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Nethack discussion

Dragontamer

Classic game. Post if you've ever beaten it, or post here if you're interested in playing a very very very old game that perhaps is one of the first ever RPGs ever created... and losing for the next several months as you fail over and over and over >_>

I've beaten the game once in my 3+ years of playing this game seriously. Neutral Ranger, got 5 wishes pre-castle throughout the course of that game, 3 from lamps, 2 from thrones. After that, got a 0:3 wand of wishing and found 5 Magic Markers.

Obviously, that was the game I was going to win :-p If you're new to this game, a pre-castle wish happens like, only once every 10 games... and I got 5 of them :-p Magic Markers are so rare that sometimes they're never found in a whole game... and most people spend a wish on a Magic Marker because they're that useful :-)

Granted, if you lose for 2 years straight, the game will eventually cut you some slack, lol.

So anyone else beat this game? With luck, without?
 
Hmm, looks cool. I want to give it a try! Anything I should know? it looks kind of like an old school text adventure game, with graphics.
 
Oh yes... what wonderful graphics nethack has ...

nethack.png


Although, if you really wanted to, you can opt for an older version of nethack and go for Falcon's eye.

screenshot.gif


I prefer the text-based version because it is easier to understand what they're talking about when you use a blessed scroll of genocide. You wipe out a character class... as in an ASCII character character. Like, you can wipe out all dragons (D), or Liches (L), humanoids (h), or humans (@). Graphical versions offer a bit more eye candy and are easier to get in of course, but the blessed scroll of genocide won't make sense at all.
 
Sorry for the double post but... this is quite important.

Code: 
                                   ---------
                                   |.......|
                                   |.......|                  -----
                                   |..._...|                  |...        A
                                   |.......|        ------   --..--------- A
                                |  |.......|  |          -- --...|.......|A
                                |. ----|---- .|         % ---....|...@...|
                                |......%......|        )   -..)@.-...@...|AA
                                ---...%.$...---       %   ---...@|.......|
                                  -----|-----    -  )%   -- --...|.......|
                                                  ---%----   --..---------
                             -----   %       ------- % |      |..@    @
                                [|     %%    |         |      -----
                             -  %--  %%% %  --   -------
                             |  % --  %%?  --    |
                             ---   ----%----%  ---
                               |)   %  % %%%  )|
                               ----------------

Pr the Scout                 St:18 Dx:17 Co:16 In:15 Wi:19 Ch:17  Chaotic
Astral Plane $:2231 HP:282(286) Pw:115(115) AC:-46 Exp:17

Your inventory
  Amulets
  x - a blessed amulet of life saving (being worn)
  W - an uncursed amulet of magical breathing
  Weapons
  a - the blessed +0 Longbow of Diana (weapon in hand)
  b - 22 blessed rustproof +7 arrows named storm
  i - the fireproof +0 Sting
  M - 90 blessed poisoned rustproof +7 arrows named storm (in quiver)
  Armor
  e - a blessed fireproof +4 pair of speed boots (being worn)
  g - a blessed fireproof +5 robe (being worn)
  j - a blessed +5 Hawaiian shirt (being worn)
  t - a blessed +5 gray dragon scale mail (being worn)
  B - a blessed greased +3 orcish helm (being worn)
  F - a blessed +4 shield of reflection (being worn)
  Z - an uncursed fireproof +5 pair of leather gloves (being worn)
  Comestibles
  l - an uncursed lizard corpse
  Spellbooks
  L - the uncursed Book of the Dead
  Rings
  D - an uncursed +4 ring of increase damage (on left hand)
  V - a blessed ring of conflict (on right hand)
  Wands
  c - a wand of magic missile (0:5)
  d - a wand of magic missile (0:7)
  w - a thoroughly rusty wand of teleportation (0:3)
  y - a wand of death (0:4)
  I - a wand of death (1:1)
  N - a wand of enlightenment (0:11)
  Q - a wand of fire (0:1)
  Tools
  m - an uncursed blindfold
  o - an uncursed magic lamp (lit)
  q - a blessed bag of holding
  z - an uncursed skeleton key
  A - an uncursed stethoscope
  C - a blessed +0 unicorn horn
  O - the uncursed Candelabrum of Invocation (no candles attached)
  Y - the Bell of Opening (0:0)
  Gems
  T - a blessed luckstone

Contents of the bag of holding:
  634 gold pieces
  an uncursed amulet of life saving
  an uncursed amulet of life saving
  27 blessed rustproof +6 arrows named storm
  64 blessed poisoned rustproof +7 arrows named storm
  3 blessed +2 arrows
  a blessed fireproof +6 bow
  2 blessed +6 silver arrows
  23 +0 silver arrows
  an uncursed burnt rotted +0 pair of water walking boots
  a blessed fireproof +2 pair of levitation boots
  an uncursed +0 pair of jumping boots
  an uncursed +0 mummy wrapping
  an uncursed tin of pit viper meat
  a cursed lizard corpse
  7 uncursed C-rations
  2 uncursed C-rations
  an uncursed potato
  an uncursed lizard corpse
  an uncursed lembas wafer
  3 uncursed K-rations
  a cursed tin of forest centaur meat
  an uncursed carrot
  an uncursed melon
  2 uncursed lizard corpses
  an uncursed fortune cookie
  5 uncursed lembas wafers
  a cursed lizard corpse
  2 uncursed scrolls of create monster
  a blessed scroll of charging
  an uncursed scroll of teleportation
  2 cursed scrolls of blank paper
  a cursed scroll of create monster
  5 uncursed scrolls of teleportation
  2 uncursed scrolls of taming
  4 uncursed scrolls of blank paper
  2 uncursed scrolls of gold detection
  an uncursed scroll of genocide
  an uncursed potion of extra healing
  an uncursed potion of gain level
  a blessed potion of speed
  an uncursed potion of extra healing
  3 uncursed potions of full healing
  4 potions of holy water
  a potion of unholy water
  an uncursed potion of sickness
  an uncursed ring of levitation
  an uncursed +2 ring of gain constitution
  an uncursed ring of teleportation
  a wand of digging (0:5)
  a blessed wand of wishing (1:0)
  a wand of digging (0:0)
  a thoroughly rusty wand of death (0:0)
  a wand of opening (1:11)
  a blessed wand of create monster (0:11)
  a wand of striking (0:5)
  a blessed wand of undead turning (0:6)
  a wand of create monster (0:14)
  a wand of undead turning (0:2)
  a wand of teleportation (0:7)
  a blessed wand of digging (0:8)
  a wand of digging (0:8)
  a wand of probing (0:6)
  a wand of striking (0:5)
  a wand of striking (0:4)
  a wand of digging (0:6)
  a wand of undead turning (0:5)
  a wand of digging (0:5)
  a wand of create monster (0:15)
  a thoroughly rusty wand of lightning (0:2)
  a blessed wand of magic missile (0:5)
  a wand of magic missile (0:6)
  a thoroughly rusty wand of digging (0:6)
  a thoroughly rusty wand of digging (0:3)
  a thoroughly rusty wand of lightning (0:6)
  a wand of cold (0:8)
  a wand of fire (0:4)
  a magic marker (0:2)
  an uncursed skeleton key
  a magic marker (1:11)
  a can of grease (1:1)
  2 uncursed tallow candles
  2 cursed tallow candles
  3 blessed wax candles
  3 uncursed agate stones
  4 uncursed jade stones
  4 uncursed turquoise stones

Final attributes
  You were piously aligned
  You were fire resistant
  You were cold resistant
  You were sleep resistant
  You were disintegration-resistant
  You were shock resistant
  You were poison resistant
  You were magic-protected
  You saw invisible
  You were telepathic
  You had automatic searching
  You had infravision
  You were invisible to others
  You were stealthy
  You caused conflict
  You had a +4 damage bonus
  You were protected
  You were very fast
  You had reflection
  Your life would have been saved
  You were extremely lucky (13)
  You had extra luck
  Good luck did not time out for you
  You survived 

Vanquished creatures
  Baalzebub
  Dispater
  Orcus
  Juiblex
  The Wizard of Yendor (8 times)
  Pestilence (twice)
  Famine
  a high priest
  a mastodon
  Medusa
  17 krakens
  2 iron golems
  a master lich
  a ki-rin
  a storm giant
  5 glass golems
  3 balrogs
  3 purple worms
  2 gray dragons
  a silver dragon
  4 red dragons
  3 white dragons
  2 orange dragons
  6 black dragons
  3 blue dragons
  13 minotaurs
  4 jabberwocks
  Scorpius
  5 baluchitheria
  9 Angels
  Vlad the Impaler
  a stone golem
  17 Olog-hai
  5 Nazguls
  7 pit fiends
  a sandestin
  4 hell hounds
  8 titanotheres
  a trapper
  a guardian naga
  a disenchanter
  33 vampire lords
  6 skeletons
  21 aligned priests
  8 captains
  5 shades
  4 liches
  4 clay golems
  7 nurses
  9 ice devils
  4 nalfeshnees
  4 lurkers above
  4 Aleaxes
  a frost giant
  3 ettins
  4 black puddings
  24 vampires
  5 lieutenants
  40 ghosts
  a cavewoman
  a knight
  a ranger
  a rogue
  a samurai
  a queen bee
  7 winged gargoyles
  10 giant mimics
  7 zruties
  5 fire giants
  9 ogre kings
  2 ice trolls
  13 rock trolls
  13 umber hulks
  7 flesh golems
  3 Elvenkings
  8 doppelgangers
  6 hezrous
  6 bone devils
  5 large mimics
  3 wumpuses
  5 fire vortices
  5 long worms
  3 couatls
  14 stalkers
  11 air elementals
  3 fire elementals
  6 earth elementals
  a water elemental
  6 hill giants
  4 giant mummies
  2 black nagas
  6 xorns
  12 giant zombies
  3 elf-lords
  10 sergeants
  2 barbed devils
  13 vrocks
  15 wargs
  4 winter wolves
  5 hell hound pups
  12 small mimics
  5 glass piercers
  8 warhorses
  8 steam vortices
  11 xans
  4 ettin mummies
  6 ogre lords
  10 quantum mechanics
  15 trolls
  2 sasquatches
  3 wood golems
  2 erinyes
  2 mariliths
  9 sharks
  8 electric eels
  10 gelatinous cubes
  2 pyrolisks
  2 large dogs
  3 freezing spheres
  6 flaming spheres
  6 shocking spheres
  5 large cats
  9 tigers
  8 gargoyles
  2 dwarf kings
  6 tengu
  11 ochre jellies
  9 leocrottas
  5 energy vortices
  27 mountain centaurs
  4 stone giants
  7 elf mummies
  3 human mummies
  6 red nagas
  4 green slimes
  a pit viper
  4 pythons
  5 cobras
  29 wraiths
  4 carnivorous apes
  17 ettin zombies
  3 leather golems
  9 Grey-elves
  49 soldiers
  4 watchmen
  6 horned devils
  7 succubi
  5 incubi
  8 chameleons
  3 crocodiles
  37 giant beetles
  4 quivering blobs
  16 cockatrices
  21 wolves
  12 winter wolf cubs
  8 lynxes
  4 panthers
  8 gremlins
  3 spotted jellies
  35 leprechauns
  6 orc-captains
  6 iron piercers
  5 mumakil
  13 giant spiders
  34 scorpions
  11 horses
  5 black lights
  12 vampire bats
  59 forest centaurs
  4 gnome kings
  5 orc mummies
  5 dwarf mummies
  7 ogres
  6 brown puddings
  7 rust monsters
  15 owlbears
  5 yetis
  6 gold golems
  4 werewolves
  4 Green-elves
  6 piranhas
  21 giant eels
  14 lizards
  13 chickatrices
  3 dogs
  7 dingos
  4 housecats
  7 jaguars
  4 dwarf lords
  3 blue jellies
  a white unicorn
  4 gray unicorns
  8 dust vortices
  a raven
  19 plains centaurs
  5 gnome mummies
  4 snakes
  13 apes
  15 human zombies
  3 rope golems
  5 Woodland-elves
  26 soldier ants
  15 fire ants
  4 bugbears
  3 quasits
  2 wood nymphs
  4 water nymphs
  7 mountain nymphs
  18 Mordor orcs
  29 Uruk-hai
  2 orc shamans
  16 rock piercers
  6 rock moles
  4 ponies
  7 fog clouds
  12 yellow lights
  a shrieker
  8 violet fungi
  22 gnome lords
  10 gnomish wizards
  3 kobold mummies
  a red naga hatchling
  a black naga hatchling
  a guardian naga hatchling
  a gray ooze
  2 barrow wights
  14 elf zombies
  16 ghouls
  2 straw golems
  5 paper golems
  8 jellyfish
  2 baby crocodiles
  32 giant ants
  4 little dogs
  9 floating eyes
  4 kittens
  22 dwarves
  a homunculus
  3 kobold lords
  2 kobold shamans
  25 hill orcs
  16 rothes
  3 rabid rats
  6 centipedes
  9 giant bats
  a monkey
  20 orc zombies
  9 dwarf zombies
  2 wererats
  3 iguanas
  52 killer bees
  4 acid blobs
  3 gas spores
  11 hobbits
  5 large kobolds
  8 hobgoblins
  5 giant rats
  10 cave spiders
  a brown mold
  8 yellow molds
  3 green molds
  3 red molds
  76 gnomes
  9 garter snakes
  11 gnome zombies
  9 geckos
  11 jackals
  4 kobolds
  6 goblins
  2 sewer rats
  4 grid bugs
  8 bats
  10 lichens
  14 kobold zombies
  13 newts
  2211 creatures vanquished.

Genocided species:
  hobbits
  dwarves
  bugbears
  dwarf lords
  dwarf kings
  mind flayers
  master mind flayers
  liches
  demiliches
  master liches
  arch-liches
  rust monsters
  disenchanters
  jellyfish
  piranhas
  sharks
  giant eels
  electric eels
  krakens
  19 species genocided.
Voluntary challenges
  You genocided 19 types of monsters
  You polymorphed 339 items
  You never changed form
  You used 6 wishes
  You did not wish for any artifacts

Your skills at the end
  Fighting Skills
    (none)
  Weapon Skills
    dagger             [Skilled]
    spear              [Skilled]
    bow                [Expert]
  Spellcasting Skills
    divination spells  [Basic]

Goodbye pr the Demigod...
You went to your reward with 3281470 points,
The Longbow of Diana (worth 4000 zorkmids and 10000 points)
Sting (worth 800 zorkmids and 2000 points)
The Book of the Dead (worth 10000 zorkmids and 25000 points)
The Candelabrum of Invocation (worth 5000 zorkmids and 12500 points)
The Bell of Opening (worth 5000 zorkmids and 12500 points)
       4 turquoise stones (worth 8000 zorkmids),
       4 jade stones (worth 1200 zorkmids),
       3 agate stones (worth 600 zorkmids),
       3 amulets of life saving (worth 450 zorkmids),
       1 amulet of magical breathing (worth 150 zorkmids),
and 2865 pieces of gold, after 57594 moves.
Killer: ascended
You were level 17 with a maximum of 286 hit points when you ascended.
Boo ya baby. 2nd win EVER in my life. Then again, I got 2 wishes from a throne this game :-) But the castle wand was only 0:1, so I guess it balanced out a bit. W00t W00t!!! Winnar!

Damn Rodny showed up 8 times >_> Good thing I had more death wands and charging scrolls...

Destroyed 5 of the 9 Nazguls, didn't meet Death on the Astral Plane, so that was nice... I used up my last wish on the Astral plane: a ring of conflict. I thought tI would be able to do without but... no... =oConflict is so godly... I highly recommend it as a wish.
 
Last time I played was a couple weeks ago, Lawful Valk ready to head up into Sokoban. ;[ Used a Throne-sitting genocide to kill Cockatrices, woo!

Dunno how much interest you can generate here, but it's kinda cool. Hard to "get" at first but eventually you get to understand all the ASCII.
 
You genocided Cockatrices? They are a popular choice for wishes in a pinch because of your ability to wield them (as long as you have gloves on). If you're burdened and you fall down the stairs however with a Cockatrice corpse weilded... you have a 100% chance of falling _on_ your weilded cockatrice.

In fact, some people wish for one on the last levels so that you can kill all of the priests in the sanctum. Anyway, there are far more dangerous monsters (like Eels / Krakens (;) who can OHKO you in 2 turns), (Arch / Master / Demi ) Liches who have the touch of death (L), and can cast destroy armor, (Master) Mind Flayers who can suck away intelligence causing an instant death when intelligence reaches 0, as well as the amnesia attack (you forget 25% of maps, spells, and identified goods). Symbol is h, which includes dwarves and hobits and gnomes. Be careful not to genocide yourself if you're a dwarf. Then of course are Rust Monsters and Disenchanters, who make your weapons and armor less useful... (R)

So the low-down on Cockatrices:
1. Don't move when weilding a cockatrice, because of spiked pits and whatnot.
2. Kill a _lot_ of guys with it, corpses only last so long
3. Don't ever be burdened. It slows you down anyway.
3. Aside from that... enjoy your instant death weapon. :-p Just be sure not to impale yourself with it (again, falling down stairs while burdened or falling into pits, etc. etc.)
 
I understand they can be helpful "weapons" in a pinch but I'd rather just not take the chance. Besides, the lich-type monsters and Flayers have multiple species in them that if I'm gonna genocide them I might as well wait for a Blessed Scroll. Of course, genociding Cockatrices still leave Chickatrices too, but they're pretty rare and I can always get them later with another one-species genocide.
 
That is true. I guess you can always wish for a Chickatrice in a pinch.

BTW: why does everyone say a valk is easier? I never have been able to ascend with a Valk before... how does it work out for you Mr. E?
 
I've only played a few times so far and the Valk (which I haven't touched in a couple weeks, mind you) is the furthest I've gotten so far. Probably easier for the same reason a strong physical class is always easier, plus Excalibur is a very good weapon obtained early if you go Lawful.
 
Oh dear god no >_>

Jumping from one of the most awesome classes that can get basic divination (hurrah! Identify from my god), with 4x multishot arrows (5x if you're an elf using elvish bow and arrows) going to one of the most sucky classes who's only advantage is that he can eat his pet without angering his god >_>

As if Nethack isn't hard enough already, lol.
 
I played the original rogue when I was a little kid.. And i never got further than Medusa.

So I started playing this when you posted with Monk, and I just got up to the Castle and found myself nowhere near strong enough.. After using up all my wands and scrolls getting past the Minotaurs, I got raped by the Castle Xorns. I was only level 13 though, and tbh I had nothing useful in terms of equipment.. The Amulet of reflection of course and otherwise not a lot more than what I started with, and only healing as far as spells go (well other stuff like light and jump and knock that doesnt really help at all). Also I didnt realise spells could run out until the bottom level of the Castle, when I suddenly couldnt heal anymore..

But I am glad to have beaten my 9 year old self.. Even if rogue is a little easier..

I am thinking about switching to the magician or w/e he is called..

[edit] - What I really should have done is gone back up and done the Quest, and then the Castle, but I still wasnt lvl 14, and I was feeling cocky..

Have a nice day.
 
Ok, so I had a game go well.. I was getting sick of monk so I tried Wizard, and I found a wand of wishing on level 2.

So basically starting with Silver Dragon Scale Mail, The Master Key of Thievery and Speed Boots makes the game a lot easier.. (also charging scrolls, a couple of magic markers, a bag of holding eventually) I got another wish from a throne after that, for an amulet of life saving. By the time I got to the castle I had very little left to wish for.. So I got a ring of conflict, another Magic Marker, a wand of polymorph, I think I got another magic marker again.. I had one more wish, but I cant remember what it was for..

Anyway, so this was the first time I ever made it into genehemowhatever, and I found that once you have that much stuff, the game is really easy.. I think especially as a Wizard, maybe the other classes would be different. But yeah, I just killed the Wizard of Yendor! Except (warning - punchline ahead) he was hovering over water at the time.. I have a funny feeling I am going to have to start over? Or do you have any advice?

[edit] - I only got one magic marker from the first wand and then 2 from the second, that was where the extra wish went.. I think it was a magic marker from the throne, and the amulet of life saving from the wand.. Now it works out I think! Oh shit, I got a spellbook of finger of death also from the castle!

[edit2] - I guess I may have to find a way to die in level 2 of the dungeon so hopefully I can find all this stuff in a bones level at some point...

Have a nice day.
 
Hipmonlee said:
Ok, so I had a game go well.. I was getting sick of monk so I tried Wizard, and I found a wand of wishing on level 2.

So basically starting with Silver Dragon Scale Mail, The Master Key of Thievery and Speed Boots makes the game a lot easier.. (also charging scrolls, a couple of magic markers, a bag of holding eventually) I got another wish from a throne after that, for an amulet of life saving. By the time I got to the castle I had very little left to wish for.. So I got a ring of conflict, another Magic Marker, a wand of polymorph, I think I got another magic marker again.. I had one more wish, but I cant remember what it was for..

Anyway, so this was the first time I ever made it into genehemowhatever, and I found that once you have that much stuff, the game is really easy.. I think especially as a Wizard, maybe the other classes would be different. But yeah, I just killed the Wizard of Yendor! Except (warning - punchline ahead) he was hovering over water at the time.. I have a funny feeling I am going to have to start over? Or do you have any advice?

[edit] - I only got one magic marker from the first wand and then 2 from the second, that was where the extra wish went.. I think it was a magic marker from the throne, and the amulet of life saving from the wand.. Now it works out I think! Oh shit, I got a spellbook of finger of death also from the castle!

[edit2] - I guess I may have to find a way to die in level 2 of the dungeon so hopefully I can find all this stuff in a bones level at some point...

Have a nice day.
Click to expand...

No. You don't have to start over. Same thing happened with me. The optimal choice depends on a number of factors...

1. Do you have enough wishes to "waste" a wish?
2. Do you have enough scrolls and magic markers to waste a few? Or do you have a few earth scrolls?

If #1, then "waste" a wish on an amulet of magical breathing. Drop all your stuff in a corner, and fall into the water. With an amulet of magical breathing, all water levels become diving zones. Obviously, the book should be there.

If #2, then read the scrolls, push boulders in where you killed the guy. Then dig down with a pickaxe or something, and get your stuff.

Good luck with the game. Gehenom is the easy part. Now that you've killed Rodney, keep a wand of death close by, or at least weild Magicbane at all times, and run like hell. No time to waste, every time you kill Rodney he gets stronger >_>
 
Oh yeah! I totally beat it!

I killed the wizard 24 times lol.. Good ol finger of death!

2660 creatures vanquished.

Also 5053014 points!

Yeah I killed all of the riders, though tbh death was easy as hell.. I was immune to his death attack and he didnt do anything else.. The other two died to finger of deaths, and I ascended before any of them revived (or found me after reviving).

Yeah the elemental planes were pretty tough, mostly because the amulet doubles your spell casting costs..

My analysis: with wizard, its almost impossible to make it to sokoban, but if you luck out early like I did, you can cruise through the rest of the game..

Have a nice day.
 
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