'Rogue' was one of the first 'dungeons and dragons' games, developed for Unix systems in the 1970s and 1980s. It was unique in that every game is different and was the first to utilise software to place cursors on the screen.
The object of the game is simple: to negotiate 26 levels, find 'the amulet of Yendor' (Rodney spelt backward) and return to the surface. Until the amulet is found you can't go up a level. The adversaries are 26 types of monsters (denoted 'A' to 'Z' on the screen) which can injure you in various ways. To assist you, you can find food ':', scrolls '?', potions '!', weapons ')' wands '/' armour ']' and rings '=' - to keep the score you can also find gold '*'. You will also see traps once activated '^'. rooms have entrances '+' walls, '-' and '|' and there are passages '#'. You may have to search for hidden entrances and passages. There is a stairway '%' on each level. Inside rooms are shown as rows of '...' - there can be from 2 up to 5 rows of dots for each room. The screen (80 X 25) is split into 9 areas (3x3) which can be rooms or passages. All the 9 areas will be interlinked. In addition there are two special levels 'Tulgay Wood' and a single large room. These appear randomly. Finally there may be a 'super room' on a level. This contains lots of items and lots of monsters.
At the top of the screen there is a simple message line and at the bottom is a status bar containing the following information
| Level | Indicating what level of the dungeon you are at. This helps you spot when certain monsters will appear |
| Gold | How much gold you have collected. This is used to rank the daily players. Initially this is 0 |
| HP .. (..) | HP = Hit Points and indicates how much damage you can sustain and the maximum you can have. When your Hit Points reach 0 you die. (You can also die of starvation). Initially this is 12 (12) |
| Str: .. (..) | Shows how strong you are and your maximum strength. Your strength is an indication of the damage you can do in your turn when hitting a creature. (This is not linear). Initially this is 16 (16) |
| Arm: | Armour Class: The higher the value the better your armour meaning you are less likely to be hit and if you are suffer less damage. Initially your armour class is 4. |
| Exp: ../... | Your experience. As you defeat monsters your experience goes up. At certain points (10*2^n) your experience level increases. An increase in experience level gives you more hit points and means that you recover quicker after being injured and are more likely to hit monsters. Initially this is 1 / 0 |
To play the game click here
For further basic guide click here. - the notes below are intended as an extra in many cases to this guide.
Below are guides to using the various objects in the Dungeon.
Amulet | Food | Gold | Potions | Armour | Scrolls | Weapons | Rings | Wands | Monsters | Traps | Options | Super Rooms | Heuristic
Many players have never seen it - it is located on level 26 (best found with a potion of 'detect things'). Once you have it you can go UP the staircases 'with a gut-wrenching feeling'. When you go UP levels you have already been to you do NOT get the same structure - it is randomly generated. You do NOT get any more objects (even Nymphs are objectless) but you DO get more gold. You do not need food and the monsters are still restricted to their levels - you may thus at level one have 115 hit points recovering up to 5 every 3 moves fighting against bats, hobgoblins, kestrels, emus and snakes.
Once you leave the dungeon a screen appears with your name in '@' signs saying how you sold the riches you found in the dungeon. Better still - your name appears with --* WINNER *-- on the days leader board.
There are two types of food: Normal food (which may taste disgusting and gain you an experience point but does not last as long) and a fruit - initially a 'slime mould' but you can rename it.
The key difference is that all 'food' counts a 1 item in your inventory - so you may see 'a) 6 rations of food'. However each fruit is different and occupies 1 item in your inventory e.g. 'k) a slime mould'. HINT Eat your 'fruit' first. This frees up your inventory.
The first time you are hungry should be at the end of level 3 or, if lucky, the start of level 4.
Wearing rings (other than adornment or 'slow digestion') burns up your food more quickly.
Gold is the measure of ranking - you will find several gold piles on each level but only one per room unless you kill a Leprechaun.
Unless you really want a high ranking, I would avoid going out of the way to collect gold.
You lose gold if you are hit by a Leprechaun (L). If you kill a Leprechaun however a pile of gold is left for you.
Generally potions have a transitory effect on yourself. This may be good (healing, extra healing, sense objects, sense monsters, see invisible, haste self) or bad (confusion, blindness, hallucination). There is also 'levitation' whose only value would seem to be to get over traps. However some are permanent.
Initially potions are identified by colour (which changes from game to game so you can't identify a potion before drinking it) or using a scroll of identify. Ideally you want to quaff: Poison, restore strength, increase strength in that order.
Taking a potion in a fight (especially an unknown one!) is an act of desperation, however it may be necessary - remember that the monster will have a free attack while you drink it, so you may lose most of the hit points you gain.
Because
It is best to hold onto potions until your experience is 320 (experience level 7) and you start a new level of the dungeon. Experience level 8 is a key level - you recover twice as fast as level 7. You will find that this is close to level 11 of the dungeon (Troll country).
If you don't want to wait that long then try quaffing the potions one experience level earlier - this will be about level 7 of the dungeon and will be at the same time as you read the scrolls.
Keep bad potions - a Nymph may steal one in preference to a good item
There are two sorts: 'healing' - which increases hit-points by 1 third and, if at maximum, adds one to your maximum hit points, and 'extra healing' which increases hit-points by 2 thirds and, if at maximum adds 2 hit points. Extra healing also cures 'confusion' which can be vital if attacked by a Medusa. Both potions cure blindness.
There is a lot to be said for quaffing healing potions when at maximum health to get the extra hit-point.
Going up a level increases your hitpoints (by 2+RND(8)) so you expect to gain 6 or 7. It also improves your rate of recuperation and makes it more likely for you to hit a monster or for the monster to miss you. You really want to use these at the higher levels. There is nothing worse then quaffing a 'raise level' and go from level 2 to level 3!
Note the hit points for each level:
| Level | Hit Points to reach | Typical HP | Notes about each level |
| 1 | 0 | 12 | Hobgoblins are the worst. You will die on level one most often! |
| 2 | 10 | 20 | You can probably withstand 1 low increment e.g. 3 or 4 points |
| 3 | 20 | 26 |
You should have no bother working through these levels, unless unlucky e.g. a super room or getting sandwiched in a passageway. It is usually a race to reach level 6 before Centaurs appear. |
| 4 | 40 | 33 | |
| 5 | 80 | 40 | |
| 6 | 160 | 46 |
These are the two levels where scrolls are read and potions quaffed - wands are tested as soon as found - and called as appropriate. Many a time I die before reaching this spot. |
| 7 | 320 | 53 | |
| 8 | 640 | 60 | If you can kill centaurs this should be no problem. |
| 9 | 1300 | 66 |
This is the area where you meet Wraiths who can in effect remove all the experience points earned from one level to the next. Nasty creatures - try and kill at a distance. |
| 10 | 2500 | 73 | |
| 11 | 5000 | 80 |
The maximum experience points you can get from any one creature is 5000 (Dragon) so once you reach level 14 you would need to kill the equivalent of 8 dragons to get to level 15! Or you could quaff a 'raise level' potion! Quaffing 4 or 5 healing potions will get you the difference in hit points - but not the rate of improvement in health or fighting. Once you reach level 15, you will generally have so many hit points and recover so quick that only stupidity will kill you. |
| 12 | 10000 | 87 | |
| 13 | 20000 | 93 | |
| 14 | 40000 | 100 | |
| 15 | 80000 | 107 | |
| 16 | 160000 | 114 |
The higher your armour class the less likely you are to be hit and the less damage a creature will do to you. Initially you start of at armour class 4.
You pick up armour any level after the first level. There is a small chance that the armour may be enchanted (+1 - +3) or cursed (-1 - -3). The best armour available randomly is +3 plate mail (10).You can't remove cursed armour unless reading a scroll of remove curse , protect Armour or enchant armour.
Different types of armour have different 'native' armour classes ranging from 2 (leather) to split/ banded (6) and plate (7). The possibility of enchanted armour means that you should try on all chain, split, banded and plate armour.
You do not really need a heavier armour class than 4 until you reach level 6 or 7 of the dungeon (Centaurs). Since the armour may weaken due to a water trap in a room (other than leather armour), keep your best armour safe until this point. You can of course have the armour on when going through a passageway in case you meet a monster (at least to level 8 - see below).
There are two scrolls ('enchant armour - your armour glows blue for a second', and protect armour - your armour is surrounded by a golden field) that help your armour so make sure you have your best armour on before reading your scrolls. In addition there is a ring of sustain armour.
If you haven't protected your armour - by scroll or ring then from level 9 to level 18 you have to watch out for Aquators. An Aquator attack will generally weaken your armour class twice. It is best wisdom to use a second or third best armour initially for these levels.
Keep bad armour - a Nymph may steal one in preference to a good item
Scrolls tend to have an effect on objects you have and monsters rather than yourself (other than sleep).
Because
The best time to read the scrolls is when you have a two-handed sword and armour of at least class 7. This is usually level 7 or 8 of the dungeon and have just dropped down a level.
Before you read your scrolls try on all possible decent suits of armour, rings, swords and two-handed swords. If anything is cursed then hope you have a 'remove curse' scroll.
This scroll is unique in that it is used by dropping it. Monsters will NOT attack you while you are on it and if dropped in a passageway / doorway will not proceed. The disadvantage is that it can only be picked up once HOWEVER you can MOVE 'm' onto it again and gain the benefit.
In theory dropping the scroll means that you are safe from any monster on that level - if in trouble rush back to the scroll and kill the monster pursuing you. If you are well endowed with food and have a ring of slow digestion, you can even stay there for a while killing monsters to gain experience (as well as recovering hit points) or even reading your create monster scroll.
This is particularly useful if landing in or finding a 'super room' or if the level is the large room. It is useful for Tulgay Wood but in this level you don't know how many monsters there are because they may be hidden by the trees.
In theory you can test if a scroll is scare monster by seeing if a creature goes on it when coming towards you. This does NOT work if you have attacked the creature as it will pick up and destroy the scroll en-passant. If you do find that the monster misses the scroll then you can use the 'call it' function (c) to remind you.
Scare monster scrolls are relatively rare so should be used only in desperation
Although not as effective as Scare monster, hold monster will help you if you get caught between two nasty monsters in a passageway - you can then recover hit points by resting, kill the easier and make an escape - it also has the benefit that monsters can't get past the other frozen one - which may give you time to recover. It also has the advantage in the large room/ Tulgay wood, in that you can let the monsters gather round you, read the scroll and then finish them off one by one.
Only keep these if you hope a nymph will steal one of them. Create monster can be read if you are sitting on a scroll of scare monster - to boost your experience.
Watch out for isolated '.' - these are traps and you can avoid them/ lure monsters on them. A magic map is a great aid in exploring a level quickly and efficiently.
As mentioned - have your best armour on and wield your best weapon to take maximum advantage. The colour (****) will vary from game to game.
In general identify : rings/ staves/ potions/ scrolls in that order. You may wish to identify a weapon if you have two or more of the same and want to find out the best. Hint: If you want to do this look at the weapon you are NOT wielding. If the one you look at is a +0, +0 or cursed then there is no point using it. From experience the percentage of identification scrolls increases the further you go down the dungeon.
Each weapon has two characteristics : accuracy and damage. accuracy increases the chance the weapon will deal a blow and damage indicates whether the damage caused will be changed. Most weapons you find will be +0 +0 however they can range from -3 -3 to +3 +3. Reading a scroll of enchant weapon will increase either the damage or accuracy by 1. Weapons with -ve increments are cursed and cannot be put down until a 'remove curse' or 'enchant weapon' scroll is read. Nevertheless a cursed two-handed sword MAY be better than a +1 +1 mace.
If in doubt go for a weapon with enhanced accuracy (1st figure). Unless you hit the creature you can't hurt it!
Each weapon does damage calculated by 'rolling' dice. Damage can be caused by throwing (ranged attacks) or 'wielding' melee. Obviously you wield swords and maces for melee attacks, throw arrows, darts, daggers, shurikens. Wield a short bow when throwing arrows to improve the aim.
Some creatures are DEFINITELY better attacking at a distance. These include Ice Monsters (Ignore these if possible) Nymphs (useful to get another object) and Wraiths. I would keep shurikens/ arrows as long as possible, but use up the daggers and darts whenever available. (Especially on rattlesnakes!) A wand of cancellation is of use.
The main problems with rings are identification and that some can be cursed - teleportation, -ve increments of damage/ dexterity/ strength, aggravate monster.
Putting on rings just prior to reading the scrolls is the best idea - then if any are cursed you have a good chance of uncursing them.
Wearing rings causes you to use up food faster (other than slow digestion) - only use rings when necessary e.g. sustain armour when facing an aquator with unprotected armour, sustain strength when facing a rattlesnake OR quaffing potions (in case one is poison)
Once uncursed, a ring of teleportation is useful to get you away from a monster as you run
Most wands are useful however they have a limited number of 'charges' and you don't know whether there are any left unless you have used an identification scroll on it.
Once you find out what a wand does then use the 'call it' facility to remind you.
If a monster disappears, it MIGHT have been teleported away OR be just invisible. Throw an arrow at it and find out.
Wands are better used at lower levels - at higher levels brute force is usually sufficient.
If you want to test a wand then try it on something harmless - a Leprechaun, a bat, an Aquator (take off armour). Do NOT try it on something nasty in case it is haste monster.
One advantage of 'Polymorph' is that the monster stops moving. You can build a barrier of monsters sometimes if caught in a 'super room' to stop them swamping you.
There are several types of traps.
You can use them to your advantage
A super room is one that is full of monsters and objects. IF you can survive then you gain a lot of experience points AND lots of objects - some of which may be useful.
If you arrive in a super room at the start of a level then see if you can get our either by the exit or using teleportation. Failing that dropping a scare monster scroll, reading a hold-monster scroll when surrounded, retreating to a corner, teleporting monsters away with a staff are your (not so) viable options.
If you don't arrive at the start then you will find the room at the end of a passage. If there are no monsters in front of you then you can throw things or zap ahead to weaken the monsters. Do NOT fight the monsters at the opening to the room unless you are on maximum hit points - gradually go back down the passageway to the previous room entrance.
Why? Well most monsters move directly towards you. This means that they find it very hard to follow a passageway where there is a 180 degree kink - so in some cases instead of fighting on the doorway , move one step in the direction of the passage.
| # | # | M | M | M | M | |
| - | + | - | - | - | - | - |
| . | .. | M | @ | . | . | . |
This way you can deal with the monsters 1 or two at a time and then go back (to the right) and recover.
As mentioned previously - scrolls of scare monster or hold monster are useful - or you could polymorph a creature in the passageway to block it.
Also watch out for Bats in front of you - you may be able to retire as bats can find it hard to negotiate passages. For different reasons ice Monsters are nasty - in a super room they MOVE - in normal rooms they are stationary. Aquators also do not hurt you and you can recover whilst under attack from them
| Level | Welcome | Say Goodbye to | Comments | Danger | Technique |
| 1 | B(ats) | Flit around but tend to follow you | Low | Wait till close | |
| E(mus) | Cannon Fodder | Low | |||
| H(obgoblins) | Dangerous | High | Run | ||
| K(estrels) | Can move twice as fast | Low | |||
| S(nakes) | Cannon Fodder | Low | |||
| 2 | I(ce Monster) | Stationery - can freeze/ kill you | Low - stationary High - moving |
Leave alone if possible Ranged attack if necessary |
|
| 3 | R(attlesnake) | Can weaken you. Can be difficult to kill | High | Ranged attack if possible | |
| 4 | O(rc) | Similar to Hobgoblin - bit harder to kill May run to gold |
Low | ||
| 5 | Z(ombie) | Canon Fodder | Low | ||
| 6 | L(eprechaun) | K(estrel) | Easy if you don't mind losing gold but always asleep | Low | Ranged attack if wanting to keep gold |
| 7 | C(entaur) | E(mu) | Need good armour/ weapon. Often asleep | High | A good weapon and armour help a lot. |
| 8 | B(at) | ||||
| 9 | A(quator) | S(nake) | Easy if armour protected | Low | Remove armour before attacking |
| 10 | Q(uagga) | H(obgoblin) | Consistent damage | High | |
| 11 | N(ymph) | I(ce monster) | Steals things - but always asleep | Low | Ranged attacks - can be a good source of objects |
| 12 | Y(eti) | R(attlesnake) | If you can handle Centaurs no problem | Medium | |
| 13 | T(rolls) | O(rcs) | First Really Nasty Creature | Very High | Up to now brute force has been OK - from now on you will start to need magic |
| 14 | W(raith) | Can reduce your experience level | Low | You recover one level on killing it but have lost experience to next level | |
| 15 | F(ungi) | Stationary but attacks | Medium | No problem unless attacked by a second monster | |
| 16 | P(hantom) | L(eprechaun) | Invisible unless see-invisible Flits |
High or Medium | |
| 17 | U(nicorn) | C(entaur) | Very strong | Very High | Difficult to hit - will need loops or slow monster etc |
| 18 | M(edusa) | A(quator) | Strong, confuses you | Very High | Ranged attacks - make invisible |
| 19 | X(eroc) | Q(uagga) | Pretends to be something else | Low | Will appear Green if options set for sleeping monsters |
| 20 | V(ampire) | N(ymph) | Reduces maximum HP and/ or strength | Medium | |
| 21 | J(abberwock) | Y(eti) | Very strong | Very High | Need magic to kill it |
| 22 | D(ragon) | T(roll) | Strong, ranged attack | Very High | |
| G(riffin) | Moves twice as fast | Very High | |||
| 23 | W(raith) | ||||
| 24 | F(ungi) | ||||
| 25 | P(hantom) | ||||
| 26 | U(nicorn) |
There is NO guaranteed way to win this game. If you land in a super-room or get caught in a dragon sandwich with no means of escape then you will die. Hence this is a heuristic, not an algorithm.
Basic points :
If drop a level too early due to a trap, put on accursed ring and no remove curse then quit. If reaching experience level 6 and less than 45 hit points then quit. Also quit if level 3 and less than 22 Hit Points
Level 1
The key point at level 1 is to survive it and get your experience up to 10 - experience level 2. Once up to 20 HP you can deal with Hobgoblins.
Level 2
Avoid Ice monsters unless impossible - e.g. blocking doorways. If so throw arrows at them!
Level 3
Try and deal with rattlesnakes at a distance
Levels 4-6 should now be a doddle. Now enter level 7 and read the scrolls.
At the start of level 7 - having read the scrolls you should have:
If you don't have the above then your first centaur will probably kill you.
Level 9 - Watch out for Aquators (easy source of experience if your armour is protected)
Level 10-12 should be no problem - remember to kill Nymphs from a distance and hope they drop something nice. Quaff potions if not done earlier if experience up to level 7 (320).
Level 13 - TROLLS. If you survive your first troll you should be up to level 8. No matter how often you have played the game the first 'T' will send you all aquiver.
At this stage hopefully you are on experience level 8 with about 65 HIT POINTS anything better is a bonus. Your potions should have restored your strength and you should hold several health/ speed up potions - You should also have a few useful scrolls and know what your wands will do. Up to now simple fighting will have been sufficient, however from now on you will steadily have to use up your magic to slow down, confuse the monsters.
Level 17 - Black Unicorns
At this stage it is panic measures. DONT try and clear out all the level of objects - find the stairway and possible loops and start dropping.
Level 18 - Medusas
These are nasty - no matter how strong you are - because they confuse you. They are best met in passages where if you are confused you can only attack them or move away from them. (Extra Healing - NOT 'Healing' cures your confusion)
Level 19 - Xerocs
If you set colour sleeping/ weak monsters then they are easy to spot as they show as green objects. If you move towards them then a message comes up 'Oh No That's a Xeroc' and the Xeroc attacks that go, without you getting in an attack round. You cannot throw arrows etc at a Xeroc when it is camouflaged. That being said they are not hard to defeat.
Level 20 - Vampires
Vampires can reduce either your maximum hit points or your maximum strength - but are not too hard to kill physically. Ranged attacks or a wand of cancellation work best.
Level 21 - Jabberwocks
Beware the Jabberwock my friend. These take a lot of wearing down and killing with the chance that you might bump into another monster as you keep moving.
Level 22 - Dragons/ Griffins
A Griffin is sort of like a Kestrel on Steroids - it can move 2 squares a time and thus catch you up. A wand of slow monster still works as the griffin cannot both move and attack.
Dragons are traditionally the ultimate foe in any D&D game. These must be respected, but you can defeat them with a simple spell (conjunctivitis! (kidding!)) - Do NOT worry about the fire - all it can do is move you around the room. If dragons do fire then they don't move. You may be able to throw something at them!
Before dropping down a level, try and recover as many hit-points as you can on top of the stairway. If a difficult monster appears then DROP.
There is a fudge - if you press ctrl+w then you become a wizard. This means that a) you always defeat monsters who always miss you b) you can move between levels up or down c) you are told what you pick up (but not the number of charges in a wand or the enchanted status of armour)
Please e-mail me ablogger at btconnect.com with further hints.
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