, like the 'Clairvoyance' prayer. It also detects all objects.

• Potion of *Enlightenment* - completely lights and maps the level, identifies all your items, restores your INT and WIS and then increases them if below maximum, grants self-knowledge, and detects all objects in the immediate vicinity.

• Staff or Rod of Enlightenment - acts as the priest spell of sense surroundings (basically, it maps one screen, without detecting anything).

• Staff of the Magi - restores your INT and mana to the maximum.

• Scroll of Acquirement - Creates one item of great quality on the floor near the player. *Acquirement* creates several.

• Curse Weapon/Armor Scroll - these will ruin an equipped weapon or piece of armor. Artifacts have only a small chance to survive ruination. Can be used to remove a heavily cursed weapon, as the scroll will "lower" the curse to a normal curse.

3d. What are the special powers of Dragon Scale Mail?

All DSMs provide resistance to the "natural" breath weapon(s) of that type of dragon (i.e., Red DSM has resist fire, Green DSM has resist poison, etc.) Some of these resistances are not very useful, but some are very rare and precious high resistances. Some of the more powerful DSMs are the are the only items in the game (except artifacts) that can provide multiple high resistances.

In addition, all DSM can be activated for a breath weapon appropriate for the type of dragon. This capability can very useful for a lower level character who is lucky enough to find a DSM.

For information on the specific resistance(s) and activation provided by a particular type of DSM, see the spoiler file obj-long.spo.

3e. Explain "good" and "great" items.

Any weapon or piece of armor created by Angband has a chance to become a "good" item, based on the dungeon level on which it was created. "Good" weapons have bonuses to hit and damage and "good" armor will have a bonus to Armor Class.

Any "good" item has a chance (again based on dungeon level) to become a "great" item. These items are most of the "named" items such as Holy Avengers, Slay Weapons and special "resist" armors. Sometimes a "great" item will have additional bonuses over the previous "good" item. These are also called "ego items."

Any "great" item has a chance to become an artifact if several other conditions exist.

For more information, see the spoilers obj-good.spo and artifact.spo.

3f. Which items can have extra powers?

These items will sustain one statistic:

• Holy Avenger weapons
• Defender weapons

• Crown of the Magi
• Blessed weapons

• Cloak of Aman
• Robe of Permanence
• Armor of Elvenkind

Items with random powers take a little more work. The easiest way to find out all their powers is to read a scroll of *Identify* on them. Another magical way to find an item's powers is with a potion of Self Knowledge. Unequip all your character's items except for the one in question then quaff the potion. Subtract any special racial abilities, and you should be able to tell the powers of the item.

Finally, there is always the method of trying it out. Some of the abilities and resistances are easily deduced; others take work. Have your character carry the item. When he/she runs into weak monsters with a particular attack equip the item, let the monster hit or cast a spell, and see if the item protects your character.

4a. Will I ever see an artifact in one of the stores in town?

4b. Explain the generation of artifacts.

While priests, mages and rangers are limited to:

 'good'    - can be 'special,' 'excellent,' or 'good' as above
 'cursed'  - can be 'terrible,' 'worthless,' or 'cursed' as above

2e. My stats got shuffled by a nexus attack! How do I prevent this? Can they be restored?

2f. What is the difference between resist confusion and resist chaos?

2g. What is the difference between ignore, resist and immune?

Items with 'resist' powers make your character resist damage and side effects from those attacks, but they do not protect other equipment from harm.

Items with 'immune' powers make your character immune to damage of that type and protect carried items from harm.

3a. What is a weapon of freezing/burning/shocking/melting?

3b. What does a [insert item here] do ?

• Potion of Life - restores lost experience, restores any drained stats, cures poison, confusion, blindness, hallucination, removes fear and stunning, heals cuts and fully heals you.

• Potion of Augmentation - restores all your stats, then attempts to raise each one.

• Potion of Death or Ruinations - Need you ask? Don't drink it!

• Potion of Detonations - Don't drink it! It makes a good thrown weapon, though, inflicting 25d25 points of damage.

• Potion of Enlightenment - a Potion of Enlightenment maps and lights the entire level, like the 'Clairvoyance' prayer. It also detects all objects.

• Potion of *Enlightenment* - completely lights and maps the level, identifies all your items, restores your INT and WIS and then increases them if below maximum, grants self-knowledge, and detects all objects in the immediate vicinity.

• Staff or Rod of Enlightenment - acts as the priest spell of sense surroundings (basically, it maps one screen, without detecting anything).

• Staff of the Magi - restores your INT and mana to the maximum.

• Scroll of Acquirement - Creates one item of great quality on the floor near the player. *Acquirement* creates several.

• Curse Weapon/Armor Scroll - these will ruin an equipped weapon or piece of armor. Artifacts have only a small chance to survive ruination. Can be used to remove a heavily cursed weapon, as the scroll will "lower" the curse to a normal curse.

3d. What are the special powers of Dragon Scale Mail?

All DSMs provide resistance to the "natural" breath weapon(s) of that type of dragon (i.e., Red DSM has resist fire, Green DSM has resist poison, etc.) Some of these resistances are not very useful, but some are very rare and precious high resistances. Some of the more powerful DSMs are the are the only items in the game (except artifacts) that can provide multiple high resistances.

In addition, all DSM can be activated for a breath weapon appropriate for the type of dragon. This capability can very useful for a lower level character who is lucky enough to find a DSM.

For information on the specific resistance(s) and activation provided by a particular type of DSM, see the spoiler file obj-long.spo.

3e. Explain "good" and "great" items.

Any weapon or piece of armor created by Angband has a chance to become a "good" item, based on the dungeon level on which it was created. "Good" weapons have bonuses to hit and damage and "good" armor will have a bonus to Armor Class.

Any "good" item has a chance (again based on dungeon level) to become a "great" item. These items are most of the "named" items such as Holy Avengers, Slay Weapons and special "resist" armors. Sometimes a "great" item will have additional bonuses over the previous "good" item. These are also called "ego items."

Any "great" item has a chance to become an artifact if several other conditions exist.

For more information, see the spoilers obj-good.spo and artifact.spo.

3f. Which items can have extra powers?

These items will sustain one statistic:

• Holy Avenger weapons
• Defender weapons

• Crown of the Magi
• Blessed weapons

• Cloak of Aman
• Robe of Permanence
• Armor of Elvenkind

Items with random powers take a little more work. The easiest way to find out all their powers is to read a scroll of *Identify* on them. Another magical way to find an item's powers is with a potion of Self Knowledge. Unequip all your character's items except for the one in question then quaff the potion. Subtract any special racial abilities, and you should be able to tell the powers of the item.

Finally, there is always the method of trying it out. Some of the abilities and resistances are easily deduced; others take work. Have your character carry the item. When he/she runs into weak monsters with a particular attack equip the item, let the monster hit or cast a spell, and see if the item protects your character.

4a. Will I ever see an artifact in one of the stores in town?

4b. Explain the generation of artifacts.

While priests, mages and rangers are limited to:

 'good'    - can be 'special,' 'excellent,' or 'good' as above
 'cursed'  - can be 'terrible,' 'worthless,' or 'cursed' as above

2e. My stats got shuffled by a nexus attack! How do I prevent this? Can they be restored?

2f. What is the difference between resist confusion and resist chaos?

2g. What is the difference between ignore, resist and immune?

Items with 'resist' powers make your character resist damage and side effects from those attacks, but they do not protect other equipment from harm.

Items with 'immune' powers make your character immune to damage of that type and protect carried items from harm.

3a. What is a weapon of freezing/burning/shocking/melting?

3b. What does a [insert item here] do ?

• Potion of Life - restores lost experience, restores any drained stats, cures poison, confusion, blindness, hallucination, removes fear and stunning, heals cuts and fully heals you.

• Potion of Augmentation - restores all your stats, then attempts to raise each one.

• Potion of Death or Ruinations - Need you ask? Don't drink it!

• Potion of Detonations - Don't drink it! It makes a good thrown weapon, though, inflicting 25d25 points of damage.

• Potion of Enlightenment - a Potion of Enlightenment maps and lights the entire level, like the 'Clairvoyance' prayer. It also detects all objects.

• Potion of *Enlightenment* - completely lights and maps the level, identifies all your items, restores your INT and WIS and then increases them if below maximum, grants self-knowledge, and detects all objects in the immediate vicinity.

• Staff or Rod of Enlightenment - acts as the priest spell of sense surroundings (basically, it maps one screen, without detecting anything).

• Staff of the Magi - restores your INT and mana to the maximum.

• Scroll of Acquirement - Creates one item of great quality on the floor near the player. *Acquirement* creates several.

• Curse Weapon/Armor Scroll - these will ruin an equipped weapon or piece of armor. Artifacts have only a small chance to survive ruination. Can be used to remove a heavily cursed weapon, as the scroll will "lower" the curse to a normal curse.

3d. What are the special powers of Dragon Scale Mail?

All DSMs provide resistance to the "natural" breath weapon(s) of that type of dragon (i.e., Red DSM has resist fire, Green DSM has resist poison, etc.) Some of these resistances are not very useful, but some are very rare and precious high resistances. Some of the more powerful DSMs are the are the only items in the game (except artifacts) that can provide multiple high resistances.

In addition, all DSM can be activated for a breath weapon appropriate for the type of dragon. This capability can very useful for a lower level character who is lucky enough to find a DSM.

For information on the specific resistance(s) and activation provided by a particular type of DSM, see the spoiler file obj-long.spo.

3e. Explain "good" and "great" items.

Any weapon or piece of armor created by Angband has a chance to become a "good" item, based on the dungeon level on which it was created. "Good" weapons have bonuses to hit and damage and "good" armor will have a bonus to Armor Class.

Any "good" item has a chance (again based on dungeon level) to become a "great" item. These items are most of the "named" items such as Holy Avengers, Slay Weapons and special "resist" armors. Sometimes a "great" item will have additional bonuses over the previous "good" item. These are also called "ego items."

Any "great" item has a chance to become an artifact if several other conditions exist.

For more information, see the spoilers obj-good.spo and artifact.spo.

3f. Which items can have extra powers?

These items will sustain one statistic:

• Holy Avenger weapons
• Defender weapons

• Crown of the Magi
• Blessed weapons

• Cloak of Aman
• Robe of Permanence
• Armor of Elvenkind

Items with random powers take a little more work. The easiest way to find out all their powers is to read a scroll of *Identify* on them. Another magical way to find an item's powers is with a potion of Self Knowledge. Unequip all your character's items except for the one in question then quaff the potion. Subtract any special racial abilities, and you should be able to tell the powers of the item.

Finally, there is always the method of trying it out. Some of the abilities and resistances are easily deduced; others take work. Have your character carry the item. When he/she runs into weak monsters with a particular attack equip the item, let the monster hit or cast a spell, and see if the item protects your character.

4a. Will I ever see an artifact in one of the stores in town?

4b. Explain the generation of artifacts.

While priests, mages and rangers are limited to:

 'good'    - can be 'special,' 'excellent,' or 'good' as above
 'cursed'  - can be 'terrible,' 'worthless,' or 'cursed' as above

2e. My stats got shuffled by a nexus attack! How do I prevent this? Can they be restored?

2f. What is the difference between resist confusion and resist chaos?

2g. What is the difference between ignore, resist and immune?

Items with 'resist' powers make your character resist damage and side effects from those attacks, but they do not protect other equipment from harm.

Items with 'immune' powers make your character immune to damage of that type and protect carried items from harm.

3a. What is a weapon of freezing/burning/shocking/melting?