                 
                         The Official ADOM FAQ File

                                Version 2.3

                         Last change: 01 Sept 1998

This document answers some of the most frequently asked questions about
ADOM. It is believed to be current with version 0.9.9 gamma 10. If you feel
that anything important is missing, please send suggestions to Richard
Fowler, who is the official maintainer of the ADOM FAQ. He can be reached
at thinker@aleph-null.com. The current version of this FAQ is always
available at http://www.aleph-null.com/adom/adomfaq.html or can be received
by sending an e-mail request to adomfaq@aleph-null.com.
Many thanks to Erwin Mascardo, ADOM FAQ maintainer, retired.

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Table of Contents

Items marked with a `*' are new additions since the last release. Items
marked with a `#' have been edited since the last numerical release.

Section 1: General

1.1: What does ADOM stand for?

#1.2: What is the current version of ADOM?

1.3: What hardware platforms can run ADOM?

#1.4: Where on the Internet can I find support and information about ADOM?

1.5: Where can I get the source code for ADOM?

1.6: What happened to the spoilers that were once in this file?

1.7: I have a suggestion/comment regarding the game. Where do I send it?

1.8: I've discovered a bug in ADOM. How do I report it?

1.9: Where do you draw the line in this file between spoiler-type and
non-spoiler-type answers?

1.10: Is ADOM Freeware?

Section 2: Burdens of Command

2.1: I've just upgraded to a new version, and the README file says that
several new commands and functions have been added. However, I can't seem
to use them. What gives?

2.2: How do I light a torch?

2.3: How do I extinguish a torch?

2.4: How do I use lock picks?

2.5: What is Ventriloquism good for?

2.6: Is there a command that allows you to rest safely in order to regain
hit points and power points?

2.7: What does `Continuous Search' (keystroke `ws') mean?

#2.8: What is the `T'actic command for?

2.9: I can use the `W'eapon command to see my hand weapon damage, but how
do I see my kick or missile damage?

2.10: Is there any way to identify monsters at a distance?

2.11: How do I use my Bridge Building skill?

2.12: I can't put points into Bridge Building! Why not?

2.13: How can I open a locked door if I don't have the right key or
lockpicks?

2.14: How do I sell something in a shop?

2.15:How do I use my Smithing skill?

2.16: How do I enter a town or dungeon from the main map?

2.17: Why isn't there a way to see most of the relevant information about
my character on one page?

Section 3: Playing the Game

Section 3.0 More Basic than Basic

3.0.1: What's the best race/class combination to play?

3.0.2: What's a good strategy for starting the game?

Section 3.1: The Basics

3.1.1: What is the Drakalor Chain?

3.1.2: Where is the Village Dungeon? It's nowhere on my map!

3.1.3: I can't keep myself fed. How do I avoid dying from starvation?

3.1.4: I'm doing several of the above things already, and I'm still
starving. Now what?

3.1.5: How come I don't benefit from eating raw meat?

3.1.6: I ate a stomfillia herb, and instead of feeding me, it caused me to
die of starvation! Why?

3.1.7: I've been poisoned! How do I cure it?

3.1.8: How come my Neutralize Poison spell didn't work?

3.1.9: What can I do with colored pools?

3.1.10: What can I do with a waterproof/fireproof blanket?

3.1.11: How do I stop the killer bees from coming out of their hive, or the
giant ants from their hole?

3.1.12: How come, no matter what I do, my alignment seems to gravitate
inexorably toward Lawful? I wanna become a Champion of Chaos!

3.1.13: Well, now that such is the case, what do I do to become Lawful?
It's impossible now!

3.1.14: I've gotten the Poison Hands chaos power, and every food item I
touch gets poisoned! Is there a way around this?

3.1.15: I picked up a `strange item'. A few dozen turns later, I notice
that I have ten of them! What's going on?

3.1.16: How do I kill a karmic creature without becoming cursed or doomed?

3.1.17: Why is it that I don't always get cursed or doomed when I
accidently attack a karmic creature?

3.1.18: I ran into a named Rock Giant Lord on the second level of the
Village Dungeon! I thought this place wasn't supposed to be this tough!

3.1.19: Speaking of impossibly hard monsters, I'm in the cave just NW of
Terinyo with a 15th level Barbarian, and I've got rats punching through my
dragon scale mail!

3.1.20: How do I get logs for Bridge Building or Fletchery?

3.1.21: I can never finish cutting a tree down because I keep getting
hungry! How can I avoid this?

#3.1.22: I'm trapped on a level with a thousand brown worms, and they keep
multiplying faster than I can kill them! Is this fair? What can I do?

3.1.23: Can I shoot things in the `red' range of my missiles?

3.1.24: Is the `seemingly infinite' dungeon really infinite?

3.1.25: What's with the levels in the Caverns of Chaos that only take up
half of the screen?

3.1.26: How are the growth patterns for herb bushes determined?

3.1.27: There's a big stone block in the way in the Caverns, how do I get
rid of it?

3.1.28: What's the deal with the impassable wall of flames in the Caverns?
Come to think of it, there's another spot like that in another dungeon, but
with an old dwarf or a fire spirit, too. What's going on?

Section 3.2: Player Abilities

3.2.1: How come my Defensive Value keeps shifting up and down by a point or
two for no apparent reason?

3.2.2: How do I make myself resistant to special attacks?

3.2.3: How come I'm still getting hurt by fire attacks when I'm wearing a
ring of fire resistance?

3.2.4: How do I learn to read, if I started out totally illiterate?

3.2.5: What about the other skills that I don't know?

3.2.6: I'm playing a Mindcrafter, and the game crashes when I attempt to
use my Teleport Control power. Why?

3.2.7: How come my combat abilities suffer so much when I wield 2 weapons?

3.2.8: I've gotten myself the `doomed' intrinsic. What does that mean?

3.2.9: How come my attributes didn't go up when I paid the Dwarven trainer?

3.2.10: Is it better to concentrate on mastering a single weapon or to
become pretty good at handling several?

Section 3: Matters Arcane

3.3.1: What do the different altar colors mean?

3.3.2: How can I tell if an item is cursed?

3.3.3: How do I get rid of a cursed item?

3.3.4: I've learned the spell `divine wrath'. It lets me fire lightning
bolts. Am I missing something?

3.3.5: What do all the numbers on the spellcasting menu mean?

3.3.6: What's all this I hear about corruption?

3.3.7: Okay, so corruption is a Bad Thing. How do I get rid of it, then?

3.3.8: What use is a holy symbol?

3.3.9: How come standard Fireball spells don't hurt me, while a so-called
Improved Fireball will hurt me if I'm in the blast radius?

3.3.10: What's the difference between a ring of fire and a ring of fire
resistance?

3.3.11: What exactly does a wand of ball lightning do? It sure doesn't
shoot lightning balls!

3.3.12: When I cast a spell that lets me choose a target, how do I pick me?
I'm tired of blessing everyone else!

Section 4: Way Beyond Basic

#3.4.1: I think I've won, but I can't escape and finish! What's going on?

3.4.2: I keep hearing about a Chaos God ending; what are people talking
about?

3.4.3: I'm bored with this simple little game; how can I make it more
interesting?

*3.4.4: Has the Red Rooster thingy or the Scroll of Omnipotence been
implemented yet?
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The List

Section 1: General

1.1: What does ADOM stand for?

ADOM is an acronym for `Ancient Domains Of Mystery'.

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#1.2: What is the current version of ADOM?

The current game version is 0.9.9. `Gamma' releases are also available;
these were bugfix releases without any major new features, but gammas in
0.9.9 contain substantial additions. The current one is 0.9.9 gamma 10.

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1.3: What hardware platforms can run ADOM?

A 386 or better PC running DOS, Linux (now available in ELF and a.out
format), NT, or OS/2. An Amiga 3000 with a hard disk and minimum 2 MB RAM.

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#1.4: Where on the Internet can I find support and information about ADOM?

FAQs are available for
the game itself (ADOM FAQ) www.aleph-null.com/adom/adomfaq.html or
the newsgroup (r.g.r.a. FAQ) www.aleph-null.com/adom/rgrafaq.html

If you are looking for discussion about ADOM (or would like to start a
discussion (: ) you should try the newsgroup rec.games.roguelike.adom
although some comments still appear on rec.games.roguelike.misc.

Announcements concerning ADOM are posted to rec.games.roguelike.announce.

The latest version of ADOM can be found via FTP at adom.dartmouth.edu in
the directory /adom.

The old AOL ftp site is no longer available due to cost reasons.

A little while after the latest version is released you will also be able
to find it at the official roguelike games site at ftp.win.tue.nl in the
directory /pub/games/adom. (This site will be faster for European users.)

Also, several of the web sites below offer downloading options.

If you would like to use your Web browser you can find the official
official ADOM website at members.aol.com/AdomDev/index.html.

Clinton Smith has a fine ADOM web page at
www.iinet.net.au/~festive/adom.html. This site contains searchable copies
of this FAQ and Charlie Ball's ADOM Strategy Guide, as well as downloads of
the latest game version for all platforms. It also has a section where you
can post your heroic deeds and horrible deaths for the world to see.

Richard Fowler has an ADOM web page at
     www.aleph-null.com/adom/index.html
This is a full mirror of the official download site. Distribution point for
the ADOM FAQ and the r.g.r.adom FAQ. Home of the DCBoT Spoilers. Also the
home of the ADOMring, a web ring for sites about ADOM
(www.aleph-null.com/adom/adomring/ringhome.html).
One of Richard's larger features is a "hint-through", which serves as a
walkthrough of the whole game if you choose to activate all of the "spoiler
traps". (You need to have JavaScript enabled in your web browser to
appreciate it fully.) The hint-through has been updated to 0.9.9.

Matt Chatterley (user.itl.net/~neddy/adom.html) has mostly pointers to
other sites, but is the source for the absolutely most current version of
the ADOM Strategy Guide, which he maintains.

Also out there is lionfish.jcu.edu.au/~sci-wrg/adom.html, another
Australian contribution.

www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arcade/9111/ Blade's Armoury--Blade offers
ADOM spoilers among several other games he enjoys.

www.tin-god.demon.co.uk/index.htm Chris Dunthorne's ADOM Page provides the
DOS version from a European location (in case the others are slow)

www.difi.unipi.it/~campo/roguelike/adom/index.html Massimo Campostrini's
ADOM pages feature spoilers and ascii maps of the dungeons

www.win.trlabs.ca/~djackson/adom.html Cheating information--hex offsets,
item & skill codes and other savefile editing information.

www.assurenet.com/adom/griffon.html The Green Griffon Inn--Lyrical
inspiration and revelation by Erwin Mascardo. Minstrel fun and filk!

The ADOM Halls of Fame and Shame home.sol.no/~mydland/ADOM/hof/ for viewing
the victories and sad deaths of others' characters and for displaying your
own.

Known bugs (in several versions, old and new) can be viewed through
www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bk039/index.htm

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1.5: Where can I get the source code for ADOM?

If you can obtain the source, Thomas would be extremely interested in
finding out how you cracked his system's security. As long as Thomas is
working solo on the pre-1.0.0 release, no source will be available. Thomas
has stated that he will release the source once the game has reached
version 1.0.0, to facilitate porting to other platforms.

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1.6: What happened to the spoilers that were once in this file?

The official spoilers maintainer is Daniel Quaroni
<goat@pelican.cit.cornell.edu>.
See also websites listed above (1.4).

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1.7: I have a suggestion/comment regarding the game. Where do I send it?

Thomas' email address, for ADOM-related material apart from bug reports, is
rpg@saranxis.ruhr.de.

Please read the rec.games.roguelike.adom newsgroup before sending in a
suggestion, as someone else might have already made it.

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1.8: I've discovered a bug in ADOM. How do I report it?

First, be sure that the `bug' isn't actually a feature of the game. (Things
that cause the game to crash with a fatal error message qualify, certainly,
but not all bugs cause fatal errors...and not all unexpected game
behaviours are caused by bugs.) Second, if the game crashed with a fatal
error, make a note of the exact wording of the message. Third, if the game
successfully saved itself during the fatal error crash, check to see if it
restores properly. Lastly, send your report to adom-bugs@saranxis.ruhr.de.

Include the version number of the game, the platform being played on (DOS,
Amiga, or Linux, and include your Linux version), the fatal error message
(if any), and as detailed an explanation as possible of the game state at
the time of the bug and the action (or lack thereof) that triggered it.
Please note that most errors now produce error logs and give instructions
as to how to use them to best convey information back to Thomas. If you
have a feeling you know (in programming terms) what caused the bug, by all
means include your hypothesis.

Please note that even nitpicky things like typographical errors are worthy
of bug reporting.

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1.9: Where do you draw the line in this file between spoiler-type and
non-spoiler-type answers?

The astute reader will note that I haven't included a number of questions
that pop up on the newsgroup fairly frequently. IMHO, a spoiler is
information which bypasses the problem-solving process; while a non-spoiler
is information which doesn't necessarily solve a game puzzle, but does help
you get around a problem of interface, basic survival (as opposed to direct
advancement toward victory), or something that is necessary but woefully
unobvious. Only non-spoilers, for the most part, are included here.

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1.10: Is ADOM freeware?

At the moment, ADOM is postcardware, and will likely remain so (although
I'm sure Thomas would appreciate food). Thomas' snail-mail address:

     Thomas Biskup
     Timmerbrinksweg 37
     45896 Gelsenkirchen
     Germany

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Section 2: Burdens of Command

2.1: I've just upgraded to a new version, and the README file says that
several new commands and functions have been added. However, I can't seem
to use them. What gives?

You have to delete your `ADOM.KBD' and `ADOM.CFG' (DOS version) or
`.adom.kbd' and `.adom.cfg' (Linux) files whenever you upgrade. Otherwise,
the game will happily use the old set of keybindings and configuration
variables, unaware that new functionality has been added.

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2.2: How do I light a torch?

Wield the torch (either in your right or left hand, or the tool slot (as of
v. 0.9.9g9)). Then 'U'se it. In order to make this work you also will need
to have a tinderbox and flint and steel in your backpack. If you already
have a lit torch that's getting low, hold an unlit one in the other hand
and 'U'se it and you'll light it directly from the lit torch, saving your
other tools for later use.

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2.3: How do I extinguish a torch?

When you unwield the torch, you're asked if you want to extinguish it. If
you answer `yes', it goes out and is placed in your backpack. If you answer
`no', nothing happens. (A lit torch in your backpack? Get real.)

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2.4: How do I use lock picks?

Instead of trying to use the lock picks, `a'pply your Pick Lock skill. You
will automatically use the most effective lock picks that are in your
inventory.

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2.5: What is Ventriloquism good for?

If you manage to use it succesfully on a monster, the monster might be
confused for two or more turns.

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2.6: Is there a command that allows you to rest safely in order to regain
hit points and power points?

Yes, actually you can use the walk-mode to do this. Simply press `w' to
activate the walk-mode followed by `5' for the direction which makes your
character `walk on the spot' and is great for safely recovering. You'll
automatically stop waiting if something comes near, if you get shot at,
etc.

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2.7: What does `Continuous Search' (keystroke `ws') mean?

Similar to `walk on the spot', this is equivalent to searching until you
find something interesting or a given number of turns (default 50) have
passed.

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#2.8: What is the `T'actic command for?

Changing your combat tactics allows you to trade off offensive ability for
defensive ability, or vice versa. Note that versions 0.8.0 and above show
you the numerical effect of the different tactics on the top line of the
screen. It costs you no time to change tactics, so feel free to experiment.

Warning: if you fight too defensively, your weapon skills (v0.9.3 and up)
won't improve, although the shield skill (v. 0.9.9g9+) will; on the other
side if you fight too aggressively (v. 0.9.9g10+), your shield skill won't
improve.

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2.9: I can use the `W'eapon command to see my hand weapon damage, but how
do I see my kick or missile damage?

Version 0.8.3 added the `K'ick Damage command, and 0.9.0 added `M'issile
Damage.

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2.10: Is there any way to identify monsters at a distance?

The `l'ook command, as of version 0.9.2, lets you move the cursor onto
anything within vision range to identify it. As of version 0.9.9, just
aiming a missile weapon will tell you what you're aiming at and whether
it's already hostile.

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2.11: How do I use my Bridge Building skill?

You need to have a log and a hatchet in your inventory. Either put the
hatchet into your tool slot and `u'se it, or `U'se it from your backpack.

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2.12: I can't put points into Bridge Building! Why not?

You need to have Yrrigs' Manual in your inventory, and be literate. There
are several skills which require some piece of equipment in order to
improve (cooking/cooking set, fletchery/fletchery set).

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2.13: How can I open a locked door if I don't have the right key or
lockpicks?

Kick the door down. Note that this may prove hazardous to your health, more
so depending on where you are standing at the time. There are magical
alternatives to this, as well as ways to go around the door instead of
opening it.

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2.14: How do I sell something in a shop?

Contrary to intuition, don't give the item to the shopkeeper; just drop it.
If interested, an offer will be made.

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2.15: How do I use my Smithing skill?

Smithing is a complicated task. You need the following ingredients:

1) A one-handed hammer. Warhammers work nicely.
2) An anvil. There are two guaranteed in the game, but they also rarely
appear in dungeons.
3) Something to smith! You need to know what kind of metal it's made of.
4) An ingot of the appropriate metal. A lump of ore won't cut it, but can
be converted into ingots by applying the Smithing skill to them first.
5) A forge. You can't carry these around with you, but you can hope to find
one in your travels. There are a couple of guaranteed forges.

Stand on the forge, wield the hammer, and apply your Smithing skill to your
metal item. (This will also serve to make metal ingots out of ore lumps.)
Your Metallurgy skill seems to affect your chance of success; I've also
heard whispers that wearing a leather apron helps in some mysterious way.

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2.16: How do I enter a town or dungeon from the main map?

Use the '>' command. (Yes, it seems basic, but it seems to come up.)

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2.17: Why isn't there a way to see most of the relevant information about
my character on one page?

As of version 0.9.9, there is! During gameplay, just use the '@' key, and
learn all kinds of things about your current (and future) abilities.

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Section 3: Playing the Game

Section 3.0: More Basic than Basic

3.0.1: What's the best race/class combination to play?

While this is indeed a Frequently Asked Question, it's one without a single
correct answer. It depends heavily on your style of play, your accumulated
experience in playing, and how seriously you want to be challenged. Matt
Chatterley's strategy guide goes into some detail on how to go about
picking a race/class to play, but here's a condensed guide (colored fairly
heavily by my own preferences and experience):

Warrior-types (Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, Monks, Archers, Barbarians,
Beastfighters, Farmers, Weaponsmiths) tend to survive better at the lower
levels, but they'll start having problems near the middle of the game
unless they can keep themselves well-stocked in magic items or pick up a
few spells along the way. (Brute force isn't the answer to *everything*!)
Weaponsmiths actually have a fairly tough early going, since they're
lugging around that anvil, but once they get a chance to use it, watch out!
Archers are deadly with their missiles, but don't forget to practice with
your melee weapons, especially if you can't make ammunition for your race's
preferred missile weapon. Monks and Beastfighters have the following
additional problem: they fight best unarmed, but some of the artifact
weapons grant important resistances or immunities, and there are some
monsters that you really shouldn't attack with hands and feet. Trolls,
Dwarves, Orcs, and Drakelings make excellent fighters, with the exception
of Archer -- Elves (any kind) and Hobbits do well there. (High Elven
Archers are one of my favorite classes to play.)

Spellcasters (Priests, Wizards, Druids, Mindcrafters, Elementalists,
Necromancers) have the opposite problem from warriors: the early going is
very tough, but they can roll on fairly easily once they've gained a dozen
levels or so. Mindcrafters and Elementalists do particularly well because
they gain additional powers with experience, instead of having to hope for
spellbooks -- be warned, though, that many mental powers are useless
against undead. Elves and Gnomes make good spellcasters, although almost
any race can make a good Priest (Orcs are nice!).

Thieves and Assassins are a little frail to be hack-and-slash fighters, but
they start out with some nice skills, including the all-important Detect
Traps. They're rather like Archers in this regard, though they don't start
with a huge pile of missiles. Try an Elf here, or a Hobbit if you want a
challenge.

Healers can absorb damage pretty well, though they have a hard time dishing
it out. Top priority is getting a fairly decent weapon -- even a hand axe
or mace will do better than that scalpel. Since they're not really
spell-casters, pick a race with some backbone like Human, Dwarf, or
Drakeling. Or, if you want an absurd mental image, take a Troll -- as a
bonus, you start with the standard-issue Trollish heavy club as well as
that dinky little scalpel. (Don't throw the scalpel away, though...with our
luck, Thomas has an obscure little use for it.)

Merchants and Bards can be easy to impossible, depending on the luck of the
dice. The random element of Merchant item specialties and Bard skills makes
every game with one of these classes unique. With Bards, there's the
additional consideration of the starting pet, as different races get
different pets. Almost any race works here; these classes are a test of the
player's ability to adapt.

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3.0.2: What's a good strategy for starting the game?

Aero, longtime FAQ maintainer said, "This has to be one of *the* most
Frequently Asked Questions on the newsgroup, yet I've been reluctant to
include an answer up till now because I've felt it would be too much of a
spoiler." He added a long informative section, which Thomas promptly made
inappropriate by adding new options at the very beginning. So I offer you
this amended version.

Head for the little village right at the end of the first road. Stop there
for a moment and evaluate your character. Put on useful rings, drink useful
potions, read useful scrolls that have permanent effects, and, if you've
got them, read spellbooks a time or two. Buy a ration or two at the store
if you're feeling paranoid. Advice for buying food: you get what you pay
for.

You should talk to the sheriff, and either the druid or the village elder
to get some minor quests; the choice between elder or druid is important,
as their quests are mutually exclusive. If you really want to be a
goody-goody, talk to the tiny girl, but her quest is frequently a quick
death for inexperienced players. If you feel up to it, leave town and head
NW. The small cave there has a useful item, and it's a good place to gain a
couple of experience levels and practice weapon skills, but be warned! *At
least* 50% of my own premature deaths come from staying in this dungeon too
long; inexperienced players may wish to avoid it, or just run as soon as
things look dangerous. The monsters are tougher than normal, and they only
get much worse. Find the down staircase and/or the useful item.

You might want to pop out and finish the sheriff's quest, or check out the
town SW of the first village to learn a few things. I then dive back into
the small cave and go down until I find the bottom and come out the other
side, but this can be risky--you might just want to skip it and move on to
the next sentence. Then return to the village and complete any remaining
quests.

Then set out south, around the river toward the center of the screen, past
the pyramid into a cave (its description is *not* "a non-descript
tunnel"!). Try to stay alive.

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Section 3.1: The Basics

3.1.1: What is the Drakalor Chain?

The Drakalor Chain is the mountain range which is represented by the
`world' map.

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3.1.2: Where is the Village Dungeon? It's nowhere on my map!

The Village Dungeon doesn't appear until you speak to Village Elder Rynt
for the first time about Yrrigs. Starting with version 0.9.9, it won't
appear at all if you speak to Guth'Alak, the Druid, before talking to Rynt;
the entrance for the Druid's quest will appear instead. There are other
locations throughout the game which will not be available until certain
quests are undertaken.

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3.1.3: I can't keep myself fed. How do I avoid dying from starvation?

There are several ways to solve the food problem. A high Food Preservation
skill will both increase the likelihood of a monster leaving a corpse when
it dies and allow you to keep a monster corpse in your inventory longer.
(If you're playing version 0.9.0 or higher, cooking corpses will keep them
preserved even longer.) A high Herbalism skill will help you identify a
particular herb that can feed you very well (experimentation with herbs
isn't a good idea, since the bad ones are very dangerous). A few hundred
gold pieces and some patience can buy you a good amount of food on the
arena level from the ratling traders (although their wares aren't
particularly filling, so you will need a lot of them). In an emergency, you
can pray to your god if you're in reasonably good standing (you have to be
at `Hungry!' status for this to work reliably). Finally, if you hang around
on a level where monsters come at you hard, fast, and continuously, at
least a few of them are going to drop rations or other non-perishable food.

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3.1.4: I'm doing several of the above things already, and I'm still
starving. Now what?

Take off any items that make you invisible. Invisibility drastically
increases your food consumption rate. The same is true of artifacts and
things that make you regenerate more quickly than usual. If that doesn't
work, stop playing Trolls until you have better luck with obtaining food,
as Trolls have a high inherent rate of food consumption. (However, this is
counterbalanced somewhat by the fact that Trolls can eat almost anything.)

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3.1.5: How come I don't benefit from eating raw meat?

Different races have different ideas of which foods are appetizing, and
which foods go down okay but don't sit too well in the stomach, and which
foods do nothing except induce vomiting, and which foods are too revolting
even to think about eating. Starting with version 0.9.0, you can try
cooking it, if you know how to cook.

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3.1.6: I ate a stomfillia herb, and instead of feeding me, it caused me to
die of starvation! Why?

As the name makes fairly obvious, stomfillia herbs fill your stomach -- if
they're not cursed. Cursed herbs have a nasty habit of doing the opposite
of what they're supposed to do, or (in the case of herbs which are bad for
you to begin with) having worse-than-normal effects on you. As of v.
0.9.9g9, cursed stomafillia will give you some nourishment instead of
killing you.

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3.1.7: I've been poisoned! How do I cure it?

Certain potions, herbs, and spells are effective in this regard. If you're
tough enough or know the right spell, you can weather the poison's ravaging
effect on your body. The gods can also cure poison if you're in good
standing with them.

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3.1.8: How come my Neutralize Poison spell didn't work?

The effects of poisons are cumulative, and the Neutralize Poison spell only
eliminates a certain amount of poison from your system with each casting.

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3.1.9: What can I do with colored pools?

You can drink from a pool. The effects aren't always beneficial.

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3.1.10: What can I do with a waterproof/fireproof blanket?

If you have one of these in your backpack, it'll protect anything in the
pack from water/fire. Note that fireproof blankets will eventually burn
away. It doesn't help with the items that you have equipped, however.

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3.1.11: How do I stop the killer bees from coming out of their hive, or the
giant ants from their hole?

Insect colonies have finite populations. With bees, you can speed up the
process by disturbing the hive. If you really just want to stop them from
coming out for a little while, stand on the hive/hole or get someone else
to do it (a nice use for a well-trained pet). As of 0.9.9g9, certain items
can be useful here.

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3.1.12: How come, no matter what I do, my alignment seems to gravitate
inexorably toward Lawful? I wanna become a Champion of Chaos!

Upgrade your game version. As of version 0.9.4, it takes much more
conscious effort on your part to change your alignment--simply sitting
around and killing chaotic monsters won't cause your alignment to slide
toward Lawful.

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3.1.13: Well, now that such is the case, what do I do to become Lawful?
It's impossible now!

As in real life, it takes a lot of time and trouble to prove that you're a
good person, while it takes only a few quick actions to demonstrate that
you're a Bad Guy. Be generous, fair-minded, noble, and above all else,
patient; tolerance and generosity go a long way here. You'll get that L+
eventually.

You'll notice that there are a number of things that help your character a
great deal, but are considered chaotic acts. This is intentional. These
acts are often the easy route to power, and (to misquote Yoda) "take not
the easy path, to the Dark Side it leads!" Nobody said that being a paragon
of Law would be easy...

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3.1.14: I've gotten the Poison Hands chaos power, and every food item I
touch gets poisoned! Is there a way around this?

You need to wear thick gauntlets (that is, the pair of gauntlets whose
description is `thick gauntlets').

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3.1.15: I picked up a `strange item'. A few dozen turns later, I notice
that I have ten of them! What's going on?

You've discovered one of the more interesting artifacts in the game: the
Si. Its value lies not in its use, but in the manner in which you dispose
of it. (There are at least four productive uses for this item.)

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3.1.16: How do I kill a karmic creature without becoming cursed or doomed?

Ranged attacks and spells don't affect your karma, as it were. Kicking it
to death is no longer a safe option, as of version 0.9.4.

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3.1.17: Why is it that I don't always become cursed or doomed when I
accidently attack a karmic creature?

The cursing/dooming is a special defensive attack, like the acid splash of
a gray ooze or the paralysis of a floating eye, and like all attacks, it
doesn't always hit...unless of course you were already cursed and doomed,
and so didn't notice.

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3.1.18: I ran into a named Rock Giant Lord on the second level of the
Village Dungeon! I thought this place wasn't supposed to be this tough!

When you run into a tough monster that has a name, there is an artifact
somewhere on the level (the exception here is the Si, which has no creature
acting as guardian). Artifact guardians are scaled to be more appropriate
to the object they guard.

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3.1.19: Speaking of impossibly hard monsters, I'm in the cave just NW of
Terinyo with a 15th level Barbarian, and I've got rats punching through my
dragon scale mail!

The fact that you're 15th level is the reason. The small cave to the NW of
Terinyo is meant to be a launching pad (or a challenge) for 1st-level
characters. Its difficulty level deliberately increases tremendously as
your experience level goes up.

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3.1.20: How do I get logs for Bridge Building or Fletchery?

Cut down a tree. Note that the wilderness is the only place where you can
find normal trees to cut down, but is not the only source for logs, and as
far as Fletchery is concerned, sticks are merely small logs.

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3.1.21: I can never finish cutting a tree down because I keep getting
hungry! How can I avoid this?

If you want to play at being a lumberjack, you'd better eat a
lumberjack-sized breakfast before you go out! Note that potions increase
your level of satiation and can be consumed even when "Bloated!"

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#3.1.22: I'm trapped on a level with a thousand brown worms, and they keep
multiplying faster than I can kill them! Is this fair? What can I do?

While I won't address the discussion of `fairness' in the code which
handles breeding monsters, I can supply a few pointers on how to get
through this situation. Wielding two weapons might help you kill them
faster, but check to see what the engery costs are for your weapons of
choice. Speed enhancers can be helpful, as well. Offensive spells
(particularly area effect ones) work nicely. Closing and locking room doors
can help hem them in. If you're dealing with gremlins and a water trap,
hack your way to the trap and sit on it till all the gremlins are dead.
There are also means both magical and religious that *might* be useful in
these situations.

Note that there is one level where this is meant to happen, and it was
placed as a tactical exercise.

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3.1.23: Can I shoot things in the `red' range of my missiles?

Maybe. The `red' range is anything that is beyond the `base' range of your
missiles (which you can see with the `M' command, although this command
doesn't seem to account for range bonuses due to weapon and Archery skill).
This isn't always the same as the weapon's maximum range, however -- thrown
weapons do tend to max out right at the `base' range, while bows and slings
can reach quite a bit further, albeit with greatly reduced hit probability.
From my experience, an Archer can hit anything within vision range, and a
non-Archer can make it out to 1 or 2 squares of red on a good roll. If the
missile doesn't travel beyond the base range (as in version 0.9.9 g4+),
then you probably won't hit anything.

In some rare game situations, there is also a `gray' range, which comes
between yellow and red. This indicates a square which is within your
weapon's base range, but is outside of your field of vision.

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3.1.24: Is the `seemingly infinite' dungeon really infinite?

Seek out the madman who speaks in verse, for he can answer better than I...

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3.1.25: What's with the levels in the Caverns of Chaos that only take up
half of the screen?

Every dungeon (except the pyramid) level fills the entire screen, more or
less. The trick is finding a way over to the `dark' section.

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3.1.26: How are the growth patterns for herb bushes determined?

This is a bit of a spoiler, but the majority of the work is left as an
exercise to the reader, so here goes...

Consider a given herb bush. Count up the number of bushes in the
surrounding 8 squares.

     1) If the bush has 0 or 1 neighbors, it will die.
     2) If the bush has 2 or 3 neighbors, it will live.
     3) If the bush has 4 or more neighbors, it will die.
     4) If a given empty square has exactly 3 neighboring bushes, a new
bush will grow there.
     5) All births and deaths are simultaneous.

If you haven't figured it out already, these are the rules to the classic
mathematical game called Life, invented by John Conway. I haven't yet
figured out what time interval the game uses to calculate generations, or
how it handles map boundaries.

Based on these rules, you should be able to figure out bush patterns that
will allow you to harvest infinite herbs without ever running out of bushes
(with suitable delays for successive generations, of course).

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3.1.27: There's a big stone block in the way in the Caverns, how do I get
rid of it?

Well it's a big stone portal of Dwarven origin; go talk to the dwarves
about it.

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3.1.28: What's the deal with the impassable wall of flames in the Caverns?
Come to think of it, there's another spot like that in another dungeon, but
with an old dwarf or a fire spirit, too. What's going on?

Well, let's just say that you must have a particular item in your
possession to pass the wall of flames; if you can't pass, you don't have
it. The other two guards are only there to make sure the door isn't opened
from their side first--which is to say that once you find that door from
the other side, they won't bother you anymore.

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Section 3.2: Player Abilities

3.2.1: How come my Defensive Value keeps shifting up and down by a point or
two for no apparent reason?

There's a reason for everything in ADOM, even if the reason isn't obvious
to the eye. The most common reasons for having your DV shift is having your
hunger status shift from `Satiated' to normal, or vice versa, and having
your encumbrance status go to `Burdened' or worse, or vice versa.

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3.2.2: How do I make myself resistant to special attacks?

Besides the use of suitable items, the gods have been known to grant
certain invulnerabilities to their most loyal servants. It is also said
that `you are what you eat'.

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3.2.3: How come I'm still getting hurt by fire attacks when I'm wearing a
ring of fire resistance?

Unlike certain other Rogue-alikes, resistance isn't the same as immunity.
Resistance only protects against a given amount of damage. However, you can
combine sources of resistance to improve your level of protection. It is
possible to acquire total immunity to certain special attacks, but this is
much more difficult than gaining resistance.

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3.2.4: How do I learn to read, if I started out totally illiterate?

Again, `you are what you eat'. You need to find the corpse of an extremely
well-read monster. Solving a certain minor quest can also help.

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3.2.5: What about the other skills that I don't know?

A potion of education always has a chance of giving you a skill you don't
have. There are a few people scattered around who can teach you skills,
although they all have different ideas of payment, and you can always wish
for specific skills.

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3.2.6: I'm playing a Mindcrafter, and the game crashes when I attempt to
use my Teleport Control power. Why?

Upgrade your game version. This problem has been fixed as of version 0.9.3.
Teleport control never has implied the ability to teleport.

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3.2.7: How come my combat abilities suffer so much when I wield 2 weapons?

Actually, this depends on exactly which 2 weapons you're wielding.
According to Thomas, many factors are considered when calculating the
To-Hit penalties for using 2 weapons. Use a little common sense here; it
makes more sense to wield (say) a long sword and a dagger than a long sword
and a battle axe. Starting with version 0.9.0, developing your Two Weapon
Combat skill will help matters greatly. Starting with version 0.9.2,
developing your weapon skills will also help.

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3.2.8: I've gotten myself the `doomed' intrinsic. What does that mean?

Just as being `lucky' or having `Fate smile upon you' causes the game to
fudge some internal calculations in your favor, `cursed' and `doomed' cause
the game to add a fudge factor in the opposite direction. Being doomed is
worse than being cursed, and the two can combine, just as `lucky' and `Fate
smiles upon you' are cumulative. Note well that the negative effect of
being doomed is worse than the positive effect of having Fate smile, so
they don't simply cancel.

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3.2.9: How come my attributes didn't go up when I paid the Dwarven trainer?

Assuming you paid enough gold, the effects of training are not immediately
visible. The game makes periodic checks to see if your attributes have
increased or decreased due to your actions, and the effects of training are
applied at the next check point.
This is also why training with Yrrigs does not show immediate improvement
in Bridge Building, or why training with Jharod (if you already know
Healing) does not show immediate improvement in Healing.

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3.2.10: Is it better to concentrate on mastering a single weapon or to
become pretty good at handling several?

There's no single good answer for this one. Before you get an artifact
weapon, it certainly helps to have some proficiency in multiple weapon
classes in case you lose your favorite weapon to an exploding door or rust
monster. If you go this route, practice when you're in relatively little
danger--you certainly shouldn't wait till you find a greater vault full of
gelatinous cubes and green slimes to figure out which end of a spear is for
business. Once you've gotten your artifact weapon, it still might help to
work on other weapon classes a bit, because there's usually a better
artifact out there to be found (unless you're lucky enough to get crowned
with Justifier in the Village Dungeon, or some such). Of course, very high
weapon skills do grant some nice benefits, and if you're spending your time
practicing many weapons, you won't get extremely good with any of them...

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Section 3: Matters Arcane

3.3.1: What do the different altar colors mean?

White corresponds to the lawful deity, gray to the neutral, and black to
the chaotic.

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3.3.2: How can I tell if an item is cursed?

Drop it on an altar (starting with version 0.8.3, the altar's alignment
must match yours); if nothing happens, try making your god more aware of
the importance of helping you. Starting with version 0.9.0, you can develop
your Detect Item Status skill. Be warned, however, that some particularly
diabolical items become cursed when you attempt to use them, even if
they're not cursed to begin with...

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3.3.3: How do I get rid of a cursed item?

There are again several approaches. Dipping the item in holy water will
remove the curse, as will reading a scroll of uncursing. A scroll of item
destruction will remove both the curse and the item. If you don't mind
getting roughed up a little, find a suitable trap or monster that has the
ability to destroy the item in question, and go a few rounds with
it...however, this method also puts your other equipment in danger. If the
cursed item is a weapon, pick a fight with a monster that has the ability
to disarm you, and unless you have an ungodly Dexterity or incredible
weapon skill, you'll be rid of it before you know it. If you're desperate,
kick an altar (preferably not a co-aligned one) until it falls over, which
will offend its patron god enough that he'll zap you with a bolt that
destroys everything you're carrying.

Note that artifacts are immune to destruction, so you'll have to go with
holy water, scrolls of uncursing, or (for the nasty artifact weapons)
getting forcibly disarmed.

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3.3.4: I've learned the spell `divine wrath'. It lets me fire lightning
bolts. Am I missing something?

No, you've just learned the lightning bolt spell under a different name.
For atmosphere, several spells have different names depending on whether
they're the `wizard' or `priest' version. There's no difference between
them other than the name. A few other correspondences (far from a
comprehensive list):

magic missile <=> minor punishment
strength of Atlas <=> lordly might
teleport <=> ethereal bridge

As of 0.9.9g9, the manual gives the full list of spells and their names.

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3.3.5: What do all the numbers on the spellcasting menu mean?

The number to the right of the spell name is its cost in power points. The
row of stars is merely a pictorial depiction of the casting cost; this may
fluctuate with the time of the month.

The leftmost number is the most important. This is a representation of how
many times you can cast the spell. It's not a straight indicator of the
number of zaps a spell has left, because this number usually goes down by
more than 1 per casting. This is dependent upon (as far as I can tell) your
Concentration skill and your Mana attribute. The effectivity rating tells
you how experienced you are with that particular spell; raising this
through use can lower the spell cost, increase the power of the spell
(damage, healing, duration, range), and is generally a Good Thing (tm).

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3.3.6: What's all this I hear about corruption?

Corruption is a warping of your body caused by your proximity to the Chaos
Gate. This effect can be accelerated by corruption traps and attacks from
Chaos beings. When you've absorbed a sufficient amount of Chaos energy, it
manifests itself in a Chaos power.

Chaos powers are often helpful, although some of them have nasty side
effects (like Poison Hands). However, if you become too badly corrupted,
you mutate into a writhing mass of primal Chaos. Game over.

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3.3.7: Okay, so corruption is a Bad Thing. How do I get rid of it, then?

Scrolls of chaos resistance help greatly here, and potions of cure
corruption don't hurt, either. The potions can be earned from a certain
authority in the Chain, while completing a certain quest will net you the
reward of having all of your corruption removed--once. Contrary to popular
belief, the gods cannot (or will not) remove corruption.

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3.3.8: What use is a holy symbol?

Every time you use one, you become a tiny little bit closer to your god. It
can also be used as a meter for whether your god likes you enough to help
you or not.

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3.3.9: How come standard Fireball spells don't hurt me, while a so-called
Improved Fireball will hurt me if I'm in the blast radius?

Well, I hear that the extra incantations required to launch fireballs at a
distance took up so much space in the spellbook that something had to go,
so they decided to eliminate the incantation which shielded the caster from
the fireball's effect...

Seriously, though, the `improvement' with an Improved Fireball is that you
can indeed launch it away from yourself, and it does more damage. It was
designed for distance work, not close-up work--that's what the *regular*
Fireball is for.

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3.3.10: What's the difference between a ring of fire and a ring of fire
resistance?

Rings of fire resistance and cold resistance protect you. Rings of ice and
fire protect your gear.

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3.3.11: What exactly does a wand of ball lightning do? It sure doesn't
shoot lightning balls!

This fires a standard lightning bolt in a random direction. Dangerous
indoors.

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3.3.12: When I cast a spell that lets me choose a target, how do I pick me?
I'm tired of blessing everyone else!

When asked which direction, use either the keypad '5' or the '.' to aim at
the space you occupy. The same applies to the use of wands and several
other tools.

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Section 4: Way Beyond Basic

#3.4.1: I think I've won, but I can't escape and finish! What's going on?

This is a twist that was introduced in 0.9.9g7 to make the ending a little
more interesting for those using certain tactics. If you look carefully,
the message didn't say you did succeed; rather, it appears you have
succeeded. Perhaps someone is still alive who could undo your action
without too much difficulty. There is more than one way to resolve the
endgame and escape.

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3.4.2: I keep hearing about a Chaos God ending; what are people talking
about?

There are specific quests assigned by some shady characters that will get
you going down this path. You will need to find certain locations that are
not needed for a normal win. Note that most who have attempted it agree
that this ending is *much* more difficult than the traditional ending.

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3.4.3: I'm bored with this simple little game; how can I make it more
interesting?

Okay, so this isn't a frequently asked question, but it's info that might
make the game more fun or a little more challenging (if you like that kind
of thing). This can be just annoying and pointless, or it can be an
extension of the role-playing beyond the game's mechanical restrictions.

Role-playing additions: Try magic users that do not use weapons. Try
fighters that do not use spells. Keep illiterate characters illiterate.
Fighters without any magic use at all. Keep barbarians and monks from
wielding any weapons. Arm trolls with logs or anvils instead of normal
weapons. Have hurthlings only eat baked/cooked goods (bread and cooked
things). Always use gifts from your diety. Never shop.

Arbitrary goals: Finish the game in as few moves as possible. In as few
game days. Play a vegetarian. Play a mute (no chatting at all--it is
possible to win this way, just a *little* tricky). Never unwield your
starting weapon--you can only replace it if it is destroyed in your hand.
Self-limit your carrying capacity (5000s, maybe 4000s). Sacrifice
everything you aren't wearing/wielding (except the orbs) the first chance
you get.

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*3.4.4: Has the Red Rooster thingy or the Scroll of Omnipotence been
implemented yet?

Nobody knows yet. Many suspect the Red Rooster bit has and is accessible
with 0.9.9g10, but no confirmations, yet. As for the Scroll of Omnipotence,
nobody but Thomas knows.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 1996, 1997, 1998 by Thomas Biskup, Erwin Mascardo, and Richard
Fowler. This FAQ may be freely distributed as long as these two copyright
messages are distributed with it. Karmic creatures are exempted from this
restriction.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADOM © Copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 by Thomas Biskup. All rights
reserved.

