.\" $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.6-Mar2020 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.347 $ $NHDT-Date: 1583508684 2020/03/06 15:31:24 $
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.ds h0 "NetHack Guidebook
.ds h1
.ds h2 %
.ds vr "NetHack 3.6
.ds f0 "\*(vr
.ds f1
.ds f2 "February 3, 2023
.
.\" A note on some special characters:
.\" \(lq = left double quote
.\" \(rq = right double quote            \(dq = double quote character
.\" \(oq = left (open) single quote
.\" \(cq = right (close) single quote    \(aq = apostrophe / single quote
.\"    - = hyphen                        \-   = minus sign
.\"                                      \(em = M-sized dash
.\"    ^ = small circumflex punctuation  \(ha = larger circumflex character
.\"    ~ = small tilde punctuation       \(ti = larger tilde character
.
.
.\" finally, start the actual Guidebook...
.
.mt
A Guide to the Mazes of Menace
(Guidebook for NetHack)
.au
Original version - Eric S. Raymond
(Edited and expanded for 3.6 by Mike Stephenson and others)
.sp 1
\*(f2
.hn 1
Introduction
.pg
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 recollection of the strange and
powerful creatures that seem to be lurking behind every corner of the
dungeon in your dream.  Could these details haunting your dreams be real?
As each night passes, 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 entered
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?
.
.pg
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.
.
.pg
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 morning, you
gather your gear, eat what may be your last meal outside, and enter the
dungeon...
.
.hn 1
What is going on here?
.pg
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.
.pg
Your abilities and strengths for dealing with the hazards of adventure
will vary with your background and training:
.pg
\fIArcheologists\fP 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.
.pg
\fIBarbarians\fP 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.
.pg
\fICavemen\fP and \fICavewomen\fP start with exceptional strength but,
unfortunately, with neolithic weapons.
.pg
\fIHealers\fP are wise in medicine and apothecary.  They know the
herbs and simples that can restore vitality, ease pain, anesthetize,
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.
.pg
\fIKnights\fP are distinguished from the common skirmisher by their
devotion to the ideals of chivalry and by the surpassing excellence of
their armor.
.pg
\fIMonks\fP 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.
.pg
\fIPriests\fP and \fIPriestesses\fP are clerics militant, crusaders
advancing 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.
.pg
\fIRangers\fP 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.
.pg
\fIRogues\fP are agile and stealthy thieves, with knowledge of locks,
traps, and poisons.  Their advantage lies in surprise, which they employ
to great advantage.
.pg
\fISamurai\fP are the elite warriors of feudal Nippon.  They are lightly
armored and quick, and wear the \fIdai-sho\fP, two swords of the deadliest
keenness.
.pg
\fITourists\fP 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.
.pg
\fIValkyries\fP 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.
.pg
\fIWizards\fP start out with a knowledge of magic, a selection of magical
items, and a particular affinity for dweomercraft.  Although seemingly weak
and easy to overcome at first sight, an experienced Wizard is a deadly foe.
.pg
You may also choose the race of your character (within limits; most
roles have restrictions on which races are eligible for them):
.pg
\fIDwarves\fP 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.
.pg
\fIElves\fP 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.
.pg
\fIGnomes\fP are smaller than but generally similar to dwarves.  Gnomes are
known to be expert miners, and it is known that a secret underground mine
complex built by this race exists within the Mazes of Menace, filled with
both riches and danger.
.pg
\fIHumans\fP 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.
.pg
\fIOrcs\fP 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.
.hn 1
What do all those things on the screen mean?
.pg
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.
.pg
When NetHack's ancestor \fIrogue\fP 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 sentences 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.
.pg
NetHack can even be played by blind players, with the assistance of Braille
readers or speech synthesisers.  Instructions for configuring NetHack for
the blind are included later in this document.
.pg
NetHack generates a new dungeon every time you play it; even the
authors still find it an entertaining and exciting game despite
having won several times.
.pg
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 created.  The three possible display
options are: a monochrome character interface, a color character interface,
and a graphical interface using small pictures called tiles.  The two
character interfaces allow fonts with other characters to be substituted,
but the default assignments use standard ASCII characters to represent
everything.  There is no difference between the various display options
with respect to game play.  Because we cannot reproduce the tiles or
colors in the Guidebook, and because it is common 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.
.pg
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 \(lqYou see ...\(rq 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.
.
.BR 2
.ft CR \" set font to constant-width Roman
.TS S
center box tab(~);
L.
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
.TE
.ft \" revert to previous font
.ce 1
Figure 1
.
.hn 2
The status lines (bottom)
.pg
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 various status items mean
(though your configuration may not have all the status items listed
below):
.lp "Rank  "
Your character's name and professional ranking (based on the
experience level, see below).
.lp Strength
A measure of your character's strength; one of your six basic
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.
.lp Dexterity
Dexterity affects your chances to hit in combat, to avoid traps, and
do other tasks requiring agility or manipulation of objects.
.lp 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
carrying capacity from your constitution no longer matters.
.lp Intelligence
Intelligence affects your ability to cast spells and read spellbooks.
.lp Wisdom
Wisdom comes from your practical experience (especially when dealing with
magic).  It affects your magical energy.
.lp Charisma
Charisma affects how certain creatures react toward you.  In
particular, it can affect the prices shopkeepers offer you.
.lp Alignment
\fBLawful\fP, \fBNeutral\fP, or \fBChaotic\fP.  Often, Lawful is
taken as good and Chaotic as evil, but legal and ethical do not always
coincide.  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.
.lp "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 somewhere beneath the twentieth level.
.lp "Gold  "
The number of gold pieces you are openly carrying.  Gold which you have
concealed in containers is not counted.
.lp "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.
.lp Power
Spell points.  This tells you how much mystic energy (\fImana\fP)
you have available for spell casting.  Again, resting will regenerate the
amount available.
.lp "Armor Class"
A measure of how effectively your armor stops blows from unfriendly
creatures.  The lower this number is, the more effective the armor; it
is quite possible to have negative armor class.
.lp Experience
Your current experience level and experience points.  As you
adventure, you gain experience points.  At certain experience point
totals, you gain an experience level.  The more experienced you are,
the better you fight and withstand magical attacks.  Many dungeons
show only your experience level here.
.lp "Time  "
The number of turns elapsed so far, displayed if you have the
.op time
option set.
.lp "Status  "
Hunger:
your current hunger status.
Values are \fBSatiated\fP, \fBNot Hungry\fP (or \fBNormal\fP),
\fBHungry\fP, \fBWeak\fP, and \fBFainting\fP.
.\" not mentioned: Fainted
Not shown when \fBNormal\fP.
.lp ""
Encumbrance:
an indication of how what you are carrying affects your ability to move.
Values are \fBUnencumbered\fP, \fBEncumbered\fP, \fBStressed\fP,
\fBStrained\fP, \fBOvertaxed\fP, and \fBOverloaded\fP.
Not shown when \fBUnencumbered\fP.
.lp ""
Fatal conditions:
\fBStone\fP (aka \fBPetrifying\fP, turning to stone),
\fBSlime\fP (turning into green slime),
\fBStrngl\fP (being strangled),
\fBFoodPois\fP (suffering from acute food poisoning),
\fBTermIll\fP (suffering from a terminal illness).
.lp ""
Non-fatal conditions:
\fBBlind\fP (can't see), \fBDeaf\fP (can't hear),
\fBStun\fP (stunned), \fBConf\fP (confused), \fBHallu\fP (hallucinating).
.lp ""
Movement modifiers:
\fBLev\fP (levitating), \fBFly\fP (flying), \fBRide\fP (riding).
.lp ""
Other conditions and modifiers exist, but there isn't enough room to
display them with the other status fields.
The \(oq\(haX\(cq command shows all relevant status conditions.
.hn 2
The message line (top)
.pg
The top line of the screen is reserved for messages that describe
things that are impossible to represent visually.
If you see a
\(lq\fB\-\-More\-\-\fP\(rq 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.
.pg
To change how and what messages are shown on the message line,
see \(lqConfiguring Message Types\(rq and the
.op verbose
option.
.hn 2
The map (rest of the screen)
.pg
The rest of the screen is the map of the level as you have explored it
so far.  Each symbol on the screen represents something.  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:
.lp "\\- and | "
The walls of a room, or an open door.  Or a grave (|).
.lp .
The floor of a room, ice, or a doorless doorway.
.lp #
A corridor, or iron bars, or a tree, or possibly a kitchen sink (if
your dungeon has sinks), or a drawbridge.
.lp >
Stairs down: a way to the next level.
.lp <
Stairs up: a way to the previous level.
.lp +
A closed door, or a spellbook containing a spell you may be able to learn.
.lp @
Your character or a human.
.lp $
A pile of gold.
.lp \(ha \" ^
A trap (once you have detected it).
.lp )
A weapon.
.lp [
A suit or piece of armor.
.lp %
Something edible (not necessarily healthy).
.lp ?
A scroll.
.lp /
A wand.
.lp =
A ring.
.lp !
A potion.
.lp (
A useful item (pick-axe, key, lamp...).
.lp \(dq \" \(dq == double quote
An amulet or a spider web.
.lp *
A gem or rock (possibly valuable, possibly worthless).
.lp \`
A boulder or statue.
.lp 0
An iron ball.
.lp _
An altar, or an iron chain.
.lp {
A fountain.
.lp }
A pool of water or moat or a pool of lava.
.lp \\\\
An opulent throne.
.lp "a-zA-Z and other symbols"
Letters and certain other symbols represent the various inhabitants
of the Mazes of Menace.  Watch out, they can be nasty and vicious.
Sometimes, however, they can be helpful.
.lp I
This marks the last known location of an invisible or otherwise unseen
monster.  Note that the monster could have moved.
The \(oqF\(cq and \(oqm\(cq commands may be useful here.
.pg
You need not memorize all these symbols; you can ask the game what any
symbol represents with the \(oq/\(cq command (see the next section for
more info).
.
.hn 1
Commands
.pg
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 \(lqsearch\(rq, do not require that any more
information be collected by NetHack.
Other commands might require additional information, for
example a direction, or an object to be used.
For those commands that
require additional information, NetHack will present you with either 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
.op menustyle
option.
.pg
For example, a common question, in the form \(lqWhat do you want to
use?\ [a\-zA\-Z\ ?*]\(rq, asks you to choose an object you are carrying.
Here, \(lqa\-zA\-Z\(rq are the inventory letters of your possible choices.
Typing \(oq?\(cq gives you an inventory list of these items, so you can see
what each letter refers to.
In this example, there is also a \(oq*\(cq
indicating that you may choose an object not on the list, if you
wanted to use something unexpected.
Typing a \(oq*\(cq 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.
.pg
You can put a number before some commands to repeat them that many
times; for example, \(lq10s\(rq will search ten times.
If you have the
.op number_pad
option set, you must type \(oqn\(cq to prefix a count, so the example above
would be typed \(lqn10s\(rq instead.
Commands for which counts make no sense ignore them.
In addition, movement commands can be prefixed for
greater control (see below).
To cancel a count or a prefix, press the ESC key.
.pg
The list of commands is rather long, but it can be read at any time
during the game through the \(oq?\(cq command, which accesses a menu of
helpful texts.
Here are the default key bindings for your reference:
.lp ?
Help menu:  display one of several help texts available.
.lp /
The \(lqwhatis\(rq 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 \(oq.\(cq, \(oq,\(cq, \(oq;\(cq,
or \(oq:\(cq.
\(oq.\(cq will explain the symbol at the chosen location,
conditionally check for \(lqMore info?\(rq depending upon whether the
.op help
option is on, and then you will be asked to pick another location;
\(oq,\(cq will explain the symbol but skip any additional
information, then let you pick another location;
\(oq;\(cq will skip additional info and also not bother asking
you to choose another location to examine; \(oq:\(cq will show additional
info, if any, without asking for confirmation.
When picking a location,
pressing the ESC key will terminate this command, or pressing \(oq?\(cq will
give a brief reminder about how it works.
.lp ""
If the
.op autodescribe
option is on, a short description of what you see at each location is
shown as you move the cursor.
Typing \(oq#\(cq while picking a location will
toggle that option on or off.
The
.op whatis_coord
option controls whether the short description includes map coordinates.
.lp ""
Specifying a name rather than a location
always gives any additional information available about that name.
.lp ""
You may also request a description of nearby monsters,
all monsters currently displayed, nearby objects, or all objects.
The
.op whatis_coord
option controls which format of map coordinate is included with their
descriptions.
.lp &
Tell what a command does.
.lp <
Go up to the previous level (if you are on a staircase or ladder).
.lp >
Go down to the next level (if you are on a staircase or ladder).
.lp [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 \(lqsafe.\(rq
.sd
.\" note: the two number pad layouts are separated by a tab on each line;
.\"       converting those tabs to spaces will screw up the formatting;
.\"       the '(if ... set)' line starts with <backslash><space><tab>
.\"       and is intended to line up with the right hand layout rather
.\"       than be centered.
.TS S
center;
c c.
y  k  u	7  8  9
\e | /	\e | /
h- . -l	4- . -6
/ | \e	/ | \e
b  j  n	1  2  3
\ 	(if \fBnumber_pad\fP is set)
.TE
.ed
.ce 1
Figure 2
.
.lp [YUHJKLBN]
Go in that direction until you hit a wall or run into something.
.lp m[yuhjklbn]
Prefix:  move without picking up objects or fighting (even if you remember
a monster there).
.lp ""
A few non-movement commands use the \(oqm\(cq prefix to request operating
via menu (to temporarily override the
.op menustyle:Traditional
option).
Primarily useful for \(oq,\(cq (pickup) when there is only one class of
objects present (where there won't be any \(lqwhat kinds of objects?\(rq
prompt,
so no opportunity to answer \(oqm\(cq at that prompt).
.lp ""
A few other commands (eat food, offer sacrifice, apply tinning-kit) use
the \(oqm\(cq prefix to skip checking for applicable objects on the floor
and go straight to checking inventory,
or (for \(lq#loot\(rq to remove a saddle),
skip containers and go straight to adjacent monsters.
The prefix will
make \(lq#travel\(rq command show a menu of interesting targets in sight.
In debug mode (aka \(lqwizard mode\(rq), the \(oqm\(cq prefix may also be
used with the \(lq#teleport\(rq and \(lq#wizlevelport\(rq commands.
.lp F[yuhjklbn]
Prefix:  fight a monster (even if you only guess one is there).
.lp M[yuhjklbn]
Prefix:  move far, no pickup.
.lp "g[yuhjklbn]"
Prefix:  move until something interesting is found.
.lp "G[yuhjklbn] or <CONTROL->[yuhjklbn]"
Prefix:  same as \(oqg\(cq, but forking of corridors is not considered
interesting.
.lp _
Travel to a map location via a shortest-path algorithm.
.lp ""
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 \(oqG\(cq command, but without picking up
objects, similar to the \(oqM\(cq command.
For ports with mouse
support, the command is also invoked when a mouse-click takes place on a
location other than the current position.
.lp .
Wait or rest, do nothing for one turn.
.lp a
Apply (use) a tool (pick-axe, key, lamp...).
.lp ""
If used on a wand, that wand will be broken, releasing its magic in the
process.  Confirmation is required.
.lp A
Remove one or more worn items, such as armor.
.lp ""
Use \(oqT\(cq (take off) to take off only one piece of armor
or \(oqR\(cq (remove) to take off only one accessory.
.lp \(haA
Redo the previous command.
.lp c
Close a door.
.lp C
Call (name) a monster, an individual object, or a type of object.
.lp ""
Same as extended command \(lq#name\(rq.
.lp \(haC
Panic button.  Quit the game.
.lp d
Drop something.
.lp ""
For example \(lqd7a\(rq means drop seven items of object \fIa\fP.
.lp D
Drop several things.
.lp ""
In answer to the question
.lp ""
\(lqWhat kinds of things do you want to drop? [!%= BUCXaium]\(rq
.lp ""
you should type zero or more object symbols possibly followed by
\(oqa\(cq and/or \(oqi\(cq and/or \(oqu\(cq and/or \(oqm\(cq.
In addition, one or more of
the blessed/uncursed/cursed groups may be typed.
.PS D%u
.PL DB
drop all objects known to be blessed.
.PL DU
drop all objects known to be uncursed.
.PL DC
drop all objects known to be cursed.
.PL DX
drop all objects of unknown B/U/C status.
.PL Da
drop all objects, without asking for confirmation.
.PL Di
examine your inventory before dropping anything.
.PL Du
drop only unpaid objects (when in a shop).
.PL Dm
use a menu to pick which object(s) to drop.
.PL D%u
drop only unpaid food.
.PE
The last example shows a combination.
There are three categories of object filtering: class (\(oq!\(cq for
potions, \(oq?\(cq for scrolls, and so on), shop status (\(oqu\(cq for
unpaid, in other words, owned by the shop), and bless/curse state
(\(oqB\(cq, \(oqU\(cq, \(oqC\(cq, and \(oqX\(cq as shown above).
If you specify more than one value in a category (such as \(lq!?\(rq for
potions and scrolls or \(lqBU\(rq for blessed and uncursed), an inventory
object will meet the criteria if it matches any of the specified
values (so \(lq!?\(rq means \(oq!\(cq or \(oq?\(cq).
If you specify more than one category, an inventory object must meet
each of the category criteria (so \(lq%u\(rq means class \(oq%\(cq and
unpaid \(oqu\(cq).
Lastly, you may specify multiple values within multiple categories:
\(lq!?BU\(rq will select all potions and scrolls which are known to be
blessed or uncursed.
(In versions prior to 3.6, filter combinations behaved differently.)
.lp \(haD
Kick something (usually a door).
.lp e
Eat food.
.lp ""
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 \(oqe\(cq with the \(oqm\(cq prefix to bypass attempting to eat
anything off the floor.
.lp ""
If you attempt to eat while already satiated, you might choke to death.
If you risk it, you will be asked whether
to \(lqcontinue eating?\(rq \fIif you survive the first bite\fP.
You can set the
.op paranoid_confirmation:eating
option to require a response of \f(CRyes\fP instead of just \f(CRy\fP.
.
.\" Make sure Elbereth is not hyphenated below, the exact spelling matters
.hw Elbereth
.lp E
Engrave a message on the floor.
.sd
.si
E\- - write in the dust with your fingers.
.ei
.ed
.lp ""
Engraving the word \(lqElbereth\(rq 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.
.lp f
Fire (shoot or throw) one of the objects placed in your quiver (or
quiver sack, or that you have at the ready).
You may select ammunition with a previous \(oqQ\(cq command, or let the
computer pick something appropriate if
.op autoquiver
is true.
.lp ""
See also \(oqt\(cq (throw) for more general throwing and shooting.
.lp i
List your inventory (everything you're carrying).
.lp I
List selected parts of your inventory, usually be specifying the character
for a particular set of objects, like \(oq[\(cq for armor or \(oq!\(cq for
potions.
.PS IX
.PL I*
list all gems in inventory;
.PL Iu
list all unpaid items;
.PL Ix
list all used up items that are on your shopping bill;
.PL IB
list all items known to be blessed;
.PL IU
list all items known to be uncursed;
.PL IC
list all items known to be cursed;
.PL IX
list all items whose bless/curse status is unknown;
.PL I$
count your money.
.PE
.lp o
Open a door.
.lp O
Set options.
.lp ""
A menu showing the current option values will be displayed.
You can change most values simply by selecting the menu
entry for the given option (ie, by typing its letter or clicking 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 before the game rather than with the \(oqO\(cq
command; see the section on options below.
.lp \(haO
Show overview.
.lp ""
Shortcut for \(lq#overview\(rq:  list interesting dungeon levels visited.
.lp ""
(Prior to 3.6.0, \(oq\(haO\(cq was a debug mode command which listed
the placement of all special levels.
Use \(lq#wizwhere\(rq to run that command.)
.lp p
Pay your shopping bill.
.lp P
Put on an accessory (ring, amulet, or blindfold).
.lp ""
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 \(oqW\(cq command below.
It lists armor as the inventory
choices but will accept an accessory and attempt to put that on.)
.lp \(haP
Repeat previous message.
.lp ""
Subsequent \(oq\(haP\(cqs repeat earlier messages.
For some interfaces, the behavior can be varied via the
.op msg_window
option.
.lp q
Quaff (drink) something (potion, water, etc).
.lp Q
Select an object for your quiver, quiver sack, or just generally at
the ready (only one of these is available at a time).
You can then throw this (or one of these) using the \(oqf\(cq command.
.lp ""
(In versions prior to 3.3 this was the command to quit
the game, which has been moved to \(lq#quit\(rq.)
.lp r
Read a scroll or spellbook.
.lp R
Remove a worn accessory (ring, amulet, or blindfold).
.lp ""
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
.op paranoid_confirmation
option to require a prompt.
.lp ""
This command may also be used to take off armor.
The prompt for which inventory item to remove only lists worn
accessories, but an item of worn armor can be chosen.
(See the \(oqT\(cq command below.
It lists armor as the inventory
choices but will accept an accessory and attempt to remove it.)
.lp \(haR
Redraw the screen.
.lp s
Search for secret doors and traps around you.
It usually takes several tries to find something.
.lp ""
Can also be used to figure out whether there is still a monster at
an adjacent \(lqremembered, unseen monster\(rq marker.
.lp S
Save the game (which suspends play and exits the program).
The saved game will be restored automatically the next time you play
using the same character name.
.lp ""
In normal play, once a saved game is restored the file used to hold
the saved data is deleted.
In explore mode, once restoration is accomplished you are asked whether
to keep or delete the file.
Keeping the file makes it feasible to play for a while then quit
without saving and later restore again.
.lp ""
There is no \(lqsave current game state and keep playing\(rq command, not
even in explore mode where saved game files can be kept and re-used.
.lp t
Throw an object or shoot a projectile.
.lp ""
There's no separate \(lqshoot\(rq command.
If you throw an arrow while wielding a bow, you are shooting
that arrow and any weapon skill bonus or penalty for bow applies.
If you throw an arrow while not wielding a bow, you are throwing
it by hand and it will generally be less effective than when shot.
.lp ""
See also \(oqf\(cq (fire) for throwing or shooting an item pre-selected
via the \(oqQ\(cq (quiver) command.
.lp T
Take off armor.
.lp ""
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
.op paranoid_confirmation
option to require a prompt.
.lp ""
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 \(oqR\(cq command above.
It lists accessories as the inventory
choices but will accept an item of armor and attempt to take it off.)
.lp \(haT
Teleport, if you have the ability.
.lp v
Display version number.
.lp V
Display the game history.
.lp w
Wield weapon.
.sd
.si
w\- - wield nothing, use your bare (or gloved) hands.
.ei
.ed
Some characters can wield two weapons at once; use the \(oqX\(cq command
(or the \(lq#twoweapon\(rq extended command) to do so.
.lp W
Wear armor.
.lp ""
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 accessory will attempt to put it on.
(See the \(oqP\(cq command above.
It lists accessories as the inventory
choices but will accept an item of armor and attempt to wear it.)
.lp x
Exchange your wielded weapon with the item in your alternate weapon slot.
.lp ""
The latter is used as your secondary weapon when engaging in
two-weapon combat.  Note that if one of these slots is empty,
the exchange still takes place.
.lp X
Toggle two-weapon combat, if your character can do it.  Also available
via the \(lq#twoweapon\(rq extended command.
.lp ""
(In versions prior to 3.6 this was the command to switch from normal
play to \(lqexplore mode\(rq, also known as \(lqdiscovery mode\(rq,
which has now been moved to \(lq#exploremode\(rq.)
.lp \(haX
Display basic information about your character.
.lp ""
Displays name, role, race, gender (unless role name makes that
redundant, such as \fICaveman\fP or \fIPriestess\fP), and alignment,
along with your patron deity and his or her opposition.
It also
shows most of the various items of information 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.
.lp ""
In normal play, that's all that \(oq\(haX\(cq displays.
In explore mode, the role and status feedback is augmented by the
information provided by \fIenlightenment\fP magic.
.lp z
Zap a wand.
.sd
.si
z. - to aim at yourself, use \(oq\.\(cq for the direction.
.ei
.ed
.lp Z
Zap (cast) a spell.
.sd
.si
Z. - to cast at yourself, use \(oq\.\(cq for the direction.
.ei
.ed
.lp \(haZ
Suspend the game
.\" .UX: print "UNIX" now and a trademark footnote at bottom of current page;
.\"  2nd arg (literal '(') _precedes_ it, 1st arg (quoted string) follows it
.UX " versions with job control only)." (
.lp :
Look at what is here.
.lp ;
Show what type of thing a visible symbol corresponds to.
.lp ,
Pick up some things from the floor beneath you.
.lp ""
May be preceded by \(oqm\(cq to force a selection menu.
.lp @
Toggle the
.op autopickup
option on and off.
.lp \(ha \" ^
Ask for the type of an adjacent trap you found earlier.
.lp )
Tell what weapon you are wielding.
.lp [
Tell what armor you are wearing.
.lp =
Tell what rings you are wearing.
.lp \(dq \" \(dq == double quote
Tell what amulet you are wearing.
.lp (
Tell what tools you are using.
.lp *
Tell what equipment you are using.
.lp ""
Combines the preceding five type-specific
commands into one.
.lp $
Count your gold pieces.
.lp +
List the spells you know.
.lp ""
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 another to swap
places with it.
Swapping pairs of spells changes their casting letters,
so the change lasts after the current \(oq+\(cq command finishes.
Sorting the whole list is temporary.
To make the most recent sort order persist
beyond the current \(oq+\(cq command, choose the sort option again and then
pick \(lqreassign casting letters\(rq.
(Any spells learned after that will
be added to the end of the list rather than be inserted into the sorted
ordering.)
.lp \\\\
Show what types of objects have been discovered.
.lp \`
Show discovered types for one class of objects.
.lp !
Escape to a shell.
.lp #
Perform an extended command.
.lp ""
.pg
As you can see, the authors of NetHack
used up all the letters, so this is a way to introduce the less frequently
used commands.
What extended commands are available depends on what features the game was
compiled with.
.\"
.\" Pad short entries out to 1+8 characters.  This will make sure that
.\" the text description starts on its own line like long named entries
.\" instead of sometimes being on the same line for short name ones.
.\" The document will be longer, but mixing the two is harder to read.
.\" (For plain text output, the old 1+4 was sufficient.  For Postscript,
.\" several need at least 1+7 due to narrow letters or ligatures.)
.\"
.lp "#adjust  "
Adjust inventory letters (most useful when the
.op fixinv
option is \(lqon\(rq).
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-a\(cq.
.lp ""
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 particular location when inventory listings
are displayed.
You can move to a currently empty slot, or if the destination is
occupied \(em and won't merge \(em the item there will swap slots with the one
being moved.
\(lq#adjust\(rq can also be used to split a stack of objects; when
choosing the item to adjust, enter a count prior to its letter.
.lp ""
Adjusting without a count used to collect all compatible stacks when
moving to the destination.
That behavior has been changed; to gather
compatible stacks, \(lq#adjust\(rq a stack into its own inventory slot.
If it has a name assigned, 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 eligible.
In either case, otherwise compatible stacks with a different name
will not be merged.
This contrasts with using \(lq#adjust\(rq 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
deciding whether to merge with the destination stack.
.lp #annotate
Allows you to specify one line of text to associate with the current
dungeon level.
All levels with annotations are displayed by the
\(lq#overview\(rq command.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-A\(cq, and also \(oq\(haN\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp "#apply   "
Apply (use) a tool such as a pick-axe, a key, or a lamp.
Default key is \(oqa\(cq.
.lp ""
If the tool used acts on items on the floor, using the \(oqm\(cq prefix skips
those items.
.lp ""
If used on a wand, that wand will be broken, releasing its magic in the
process.
Confirmation is required.
.lp #attributes
Show your attributes.
Default key is \(oq\(haX\(cq.
.lp #autopickup
Toggle the
.op autopickup
option on/off.
Default key is \(oq@\(cq.
.lp "#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 \(lq#annotate\(rq).
Default key is \(oqC\(cq.
.lp "#cast    "
Cast a spell.
Default key is \(oqZ\(cq.
.lp "#chat    "
Talk to someone.
Default key is \(oqM-c\(cq.
.lp "#close   "
Close a door.
Default key is \(oqc\(cq.
.lp "#conduct "
List voluntary challenges you have maintained.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-C\(cq.
.lp ""
See the section below entitled \(lqConduct\(rq for details.
.lp "#dip     "
Dip an object into something.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-d\(cq.
.lp "#down    "
Go down a staircase.
Default key is \(oq>\(cq.
.lp "#drop    "
Drop an item.
Default key is \(oqd\(cq.
.lp #droptype
Drop specific item types.
Default key is \(oqD\(cq.
.lp "#eat     "
Eat something.
Default key is \(oqe\(cq.
The \(oqm\(cq prefix skips eating items on the floor.
.lp "#engrave "
Engrave writing on the floor.
Default key is \(oqE\(cq.
.lp "#enhance "
Advance or check weapon and spell skills.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-e\(cq.
.lp #exploremode
Enter the explore mode.
.lp ""
Requires confirmation; default response is \f(CRn\fP (no).
To really switch to explore mode, respond with \f(CRy\fP.
You can set the
.op paranoid_confirmation:quit
option to require a response of \f(CRyes\fP instead.
.lp "#fire    "
Fire ammunition from quiver.
Default key is \(oqf\(cq.
.lp "#force   "
Force a lock.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-f\(cq.
.lp "#glance  "
Show what type of thing a map symbol corresponds to.
Default key is \(oq;\(cq.
.lp "#help    "
Show the help menu.
Default key is \(oq?\(cq, and also \(oqh\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp #herecmdmenu
Show a menu of possible actions in your current location.
.lp "#history "
Show long version and game history.
Default key is \(oqV\(cq.
.lp #inventory
Show your inventory.
Default key is \(oqi\(cq.
.lp #inventtype
Inventory specific item types.
Default key is \(oqI\(cq.
.lp "#invoke  "
Invoke an object's special powers.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-i\(cq.
.lp "#jump    "
Jump to another location.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-j\(cq, and also \(oqj\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp "#kick    "
Kick something.
Default key is \(oq\(haD\(cq, and \(oqk\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp "#known   "
Show what object types have been discovered.
Default key is \(oq\\\(cq.
.lp #knownclass
Show discovered types for one class of objects.
Default key is \(oq\`\(cq.
.lp #levelchange
Change your experience level.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #lightsources
Show mobile light sources.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#look    "
Look at what is here, under you.
Default key is \(oq:\(cq.
.lp "#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 \(oqm\(cq prefix to skip containers at your location
and go directly to removing a saddle.
Default key is \(oqM-l\(cq, and also \(oql\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp "#monster "
Use a monster's special ability (when polymorphed into monster form).
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-m\(cq.
.lp "#name    "
Name a monster, an individual object, or a type of object.
Same as \(lq#call\(rq.
Autocompletes.
Default keys are \(oqN\(cq, \(oqM-n\(cq, and \(oqM-N\(cq.
.lp "#offer   " \" `ff' ligature is narrow
Offer a sacrifice to the gods.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-o\(cq.
.lp ""
You'll need to find an altar to have any chance at success.
Corpses of recently killed monsters are the fodder of choice.
.lp ""
The \(oqm\(cq prefix skips offering any items which are on the altar.
.lp "#open    "
Open a door.
Default key is \(oqo\(cq.
.lp "#options "
Show and change option settings.
Default key is \(oqO\(cq.
.lp #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 dungeon branch) trigger an automatic annotation.
If dungeon overview is chosen during end-of-game disclosure, every visited
level will be included regardless of annotations.
Autocompletes.
Default keys are \(oq\(haO\(cq, and \(oqM-O\(cq.
.\" DON'T PANIC!
.lp "#panic   "
Test the panic routine.
Terminates the current game.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp ""
Asks for confirmation; default is \f(CRn\fP (no); continue playing.
To really panic, respond with \f(CRy\fP.
You can set the
.op paranoid_confirmation:quit
option to require a response of \f(CRyes\fP instead.
.lp "#pay     "
Pay your shopping bill.
Default key is \(oqp\(cq.
.lp "#pickup  "
Pick up things at the current location.
Default key is \(oq,\(cq.
The \(oqm\(cq prefix forces use of a menu.
.lp #polyself
Polymorph self.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#pray    "
Pray to the gods for help.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-p\(cq.
.lp ""
Praying too soon after receiving prior help is a bad idea.
(Hint: entering the dungeon alive is treated as having received 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
.op paranoid_confirmation
option to disable it.
.lp "#prevmsg "
Show previously displayed game messages.
Default key is \(oq\(haP\(cq.
.lp "#puton   "
Put on an accessory (ring, amulet, etc).
Default key is \(oqP\(cq.
.lp "#quaff   "
Quaff (drink) something.
Default key is \(oqq\(cq.
.lp "#quit    "
Quit the program without saving your game.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-q\(cq.
.lp ""
Since using this command by accident would throw away the current game,
you are asked to confirm your intent before quitting.
Default response is \f(CRn\fP (no); continue playing.
To really quit, respond with \f(CRy\fP.
You can set the
.op paranoid_confirmation:quit
option to require a response of \f(CRyes\fP instead.
.lp "#quiver  "
Select ammunition for quiver.
Default key is \(oqQ\(cq.
.lp "#read    "
Read a scroll, a spellbook, or something else.
Default key is \(oqr\(cq.
.lp "#redraw  "
Redraw the screen.
Default key is \(oq\(haR\(cq, and also \(oq\(haL\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp "#remove  "
Remove an accessory (ring, amulet, etc).
Default key is \(oqR\(cq.
.lp "#ride    "
Ride (or stop riding) a saddled creature.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-R\(cq.
.lp "#rub     "
Rub a lamp or a stone.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-r\(cq.
.lp "#save    "
Save the game and exit the program.
Default key is \(oqS\(cq.
.lp "#search  "
Search for traps and secret doors around you.
Default key is \(oqs\(cq.
.lp "#seeall  "
Show all equipment in use.
Default key is \(oq*\(cq.
.lp #seeamulet
Show the amulet currently worn.
Default key is \(oq\(dq\(cq. \" double quote
.lp #seearmor
Show the armor currently worn.
Default key is \(oq[\(cq.
.lp "#seegold "
Count your gold.
Default key is \(oq$\(cq.
.lp "#seenv   "
Show seen vectors.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #seerings
Show the ring(s) currently worn.
Default key is \(oq=\(cq.
.lp #seespells
List and reorder known spells.
Default key is \(oq+\(cq.
.lp #seetools
Show the tools currently in use.
Default key is \(oq(\(cq.
.lp "#seetrap "
Show the type of an adjacent trap.
Default key is \(oq\(ha\(cq. \" 'hat' (circumflex character)
.lp #seeweapon
Show the weapon currently wielded.
Default key is \(oq)\(cq.
.lp "#shell   "
Do a shell escape.
Default key is \(oq!\(cq.
.lp "#sit     "
Sit down.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-s\(cq.
.lp "#stats   "
Show memory usage statistics.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#suspend "
Suspend the game.
Default key is \(oq\(haZ\(cq.
.lp "#swap    "
Swap wielded and secondary weapons.
Default key is \(oqx\(cq.
.lp "#takeoff "
Take off one piece of armor.
Default key is \(oqT\(cq.
.lp #takeoffall
Remove all armor.
Default key is \(oqA\(cq.
.lp #teleport
Teleport around the level.
Default key is \(oq\(haT\(cq.
.lp "#terrain "
Show bare map without displaying monsters, objects, or traps.
Autocompletes.
.lp #therecmdmenu
Show a menu of possible actions in a location next to you.
.lp "#throw   "
Throw something.
Default key is \(oqt\(cq.
.lp "#timeout "
Look at the timeout queue.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#tip     "
Tip over a container (bag or box) to pour out its contents.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-T\(cq.
The \(oqm\(cq prefix makes the command use a menu.
.lp "#travel  "
Travel to a specific location on the map.
Default key is \(oq_\(cq. \" underscore
Using the \(lqrequest menu\(rq prefix shows a menu of interesting targets
in sight without asking to move the cursor.
When picking a target with cursor and the
.op autodescribe
option is on, the top line will show \(lq(no travel path)\(rq if
your character does not know of a path to that location.
.lp "#turn    "
Turn undead away.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-t\(cq.
.lp #twoweapon
Toggle two-weapon combat on or off.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqX\(cq, and also \(oqM-2\(cq if
.op number_pad
is off.
.lp ""
Note that you must
use suitable weapons for this type of combat, or it will
be automatically turned off.
.lp "#untrap  "
Untrap something (trap, door, or chest).
Default key is \(oqM-u\(cq, and \(oqu\(cq if
.op number_pad
is on.
.lp ""
In some circumstances it can also be used to rescue trapped monsters.
.lp "#up      "
Go up a staircase.
Default key is \(oq<\(cq.
.lp #vanquished
List vanquished monsters.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#version "
Print compile time options for this version of NetHack.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-v\(cq.
.lp #versionshort
Show version string.
Default key is \(oqv\(cq.
.lp "#vision  "
Show vision array.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#wait    "
Rest one move while doing nothing.
Default key is \(oq.\(cq, and also \(oq\ \(cq if
.op rest_on_space
is on.
.lp "#wear    "
Wear a piece of armor.
Default key is \(oqW\(cq.
.lp #whatdoes
Tell what a key does.
Default key is \(oq&\(cq.
.lp "#whatis  "
Show what type of thing a symbol corresponds to.
Default key is \(oq/\(cq.
.lp "#wield   "
Wield a weapon.
Default key is \(oqw\(cq.
.lp "#wipe    "
Wipe off your face.
Autocompletes.
Default key is \(oqM-w\(cq.
.lp "#wizbury "
Bury objects under and around you.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #wizdetect
Search for hidden things (secret doors or traps or unseen monsters)
within a modest radius.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haE\(cq.
.lp #wizgenesis
Create a monster.
May be prefixed by a count to create more than one.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haG\(cq.
.lp #wizidentify
Identify all items in inventory.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haI\(cq.
.lp #wizintrinsic
Set one or more intrinsic attributes.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #wizlevelport
Teleport to another level.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haV\(cq.
.lp "#wizmap  "
Map the level.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haF\(cq.
.lp #wizrumorcheck
Verify rumor boundaries.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #wizsmell
Smell monster.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp #wizwhere
Show locations of special levels.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#wizwish "
Wish for something.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
Default key is \(oq\(haW\(cq.
.lp "#wmode   "
Show wall modes.
Autocompletes.
Debug mode only.
.lp "#zap     "
Zap a wand.
Default key is \(oqz\(cq.
.lp "#?       "
Help menu:  get the list of available extended commands.
.lp ""
.pg
If your keyboard has a meta key (which, when pressed in combination
with another key, modifies it by setting the \(lqmeta\(rq [8th,
or \(lqhigh\(rq] bit), you can invoke many extended commands by meta-ing
the first letter of the command.
.pg
In \fINT\fP, \fIOS/2\fP, \fIPC\fP and \fIST\fP \fINetHack\fP,
the \(lqAlt\(rq key can be used in this fashion;
on the \fIAmiga\fP, set the
.op altmeta
option to get this behavior.
On other systems, if typing \(lqAlt\(rq plus another key transmits a
two character sequence consisting of an \fBEscape\fP
followed by the other key, you may set the
.op altmeta
option to have NetHack combine them into meta+key.
.lp M-?
#? (not supported by all platforms)
.lp M-2
#twoweapon (unless the
.op number_pad
option is enabled)
.lp M-a
#adjust
.lp M-A
#annotate
.lp M-c
#chat
.lp M-C
#conduct
.lp M-d
#dip
.lp M-e
#enhance
.lp M-f
#force
.lp M-i
#invoke
.lp M-j
#jump
.lp M-l
#loot
.lp M-m
#monster
.lp M-n
#name
.lp M-o
#offer
.lp M-O
#overview
.lp M-p
#pray
.lp M-q
#quit
.lp M-r
#rub
.lp M-R
#ride
.lp M-s
#sit
.lp M-t
#turn
.lp M-T
#tip
.lp M-u
#untrap
.lp M-v
#version
.lp M-w
#wipe
.lp ""
.pg
If the
.op number_pad
option is on, some additional letter commands are available:
.lp h
#help
.lp j
#jump
.lp k
#kick
.lp l
#loot
.lp N
#name
.lp u
#untrap
.
.hn 1
Rooms and corridors
.pg
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.
.pg
Secret corridors are hidden.  You can find them with the \(oqs\(cq (search)
command.
.hn 2
Doorways
.pg
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 \(oqo\(cq (open)
command; to close it again, use the \(oqc\(cq (close) command.
.pg
You can get through a locked door by using a tool to pick the lock
with the \(oqa\(cq (apply) command, or by kicking it open with
the \(oq\(haD\(cq (kick) command.
.pg
Open doors cannot be entered diagonally; you must approach them
straight on, horizontally or vertically.  Doorways without doors are
not restricted in this fashion.
.pg
Doors can be useful for shutting out monsters.  Most monsters cannot
open doors, although a few don't need to (for example, ghosts can walk through
doors).
.pg
Secret doors are hidden.  You can find them with the \(oqs\(cq (search)
command.  Once found they are in all ways equivalent to normal doors.
.hn 2
Traps (\(oq\(ha\(cq)
.pg
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 something fall into it, or you
discover it with the \(oqs\(cq (search) command.
Monsters can fall prey to
traps, too, which can be a very useful defensive strategy.
.pg
There is a special pre-mapped branch of the dungeon based on the
classic computer game \(lqSokoban.\(rq
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 traditional rules of Sokoban.
Some allowances are permitted in case the player gets stuck;
however, they will lower your luck.
.hn 2
Stairs and ladders (\(oq<\(cq, \(oq>\(cq)
.pg
In general, each level in the dungeon will have a staircase going up
(\(oq<\(cq) to the previous level and another going down (\(oq>\(cq) to
the next level.
There are some exceptions though.
For instance, fairly early
in the dungeon you will find a level with two down staircases, one
continuing into the dungeon and the other 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 dungeon.
.pg
When you traverse a set of stairs, or trigger a trap which sends you
to another level, the level you're leaving will be deactivated 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 \(lqspecial\(rq levels, or loaded from the remains of an earlier game
for a \(lqbones\(rq level as briefly described below).
Monsters are only active on the current level; those on other levels
are essentially placed into stasis.
.pg
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 occasionally 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.
.pg
Ladders serve the same purpose as staircases, and the two types of
inter-level connections are nearly indistinguishable during game play.
.hn 2
Shops and shopping
.pg
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 \(oqp\(cq command.
You can inquire about the price of an item prior to picking it up by
using the \(lq#chat\(rq 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.
.pg
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).
.pg
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.
.pg
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 \(lqcredit card\(rq in the dungeon, don't bother trying to use it in
shops; shopkeepers will not accept it.)
.pg
The \(oq$\(cq 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 \(lqIu\(rq command lists unpaid items
(those which still belong to the shop) if you are carrying any.
The \(lqIx\(rq command shows an inventory-like display of any unpaid
items which have been used up, along with other shop fees, if any.
.hn 3
Shop idiosyncrasies
.pg
Several aspects of shop behavior might be unexpected.
.\" note: using * instead of \(bu is better for plain text output
.lp * 2
The price of a given item can vary due to a variety of factors.
.lp * 2
A shopkeeper treats the spot immediately inside the door as if it were
outside the shop.
.lp * 2
While the shopkeeper watches you like a hawk, he will generally ignore
any other customers.
.lp * 2
If a shop is \(lqclosed for inventory,\(rq it will not open of its own accord.
.lp * 2
Shops do not get restocked with new items, regardless of inventory depletion.
.
.hn 1
Monsters
.pg
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).
.pg
The commands \(oq/\(cq and \(oq;\(cq may be used to obtain information
about those monsters who are displayed on the screen.
The command \(lq#name\(rq (by default bound to \(oqC\(cq), 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.
.pg
The extended command \(lq#chat\(rq 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.
.hn 2
Fighting
.pg
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.
.pg
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 \(oqy\(cq acknowledges that intent,
which can be error prone if you're using \(oqy\(cq to move.
You can set the
.op paranoid_confirmation
option to require a response of \(lqyes\(rq instead.
.pg
If you can't see a monster (if it is invisible, or if you are blinded),
the symbol \(oqI\(cq 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 monster 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 \(oqm\(cq command to move without fighting;
likewise, if you don't remember a monster but want to try fighting anyway,
you can use the \(oqF\(cq command.
.hn 2
Your pet
.pg
You start the game with a little dog (\(oq\fBd\fP\(cq),
kitten (\(oq\fBf\fP\(cq), or pony (\(oq\fBu\fP\(cq), which
follows you about the dungeon and fights monsters with you.
Like you, your pet needs food to survive.
Dogs and cats usually feed themselves on fresh carrion and other meats;
horses need vegetarian food which is harder to come by.
If you're worried about your pet or want to train it, you
can feed it, too, by throwing it food.
A properly trained pet can be very useful under certain circumstances.
.pg
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.
.pg
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.
.hn 2
Steeds
.pg
Some types of creatures in the dungeon can actually be ridden 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 order 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 \(lq#ride\(rq 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.
.pg
Riding skill is managed by the \(lq#enhance\(rq command.
See the section on Weapon proficiency for more information about that.
.pg
Use the \(oqa\(cq (apply) command and pick a saddle in your inventory to
attempt to put that saddle on an adjacent creature.
If successful, it will be transferred to that creature's inventory.
.pg
Use the \(lq#loot\(rq command while adjacent to a saddled creature to
try to remove the saddle from that creature.
If successful, it will be transferred to your inventory.
.hn 2
Bones levels
.pg
You may encounter the shades and corpses of other adventurers (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.
.
.hn 2
Persistence of Monsters
.pg
Monsters (a generic reference which also includes humans and pets) are only
shown while they can be seen or otherwise sensed.
Moving to a location where you can't see or sense a monster any more
will result in it disappearing from your map, similarly if it is the
one who moved rather than you.
.pg
However, if you encounter a monster which you can't see or sense \(em
perhaps it is invisible and has just tapped you on the noggin \(em
a special \(lqremembered, unseen monster\(rq marker will be displayed at
the location where you think it is.
That will persist until you have
proven that there is no monster there, even if the unseen monster
moves to another location or you move to a spot where the marker's
location ordinarily wouldn't be seen any more.
.
.hn 1
Objects
.pg
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
.op autopickup
option (see below), or move with the \(oqm\(cq prefix (see above)), or
manually by using the \(oq,\(cq command.
.pg
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.
.pg
As you add items to your inventory, you also add the weight of that object
to your load.  The amount that you can carry depends 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 encumber you.  Your reactions
will get slower and you'll burn calories faster, requiring food more frequently
to cope with it.  Eventually, you'll be so overloaded that you'll either have
to discard some of what you're carrying or collapse under its weight.
.pg
NetHack will tell you how badly you have loaded yourself.
If you are encumbered, one of the conditions
\(lq\fIBurdened\fP\(rq, \(lq\fIStressed\fP\(rq, \(lq\fIStrained\fP\(rq,
\(lq\fIOvertaxed\fP\(rq or \(lq\fIOverloaded\fP\(rq will be
shown on the bottom line status display.
.pg
When you pick up an object, it is assigned an inventory letter.  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 presented with a list of inventory
letters to choose from (see Commands, above).
.pg
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.
.pg
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 \(lq#name\(rq
command, for the same purpose at any time, to name
all objects of a particular type or just an individual object.
When you use \(lq#name\(rq on an object which has already been named,
specifying a space as the value will remove the prior name instead
of assigning a new one.
.hn 2
Curses and Blessings
.pg
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 enchantments that make them
less effective in combat.  Other cursed objects may act poorly or
detrimentally in other ways.
.pg
Objects can also be blessed.  Blessed items usually work better or
more beneficially than normal uncursed items.  For example, a blessed
weapon will do more damage against demons.
.pg
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 \(lqglass half full versus glass half empty\(rq situation; make of
that what you will.
.pg
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.
.pg
An item with unknown status will be reported in your inventory with no prefix.
An item which you know the state of will be distinguished in your inventory
by the presence of the word \(lqcursed\(rq, \(lquncursed\(rq or
\(lqblessed\(rq in the description of the item.
In some cases \(lquncursed\(rq will be omitted as being redundant when
enough other information is displayed.
The
.op implicit_uncursed
option can be used to control this; toggle it off to have \(lquncursed\(rq
be displayed even when that can be deduced from other attributes.
.hn 2
Weapons (\(oq)\(cq)
.pg
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 more damage with
bare (or gloved) hands than they do with weapons.
.pg
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 crossbow bolts.  Slings hurl rocks and (other) stones
(like gems).
.pg
Enchanted weapons have a \(lqplus\(rq (or \(lqto hit enhancement\(rq
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 identified somehow.
Most weapons are subject to some type of damage like rust.
Such \(lqerosion\(rq damage can be repaired.
.pg
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 (enchantment and/or erosion), experience
level, strength, dexterity, encumbrance, and proficiency (see below).  The
monster's armor class \(em a general defense rating, not necessarily due to
wearing of armor \(em is a factor too; also, some monsters are particularly
vulnerable to certain types of weapons.
.pg
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 \(oqx\(cq command, which
exchanges your primary (the one being wielded) and alternate weapons.
And if you have proficiency in the \(lqtwo weapon combat\(rq skill, you
may wield both weapons simultaneously as primary and secondary; use the
\(oqX\(cq 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 incurs
a penalty in the chance to hit your target compared to using just one
weapon at a time.
.pg
There might be times when you'd rather not wield any weapon at all.
To accomplish that, wield \(oq\-\(cq, or else use the \(oqA\(cq command which
allows you to unwield the current weapon in addition to taking off
other worn items.
.pg
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 damage to monsters in
NetHack.
Some of the more obscure weapons (such as the \fIaklys\fP,
\fIlucern hammer\fP, and \fIbec-de-corbin\fP) are defined in an
appendix to \fIUnearthed Arcana\fP, an AD&D supplement.
.pg
The commands to use weapons are \(oqw\(cq (wield), \(oqt\(cq (throw),
\(oqf\(cq (fire, an alternate way of throwing), \(oqQ\(cq (quiver),
\(oqx\(cq (exchange), \(oqX\(cq (twoweapon), and \(lq#enhance\(rq
(see below).
.hn 3
Throwing and shooting
.pg
You can throw just about anything via the \(oqt\(cq command.  It will prompt
for the item to throw; picking \(oq?\(cq will list things in your inventory
which are considered likely to be thrown, or picking \(oq*\(cq 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 depends 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.
.pg
You can simplify the throwing operation by using the \(oqQ\(cq command to
select your preferred \(lqmissile\(rq, then using the \(oqf\(cq 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 \(oqf\(cq.
There is also an option,
.op 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 \(oqQ\(cq runs out.
.pg
Some characters have the ability to fire a volley of multiple items in a
single turn.
Knowing how to load several rounds of ammunition at
once \(em or hold several missiles in your hand \(em 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 \(oqt\(cq or \(oqf\(cq command.
For example, \(lq2f\(rq (or \(lqn2f\(rq if using
.op 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 (\(lq4f\(rq in this example),
you'll just end up shooting the same number (3, here) as if no limit
had been specified.
Once the volley is in motion, all of the items
will travel in the same direction; if the first ones kill a monster,
the others can still continue beyond that spot.
.hn 3
Weapon proficiency
.pg
You will have varying degrees of skill in the weapons available.
Weapon proficiency, or weapon skills, affect how well you can use
particular types of weapons, and you'll be able to improve your skills
as you progress through a game, depending on your role, your experience
level, and use of the weapons.
.pg
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.
.pg
The \(lq#enhance\(rq 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 \(lqnone\(rq (sometimes also referred to as
\(lqrestricted\(rq, because you won't be able to advance),
\(lqunskilled\(rq, \(lqbasic\(rq, \(lqskilled\(rq, and \(lqexpert\(rq.
Restricted skills simply will not appear in the list shown by
\(lq#enhance\(rq.
(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 \(lqmaster\(rq or \(lqgrand master\(rq.
.pg
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 \(lq#enhance\(rq to increase one or more skills.
Such skills
are not increased automatically because there is a limit to your total
overall skills, so you need to actively choose which skills to enhance
and which to ignore.
.hn 3
Two-Weapon combat
.pg
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 \(lq#twoweapon\(rq 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 \(em or before you begin, for that matter \(em wielding
two weapons at once.  The primary is your wielded weapon and the
secondary is just an item in your inventory that's been designated
as alternate weapon.)
.pg
If your primary weapon is wielded but your off hand is empty or has
the wrong weapon, use the sequence \(oq\fBx\fP\(cq, \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq,
\(oq\fBx\fP\(cq 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 \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq to wield the primary.
Lastly, if neither hand holds the correct weapon,
use \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq, \(oq\fBx\fP\(cq, \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq
to first wield the intended secondary, swap it to off hand, and then
wield the primary.
.pg
The whole process can be simplified via use of the
.op pushweapon
option.
When it is enabled, then using \(oqw\(cq to wield something
causes the currently wielded weapon to become your alternate weapon.
So the sequence \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq, \(oq\fBw\fP\(cq 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 position.
.pg
When in two-weapon combat mode, using the \(oqX\(cq command
toggles back to single-weapon mode.
Throwing or dropping either of the
weapons or having one of them be stolen or destroyed will also make you
revert to single-weapon combat.
.hn 2
Armor (\(oq[\(cq)
.pg
Lots of unfriendly things lurk about; you need armor to protect
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 being
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:
.
.TS S
center;
a n.
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
.TE
.pg
You can also wear other pieces of armor (for example 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.
.pg
If a piece of armor is enchanted, its armor protection will be better
(or worse) than normal, and its \(lqplus\(rq (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 \(lqplusses\(rq it provides.
Cursed pieces of armor usually have negative enchantments (minuses) in
addition to being unremovable.
.pg
Many types of armor are subject to some kind of damage like rust.  Such
damage can be repaired.  Some types of armor may inhibit spell casting.
.pg
The commands to use armor are \(oqW\(cq (wear) and \(oqT\(cq (take off).
The \(oqA\(cq command can also be used to take off armor as well as other
worn items.
.hn 2
Food (\(oq%\(cq)
.pg
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 (\(lqcans\(rq) will usually stay fresh, but
ice boxes are heavy, and tins take a while to open.
.pg
When you kill monsters, they usually leave corpses which are also
\(lqfood.\(rq
Many, but not all, of these are edible; some also give you
special powers when you eat them.
A good rule of thumb is \(lqyou are what you eat.\(rq
.pg
Some character roles and some monsters are vegetarian.  Vegetarian monsters
will typically never eat animal corpses, while vegetarian players can,
but with some rather unpleasant side-effects.
.pg
You can name one food item after something you like to eat with the
.op fruit
option.
.pg
The command to eat food is \(oqe\(cq.
.hn 2
Scrolls (\(oq?\(cq)
.pg
Scrolls are labeled with various titles, probably chosen by ancient wizards
for their amusement value (for example \(lqREAD ME,\(rq or \(lqTHANX MAUD\(rq
backwards).
Scrolls disappear after you read them (except for blank ones, without
magic spells on them).
.pg
One of the most useful of these is the \fIscroll of identify\fP, which
can be used to determine what another object is, whether it is cursed or
blessed, and how many uses it has left.  Some objects of subtle
enchantment are difficult to identify without these.
.pg
A mail daemon may run up and deliver mail to you as a
\fIscroll of mail\fP (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 \(lqMAIL\(rq environment variable to the file name of your mailbox.
You may also want to set the \(lqMAILREADER\(rq 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 variables are ignored.
You can disable the mail daemon by turning off the
.op mail
option.
.pg
The command to read a scroll is \(oqr\(cq.
.hn 2
Potions (\(oq!\(cq)
.pg
Potions are distinguished by the color of the liquid inside the flask.
They disappear after you quaff them.
.pg
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 (\(oqt\(cq) at them.
It is also
sometimes very useful to dip (\(lq#dip\(rq) an object into a potion.
.pg
The command to drink a potion is \(oqq\(cq (quaff).
.hn 2
Wands (\(oq/\(cq)
.pg
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 \(oq.\(cq or \(oqs\(cq
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.
.pg
When the number of charges left in a wand becomes zero, attempts 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.
.pg
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 certainly cause a catastrophic release of
magical energies.
.pg
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.
.pg
The command to use a wand is \(oqz\(cq (zap).
To break one, use the \(oqa\(cq (apply) command.
.hn 2
Rings (\(oq=\(cq)
.pg
Rings are very useful items, since they are relatively permanent
magic, unlike the usually fleeting effects of potions, scrolls, and
wands.
.pg
Putting on a ring activates its magic.  You can wear only two
rings, one on each ring finger.
.pg
Most rings also cause you to grow hungry more rapidly, the rate
varying with the type of ring.
.pg
The commands to use rings are \(oqP\(cq (put on) and \(oqR\(cq (remove).
.hn 2
Spellbooks (\(oq+\(cq)
.pg
Spellbooks are tomes of mighty magic.
When studied with the \(oqr\(cq (read)
command, they transfer to the reader the knowledge of a spell (and
therefore eventually become unreadable) \(em unless the attempt backfires.
Reading a cursed spellbook or one with mystic runes beyond
your ken can be harmful to your health!
.pg
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.
.pg
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 additional food.
Casting of spells also requires practice.
With practice, your
skill in each category of spell casting will improve.  Over time, however,
your memory of each spell will dim, and you will need to relearn it.
.pg
Some spells require a direction in which to cast them, similar to wands.
To cast one at yourself, just give a \(oq.\(cq or \(oqs\(cq for the direction.
A few spells require you to pick a target location rather than just specify
a particular direction.
Other spells don't require any direction or target.
.pg
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
\(lq#enhance\(rq 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 \(lqWeapon proficiency\(rq.)
.pg
Casting a spell also requires flexible movement, and wearing various types
of armor may interfere with that.
.pg
The command to read a spellbook is the same as for scrolls, \(oqr\(cq (read).
The \(oq+\(cq 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 \(oqZ\(cq (cast) command casts a spell.
.hn 2
Tools (\(oq(\(cq)
.pg
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 containers, which objects can
be placed into or taken out of.
.pg
The command to use a tool is \(oqa\(cq (apply).
.hn 3
Containers
.pg
You may encounter bags, boxes, and chests in your travels.
A tool of
this sort can be opened with the \(lq#loot\(rq extended command when
you are standing on top of it (that is, on the same floor spot),
or with the \(oqa\(cq (apply) command when you are carrying 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 \(oqa\(cq (apply) command,
by kicking it with the \(oq\(haD\(cq command, or by using a weapon to force
the lock with the \(lq#force\(rq extended command.
.pg
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 \(lq#untrap\(rq extended command.
.hn 2
Amulets (\(oq"\(cq)
.pg
Amulets are very similar to rings, and often more powerful.  Like
rings, amulets have various magical properties, some beneficial,
some harmful, which are activated by putting them on.
.pg
Only one amulet may be worn at a time, around your neck.
.pg
The commands to use amulets are the same as for rings, \(oqP\(cq (put on)
and \(oqR\(cq (remove).
.hn 2
Gems (\(oq*\(cq)
.pg
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.
.pg
Other small rocks are also categorized as gems, but they are much less
valuable.  All rocks, however, can be used as projectile weapons (if you
have a sling).  In the most desperate of cases, you can still throw them
by hand.
.hn 2
Large rocks (\(oq\`\(cq)
.pg
Statues and boulders are not particularly useful, and are generally
heavy.  It is rumored that some statues are not what they seem.
.pg
Very large humanoids (giants and their ilk) have been known to use boulders
as weapons.
.pg
For some configurations of the program, statues are no longer shown as
\(oq\f(CR\`\fP\(cq but by the letter representing the monster they depict
instead.
.hn 2
Gold (\(oq$\(cq)
.pg
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).
.
.hn 2
Persistence of Objects
.pg
Normally, if you have seen an object at a particular map location and
move to another location where you can't directly see that object any
more, it will continue to be displayed on your map.
That remains the case even if it is not actually there any more \(em
perhaps a monster has picked it up or it has rotted away \(em
until you can see or feel that location again.
One notable exception is that if the object gets covered by the
\(lqremembered, unseen monster\(rq marker.
When that marker is later removed
after you've verified that no monster is there, you will forget that
there was any object there regardless of whether the unseen monster
actually took the object.
If the object is still there, then once you see or feel that location
again you will re-discover the object and resume remembering it.
.pg
The situation is the same for a pile of objects, except that only the
top item of the pile is displayed.
The
.op hilite_pile
option can be enabled in order to show an item differently when it is
the top one of a pile.
.
.hn 1
Conduct
.pg
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 \(lqbragging rights\(rq 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.
.pg
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 benefits.
Calling upon your god for help with starvation does
not violate any food challenges either.
.pg
A strict vegan diet is one which avoids any food derived from animals.
The primary source of nutrition is fruits and vegetables.
The corpses and tins of blobs (\(oqb\(cq), jellies (\(oqj\(cq), and
fungi (\(oqF\(cq) 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 considered vegan food.
Note however that eating such items still counts against foodless conduct.
.pg
Vegetarians do not eat animals;
however, they are less selective about eating animal byproducts than vegans.
In addition to the vegan items listed above, they may eat any kind
of pudding (\(oqP\(cq) 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.
.pg
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
polymorphed 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.
.pg
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 eating the monster's corpse.
Please note that the term \(lqvegan\(rq 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 \(lqmilky\(rq
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 \(lqfruits\(rq, although they could be anything
from \(lqcherries\(rq to \(lqpork chops\(rq, are also assumed to be vegan.
.pg
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 conduct; 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 being 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.
.pg
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.
.pg
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.
.pg
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 \(lqX\(rq
(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.
.pg
There are several other challenges tracked by the game.
It is possible
to eliminate one or more species of monsters by genocide; 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
\(lqnone\(rq if you want to decline.
You can change the form of an item into
another item of the same type (\(lqpolypiling\(rq) or the form of your own
body into another creature (\(lqpolyself\(rq) 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 \(lqnothing\(rq if you want to decline.
.
.hn 1
Options
.pg
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.
.hn 2
Setting the options
.pg
Options may be set in a number of ways.
Within the game, the \(oqO\(cq
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 variable.
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.
.hn 2
Using a configuration file
.pg
.\" hw: don't hyphenate file names
.hw .nethackrc defaults.nh nethack.exe nethackW.exe
The default name of the configuration file varies on different
operating systems.
.pg
On
.UX ,
Linux,
and Mac OS X it is \(lq.nethackrc\(rq 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.
.pg
On Windows, it is \(lq.nethackrc\(rq in the folder
\(lq\\%USERPROFILE%\\NetHack\\(rq.  The file may not exist,
but it is a normal ASCII text file can can be created with any
text editor.
After running NetHack for the first time, you should find a default
template for the configuration file named \(lq.nethackrc.template\(rq
in \(lq\\%USERPROFILE%\\NetHack\\(rq.
If you had not created the configuration file, NetHack will create
the configuration file for you using the default template file.
.pg
On MS-DOS, it is \(lqdefaults.nh\(rq in the same folder as nethack.exe.
.pg
Any line in the configuration file starting with \(oq#\(cq is treated
as a comment.
Empty lines are ignored.
.pg
Any line beginning with \(oq[\(cq and ending in \(oq]\(cq is considered
a section marker.
The text between the square brackets is the section name.
Lines after a section marker belong to that section, and are
ignored unless a CHOOSE statement was used to select that section.
Section names are case insensitive.
.pg
You can use different configuration statements in the file, some
of which can be used multiple times.
In general, the statements are
written in capital letters, followed by an equals sign, followed by
settings particular to that statement.
.pg
Here is a list of allowed statements:
.lp OPTIONS
There are two types of options, boolean and compound options.
Boolean options toggle a setting on or off, while compound options
take more diverse values.
Prefix a boolean option with \(lqno\(rq or \(oq!\(cq to turn it off.
For compound options, the option name and value are separated by a colon.
Some options are persistent, and apply only to new games.
You can specify multiple OPTIONS statements, and multiple options
separated by commas in a single OPTIONS statement.
(Comma separated options are processed from right to left.)
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
.ft CR
OPTIONS=dogname:Fido
.\" '\(dq' == double quote; including a literal double quote here works
.\"           for formatting but confuses Emacs' nroff-mode
OPTIONS=!legacy,autopickup,pickup_types:$\(dq=/!?+
.ft
.ed
.lp HACKDIR
Default location of files NetHack needs. On Windows HACKDIR
defaults to the location of the NetHack.exe or NetHackw.exe file
so setting HACKDIR to override that is not usually necessary or recommended.
.lp LEVELDIR
The location that in-progress level files are stored. Defaults to HACKDIR,
must be writable.
.lp SAVEDIR
The location where saved games are kept. Defaults to HACKDIR, must be
writable.
.lp BONESDIR
The location that bones files are kept. Defaults to HACKDIR, must be
writable.
.lp LOCKDIR
The location that file synchronization locks are stored. Defaults to
HACKDIR, must be writable.
.lp TROUBLEDIR
The location that a record of game aborts and self-diagnosed game problems
is kept. Defaults to HACKDIR, must be writable.
.\"
.\" config file entries beyond this point are shown alphabetically
.\"
.lp AUTOCOMPLETE
Enable or disable an extended command autocompletion.
Autocompletion has no effect for the X11 windowport.
You can specify multiple autocompletions.
To enable autocompletion, list the extended command.
Prefix the command with \(lq!\(rq to disable the autocompletion
for that command.
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
\f(CRAUTOCOMPLETE=zap,!annotate\fP
.ed
.lp AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTION
Set exceptions to the
.op pickup_types
option.
See the \(lqConfiguring Autopickup Exceptions\(rq section.
.lp BINDINGS
Change the key bindings of some special keys, menu accelerators, or
extended commands.
You can specify multiple bindings.
Format is key followed by the command, separated by a colon.
See the \(lqChanging Key Bindings\(rq section for more information.
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
\f(CRBIND=\(haX:getpos.autodescribe\fP
.ed
.lp CHOOSE
Chooses at random one of the comma-separated parameters as an active
section name. Lines in other sections are ignored.
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
.ft CR \" constant-width Roman
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
.ft \" revert to previous font
.ed
.lp MENUCOLOR
Highlight menu lines with different colors.
See the \(lqConfiguring Menu Colors\(rq section.
.lp MSGTYPE
Change the way messages are shown in the top status line.
See the \(lqConfiguring Message Types\(rq section.
.lp ROGUESYMBOLS
Custom symbols for for the rogue level's symbol set.
See \fISYMBOLS\fP below.
.lp SOUND
Define a sound mapping.
See the \(lqConfiguring User Sounds\(rq section.
.lp SOUNDDIR
Define the directory that contains the sound files.
See the \(lqConfiguring User Sounds\(rq section.
.lp SYMBOLS
Override one or more symbols in the symbol set used for all dungeon
levels except for the special rogue level.
See the \(lqModifying NetHack Symbols\(rq section.
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
\f(CR# replace small punctuation (tick marks) with digits\fP
\f(CRSYMBOLS=S_boulder:0,S_golem:7\fP
.ed
.lp WIZKIT
Debug mode only:  extra items to add to initial inventory.
Value is the name of a text file containing a list of item names,
one per line, up to a maximum of 128 lines.
Each line is processed by the function that handles wishing.
.lp ""
Example:
.sd
\f(CRWIZKIT=\(ti/wizkit.txt\fP \" \(ti == '~'
.ed
.
.pg
\ \" dummy paragraph to force some separation [.BR isn't working as intended]
.pg
.SD n \" suppress indentation
Here is an example of configuration file contents:
.ED
.\" [conditional indentation; see description of NETHACKOPTIONS below]
.ds sD i \" assume proportional, indentation acceptable and preferred
.\" Check for fixed-width font; 'f' will be same width as 'F'.
.if (\w'f'p)=(\w'F'p) .ds sD n \" if same width, suppress indentation
.SD \*(sD \" string variable sD will expand to either 'i' or 'n'
.ft CR \" set font to constant-width Roman
# Set your character's role, race, gender, and alignment.
OPTIONS=role:Valkyrie, race:Human, gender:female, align:lawful
#
# Turn on autopickup, set automatically picked up object types
OPTIONS=autopickup,pickup_types:$"=/!?+
#
# Map customization
OPTIONS=color           # Display things in color if possible
OPTIONS=lit_corridor    # Show lit corridors differently
OPTIONS=hilite_pet,hilite_pile
# Replace small punctuation (tick marks) with digits
SYMBOLS=S_boulder:0,S_golem:7
#
# No startup splash screen. Windows GUI only.
OPTIONS=!splash_screen
.ft \" revert to previous font
.ED
.pg
\ \" another dummy paragraph [.BR 2]
.hn 2
Using the NETHACKOPTIONS environment variable
.pg
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 \(oq\f(CR!\fP\(cq or \(lq\f(CRno\fP\(rq
before 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 terminated by the next comma or the end of string.
.pg
For example, to set up an environment variable so that
\fIcolor\fP is \f(CRon\fP,
\fIlegacy\fP is \f(CRoff\fP,
character \fIname\fP is set to \(lq\f(CRBlue Meanie\fP\(rq,
and named \fIfruit\fP is set to \(lq\f(CRlime\fP\(rq,
you would enter the command
.\" Guidebook.ps looks better with the normal indentation for .sd (.SD i)
.\" but the 'setenv' example is too wide for Guidebook.txt unless the
.\" indentation is suppressed (.SD n).  Even though the second example
.\" can be indented, it should match the first or they'll both look odd.
.\" groff has a built-in register allowing recognition of '-T', but we
.\" can't rely on that.  Assume Guidebook.ps uses a proportional font
.\" and Guidebook.txt a fixed-width one and test which sort we're using.
.ds sD i \" assume proportional, indentation acceptable and preferred
.\" Check for fixed-width font; 'f' will be same width as 'F'.
.if (\w'f'p)=(\w'F'p) .ds sD n \" if same width, suppress indentation
.SD \*(sD
\f(CR% setenv NETHACKOPTIONS "color,\\!leg,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:lime"\fP
.ED
in \fIcsh\fP (note the need to escape the \(oq!\(cq since it's special
to that shell), or the pair of commands
.SD \*(sD
\f(CR$ NETHACKOPTIONS="color,!leg,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:lime"\fP
\f(CR$ export NETHACKOPTIONS\fP
.ED
in \fIsh\fP, \fIksh\fP, or \fIbash\fP.
.pg
The NETHACKOPTIONS value is effectively the same as a single OPTIONS
statement in a configuration file.
The \(lqOPTIONS=\(rq prefix is implied and comma separated options are
processed from right to left.
Other types of configuration statements such as BIND or MSGTYPE are
not allowed.
.pg
Instead of a comma-separated list of options,
NETHACKOPTIONS can be set to the full name of a configuration file you
want to use.
If that full name doesn't start with a slash, precede it with \(oq\f(CR@\fP\(cq
(at-sign) to let NetHack know that the rest is intended as a file name.
If it does start with \(oq\f(CR/\fP\(cq, the at-sign is optional.
.hn 2
Customization options
.pg
Here are explanations of what the various options do.
Character strings that are too long may be truncated.
Some of the options listed may be inactive in your dungeon.
.pg
Some options are persistent, and are saved and reloaded along with
the game.  Changing a persistent option in the configuration file
applies only to new games.
.lp acoustics
Enable messages about what your character hears (default on).
Note that this has nothing to do with your computer's audio capabilities.
Persistent.
.lp 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 \(oq!\(cq or \(lqno\(rq, you will
exclude that alignment from being picked randomly.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
Persistent.
.lp autodescribe
Automatically describe the terrain under cursor when asked to get a location
on the map (default true).
The
.op whatis_coord
option controls whether the description includes map coordinates.
.lp autodig
Automatically dig if you are wielding a digging tool and moving into a place
that can be dug (default false). Persistent.
.lp autoopen
Walking into a door attempts to open it (default true). Persistent.
.lp "autopickup  "
Automatically pick up things onto which you move (default on). Persistent.
See
.op pickup_types
to refine the behavior.
.lp "autoquiver  "
This option controls what happens when you attempt the \(oqf\(cq (fire)
command when nothing is quivered or readied (default false).
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 \(oqQ\(cq command instead.
If no weapon is found or the option is
false, the \(oqt\(cq (throw) command is executed instead.
Persistent.
.lp blind
Start the character permanently blind (default false).
Persistent.
.lp bones
Allow saving and loading bones files (default true).
Persistent.
.lp boulder
Set the character used to display boulders (default is the \(lqlarge rock\(rq
class symbol, \(oq\`\(cq).
.lp catname
Name your starting cat (for example \(lqcatname:Morris\(rq).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp character
Synonym for \(lqrole\(rq to pick the type of your character
(for example \(lqcharacter:Monk\(rq).
See
.op role
for more details.
.lp checkpoint
Save game state after each level change, for possible recovery after
program crash (default on).  Persistent.
.lp 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.
.lp clicklook
Allows looking at things on the screen by navigating the mouse
over them and clicking the right mouse button (default off).
.lp cmdassist
Have the game provide some additional command assistance for
new players if it detects some anticipated mistakes (default on).
.lp "confirm "
Have user confirm attacks on pets, shopkeepers, and other
peaceable creatures (default on).  Persistent.
.lp dark_room
Show out-of-sight areas of lit rooms (default on).  Persistent.
.lp disclose
Controls what information the program reveals when the game ends.
Value is a space separated list of prompting/category pairs
(default is \(lq\fBni na nv ng nc no\fP\(rq,
prompt with default response of \(oq\fBn\fP\(cq for each candidate).
Persistent.
The possibilities are:
.sd
.si
.CC i "disclose your inventory;"
.CC a "disclose your attributes;"
.CC v "summarize monsters that have been vanquished;"
.CC g "list monster species that have been genocided;"
.CC c "display your conduct;"
.CC o "display dungeon overview."
.ei
.ed
Each disclosure possibility can optionally be preceded by a prefix which
lets you refine how it behaves.  Here are the valid prefixes:
.sd
.si
.CC y "prompt you and default to yes on the prompt;"
.CC n "prompt you and default to no on the prompt;"
.CC + "disclose it without prompting;"
.CC \- "do not disclose it and do not prompt."
.ei
.ed
The listing of vanquished monsters can be sorted,
so there are two additional choices for \(oqv\(cq:
.sd
.si
.CC ? "prompt you and default to ask on the prompt;"
.CC # "disclose it without prompting, ask for sort order."
.ei
.ed
Asking refers to picking one of the orderings from a menu.
The \(oq+\(cq disclose without prompting choice,
or being prompted and answering \(oqy\(cq rather than \(oqa\(cq,
will default to showing monsters in the traditional order,
from high level to low level.
.lp ""
Omitted categories are implicitly added with \(oqn\(cq prefix.
Specified categories with omitted prefix implicitly use \(oq+\(cq prefix.
Order of the disclosure categories does not matter, program display for
end-of-game disclosure follows a set sequence.
.lp ""
(for example \(lqdisclose:yi na +v -g o\(rq)
The example sets
\fBinventory\fP to \fIprompt\fP and default to \fIyes\fP,
\fBattributes\fP to \fIprompt\fP and default to \fIno\fP,
\fBvanquished\fP to \fIdisclose without prompting\fP,
\fBgenocided\fP to \fInot disclose\fP and \fInot prompt\fP,
\fBconduct\fP to implicitly \fIprompt\fP and default to \fIno\fP, and
\fBoverview\fP to \fIdisclose without prompting\fP.
.lp ""
Note that the vanquished monsters list includes all monsters killed by
traps and each other as well as by you.
And the dungeon overview shows all levels you had visited but does not
reveal things about them that you hadn't discovered.
.lp dogname
Name your starting dog (for example \(lqdogname:Fang\(rq).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp extmenu
Changes the extended commands interface to pop-up a menu of available
commands.
It is keystroke compatible with the traditional interface except that it
does not require that you hit \fIEnter\fP.
It is implemented for the tty interface (default off).
.lp ""
For the X11 interface, which always uses a menu for choosing an extended
command, it controls whether the menu shows all available commands (on)
or just the subset of commands which have traditionally been considered
extended ones (off).
.lp female
An obsolete synonym for \(lqgender:female\(rq.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp 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.
.lp force_invmenu
Commands asking for an inventory item show a menu instead of
a text query with possible menu letters. Default is off.
.lp "fruit   "
Name a fruit after something you enjoy eating (for example \(lqfruit:mango\(rq)
(default \(lqslime mold\(rq).
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.
.lp 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 \(lqmale\(rq and \(lqfemale\(rq
options, the \(lqgender\(rq option will take precedence.
The default is to randomly pick an appropriate gender.
If you prefix the value with \(oq!\(cq or \(lqno\(rq, you will
exclude that gender from being picked randomly.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
Persistent.
.lp "goldX   "
When filtering objects based on bless/curse state (BUCX), whether to
treat gold pieces as X (unknown bless/curse state, when \(lqon\(rq)
or U (known to be uncursed, when \(lqoff\(rq, the default).
Gold is never blessed or cursed, but it is not described as \(lquncursed\(rq
even when the
.op implicit_uncursed
option is \(lqoff\(rq.
.lp "help    "
If more information is available for an object looked at
with the \(oq/\(cq command, ask if you want to see it (default on).
Turning help off makes just looking at things faster, since you aren't
interrupted with the \(lqMore info?\(rq prompt, but it also means that
you might miss some interesting and/or important information.
Persistent.
.lp 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 \(lq#herecmdmenu\(rq and \(lq#therecmdmenu\(rq commands.
.lp 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.
.lp ""
With the curses interface, the
.op petattr
option controls how to highlight pets and setting it will turn the
.op hilite_pet
option on or off as warranted.
.lp 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.
.lp 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.
.lp horsename
Name your starting horse (for example \(lqhorsename:Trigger\(rq).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp ignintr
Ignore interrupt signals, including breaks (default off).  Persistent.
.lp implicit_uncursed
Omit "uncursed" from inventory lists, if possible (default on).
.lp legacy
Display an introductory message when starting the game (default on).
Persistent.
.lp lit_corridor
Show corridor squares seen by night vision or a light source held by your
character as lit (default off).  Persistent.
.lp lootabc
When using a menu to interact with a container,
use the old \(oqa\(cq, \(oqb\(cq, and \(oqc\(cq keyboard shortcuts
rather than the mnemonics \(oqo\(cq, \(oqi\(cq, and \(oqb\(cq
(default off).
Persistent.
.lp "mail    "
Enable mail delivery during the game (default on).  Persistent.
.lp "male    "
An obsolete synonym for \(lqgender:male\(rq.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp mention_walls
Give feedback when walking against a wall (default off).
.lp menucolors
Enable coloring menu lines (default off).
See \(lqConfiguring Menu Colors\(rq on how to configure the colors.
.lp menustyle
Controls the interface used when you need to choose various objects (in
response to the Drop command, for instance).  The value specified should
be the first letter of one of the following:  traditional, combination,
full, or partial.
Traditional 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 objects 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 object class filtering and
immediately displays a menu of all objects.
Persistent.
.lp menu_deselect_all
Menu character accelerator to deselect all items in a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.
Default \(oq\-\(cq.
.lp menu_deselect_page
Menu character accelerator to deselect all items on this page of a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.
Default \(oq\\\(cq.
.lp menu_first_page
Menu character accelerator to jump to the first page in a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.
Default \(oq\(ha\(cq.
.lp menu_headings
Controls how the headings in a menu are highlighted.
Values are \(lqnone\(rq, \(lqbold\(rq, \(lqdim\(rq, \(lqunderline\(rq,
\(lqblink\(rq, or \(lqinverse\(rq.
Not all ports can actually display all types.
.lp menu_invert_all
Menu character accelerator to invert all items in a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.
Default \(oq@\(cq.
.lp 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 \(oq\(ti\(cq. \" ~
.lp menu_last_page
Menu character accelerator to jump to the last page in a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.
Default \(oq|\(cq.
.lp menu_next_page
Menu character accelerator to goto the next menu page.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.
Default \(oq>\(cq.
.lp menu_objsyms
Show object symbols in menu headings in menus where
the object symbols act as menu accelerators (default off).
.lp 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.
(default on)
.lp menu_previous_page
Menu character accelerator to goto the previous menu page.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem and tty ports.
Default \(oq<\(cq.
.lp menu_search
Menu character accelerator to search for a menu item.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.
Default \(oq:\(cq.
.lp menu_select_all
Menu character accelerator to select all items in a menu.
Implemented by the Amiga, Gem, X11 and tty ports.
Default \(oq.\(cq.
.lp 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 \(oq,\(cq.
." .lp menu_tab_sep
." Format menu entries using TAB to separate columns (default off).
." Only applicable to some menus, and only useful to some interfaces.
." Debug mode only.
.lp monpolycontrol
Prompt for new form whenever any monster changes shape (default off).
Debug mode only.
.lp mouse_support
Allow use of the mouse for input and travel.
Valid settings are:
.sd
.si
.CC 0 "disabled"
.CC 1 "enabled and make OS adjustments to support mouse use"
.CC 2 "like 1 but does not make any OS adjustments"
.ei
.ed
Omitting a value is the same as specifying 1
and negating
.op mouse_support
is the same as specifying 0.
.lp msghistory
The number of top line messages to keep (and be able to recall
with \(oq\(haP\(cq) (default 20).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp msg_window
Allows you to change the way recalled messages are displayed.
Currently it is only supported for tty (all four choices) and for curses
(\(oq\f(CRf\fP\(cq and \(oq\f(CRr\fP\(cq choices, default \(oq\f(CRr\fP\(cq).
The possible values are:
.sd
.si
.CC s "single message (default; only choice prior to 3.4.0);"
.CC c "combination, two messages as \(lqsingle\(rq, then as \(lqfull\(rq;"
.CC f "full window, oldest message first;"
.CC r "full window reversed, newest message first."
.ei
.ed
For backward compatibility, no value needs to be specified (which defaults
to \(lqfull\(rq), or it can be negated (which defaults to \(lqsingle\(rq).
.lp "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
.op "\-A \-B \-C \-H \-K \-M \-P \-Ra \-Ro \-S \-T \-V \-W" ).
If
.op "\-@"
is used for the role, then a random one will be automatically chosen.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp "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 \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp nudist
Start the character with no armor (default false).  Persistent.
.lp "null    "
Send padding nulls to the terminal (default on).  Persistent.
.lp number_pad
Use digit keys instead of letters to move (default 0 or off).
Valid settings are:
.PS -1
.PL "\ 0"
move by letters; \(lq\f(CRyuhjklbn\fP\(rq \" \f(CR = constant-width Roman font
.PL "\ 1"
move by numbers; digit \(oq5\(cq acts as \(oqG\(cq movement prefix
.PL "\ 2"
like 1 but \(oq5\(cq works as \(oqg\(cq prefix instead of as \(oqG\(cq
.PL "\ 3"
by numbers using phone key layout; 123 above, 789 below
.PL "\ 4"
combines 3 with 2; phone layout plus MS-DOS compatibility
.PL "-1"
by letters but use \(oqz\(cq to go northwest, \(oqy\(cq to zap wands
.PE
For backward compatibility, omitting a value is the same as specifying 1
and negating
.op number_pad
is the same as specifying 0.
(Settings 2 and 4 are for compatibility with MS-DOS or old PC Hack;
in addition to the different behavior for \(oq5\(cq, \(oqAlt-5\(cq acts
as \(oqG\(cq and \(oqAlt-0\(cq acts as \(oqI\(cq.
Setting -1 is to accommodate some QWERTZ keyboards which have the
location of the \(oqy\(cq and \(oqz\(cq keys swapped.)
When moving by numbers, to enter a count prefix for those commands
which accept one (such as \(lq12s\(rq to search twelve times), precede it
with the letter \(oqn\(cq (\(lqn12s\(rq).
.lp packorder
.\" \(dq == double quote; literal '"' formats ok but confuses Emacs' nroff-mode
Specify the order to list object types in (default \(lq\(dq)[%?+!=/(*\`0_\(rq).
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.
.lp paranoid_confirmation
A space separated list of specific situations where alternate
prompting is desired.  The default is paranoid_confirmation:pray.
.PS Were-change
.PL Confirm
for any prompts which are set to require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq,
also require \(lqno\(rq to reject instead of accepting any non-yes response
as no
.PL quit
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm quitting
the game or switching into non-scoring explore mode;
.PL die
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm dying (not
useful in normal play; applies to explore mode);
.PL bones
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm saving
bones data when dying in debug mode;
.PL attack
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm attacking a peaceful monster;
.PL wand-break
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm breaking a wand;
.PL eating
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm whether to continue eating;
.PL Were-change
require \(lqyes\(rq rather than \(oqy\(cq to confirm changing form due to lycanthropy
when hero has polymorph control;
.PL pray
require \(oqy\(cq to confirm an attempt to pray rather
than immediately praying; on by default;
.PL Remove
require selection from inventory for \(oqR\(cq and \(oqT\(cq
commands even when wearing just one applicable item.
.PL all
turn on all of the above.
.PE
By default, the pray choice is enabled, the others disabled.
To disable it without setting
any of the other choices, use \(lqparanoid_confirmation:none\(rq.
To keep
it enabled while setting any of the others, include it in the list,
such as \(lqparanoid_confirmation:attack pray Remove\(rq.
.lp perm_invent
If true, always display your current inventory in a window.  This only
makes sense for windowing system interfaces that implement this feature.
.\" petattr is a wincap option but we'll document it here...
.lp petattr
Specifies one or more text highlighting attributes to use when showing
pets on the map.
Effectively a superset of the
.op hilite_pet
boolean option.
Curses interface only; value is one or more of the following letters.
.sd
.si
.CC n "Normal text (no highlighting)"
.CC i "Inverse video (default)"
.CC b "Bold text"
.CC u "Underlined text"
.CC k "blinKing text"
.CC d "Dim text"
.CC t "iTalic text"
.CC l "Left line indicator"
.CC r "Right line indicator"
.ei
.ed
Some of those choices might not work, particularly the final three,
depending upon terminal hardware or terminal emulation software.
.lp ""
Currently multiple highlight-style letters can be combined by simply
stringing them together (for example, \(lqbk\(rq), but in the future
they might require being separated by plus signs (such as \(lqb+k\(rq,
which works already).
When using the \(oqn\(cq choice, it should be specified on its own,
not in combination with any of the other letters.
.lp 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 \(lqcat\(rq, \(lqdog\(rq, \(lqhorse\(rq, and \(lqnone\(rq.
If the choice is not allowed for the role you are currently playing,
it will be silently ignored.
For example, \(lqhorse\(rq will only be honored when playing a knight.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp 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 \(oqS\(cq).
Persistent.
.lp pickup_thrown
If this option is on and
.op autopickup
is also on, try to pick up things that you threw, even if they aren't in
.op pickup_types
or match an autopickup exception.  Default is on.  Persistent.
.lp pickup_types
Specify the object types to be picked up when
.op autopickup
is on.  Default is all types.  You can use
.op autopickup_exception
configuration file lines to further refine
.op autopickup
behavior.  Persistent.
.lp pile_limit
When walking across a pile of objects on the floor, threshold at which
the message \(lqthere are few/several/many objects here\(rq is given instead
of showing a popup list of those objects.
A value of 0 means \(lqno limit\(rq
(always list the objects); a value of 1 effectively means \(lqnever show
the objects\(rq since the pile size will always be at least that big;
default value is 5.
Persistent.
.lp playmode
Values are \(lqnormal\(rq, \(lqexplore\(rq, or \(lqdebug\(rq.
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 results in explore mode instead.
Default is normal play.
.lp pushweapon
Using the \(oqw\(cq (wield) command when already wielding
something pushes the old item into your alternate weapon slot (default off).
Likewise for the \(oqa\(cq (apply) command if it causes the applied item to
become wielded.
Persistent.
.lp "race    "
Selects your race (for example, \(lqrace:human\(rq).
Default is random.
If you prefix the value with \(oq!\(cq or \(lqno\(rq, you will
exclude that race from being picked randomly.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
Persistent.
.lp rest_on_space
Make the space bar a synonym for the \(oq.\(cq (#wait) command (default off).
Persistent.
.lp "role    "
Pick your type of character (for example \(lqrole:Samurai\(rq);
synonym for \(lqcharacter\(rq.
See \(lqname\(rq for an alternate method of specifying your role.
Normally only the first letter of the value is examined; \(oqr\(cq is an
exception with \(lqRogue\(rq, \(lqRanger\(rq, and \(lqrandom\(rq values.
If you prefix the value with \(oq!\(cq or \(lqno\(rq, you will
exclude that role from being picked randomly.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
Persistent.
.lp roguesymset
This option may be used to select one of the named symbol sets found
within \(lqsymbols\(rq to alter the symbols displayed on the screen
on the rogue level.
.lp 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.
.lp 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:
.PS teleport
.PL teleport
update the map after movement has finished;
.PL run
update the map after every seven or so steps;
.PL walk
update the map after each step;
.PL crawl
like walk, but pause briefly after each step.
.PE
This option only affects the game's screen display, not the actual
results of moving.
The default is \(lqrun\(rq; versions prior to 3.4.1 used \(lqteleport\(rq only.
Whether or not the effect is noticeable will
depend upon the window port used or on the type of terminal.
Persistent.
.lp safe_pet
Prevent you from (knowingly) attacking your pets (default on).
Persistent.
.lp sanity_check
Evaluate monsters, objects, and map prior to each turn (default off).
Debug mode only.
.lp scores
Control what parts of the score list you are shown at the end (for example
\(lqscores:5 top scores/4 around my score/own scores\(rq).
Only the first letter of each category (\(oqt\(cq, \(oqa\(cq, or \(oqo\(cq)
is necessary.
Persistent.
.lp showexp
Show your accumulated experience points on bottom line (default off).
Persistent.
.lp showrace
Display yourself as the glyph for your race, rather than the glyph
for your role (default off).  Note that this setting affects only
the appearance of the display, not the way the game treats you.
Persistent.
.lp showscore
Show your approximate accumulated score on bottom line (default off).
Persistent.
.lp "silent  "
Suppress terminal beeps (default on).  Persistent.
.lp sortloot
Controls the sorting behavior of the pickup lists for inventory
and #loot commands and some others.  Persistent.
The possible values are:
.PS full
.PL full
always sort the lists;
.PL loot
only sort the lists that don't use inventory letters, like with
the #loot and pickup commands;
.PL none
show lists the traditional way without sorting.
.PE
.lp sortpack
Sort the pack contents by type when displaying inventory (default on).
Persistent.
.lp sparkle
Display a sparkly effect when a monster (including yourself) is hit by an
attack to which it is resistant (default on).
Persistent.
.lp standout
Boldface monsters and \(lq\fB\-\-More\-\-\fP\(rq (default off).
Persistent.
.lp statushilites
Controls how many turns status hilite behaviors highlight the field.
If negated or set to zero, disables status hiliting.
See \(lqConfiguring Status Hilites\(rq for further information.
.lp status_updates
Allow updates to the status lines at the bottom of the screen (default true).
.lp 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 (for example \(lqsuppress_alert:3.3.1\(rq).
.lp symset
This option may be used to select one of the named symbol sets found within
\(lqsymbols\(rq to alter the symbols displayed on the screen.
Use \(lqsymset:default\(rq to explicitly select the default symbols.
.lp "time    "
Show the elapsed game time in turns on bottom line (default off).
Persistent.
.lp timed_delay
When pausing momentarily for display effect, such as with explosions and
moving objects, use a timer rather than sending extra characters to the
screen.
(Applies to \(lqtty\(rq interface only; \(lqX11\(rq interface always
uses a timer based delay.
The default is on if configured into the program.)
Persistent.
.lp tombstone
Draw a tombstone graphic upon your death (default on).
Persistent.
.lp toptenwin
Put the ending display in a NetHack window instead of on stdout (default off).
Setting this option makes the score list visible 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.
.lp 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.
." .lp travel_debug
." Display intended path during each step of travel (default off).
." Debug mode only.
.lp verbose
Provide more commentary during the game (default on).  Persistent.
.lp whatis_coord
When using the \(oq/\(cq or \(oq;\(cq commands to look around on the map with
.op autodescribe
on, display coordinates after the description.
Also works in other situations where you are asked to pick a location.
.lp ""
The possible settings are:
.sd
.si
.CC c "compass (\(lqeast\(rq or \(lq3s\(rq or \(lq2n,4w\(rq);"
.CC f "full compass (\(lqeast\(rq or \(lq3south\(rq or \(lq2north,4west\(rq);"
.CC m "map <x,y> (map column x=0 is not used);"
.CC s "screen [row,column] (row is offset to match tty usage);"
.CC n "none (no coordinates shown) [default]."
.ei
.ed
The
.op whatis_coord
option is also used with the \(lq/m\(rq, \(lq/M\(rq, \(lq/o\(rq,
and \(lq/O\(rq sub-commands of \(oq/\(cq,
where the \(lqnone\(rq setting is overridden with \(lqmap\(rq.
.lp whatis_filter
When getting a location on the map, and using the keys to cycle through
next and previous targets, allows filtering the possible targets.
.sd
.si
.CC n "no filtering [default]"
.CC v "in view only"
.CC a "in same area only"
.ei
.ed
The area-filter tries to be slightly predictive \(em if you're standing
on a doorway,
it will consider the area on the side of the door you were last moving towards.
.lp ""
Filtering can also be changed when getting a location with the
\(lqgetpos.filter\(rq key.
.lp 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)
.lp 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)
.lp windowtype
When the program has been built to support multiple interfaces,
select which one to use, such as \(lqtty\(rq or \(lqX11\(rq
(default depends on build-time settings; use \(lq#version\(rq to check).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp ""
When used, it should be the first option set since its value might
enable or disable the availability of various other options.
For multiple lines in a configuration file, that would be the first
non-comment line.
For a comma-separated list in NETHACKOPTIONS or an OPTIONS line in a
configuration file,
that would
be the \fIrightmost\fP option in the list.
.lp wizweight
Augment object descriptions with their objects' weight (default off).
Debug mode only.
.lp 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.
.hn 2
Window Port Customization options
.pg
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 configuration
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 supported by the window port that you are currently
using by checking to see if it shows up in the Options list.
Some options are dynamic and can be specified during the game
with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp align_message
Where to align or place the message window (top, bottom, left, or right)
.lp align_status
Where to align or place the status window (top, bottom, left, or right).
.lp ascii_map
If NetHack can, it should display an ascii character map if it can.
.lp color
If NetHack can, it should display color if it can for different monsters,
objects, and dungeon features.
.lp eight_bit_tty
If NetHack can, it should pass eight-bit character values (for example,
specified with the
.op traps
option) straight through to your terminal (default off).
.lp font_map
if NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the map window.
.lp font_menu
If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for menu windows.
.lp font_message
If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the message window.
.lp font_status
If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for the status window.
.lp font_text
If NetHack can, it should use a font by the chosen name for text windows.
.lp font_size_map
If NetHack can, it should use this size font for the map window.
.lp font_size_menu
If NetHack can, it should use this size font for menu windows.
.lp font_size_message
If NetHack can, it should use this size font for the message window.
.lp font_size_status
If NetHack can, it should use this size font for the status window.
.lp font_size_text
If NetHack can, it should use this size font for text windows.
.lp fullscreen
If NetHack can, it should try and display on the entire screen rather than
in a window.
.lp guicolor
Use color text and/or highlighting attributes when displaying some
non-map data (such as menu selector letters).
Curses interface only; default is on.
.lp large_font
If NetHack can, it should use a large font.
.lp map_mode
If NetHack can, it should display the map in the manner specified.
.lp player_selection
If NetHack can, it should pop up dialog boxes, or use prompts for character
selection.
.lp popup_dialog
If NetHack can, it should pop up dialog boxes for input.
.lp preload_tiles
If NetHack can, it should preload tiles into memory.
For example, in the protected mode MS-DOS version, control whether tiles
get pre-loaded into RAM at the start of the game.  Doing so
enhances performance of the tile graphics, but uses more memory. (default on).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp scroll_amount
If NetHack can, it should scroll the display by this number of cells
when the hero reaches the scroll_margin.
.lp 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 window.
.lp 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.
.lp softkeyboard
Display an onscreen keyboard.
Handhelds are most likely to support this option.
.lp splash_screen
If NetHack can, it should display an opening splash screen when it starts
up (default yes).
.lp statuslines
Number of lines for traditional below-the-map status display.
Acceptable values are 2 and 3 (default is 2).
Curses and tty interfaces only.
.lp "term_cols\ \ \fIand\fP"
.lp term_rows
Curses interface only.
Number of columns and rows to use for the display.
Curses will attempt to resize to the values specified but will settle
for smaller sizes if they are too big.
Default is the current window size.
.lp tiled_map
If NetHack can, it should display a tiled map if it can.
.lp tile_file
Specify the name of an alternative tile file to override the default.
.lp tile_height
Specify the preferred height of each tile in a tile capable port.
.lp tile_width
Specify the preferred width of each tile in a tile capable port
.lp use_darkgray
Use bold black instead of blue for black glyphs (TTY only).
.lp use_inverse
If NetHack can, it should display inverse when the game specifies it.
.lp vary_msgcount
If NetHack can, it should display this number of messages at a time in
the message window.
.lp windowborders
Whether to draw boxes around the map, status area, message area, and
persistent inventory window if enabled.
Curses interface only.
Acceptable values are
.sd
.si
.CC 0 "off, never show borders"
.CC 1 "on, always show borders"
.CC 2 "auto, on if display is at least (24+2)x(80+2)\ \ (default)"
.ei
.ed
.lp ""
(The 26x82 size threshold for \(oq2\(cq refers to number of rows and
columns of the display.
A width of at least 110 columns (80+2+26+2) is needed for
.op align_status
set to \f(CRleft\fP or \f(CRright\fP.)
.lp windowcolors
If NetHack can, it should display windows with the specified
foreground/background colors. Windows GUI only. The format is
.si
.lp "OPTION=windowcolors:wintype foreground/background"
.ei
.pg
where wintype is one of \(lqmenu\(rq, \(lqmessage\(rq, \(lqstatus\(rq,
or \(lqtext\(rq, and
foreground and background are colors, either a hexadecimal \\'#rrggbb',
one of the named colors (black, red, green, brown,
blue, magenta, cyan, orange, brightgreen, yellow, brightblue,
brightmagenta, brightcyan, white, trueblack, gray, purple,
silver, maroon, fuchsia, lime, olive, navy, teal, aqua),
or one of Windows UI colors (activeborder, activecaption,
appworkspace, background, btnface, btnshadow, btntext,
captiontext, graytext, greytext, highlight, highlighttext,
inactiveborder, inactivecaption, menu, menutext, scrollbar,
window, windowframe, windowtext).
.lp wraptext
If NetHack can, it should wrap long lines of text if they don't fit in
the visible area of the window.
.hn 2
Platform-specific Customization options
.pg
Here are explanations of options that are used by specific platforms or ports
to customize and change the port behavior.
.lp altkeyhandling
Select an alternate way to handle keystrokes (Win32 tty NetHack only).
The name of the handling type is one of \(lqdefault\(rq, \(lqray\(rq,
\(lq340\(rq.
.lp altmeta
On Amiga, this option controls whether typing \(lqAlt\(rq plus another key
functions as a meta-shift for that key (default on).
.lp 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).
.lp ""
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 \(em preceded by \fBn\fP if the
.op number_pad
option is set \(em 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 second ESC to finish cancelling such a count.
At other prompts a single ESC suffices.
.lp "BIOS    "
Use BIOS calls to update the screen
display quickly and to read the keyboard (allowing the use of arrow
keys to move) on machines with an IBM PC compatible BIOS ROM (default off,
OS/2, PC, and ST NetHack only).
.lp flush
(default off, Amiga NetHack only).
.lp "MACgraphics"
(default on, Mac NetHack only).
.lp page_wait
(default on, Mac NetHack only).
.lp "rawio   "
Force raw (non-cbreak) mode for faster output and more
bulletproof input (MS-DOS sometimes treats \(oq\(haP\(cq 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 \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp soundcard
(default on, PC NetHack only).
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp 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=subkeyvalue:171/92
will return 92 to NetHack, if 171 was originally going to be returned.
You can use multiple subkeyvalue statements in the configuration file
if needed.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp video
Set the video mode used (PC NetHack only).
Values are \(lqautodetect\(rq, \(lqdefault\(rq, or \(lqvga\(rq.
Setting \(lqvga\(rq (or \(lqautodetect\(rq with vga hardware present)
will cause the game to display tiles.
Cannot be set with the \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp 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 \(oqO\(cq command.
.lp videoshades
Set the intensity level of the three gray scales available
(default 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 \(oqO\(cq command.
.hn 2
Regular Expressions
.pg
Regular expressions are normally POSIX extended regular expressions. It is
possible to compile NetHack without regular expression support on a platform
where there is no regular expression library. While this is not true of any
modern platform, if your NetHack was built this way, patterns are instead glob
patterns. This applies to Autopickup exceptions, Message types, Menu colors,
and User sounds.
.hn 2
Configuring Autopickup Exceptions
.pg
You can further refine the behavior of the
.op autopickup
option beyond what is available through the
.op pickup_types
option.
.pg
By placing
.op autopickup_exception
lines in your configuration
file, you can define patterns to be checked when the game is about to
autopickup something.
.lp autopickup_exception
Sets an exception to the
.op pickup_types
option.
The
.op autopickup_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.
.lp ""
In addition, some characters are treated specially if they occur as the first
character in the pattern, specifically:
.sd
.si
.CC < "always pickup an object that matches rest of pattern;"
.CC > "never pickup an object that matches rest of pattern."
.ei
.ed
The
.op autopickup_exception
rules are processed in the order in which they appear in your configuration
file, thus allowing a later rule to override an earlier rule.
.lp ""
Exceptions can be set with the \(oqO\(cq command, but because they are not
included in your configuration file, they won't be in effect if you save
and then restore your game.
.op autopickup_exception
rules and not saved with the game.
.\" end of ``.lp autopickup_exception'' entry; continue enclosing page...
.\" use .lp "text" to make an unindented paragraph ("text" should be short)
.lp "Here are some examples:"
.sd
.si
autopickup_exception="<*arrow"
autopickup_exception=">*corpse"
autopickup_exception=">* cursed*"
.ei
.ed
.\" (this paragraph would look better unindented but can't use .lp hack...)
.pg
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 exclusion of items known to be cursed from
autopickup.
.hn 2
Changing Key Bindings
.pg
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 (\(lqx\(rq), a control key (\(lq\(haX\(rq,
\(lqC-x\(rq), a meta key (\(lqM-x\(rq), or a three-digit decimal ASCII code.
.pg
For example:
.sd
.si
BIND=\(haX:getpos.autodescribe
BIND={:menu_first_page
BIND=v:loot
.ei
.ed
.pg
.lp "Extended command keys"
You can bind multiple keys to the same extended command.
Unbind a key by using \(lqnothing\(rq as the extended command to bind to.
You can also bind the \(lq<esc>\(rq, \(lq<enter>\(rq, and \(lq<space>\(rq keys.
.lp "Menu accelerator keys"
The menu control or accelerator keys can also be rebound via OPTIONS lines
in the configuration file.
You cannot bind object symbols into menu accelerators.
.lp "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 \(lqcontext\(rq,
and if bound to same keys, only one of those commands will be available.
Special command can only be bound to a single key.
.pg
.lp count
Prefix key to start a count, to repeat a command this many times.
With
.op number_pad
only.
Default is \(oqn\(cq.
.lp doinv
Show inventory.
With
.op number_pad
only.
Default is \(oq0\(cq.
.lp fight
Prefix key to force fight a direction.
Default is \(oqF\(cq.
.lp fight.numpad
Prefix key to force fight a direction.
With
.op number_pad
only.
Default is \(oq\-\(cq.
.lp getdir.help
When asked for a direction, the key to show the help.
Default is \(oq?\(cq.
.lp getdir.self
When asked for a direction, the key to target yourself.
Default is \(oq.\(cq.
.lp getdir.self2
When asked for a direction, the key to target yourself.
Default is \(oqs\(cq.
.lp getpos.autodescribe
When asked for a location, the key to toggle autodescribe.
Default is \(oq#\(cq.
.lp getpos.all.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest interesting thing.
Default is \(oqa\(cq.
.lp getpos.all.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest interesting
thing.
Default is \(oqA\(cq.
.lp getpos.door.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest door or doorway.
Default is \(oqd\(cq.
.lp getpos.door.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest door or doorway.
Default is \(oqD\(cq.
.lp getpos.help
When asked for a location, the key to show help.
Default is \(oq?\(cq.
.lp getpos.mon.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest monster.
Default is \(oqm\(cq.
.lp getpos.mon.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest monster.
Default is \(oqM\(cq.
.lp getpos.obj.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest object.
Default is \(oqo\(cq.
.lp getpos.obj.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest object.
Default is \(oqO\(cq.
.lp getpos.menu
When asked for a location, and using one of the next or previous keys to
cycle through targets, toggle showing a menu instead.
Default is \(oq!\(cq.
.lp 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 \(oq*\(cq.
.lp getpos.filter
When asked for a location, change the filtering mode when using one of
the next or previous keys to cycle through targets.
Toggles between no
filtering, in view only, and in the same area only.
Default is \(oq\(dq\(cq. \" double quote
.lp getpos.pick
When asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and possibly
ask for more info.
Default is \(oq.\(cq.
.lp getpos.pick.once
When asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and skip asking
for more info.
Default is \(oq,\(cq.
.lp 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.
Default is \(oq;\(cq.
.lp getpos.pick.verbose
When asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and show more
info without asking.
Default is \(oq:\(cq.
.lp getpos.self
When asked for a location, the key to go to your location.
Default is \(oq@\(cq.
.lp getpos.unexplored.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest unexplored location.
Default is \(oqx\(cq.
.lp getpos.unexplored.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest unexplored
location.
Default is \(oqX\(cq.
.lp getpos.valid
When asked for a location, the key to go to show valid target locations.
Default is \(oq$\(cq.
.lp getpos.valid.next
When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest valid location.
Default is \(oqz\(cq.
.lp getpos.valid.prev
When asked for a location, the key to go to previous closest valid location.
Default is \(oqZ\(cq.
.lp nopickup
Prefix key to move without picking up items.
Default is \(oqm\(cq.
.lp redraw
Key to redraw the screen.
Default is \(oq\(haR\(cq.
.lp redraw.numpad
Key to redraw the screen.
With
.op number_pad
only.
Default is \(oq\(haL\(cq.
.lp repeat
Key to repeat previous command.
Default is \(oq\(haA\(cq.
.lp reqmenu
Prefix key to request menu from some commands.
Default is \(oqm\(cq.
.lp run
Prefix key to run towards a direction.
Default is \(oqG\(cq.
.lp run.nopickup
Prefix key to run towards a direction without picking up items on the way.
Default is \(oqM\(cq.
.lp run.numpad
Prefix key to run towards a direction.
With
.op number_pad
only.
Default is \(oq5\(cq.
.lp rush
Prefix key to rush towards a direction.
Default is \(oqg\(cq.
.hn 2
Configuring Message Types
.pg
You can change the way the messages are shown in the message area, when
the message matches a user-defined pattern.
.pg
In general, the configuration file entries to describe the message types
look like this:
.si
MSGTYPE=type "pattern"
.ei
.PS "pattern"
.PL type
how the message should be shown;
.PL pattern
the pattern to match.
.PE
.lp ""
The pattern should be a regular expression.
.lp ""
Allowed types are:
.PS "norep"
.PL show
show message normally;
.PL hide
never show the message;
.PL stop
wait for user with more-prompt;
.PL norep
show the message once, but not again if no other message is shown in between.
.PE
.lp ""
Here's an example of message types using NetHack's internal
pattern matching facility:
.sd
.si
MSGTYPE=stop "You feel hungry."
MSGTYPE=hide "You displaced *."
.ei
.ed
specifies that whenever a message \(lqYou feel hungry\(rq is shown,
the user is prompted with more-prompt, and a message matching
\(lqYou displaced <something>.\(rq is not shown at all.
.\" historical trivia:  "You displaced Fido." was the sort of message you
.\" got when swapping places with your pet, but that was changed long ago...
.lp ""
The order of the defined MSGTYPE lines is important; the last matching
rule is used. Put the general case first, exceptions below them.
.hn 2
Configuring Menu Colors
.pg
Some platforms allow you to define colors used in menu lines when the
line matches a user-defined pattern.
At this time the tty, curses, win32tty and
win32gui interfaces support this.
.pg
In general, the configuration file entries to describe the menu color mappings
look like this:
.si
.lp MENUCOLOR="pattern"=color&attribute
.ei
.PS "menu color"
.PL pattern
the pattern to match;
.PL color
the color to use for lines matching the pattern;
.PL attribute
the attribute to use for lines matching the pattern. The attribute is
optional, and if left out, you must also leave out the preceding ampersand.
If no attribute is defined, no attribute is used.
.PE
.lp ""
The pattern should be a regular expression.
.lp ""
Allowed colors are black, red, green, brown, blue, magenta, cyan, gray,
orange, light-green, yellow, light-blue, light-magenta, light-cyan, and white.
And \f(CRno-color\fP, the default foreground color, which isn't necessarily
the same as any of the other colors.
.lp ""
Allowed attributes are none, bold, dim, underline, blink, and inverse.
\(lqNormal\(rq is a synonym for \(lqnone\(rq.
Note that the platform used may interpret the attributes any way it
wants.
.lp ""
Here's an example of menu colors using NetHack's internal
pattern matching facility:
.sd
.si
MENUCOLOR="* blessed *"=green
MENUCOLOR="* cursed *"=red
MENUCOLOR="* cursed *(being worn)"=red&underline
.ei
.ed
.\" note backslash-quoted spaces to prevent line breaks within " word "
specifies that any menu line with \(lq\ blessed\ \(rq contained
in it will be shown in green color, lines with \(lq\ cursed\ \(rq will be
shown in red, and lines with \(lq\ cursed\ \(rq followed
by \(lq(being worn)\(rq
on the same line will be shown in red color and underlined.
You can have multiple MENUCOLOR entries in your configuration file,
and the last MENUCOLOR line that matches
a menu line will be used for the line.
.pg
Note that if you intend to have one or more color specifications match
\(lq\ uncursed\ \(rq, you will probably want to turn the
.op implicit_uncursed
option off so that all items known to be uncursed are actually
displayed with the \(lquncursed\(rq description.
.hn 2
Configuring User Sounds
.pg
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.
.pg
The following configuration file entries are relevant to mapping user sounds
to messages:
.lp SOUNDDIR
The directory that houses the sound files to be played.
.lp SOUND
An entry that maps a sound file to a user-specified message pattern.
Each SOUND entry is broken down into the following parts:
.PS "sound file"
.PL MESG
message window mapping (the only one supported in 3.6);
.PL pattern
the pattern to match;
.PL "sound file"
the sound file to play;
.PL volume
the volume to be set while playing the sound file.
.PE
.lp ""
The pattern should be a POSIX extended regular expression.
.pg
.hn 2
Configuring Status Hilites
.pg
Your copy of NetHack may have been compiled with support for
\(lqStatus Hilites\(rq.
If so, you can customize your game display by setting thresholds to
change the color or appearance of fields in the status display.
.pg
The format for defining status colors is:
.SD n
\f(CROPTION=hilite_status:\fIfield-name\fP/\fIbehavior\fP/\fIcolor\fP&\fIattributes\fP\fP
.ED
.pg
For example, the following line in your configuration file will cause
the hitpoints field to display in the color red if your hitpoints
drop to or below a threshold of 30%:
.SD n
\f(CROPTION=hilite_status:hitpoints/<=30%/red/normal\fP
.ED
(That example is actually specifying \f(CRred&normal\fP for <=30%
and \f(CRno-color&normal\fP for >30%.)
.pg
For another example, the following line in your configuration file will cause
wisdom to be displayed red if it drops and green if it rises:
.SD n
\f(CROPTION=hilite_status:wisdom/down/red/up/green\fP
.ED
.pg
Allowed colors are black, red, green, brown, blue, magenta, cyan, gray,
orange, light-green, yellow, light-blue, light-magenta, light-cyan, and white.
And \(lqno-color\(rq, the default foreground color on the display, which
is not necessarily the same as black or white or any of the other colors.
.pg
Allowed attributes are none, bold, dim, underline, blink, and inverse.
\(lqNormal\(rq is a synonym for \(lqnone\(rq; they should not be used in
combination with any of the other attributes.
.pg
To specify both a color and an attribute, use \(oq&\(cq to combine them.
To specify multiple attributes, use \(oq+\(cq to combine those.
For example: \(lqmagenta&inverse+dim\(rq.
.pg
Note that the display may substitute or ignore particular attributes
depending upon its capabilities, and in general may interpret the
attributes any way it wants.
For example, on some display systems a request for bold might yield
blink or vice versa.
On others, issuing an attribute request while another is already
set up will replace the earlier attribute rather than combine with it.
Since NetHack issues attribute requests sequentially (at least with
the \f(CRtty\fP interface) rather than all at once, the only way a
situation like that can be controlled is to specify just one attribute.
.pg
You can adjust the appearance of the following status fields:
.TS S
center;
c c c.
.\"TABLE_START
title	dungeon-level	experience-level
strength	gold	experience
dexterity	hitpoints	HD
constitution	hitpoints-max	time
intelligence	power	hunger
wisdom	power-max	carrying-capacity
charisma	armor-class	condition
alignment		score
.\"TABLE_END  Do not delete this line.
.TE
.lp ""
The pseudo-field \(lqcharacteristics\(rq can be used to set all six
of Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha at once.  \(lqHD\(rq is \(lqhit dice\(rq,
an approximation of experience level displayed when polymorphed.
\(lqexperience\(rq, \(lqtime\(rq, and \(lqscore\(rq are conditionally
displayed depending upon your other option settings.
.lp ""
Instead of a behavior, \(lqcondition\(rq takes the following condition flags:
stone, slime, strngl, foodpois, termill, blind, deaf, stun, conf, hallu,
lev, fly, and ride.
You can use \(lqmajor_troubles\(rq as an alias
for stone through termill, \(lqminor_troubles\(rq for blind through hallu,
\(lqmovement\(rq for lev, fly, and ride, and \(lqall\(rq for every condition.
.lp ""
Allowed behaviors are \(lqalways\(rq, \(lqup\(rq, \(lqdown\(rq,
\(lqchanged\(rq, a percentage or absolute number threshold, or
text to match against.
.si
.lp "*"
\(lqalways\(rq will set the default attributes for that field.
.lp "*"
\(lqup\(rq, \(lqdown\(rq set the field attributes for when the field
value changes upwards or downwards.
This attribute times out after
.op statushilites
turns.
.lp "*"
\(lqchanged\(rq sets the field attribute for when the field value changes.
This attribute times out after
.op statushilites
turns.
(If a field has both a \(lqchanged\(rq rule and an \(lqup\(rq or \(lqdown\(rq
rule which matches a change in the field's value,
the \(lqup\(rq or \(lqdown\(rq one takes precedence.)
.lp "*"
percentage sets the field attribute when the field value
matches the percentage.
It is specified as a number between 0 and 100, followed by \(oq%\(cq
(percent sign).
If the percentage is prefixed with \(oq<=\(cq or \(oq>=\(cq,
it also matches when value is below or above the percentage.
Use prefix \(oq<\(cq or \(oq>\(cq to match when strictly below or above.
(The numeric limit is relaxed slightly for those: \f(CR>-1%\fP
and \f(CR<101%\fP are allowed.)
Only four fields support percentage rules.
Percentages for \(lqhitpoints\(rq and \(lqpower\(rq are
straightforward; they're based on the corresponding maximum field.
Percentage highlight rules are also allowed for \(lqexperience level\(rq
and \(lqexperience points\(rq (valid when the
.op showexp
option is enabled).
For those, the percentage is based on the progress from the start of
the current experience level to the start of the next level.
So if level 2 starts at 20 points and level 3 starts at 40 points,
having 30 points is 50% and 35 points is 75%.
100% is unattainable for experience because you'll gain a level and
the calculations will be reset for that new level, but a rule for
\f(CR=100%\fP is allowed and matches the special case of being
exactly 1 experience point short of the next level.
.\" (If you manage to reach level 30, there is no next level and the
.\" percentage will remain at 0% no matter have many additional experience
.\" points you earn.)
.lp "*"
absolute value sets the attribute when the field value matches
that number.
The number must be 0 or higher, except for \(lqarmor-class\(cq which
allows negative values, and may optionally be preceded by \(oq=\(cq.
If the number is preceded by \(oq<=\(cq or \(oq>=\(cq instead,
it also matches when value is below or above.
If the prefix is \(oq<\(cq or \(oq>\(cq, only match when strictly
above or below.
.lp "*"
text match sets the attribute when the field value
matches the text.
Text matches can only be used for \(lqalignment\(rq,
\(lqcarrying-capacity\(rq, \(lqhunger\(rq, \(lqdungeon-level\(rq,
and \(lqtitle\(rq.
For title, only the role's rank title
is tested; the character's name is ignored.
.ei
.pg
The in-game options menu can help you determine the correct syntax for a
configuration file.
.pg
The whole feature can be disabled by setting option
.op statushilites
to 0.
.pg
Example hilites:
.sd
.si
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
.ei
.ed
.pg
.hn 2
Modifying NetHack Symbols
.pg
NetHack can load entire symbol sets from the symbol file.
.pg
The options that are used to select a particular symbol set from the
symbol file are:
.lp symset
Set the name of the symbol set that you want to load.
.lp roguesymset
Set the name of the symbol set that you want to load for display
on the rogue level.
.pg
You can also override one or more symbols using the SYMBOLS and
ROGUESYMBOLS configuration file options.
Symbols are specified as name:value pairs.
Note that
NetHack escape-processes the value string in conventional C fashion.
This means that \\ is a prefix to take the following character literally.
Thus \\ needs to be represented as \\\\.
The special prefix form \\m switches on the meta bit in the symbol value,
and the \(ha prefix causes the following character to be treated as a
control character.
.pg
.\" Table is centered.
.\" First line (title) is left justified and spans second and third columns;
.\" it used to be centered but tended to look as if too far to the right.
.\" Remaining lines are left justified in each of three columns.  First
.\" line (second overall) contains column labels; the first column has a
.\" dummy label of two spaces.  (That used to be "Default" but it made all
.\" the lines wider because of the label's width and caused several lines
.\" to be too wide when generating plain text output.  Two spaces leaves
.\" some room between the symbol character and name.)  Entries in first
.\" column now use constant-width Roman font to approximate TeX tt font.
.TS S
center;
l s s
l1fCR l1 l.
.\"TABLE_START
NetHack Symbols
\ \ 	Symbol Name	Description
\_	\_	\_
\ 	S_air	(air)
\&_	S_altar	(altar)
\(dq	S_amulet	(amulet)
A	S_angel	(angelic being)
a	S_ant	(ant or other insect)
\(ha	S_anti_magic_trap	(anti-magic field)
[	S_armor	(suit or piece of armor)
[	S_armour	(suit or piece of armor)
\(ha	S_arrow_trap	(arrow trap)
0	S_ball	(iron ball)
#	S_bars	(iron bars)
B	S_bat	(bat or bird)
\(ha	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)
\(ha	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)
\(ha	S_falling_rock_trap	(falling rock trap)
f	S_feline	(cat or other feline)
\(ha	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	(horizontal beam [zap animation])
#	S_hcdbridge	(horizontal raised drawbridge)
+	S_hcdoor	(closed door in horizontal wall)
\.	S_hodbridge	(horizontal lowered drawbridge)
|	S_hodoor	(open door in horizontal wall)
\(ha	S_hole	(hole)
@	S_human	(human or elf)
h	S_humanoid	(humanoid)
\-	S_hwall	(horizontal wall)
\.	S_ice	(ice)
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)
\(ha	S_land_mine	(land mine)
}	S_lava	(molten lava)
l	S_leprechaun	(leprechaun)
\(ha	S_level_teleporter	(level teleporter)
L	S_lich	(lich)
y	S_light	(light)
#	S_litcorr	(lit corridor)
:	S_lizard	(lizard)
\\	S_lslant	(diagonal beam [zap animation])
\(ha	S_magic_portal	(magic portal)
\(ha	S_magic_trap	(magic trap)
m	S_mimic	(mimic)
]	S_mimic_def	(mimic)
M	S_mummy	(mummy)
N	S_naga	(naga)
\.	S_ndoor	(doorway without door)
n	S_nymph	(nymph)
O	S_ogre	(ogre)
o	S_orc	(orc)
p	S_piercer	(piercer)
\(ha	S_pit	(pit)
#	S_poisoncloud	(poison cloud)
\(ha	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)
\(ha	S_rolling_boulder_trap	(rolling boulder trap)
\.	S_room	(floor of a room)
/	S_rslant	(diagonal beam [zap animation])
\(ha	S_rust_trap	(rust trap)
R	S_rustmonst	(rust monster or disenchanter)
?	S_scroll	(scroll)
#	S_sink	(sink)
\(ha	S_sleeping_gas_trap	(sleeping gas trap)
S	S_snake	(snake)
s	S_spider	(arachnid or centipede)
\(ha	S_spiked_pit	(spiked pit)
\(ha	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)
\(ha	S_statue_trap	(statue trap)
\ 	S_stone	(solid rock or unexplored terrain
\ 	\ 	\ or 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)
\(ha	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...))
\(ha	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	(vertical beam [zap animation])
#	S_vcdbridge	(vertical raised drawbridge)
+	S_vcdoor	(closed door in vertical wall)
\.	S_venom	(splash of venom)
\(ha	S_vibrating_square	(vibrating square)
\.	S_vodbridge	(vertical lowered drawbridge)
\-	S_vodoor	(open door in vertical wall)
v	S_vortex	(vortex)
|	S_vwall	(vertical wall)
/	S_wand	(wand)
}	S_water	(water)
)	S_weapon	(weapon)
\(dq	S_web	(web)
w	S_worm	(worm)
\(ti	S_worm_tail	(long worm tail)
W	S_wraith	(wraith)
x	S_xan	(xan or other extraordinary insect)
X	S_xorn	(xorn)
Y	S_yeti	(apelike creature)
Z	S_zombie	(zombie)
z	S_zruty	(zruty)
\ 	S_pet_override	(any pet if ACCESSIBILITY=1 is set)
\ 	S_hero_override	(hero if ACCESSIBILITY=1 is set)
.\"TABLE_END  Do not delete this line.
.TE
.\" don't hyphenate file name across lines
.hw sysconf
.pg
.lp "Notes:"
.lp "*"
Several symbols in this table appear to be blank.
They are the space character, except for S_pet_override
and S_hero_override which don't have any default value
and can only be used if enabled in the \(lqsysconf\(rq file.
.lp "*"
S_rock is misleadingly named; rocks and stones use S_gem.
Statues and boulders are the rock being referred to, but since
version 3.6.0, statues are displayed as the monster they depict.
So S_rock is only used for boulders and not used at all if
overridden by the more specific S_boulder.
.pg
.hn 2
Configuring NetHack for Play by the Blind
.pg
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
capabilities 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 character 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.
.pg
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 \(lq#version\(rq extended command shows \(lqexternal program as a
message handler\(rq, 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.
.pg
While it is not difficult for experienced users to edit the \fBdefaults.nh\fP
file to accomplish this, novices may find this task somewhat daunting.
Included within the \(lqsymbols\(rq file of all official distributions
of NetHack is a symset called \fBNHAccess\fP.
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 \fBSYMBOLS=\fP
and \fBROGUESYMBOLS=\fP
in your configuration file to better suit your preferences.
See the previous section for the special symbols S_pet_override
to force a consistent symbol for all pets and
S_hero_override to force a unique symbol for the player character
if \fBaccessibility\fP is enabled in the sysconf file.
.pg
The most crucial settings to make the game more accessible are:
.pg
.lp symset:NHAccess
Load a symbol set appropriate for use by blind players.
.lp roguesymset:NHAccess
Load a symbol set for the rogue level that is appropriate for
use by blind players.
.lp menustyle:traditional
This will assist in the interface to speech synthesizers.
.lp nomenu_overlay
Show menus on a cleared screen and aligned to the left edge.
.lp number_pad
A lot of speech access programs use the number-pad to review the screen.
If this is the case, disable the
.op number_pad
option and use the traditional
Rogue-like commands.
.lp autodescribe
Automatically describe the terrain under the cursor when targeting.
.lp mention_walls
Give feedback messages when walking towards a wall or when travel command
was interrupted.
.lp whatis_coord:compass
When targeting with cursor, describe the cursor position with coordinates
relative to your character.
.lp 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.
.lp whatis_moveskip
When targeting with cursor and using fast-move, skip the same glyphs instead
of moving 8 units at a time.
.lp nostatus_updates
Prevent updates to the status lines at the bottom of the screen, if
your screen-reader reads those lines. The same information can be
seen via the \(lq#attributes\(rq command.
.hn 2
Global Configuration for System Administrators
.pg
If NetHack is compiled with the SYSCF option, a system administrator
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 uses a compiled-in default (which may not be appropriate for your
system).
.pg
.\"  '\ =\ Word'  follow each option name with space+equals+space+first
.\"               word of sentence in a way that won't have spaces inserted
.\"               there if that line is padded from left to right;
.\"               essentially, "OPTION = Word" becomes one token as far
.\"               as filling and justifying are concerned
.lp
WIZARDS\ =\ A space-separated list of user names who are allowed to
play in debug mode (commonly referred to as wizard mode).
A value of a single
asterisk (*) allows anyone to start a game in debug mode.
.lp
SHELLERS\ =\ A list of users who are allowed to use the shell
escape command (!).  The syntax is the same as WIZARDS.
.lp
EXPLORERS\ =\ A list of users who are allowed to use the explore mode.
The syntax is the same as WIZARDS.
.lp
MAXPLAYERS\ =\ Limit the maximum number of games that can be running
at the same time.
.lp
SUPPORT\ =\ A string explaining how to get local support (no default value).
.lp
RECOVER\ =\ A string explaining how to recover a game on this system
(no default value).
.lp
SEDUCE\ =\ 0 or 1 to disable or enable, respectively, the SEDUCE option.
When disabled, incubi and succubi behave like nymphs.
.lp
CHECK_PLNAME\ =\ Setting this to 1 will make the EXPLORERS, WIZARDS, and
SHELLERS check for the player name instead of the user's login name.
.lp
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).
.pg
The following options affect the score file:
.pg
.lp
PERSMAX\ =\ Maximum number of entries for one person.
.lp
ENTRYMAX\ =\ Maximum number of entries in the score file.
.lp
POINTSMIN\ =\ Minimum number of points to get an entry in the score file.
.lp
PERS_IS_UID\ =\ 0 or 1 to use user names or numeric userids, respectively,
to identify unique people for the score file.
.lp
MAX_STATUENAME_RANK\ =\ Maximum number of score file entries to use for
random statue names (default is 10).
.lp
ACCESSIBILITY\ =\ 0 or 1 to disable or enable, respectively, the ability for players 
to set S_pet_override and S_hero_override symbols in their configuration file.
.lp
PORTABLE_DEVICE_PATHS\ =\ 0 or 1 Windows OS only, the game will look
for all of its external files, and write to all of its output files in one place
rather than at the standard locations.
.lp
DUMPLOGFILE\ =\ A filename where the end-of-game dumplog is saved.
Not defining this will prevent dumplog from being created. Only available
if your game is compiled with DUMPLOG. Allows the following placeholders:
.\" note: %M is not an entry in the table, but 'M' is the widest letter
.PS %M
.\" \f(CR = set font to constant-width Roman; approximation of {\tt ...} in TeX
.PL %%
literal \(oq\f(CR%\fP\(cq
.PL %v
version (eg. \(lq\f(CR3.6.3\-0\fP\(rq)
.PL %u
game UID
.PL %t
game start time, UNIX timestamp format
.PL %T
current time, UNIX timestamp format
.PL %d
game start time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
.PL %D
current time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
.PL %n
player name
.PL %N
first character of player name
.PE
.
.hn 1
Scoring
.pg
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.
.pg
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.
.pg
If you just want to see what the current top players/games list is, you
can type \fBnethack \-s all\fP on most versions.
.
.hn 1
Explore mode
.pg
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 \(lqexplore\(rq or \(lqdiscovery\(rq
mode that enables you to keep old save files and cheat death, at the
paltry cost of not getting on the high score list.
.pg
There are two ways of enabling explore mode.
One is to start the game with the
.op \-X
command-line switch or with the
.op playmode:explore
option.
The other is to issue the \(lq#exploremode\(rq extended command while
already playing the game.
Starting a new game in explore mode provides your
character with a wand of wishing in initial inventory; switching
during play does not.
The other benefits of explore mode are left for
the trepid reader to discover.
.pg
.hn 2
Debug mode
.pg
Debug mode, also known as wizard mode, is undocumented aside from this
brief description and the various \(lqdebug mode only\(rq commands listed
among the command descriptions.
It is intended for tracking down problems within the
program rather than to provide god-like powers to your character, and
players who attempt debugging are expected to figure out how to use it
themselves.
It is initiated by starting the game with the
.op \-D
command-line switch or with the
.op playmode:debug
option.
.pg
For some systems, the player must be logged in
under a particular 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 \(lqwizard mode\(rq and the Wizard role).
Attempting to start a game in debug mode when not allowed
or not available will result in falling back to explore mode instead.
.
.hn
Credits
.pg
The original \fIhack\fP game was modeled on the Berkeley
.UX
\fIrogue\fP game.  Large portions of this paper were shamelessly
cribbed from \fIA Guide to the Dungeons of Doom\fP, by Michael C. Toy
and Kenneth C. R. C. Arnold.  Small portions were adapted from
\fIFurther Exploration of the Dungeons of Doom\fP, by Ken Arromdee.
.pg
NetHack is the product of literally dozens of people's work.
Main events in the course of the game development are described below:
.
.pg
\fBJay Fenlason\fP wrote the original Hack, with help from
\fBKenny Woodland\fP, \fBMike Thome\fP and \fBJon Payne\fP.
.pg
\fBAndries Brouwer\fP 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
.UX
machines to the Usenet.
.pg
\fBDon G. Kneller\fP 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 versions (3.0, 3.2, 3.51, and 3.6).
.pg
\fBR. Black\fP ported PC HACK 3.51 to Lattice C and the Atari 520/1040ST,
producing ST Hack 1.03.
.pg
\fBMike Stephenson\fP 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.
.pg
Later, Mike coordinated a major rewrite of the game, heading a
team which included \fBKen Arromdee\fP, \fBJean-Christophe Collet\fP, \fBSteve
Creps\fP, \fBEric Hendrickson\fP, \fBIzchak Miller\fP, \fBJohn Rupley\fP,
\fBMike Threepoint\fP, and \fBJanet Walz\fP, to produce NetHack 3.0c.
.pg
NetHack 3.0 was ported to the Atari by \fBEric R. Smith\fP, to OS/2 by
\fBTimo Hakulinen\fP, and to VMS by \fBDavid Gentzel\fP.  The three of them
and \fBKevin Darcy\fP later joined the main NetHack Development Team to produce
subsequent revisions of 3.0.
.pg
\fBOlaf Seibert\fP ported NetHack 2.3 and 3.0 to the Amiga.
\fBNorm Meluch\fP, \fBStephen Spackman\fP and \fBPierre Martineau\fP designed
overlay code for PC NetHack 3.0.  \fBJohnny Lee\fP 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.
.pg
Headed by \fBMike Stephenson\fP and coordinated by \fBIzchak Miller\fP and
\fBJanet Walz\fP, the NetHack Development Team which now included \fBKen Arromdee\fP,
\fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJean-Christophe Collet\fP, \fBKevin Darcy\fP,
\fBMatt Day\fP, \fBTimo Hakulinen\fP, \fBSteve Linhart\fP, \fBDean Luick\fP,
\fBPat Rankin\fP, \fBEric Raymond\fP, and \fBEric Smith\fP 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.
.pg
\fBKen Lorber\fP, \fBGregg Wonderly\fP and \fBGreg Olson\fP, with help
from \fBRichard Addison\fP, \fBMike Passaretti\fP, and \fBOlaf Seibert\fP,
developed NetHack 3.1 for the Amiga.
.pg
\fBNorm Meluch\fP and \fBKevin Smolkowski\fP, with help from
\fBCarl Schelin\fP, \fBStephen Spackman\fP, \fBSteve VanDevender\fP,
and \fBPaul Winner\fP, ported NetHack 3.1 to the PC.
.pg
\fBJon W{tte\fP and \fBHao-yang Wang\fP, with help from \fBRoss Brown\fP,
\fBMike Engber\fP, \fBDavid Hairston\fP, \fBMichael Hamel\fP,
\fBJonathan Handler\fP, \fBJohnny Lee\fP, \fBTim Lennan\fP, \fBRob Menke\fP,
and \fBAndy Swanson\fP, developed NetHack 3.1 for the Macintosh,
porting it for MPW.  Building on their development, \fBBart House\fP
added a Think C port.
.pg
\fBTimo Hakulinen\fP ported NetHack 3.1 to OS/2.  \fBEric Smith\fP
ported NetHack 3.1 to the Atari.  \fBPat Rankin\fP, with help from
\fBJoshua Delahunty\fP, was responsible for the VMS version of NetHack 3.1.
\fBMichael Allison\fP ported NetHack 3.1 to Windows NT.
.pg
\fBDean Luick\fP, with help from \fBDavid Cohrs\fP, developed NetHack
3.1 for X11.
\fBWarwick Allison\fP wrote a tiled version of NetHack for the Atari;
he later contributed the tiles to the NetHack Development Team and tile support was
then added to other platforms.
.pg
The 3.2 NetHack Development Team, comprised of \fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBKen
Arromdee\fP, \fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJessie Collet\fP, \fBSteve Creps\fP,
\fBKevin Darcy\fP, \fBTimo Hakulinen\fP, \fBSteve Linhart\fP, \fBDean
Luick\fP, \fBPat Rankin\fP, \fBEric Smith\fP, \fBMike Stephenson\fP,
\fBJanet Walz\fP, and \fBPaul Winner\fP, released version 3.2 in April of
1996.
.pg
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 NetHack Development Team remained 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 NetHack Development Team, \fBDr. Izchak
Miller\fP, was diagnosed with cancer and passed away.  That release of the
game was dedicated to him by the development and porting teams.
.pg
During the lifespan of NetHack 3.1 and 3.2, several enthusiasts
of the game added
their own modifications to the game and made these \(lqvariants\(rq publicly
available:
.pg
\fBTom Proudfoot\fP and \fBYuval Oren\fP created NetHack++,
which was quickly renamed NetHack--.
Working independently, \fBStephen White\fP wrote NetHack Plus.
\fBTom Proudfoot\fP later merged NetHack Plus
and his own NetHack-- to produce SLASH.
\fBLarry Stewart-Zerba\fP and \fBWarwick Allison\fP improved the spell
casting system with the Wizard Patch.
\fBWarwick Allison\fP also ported NetHack to use the Qt interface.
.pg
\fBWarren Cheung\fP combined SLASH with the Wizard Patch to produce Slash'EM,
and with the help of \fBKevin Hugo\fP, added more features.
Kevin later joined the
NetHack Development Team and incorporated the best of these ideas in NetHack 3.3.
.pg
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.
.pg
The 3.3 NetHack Development Team, consisting of
\fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBKen Arromdee\fP,
\fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJessie Collet\fP, \fBSteve Creps\fP, \fBKevin Darcy\fP,
\fBTimo Hakulinen\fP, \fBKevin Hugo\fP, \fBSteve Linhart\fP, \fBKen Lorber\fP,
\fBDean Luick\fP, \fBPat Rankin\fP, \fBEric Smith\fP, \fBMike Stephenson\fP,
\fBJanet Walz\fP, and \fBPaul Winner\fP, released 3.3.0 in
December 1999 and 3.3.1 in August of 2000.
.pg
Version 3.3 offered many firsts. It was the first version to separate race
and profession. The Elf class was removed in preference 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, Barbarians, 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.
.pg
The 3.4 NetHack Development Team initially consisted of
\fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBKen Arromdee\fP,
\fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJessie Collet\fP, \fBKevin Hugo\fP, \fBKen Lorber\fP,
\fBDean Luick\fP, \fBPat Rankin\fP, \fBMike Stephenson\fP,
\fBJanet Walz\fP, and \fBPaul Winner\fP, with \fB Warwick Allison\fP joining
just before the release of NetHack 3.4.0 in March 2002.
.pg
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:
.pg
\fBPat Rankin\fP maintained 3.4 for VMS.
.pg
\fBMichael Allison\fP maintained NetHack 3.4 for the MS-DOS platform.
\fBPaul Winner\fP and \fBYitzhak Sapir\fP provided encouragement.
.pg
\fBDean Luick\fP, \fBMark Modrall\fP, and \fBKevin Hugo\fP maintained
and enhanced the Macintosh port of 3.4.
.pg
\fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBAlex Kompel\fP,
\fBDion Nicolaas\fP, and
\fBYitzhak Sapir\fP maintained and enhanced 3.4 for the Microsoft Windows
platform.
\fBAlex Kompel\fP contributed a new graphical interface for the Windows port.
\fBAlex Kompel\fP also contributed a Windows CE port for 3.4.1.
.pg
\fBRon Van Iwaarden\fP 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.
.pg
\fBJanne Salmijarvi\fP and \fBTeemu Suikki\fP maintained and
enhanced the Amiga port of 3.4 after \fBJanne Salmijarvi\fP resurrected
it for 3.3.1.
.pg
\fBChristian \(lqMarvin\(rq Bressler\fP maintained 3.4 for the Atari after he
resurrected it for 3.3.1.
.pg
The release of NetHack 3.4.3 in December 2003 marked the beginning 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
NetHack Development Team 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
\fBDerek S. Ray\fP, unnethack by \fBPatric Mueller\fP, nitrohack and its
successors originally by \fBDaniel Thaler\fP and then by \fBAlex Smith\fP,
and Dynahack by \fBTung Nguyen\fP. Some of those variants continue to be
developed, maintained, and enjoyed by the community to this day.
.pg
In September 2014, an interim snapshot of the code under development 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 version numbers present on that code snapshot would
be retired and never used in an official NetHack release. An announcement
was posted on the NetHack Development Team's official
.UR nethack.org
website to that effect,
stating that there would never be a 3.4.4, 3.5, or 3.5.0 official release
version.
.pg
In January 2015, preparation began for the release of NetHack 3.6.
.pg
At the beginning of development for what would eventually get released
as 3.6.0, the NetHack Development Team consisted of \fBWarwick Allison\fP,
\fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBKen Arromdee\fP,
\fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJessie Collet\fP,
\fBKen Lorber\fP, \fBDean Luick\fP, \fBPat Rankin\fP,
\fBMike Stephenson\fP, \fBJanet Walz\fP, and \fBPaul Winner\fP.
In early 2015, ahead of the release of 3.6.0, new members
\fBSean Hunt\fP, \fBPasi Kallinen\fP, and \fBDerek S. Ray\fP
joined the NetHack Development Team.
.pg
Near the end of the development of 3.6.0, one of the significant inspirations for many of
the humorous and fun features found in the game, author Terry Pratchett,
passed away. NetHack 3.6.0 introduced a tribute to him.
.pg
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.
.pg
The NetHack Development Team, as well as \fBSteve VanDevender\fP and
\fBKevin Smolkowski\fP, ensured that NetHack 3.6 continued to operate on
various
.UX
flavors and maintained the X11 interface.
.pg
\fBKen Lorber\fP, \fBHaoyang Wang\fP, \fBPat Rankin\fP, and \fBDean Luick\fP
maintained the port of NetHack 3.6 for Mac OSX.
.pg
\fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBBart House\fP,
\fBPasi Kallinen\fP, \fBAlex Kompel\fP, \fBDion Nicolaas\fP,
\fBDerek S. Ray\fP and \fBYitzhak Sapir\fP maintained the port of
NetHack 3.6 for Microsoft Windows.
.pg
\fBPat Rankin\fP attempted to keep the VMS port running for NetHack 3.6,
hindered by limited access. \fBKevin Smolkowski\fP 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.
.pg
\fBRay Chason\fP resurrected the msdos port for 3.6 and contributed the
necessary updates to the community at large.
.pg
In late April 2018, several hundred bug fixes for 3.6.0 and
some new features were assembled and released as NetHack 3.6.1.
The NetHack Development Team at the time of release of 3.6.1 consisted of
\fBWarwick Allison\fP, \fBMichael Allison\fP, \fBKen Arromdee\fP,
\fBDavid Cohrs\fP, \fBJessie Collet\fP, \fBPasi Kallinen\fP,
\fBKen Lorber\fP, \fBDean Luick\fP, \fBPatric Mueller\fP,
\fBPat Rankin\fP, \fBDerek S. Ray\fP, \fBAlex Smith\fP,
\fBMike Stephenson\fP, \fBJanet Walz\fP, and \fBPaul Winner\fP.
.pg
In early May 2019, another 320 bug fixes along with some enhancements and
the adopted curses window port, were released as 3.6.2.
.pg
\fBBart House\fP, who had contributed to the game as a porting team
participant for decades, joined the NetHack Development Team in late May 2019.
.pg
NetHack 3.6.3 was released on December 5, 2019 containing over 190 bug
fixes to NetHack 3.6.2.
.pg
NetHack 3.6.4 was released on December 18, 2019 containing a security fix
and a few bug fixes.
.pg
NetHack 3.6.5 was released on January 27, 2020 containing some security fixes
and a small number of bug fixes.
.pg
NetHack 3.6.6 was released on March 8, 2020 containing a security fix and
some bug fixes.
.pg
NetHack 3.6.7 was released in February 2023 containing a security fix and
some bug fixes.
.pg
The official NetHack web site is maintained by \fBKen Lorber\fP
at
.UR https://www.nethack.org/ .
.pg
.hn 2
SPECIAL THANKS
.pg
On behalf of the NetHack community, thank you very much once
again to \fBM. Drew Streib\fP and \fBPasi Kallinen\fP for providing a
public NetHack server at nethack.alt.org. Thanks to \fBKeith Simpson\fP
and \fBAndy Thomson\fP for hardfought.org. Thanks to all those
unnamed dungeoneers who invest their time and effort into annual
NetHack tournaments such as Junethack, The November NetHack Tournament
and in days past, devnull.net (gone for now, but not forgotten).
.pg
.ce
- - - - - - - - - -\ \ \ \ \" when centered, the dashes look a little too far
.                          \" to the right, so pad them with a few spaces
.pg
From time to time, some depraved individual out there in netland sends a
particularly intriguing modification to help out with the game.  The NetHack
Development Team sometimes makes note of the names of the worst of these
miscreants in this, the list of Dungeoneers:
.
.TS S
center;
c2 c2 c.
.\"TABLE_START
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
Andy Thomson	John Kallen	Patric Mueller
Ari Huttunen	John Rupley	Paul Winner
Bart House	John S. Bien	Pierre Martineau
Benson I. Margulies	Johnny Lee	Ralf Brown
Bill Dyer	Jon W{tte	Ray Chason
Boudewijn Waijers	Jonathan Handler	Richard Addison
Bruce Cox	Joshua Delahunty	Richard Beigel
Bruce Holloway	Karl Garrison	Richard P. Hughey
Bruce Mewborne	Keizo Yamamoto	Rob Menke
Carl Schelin	Keith Simpson	Robin Bandy
Chris Russo	Ken Arnold	Robin Johnson
David Cohrs	Ken Arromdee	Roderick Schertler
David Damerell	Ken Lorber	Roland McGrath
David Gentzel	Ken Washikita	Ron Van Iwaarden
David Hairston	Kevin Darcy	Ronnen Miller
Dean Luick	Kevin Hugo	Ross Brown
Del Lamb	Kevin Sitze	Sascha Wostmann
Derek S. Ray	Kevin Smolkowski	Scott Bigham
Deron Meranda	Kevin Sweet	Scott R. Turner
Dion Nicolaas	Lars Huttar	Sean Hunt
Dylan O'Donnell	Leon Arnott	Stephen Spackman
Eric Backus	M. Drew Streib	Stefan Thielscher
Eric Hendrickson	Malcolm Ryan	Stephen White
Eric R. Smith	Mark Gooderum	Steve Creps
Eric S. Raymond	Mark Modrall	Steve Linhart
Erik Andersen	Marvin Bressler	Steve VanDevender
Fredrik Ljungdahl	Matthew Day	Teemu Suikki
Frederick Roeber	Merlyn LeRoy	Tim Lennan
Gil Neiger	Michael Allison	Timo Hakulinen
Greg Laskin	Michael Feir	Tom Almy
Greg Olson	Michael Hamel	Tom West
Gregg Wonderly	Michael Sokolov	Warren Cheung
Hao-yang Wang	Mike Engber	Warwick Allison
Helge Hafting	Mike Gallop	Yitzhak Sapir
Irina Rempt-Drijfhout	Mike Passaretti
Izchak Miller	Mike Stephenson
.\"TABLE_END  Do not delete this line.
.TE
.pg
.\"Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
.\"Lattice is a trademark of Lattice, Inc.
.\"Atari and 1040ST are trademarks of Atari, Inc.
.\"Amiga is a trademark of Commodore-Amiga, Inc
.sm "Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks \
of their respective holders."
.\"EOF
