

                 A Guide to the Mazes of Menace
                     (Guidebook for NetHack)

               Original version - Eric S. Raymond
   (Edited and expanded for 3.6 by Mike Stephenson and others)

Preface - Version 3.6

     This  version  of  the  game is special in a particular way.
Near the end of the development of 3.6, one  of  the  significant
inspirations  for  many of the humorous and fun features found in
the game, author Terry Pratchett, passed away.  We have dedicated
this version of the game in his memory.

1.  Introduction

     Recently,  you  have  begun to find yourself unfulfilled and
distant in your daily occupation.  Strange dreams of prospecting,
stealing,  crusading,  and  combat have haunted you in your sleep
for many months, but you aren't sure of the reason.   You  wonder
whether  you have in fact been having those dreams all your life,
and somehow managed to forget about them until now.  Some  nights
you awaken suddenly and cry out, terrified at the vivid recollec-
tion of the strange and powerful creatures that seem to be  lurk-
ing  behind  every  corner  of  the dungeon in your dream.  Could
these details haunting your dreams be real?  As each night  pass-
es,  you feel the desire to enter the mysterious caverns near the
ruins grow stronger.  Each morning, however, you quickly put  the
idea  out  of  your head as you recall the tales of those who en-
tered the caverns before you and did not return.  Eventually  you
can  resist  the yearning to seek out the fantastic place in your
dreams no longer.  After all, when other  adventurers  came  back
this  way after spending time in the caverns, they usually seemed
better off than when they passed through the first time.  And who
was to say that all of those who did not return had not just kept
going?

     Asking around, you hear about a bauble, called the Amulet of
Yendor  by  some, which, if you can find it, will bring you great
wealth.  One legend you were told even mentioned that the one who
finds  the  amulet  will be granted immortality by the gods.  The
amulet is rumored to be somewhere beyond the Valley of  Gehennom,
deep  within  the Mazes of Menace.  Upon hearing the legends, you
immediately realize that there is some profound and  undiscovered
reason that you are to descend into the caverns and seek out that
amulet of which they spoke.  Even if the rumors of  the  amulet's

powers are untrue, you decide that you should at least be able to
sell the tales of your adventures to the local  minstrels  for  a
tidy  sum,  especially if you encounter any of the terrifying and
magical creatures of your dreams along the way.   You  spend  one
last  night  fortifying  yourself at the local inn, becoming more
and more depressed as you watch the odds of  your  success  being
posted on the inn's walls getting lower and lower.

       In the morning you awake, collect your belongings, and set
off for the dungeon.  After several days  of  uneventful  travel,
you  see the ancient ruins that mark the entrance to the Mazes of
Menace.  It is late at night, so you make camp  at  the  entrance
and  spend the night sleeping under the open skies.  In the morn-
ing, you gather your gear, eat what may be your  last  meal  out-
side, and enter the dungeon...

2.  What is going on here?

     You have just begun a game of NetHack.  Your goal is to grab
as much treasure as you can, retrieve the Amulet of  Yendor,  and
escape the Mazes of Menace alive.

     Your abilities and strengths for dealing with the hazards of
adventure will vary with your background and training:

     Archeologists understand dungeons pretty well; this  enables
them  to  move  quickly  and sneak up on the local nasties.  They
start equipped with the tools for a proper scientific expedition.

     Barbarians are warriors out of the hinterland,  hardened  to
battle.   They  begin  their  quests  with  naught  but  uncommon
strength, a trusty hauberk, and a great two-handed sword.

     Cavemen and Cavewomen start with exceptional  strength  but,
unfortunately, with neolithic weapons.

     Healers  are wise in medicine and apothecary.  They know the
herbs and simples that can restore  vitality,  ease  pain,  anes-
thetize, and neutralize poisons; and with their instruments, they
can divine a being's state of health or sickness.  Their  medical
practice earns them quite reasonable amounts of money, with which
they enter the dungeon.

     Knights are distinguished  from  the  common  skirmisher  by
their  devotion  to  the ideals of chivalry and by the surpassing
excellence of their armor.

     Monks are ascetics, who by rigorous practice of physical and
mental disciplines have become capable of fighting as effectively
without weapons as with.  They wear no armor but make up  for  it
with increased mobility.

     Priests  and Priestesses are clerics militant, crusaders ad-
vancing the cause of righteousness with  arms,  armor,  and  arts
thaumaturgic.   Their  ability to commune with deities via prayer
occasionally extricates them from peril, but can also put them in
it.

     Rangers are most at home in the woods, and some say slightly
out of place in a dungeon.  They are, however, experts in archery
as well as tracking and stealthy movement.

     Rogues  are  agile  and  stealthy thieves, with knowledge of
locks, traps, and poisons.  Their  advantage  lies  in  surprise,
which they employ to great advantage.

     Samurai  are  the elite warriors of feudal Nippon.  They are
lightly armored and quick, and wear the dai-sho,  two  swords  of
the deadliest keenness.

     Tourists  start out with lots of gold (suitable for shopping
with), a credit card, lots of food, some maps, and  an  expensive
camera.  Most monsters don't like being photographed.

     Valkyries  are hardy warrior women.  Their upbringing in the
harsh Northlands makes them strong, inures them  to  extremes  of
cold, and instills in them stealth and cunning.

     Wizards  start out with a knowledge of magic, a selection of
magical items, and a particular affinity for  dweomercraft.   Al-
though seemingly weak and easy to overcome at first sight, an ex-
perienced Wizard is a deadly foe.

     You may also choose the race of your character:

     Dwarves are smaller than humans or elves, but are stocky and
solid  individuals.   Dwarves'  most notable trait is their great
expertise in mining and metalwork.  Dwarvish armor is said to  be
second in quality not even to the mithril armor of the Elves.

     Elves  are agile, quick, and perceptive; very little of what
goes on will escape an Elf.  The quality of  Elven  craftsmanship
often gives them an advantage in arms and armor.

     Gnomes  are  smaller  than but generally similar to dwarves.
Gnomes are known to be expert miners, and it is known that a  se-
cret  underground  mine  complex built by this race exists within
the Mazes of Menace, filled with both riches and danger.

     Humans are by far the most common race of the surface world,
and  are  thus  the norm to which other races are often compared.
Although they have no special abilities, they can succeed in  any
role.

     Orcs  are  a  cruel and barbaric race that hate every living
thing (including other orcs).  Above all others, Orcs hate  Elves

with  a  passion unequalled, and will go out of their way to kill
one at any opportunity.  The armor and weapons fashioned  by  the
Orcs are typically of inferior quality.

3.  What do all those things on the screen mean?

     On  the screen is kept a map of where you have been and what
you have seen on the current dungeon level; as you  explore  more
of the level, it appears on the screen in front of you.

     When  NetHack's  ancestor  rogue  first appeared, its screen
orientation was  almost  unique  among  computer  fantasy  games.
Since  then,  screen  orientation has become the norm rather than
the exception; NetHack continues  this  fine  tradition.   Unlike
text  adventure games that accept commands in pseudo-English sen-
tences and explain the results in words, NetHack commands are all
one  or  two keystrokes and the results are displayed graphically
on the screen.  A minimum screen size of 24 lines by  80  columns
is  recommended;  if  the  screen is larger, only a 21x80 section
will be used for the map.

     NetHack can even be played by blind players, with the assis-
tance  of  Braille  readers or speech synthesisers.  Instructions
for configuring NetHack for the blind are included later in  this
document.

     NetHack generates a new dungeon every time you play it; even
the authors still find it an entertaining and exciting  game  de-
spite having won several times.

     NetHack  offers  a  variety of display options.  The options
available to you will vary from port to port,  depending  on  the
capabilities  of  your hardware and software, and whether various
compile-time options were enabled when your executable was creat-
ed.  The three possible display options are: a monochrome charac-
ter interface, a color character interface, and a  graphical  in-
terface using small pictures called tiles.  The two character in-
terfaces allow fonts with other characters to be substituted, but
the  default  assignments use standard ASCII characters to repre-
sent everything.  There is no difference between the various dis-
play options with respect to game play.  Because we cannot repro-
duce the tiles or colors in the Guidebook, and because it is com-
mon  to  all ports, we will use the default ASCII characters from
the monochrome character display when  referring  to  things  you
might see on the screen during your game.

     In  order  to  understand what is going on in NetHack, first
you must understand what NetHack is doing with the  screen.   The
NetHack  screen replaces the ``You see ...'' descriptions of text
adventure games.  Figure 1 is a sample of what a  NetHack  screen
might  look  like.   The  way the screen looks for you depends on
your platform.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
 The bat bites!

     ------
     |....|    ----------
     |.<..|####...@...$.|
     |....-#   |...B....+
     |....|    |.d......|
     ------    -------|--

 Player the Rambler     St:12 Dx:7 Co:18 In:11 Wi:9 Ch:15  Neutral
 Dlvl:1 $:0  HP:9(12) Pw:3(3) AC:10 Exp:1/19 T:257 Weak

--------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Figure 1

3.1.  The status lines (bottom)

     The bottom two lines of the screen contain  several  cryptic
pieces  of information describing your current status.  If either
status line becomes longer than the  width  of  the  screen,  you
might not see all of it.  Here are explanations of what the vari-
ous status items mean (though your configuration may not have all
the status items listed below):

Rank
     Your character's name and professional ranking (based on the
     experience level, see below).

Strength
     A measure of your character's strength; one of your six  ba-
     sic  attributes.   A  human character's attributes can range
     from 3 to 18 inclusive; non-humans may exceed  these  limits
     (occasionally you may get super-strengths of the form 18/xx,
     and magic can also cause attributes  to  exceed  the  normal
     limits).   The  higher  your strength, the stronger you are.
     Strength  affects  how  successfully  you  perform  physical
     tasks,  how  much damage you do in combat, and how much loot
     you can carry.

Dexterity
     Dexterity affects your chances to hit in  combat,  to  avoid
     traps,  and do other tasks requiring agility or manipulation
     of objects.

Constitution
     Constitution affects your ability to recover  from  injuries
     and  other strains on your stamina.  When strength is low or
     modest, constitution also affects how much  you  can  carry.
     With  sufficiently high strength, the contribution to carry-
     ing capacity from your constitution no longer matters.

Intelligence
     Intelligence affects your ability to cast  spells  and  read
     spellbooks.

Wisdom
     Wisdom comes from your practical experience (especially when
     dealing with magic).  It affects your magical energy.

Charisma
     Charisma affects how certain creatures react toward you.  In
     particular, it can affect the prices shopkeepers offer you.

Alignment
     Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic.  Often, Lawful is taken as good
     and Chaotic as evil, but legal and ethical do not always co-
     incide.   Your alignment influences how other monsters react
     toward you.  Monsters of a like alignment are more likely to
     be  non-aggressive, while those of an opposing alignment are
     more likely to be seriously offended at your presence.

Dungeon Level
     How deep you are in the dungeon.  You start at level one and
     the  number  increases  as  you  go deeper into the dungeon.
     Some levels are special, and are identified by  a  name  and
     not  a  number.  The Amulet of Yendor is reputed to be some-
     where beneath the twentieth level.

Gold
     The number of gold pieces you  are  openly  carrying.   Gold
     which you have concealed in containers is not counted.

Hit Points
     Your  current  and  maximum hit points.  Hit points indicate
     how much damage you can take before you die.  The  more  you
     get  hit in a fight, the lower they get.  You can regain hit
     points by resting, or by  using  certain  magical  items  or
     spells.   The  number  in  parentheses is the maximum number
     your hit points can reach.

Power
     Spell points.  This tells you how much mystic energy  (mana)
     you  have  available for spell casting.  Again, resting will
     regenerate the amount available.

Armor Class
     A measure of how effectively your armor stops blows from un-
     friendly  creatures.  The lower this number is, the more ef-
     fective the armor; it is quite possible to have negative ar-
     mor class.

Experience
     Your current experience level and experience points.  As you
     adventure, you gain experience points.  At  certain  experi-
     ence  point  totals, you gain an experience level.  The more

     experienced you are, the better you fight and withstand mag-
     ical attacks.  Many dungeons show only your experience level
     here.

Time
     The number of turns elapsed so far, displayed  if  you  have
     the time option set.

Status
     Hunger:  your  current  hunger status.  Values are Satiated,
     Not Hungry (or Normal), Hungry,  Weak,  and  Fainting.   Not
     shown when Normal.

     Encumbrance:  an indication of how what you are carrying af-
     fects your ability to move.  Values are Unencumbered, Encum-
     bered,  Stressed,  Strained, Overtaxed, and Overloaded.  Not
     shown when Unencumbered.

     Fatal conditions: Stone (aka Petrifying, turning to  stone),
     Slime  (turning into green slime), Strngl (being strangled),
     FoodPois (suffering  from  acute  food  poisoning),  TermIll
     (suffering from a terminal illness).

     Non-fatal  conditions: Blind (can't see), Deaf (can't hear),
     Stun (stunned), Conf (confused), Hallu (hallucinating).

     Movement modifiers: Lev  (levitating),  Fly  (flying),  Ride
     (riding).

     Other conditions and modifiers exist, but there isn't enough
     room to display them with the other status fields.  The `^X'
     command shows all relevant status conditions.

3.2.  The message line (top)

     The top line of the screen is reserved for messages that de-
scribe things that are impossible to represent visually.  If  you
see  a  ``--More--'' on the top line, this means that NetHack has
another message to display on the screen, but it  wants  to  make
certain  that  you've  read the one that is there first.  To read
the next message, just press the space bar.

     To change how and what messages are  shown  on  the  message
line, see ``Configuring Message Types`` and the verbose option.

3.3.  The map (rest of the screen)

     The  rest  of the screen is the map of the level as you have
explored it so far.  Each symbol on the screen  represents  some-
thing.   You  can  set various graphics options to change some of
the symbols the game uses; otherwise, the game will  use  default
symbols.  Here is a list of what the default symbols mean:

- and |
     The walls of a room, or an open door.  Or a grave (|).

.    The floor of a room, ice, or a doorless doorway.

#    A  corridor,  or iron bars, or a tree, or possibly a kitchen
     sink (if your dungeon has sinks), or a drawbridge.

>    Stairs down: a way to the next level.

<    Stairs up: a way to the previous level.

+    A closed door, or a spellbook containing a spell you may  be
     able to learn.

@    Your character or a human.

$    A pile of gold.

^    A trap (once you have detected it).

)    A weapon.

[    A suit or piece of armor.

%    Something edible (not necessarily healthy).

?    A scroll.

/    A wand.

=    A ring.

!    A potion.

(    A useful item (pick-axe, key, lamp...).

"    An amulet or a spider web.

*    A gem or rock (possibly valuable, possibly worthless).

`    A boulder or statue.

0    An iron ball.

_    An altar, or an iron chain.

{    A fountain.

}    A pool of water or moat or a pool of lava.

\    An opulent throne.

a-zA-Z and other symbols
     Letters  and certain other symbols represent the various in-
     habitants of the Mazes of Menace.  Watch out,  they  can  be
     nasty and vicious.  Sometimes, however, they can be helpful.

I    This marks the last known location of an invisible or other-
     wise unseen monster.   Note  that  the  monster  could  have
     moved.  The `F' and `m' commands may be useful here.

     You  need  not  memorize  all these symbols; you can ask the
game what any symbol represents with the  `/'  command  (see  the
next section for more info).

4.  Commands

     Commands can be initiated by typing one or two characters to
which the command is bound to, or typing the command name in  the
extended  commands entry.  Some commands, like ``search'', do not
require that any more information be collected by NetHack.  Other
commands  might require additional information, for example a di-
rection, or an object to be used.  For those  commands  that  re-
quire  additional  information, NetHack will present you with ei-
ther a menu of choices or with a command line  prompt  requesting
information.  Which you are presented with will depend chiefly on
how you have set the menustyle option.

     For example, a common question, in the form  ``What  do  you
want  to use? [a-zA-Z ?*]'', asks you to choose an object you are
carrying.  Here, ``a-zA-Z'' are the  inventory  letters  of  your
possible  choices.   Typing  `?'  gives  you an inventory list of
these items, so you can see what each letter refers to.  In  this
example,  there  is  also a `*' indicating that you may choose an
object not on the list, if you wanted to use something  unexpect-
ed.  Typing a `*' lists your entire inventory, so you can see the
inventory letters of every object you're carrying.   Finally,  if
you change your mind and decide you don't want to do this command
after all, you can press the ESC key to abort the command.

     You can put a number before some  commands  to  repeat  them
that  many times; for example, ``10s'' will search ten times.  If
you have the number_pad option set, you must type `n' to prefix a
count,  so  the  example  above  would be typed ``n10s'' instead.
Commands for which counts make no sense ignore  them.   In  addi-
tion,  movement commands can be prefixed for greater control (see
below).  To cancel a count or a prefix, press the ESC key.

     The list of commands is rather long, but it can be  read  at
any  time during the game through the `?' command, which accesses
a menu of helpful texts.  Here are the default key  bindings  for
your reference:

?    Help menu:  display one of several help texts available.

/    The  ``whatis''  command,  to tell what a symbol represents.
     You may choose to specify a location or type  a  symbol  (or
     even  a  whole  word)  to explain.  Specifying a location is
     done by moving the cursor to a particular spot  on  the  map
     and  then  pressing  one of `.', `,', `;', or `:'.  `.' will
     explain the symbol at  the  chosen  location,  conditionally
     check for ``More info?'' depending upon whether the help op-
     tion is on, and then you will be asked to pick another loca-
     tion;  `,'  will  explain the symbol but skip any additional
     information, then let you pick another  location;  `;'  will
     skip  additional  info  and  also  not  bother asking you to
     choose another location to examine; `:' will show additional
     info, if any, without asking for confirmation.  When picking
     a location, pressing the ESC key will  terminate  this  com-
     mand,  or pressing `?'  will give a brief reminder about how
     it works.

     If the autodescribe option is on,  a  short  description  of
     what  you see at each location is shown as you move the cur-
     sor.  Typing `#' while picking a location will  toggle  that
     option  on or off.  The whatis_coord option controls whether
     the short description includes map coordinates.

     Specifying a name rather than a location  always  gives  any
     additional information available about that name.

     You  may  also request a description of nearby monsters, all
     monsters currently displayed, nearby  objects,  or  all  ob-
     jects.  The whatis_coord option controls which format of map
     coordinate is included with their descriptions.

&    Tell what a command does.

<    Go up to the previous level (if you are on  a  staircase  or
     ladder).

>    Go down to the next level (if you are on a staircase or lad-
     der).

[yuhjklbn]
     Go one step in the direction indicated (see Figure  2).   If
     you  sense  or  remember a monster there, you will fight the
     monster instead.   Only  these  one-step  movement  commands
     cause   you  to  fight  monsters;  the  others  (below)  are
     ``safe.''

                          y  k  u          7  8  9
                           \ | /            \ | /
                          h- . -l          4- . -6
                           / | \            / | \
                          b  j  n          1  2  3
                                    (if number_pad is set)

                               Figure 2

[YUHJKLBN]
     Go in that direction until you hit a wall or run into  some-
     thing.

m[yuhjklbn]
     Prefix:   move  without picking up objects or fighting (even
     if you remember a monster there).

     A few non-movement commands use the `m'  prefix  to  request
     operating    via   menu   (to   temporarily   override   the
     menustyle:Traditional option).   Primarily  useful  for  `,'
     (pickup)  when  there  is  only one class of objects present
     (where there won't be any ``what kinds of objects?'' prompt,
     so no opportunity to answer `m' at that prompt).

     A  few other commands (eat food, offer sacrifice, apply tin-
     ning-kit) use the `m' prefix to skip checking for applicable
     objects  on the floor and go straight to checking inventory,
     or (for ``#loot'' to remove a saddle), skip  containers  and
     go  straight  to  adjacent  monsters.  The  prefix will make
     ``#travel'' command show a menu of  interesting  targets  in
     sight.

F[yuhjklbn]
     Prefix:   fight  a  monster  (even  if you only guess one is
     there).

M[yuhjklbn]
     Prefix:  move far, no pickup.

g[yuhjklbn]
     Prefix:  move until something interesting is found.

G[yuhjklbn] or <CONTROL->[yuhjklbn]
     Prefix:  same as `g', but forking of corridors is  not  con-
     sidered interesting.

_    Travel to a map location via a shortest-path algorithm.

     The  shortest  path  is computed over map locations the hero
     knows about (e.g. seen or previously traversed).   If  there
     is no known path, a guess is made instead.  Stops on most of
     the same conditions as the `G' command, but without  picking
     up  objects,  similar  to  the  `M' command.  For ports with
     mouse support, the command is also  invoked  when  a  mouse-
     click takes place on a location other than the current posi-
     tion.

.    Wait or rest, do nothing for one turn.

a    Apply (use) a tool (pick-axe, key, lamp...).

     If used on a wand, that wand will be broken,  releasing  its
     magic in the process.  Confirmation is required.

A    Remove one or more worn items, such as armor.

     Use  `T'  (take  off) to take off only one piece of armor or
     `R' (remove) to take off only one accessory.

^A   Redo the previous command.

c    Close a door.

C    Call (name) a monster, an individual object, or  a  type  of
     object.

     Same as extended command ``#name''.

^C   Panic button.  Quit the game.

d    Drop something.

     Ex. ``d7a'' means drop seven items of object a.

D    Drop several things.

     In answer to the question

     ``What kinds of things do you want to drop? [!%= BUCXaium]''

     you  should  type  zero or more object symbols possibly fol-
     lowed by `a' and/or `i' and/or `u' and/or `m'.  In addition,
     one  or  more  of  the blessed/uncursed/cursed groups may be
     typed.

          DB  - drop all objects known to be blessed.
          DU  - drop all objects known to be uncursed.
          DC  - drop all objects known to be cursed.
          DX  - drop all objects of unknown B/U/C status.
          Da  - drop all objects, without asking for confirmation.
          Di  - examine your inventory before dropping anything.
          Du  - drop only unpaid objects (when in a shop).
          Dm  - use a menu to pick which object(s) to drop.
          D%u - drop only unpaid food.

^D   Kick something (usually a door).

e    Eat food.

     Normally checks for edible item(s) on  the  floor,  then  if
     none are found or none are chosen, checks for edible item(s)
     in inventory.  Precede `e' with the `m' prefix to bypass at-
     tempting to eat anything off the floor.

E    Engrave a message on the floor.

          E- - write in the dust with your fingers.

     Engraving  the word ``Elbereth'' will cause most monsters to
     not attack you hand-to-hand (but if you attack, you will rub
     it  out);  this is often useful to give yourself a breather.
     (This feature may be compiled out of the game, so your  ver-
     sion might not have it.)

f    Fire  one  of  the  objects placed in your quiver (or quiver
     sack, or that you have at the ready).  You may select  ammu-
     nition with a previous `Q' command, or let the computer pick
     something appropriate if autoquiver is true.

i    List your inventory (everything you're carrying).

I    List selected parts of your inventory, usually be specifying
     the  character for a particular set of objects, like `[' for
     armor or `!' for potions.

          I* - list all gems in inventory;
          Iu - list all unpaid items;
          Ix - list all used up items that are on your shopping bill;
          IB - list all items known to be blessed;
          IU - list all items known to be uncursed;
          IC - list all items known to be cursed;
          IX - list all items whose bless/curse status is known;
          I$ - count your money.

o    Open a door.

O    Set options.

     A menu showing the current option values will be  displayed.
     You  can change most values simply by selecting the menu en-
     try for the given option (ie, by typing its letter or click-
     ing  upon  it,  depending  on your user interface).  For the
     non-boolean choices, a further menu or  prompt  will  appear
     once  you've  closed  this  menu.  The available options are
     listed later in this Guidebook.  Options are usually set be-
     fore the game rather than with the `O' command; see the sec-
     tion on options below.

^O   Show overview or show dungeon layout

     In normal play and in  explore  mode,  a  shortcut  for  the
     ``#overview''  extended  command to list interesting dungeon
     levels visited.

     In debug mode, an extra command which lists the placement of
     all special levels.

p    Pay your shopping bill.

P    Put on an accessory (ring, amulet, or blindfold).

     This command may also be used to wear armor.  The prompt for
     which inventory item to use will only list accessories,  but
     choosing  an unlisted item of armor will attempt to wear it.
     (See the `W' command below.  It lists armor as the inventory
     choices but will accept an accessory and attempt to put that
     on.)

^P   Repeat previous message.

     Subsequent ^P's repeat earlier messages.  The  behavior  can
     be varied via the msg_window option.

q    Quaff (drink) something (potion, water, etc).

Q    Select  an object for your quiver, quiver sack, or just gen-
     erally at the ready (only one of these  is  available  at  a
     time).   You can then throw this (or one of these) using the
     `f' command.

     (In versions prior to 3.3 this was the command to  quit  the
     game, which has been moved to ``#quit''.)

r    Read a scroll or spellbook.

R    Remove a worn accessory (ring, amulet, or blindfold).

     If  you're  wearing  more  than  one, you'll be prompted for
     which one to remove.  When you're only wearing one, then  by
     default  it  will be removed without asking, but you can set
     the paranoid_confirmation option to require a prompt.

     This command may also be used to take off armor.  The prompt
     for  which  inventory  item to remove only lists worn acces-
     sories, but an item of worn armor can be chosen.   (See  the
     `T'  command below.  It lists armor as the inventory choices
     but will accept an accessory and attempt to remove it.)

^R   Redraw the screen.

s    Search for secret doors and traps around  you.   It  usually
     takes several tries to find something.

S    Save  (and suspend) the game.  The game will be restored au-
     tomatically the next time you play.

t    Throw an object or shoot a projectile.

T    Take off armor.

     If you're wearing more than one piece,  you'll  be  prompted
     for  which  one to take off.  (Note that this treats a cloak
     covering a suit and/or a shirt, or a suit covering a  shirt,
     as if the underlying items weren't there.)  When you're only
     wearing one, then by default it will be  taken  off  without

     asking,  but you can set the paranoid_confirmation option to
     require a prompt.

     This command may also be used to  remove  accessories.   The
     prompt  for which inventory item to take off only lists worn
     armor, but a worn accessory can be  chosen.   (See  the  `R'
     command above.  It lists accessories as the inventory choic-
     es but will accept an item of armor and attempt to  take  it
     off.)

^T   Teleport, if you have the ability.

v    Display version number.

V    Display the game history.

w    Wield weapon.

          w- - wield nothing, use your bare hands.

     Some  characters  can wield two weapons at once; use the `X'
     command (or the ``#twoweapon'' extended command) to do so.

W    Wear armor.

     This command may also be used to put on an accessory  (ring,
     amulet,  or blindfold).  The prompt for which inventory item
     to use will only list armor, but choosing an unlisted acces-
     sory will attempt to put it on.  (See the `P' command above.
     It lists accessories as the inventory choices but  will  ac-
     cept an item of armor and attempt to wear it.)

x    Exchange your wielded weapon with the item in your alternate
     weapon slot.

     The latter is used as your secondary weapon when engaging in
     two-weapon  combat.  Note that if one of these slots is emp-
     ty, the exchange still takes place.

X    Toggle two-weapon combat, if your character can do it.  Also
     available via the ``#twoweapon'' extended command.

     (In  versions  prior  to  3.6 this was the command to switch
     from normal play to "explore mode", also known as "discovery
     mode", which has now been moved to ``#exploremode''.)

^X   Display basic information about your character.

     Displays  name,  role,  race, gender (unless role name makes
     that redundant, such as Caveman or  Priestess),  and  align-
     ment,  along  with  your patron deity and his or her opposi-
     tion.  It also shows most of the various items  of  informa-
     tion from the status line(s) in a less terse form, including
     several additional things which don't appear in  the  normal

     status display due to space considerations.

z    Zap a wand.

          z. - to aim at yourself, use `.' for the direction.

Z    Zap (cast) a spell.

          Z. - to cast at yourself, use `.' for the direction.

^Z   Suspend the game (UNIX(R) versions with job control only).

:    Look at what is here.

;    Show what type of thing a visible symbol corresponds to.

,    Pick up some things from the floor beneath you.

     May be preceded by `m' to force a selection menu.

@    Toggle the autopickup option on and off.

^    Ask for the type of a trap you found earlier.

)    Tell what weapon you are wielding.

[    Tell what armor you are wearing.

=    Tell what rings you are wearing.

"    Tell what amulet you are wearing.

(    Tell what tools you are using.

*    Tell what equipment you are using.

     Combines the preceding five type-specific commands into one.

$    Count your gold pieces.

+    List the spells you know.

     Using  this  command,  you  can  also rearrange the order in
     which your spells are listed, either by sorting  the  entire
     list  or by picking one spell from the menu then picking an-
     other to swap places with  it.   Swapping  pairs  of  spells
     changes their casting letters, so the change lasts after the
     current `+' command finishes.  Sorting  the  whole  list  is
     temporary.   To  make the most recent sort order persist be-
     yond the current `+' command, choose the sort  option  again
     and  then  pick  "reassign  casting  letters".   (Any spells

__________
(R)UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.

     learned after that will be added to  the  end  of  the  list
     rather than be inserted into the sorted ordering.)

\    Show what types of objects have been discovered.

`    Show discovered types for one class of objects.

!    Escape to a shell.

#    Perform an extended command.

     As  you can see, the authors of NetHack used up all the let-
ters, so this is a way to introduce the less frequently used com-
mands.  What extended commands are available depends on what fea-
tures the game was compiled with.

#adjust
     Adjust inventory letters (most useful when the fixinv option
     is ``on''). Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-a'.

     This  command allows you to move an item from one particular
     inventory slot to another so that it has a letter  which  is
     more meaningful for you or that it will appear in a particu-
     lar location when inventory listings are displayed.  You can
     move to a currently empty slot, or if the destination is oc-
     cupied--and won't merge--the item there will swap slots with
     the  one being moved.  ``#adjust'' can also be used to split
     a stack of objects; when choosing the item to adjust,  enter
     a count prior to its letter.

     Adjusting  without  a  count  used to collect all compatible
     stacks when moving to the destination.   That  behavior  has
     been  changed;  to  gather  compatible stacks, ``#adjust'' a
     stack into its own inventory slot.  If it  has  a  name  as-
     signed, other stacks with the same name or with no name will
     merge provided that all their other attributes match.  If it
     does not have a name, only other stacks with no name are el-
     igible.  In either case, otherwise compatible stacks with  a
     different  name will not be merged.  This contrasts with us-
     ing ``#adjust'' to move from one slot to a  different  slot.
     In  that  situation,  moving  (no  count given) a compatible
     stack will merge if either stack has a name when  the  other
     doesn't  and  give  that name to the result, while splitting
     (count given) will ignore the source stack's name  when  de-
     ciding whether to merge with the destination stack.

#annotate
     Allows you to specify one line of text to associate with the
     current dungeon level.  All levels with annotations are dis-
     played  by the ``#overview'' command. Autocompletes. Default
     key is 'M-A', and '^N' if number_pad is on.

#apply
     Apply (use) a tool such as a pick-axe, a key, or a lamp. De-
     fault key is 'a'.

     If  the  tool used acts on items on the floor, using the `m'
     prefix skips those items.

     If used on a wand, that wand will be broken,  releasing  its
     magic in the process.  Confirmation is required.

#attributes
     Show your attributes. Default key is '^X'.

#autopickup
     Toggle the autopickup -option on/off. Default key is '@'.

#call
     Call  (name)  a  monster,  or an object in inventory, on the
     floor, or in the discoveries list, or add an annotation  for
     the  current  level (same as ``#annotate'').  Default key is
     'C'.

#cast
     Cast a spell. Default key is 'Z'.

#chat
     Talk to someone. Default key is 'M-c'.

#close
     Close a door. Default key is 'c'.

#conduct
     List voluntary  challenges  you  have  maintained.  Autocom-
     pletes. Default key is 'M-C'.

     See the section below entitled ``Conduct'' for details.

#dip
     Dip  an object into something. Autocompletes. Default key is
     'M-d'.

#down
     Go down a staircase. Default key is '>'.

#drop
     Drop an item. Default key is 'd'.

#droptype
     Drop specific item types. Default key is 'D'.

#eat
     Eat something. Default key is 'e'.   The  `m'  prefix  skips
     eating items on the floor.

#engrave
     Engrave writing on the floor. Default key is 'E'.

#enhance
     Advance or check weapon and spell skills. Autocompletes. De-
     fault key is 'M-e'.

#exploremode
     Enter the explore mode.

#fire
     Fire ammunition from quiver. Default key is 'f'.

#force
     Force a lock. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-f'.

#glance
     Show what type of thing a map symbol corresponds to. Default
     key is ';'.

#help
     Show  the  help  menu.  Default  key is '?', and 'h' if num-
     ber_pad is on.

#herecmdmenu
     Show a menu of possible actions in your current location.

#history
     Show long version and game history. Default key is 'V'.

#inventory
     Show your inventory. Default key is 'i'.

#inventtype
     Inventory specific item types. Default key is 'I'.

#invoke
     Invoke an object's special  powers.  Autocompletes.  Default
     key is 'M-i'.

#jump
     Jump  to another location. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-
     j', and 'j' if number_pad is on.

#kick
     Kick something. Default key is '^D', and 'k'  if  number_pad
     is on.

#known
     Show  what object types have been discovered. Default key is
     '\'.

#knownclass
     Show discovered types for one class of objects. Default  key

     is '`'.

#levelchange
     Change your experience level. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode on-
     ly.

#lightsources
     Show mobile light sources. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#look
     Look at what is here, under you. Default key is ':'.

#loot
     Loot a box or bag on the floor beneath you,  or  the  saddle
     from  a  steed standing next to you. Autocompletes.  Precede
     with the `m' prefix to skip containers at your location  and
     go  directly to removing a saddle. Default key is 'M-l', and
     'l' if number_pad is on.

#monpolycontrol
     Control monster polymorphs. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#monster
     Use a monster's special ability (when polymorphed into  mon-
     ster form).  Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-m'.

#name
     Name  a  monster, an individual object, or a type of object.
     Same as #call.  Autocompletes. Default keys are 'N',  'M-n',
     and 'M-N'.

#offer
     Offer a sacrifice to the gods. Autocompletes. Default key is
     'M-o'.  The `m' prefix skips offering items on the altar.

     You'll need to find an altar to have any chance at  success.
     Corpses  of  recently  killed  monsters  are  the  fodder of
     choice.

#open
     Open a door. Default key is 'o'.

#options
     Show and change option settings. Default key is 'O'.

#overview
     Display information you've  discovered  about  the  dungeon.
     Any  visited level (unless forgotten due to amnesia) with an
     annotation is included, and many  things  (altars,  thrones,
     fountains,  and  so on; extra stairs leading to another dun-
     geon branch) trigger an automatic  annotation.   If  dungeon
     overview is chosen during end-of-game disclosure, every vis-
     ited level will be included regardless of annotations. Auto-
     completes.  Default keys are '^O', and 'M-O'.

#panic
     Test the panic routine. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#pay
     Pay your shopping bill. Default key is 'p'.

#pickup
     Pick  up things at the current location. Default key is ','.
     The `m' prefix forces use of a menu.

#polyself
     Polymorph self. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#pray
     Pray to the gods for help. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-
     p'.

     Praying  too  soon after receiving prior help is a bad idea.
     (Hint: entering the dungeon alive is treated as  having  re-
     ceived help.  You probably shouldn't start off a new game by
     praying right away.)  Since using this command  by  accident
     can  cause  trouble,  there is an option to make you confirm
     your intent before praying.  It is enabled by  default,  and
     you  can  reset  the paranoid_confirmation option to disable
     it.

#prevmsg
     Show previously displayed  game  messages.  Default  key  is
     '^P'.

#puton
     Put on an accessory (ring, amulet, etc). Default key is 'P'.

#quaff
     Quaff (drink) something. Default key is 'q'.

#quit
     Quit  the  program  without saving your game. Autocompletes.
     Default key is 'M-q'.

     Since using this command by accident would  throw  away  the
     current  game,  you  are asked to confirm your intent before
     quitting.  By default a response of  'y'  acknowledges  that
     intent.  You can set the paranoid_confirmation option to re-
     quire a response of "yes" instead.

#quiver
     Select ammunition for quiver. Default key is 'Q'.

#read
     Read a scroll, a spellbook, or something else.  Default  key
     is 'r'.

#redraw
     Redraw  the  screen.  Default  key is '^R', and '^L' if num-
     ber_pad is on.

#remove
     Remove an accessory (ring, amulet, etc). Default key is 'R'.

#ride
     Ride (or stop riding) a saddled creature. Autocompletes. De-
     fault key is 'M-R'.

#rub
     Rub a lamp or a stone. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-r'.

#save
     Save the game. Default key is 'S'.

#search
     Search for traps and secret doors around you. Default key is
     's'.

#seeall
     Show all equipment in use. Default key is '*'.

#seeamulet
     Show the amulet currently worn. Default key is '"'.

#seearmor
     Show the armor currently worn. Default key is '['.

#seegold
     Count your gold. Default key is '$'.

#seenv
     Show seen vectors. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#seerings
     Show the ring(s) currently worn. Default key is '='.

#seespells
     List and reorder known spells. Default key is '+'.

#seetools
     Show the tools currently in use. Default key is '('.

#seetrap
     Show the type of a trap near you. Default key is '^'.

#seeweapon
     Show the weapon currently wielded. Default key is ')'.

#shell
     Do a shell escape. Default key is '!'.

#sit
     Sit down. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-s'.

#stats
     Show memory statistics. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#suspend
     Suspend the game. Default key is '^Z'.

#swap
     Swap wielded and secondary weapons. Default key is 'x'.

#takeoff
     Take off one piece of armor. Default key is 'T'.

#takeoffall
     Remove all armor. Default key is 'A'.

#teleport
     Teleport around the level. Default key is '^T'.

#terrain
     Show bare  map  without  displaying  monsters,  objects,  or
     traps.  Autocompletes.

#therecmdmenu
     Show a menu of possible actions in a location next to you.

#throw
     Throw something. Default key is 't'.

#timeout
     Look at the timeout queue. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#tip
     Tip  over a container (bag or box) to pour out its contents.
     Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-T'.  The `m'  prefix  makes
     the command use a menu.

#travel
     Travel  to  a  specific  location on the map. Default key is
     '_'.  Using the ``request menu'' prefix shows a menu of  in-
     teresting  targets  in sight without asking to move the cur-
     sor. When picking a target with cursor and the  autodescribe
     -option  is on, the top line will show "(no travel path)" if
     your character does not know of a path to that location.

#turn
     Turn undead away. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-t'.

#twoweapon
     Toggle two-weapon combat on or off.  Autocompletes.  Default
     keys are 'X', and 'M-2'.

     Note  that  you  must  use suitable weapons for this type of
     combat, or it will be automatically turned off.

#untrap
     Untrap something (trap, door, or chest). Default key is  'M-
     u', and 'u' if number_pad is on.

     In  some circumstances it can also be used to rescue trapped
     monsters.

#up
     Go up a staircase. Default key is '<'.

#vanquished
     List vanquished monsters. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#version
     Print compile time options for this version of NetHack.  Au-
     tocompletes. Default key is 'M-v'.

#versionshort
     Show version string. Default key is 'v'.

#vision
     Show vision array. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#wait
     Rest one move while doing nothing. Default key is '.', and '
     ' if rest_on_space is on.

#wear
     Wear a piece of armor. Default key is 'W'.

#whatdoes
     Tell what a key does. Default key is '&'.

#whatis
     Show what type of thing a symbol corresponds to. Default key
     is '/'.

#wield
     Wield a weapon. Default key is 'w'.

#wipe
     Wipe off your face. Autocompletes. Default key is 'M-w'.

#wizdebug_bury
     Bury  objects  under  and around you. Autocompletes. Wizard-
     mode only.

#wizdebug_traveldisplay
     Toggle travel display. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#wizdetect
     Search a room. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only. Default  key
     is '^E'.

#wizgenesis
     Create  a  monster. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only. Default
     key is '^G'.

#wizidentify
     Identify all items in inventory. Autocompletes.  Wizard-mode
     only.  Default key is '^I'.

#wizintrinsic
     Set intrinsic. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#wizlevelport
     Teleport  to another level. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.
     Default key is '^V'.

#wizmap
     Map the level. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only. Default  key
     is '^F'.

#wizrumorcheck
     Verify rumor boundaries. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#wizsmell
     Smell monster. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#wizwhere
     Show locations of special levels. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode
     only.

#wizwish
     Wish for something. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only. Default
     key is '^W'.

#wmode
     Show wall modes. Autocompletes. Wizard-mode only.

#zap
     Zap a wand. Default key is 'z'.

#?
     Help menu:  get the list of available extended commands.

     If your keyboard has a meta key (which, when pressed in com-
bination with another key, modifies  it  by  setting  the  `meta'
[8th,  or  `high'] bit), you can invoke many extended commands by
meta-ing the first letter of the command.  In NT, OS/2, PC and ST
NetHack, the `Alt' key can be used in this fashion; on the Amiga,
set the altmeta option to get this behavior.  On  other  systems,

if  typing  `Alt'  plus another key transmits a two character se-
quence consisting of an Escape followed by the other key, you may
set  the  altmeta  option  to  have  NetHack  combine  them  into
meta+key.

M-?  #? (not supported by all platforms)

M-2  #twoweapon (unless the number_pad option is enabled)

M-a  #adjust

M-A  #annotate

M-c  #chat

M-C  #conduct

M-d  #dip

M-e  #enhance

M-f  #force

M-i  #invoke

M-j  #jump

M-l  #loot

M-m  #monster

M-n  #name

M-o  #offer

M-O  #overview

M-p  #pray

M-q  #quit

M-r  #rub

M-R  #ride

M-s  #sit

M-t  #turn

M-T  #tip

M-u  #untrap

M-v  #version

M-w  #wipe

     If the number_pad option is on, some additional letter  com-
mands are available:

h    #help

j    #jump

k    #kick

l    #loot

N    #name

u    #untrap

5.  Rooms and corridors

     Rooms  and  corridors in the dungeon are either lit or dark.
Any lit areas within your line of sight will be  displayed;  dark
areas  are  only  displayed  if they are within one space of you.
Walls and corridors remain on the map as you explore them.

     Secret corridors are hidden.  You can find them with the `s'
(search) command.

5.1.  Doorways

     Doorways connect rooms and corridors.  Some doorways have no
doors; you can walk right through.  Others have  doors  in  them,
which may be open, closed, or locked.  To open a closed door, use
the `o' (open) command; to close it again, use  the  `c'  (close)
command.

     You  can  get  through a locked door by using a tool to pick
the lock with the `a' (apply) command, or by kicking it open with
the `^D' (kick) command.

     Open  doors  cannot be entered diagonally; you must approach
them straight on, horizontally or vertically.   Doorways  without
doors are not restricted in this fashion.

     Doors  can  be  useful for shutting out monsters.  Most mon-
sters cannot open doors, although a few don't need to (ex. ghosts
can walk through doors).

     Secret  doors  are  hidden.   You can find them with the `s'
(search) command.  Once found they are in all ways equivalent  to

normal doors.

5.2.  Traps (`^')

     There  are  traps throughout the dungeon to snare the unwary
delver.  For example, you may suddenly fall into  a  pit  and  be
stuck for a few turns trying to climb out.  Traps don't appear on
your map until you see one triggered by moving onto it, see some-
thing fall into it, or you discover it with the `s' (search) com-
mand.  Monsters can fall prey to traps, too, which can be a  very
useful defensive strategy.

     There is a special pre-mapped branch of the dungeon based on
the classic computer game ``Sokoban.''  The goal is to  push  the
boulders  into  the pits or holes.  With careful foresight, it is
possible to complete all of the levels according  to  the  tradi-
tional  rules  of Sokoban.  Some allowances are permitted in case
the player gets stuck; however, they will lower your luck.

5.3.  Stairs and ladders (`<', `>')

     In general, each level in the dungeon will have a  staircase
going up (`<') to the previous level and another going down (`>')
to the next level.  There are some exceptions  though.   For  in-
stance,  fairly  early  in the dungeon you will find a level with
two down staircases, one continuing into the dungeon and the oth-
er  branching  into  an  area  known as the Gnomish Mines.  Those
mines eventually hit a dead end, so after exploring them (if  you
choose  to  do so), you'll need to climb back up to the main dun-
geon.

     When you traverse a set of stairs, or trigger a  trap  which
sends  you to another level, the level you're leaving will be de-
activated and stored in a file on disk.  If you're  moving  to  a
previously visited level, it will be loaded from its file on disk
and reactivated.  If you're moving to a level which has  not  yet
been  visited,  it  will be created (from scratch for most random
levels, from a template for some ``special''  levels,  or  loaded
from  the  remains  of  an  earlier game for a ``bones'' level as
briefly described below).  Monsters are only active on  the  cur-
rent  level;  those  on  other levels are essentially placed into
stasis.

     Ordinarily when you climb a set of stairs, you  will  arrive
on  the  corresponding  staircase  at your destination.  However,
pets (see below) and some other monsters  will  follow  along  if
they're close enough when you travel up or down stairs, and occa-
sionally one of these creatures  will  displace  you  during  the
climb.  When that occurs, the pet or other monster will arrive on
the staircase and you will end up nearby.

     Ladders serve the same purpose as staircases,  and  the  two
types  of  inter-level  connections  are nearly indistinguishable
during game play.

5.4.  Shops and shopping

     Occasionally you will run across a room  with  a  shopkeeper
near  the  door  and  many items lying on the floor.  You can buy
items by picking them up and then using the `p' command.  You can
inquire  about the price of an item prior to picking it up by us-
ing the ``#chat'' command while standing on it.   Using  an  item
prior  to  paying  for it will incur a charge, and the shopkeeper
won't allow you to leave the shop until you have  paid  any  debt
you owe.

     You  can  sell items to a shopkeeper by dropping them to the
floor while inside a shop.  You will either be offered an  amount
of  gold  and  asked whether you're willing to sell, or you'll be
told that the shopkeeper isn't interested (generally,  your  item
needs  to  be  compatible with the type of merchandise carried by
the shop).

     If you drop something in a shop by accident, the  shopkeeper
will  usually  claim ownership without offering any compensation.
You'll have to buy it back if you want to reclaim it.

     Shopkeepers sometimes run out of money.  When that  happens,
you'll  be  offered  credit  instead of gold when you try to sell
something.  Credit can be used to pay for purchases,  but  it  is
only  good  in  the shop where it was obtained; other shopkeepers
won't honor it.  (If you happen to find a "credit  card"  in  the
dungeon, don't bother trying to use it in shops; shopkeepers will
not accept it.)

     The `$' command, which reports the amount of  gold  you  are
carrying (in inventory, not inside bags or boxes), will also show
current shop debt or credit, if any.  The `Iu' command lists  un-
paid items (those which still belong to the shop) if you are car-
rying any.  The `Ix' command shows an inventory-like  display  of
any  unpaid  items which have been used up, along with other shop
fees, if any.

5.4.1.  Shop idiosyncracies

     Several aspects of shop behavior might be unexpected.

* The price of a given item can vary due to a variety of factors.

* A shopkeeper treats the spot immediately inside the door as  if
  it were outside the shop.

* While the shopkeeper watches you like a hawk, he will generally
  ignore any other customers.

* If a shop is "closed for inventory", it will not  open  of  its
  own accord.

* Shops do not get restocked with new items, regardless of inven-
  tory depletion.

6.  Monsters

     Monsters you cannot see are not  displayed  on  the  screen.
Beware!   You  may  suddenly come upon one in a dark place.  Some
magic items can help you  locate  them  before  they  locate  you
(which some monsters can do very well).

     The  commands  `/' and `;' may be used to obtain information
about those monsters who are displayed on the screen.   The  com-
mand  ``#name'' (by default bound to `C'), allows you to assign a
name to a monster, which may be useful to  help  distinguish  one
from  another  when  multiple  monsters are present.  Assigning a
name which is just a space will remove any prior name.

     The extended command ``#chat'' can be used to interact  with
an  adjacent monster.  There is no actual dialog (in other words,
you don't get to choose what you'll say), but chatting with  some
monsters such as a shopkeeper or the Oracle of Delphi can produce
useful results.

6.1.  Fighting

     If you see a monster and you wish to fight it, just  attempt
to  walk  into  it.   Many  monsters you find will mind their own
business unless you attack them.  Some of them are very dangerous
when angered.  Remember:  discretion is the better part of valor.

     In  most  circumstances, if you attempt to attack a peaceful
monster by moving into its location, you'll be asked  to  confirm
your  intent.   By default an answer of 'y' acknowledges that in-
tent, which can be error prone if you're using 'y' to move.   You
can set the paranoid_confirmation option to require a response of
"yes" instead.

     If you can't see a monster (if it is invisible,  or  if  you
are  blinded), the symbol `I' will be shown when you learn of its
presence.  If you attempt to walk into it, you will try to  fight
it  just  like a monster that you can see; of course, if the mon-
ster has moved, you will attack empty air.  If you guess that the
monster  has  moved  and you don't wish to fight, you can use the
`m' command to move without fighting; likewise, if you don't  re-
member a monster but want to try fighting anyway, you can use the
`F' command.

6.2.  Your pet

     You start the game with a little dog (`d'),  cat  (`f'),  or
pony  (`u'),  which follows you about the dungeon and fights mon-
sters with you.  Like you, your pet needs food  to  survive.   It
usually feeds itself on fresh carrion and other meats.  If you're

worried about it or want to train it, you can feed  it,  too,  by
throwing  it food.  A properly trained pet can be very useful un-
der certain circumstances.

     Your pet also gains experience from  killing  monsters,  and
can  grow  over  time,  gaining hit points and doing more damage.
Initially, your pet may even be better  at  killing  things  than
you, which makes pets useful for low-level characters.

     Your  pet  will  follow  you up and down staircases if it is
next to you when you move.  Otherwise your pet will  be  stranded
and  may  become wild.  Similarly, when you trigger certain types
of traps which alter your location (for  instance,  a  trap  door
which  drops you to a lower dungeon level), any adjacent pet will
accompany you and any non-adjacent pet will be left behind.  Your
pet  may trigger such traps itself; you will not be carried along
with it even if adjacent at the time.

6.3.  Steeds

     Some types of creatures in the dungeon can actually be  rid-
den if you have the right equipment and skill.  Convincing a wild
beast to let you saddle it up is  difficult  to  say  the  least.
Many  a dungeoneer has had to resort to magic and wizardry in or-
der to forge the alliance.  Once you do have the beast under your
control  however,  you  can easily climb in and out of the saddle
with the ``#ride'' command.  Lead the beast  around  the  dungeon
when  riding,  in the same manner as you would move yourself.  It
is the beast that you will see displayed on the map.

     Riding skill is managed by the  ``#enhance''  command.   See
the  section  on  Weapon  proficiency  for more information about
that.

     Use the `a' (apply) command and pick a saddle in your inven-
tory  to  attempt to put that saddle on an adjacent creature.  If
successful, it will be transferred to that creature's inventory.

     Use the ``#loot'' command while adjacent to a saddled  crea-
ture to try to remove the saddle from that creature.  If success-
ful, it will be transferred to your inventory.

6.4.  Bones levels

     You may encounter the shades and corpses of other  adventur-
ers (or even former incarnations of yourself!) and their personal
effects.  Ghosts are hard to  kill,  but  easy  to  avoid,  since
they're  slow and do little damage.  You can plunder the deceased
adventurer's possessions; however, they are likely to be  cursed.
Beware of whatever killed the former player; it is probably still
lurking around, gloating over its last victory.

7.  Objects

     When you find something in the dungeon, it is common to want
to pick it up.  In NetHack, this is accomplished automatically by
walking over the object (unless you turn off the  autopickup  op-
tion  (see  below),  or move with the `m' prefix (see above)), or
manually by using the `,' command.

     If you're carrying too many items, NetHack will tell you  so
and  you  won't  be able to pick up anything more.  Otherwise, it
will add the object(s) to your pack and tell you  what  you  just
picked up.

     As  you add items to your inventory, you also add the weight
of that object to your load.  The amount that you can  carry  de-
pends  on  your strength and your constitution.  The stronger and
sturdier you are, the less the additional load will  affect  you.
There comes a point, though, when the weight of all of that stuff
you are carrying around with you through the dungeon will  encum-
ber you.  Your reactions will get slower and you'll burn calories
faster, requiring food more frequently to cope with it.   Eventu-
ally,  you'll be so overloaded that you'll either have to discard
some of what you're carrying or collapse under its weight.

     NetHack will tell you how badly you  have  loaded  yourself.
The  symbols  `Burdened', `Stressed', `Strained', `Overtaxed' and
`Overloaded' are displayed on the bottom line display to indicate
your condition.

     When you pick up an object, it is assigned an inventory let-
ter.  Many commands that operate on objects must ask you to  find
out  which  object  you  want  to  use.  When NetHack asks you to
choose a particular object you are carrying, you are usually pre-
sented  with a list of inventory letters to choose from (see Com-
mands, above).

     Some objects, such as weapons,  are  easily  differentiated.
Others,  like  scrolls  and potions, are given descriptions which
vary according to type.  During a game, any two objects with  the
same  description  are  the same type.  However, the descriptions
will vary from game to game.

     When you use one of these objects, if its effect is obvious,
NetHack  will  remember  what it is for you.  If its effect isn't
extremely obvious, you will be asked what you want to  call  this
type  of object so you will recognize it later.  You can also use
the ``#name'' command, for the same purpose at any time, to  name
all  objects  of  a particular type or just an individual object.
When you use ``#name'' on an object which has already been named,
specifying  a  space  as the value will remove the prior name in-
stead of assigning a new one.

7.1.  Curses and Blessings

     Any object that you find may be cursed, even if  the  object
is otherwise helpful.  The most common effect of a curse is being
stuck with (and to) the item.  Cursed weapons weld themselves  to
your  hand  when wielded, so you cannot unwield them.  Any cursed
item you wear is not removable by ordinary means.   In  addition,
cursed  arms and armor usually, but not always, bear negative en-
chantments that make them less effective in combat.  Other cursed
objects may act poorly or detrimentally in other ways.

     Objects  can  also  be  blessed.  Blessed items usually work
better or more beneficially than normal uncursed items.  For  ex-
ample, a blessed weapon will do more damage against demons.

     Objects which are neither cursed nor blessed are referred to
as uncursed.  They could just as easily have  been  described  as
unblessed,  but  the  uncursed  designation  is what you will see
within the game.  A ``glass half full versus glass  half  empty''
situation; make of that what you will.

     There are magical means of bestowing or removing curses upon
objects, so even if you are stuck with one, you  can  still  have
the  curse  lifted and the item removed.  Priests and Priestesses
have an innate sensitivity to this property  in  any  object,  so
they  can  more  easily avoid cursed objects than other character
roles.

     An item with unknown status will be reported in your  inven-
tory with no prefix.  An item which you know the state of will be
distinguished in your inventory  by  the  presence  of  the  word
``cursed'', ``uncursed'' or ``blessed'' in the description of the
item.  In some cases ``uncursed'' will be omitted as being redun-
dant  when  enough  other  information is displayed.  The implic-
it_uncursed option can be used to control this; toggle it off  to
have ``uncursed'' be displayed even when that can be deduced from
other attributes.

7.2.  Weapons (`)')

     Given a chance, most monsters in the Mazes  of  Menace  will
gratuitously  try to kill you.  You need weapons for self-defense
(killing them first).  Without a weapon,  you  do  only  1-2  hit
points  of damage (plus bonuses, if any).  Monk characters are an
exception; they normally do much more damage with bare hands than
they do with weapons.

     There are wielded weapons, like maces and swords, and thrown
weapons, like arrows and spears.  To hit monsters with a  weapon,
you  must wield it and attack them, or throw it at them.  You can
simply elect to throw a spear.  To shoot  an  arrow,  you  should
first  wield a bow, then throw the arrow.  Crossbows shoot cross-
bow bolts.  Slings hurl rocks and (other) stones (like gems).

     Enchanted weapons have a ``plus'' (or ``to hit enhancement''
which  can  be  either  positive  or  negative) that adds to your
chance to hit and the damage you do to a monster.  The  only  way
to determine a weapon's enchantment is to have it magically iden-
tified somehow.  Most weapons are subject to some type of  damage
like rust.  Such ``erosion'' damage can be repaired.

     The  chance  that an attack will successfully hit a monster,
and the amount of damage such a hit will do,  depends  upon  many
factors.   Among them are: type of weapon, quality of weapon (en-
chantment and/or erosion), experience level, strength, dexterity,
encumbrance,  and  proficiency  (see below).  The monster's armor
class - a general defense rating, not necessarily due to  wearing
of  armor - is a factor too; also, some monsters are particularly
vulnerable to certain types of weapons.

     Many weapons can be wielded in one hand; some  require  both
hands.   When  wielding  a  two-handed weapon, you can not wear a
shield, and vice versa.  When wielding a one-handed  weapon,  you
can  have  another  weapon ready to use by setting things up with
the `x' command, which exchanges  your  primary  (the  one  being
wielded)  and  alternate weapons.  And if you have proficiency in
the ``two weapon combat'' skill, you may wield both  weapons  si-
multaneously  as  primary and secondary; use the `#twoweapon' ex-
tended command to engage or disengage that.  Only some  types  of
characters  (barbarians,  for  instance) have the necessary skill
available.  Even with that skill, using two weapons at  once  in-
curs a penalty in the chance to hit your target compared to using
just one weapon at a time.

     There might be times when you'd rather not wield any  weapon
at  all.  To accomplish that, wield `-', or else use the `A' com-
mand which allows you to unwield the current weapon  in  addition
to taking off other worn items.

     Those  of you in the audience who are AD&D players, be aware
that each weapon which existed in AD&D does roughly the same dam-
age  to  monsters  in  NetHack.  Some of the more obscure weapons
(such as the aklys, lucern hammer, and bec-de-corbin) are defined
in an appendix to Unearthed Arcana, an AD&D supplement.

     The  commands  to  use weapons are `w' (wield), `t' (throw),
`f' (fire, an alternative way of  throwing),  `Q'  (quiver),  `x'
(exchange), `#twoweapon', and `#enhance' (see below).

7.2.1.  Throwing and shooting

     You  can  throw just about anything via the `t' command.  It
will prompt for the item to throw; picking `?' will  list  things
in  your  inventory  which are considered likely to be thrown, or
picking `*' will list your entire inventory.  After you've chosen
what  to  throw, you will be prompted for a direction rather than
for a specific target.  The distance something can be thrown  de-
pends mainly on the type of object and your strength.  Arrows can

be thrown by hand, but can be thrown much  farther  and  will  be
more likely to hit when thrown while you are wielding a bow.

     You  can  simplify  the  throwing operation by using the `Q'
command to select your preferred ``missile'', then using the  `f'
command  to  throw  it.   You'll  be  prompted for a direction as
above, but you don't have to specify which  item  to  throw  each
time you use `f'.  There is also an option, autoquiver, which has
NetHack choose another item to automatically fill your quiver (or
quiver  sack,  or have at the ready) when the inventory slot used
for `Q' runs out.

     Some characters have the ability to fire a volley of  multi-
ple  items  in a single turn.  Knowing how to load several rounds
of ammunition at once -- or hold several missiles in your hand --
and  still  hit  a target is not an easy task.  Rangers are among
those who are adept at this task, as are those with a high  level
of  proficiency  in  the  relevant  weapon skill (in bow skill if
you're wielding one to shoot arrows, in crossbow skill if  you're
wielding one to shoot bolts, or in sling skill if you're wielding
one to shoot stones).  The number of items that the character has
a  chance  to  fire varies from turn to turn.  You can explicitly
limit the number of shots by using a numeric  prefix  before  the
`t'  or  `f'  command.   For example, ``2f'' (or ``n2f'' if using
number_pad mode) would ensure that at most 2 arrows are shot even
if  you  could have fired 3.  If you specify a larger number than
would have been shot (``4f'' in this example), you'll just end up
shooting the same number (3, here) as if no limit had been speci-
fied.  Once the volley is in motion, all of the items will travel
in the same direction; if the first ones kill a monster, the oth-
ers can still continue beyond that spot.

7.2.2.  Weapon proficiency

     You will have varying degrees of skill in the weapons avail-
able.   Weapon proficiency, or weapon skills, affect how well you
can use particular types of weapons, and you'll be  able  to  im-
prove  your  skills  as you progress through a game, depending on
your role, your experience level, and use of the weapons.

     For the purposes of proficiency, weapons have  been  divided
up   into  various  groups  such  as  daggers,  broadswords,  and
polearms.  Each role has a limit on what level of  proficiency  a
character  can achieve for each group.  For instance, wizards can
become highly skilled in daggers or staves but not in  swords  or
bows.

     The  `#enhance'  extended  command is used to review current
weapons proficiency (also spell proficiency) and to choose  which
skill(s) to improve when you've used one or more skills enough to
become eligible to do so.  The skill rankings are ``none'' (some-
times  also  referred  to as ``restricted'', because you won't be
able to  advance),  ``unskilled'',  ``basic'',  ``skilled'',  and
``expert''.  Restricted skills simply will not appear in the list

shown by `#enhance'.  (Divine  intervention  might  unrestrict  a
particular skill, in which case it will start at unskilled and be
limited to basic.)  Some characters can enhance their  barehanded
combat  or  martial  arts  skill  beyond  expert to ``master'' or
``grand master''.

     Use of a weapon in which you're restricted or unskilled will
incur a modest penalty in the chance to hit a monster and also in
the amount of damage done when you do hit; at basic level,  there
is  no  penalty  or bonus; at skilled level, you receive a modest
bonus in the chance to hit and amount of damage done;  at  expert
level,  the  bonus  is  higher.  A successful hit has a chance to
boost your training towards the next skill level  (unless  you've
already  reached  the  limit for this skill).  Once such training
reaches the threshold for that next level, you'll  be  told  that
you  feel  more  confident in your skills.  At that point you can
use `#enhance' to increase one or more skills.  Such  skills  are
not  increased automatically because there is a limit to your to-
tal overall skills, so you need to actively choose  which  skills
to enhance and which to ignore.

7.2.3.  Two-Weapon combat

     Some characters can use two weapons at once.  Setting things
up to do so can seem cumbersome but becomes  second  nature  with
use.   To  wield  two weapons, you need to use the ``#twoweapon''
command.  But first you need to  have  a  weapon  in  each  hand.
(Note  that  your two weapons are not fully equal; the one in the
hand you normally wield with is considered primary and the  other
one  is  considered secondary.  The most noticeable difference is
after you stop--or before you begin,  for  that  matter--wielding
two  weapons at once.  The primary is your wielded weapon and the
secondary is just an item in your inventory that's been designat-
ed as alternate weapon.)

     If your primary weapon is wielded but your off hand is empty
or has the wrong weapon, use the sequence 'x', 'w', 'x' to  first
swap  your primary into your off hand, wield whatever you want as
secondary weapon, then swap them  both  back  into  the  intended
hands.  If your secondary or alternate weapon is correct but your
primary one is not, simply use 'w' to wield the primary.  Lastly,
if  neither  hand  holds the correct weapon, use 'w', 'x', 'w' to
first wield the intended secondary, swap it to off hand, and then
wield the primary.

     The  whole  process  can  be simplified via use of the push-
weapon option.  When it is enabled, then using 'w' to wield some-
thing  causes  the currently wielded weapon to become your alter-
nate weapon.  So the sequence 'w', 'w' can be used to first wield
the weapon you intend to be secondary, and then wield the one you
want as primary which will push the first  into  secondary  posi-
tion.

     When  in  two-weapon  combat  mode, using the ``#twoweapon''
command toggles back to single-weapon mode.  Throwing or dropping
either  of  the  weapons  or  having one of them be stolen or de-
stroyed will also make you revert to single-weapon combat.

7.3.  Armor (`[')

     Lots of unfriendly things lurk about; you need armor to pro-
tect yourself from their blows.  Some types of armor offer better
protection than others.  Your armor class is a  measure  of  this
protection.  Armor class (AC) is measured as in AD&D, with 10 be-
ing the equivalent of no armor, and lower numbers meaning  better
armor.   Each  suit  of armor which exists in AD&D gives the same
protection in NetHack.  Here is an (incomplete) list of the armor
classes provided by various suits of armor:

                   dragon scale mail         1
                   plate mail                3
                   crystal plate mail        3
                   bronze plate mail         4
                   splint mail               4
                   banded mail               4
                   dwarvish mithril-coat     4
                   elven mithril-coat        5
                   chain mail                5
                   orcish chain mail         6
                   scale mail                6
                   dragon scales             7
                   studded leather armor     7
                   ring mail                 7
                   orcish ring mail          8
                   leather armor             8
                   leather jacket            9
                   no armor                 10

     You can also wear other pieces of armor (ex. helmets, boots,
shields, cloaks) to lower your armor class even further, but  you
can  only  wear one item of each category (one suit of armor, one
cloak, one helmet, one shield, and so on) at a time.

     If a piece of armor is enchanted, its armor protection  will
be  better  (or  worse)  than normal, and its ``plus'' (or minus)
will subtract from your armor class.  For  example,  a  +1  chain
mail  would  give  you  better protection than normal chain mail,
lowering your armor class one unit further to 4.  When you put on
a  piece  of  armor, you immediately find out the armor class and
any ``plusses'' it provides.  Cursed pieces of armor usually have
negative enchantments (minuses) in addition to being unremovable.

     Many  types of armor are subject to some kind of damage like
rust.  Such damage can be repaired.  Some types of armor may  in-
hibit spell casting.

     The commands to use armor are `W' (wear) and `T' (take off).
The `A' command can also be used to take off  armor  as  well  as
other worn items.

7.4.  Food (`%')

     Food  is  necessary  to survive.  If you go too long without
eating you will faint, and eventually die  of  starvation.   Some
types  of  food  will  spoil, and become unhealthy to eat, if not
protected.  Food stored in ice boxes or tins (``cans'') will usu-
ally  stay  fresh, but ice boxes are heavy, and tins take a while
to open.

     When you kill monsters, they usually leave corpses which are
also ``food.''  Many, but not all, of these are edible; some also
give you special powers when you eat them.  A good rule of  thumb
is ``you are what you eat.''

     Some character roles and some monsters are vegetarian.  Veg-
etarian monsters will typically never eat animal  corpses,  while
vegetarian  players can, but with some rather unpleasant side-ef-
fects.

     You can name one food item after something you like  to  eat
with the fruit option.

     The command to eat food is `e'.

7.5.  Scrolls (`?')

     Scrolls  are labeled with various titles, probably chosen by
ancient wizards for their amusement value (ex.  ``READ  ME,''  or
``THANX MAUD'' backwards).  Scrolls disappear after you read them
(except for blank ones, without magic spells on them).

     One of the most useful of these is the scroll  of  identify,
which can be used to determine what another object is, whether it
is cursed or blessed, and how many uses it has  left.   Some  ob-
jects  of  subtle  enchantment  are difficult to identify without
these.

     A mail daemon may run up and deliver mail to you as a scroll
of  mail  (on  versions compiled with this feature).  To use this
feature on versions where NetHack mail delivery is  triggered  by
electronic  mail  appearing  in your system mailbox, you must let
NetHack know where to look for new mail by setting  the  ``MAIL''
environment  variable  to the file name of your mailbox.  You may
also want to set the ``MAILREADER'' environment variable  to  the
file  name  of  your  favorite reader, so NetHack can shell to it
when you read the scroll.  On versions of NetHack where  mail  is
randomly  generated internal to the game, these environment vari-
ables are ignored.  You can disable the mail  daemon  by  turning
off the mail option.

     The command to read a scroll is `r'.

7.6.  Potions (`!')

     Potions  are distinguished by the color of the liquid inside
the flask.  They disappear after you quaff them.

     Clear potions are potions of  water.   Sometimes  these  are
blessed or cursed, resulting in holy or unholy water.  Holy water
is the bane of the undead, so potions  of  holy  water  are  good
things  to throw (`t') at them.  It is also sometimes very useful
to dip (``#dip'') an object into a potion.

     The command to drink a potion is `q' (quaff).

7.7.  Wands (`/')

     Wands usually have multiple magical charges.  Some types  of
wands require a direction in which to zap them.  You can also zap
them at yourself (just give a `.' or `s' for the  direction).  Be
warned,  however, for this is often unwise.  Other types of wands
don't require a direction.  The number of charges in  a  wand  is
random and decreases by one whenever you use it.

     When  the number of charges left in a wand becomes zero, at-
tempts to use the wand will usually result in nothing  happening.
Occasionally, however, it may be possible to squeeze the last few
mana points from an otherwise spent wand, destroying  it  in  the
process.   A  wand  may be recharged by using suitable magic, but
doing so runs the risk of causing it to explode.  The chance  for
such  an  explosion starts out very small and increases each time
the wand is recharged.

     In a truly desperate situation, when your back is up against
the  wall,  you might decide to go for broke and break your wand.
This is not for the faint of heart.  Doing so  will  almost  cer-
tainly cause a catastrophic release of magical energies.

     When  you have fully identified a particular wand, inventory
display will include additional information in  parentheses:  the
number  of  times  it  has been recharged followed by a colon and
then by its current number of charges.  A current charge count of
-1 is a special case indicating that the wand has been cancelled.

     The  command  to use a wand is `z' (zap).  To break one, use
the `a' (apply) command.

7.8.  Rings (`=')

     Rings are very useful items, since they are relatively  per-
manent  magic,  unlike  the  usually fleeting effects of potions,
scrolls, and wands.

     Putting on a ring activates its magic.  You  can  wear  only
two rings, one on each ring finger.

     Most  rings  also cause you to grow hungry more rapidly, the
rate varying with the type of ring.

     The commands to use rings are `P' (put on) and `R' (remove).

7.9.  Spellbooks (`+')

     Spellbooks are tomes of mighty magic.  When studied with the
`r'  (read) command, they transfer to the reader the knowledge of
a spell (and therefore eventually become  unreadable)  --  unless
the  attempt  backfires.   Reading a cursed spellbook or one with
mystic runes beyond your ken can be harmful to your health!

     A spell (even when learned) can also backfire when you  cast
it.   If  you  attempt to cast a spell well above your experience
level, or if you have little skill  with  the  appropriate  spell
type,  or  cast  it at a time when your luck is particularly bad,
you can end up wasting both the energy and the time  required  in
casting.

     Casting  a  spell  calls  forth magical energies and focuses
them with your naked mind.  Some of the magical  energy  released
comes  from  within you.  Casting temporarily drains your magical
power, which will slowly be recovered, and causes you to need ad-
ditional  food.   Casting of spells also requires practice.  With
practice, your skill in each category of spell casting  will  im-
prove.   Over  time, however, your memory of each spell will dim,
and you will need to relearn it.

     Some spells require a direction in which to cast them, simi-
lar  to  wands.   To cast one at yourself, just give a `.' or `s'
for the direction.  A few spells require you to pick a target lo-
cation  rather  than  just specify a particular direction.  Other
spells don't require any direction or target.

     Just as weapons are divided into groups in which a character
can  become proficient (to varying degrees), spells are similarly
grouped.  Successfully casting a spell exercises its skill group;
using  the `#enhance' command to advance a sufficiently exercised
skill will affect all spells within the  group.   Advanced  skill
may  increase the potency of spells, reduce their risk of failure
during casting attempts, and improve the accuracy of the estimate
for  how much longer they will be retained in your memory.  Skill
slots are shared with weapons skills.  (See also the  section  on
``Weapon proficiency''.)

     Casting a spell also requires flexible movement, and wearing
various types of armor may interfere with that.

     The command to read a spellbook is the same as for  scrolls,
`r' (read).  The `+' command lists each spell you know along with

its level, skill category, chance of failure when casting, and an
estimate  of  how strongly it is remembered.  The `Z' (cast) com-
mand casts a spell.

7.10.  Tools (`(')

     Tools are miscellaneous objects with various purposes.  Some
tools  have  a limited number of uses, akin to wand charges.  For
example, lamps burn out after a while.  Other tools are  contain-
ers, which objects can be placed into or taken out of.

     The command to use tools is `a' (apply).

7.10.1.  Containers

     You  may  encounter bags, boxes, and chests in your travels.
A tool of this sort can be opened  with  the  ``#loot''  extended
command  when you are standing on top of it (that is, on the same
floor spot), or with the `a' (apply) command when you are  carry-
ing  it.   However,  chests are often locked, and are in any case
unwieldy objects.  You must set one down before unlocking  it  by
using a key or lock-picking tool with the `a' (apply) command, by
kicking it with the `^D' command, or by using a weapon  to  force
the lock with the ``#force'' extended command.

     Some chests are trapped, causing nasty things to happen when
you unlock or open them.  You can check for and try to deactivate
traps with the ``#untrap'' extended command.

7.11.  Amulets (`"')

     Amulets  are very similar to rings, and often more powerful.
Like rings, amulets have various magical properties, some benefi-
cial, some harmful, which are activated by putting them on.

     Only one amulet may be worn at a time, around your neck.

     The  commands  to use amulets are the same as for rings, `P'
(put on) and `R' (remove).

7.12.  Gems (`*')

     Some gems are valuable, and can be sold for a lot  of  gold.
They  are  also a far more efficient way of carrying your riches.
Valuable gems increase your score if you bring them with you when
you exit.

     Other small rocks are also categorized as gems, but they are
much less valuable.  All rocks, however, can be used  as  projec-
tile  weapons  (if  you  have a sling).  In the most desperate of
cases, you can still throw them by hand.

7.13.  Large rocks (``')

     Statues and boulders are not particularly  useful,  and  are
generally  heavy.   It  is rumored that some statues are not what
they seem.

     Very large humanoids (giants and their ilk) have been  known
to use boulders as weapons.

     For  some  configurations  of  the  program,  statues are no
longer shown as ``' but by the letter  representing  the  monster
they depict instead.

7.14.  Gold (`$')

     Gold  adds  to  your  score, and you can buy things in shops
with it.  There are a number of monsters in the dungeon that  may
be influenced by the amount of gold you are carrying (shopkeepers
aside).

8.  Conduct

     As if winning NetHack were  not  difficult  enough,  certain
players  seek to challenge themselves by imposing restrictions on
the way they play the game.  The game automatically  tracks  some
of  these  challenges,  which can be checked at any time with the
#conduct command or at the end of the game.  When you perform  an
action  which  breaks  a  challenge, it will no longer be listed.
This gives players extra ``bragging rights'' for winning the game
with  these  challenges.  Note that it is perfectly acceptable to
win the game without resorting to these restrictions and that  it
is  unusual  for  players  to adhere to challenges the first time
they win the game.

     Several of the challenges are related  to  eating  behavior.
The  most difficult of these is the foodless challenge.  Although
creatures can survive long periods of time without food, there is
a  physiological  need for water; thus there is no restriction on
drinking beverages, even if they provide some  minor  food  bene-
fits.   Calling  upon  your god for help with starvation does not
violate any food challenges either.

     A strict vegan diet is one which  avoids  any  food  derived
from animals.  The primary source of nutrition is fruits and veg-
etables.  The corpses and tins of blobs (`b'), jellies (`j'), and
fungi  (`F') are also considered to be vegetable matter.  Certain
human food is prepared without animal  products;  namely,  lembas
wafers,  cram  rations, food rations (gunyoki), K-rations, and C-
rations.  Metal or another normally indigestible  material  eaten
while polymorphed into a creature that can digest it is also con-
sidered vegan food.  Note however that eating  such  items  still
counts against foodless conduct.

     Vegetarians  do  not eat animals; however, they are less se-
lective about eating animal byproducts than vegans.  In  addition
to the vegan items listed above, they may eat any kind of pudding
(`P') other than the black puddings, eggs and food made from eggs
(fortune  cookies  and pancakes), food made with milk (cream pies
and candy bars), and lumps of royal jelly.  Monks are expected to
observe a vegetarian diet.

     Eating  any kind of meat violates the vegetarian, vegan, and
foodless conducts.  This includes tripe rations, the  corpses  or
tins  of  any monsters not mentioned above, and the various other
chunks of meat found in the dungeon.  Swallowing and digesting  a
monster while polymorphed is treated as if you ate the creature's
corpse.  Eating leather, dragon hide, or bone items  while  poly-
morphed  into  a  creature  that can digest it, or eating monster
brains while polymorphed into a mind flayer, is considered eating
an animal, although wax is only an animal byproduct.

     Regardless  of  conduct,  there will be some items which are
indigestible, and others which are hazardous  to  eat.   Using  a
swallow-and-digest attack against a monster is equivalent to eat-
ing the monster's corpse.  Please note that the term ``vegan'' is
used  here  only  in  the context of diet.  You are still free to
choose not to use  or  wear  items  derived  from  animals  (e.g.
leather,  dragon hide, bone, horns, coral), but the game will not
keep track of this for you.  Also note that ``milky'' potions may
be a translucent white, but they do not contain milk, so they are
compatible with a vegan  diet.   Slime  molds  or  player-defined
``fruits'',  although they could be anything from ``cherries'' to
``pork chops'', are also assumed to be vegan.

     An atheist is one who rejects religion.  This means that you
cannot  #pray,  #offer  sacrifices  to  any god, #turn undead, or
#chat with a priest.  Particularly selective  readers  may  argue
that  playing  Monk or Priest characters should violate this con-
duct; that is a choice left to the player.  Offering  the  Amulet
of  Yendor  to  your  god is necessary to win the game and is not
counted against this conduct.  You are also not penalized for be-
ing  spoken  to  by an angry god, priest(ess), or other religious
figure; a true atheist would hear the words but attach no special
meaning to them.

     Most  players  fight with a wielded weapon (or tool intended
to be wielded as a weapon).  Another challenge is to win the game
without  using such a wielded weapon.  You are still permitted to
throw, fire, and kick weapons; use a wand, spell, or  other  type
of item; or fight with your hands and feet.

     In  NetHack,  a  pacifist  refuses to cause the death of any
other monster (i.e. if you would get experience for  the  death).
This  is a particularly difficult challenge, although it is still
possible to gain experience by other means.

     An illiterate character cannot read or write.  This includes
reading  a scroll, spellbook, fortune cookie message, or t-shirt;
writing a scroll; or making an engraving of anything other than a
single ``x'' (the traditional signature of an illiterate person).
Reading an engraving, or any item that is absolutely necessary to
win  the game, is not counted against this conduct.  The identity
of scrolls and spellbooks  (and  knowledge  of  spells)  in  your
starting  inventory  is  assumed to be learned from your teachers
prior to the start of the game and isn't counted.

     There are several other challenges tracked by the game.   It
is possible to eliminate one or more species of monsters by geno-
cide; playing without this feature  is  considered  a  challenge.
When the game offers you an opportunity to genocide monsters, you
may respond with the monster type ``none'' if  you  want  to  de-
cline.   You  can change the form of an item into another item of
the same type (``polypiling'') or the form of your own body  into
another  creature  (``polyself'')  by  wand,  spell, or potion of
polymorph; avoiding these effects are each considered challenges.
Polymorphing  monsters,  including pets, does not break either of
these challenges.  Finally, you may sometimes receive  wishes;  a
game  without an attempt to wish for any items is a challenge, as
is a game without wishing for an artifact (even if  the  artifact
immediately disappears).  When the game offers you an opportunity
to make a wish for an item, you may  choose  ``nothing''  if  you
want to decline.

9.  Options

     Due  to variations in personal tastes and conceptions of how
NetHack should do things, there are options you can set to change
how NetHack behaves.

9.1.  Setting the options

     Options  may  be  set in a number of ways.  Within the game,
the `O' command allows you to view all options and change most of
them.   You can also set options automatically by placing them in
a configuration file, or in the NETHACKOPTIONS environment  vari-
able.  Some versions of NetHack also have front-end programs that
allow you to set options before starting the  game  or  a  global
configuration for system administrators.

9.2.  Using a configuration file

     The default name of the configuration file varies on differ-
ent operating systems. On DOS and Windows, it is  ``defaults.nh''
in the same folder as nethack.exe or nethackW.exe. On Unix, Linux
and Mac OS X it is ``.nethackrc'' in the user's  home  directory.
The  file  may  not exist, but it is a normal ASCII text file and
can be created with any text editor.

     Any line in the configuration  file  starting  with  `#'  is
treated as a comment.  Empty lines are ignored.

     Any  line beginning with `[' and ending in `]' is considered
a section marker. The text between the  square  brackets  is  the
section  name.   Lines after a section marker belong to that sec-
tion, and are ignored unless a CHOOSE -statement was used to  se-
lect that section.  Section names are case insensitive.

     You  can use different configuration statements in the file,
some of which can be used multiple times. In general, the  state-
ments are written in capital letters, followed by an equals sign,
followed by settings particular to that statement. Here is a list
of allowed statements:

OPTIONS
  There  are  two types of options, boolean and compound options.
  Boolean options toggle a setting on or off, while compound  op-
  tions  take  more diverse values.  Prefix a boolean option with
  `no' or `!' to turn it off.  For compound options,  the  option
  name and value are separated by a colon.  Some options are per-
  sistent, and apply only to new games.  You can specify multiple
  OPTIONS  statements,  and  multiple options in a single OPTIONS
  statement.

     Example:

     OPTIONS=dogname:Fido
     OPTIONS=!legacy,autopickup,pickup_types:$"=/!?+

HACKDIR
  Default location of files NetHack needs. On Windows HACKDIR de-
  faults  to the location of the NetHack.exe or NetHackw.exe file
  so setting HACKDIR to override that is not usually necessary or
  recommended.

LEVELDIR
  The  location that in-progress level files are stored. Defaults
  to HACKDIR, must be writeable.

SAVEDIR
  The location where saved games are kept. Defaults  to  HACKDIR,
  must be writeable.

BONESDIR
  The  location  that  bones files are kept. Defaults to HACKDIR,
  must be writeable.

LOCKDIR
  The location that file synchronization locks  are  stored.  De-
  faults to HACKDIR, must be writeable.

TROUBLEDIR
  The  location  that  a record of game aborts and self-diagnosed

  game problems is kept. Defaults to HACKDIR, must be writeable.

AUTOCOMPLETE
  Enable or disable an extended command autocompletion.  Autocom-
  pletion  has no effect for the X11 windowport.  You can specify
  multiple autocompletions. To enable  autocompletion,  list  the
  extended  command. Prefix the command with ``!'' to disable the
  autocompletion for that command.

     Example:

     AUTOCOMPLETE=zap,!annotate

AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTION
  Set exceptions to the pickup_types option. See the  ``Configur-
  ing Autopickup Exceptions'' section.

BINDINGS
  Change  the  key  bindings of some special keys, menu accelera-
  tors, or extended commands. You can specify multiple  bindings.
  Format  is  key  followed by the command, separated by a colon.
  See the ``Changing Key Bindings`` section for more information.

     Example:

     BIND=^X:getpos.autodescribe

CHOOSE
  Chooses at random one of the comma-separated parameters  as  an
  active section name. Lines in other sections are ignored.

     Example:

     OPTIONS=color
     CHOOSE=char A,char B
     [char A]
     OPTIONS=role:arc,race:dwa,align:law,gender:fem
     [char B]
     OPTIONS=role:wiz,race:elf,align:cha,gender:mal

MSGTYPE
  Change  the way messages are shown in the top status line.  See
  the ``Configuring Message Types`` section.

MENUCOLOR
  Highlight menu lines with different colors.  See the  ``Config-
  uring Menu Colors`` section.

SYMBOLS
  Override  one  or  more  symbols in the symbols files.  See the
  ``Modifying NetHack Symbols'' section.

     Example:

     SYMBOLS=S_boulder:0

WIZKIT
  Wizard-mode extra items, in a text file containing item  names,
  one  per  line, up to a maximum of 128 lines. Each line is pro-
  cessed by the function that handles wishing.

     Example:

     WIZKIT=~/wizkit.txt

SOUNDDIR
  Define the directory that contains the sound  files.   See  the
  ``Configuring User Sounds'' section.

SOUND
  Define  a  sound  mapping.  See the ``Configuring User Sounds''
  section.

     Here is a short example of config file contents:

     # Set your character's role, race, gender, and alignment.
     OPTIONS=role:Valkyrie, race:Human, gender:female, align:lawful

     # Turn on autopickup, and set automatically picked up object types
     OPTIONS=autopickup,pickup_types:$"=/!?+
     # Show colored text if possible
     OPTIONS=color
     # Show lit corridors differently
     OPTIONS=lit_corridor

     # No startup splash screen. Windows GUI only.
     OPTIONS=!splash_screen

9.3.  Using the NETHACKOPTIONS environment variable

     The NETHACKOPTIONS variable is  a  comma-separated  list  of
initial  values for the various options.  Some can only be turned
on or off.  You turn one of these on by adding the  name  of  the
option to the list, and turn it off by typing a `!' or ``no'' be-
fore the name.  Others take a character string as a  value.   You
can  set  string  options  by  typing the option name, a colon or
equals sign, and then the value of the string.  The value is ter-
minated by the next comma or the end of string.

     For example, to set up an environment variable so that ``au-
toquiver'' is on, ``autopickup'' is  off,  the  name  is  set  to
``Blue  Meanie'',  and  the fruit is set to ``papaya'', you would
enter the command

     % setenv NETHACKOPTIONS "autoquiver,\!autopickup,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:papaya"

in csh (note the need to escape the ! since it's special  to  the
shell), or

     $ NETHACKOPTIONS="autoquiver,!autopickup,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:papaya"
     $ export NETHACKOPTIONS

in sh or ksh.

     NETHACKOPTIONS can also be set to the full name of a config-
uration file you want to use (possibly preceded by an `@').

9.4.  Customization options

     Here are explanations of what the various options do.  Char-
acter  strings  that  are too long may be truncated.  Some of the
options listed may be inactive in your dungeon.

     Some options are persistent,  and  are  saved  and  reloaded
along with the game.  Changing a persistent option in the config-
uration file applies only to new games.

acoustics
  Enable messages about what your character hears  (default  on).
  Note that this has nothing to do with your computer's audio ca-
  pabilities.  Persistent.

align
  Your  starting  alignment  (align:lawful,   align:neutral,   or
  align:chaotic).   You  may  specify just the first letter.  The
  default is to randomly pick an appropriate alignment.   If  you
  prefix  the  value  with  `!'  or ``no'', you will exclude that
  alignment from being picked randomly.  Cannot be set  with  the
  `O' command.  Persistent.

autodescribe
  Automatically  describe  the terrain under cursor when asked to
  get a location on the map.  The  whatis_coord  option  controls
  whether the description includes map coordinates.

autodig
  Automatically dig if you are wielding a digging tool and moving
  into a place that can be dug (default false). Persistent.

autoopen
  Walking into a door attempts to open it (default true). Persis-
  tent.

autopickup
  Automatically  pick up things onto which you move (default on).
  Persistent.  See pickup_types to refine the behavior.

autoquiver
  This option controls what happens  when  you  attempt  the  `f'
  (fire)  command  with  an  empty quiver (or quiver sack or have
  nothing at the ready).  When true, the computer will fill  your
  quiver or quiver sack or make ready some suitable weapon.  Note
  that it will not take into account the  blessed/cursed  status,

  enchantment,  damage, or quality of the weapon; you are free to
  manually fill your quiver or quiver sack or make ready with the
  `Q'  command  instead.   If no weapon is found or the option is
  false, the `t' (throw) command is  executed  instead.   Persis-
  tent. (default false)

blind
  Start  the  character  permanently blind.  Persistent. (default
  false)

bones
  Allow saving and loading  bones  files.   Persistent.  (default
  true)

boulder
  Set  the  character  used  to  display boulders (default is the
  ``large rock'' class symbol, ``').

catname
  Name your starting cat (ex. ``catname:Morris'').  Cannot be set
  with the `O' command.

character
  Synonym  for  ``role''  to pick the type of your character (ex.
  ``character:Monk'').  See role for more details.

checkpoint
  Save game state after each level change, for possible  recovery
  after program crash (default on).  Persistent.

checkspace
  Check  free  disk  space  before writing files to disk (default
  on).  You may have to turn this off if you have more than 2  GB
  free  space on the partition used for your save and level files
  (because too much space might overflow the calculation and  end
  up looking like insufficient space).  Only applies when MFLOPPY
  was defined during compilation.

clicklook
  Allows looking at things on the screen by navigating the  mouse
  over them and clicking the right mouse button (default off).

cmdassist
  Have  the  game  provide some additional command assistance for
  new players if it detects some  anticipated  mistakes  (default
  on).

confirm
  Have  user  confirm  attacks  on  pets,  shopkeepers, and other
  peaceable creatures (default on).  Persistent.

dark_room
  Show out-of-sight areas of lit rooms  (default  off).   Persis-
  tent.

disclose
  Controls  what  information  the  program reveals when the game
  ends.  Value is a space separated  list  of  prompting/category
  pairs  (default is `ni na nv ng nc no', prompt with default re-
  sponse of `n' for each candidate).  Persistent.  The possibili-
  ties are:

       i - disclose your inventory;
       a - disclose your attributes;
       v - summarize monsters that have been vanquished;
       g - list monster species that have been genocided;
       c - display your conduct;
       o - display dungeon overview.

  Each  disclosure  possibility  can  optionally be preceded by a
  prefix which lets you refine how  it  behaves.   Here  are  the
  valid prefixes:

       y - prompt you and default to yes on the prompt;
       n - prompt you and default to no on the prompt;
       + - disclose it without prompting;
       - - do not disclose it and do not prompt.

  The  listing of vanquished monsters can be sorted, so there are
  two additional choices for `v':

       ? - prompt you and default to ask on the prompt;
       # - disclose it without prompting, ask for sort order.

  Asking refers to picking one of the orderings from a menu.  The
  `+'  disclose  without  prompting choice, or being prompted and
  answering `y' rather than `a', will default to showing monsters
  in the traditional order, from high level to low level.

  Omitted categories are implicitly added with `n' prefix.  Spec-
  ified categories with omitted prefix implicitly use `+' prefix.
  Order  of  the  disclosure  categories does not matter, program
  display for end-of-game disclosure follows a set sequence.

  (ex. ``disclose:yi na +v -g o'') The example sets inventory  to
  prompt  and default to yes, attributes to prompt and default to
  no, vanquished to disclose without prompting, genocided to  not
  disclose  and  not prompt, conduct to implicitly prompt and de-
  fault to no, and overview to disclose without prompting.

  Note that the vanquished monsters list  includes  all  monsters
  killed by traps and each other as well as by you.  And the dun-
  geon overview shows all levels you had visited but does not re-
  veal things about them that you hadn't discovered.

dogname
  Name  your  starting dog (ex. ``dogname:Fang'').  Cannot be set
  with the `O' command.

extmenu
  Changes the extended commands interface to  pop-up  a  menu  of
  available commands.  It is keystroke compatible with the tradi-
  tional interface except that it does not require that  you  hit
  Enter.  It  is  implemented only by the tty port (default off),
  when the game has been compiled to support tty graphics.

female
  An obsolete synonym for ``gender:female''.  Cannot be set  with
  the `O' command.

fixinv
  An  object's  inventory  letter  sticks to it when it's dropped
  (default on).  If this is off, dropping an  object  shifts  all
  the remaining inventory letters.  Persistent.

force_invmenu
  Commands  asking for an inventory item show a menu instead of a
  text query with possible menu letters. Default is off.

fruit
  Name a fruit after something you enjoy eating (ex. ``fruit:man-
  go'')  (default  ``slime mold'').  Basically a nostalgic whimsy
  that NetHack uses from time to time.  You should  set  this  to
  something  you  find  more appetizing than slime mold.  Apples,
  oranges, pears, bananas, and melons already exist  in  NetHack,
  so don't use those.

gender
  Your  starting  gender (gender:male or gender:female).  You may
  specify just the first letter.  Although you can  still  denote
  your  gender  using  the  ``male''  and ``female'' options, the
  ``gender'' option will take precedence.  The default is to ran-
  domly pick an appropriate gender.  If you prefix the value with
  `!' or ``no'', you will exclude that gender from  being  picked
  randomly.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.  Persistent.

goldX
  When  filtering  objects  based  on  bless/curse  state (BUCX),
  whether to treat gold pieces as X (unknown  bless/curse  state,
  when  `on')  or  U  (known  to be uncursed, when `off', the de-
  fault).  Gold is never blessed or cursed, but  it  is  not  de-
  scribed  as ``uncursed'' even when the implicit_uncursed option
  is `off'.

help
  If more information is available for an object looked  at  with
  the  `/' command, ask if you want to see it (default on). Turn-
  ing help off makes just looking at  things  faster,  since  you
  aren't  interrupted with the ``More info?'' prompt, but it also
  means that you might miss some interesting and/or important in-
  formation.  Persistent.

herecmd_menu
  When  using  a  windowport  that supports mouse and clicking on
  yourself or next to you, show a menu of  possible  actions  for
  the location.  Same as herecmdmenu and therecmdmenu commands.

hilite_pet
  Visually  distinguish  pets from similar animals (default off).
  The behavior of this option depends on the  type  of  windowing
  you use.  In text windowing, text highlighting or inverse video
  is often used; with tiles, generally displays  a  heart  symbol
  near pets.

hilite_pile
  Visually  distinguish  piles of objects from individual objects
  (default off).  The behavior of this option depends on the type
  of  windowing you use.  In text windowing, text highlighting or
  inverse video is often used; with tiles, generally  displays  a
  small plus-symbol beside the object on the top of the pile.

hitpointbar
  Show  a  hit  point bar graph behind your name and title.  Only
  available for TTY and Windows GUI, and only when  statushilites
  is on.

horsename
  Name  your  starting horse (ex. ``horsename:Trigger'').  Cannot
  be set with the `O' command.

ignintr
  Ignore interrupt signals, including breaks (default off).  Per-
  sistent.

implicit_uncursed
  Omit "uncursed" from inventory lists, if possible (default on).

legacy
  Display an introductory message when starting the game (default
  on).  Persistent.

lit_corridor
  Show corridor squares seen by night vision or  a  light  source
  held by your character as lit (default off).  Persistent.

lootabc
  Use  the old `a', `b', and `c' keyboard shortcuts when looting,
  rather than the mnemonics `o',  `i',  and  `b'  (default  off).
  Persistent.

mail
  Enable mail delivery during the game (default on).  Persistent.

male
  An  obsolete  synonym  for ``gender:male''.  Cannot be set with
  the `O' command.

mention_walls
  Give feedback when walking against a wall (default off).

menucolors
  Enable coloring menu lines (default  off).   See  ``Configuring
  Menu Colors'' on how to configure the colors.

menustyle
  Controls the interface used when you need to choose various ob-
  jects (in response to the Drop  command,  for  instance).   The
  value  specified  should be the first letter of one of the fol-
  lowing:  traditional, combination, full,  or  partial.   Tradi-
  tional  was the only interface available for early versions; it
  consists of a prompt for object class characters,  followed  by
  an  object-by-object prompt for all items matching the selected
  object class(es).  Combination starts with a prompt for  object
  class(es) of interest, but then displays a menu of matching ob-
  jects rather than prompting one-by-one.  Full displays  a  menu
  of  object  classes  rather than a character prompt, and then a
  menu of matching objects for selection.  Partial skips the  ob-
  ject class filtering and immediately displays a menu of all ob-
  jects.  Persistent.

menu_deselect_all
  Menu character accelerator to deselect all  items  in  a  menu.
  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.  Default '-'.

menu_deselect_page
  Menu  character  accelerator to deselect all items on this page
  of a menu.  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty  ports.   De-
  fault '\'.

menu_first_page
  Menu character accelerator to jump to the first page in a menu.
  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.  Default '^'.

menu_headings
  Controls how the headings in a menu  are  highlighted.   Values
  are  'none', 'bold', 'dim', 'underline', 'blink', or 'inverse'.
  Not all ports can actually display all types.

menu_invert_all
  Menu character accelerator to invert all items in a menu.   Im-
  plemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.  Default '@'.

menu_invert_page
  Menu  character accelerator to invert all items on this page of
  a menu.  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.   Default
  '~'.

menu_last_page
  Menu  character accelerator to jump to the last page in a menu.
  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.  Default '|'.

menu_next_page
  Menu character accelerator to goto the next menu page.   Imple-
  mented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.  Default '>'.

menu_objsyms
  Show  object symbols in menu headings in menus where the object
  symbols act as menu accelerators (default off).

menu_overlay
  Do not clear the screen before drawing menus, and  align  menus
  to  the  right edge of the screen. Only for the tty port.  (de-
  fault on)

menu_previous_page
  Menu character accelerator to goto the previous menu page.  Im-
  plemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.  Default '<'.

menu_search
  Menu  character  accelerator to search for a menu item.  Imple-
  mented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.  Default ':'.

menu_select_all
  Menu character accelerator to select all items in a menu.   Im-
  plemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.  Default '.'.

menu_select_page
  Menu  character accelerator to select all items on this page of
  a menu.  Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.   Default
  ','.

msghistory
  The  number  of  top line messages to save (and recall with ^P)
  (default 20).  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

msg_window
  Allows you to change the way recalled messages  are  displayed.
  (It  is currently implemented for tty only.)  The possible val-
  ues are:

       s - single message (default; only choice prior to 3.4.0);
       c - combination, two messages as `single', then as `full';
       f - full window, oldest message first;
       r - full window reversed, newest message first.

  For backward compatibility, no  value  needs  to  be  specified
  (which  defaults  to  `full'),  or it can be negated (which de-
  faults to `single').

name
  Set your character's name (defaults to your  user  name).   You
  can  also set your character's role by appending a dash and one
  or more letters of the role (that is, by suffixing one of -A -B
  -C  -H  -K  -M  -P -Ra -Ro -S -T -V -W).  If -@ is used for the
  role, then a random one will be automatically  chosen.   Cannot

  be set with the `O' command.

news
  Read the NetHack news file, if present (default on).  Since the
  news is shown at the beginning of the game, there's no point in
  setting this with the `O' command.

nudist
  Start the character with no armor (default false).  Persistent.

null
  Send padding nulls to the terminal (default on).  Persistent.

number_pad
  Use  digit  keys instead of letters to move (default 0 or off).
  Valid settings are:

   0 - move by letters; `yuhjklbn'
   1 - move by numbers; digit `5' acts as `G' movement prefix
   2 - like 1 but `5' works as `g' prefix instead of as `G'
   3 - by numbers using phone key layout; 123 above, 789 below
   4 - combines 3 with 2; phone layout plus MSDOS compatibility
  -1 - by letters but use `z' to go northwest, `y' to zap wands

  For backward compatibility, omitting a value  is  the  same  as
  specifying  1 and negating number_pad is the same as specifying
  0.  (Settings 2 and 4 are for compatibility with MSDOS  or  old
  PC Hack; in addition to the different behavior for `5', `Alt-5'
  acts as `G' and `Alt-0' acts as `I'.  Setting -1 is to accommo-
  date  some  QWERTZ keyboards which have the location of the `y'
  and `z' keys swapped.)  When moving  by  numbers,  to  enter  a
  count  prefix  for  those  commands  which  accept one (such as
  ``12s'' to search twelve times), precede it with the letter `n'
  (``n12s'').

packorder
  Specify   the   order   to   list   object  types  in  (default
  ``")[%?+!=/(*`0_'').  The value of  this  option  should  be  a
  string  containing  the  symbols  for the various object types.
  Any omitted types are filled in at the end  from  the  previous
  order.

paranoid_confirmation
  A  space  separated list of specific situations where alternate
  prompting  is  desired.   The  default  is   paranoid_confirma-
  tion:pray.

  Confirm     - for  any  prompts  which are set to require "yes"
                rather than 'y', also require "no" to reject  in-
                stead of accepting any non-yes response as no
  quit        - require "yes" rather than 'y' to confirm quitting
                the game or switching  into  non-scoring  explore
                mode;
  die         - require  "yes"  rather  than 'y' to confirm dying

                (not useful in normal play;  applies  to  explore
                mode);
  bones       - require  "yes"  rather than 'y' to confirm saving
                bones data when dying in debug mode;
  attack      - require "yes" rather than 'y' to confirm  attack-
                ing a peaceful monster;
  wand-break  - require "yes" rather than 'y' to confirm breaking
                a wand;
  Were-change - require "yes" rather than 'y' to confirm changing
                form  due  to lycanthropy when hero has polymorph
                control;
  pray        - require 'y' to confirm an attempt to pray  rather
                than immediately praying; on by default;
  Remove      - require  selection from inventory for 'R' and 'T'
                commands even when wearing  just  one  applicable
                item.
  all         - turn on all of the above.

  By  default,  the  pray choice is enabled, the others disabled.
  To disable it without setting any of  the  other  choices,  use
  ``paranoid_confirmation:none''.   To keep it enabled while set-
  ting any of the others, include it in the list, such as ``para-
  noid_confirmation:attack pray Remove''.

perm_invent
  If  true,  always  display  your current inventory in a window.
  This only makes sense for windowing system interfaces that  im-
  plement this feature.  Persistent.

pettype
  Specify  the  type  of  your  initial pet, if you are playing a
  character class that uses multiple types of pets; or choose  to
  have  no  initial  pet  at  all.   Possible values are ``cat'',
  ``dog'', ``horse'', and ``none''.  If the choice is not allowed
  for the role you are currently playing, it will be silently ig-
  nored.  For example, ``horse'' will only be honored when  play-
  ing a knight.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

pickup_burden
  When  you  pick  up  an item that would exceed this encumbrance
  level (Unencumbered, Burdened, streSsed,  straiNed,  overTaxed,
  or  overLoaded),  you  will  be  asked if you want to continue.
  (Default `S').  Persistent.

pickup_thrown
  If this option is on and autopickup is also on, try to pick  up
  things  that  you threw, even if they aren't in pickup_types or
  match an autopickup exception.  Default is on.  Persistent.

pickup_types
  Specify the object types to be picked up when autopickup is on.
  Default is all types.  You can use autopickup_exception config-
  uration file lines to further refine autopickup behavior.  Per-
  sistent.

pile_limit
  When  walking  across a pile of objects on the floor, threshold
  at which the message "there are few/several/many objects  here"
  is  given  instead of showing a popup list of those objects.  A
  value of 0 means "no limit" (always list the objects); a  value
  of  1 effectively means "never show the objects" since the pile
  size will always be at least that  big;  default  value  is  5.
  Persistent.

playmode
  Values  are  `normal', `explore', or `debug'.  Allows selection
  of explore mode (also known as discovery mode)  or  debug  mode
  (also known as wizard mode) instead of normal play.  Debug mode
  might only be allowed for someone logged in under a  particular
  user  name  (on  multi-user systems) or specifying a particular
  character name (on single-user systems) or it might be disabled
  entirely.   Requesting  it when not allowed or not possible re-
  sults in explore mode instead.  Default is normal play.

pushweapon
  Using the `w' (wield) command when already  wielding  something
  pushes  the  old  item into your alternate weapon slot (default
  off).  Likewise for the `a' (apply) command if  it  causes  the
  applied item to become wielded.  Persistent.

race
  Selects  your  race  (for example, ``race:human'').  Default is
  random.  If you prefix the value with `!' or ``no'',  you  will
  exclude  that  race  from being picked randomly.  Cannot be set
  with the `O' command.  Persistent.

rest_on_space
  Make the space bar a synonym for the `.' (#wait)  command  (de-
  fault off).  Persistent.

role
  Pick your type of character (ex. ``role:Samurai''); synonym for
  ``character''.  See ``name'' for an alternate method of  speci-
  fying  your  role.  Normally only the first letter of the value
  is examined; `r' is an exception  with  ``Rogue'',  ``Ranger'',
  and  ``random''  values.   If  you prefix the value with `!' or
  ``no'', you will exclude that role from being picked  randomly.
  Cannot be set with the `O' command.  Persistent.

roguesymset
  This  option may be used to select one of the named symbol sets
  found within ``symbols'' to alter the symbols displayed on  the
  screen on the rogue level.

rlecomp
  When writing out a save file, perform run length compression of
  the map.  Not all ports support run length compression. It  has
  no effect on reading an existing save file.

runmode
  Controls  the amount of screen updating for the map window when
  engaged in multi-turn movement (running via shift+direction  or
  control+direction  and  so  forth, or via the travel command or
  mouse click).  The possible values are:

  teleport - update the map after movement has finished;
  run      - update the map after every seven or so steps;
  walk     - update the map after each step;
  crawl    - like walk, but pause briefly after each step.

  This option only affects the game's screen display, not the ac-
  tual  results  of moving.  The default is `run'; versions prior
  to 3.4.1 used `teleport' only.  Whether or not  the  effect  is
  noticeable will depend upon the window port used or on the type
  of terminal.  Persistent.

safe_pet
  Prevent you from (knowingly) attacking your pets (default  on).
  Persistent.

scores
  Control  what  parts of the score list you are shown at the end
  (ex.  ``scores:5 top scores/4 around  my  score/own  scores'').
  Only  the  first  letter of each category (`t', `a', or `o') is
  necessary.  Persistent.

showexp
  Show your accumulated experience points on bottom line (default
  off).  Persistent.

showrace
  Display  yourself  as  the glyph for your race, rather than the
  glyph for your role (default off).  Note that this setting  af-
  fects  only the appearance of the display, not the way the game
  treats you.  Persistent.

showscore
  Show your approximate accumulated score on bottom line (default
  off).  Persistent.

silent
  Suppress terminal beeps (default on).  Persistent.

sortloot
  Controls the sorting behavior of the pickup lists for inventory
  and #loot commands and some others.  Persistent.  The  possible
  values are:

  full - always sort the lists;
  loot - only  sort  the  lists that don't use inventory letters,
         like with the #loot and pickup commands;
  none - show lists the traditional way without sorting.

sortpack
  Sort the pack contents by type when displaying  inventory  (de-
  fault on).  Persistent.

sparkle
  Display a sparkly effect when a monster (including yourself) is
  hit by an attack to which it is resistant (default  on).   Per-
  sistent.

standout
  Boldface monsters and ``--More--'' (default off).  Persistent.

statushilites
  Controls  how  many turns status hilite behaviors highlight the
  field. If negated or set to  zero,  disables  status  hiliting.
  See ``Configuring Status Hilites'' for further information.

status_updates
  Allow  updates  to the status lines at the bottom of the screen
  (default true).

suppress_alert
  This option may be set to a NetHack version level  to  suppress
  alert  notification messages about feature changes for that and
  prior versions (ex. ``suppress_alert:3.3.1'').

symset
  This option may be used to select one of the named symbol  sets
  found  within ``symbols'' to alter the symbols displayed on the
  screen.  Use ``symset:default'' to explicitly  select  the  de-
  fault symbols.

time
  Show  the  elapsed  game  time in turns on bottom line (default
  off).  Persistent.

timed_delay
  When pausing momentarily for display effect, such as  with  ex-
  plosions  and  moving  objects, use a timer rather than sending
  extra characters to the screen.  (Applies to ``tty''  interface
  only;  ``X11''  interface always uses a timer based delay.  The
  default is on if configured into the program.)  Persistent.

tombstone
  Draw a tombstone graphic upon your death (default on).  Persis-
  tent.

toptenwin
  Put the ending display in a NetHack window instead of on stdout
  (default off).  Setting this option makes the score list  visi-
  ble  when  a  windowing version of NetHack is started without a
  parent window, but it no longer leaves the  score  list  around
  after game end on a terminal or emulating window.

travel
  Allow the travel command (default on).  Turning this option off
  will prevent the game from attempting unintended moves  if  you
  make inadvertent mouse clicks on the map window.  Persistent.

verbose
  Provide  more commentary during the game (default on).  Persis-
  tent.

whatis_coord
  When using the `/' or `;' commands to look around  on  the  map
  with  autodescribe  on,  display coordinates after the descrip-
  tion.  Also works in other situations where you  are  asked  to
  pick a location.

  The possible settings are:

       c - compass ('east' or '3s' or '2n,4w');
       f - full compass ('east' or '3south' or '2north,4west');
       m - map <x,y> (map column x=0 is not used);
       s - screen [row,column] (row is offset to match tty usage);
       n - none (no coordinates shown) [default].

  The whatis_coord option is also used with the `/m', `/M', `/o',
  and `/O' sub-commands of `/', where the `none' setting is over-
  ridden with `map'.

whatis_filter
  When getting a location on the map, and using the keys to cycle
  through next and previous targets, allows filtering the  possi-
  ble targets.

       n - no filtering [default]
       v - in view only
       a - in same area only

  The  area-filter  tries  to  be slightly predictive - if you're
  standing on a doorway, it will consider the area on the side of
  the door you were last moving towards.

  Filtering  can also be changed when getting a location with the
  ``getpos.filter'' key.

whatis_menu
  When getting a location on the map, and using a  key  to  cycle
  through next and previous targets, use a menu instead to pick a
  target.  (default off)

whatis_moveskip
  When getting a location on the map, and using shifted  movement
  keys or meta-digit keys to fast-move, instead of moving 8 units
  at a time, move by skipping the same glyphs.  (default off)

windowtype
  Select which windowing  system  to  use,  such  as  ``tty''  or
  ``X11''  (default  depends on version).  Cannot be set with the
  `O' command.

zerocomp
  When writing out a save file, perform zero-comp compression  of
  the  contents.  Not all ports support zero-comp compression. It
  has no effect on reading an existing save file.

9.5.  Window Port Customization options

     Here are explanations of the various options that  are  used
to  customize  and  change  the characteristics of the windowtype
that you have chosen.  Character strings that are too long may be
truncated.   Not  all  window  ports will adjust for all settings
listed here.  You can safely add any of  these  options  to  your
config  file,  and  if the window port is capable of adjusting to
suit your preferences, it will attempt to do so. If it  can't  it
will  silently  ignore it.  You can find out if an option is sup-
ported by the window port that you are currently using by  check-
ing  to see if it shows up in the Options list.  Some options are
dynamic and can be specified during the game with  the  `O'  com-
mand.

align_message
  Where  to align or place the message window (top, bottom, left,
  or right)

align_status
  Where to align or place the status window (top,  bottom,  left,
  or right).

ascii_map
  If  NetHack can, it should display an ascii character map if it
  can.

color
  If NetHack can, it should display color if it can for different
  monsters, objects, and dungeon features

eight_bit_tty
  If  NetHack can, it should pass eight-bit character values (for
  example, specified with the traps option) straight  through  to
  your terminal (default off).

font_map
  if NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the
  map window.

font_menu
  If NetHack can, it should use a font by  the  chosen  name  for
  menu windows.

font_message
  If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the
  message window.

font_status
  If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the
  status window.

font_text
  If  NetHack  can,  it  should use a font by the chosen name for
  text windows.

font_size_map
  If NetHack can, it should use this size font for the  map  win-
  dow.

font_size_menu
  If NetHack can, it should use this size font for menu windows.

font_size_message
  If  NetHack  can,  it should use this size font for the message
  window.

font_size_status
  If NetHack can, it should use this size  font  for  the  status
  window.

font_size_text
  If NetHack can, it should use this size font for text windows.

fullscreen
  If  NetHack can, it should try and display on the entire screen
  rather than in a window.

large_font
  If NetHack can, it should use a large font.

map_mode
  If NetHack can, it should display the map in the manner  speci-
  fied.

mouse_support
  Allow use of the mouse for input and travel.

player_selection
  If  NetHack  can, it should pop up dialog boxes, or use prompts
  for character selection.

popup_dialog
  If NetHack can, it should pop up dialog boxes for input.

preload_tiles
  If NetHack can, it should preload tiles into memory.  For exam-
  ple, in the protected mode MSDOS version, control whether tiles

  get pre-loaded into RAM at the start of the game.  Doing so en-
  hances  performance of the tile graphics, but uses more memory.
  (default on).  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

scroll_amount
  If NetHack can, it should scroll the display by this number  of
  cells when the hero reaches the scroll_margin.

scroll_margin
  If  NetHack  can, it should scroll the display when the hero or
  cursor is this number of cells away from the edge of  the  win-
  dow.

selectsaved
  If  NetHack  can,  it  should  display a menu of existing saved
  games for the player to choose from at game startup, if it can.
  Not all ports support this option.

softkeyboard
  Display  an  onscreen  keyboard.   Handhelds are most likely to
  support this option.

splash_screen
  If NetHack can, it should display an opening splash screen when
  it starts up (default yes).

tiled_map
  If NetHack can, it should display a tiled map if it can.

tile_file
  Specify  the  name  of an alternative tile file to override the
  default.

tile_height
  Specify the preferred height of each tile  in  a  tile  capable
  port.

tile_width
  Specify the preferred width of each tile in a tile capable port

use_darkgray
  Use bold black instead of blue for black glyphs (TTY only).

use_inverse
  If  NetHack can, it should display inverse when the game speci-
  fies it.

vary_msgcount
  If NetHack can, it should display this number of messages at  a
  time in the message window.

windowcolors
  If  NetHack  can,  it should display windows with the specified
  foreground/background colors if it can.

wraptext
  If NetHack can, it should wrap long lines of text if they don't
  fit in the visible area of the window.

9.6.  Platform-specific Customization options

     Here  are  explanations of options that are used by specific
platforms or ports to customize and change the port behavior.

altkeyhandler
  Select an alternate keystroke handler dll to  load  (Win32  tty
  NetHack  only).   The  name of the handler is specified without
  the .dll extension and without any path information.  Cannot be
  set with the `O' command.

altmeta
  On Amiga, this option controls whether typing `Alt' plus anoth-
  er key functions as a meta-shift for that key (default on).

altmeta
  On other (non-Amiga) systems where this option is available, it
  can  be set to tell NetHack to convert a two character sequence
  beginning with ESC into a meta-shifted version  of  the  second
  character (default off).

  This  conversion is only done for commands, not for other input
  prompts.  Note that typing one or more digits as a count prefix
  prior  to  a command--preceded by n if the number_pad option is
  set--is also subject to this conversion, so attempting to abort
  the  count by typing ESC will leave NetHack waiting for another
  character to complete the two character sequence.  Type a  sec-
  ond  ESC to finish cancelling such a count.  At other prompts a
  single ESC suffices.

BIOS
  Use BIOS calls to update the screen display quickly and to read
  the  keyboard  (allowing  the use of arrow keys to move) on ma-
  chines with an IBM PC compatible BIOS ROM (default  off,  OS/2,
  PC, and ST NetHack only).

flush
  (default off, AMIGA NetHack only).

MACgraphics
  (default on, Mac NetHack only).

page_wait
  (default on, Mac NetHack only).

rawio
  Force  raw (non-cbreak) mode for faster output and more bullet-
  proof input (MS-DOS sometimes treats `^P' as a  printer  toggle
  without  it)  (default  off,  OS/2,  PC,  and ST NetHack only).
  Note:  DEC Rainbows hang if this is turned on.  Cannot  be  set

  with the `O' command.

soundcard
  (default on, PC NetHack only).  Cannot be set with the `O' com-
  mand.

subkeyvalue
  (Win32 tty NetHack only).  May be used to alter  the  value  of
  keystrokes that the operating system returns to NetHack to help
  compensate for international keyboard issues.   OPTIONS=subkey-
  value:171/92  will  return 92 to NetHack, if 171 was originally
  going to be returned.  You can use multiple subkeyvalue  state-
  ments in the config file if needed.  Cannot be set with the `O'
  command.

video
  Set the video mode used (PC NetHack only).  Values are `autode-
  tect',  `default',  or  `vga'.   Setting `vga' (or `autodetect'
  with vga hardware present)  will  cause  the  game  to  display
  tiles.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

videocolors
  Set  the  color  palette for PC systems using NO_TERMS (default
  4-2-6-1-5-3-15-12-10-14-9-13-11, (PC NetHack only).  The  order
  of   colors   is   red,  green,  brown,  blue,  magenta,  cyan,
  bright.white, bright.red,  bright.green,  yellow,  bright.blue,
  bright.magenta,  and  bright.cyan.   Cannot be set with the `O'
  command.

videoshades
  Set the intensity level of the three gray scales available (de-
  fault dark normal light, PC NetHack only).  If the game display
  is difficult to read, try adjusting these scales; if this  does
  not  correct  the  problem, try !color.  Cannot be set with the
  `O' command.

9.7.  Regular Expressions

     Regular expressions are normally POSIX extended regular  ex-
pressions.  It is possible to compile NetHack without regular ex-
pression support on a platform where there is no regular  expres-
sion  library.  While this is not true of any modern platform, if
your NetHack was built this way, patterns are instead  glob  pat-
terns. This applies to Autopickup exceptions, Message types, Menu
colors, and User sounds.

9.8.  Configuring Autopickup Exceptions

     You can further refine the behavior of the autopickup option
beyond what is available through the pickup_types option.

     By  placing autopickup_exception lines in your configuration
file, you can define patterns to be  checked  when  the  game  is
about to autopickup something.

autopickup_exception
  Sets  an  exception  to the pickup_types option.  The autopick-
  up_exception option should be followed by a regular  expression
  to  be  used as a pattern to match against the singular form of
  the description of an object at your location.

  In addition, some characters are treated specially if they  oc-
  cur as the first character in the pattern, specifically:

       < - always pickup an object that matches rest of pattern;
       > - never pickup an object that matches rest of pattern.

  A  `never pickup' rule takes precedence over an `always pickup'
  rule if both match.

  Exceptions can be set with the `O' command, but ones  set  that
  way will not be preserved across saves and restores.

Here are some examples:

       autopickup_exception="<*arrow"
       autopickup_exception=">*corpse"
       autopickup_exception=">* cursed*"

     The  first  example  above  will result in autopickup of any
type of arrow.  The second example results in  the  exclusion  of
any  corpse from autopickup.  The last example results in the ex-
clusion of items known to be cursed from autopickup.

9.9.  Changing Key Bindings

     It is possible to change the default key  bindings  of  some
special  commands,  menu accelerator keys, and extended commands,
by using BIND stanzas in the configuration file. Format  is  key,
followed by the command to bind to, separated by a colon. The key
can be a single character (``x''), a control  key  (``^X'',  ``C-
x''), a meta key (``M-x''), or a three-digit decimal ASCII code.

     For example:

     BIND=^X:getpos.autodescribe
     BIND={:menu_first_page
     BIND=v:loot

Extended command keys
  You can bind multiple keys to the same extended command. Unbind
  a key by using ``nothing'' as the extended command to bind  to.
  You  can  also bind the ``<esc>'', ``<enter>'', and ``<space>''
  keys.

Menu accelerator keys
  The menu control or accelerator keys can also  be  rebound  via
  OPTIONS-lines  in  the config file. You cannot bind object sym-
  bols into menu accelerators.

Special command keys
  Below are the special commands you can rebind. Some of them can
  be  bound to same keys with no problems, others are in the same
  "context", and if bound to same keys, only one  of  those  com-
  mands will be available. Special command can only be bound to a
  single key.

count
  Prefix key to start a count, to  repeat  a  command  this  many
  times. With number_pad only. Default is 'n'.

doinv
  Show inventory. With number_pad only. Default is '0'.

fight
  Prefix key to force fight a direction. Default is 'F'.

fight.numpad
  Prefix  key  to  force fight a direction. With number_pad only.
  Default is '-'.

getdir.help
  When asked for a direction, the key to show the  help.  Default
  is '?'.

getdir.self
  When asked for a direction, the key to target yourself. Default
  is '.'.

getdir.self2
  When asked for a direction, the key to target yourself. Default
  is 's'.

getpos.autodescribe
  When  asked for a location, the key to toggle autodescribe. De-
  fault is '#'.

getpos.all.next
  When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest inter-
  esting thing. Default is 'a'.

getpos.all.prev
  When  asked  for  a location, the key to go to previous closest
  interesting thing. Default is 'A'.

getpos.door.next
  When asked for a location, the key to go to next  closest  door
  or doorway. Default is 'd'.

getpos.door.prev
  When  asked  for  a location, the key to go to previous closest
  door or doorway. Default is 'D'.

getpos.help
  When asked for a location, the key to  show  help.  Default  is
  '?'.

getpos.mon.next
  When  asked  for a location, the key to go to next closest mon-
  ster. Default is 'm'.

getpos.mon.prev
  When asked for a location, the key to go  to  previous  closest
  monster. Default is 'M'.

getpos.obj.next
  When  asked  for  a location, the key to go to next closest ob-
  ject. Default is 'o'.

getpos.obj.prev
  When asked for a location, the key to go  to  previous  closest
  object. Default is 'O'.

getpos.menu
  When  asked for a location, and using one of the next or previ-
  ous keys to cycle through targets, toggle showing  a  menu  in-
  stead. Default is '!'.

getpos.moveskip
  When  asked for a location, and using the shifted movement keys
  or meta-digit keys to fast-move around, move  by  skipping  the
  same glyphs instead of by 8 units. Default is '*'.

getpos.filter
  When asked for a location, change the filtering mode when using
  one of the next or previous keys to cycle through targets. Tog-
  gles  between  no filtering, in view only, and in the same area
  only. Default is '"'.

getpos.pick
  When asked for a location, the key to choose the location,  and
  possibly ask for more info. Default is '.'.

getpos.pick.once
  When  asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and
  skip asking for more info. Default is ','.

getpos.pick.quick
  When asked for a location, the key to choose the location, skip
  asking  for  more  info, and exit the location asking loop. De-
  fault is ';'.

getpos.pick.verbose
  When asked for a location, the key to choose the location,  and
  show more info without asking. Default is ':'.

getpos.self
  When  asked for a location, the key to go to your location. De-
  fault is '@'.

getpos.unexplored.next
  When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest  unex-
  plored location. Default is 'x'.

getpos.unexplored.prev
  When  asked  for  a location, the key to go to previous closest
  unexplored location. Default is 'X'.

getpos.valid
  When asked for a location, the key to go to show  valid  target
  locations. Default is '$'.

getpos.valid.next
  When  asked for a location, the key to go to next closest valid
  location. Default is 'z'.

getpos.valid.prev
  When asked for a location, the key to go  to  previous  closest
  valid location. Default is 'Z'.

nopickup
  Prefix key to move without picking up items. Default is 'm'.

redraw
  Key to redraw the screen. Default is '^R'.

redraw.numpad
  Key  to  redraw  the  screen.  With number_pad only. Default is
  '^L'.

repeat
  Key to repeat previous command. Default is '^A'.

reqmenu
  Prefix key to request menu from some commands. Default is 'm'.

run
  Prefix key to run towards a direction. Default is 'G'.

run.nopickup
  Prefix key to run towards a direction without picking up  items
  on the way. Default is 'M'.

run.numpad
  Prefix  key  to  run towards a direction. With number_pad only.
  Default is '5'.

rush
  Prefix key to rush towards a direction. Default is 'g'.

9.10.  Configuring Message Types

     You can change the way the messages are shown in the message
area, when the message matches a user-defined pattern.

     In general, the config file entries to configure the message
types look like this: MSGTYPE=type "pattern"

type         - how the message should be shown;
pattern      - the pattern to match.

  The pattern should be a regular expression.

  Allowed types are:

       show  - show message normally.
       hide  - never show the message.
       stop  - wait for user with more-prompt.
       norep - show the message once, but not again if no other message is shown in between.

  Here's an example of message  types  using  NetHack's  internal
  pattern matching facility:

       MSGTYPE=stop "You feel hungry."
       MSGTYPE=hide "You displaced *."

  specifies  that  whenever a message "You feel hungry" is shown,
  the user is prompted with more-prompt, and a  message  matching
  "You displaced <something>." is not shown at all.

  The  order  of the defined MSGTYPE-lines is important; the last
  matching rule is used. Put the general case  first,  exceptions
  below them.

9.11.  Configuring Menu Colors

     Some platforms allow you to define colors used in menu lines
when the line matches a user-defined pattern. At  this  time  the
tty, win32tty and win32gui support this.

     In  general,  the  config file entries to configure the menu
color mappings look like this:

     MENUCOLOR="pattern"=color&attribute

       pattern    - the pattern to match;
       color      - the color to use for lines matching the  pat-
                    tern;
       attribute  - the  attribute  to use for lines matching the
                    pattern. The attribute is  optional,  and  if
                    left out, you must also leave out the preced-
                    ing ampersand.  If no attribute  is  defined,
                    no attribute is used.

  The pattern should be a regular expression.

  Allowed  colors  are  black,  red, green, brown, blue, magenta,
  cyan, gray, orange, lightgreen, yellow, lightblue,  lightmagen-
  ta, lightcyan, and white.

  Allowed  attributes  are none, bold, dim, underline, blink, and
  inverse.  Note that the platform used  may  interpret  the  at-
  tributes any way it wants.

  Here's  an example of menu colors using NetHack's internal pat-
  tern matching facility:

       MENUCOLOR="* blessed *"=green
       MENUCOLOR="* cursed *"=red
       MENUCOLOR="* cursed *(being worn)"=red&underline

  specifies that any menu line with " blessed " contained  in  it
  will  be  shown  in  green color, lines with " cursed " will be
  shown in red, and lines with " cursed  "  followed  by  "(being
  worn)"  on  the same line will be shown in red color and under-
  lined.  You can have multiple MENUCOLOR entries in your  config
  file,  and  the  last  MENUCOLOR-line  in your config file that
  matches a menu line will be used for the line.

     Note that if you intend to have one or more color specifica-
tions  match " uncursed ", you will probably want to turn the im-
plicit_uncursed option off so that all items known to be uncursed
are actually displayed with the ``uncursed'' description.

9.12.  Configuring User Sounds

     Some  platforms allow you to define sound files to be played
when a message that matches a user-defined pattern  is  delivered
to the message window.  At this time the Qt port and the win32tty
and win32gui ports support the use of user sounds.

     The following config file entries are  relevant  to  mapping
user sounds to messages:

SOUNDDIR
  The directory that houses the sound files to be played.

SOUND
  An  entry  that  maps  a sound file to a user-specified message
  pattern.  Each SOUND entry is broken down  into  the  following
  parts:

  MESG       - message  window mapping (the only one supported in
               3.6);
  pattern    - the pattern to match;
  sound file - the sound file to play;
  volume     - the volume to be set while playing the sound file.

  The pattern should be a POSIX extended regular expression.

9.13.  Configuring Status Hilites

     Your copy of NetHack may have been compiled with support for
``Status  Hilites''.   If so, you can customize your game display
by setting thresholds to change the color or appearance of fields
in the status display.

     The format for defining status colors is:

     OPTION=hilite_status: field-name/behavior/color&attributes

     For  example,  the  following  line in your config file will
cause the hitpoints field to display in the  color  red  if  your
hitpoints drop to or below a threshold of 30%:

     OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<30%/red/normal

     For  another example, the following line in your config file
will cause wisdom to be displayed red if it drops and green if it
rises.

     OPTION=hilite_status: wisdom/down/red/up/green

     You can adjust the display of the following status fields:
            title             strength         dexterity
        constitution        intelligence        wisdom
          charisma           alignment           score
      carrying-capacity         gold             power
          power-max       experience-level    armor-class
             HD                 time            hunger
          hitpoints        hitpoints-max     dungeon-level
         experience          condition

  The  pseudo-field  `characteristics' can be used to set all six
  of Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha  at  once.   `HD'  is  `hit
  dice',  an  approximation  of  experience  level displayed when
  polymorphed.  `experience', `time', and `score' are  condition-
  ally displayed depending upon your other option settings.

  Instead  of  a behavior, `condition' takes the following condi-
  tion flags: stone, slime,  strngl,  foodpois,  termill,  blind,
  deaf,  stun, conf, hallu, lev, fly, and ride.  You can use `ma-
  jor_troubles' as an  alias  for  stone  through  termill,  `mi-
  nor_troubles' for blind through hallu, `movement' for lev, fly,
  and ride, and `all' for every condition.

  Allowed behaviors are "always", "up", "down", "changed", a per-
  centage  or  absolute  number  threshold,  or  a  text to match
  against.

     * "always" will set the default attributes for that field.

     * "up" and "down" set the  field  attributes  for  when  the
       field  value  changes upwards or downwards. This attribute
       times out after statushilites turns.

     * "changed" sets the field attribute for when the field val-
       ue  changes.  This attribute times out after statushilites
       turns.

     * percentage sets the field attribute when the  field  value
       matches the percentage. If the percentage is prefixed with
       '<' or '>', it also matches when value is below  or  above
       the  percentage.   Only  valid for `power' and `hitpoints'
       fields.

     * absolute value sets the attribute  when  the  field  value
       matches that number. If the number is prefixed with '<' or
       '>', it also matches when value is below or above.

     * text match sets the attribute when the field value matches
       the  text.  Text matches can only be used for `alignment',
       `carrying-capacity', and `dungeon-level'.

  Allowed colors are black, red,  green,  brown,  blue,  magenta,
  cyan,  gray, orange, lightgreen, yellow, lightblue, lightmagen-
  ta, lightcyan, and white.

  Allowed attributes are bold, inverse,  underline,  blink,  dim,
  and  normal.  Note that the platform used may interpret the at-
  tributes any way it wants.

  The in-game options menu can help  you  determine  the  correct
  syntax for a config file.

  The  whole feature  can  be  disabled  by  setting  option sta-
  tushilites to 0.

  Example hilites:

       OPTION=hilite_status: gold/up/yellow/down/brown
       OPTION=hilite_status: characteristics/up/green/down/red
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/100%/gray&normal
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<100%/green&normal
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<66%/yellow&normal
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<50%/orange&normal
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<33%/red&bold
       OPTION=hilite_status: hitpoints/<15%/red&inverse
       OPTION=hilite_status: condition/major/orange&inverse
       OPTION=hilite_status: condition/lev+fly/red&inverse

9.14.  Modifying NetHack Symbols

     NetHack can load entire symbol sets from the symbol file.

     The options that are used to select a particular symbol  set
from the symbol file are:

symset
  Set the name of the symbol set that you want to load.

roguesymset
  Set  the  name of the symbol set that you want to load for dis-
  play on the rogue level.

     You can also override one or more symbols using the  SYMBOLS
config  file  option.  Symbols are specified as name:value pairs.
Note that NetHack escape-processes the value  string  in  conven-
tional C fashion.  This means that \ is a prefix to take the fol-
lowing character literally. Thus \ needs to be represented as \\.
The special escape form \m switches on the meta bit in the symbol
value, and the \^ prefix causes the  following  character  to  be
treated as a control character.

                            NetHack Symbols
Default Symbol Name            Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
        S_air                  (air)
   _    S_altar                (altar)
   "    S_amulet               (amulet)
   A    S_angel                (angelic being)
   a    S_ant                  (ant or other insect)
   ^    S_anti_magic_trap      (anti-magic field)
   [    S_armor                (suit or piece of armor)
   [    S_armour               (suit or piece of armor)
   ^    S_arrow_trap           (arrow trap)
   0    S_ball                 (iron ball)
   #    S_bars                 (iron bars)
   B    S_bat                  (bat or bird)
   ^    S_bear_trap            (bear trap)
   -    S_blcorn               (bottom left corner)
   b    S_blob                 (blob)
   +    S_book                 (spellbook)
   )    S_boomleft             (boomerang open left)
   (    S_boomright            (boomerang open right)
   `    S_boulder              (boulder)
   -    S_brcorn               (bottom right corner)
   C    S_centaur              (centaur)
   _    S_chain                (iron chain)
   #    S_cloud                (cloud)
   c    S_cockatrice           (cockatrice)
   $    S_coin                 (pile of coins)
   #    S_corr                 (corridor)
   -    S_crwall               (wall)
   #    S_darkroom             (dark room)
   ^    S_dart_trap            (dart trap)
   &    S_demon                (major demon)
   *    S_digbeam              (dig beam)

   >    S_dnladder             (ladder down)
   >    S_dnstair              (staircase down)
   d    S_dog                  (dog or other canine)
   D    S_dragon               (dragon)
   ;    S_eel                  (sea monster)
   E    S_elemental            (elemental)
   /    S_explode1             (explosion top left)
   -    S_explode2             (explosion top center)
  `\'   S_explode3             (explosion top right)
   |    S_explode4             (explosion middle left)
        S_explode5             (explosion middle center)
   |    S_explode6             (explosion middle right)
  `\'   S_explode7             (explosion bottom left)
   -    S_explode8             (explosion bottom center)
   /    S_explode9             (explosion bottom right)
   e    S_eye                  (eye or sphere)
   ^    S_falling_rock_trap    (falling rock trap)
   f    S_feline               (cat or other feline)
   ^    S_fire_trap            (fire trap)
   !    S_flashbeam            (flash beam)
   %    S_food                 (piece of food)
   {    S_fountain             (fountain)
   F    S_fungus               (fungus or mold)
   *    S_gem                  (gem or rock)
        S_ghost                (ghost)
   H    S_giant                (giant humanoid)
   G    S_gnome                (gnome)
   '    S_golem                (golem)
   |    S_grave                (grave)
   g    S_gremlin              (gremlin)
   -    S_hbeam                (wall)
   #    S_hcdbridge            (horizontal raised drawbridge)
   +    S_hcdoor               (closed door)
   |    S_hodoor               (open door)
   ^    S_hole                 (hole)
   @    S_human                (human or elf)
   h    S_humanoid             (humanoid)
   -    S_hwall                (horizontal wall)
   i    S_imp                  (imp or minor demon)
   I    S_invisible            (invisible monster)
   J    S_jabberwock           (jabberwock)
   j    S_jelly                (jelly)
   k    S_kobold               (kobold)
   K    S_kop                  (Keystone Kop)
   ^    S_land_mine            (land mine)
   }    S_lava                 (molten lava)
   l    S_leprechaun           (leprechaun)
   ^    S_level_teleporter     (level teleporter)
   L    S_lich                 (lich)
   y    S_light                (light)
   #    S_litcorr              (lit corridor)
   :    S_lizard               (lizard)
  `\'   S_lslant               (wall)

   ^    S_magic_portal         (magic portal)
   ^    S_magic_trap           (magic trap)
   m    S_mimic                (mimic)
   ]    S_mimic_def            (mimic)
   M    S_mummy                (mummy)
   N    S_naga                 (naga)
   n    S_nymph                (nymph)
   O    S_ogre                 (ogre)
   o    S_orc                  (orc)
   p    S_piercer              (piercer)
   ^    S_pit                  (pit)
   #    S_poisoncloud          (poison cloud)
   ^    S_polymorph_trap       (polymorph trap)
   }    S_pool                 (water)
   !    S_potion               (potion)
   P    S_pudding              (pudding or ooze)
   q    S_quadruped            (quadruped)
   Q    S_quantmech            (quantum mechanic)
   =    S_ring                 (ring)
   `    S_rock                 (boulder or statue)
   r    S_rodent               (rodent)
   ^    S_rolling_boulder_trap (rolling boulder trap)
   /    S_rslant               (wall)
   ^    S_rust_trap            (rust trap)
   R    S_rustmonst            (rust monster or disenchanter)
   ?    S_scroll               (scroll)
   #    S_sink                 (sink)
   ^    S_sleeping_gas_trap    (sleeping gas trap)
   S    S_snake                (snake)
   s    S_spider               (arachnid or centipede)
   ^    S_spiked_pit           (spiked pit)
   ^    S_squeaky_board        (squeaky board)
   0    S_ss1                  (magic shield 1 of 4)
   #    S_ss2                  (magic shield 2 of 4)
   @    S_ss3                  (magic shield 3 of 4)
   *    S_ss4                  (magic shield 4 of 4)
   ^    S_statue_trap          (statue trap)
        S_stone                (dark part of a room)
   ]    S_strange_obj          (strange object)
   -    S_sw_bc                (swallow bottom center)
  `\'   S_sw_bl                (swallow bottom left)
   /    S_sw_br                (swallow bottom right)
   |    S_sw_ml                (swallow middle left)
   |    S_sw_mr                (swallow middle right)
   -    S_sw_tc                (swallow top center)
   /    S_sw_tl                (swallow top left)
  `\'   S_sw_tr                (swallow top right)
   -    S_tdwall               (wall)
   ^    S_teleportation_trap   (teleportation trap)
        S_throne               (opulent throne)
   -    S_tlcorn               (top left corner)
   |    S_tlwall               (wall)
   (    S_tool                 (useful item (pick-axe key lamp...))

   ^    S_trap_door            (trap door)
   t    S_trapper              (trapper or lurker above)
   -    S_trcorn               (top right corner)
   #    S_tree                 (tree)
   T    S_troll                (troll)
   |    S_trwall               (wall)
   -    S_tuwall               (wall)
   U    S_umber                (umber hulk)
   u    S_unicorn              (unicorn or horse)
   <    S_upladder             (ladder up)
   <    S_upstair              (staircase up)
   V    S_vampire              (vampire)
   |    S_vbeam                (wall)
   #    S_vcdbridge            (vertical raised drawbridge)
   +    S_vcdoor               (closed door)
   ^    S_vibrating_square     (vibrating square)
   -    S_vodoor               (open door)
   v    S_vortex               (vortex)
   |    S_vwall                (vertical wall)
   /    S_wand                 (wand)
   }    S_water                (water)
   )    S_weapon               (weapon)
   "    S_web                  (web)
   w    S_worm                 (worm)
   ~    S_worm_tail            (long worm tail)
   W    S_wraith               (wraith)
   x    S_xan                  (xan or other mythical/fantastic insect)
   X    S_xorn                 (xorn)
   Y    S_yeti                 (apelike creature)
   Z    S_zombie               (zombie)
   z    S_zruty                (zruty)

9.15.  Configuring NetHack for Play by the Blind

     NetHack  can be set up to use only standard ASCII characters
for making maps of the dungeons. This makes the  MS-DOS  versions
of  NetHack  completely  accessible  to  the blind who use speech
and/or Braille access technologies.  Players will require a  good
working  knowledge  of their screen-reader's review features, and
will have to know how to  navigate  horizontally  and  vertically
character  by character. They will also find the search capabili-
ties of their screen-readers to be quite valuable. Be certain  to
examine  this  Guidebook  before playing so you have an idea what
the screen layout is like. You'll also need to be able to  locate
the  PC  cursor.  It  is  always where your character is located.
Merely searching for an @-sign will not always find your  charac-
ter since there are other humanoids represented by the same sign.
Your screen-reader should also have a function  which  gives  you
the  row  and  column  of  your  review cursor and the PC cursor.
These co-ordinates are often useful in giving  players  a  better
sense of the overall location of items on the screen.

     NetHack  can  also  be compiled with support for sending the
game messages to an external program, such  as  a  text-to-speech

synthesizer.  If  the  #version  extended command shows "external
program as a message handler", your  NetHack  has  been  compiled
with  the capability. When compiling NetHack from source on Linux
and other POSIX systems, define MSGHANDLER to enable it.  To  use
the  capability,  set the environment variable NETHACK_MSGHANDLER
to an executable, which will be executed with the game message as
the program's only parameter.

     While  it is not difficult for experienced users to edit the
defaults.nh file to accomplish this, novices may find  this  task
somewhat  daunting.   Included within the ``symbols'' file of all
official distributions of NetHack is a  symset  called  NHAccess.
Selecting  that  symset in your configuration file will cause the
game to run in a manner accessible to the blind. After  you  have
gained  some experience with the game and with editing files, you
may want to alter settings via  SYMBOLS=  in  your  configuration
file  to better suit your preferences.  The most crucial settings
to make the game accessible are:

symset:NHAccess
  Load a symbol set appropriate for use by blind players.

roguesymset:NHAccess
  Load a symbol set for the rogue level that is  appropriate  for
  use by blind players.

menustyle:traditional
  This will assist in the interface to speech synthesizers.

nomenu_overlay
  Show menus on a cleared screen and aligned to the left edge.

number_pad
  A  lot  of  speech access programs use the number-pad to review
  the screen.  If this is the case, disable the number_pad option
  and use the traditional Rogue-like commands.

autodescribe
  Automatically  describe  the terrain under the cursor when tar-
  geting.

mention_walls
  Give feedback messages when walking  towards  a  wall  or  when
  travel command was interrupted.

whatis_coord:compass
  When  targeting  with cursor, describe the cursor position with
  coordinates relative to your character.

whatis_filter:area
  When targeting with cursor, filter possible locations  so  only
  those  in  the  same area (eg. same room, or same corridor) are
  considered.

whatis_moveskip
  When targeting with cursor and using fast-move, skip  the  same
  glyphs instead of moving 8 units at a time.

nostatus_updates
  Prevent  updates  to  the  status  lines  at  the bottom of the
  screen, if your screen-reader reads those lines. The  same  in-
  formation can be seen via the #attributes command.

9.16.  Global Configuration for System Administrators

     If  NetHack  is compiled with the SYSCF option, a system ad-
ministrator should set up a global configuration; this is a  file
in the same format as the traditional per-user configuration file
(see above).  This file should be named sysconf and placed in the
same  directory  as the other NetHack support files.  The options
recognized in this file are listed below.  Any option not set us-
es  a  compiled-in default (which may not be appropriate for your
system).

  WIZARDS = A space-separated list of user names who are  allowed
  to play in wizard mode (the debugging mode, not the magic-using
  role).  A value of a single asterisk (*) allows anyone to start
  a game in wizard mode.

  SHELLERS = A list of users who are allowed to use the shell es-
  cape command (!).  The syntax is the same as WIZARDS.

  EXPLORERS = A list of users who are allowed to use the  explore
  mode.  The syntax is the same as WIZARDS.

  MAXPLAYERS = Limit the maximum number of games that can be run-
  ning at the same time.

  SUPPORT = A string explaining how to get local support (no  de-
  fault value).

  RECOVER = A  string  explaining  how  to recover a game on this
  system (no default value).

  SEDUCE = 0 or 1 to disable or enable, respectively, the  SEDUCE
  option.  When disabled, incubi and succubi behave like nymphs.

  CHECK_PLNAME = Setting  this to 1 will make the EXPLORERS, WIZ-
  ARDS, and SHELLERS check for the player name instead of the us-
  er's login name.

  CHECK_SAVE_UID = 0 or 1 to disable or enable, respectively, the
  UID (used identification number) checking for  save  files  (to
  verify  that  the  user  who  is  restoring is the same one who
  saved).

     The following options affect the score file:

  PERSMAX = Maximum number of entries for one person.

  ENTRYMAX = Maximum number of entries in the score file.

  POINTSMIN = Minimum number of points to get  an  entry  in  the
  score file.

  PERS_IS_UID = 0  or 1 to use user names or numeric userids, re-
  spectively, to identify unique people for the score file.

  MAX_STATUENAME_RANK = Maximum number of score file  entries  to
  use for random statue names (default is 10).

  DUMPLOGFILE = A  filename  where  the  end-of-game  dumplog  is
  saved.  Not defining this will prevent dumplog from being  cre-
  ated. Only available if your game is compiled with DUMPLOG. Al-
  lows the following placeholders:

       %% - literal '%'
       %v - version (eg. "3.6.1-0")
       %u - game UID
       %t - game start time, UNIX timestamp format
       %T - current time, UNIX timestamp format
       %d - game start time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
       %D - current time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
       %n - player name
       %N - first character of player name

10.  Scoring

     NetHack maintains a list of the top  scores  or  scorers  on
your machine, depending on how it is set up.  In the latter case,
each account on the machine can post only one  non-winning  score
on  this  list.   If  you  score higher than someone else on this
list, or better your previous score, you will be inserted in  the
proper  place  under your current name.  How many scores are kept
can also be set up when NetHack is compiled.

     Your score is chiefly based upon  how  much  experience  you
gained, how much loot you accumulated, how deep you explored, and
how the game ended.  If you quit the game, you escape with all of
your  gold  intact.   If, however, you get killed in the Mazes of
Menace, the guild will only hear about 90% of your gold when your
corpse  is  discovered  (adventurers  have  been known to collect
finder's fees).  So, consider whether you want to take  one  last
hit  at  that  monster  and  possibly live, or quit and stop with
whatever you have.  If you quit, you keep all your gold,  but  if
you swing and live, you might find more.

     If  you  just want to see what the current top players/games
list is, you can type nethack -s all on most versions.

11.  Explore mode

     NetHack is an intricate and difficult game.   Novices  might
falter in fear, aware of their ignorance of the means to survive.
Well, fear not.  Your dungeon comes equipped with an  ``explore''
or ``discovery'' mode that enables you to keep old save files and
cheat death, at the paltry cost of not getting on the high  score
list.

     There  are  two  ways  of  enabling explore mode.  One is to
start the game with the -X command-line switch or with the  play-
mode:explore  option.  The other is to issue the ``#exploremode''
extended command while already playing the game.  Starting a  new
game in explore mode provides your character with a wand of wish-
ing in initial inventory; switching during play  does  not.   The
other  benefits of explore mode are left for the trepid reader to
discover.

11.1.  Debug mode

     Debug mode, also known as wizard mode, is undocumented aside
from  this  brief  description.  It is intended for tracking down
problems within the program rather than to provide god-like  pow-
ers  to your character, and players who attempt debugging are ex-
pected to figure out how to use it themselves.  It  is  initiated
by  starting the game with the -D command-line switch or with the
playmode:debug option.

     For some systems, the player must be logged in under a  par-
ticular  user  name  to be allowed to use debug mode; for others,
the hero must be given a particular character name  (but  may  be
any  role;  there's no connection between ``wizard mode'' and the
Wizard role).  And on any system, the  program  might  have  been
configured  to  omit  debug mode entirely.  Attempting to start a
game in debug mode when not allowed or not available will  result
in falling back to explore mode instead.

12.  Credits

     The  original  hack  game  was  modeled on the Berkeley UNIX
rogue game.   Large  portions  of  this  paper  were  shamelessly
cribbed  from  A Guide to the Dungeons of Doom, by Michael C. Toy
and Kenneth C. R. C. Arnold.  Small portions  were  adapted  from
Further Exploration of the Dungeons of Doom, by Ken Arromdee.

     NetHack is the product of literally dozens of people's work.
Main events in the course of the game development  are  described
below:

     Jay  Fenlason  wrote the original Hack, with help from Kenny
Woodland, Mike Thome and Jon Payne.

     Andries Brouwer did a major re-write, transforming Hack into
a  very  different  game, and published (at least) three versions
(1.0.1, 1.0.2, and 1.0.3) for UNIX machines to the Usenet.

     Don G. Kneller ported Hack 1.0.3 to Microsoft C and  MS-DOS,
producing  PC  HACK 1.01e, added support for DEC Rainbow graphics
in version 1.03g, and went on to produce at least four more  ver-
sions (3.0, 3.2, 3.51, and 3.6).

     R.  Black  ported  PC  HACK  3.51 to Lattice C and the Atari
520/1040ST, producing ST Hack 1.03.

     Mike Stephenson merged these various versions back together,
incorporating  many  of  the added features, and produced NetHack
1.4.  He then coordinated a cast of thousands  in  enhancing  and
debugging NetHack 1.4 and released NetHack versions 2.2 and 2.3.

     Later, Mike coordinated a major rewrite of the game, heading
a team which included Ken Arromdee, Jean-Christophe Collet, Steve
Creps, Eric Hendrickson, Izchak Miller, John Rupley, Mike Threep-
oint, and Janet Walz, to produce NetHack 3.0c.

     NetHack 3.0 was ported to the Atari by  Eric  R.  Smith,  to
OS/2  by  Timo Hakulinen, and to VMS by David Gentzel.  The three
of them and Kevin Darcy later joined the main development team to
produce subsequent revisions of 3.0.

     Olaf  Seibert ported NetHack 2.3 and 3.0 to the Amiga.  Norm
Meluch, Stephen Spackman and Pierre  Martineau  designed  overlay
code  for  PC  NetHack 3.0.  Johnny Lee ported NetHack 3.0 to the
Macintosh.  Along with various other Dungeoneers, they  continued
to  enhance  the PC, Macintosh, and Amiga ports through the later
revisions of 3.0.

     Headed by Mike Stephenson and coordinated by  Izchak  Miller
and  Janet  Walz, the development team which now included Ken Ar-
romdee, David Cohrs, Jean-Christophe Collet,  Kevin  Darcy,  Matt
Day,  Timo Hakulinen, Steve Linhart, Dean Luick, Pat Rankin, Eric
Raymond, and Eric Smith undertook  a  radical  revision  of  3.0.
They re-structured the game's design, and re-wrote major parts of
the code.  They added multiple dungeons, a new  display,  special
individual  character  quests,  a  new endgame and many other new
features, and produced NetHack 3.1.

     Ken Lorber, Gregg Wonderly and Greg Olson,  with  help  from
Richard  Addison,  Mike  Passaretti,  and Olaf Seibert, developed
NetHack 3.1 for the Amiga.

     Norm Meluch and Kevin Smolkowski, with help from Carl  Sche-
lin, Stephen Spackman, Steve VanDevender, and Paul Winner, ported
NetHack 3.1 to the PC.

     Jon W{tte and Hao-yang Wang, with help from Ross Brown, Mike
Engber,  David  Hairston, Michael Hamel, Jonathan Handler, Johnny

Lee, Tim Lennan, Rob Menke, and Andy Swanson,  developed  NetHack
3.1 for the Macintosh, porting it for MPW.  Building on their de-
velopment, Barton House added a Think C port.

     Timo Hakulinen ported NetHack 3.1 to OS/2.  Eric Smith port-
ed  NetHack  3.1 to the Atari.  Pat Rankin, with help from Joshua
Delahunty, was responsible for the VMS version  of  NetHack  3.1.
Michael Allison ported NetHack 3.1 to Windows NT.

     Dean  Luick,  with  help from David Cohrs, developed NetHack
3.1 for X11.  Warwick Allison wrote a tiled  version  of  NetHack
for  the Atari; he later contributed the tiles to the DevTeam and
tile support was then added to other platforms.

     The 3.2 development team, comprised of Michael Allison,  Ken
Arromdee,  David  Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Steve Creps, Kevin Darcy,
Timo Hakulinen, Steve  Linhart,  Dean  Luick,  Pat  Rankin,  Eric
Smith,  Mike  Stephenson,  Janet  Walz, and Paul Winner, released
version 3.2 in April of 1996.

     Version 3.2 marked the tenth anniversary of the formation of
the  development team.  In a testament to their dedication to the
game, all thirteen members of the original development  team  re-
mained  on the team at the start of work on that release.  During
the interval between the release of 3.1.3 and  3.2,  one  of  the
founding  members of the development team, Dr. Izchak Miller, was
diagnosed with cancer and passed away.  That release of the  game
was dedicated to him by the development and porting teams.

     During the lifespan of NetHack 3.1 and 3.2, several enthusi-
asts of the game added their own modifications to  the  game  and
made these ``variants'' publicly available:

     Tom  Proudfoot  and  Yuval Oren created NetHack++, which was
quickly renamed NetHack--.  Working independently, Stephen  White
wrote  NetHack Plus.  Tom Proudfoot later merged NetHack Plus and
his own NetHack-- to produce SLASH.  Larry Stewart-Zerba and War-
wick  Allison  improved  the spell casting system with the Wizard
Patch.  Warwick Allison also ported NetHack to use the Qt  inter-
face.

     Warren  Cheung  combined SLASH with the Wizard Patch to pro-
duce Slash'em, and with the help of Kevin Hugo, added  more  fea-
tures.   Kevin later joined the DevTeam and incorporated the best
of these ideas in NetHack 3.3.

     The final update to 3.2 was the bug fix release 3.2.3, which
was  released  simultaneously with 3.3.0 in December 1999 just in
time for the Year 2000.

     The 3.3 development team, consisting of Michael Allison, Ken
Arromdee,  David  Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Steve Creps, Kevin Darcy,
Timo Hakulinen, Kevin  Hugo,  Steve  Linhart,  Ken  Lorber,  Dean
Luick,  Pat  Rankin, Eric Smith, Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz, and

Paul Winner, released 3.3.0 in December 1999 and 3.3.1 in  August
of 2000.

     Version 3.3 offered many firsts. It was the first version to
separate race and profession. The Elf class was removed in  pref-
erence to an elf race, and the races of dwarves, gnomes, and orcs
made their first appearance in the game  alongside  the  familiar
human  race.  Monk and Ranger roles joined Archeologists, Barbar-
ians,  Cavemen,  Healers,  Knights,  Priests,  Rogues,   Samurai,
Tourists,  Valkyries  and  of  course,  Wizards.  It was also the
first version to allow you to ride a steed,  and  was  the  first
version  to  have  a  publicly available web-site listing all the
bugs that had been discovered.  Despite that  constantly  growing
bug  list,  3.3 proved stable enough to last for more than a year
and a half.

     The 3.4 development team initially consisted of Michael  Al-
lison,  Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Kevin Hugo, Ken
Lorber, Dean Luick, Pat Rankin, Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz,  and
Paul  Winner,  with   Warwick Allison joining just before the re-
lease of NetHack 3.4.0 in March 2002.

     As with version 3.3, various people contributed to the  game
as a whole as well as supporting ports on the different platforms
that NetHack runs on:

     Pat Rankin maintained 3.4 for VMS.

     Michael Allison maintained NetHack 3.4 for the MS-DOS  plat-
form.  Paul Winner and Yitzhak Sapir provided encouragement.

     Dean  Luick, Mark Modrall, and Kevin Hugo maintained and en-
hanced the Macintosh port of 3.4.

     Michael Allison, David Cohrs, Alex  Kompel,  Dion  Nicolaas,
and  Yitzhak  Sapir maintained and enhanced 3.4 for the Microsoft
Windows platform.  Alex Kompel contributed a new graphical inter-
face  for  the Windows port.  Alex Kompel also contributed a Win-
dows CE port for 3.4.1.

     Ron Van Iwaarden was the sole maintainer of NetHack for OS/2
the  past several releases. Unfortunately Ron's last OS/2 machine
stopped working in early 2006. A great many  thanks  to  Ron  for
keeping NetHack alive on OS/2 all these years.

     Janne  Salmijarvi  and  Teemu Suikki maintained and enhanced
the Amiga port of 3.4 after Janne Salmijarvi resurrected  it  for
3.3.1.

     Christian  ``Marvin''  Bressler maintained 3.4 for the Atari
after he resurrected it for 3.3.1.

     The release of NetHack 3.4.3 in December 2003 marked the be-
ginning of a long release hiatus. 3.4.3 proved to be a remarkably

stable version that provided continued enjoyment by the community
for  more than a decade. The devteam slowly and quietly continued
to work on the game behind the scenes during the tenure of 3.4.3.
It  was during that same period that several new variants emerged
within the NetHack community. Notably sporkhack by Derek S.  Ray,
unnethack  by Patric Mueller, nitrohack and its successors origi-
nally by Daniel Thaler and then by Alex Smith,  and  Dynahack  by
Tung  Nguyen.  Some  of  those variants continue to be developed,
maintained, and enjoyed by the community to this day.

     In September 2014, an interim snapshot of the code under de-
velopment was released publicly by other parties. Since that code
was a work-in-progress and had not gone through  the  process  of
debugging  it as a suitable release, it was decided that the ver-
sion numbers present on that code snapshot would be  retired  and
never  used  in  an official NetHack release. An announcement was
posted on the devteam's official nethack.org website to that  ef-
fect,  stating  that  there would never be a 3.4.4, 3.5, or 3.5.0
official release version.

     In January  2015,  preparation  began  for  the  release  of
NetHack 3.6.

     At  the  beginning  of development for what would eventually
get released as 3.6.0, the development team consisted of  Warwick
Allison,  Michael Allison, Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Col-
let, Ken Lorber, Dean Luick, Pat Rankin, Mike  Stephenson,  Janet
Walz,  and  Paul  Winner.  In early 2015, ahead of the release of
3.6.0, new members Sean Hunt, Pasi Kallinen,  and  Derek  S.  Ray
joined the NetHack development team.

     The  3.6  versions  of  the game are special in a particular
way. Near the end of the development of 3.6.0, one of the signif-
icant  inspirations  for  many  of  the humorous and fun features
found in the game, author Terry Pratchett, passed away.  The  3.6
versions of the game include a tribute to him.

     3.6.0 was released in December 2015, and merged work done by
the development team since the release of 3.4.3 with some of  the
beloved community patches. Many bugs were fixed and some code was
restructured.

     In 2018, several hundred bug fixes for 3.6.0  and  some  new
features were assembled and released as NetHack 3.6.1. The devel-
opment team at the time of release of 3.6.1 consisted of  Warwick
Allison,Michael  Allison,  Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Col-
let, Pasi Kallinen, Ken Lorber, Dean Luick, Patric  Mueller,  Pat
Rankin,  Derek  S.  Ray, Alex Smith, Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz,
and Paul Winner.

     The development team, as well as Steve VanDevender and Kevin
Smolkowski, ensured that NetHack 3.6 continued to operate on var-
ious Unix flavors and maintained the X11 interface.

     Ken Lorber, Haoyang Wang, Pat Rankin, and Dean  Luick  main-
tained the port of NetHack 3.6 for Mac OSX.

     Michael  Allison,  David Cohrs, Barton House, Pasi Kallinen,
Alex Kompel, Dion Nicolaas, Derek S. Ray and Yitzhak Sapir  main-
tained the port of NetHack 3.6 for Microsoft Windows.

     Pat  Rankin  attempted  to  keep  the  VMS  port running for
NetHack 3.6.1, hindered by limited access. Kevin  Smolkowski  has
updated  and  tested  it  for  the most recent version of OpenVMS
(V8.4 as of this writing) on Alpha and Integrity (aka Itanium aka
IA64) but not VAX.

     Ray Chason resurrected the msdos port for 3.6.1 and contrib-
uted the necessary updates to the community at large.

     The official NetHack web site is maintained by Ken Lorber at
http://www.nethack.org/.

12.1.  SPECIAL THANKS

     On behalf of the NetHack community, thank you very much once
again to M. Drew Streib, Pasi Kallinen and Robin Bandy  for  pro-
viding  public NetHack servers at nethack.alt.org and devnull.net
and/or for hosting annual NetHack tournaments.

          - - - - - - - - - -

     From time to time, some depraved  individual  out  there  in
netland  sends a particularly intriguing modification to help out
with the game.  The Gods of the Dungeon sometimes  make  note  of
the  names  of the worst of these miscreants in this, the list of
Dungeoneers:

     Adam Aronow            J. Ali Harlow           Mikko Juola
     Alex Kompel              Janet Walz            Nathan Eady
     Alex Smith            Janne Salmijarvi         Norm Meluch
    Andreas Dorn        Jean-Christophe Collet      Olaf Seibert
     Andy Church             Jeff Bailey           Pasi Kallinen
    Andy Swanson            Jochen Erwied            Pat Rankin
    Ari Huttunen             John Kallen           Patric Mueller
    Barton House             John Rupley            Paul Winner
 Benson I. Margulies         John S. Bien         Pierre Martineau
      Bill Dyer               Johnny Lee             Ralf Brown
  Boudewijn Waijers           Jon W{tte              Ray Chason
      Bruce Cox            Jonathan Handler       Richard Addison
   Bruce Holloway          Joshua Delahunty        Richard Beigel
   Bruce Mewborne           Keizo Yamamoto       Richard P. Hughey
    Carl Schelin              Ken Arnold             Rob Menke
     Chris Russo             Ken Arromdee           Robin Bandy
     David Cohrs              Ken Lorber           Robin Johnson
   David Damerell           Ken Washikita        Roderick Schertler
    David Gentzel            Kevin Darcy           Roland McGrath
   David Hairston             Kevin Hugo          Ron Van Iwaarden
     Dean Luick              Kevin Sitze           Ronnen Miller
      Del Lamb             Kevin Smolkowski          Ross Brown
    Derek S. Ray             Kevin Sweet          Sascha Wostmann
    Deron Meranda            Lars Huttar            Scott Bigham
    Dion Nicolaas            Leon Arnott          Scott R. Turner
   Dylan O'Donnell          M. Drew Streib           Sean Hunt
     Eric Backus             Malcolm Ryan         Stephen Spackman
  Eric Hendrickson          Mark Gooderum        Stefan Thielscher
    Eric R. Smith            Mark Modrall          Stephen White
   Eric S. Raymond         Marvin Bressler          Steve Creps
    Erik Andersen            Matthew Day           Steve Linhart
  Frederick Roeber           Merlyn LeRoy        Steve VanDevender
     Gil Neiger            Michael Allison          Teemu Suikki
     Greg Laskin             Michael Feir            Tim Lennan
     Greg Olson             Michael Hamel          Timo Hakulinen
   Gregg Wonderly          Michael Sokolov            Tom Almy
    Hao-yang Wang            Mike Engber              Tom West
    Helge Hafting            Mike Gallop           Warren Cheung
Irina Rempt-Drijfhout      Mike Passaretti        Warwick Allison
    Izchak Miller          Mike Stephenson         Yitzhak Sapir

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