chris@eneevax.UUCP (03/20/84)
Actually I would say that there aren't any specific things that you
*need* to win at rogue, but there are some things which are very
helpful. Here's the end of the movie from my one (and only) winning
rogue game, for example:
Worth Item
a) 2 A hregfx (that's my fruit)
b) 1000 The Amulet of Yendor
c) 65 A potion of restore strength(red)
d) 130 A potion of healing(aquamarine)
e) 250 A ring of teleportation(pearl)
f) 755 A ring of stealth(saphire)
g) 325 A ring of see invisible(obsidian)
h) 87 A wand of striking [5](silver)
i) 135 A wand of striking [3](silver)
j) 170 A staff of teleport away [0](cypress)
k) 420 A staff of teleport away [4](cypress)
l) 390 A wand of polymorph [4](silicon)
m) 350 A staff of slow monster [0](kukui wood)
n) 1140 +5 banded mail [-1] (being worn)
o) 580 +0 splint mail [4]
p) 330 +0 scale mail [6]
q) 104 A +1,+3 mace (weapon in hand)
r) 60 A +1,+0 short bow
s) 15 15 +0,+0 arrows
6352 Gold Pieces
Obviously you need enough food to keep from starving to death. As you
won't find any on the way up, you need to have 2 or 3 foods in your
pack before you start up. Potions of restore strength are very useful,
but not absolutly required. In fact a ring of stealth will usually
make up for low strengths and hit points. Potions of *extra* healing
are good for a "save", in case of imminent death. Ordinary healing
potions don't help much when you're against a troll or anything
stronger.
Teleport away can also save you but is rather dangerous as it leaves
awake monsters walking around. Polymorph is useful but don't count on
it; you may wind up with a purple worm instead of a dragon. Slow
monster is probably the single most useful wand in the lower dungeon,
as it is somtimes the only way to defeat dragons, purple worms, and
other nasties.
By the way, scrolls of identify are useful but not necessary; once
you've played enough games you can often identify something by its
effect (or lack thereof) on a monster, on yourself, or whatever.
Good armor is almost a requirement; you're bound to run into someone
nasty and without good armor (or a staff of slow monster) you'll get
chomped before you can take care of it. With good armor you don't
even need a good weapon (witness above).
Most of all, you need to get enough equipment *and* have some good
luck. I've had games where I was doing better than in the one above,
but had some bad die rolls and got killed. Life is tough all over.
--
Chris Torek, Dept of CS, Univeristy of Maryland, College Park, MD
...!umcp-cs!chris chris%umcp-cs@CSNet-Relay