🚀 go-pugleaf

The following presents the means to solving Hack 1.0.2. Having conquered the
game once and for all, it is time to show other people how to do it, thus
to make the game obselete.  For those people who still want to have fun, 
don't look!
















Monsters:

Leprechauns, Nymphs, Tengus, and Minotaurs give you the equivalent of a
ring of teleportation when eaten.

Freezing Spheres give you the equivalent of a ring of cold resistance when
eaten.

Dragons give you the equivalent of a ring of fire resistance when eaten.

Killer Bees, Scorpions, and Snakes give you the equivalent of a ring of
poison resistance when eaten.

Wraiths give you the equivalent of a potion of gain level when eaten.

Invisible Stalkers give you the equivalent of a ring of see invisible
when eaten.

Other special monsters:

Cockatrices: Weilding one (be sure to use gloves) when dead can turn any
other monster to stone, with the exception of other cockatrices. Unless 
you have wands or projectiles, it is best to stay away. Direct melee is
a no-no, since the cockatrice can take you out in one move. They will
respect Elbereth.

Dragons: The dragon itself will respect Elbereth, but it still can hit
you with flame for full damage. Selective teleportation in conjuntion with
Elbereth can bottle up the dragon while you recover hit points. Dragons
are vulnerable to cockatrices, wands of cold, wands of death, and wands of
polymorph. Wands of sleep have limited effectiveness, the dragon will wake
up about three moves later.

Shopkeepers: They do not respect Elbereth, no do any creatures that they
polymorph into. They are vulnerable to wands of death, wands of polymorph,
and wands of sleep. Do not try to kill unless you have maximum strength, 
at least 80 hit points, -3 AC, and a ring of teleport control.

Minotaurs: Approximately equal to shopkeepers in hit effectiveness. Will
respect Elbereth. Possess a wand of digging with the normal range of charges.

Long Worms: Attack from the rear when possible. Yeilds a tooth that can be
transformed into a Crysknife ( equivalent to +5 dagger ) using a single spell
of enchant weapon.

Purple Worms, Lurkers, Trappers: Vulnerable to Wands of Digging. All three can
swallow and digest you in 3 to 7 turns. Usually best to use the wand of digging
from inside, failing that, teleporting out or using your best weapon. 

Chameleons: Can disguise themselves as any other creature, with the exception
of humans. Usually like to be the deadlier monsters, such as Umber Hulks,
Nurses, Lurkers, Trappers, or Dragons. If you are swallowed by one, you can
be digested in 1 turn.

Xans: By the time you are at the level where they appear, they are not really
deadly but just a damned nuisance. Being struck by one once can reduce your
ability to carry things by 4 food rations, a second time will reduce your
ability by 8. Subsequent hits will not reduce your ability further. To recover,
drink a potion of speed.

Demons: Demons have high hit effectiveness, and can multiply if you do not
dispatch quickly. When demons breed, the only counter is to either teleport
away or use a ring of conflict. Will respect Elbereth.

Nurses: Will be harmless only when you have stripped off all armor and weild
no weapons. When touched in this state, your hit points will raise by 1 per
five moves. Eating them reduces luck.


Special Weapons And Tactics:

Pick-axes are the only weapons that you can use offensively without violation
of Elbereth. Simply apply the pick-axe in the direction of the target.

Wands of polymorph and death are the only ones guaranteed effective results in
a single move. A wand of death will kill any creature instantly, including 
yourself if the beam bounces back in your direction.

A long sword will have a higher chance to hit that a double-handed sword, all
other things equal.

At maximum strength, throwing arrows works about the same as using a bow.

Wands of wishing exists at every maze level, always one per level, always under
a rock in a cul-de-sack. Depending on your luck, there will be either two or
three usable charges.  You may wish for any item allowed to any character class
in the game. An item can be : a single wand, piece of armor, or other large
object; or three of any potion, scroll, or gem. Diamonds are the gem of the
highest value, if you have spare charges, wish for those.

The End Game:

The object is to take out the Wizard and retrieve the Amulet.  To do this, you
must descend to the 39th level.  You cannot descend by normal means below the
27th level. Instead, you need the following : ring of teleport control, ring
of fire resistance ( or equivalent ) , ring of teleportation ( or equivalent )
, potion of confusion ( or equivalent ), scroll of teleportation. Drink the
potion, wear the rings, read the scroll. Choose the 39th level. 

After you arrive, the Wizard and a Hound of Hell reside in a bunker, inside a
moat at the center of the level. The bunker is solid wall.  The moat consists
of a set of watery areas. You cannot teleport inside the bunker. You can
handle the water by pushing a rock in it, using a wand of fire at it, or by
having a dragon chase you. Use the wand of digging or a pick-axe to enter the
bunker from the right hand side. You can attack the Wizard with wands that
kill or nullify in one move, or with a high quality weapon. You will either
take out the wizard in the first move or enter into a battle royale. If you
cannot kill the wizard in the first moves, the wizard will perform a level
teleport to the next level up, but will get weaker the higher he goes. At
each level, you get one change to hit the Wizard.

Successfully leaving the dungeon with the amulet can double your score, as
well as adding 5000 Zorkmids to the score before doubling. The amulet has
no magical properties.


Finally, Elbereth: Engraving the word renders you immune to attack or other
molestation, within limits, until the immunity is violated. Attacking with
a weapon or moving is a violation. Throwing, using wands, or applying a
pick-axe does not. Teleporting onto or from an Elbereth will not violate.

Good Luck, and Happy Hacking!!!


Andrew Jonathan Fine