









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


                       Original version - Eric S. Raymond
     (Edited and expanded for NetHack 5.0.0 by Mike Stephenson and others)

                                  May 6, 2026



     1.  Introduction

          Recently, you have begun to find yourself unfulfilled and distant
     in your daily occupation.  Strange dreams  of  prospecting,  stealing,
     crusading,  and combat have haunted you in your sleep for many months,
     but you aren't sure of the reason.  You wonder  whether  you  have  in
     fact  been  having  those dreams all your life, and somehow managed to
     forget about them until now.  Some nights you awaken suddenly and  cry
     out,  terrified  at the vivid 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?

          Asking around, you hear about a bauble, called the Amulet of Yen-
     dor  by  some, which, if you can find it, will bring you great wealth.
     One legend you were told even mentioned that the  one  who  finds  the
     amulet will be granted immortality by the gods.  The amulet is rumored
     to be somewhere beyond the Valley of Gehennom, deep within  the  Mazes
     of  Menace.   Upon  hearing  the legends, you immediately realize that
     there is some profound and undiscovered reason that you are to descend
     into  the  caverns and seek out that amulet of which they spoke.  Even
     if the rumors of the amulet's powers are untrue, you decide  that  you
     should  at  least  be able to sell the tales of your adventures to the
     local minstrels for a tidy sum, especially if you encounter any of the
     terrifying  and  magical  creatures of your dreams along the way.  You
     spend one last night fortifying yourself at the  local  inn,  becoming
     more  and  more  depressed as you watch the odds of your success being
     posted on the inn's walls getting lower and lower.

          In the morning you awake, collect your belongings,  and  set  off
     for the dungeon.  After several days of uneventful travel, you see the


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     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....

     2.  What is going on here?

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

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

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

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

          Cavemen and Cavewomen start with exceptional strength but, unfor-
     tunately, with neolithic weapons.

          Healers 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 dun-
     geon.

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

          Wizards start out with a knowledge of magic, a selection of magi-
     cal items, and a particular affinity for dweomercraft.  Although seem-
     ingly  weak and easy to overcome at first sight, an experienced Wizard
     is a deadly foe.

          You may also choose the race of your  character  (within  limits;
     most roles have restrictions on which races are eligible for them):

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

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

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

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

          Orcs  are  a cruel and barbaric race that hate every living thing
     (including other orcs).  Above all others, Orcs hate Elves with a pas-
     sion  unequalled,  and  will  go  out  of their way to kill one at any
     opportunity.  The armor and weapons fashioned by the  Orcs  are  typi-
     cally of inferior quality.

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

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

          When NetHack's ancestor rogue first appeared, its screen orienta-
     tion 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


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     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.

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

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

          NetHack  offers a variety of display options.  The options avail-
     able 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 pos-
     sible  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 char-
     acters  from the monochrome character display when referring to things
     you might see on the screen during your game.

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






















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        +---------------------------------------------------------------+
        |The bat bites!                                                 |
        |                                                               |
        |    ------                                                     |
        |    |....|    ----------                                       |
        |    |.<..|####...@...$.|                                       |
        |    |....-#   |...B....+                                       |
        |    |....|    |.d......|                                       |
        |    ------    -------|--                                       |
        |                                                               |
        |                                                               |
        |                                                               |
        |Player the Rambler   St:12 Dx:7 Co:18 In:11 Wi:9 Ch:15 Neutral |
        |Dlvl:1 $:993 HP:9(12) Pw:3(3) AC:10 Exp:1/19 T:752 Hungry Conf |
        +---------------------------Figure-1----------------------------+









































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        +---------------------------------------------------------------+
        |Player the Rambler   St:12 Dx:7 Co:18 In:11 Wi:9 Ch:15         |
        |Neutral $:993 HP:9(12) Pw:3(3) AC:10 Exp:1/19 Hungry           |
        |Dlvl:1 T:752                                  Conf             |
        +---------------------------Figure-2----------------------------+

     3.1.  The status lines (bottom)

          The bottom two (or three) lines of  the  screen  contain  several
     cryptic  pieces of information describing your current status.  Figure
     1 shows the traditional two-line status area below the map.  Figure  2
     shows just the status area, when the statuslines:3 option has been set
     (not all interfaces support this option).  If any status line  becomes
     wider  than the screen, you might not see all of it due to truncation.
     When the numbers grow bigger and multiple conditions are present,  the
     two-line  format  will  run  out  of room on the second line, but sta-
     tuslines:2 is the default because a basic 24-line terminal isn't  tall
     enough for the third line.

          Here are explanations of what the various status items mean:

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

     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 success-
          fully you perform physical tasks, how much damage you do in  com-
          bat, and how much loot you can carry.

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

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

     Intelligence
          Intelligence affects your ability to cast spells and read  spell-
          books.

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

     Armor Class
          A  measure  of  how  effectively  your  armor  stops  blows  from
          unfriendly creatures.  The lower this number is, the more  effec-
          tive  the  armor;  it  is  quite  possible to have negative armor
          class.  See the Armor subsection of Objects for more information.

     Experience
          Your current experience level.  If the showexp option is set,  it
          will be followed by a slash and experience points.  As you adven-
          ture, 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.  (By the
          time  your level reaches double digits, the usefulness of showing
          the points with it has dropped significantly.  You  can  use  the
          `O'  command  to  turn  showexp off to avoid using up the limited
          status line space.)

     Time
          The number of turns elapsed so far, displayed  if  you  have  the


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          time option set.

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

          Encumbrance:  an  indication of how what you are carrying affects
          your  ability  to  move.   Values  are  Unencumbered,   Burdened,
          Stressed,  Strained,  Overtaxed,  and Overloaded.  Not shown when
          Unencumbered.

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

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

          Movement modifiers: Lev (levitating), Fly  (flying),  Ride  (rid-
          ing).

          Other conditions and modifiers exist, but there isn't enough room
          to display them with the other status fields.

     The #attributes command (default key ^X) will show all current  status
     information  in unabbreviated format.  It also shows other information
     which might be included on the status lines if those had more room.

     3.2.  The message line (top)

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

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

     3.3.  The map (rest of the screen)

          The rest of the screen is the  map  of  the  level  as  you  have
     explored  it  so far.  Each symbol on the screen represents 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:

     -    The horizontal or corner walls of a room, or  an  open  east/west
          door.




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     |    The  vertical  walls of a room, or an open north/south door, or a
          grave.

     .    The floor of a room, or ice, or a doorless doorway, or  the  span
          of an open drawbridge.

     #    A  corridor,  or  iron  bars,  or  a tree, or the portcullis of a
          closed drawbridge.

          Note: engravings in corridors also appear as # but are shown in a
          different color from normal corridor locations.

     >    Stairs down: a way to the next level.

     <    Stairs up: a way to the previous level.

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

     @    Your character or a human or an elf.

     $    A pile of gold.

     ^    A trap (once you have detected it).

     )    A weapon.

     [    A suit or piece of armor.

     %    Something edible (not necessarily healthy).

     ?    A scroll.

     /    A wand.

     =    A ring.

     !    A potion.

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

     "    An amulet or a spider web.

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

     `    A boulder or statue or an engraving on the floor of a room.

          Note: statues are displayed as if they  were  the  monsters  they
          depict so won't appear as a grave accent (aka back-tick).

     0    An iron ball.

     _    An altar, or an iron chain.



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     {    A fountain or a sink.

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

     \    An opulent throne.

     a-z  and

     A-HJ-Z  and

     @&':;
          Letters and certain other symbols represent the  various  inhabi-
          tants  of  the Mazes of Menace.  Watch out, they can be nasty and
          vicious.  Sometimes, however, they can be helpful.

     I    Rather than a specific type of monster, this marks the last known
          location  of an invisible or otherwise unseen monster.  Note that
          the monster could have moved.  The `s', `F', and `m' commands may
          be useful here.

     1-5  The  digits 1 through 5 may be displayed, marking unseen monsters
          sensed via the Warning attribute.  Less  dangerous  monsters  are
          indicated by lower values, more dangerous by higher values.

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

     4.  Commands

          Commands  can  be  initiated  by  typing one or two characters to
     which the command is bound to, or  typing  the  command  name  in  the
     extended commands entry.  Some commands, like "search", do not require
     that any more information be collected  by  NetHack.   Other  commands
     might  require  additional information, for example a direction, or an
     object to be used.  For those commands that require additional  infor-
     mation, 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 menustyle option.

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




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

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

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

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

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

          Specifying a name rather than a location always gives  any  addi-
          tional information available about that name.

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

     &    Tell what a command does.

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

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

     [yuhjklbn]
          Go  one  step  in the direction indicated (see Figure 3).  If you
          sense or remember a monster there, you  will  fight  the  monster
          instead.   Only  these  one-step  movement  commands cause you to


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          fight monsters; the others (below) are "safe."
          +----------------------------------------------------------------+
          |          y  k  u                             7  8  9           |
          |           \ | /                               \ | /            |
          |          h- . -l                             4- . -6           |
          |           / | \                               / | \            |
          |          b  j  n                             1  2  3           |
          |      (number_pad off)                    (number_pad on)       |
          +---------------------------Figure-3-----------------------------+

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

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

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

          The prefix will make "#travel" command show a menu of interesting
          targets  in sight.  It can also be used with the `\' (known, show
          a list of all discovered objects) and the ``' (knownclass, show a
          list  of  discovered  objects  in a particular class) commands to
          offer a menu of several sorting alternatives (which  sets  a  new
          value for the sortdiscoveries option); also for "#vanquished" and
          "#genocided" commands to offer a sorting menu.

          A few other commands (eat food, offer sacrifice,  apply  tinning-
          kit,  drink/quaff, dip, tip container) use the `m' prefix to skip
          checking for applicable objects on the floor and go  straight  to
          checking  inventory,  or  (for  "#loot" to remove a saddle), skip
          containers and go straight to adjacent monsters.

          In debug mode (aka "wizard mode"), the `m'  prefix  may  also  be
          used with the "#teleport" and "#wizlevelport" commands.

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

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

     G[yuhjklbn] or <Control>+[yuhjklbn]
          Prefix:   similar to `g', but forking of corridors is not consid-
          ered interesting.

          Note:  <Control>+<key> means holding the <Control> or <Ctrl>  key
          down  like <Shift> while typing and releasing <key>, then releas-
          ing <Control>. ^<key> is  used  as  shorthand  elsewhere  in  the


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          Guidebook  to  mean the same thing.  Control characters are case-
          insensitive so ^x and ^X are the same.

     M[yuhjklbn]
          Old versions supported `M' as a movement  prefix  which  combined
          the  effect of `m' with <Control>+<direction>.  That is no longer
          supported as a prefix but similar effect can be achieved by using
          `m'  and G<direction> in combination.  m can also be used in com-
          bination    with    g<direction>,    <Control>+<direction>,    or
          <Shift>+<direction>.

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

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

     .    Wait or rest, do nothing for one turn.  Precede with the `m' pre-
          fix to wait for a  turn  even  next  to  a  hostile  monster,  if
          safe_wait is on.

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

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

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

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

     ^A   Repeat the previous command.

     c    Close a door.

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

          Same as extended command "#name".

     ^C   Panic button.  Quit the game.

     d    Drop something.

          For example "d7a" means drop seven items of object a.

     D    Drop several things.

          In answer to the question




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          "What kinds of things do you want to drop? [!%= BUCXPaium]"

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

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

          The  last example shows a combination.  There are four categories
          of object filtering: class (`!' for potions, `?' for scrolls, and
          so on), shop status (`u' for unpaid, in other words, owned by the
          shop), bless/curse state (`B', `U', `C', and `X' as shown above),
          and novelty (`P', recently picked up items; controlled by picking
          up or dropping things rather than by any time factor).

          If you specify more than one value in a category  (such  as  "!?"
          for  potions  and  scrolls  or "BU" for blessed and uncursed), an
          inventory object will meet the criteria if it matches any of  the
          specified values (so "!?" means `!' or `?').  If you specify more
          than one category, an inventory object must meet each of the cat-
          egory criteria (so "%u" means class `%' and unpaid `u').  Lastly,
          you may  specify  multiple  values  within  multiple  categories:
          "!?BU"  will select all potions and scrolls which are known to be
          blessed or uncursed.  (In versions prior to 3.6, filter  combina-
          tions behaved differently.)

     ^D   Kick something (usually a door).

     e    Eat food.

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

          If you attempt to eat while already satiated, you might choke  to
          death.   If  you  risk it, you will be asked whether to "continue
          eating?" if you survive the first bite.  You can  set  the  para-
          noid_confirmation:eating  option  to  require  a  response of yes
          instead of just y.

     E    Engrave a message on the floor.

               E- - write in the dust with your fingers.



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          Engraving the word "Elbereth" will cause  most  monsters  to  not
          attack you hand-to-hand (but if you attack, you will rub it out);
          this is often useful to give yourself a breather.

     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 `Q' command, or let the computer  pick
          something  appropriate  if  autoquiver  is true.  If your wielded
          weapon has the throw-and-return property, your quiver  is  empty,
          and  autoquiver  is  false,  you  will  throw that wielded weapon
          instead of filling the quiver.  This will also automatically  use
          a  polearm  if wielded.  If fireassist is true, firing will auto-
          matically try to wield a launcher (for example, a bow or a sling)
          matching  the ammo in the quiver; this might take multiple turns,
          and get interrupted by a monster.  Remember to swap back to  your
          main melee weapon afterwards.

          See also `t' (throw) for more general throwing and shooting.

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

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

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

     o    Open a door.

     O    Set options.

          A  menu showing the current option values will be displayed.  You
          can change most values simply by selecting the menu 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 `O'
          command; see the section on options below.  Precede `O' with  the
          `m' prefix to show advanced options.

     ^O   Show overview.

          Shortcut  for  "#overview":  list interesting dungeon levels vis-
          ited.



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          (Prior to 3.6.0, `^O' was a debug mode command which  listed  the
          placement  of  all  special  levels.  Use "#wizwhere" to run that
          command.)

     p    Pay your shopping bill.

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

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

     ^P   Repeat previous message.

          Subsequent `^P's repeat earlier messages.  For  some  interfaces,
          the behavior can be varied via the msg_window option.

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

          When  there  is  a  fountain  or sink present, it asks whether to
          drink from that.  If that is declined, then it offers a chance to
          choose  a potion from inventory.  Precede `q' with the `m' prefix
          to skip asking about drinking from a fountain or sink.

     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 `f' command.

     r    Read a scroll or spellbook.

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

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

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

     ^R   Redraw the screen.

     s    Search  for  secret doors and traps around you.  It usually takes
          several tries to find something.  Precede with the `m' prefix  to
          search for a turn even next to a hostile monster, if safe_wait is
          on.

          Can also be used to figure out whether there is still  a  monster
          at an adjacent "remembered, unseen monster" marker.


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     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.

          In  normal  play,  once a saved game is restored the file used to
          hold the saved data is deleted.  In explore mode,  once  restora-
          tion  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.

          There  is  no "save current game state and keep playing" command,
          not even in explore mode where saved game files can be  kept  and
          re-used.

     t    Throw an object or shoot a projectile.

          There's no separate "shoot" 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  gen-
          erally be less effective than when shot.

          See also `f' (fire) for throwing or shooting an item pre-selected
          via the `Q' (quiver) command, with some extra assistance.

     T    Take off armor.

          If you're wearing more than one piece,  you'll  be  prompted  for
          which one to take off.  (Note that this treats a cloak covering a
          suit and/or a shirt, or a suit covering a shirt, as if the under-
          lying  items  weren't there.)  When you're only wearing one, then
          by default it will be taken off without asking, but you  can  set
          the paranoid_confirmation:Remove option to require a prompt.

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

     ^T   Teleport, if you have the ability.

     v    Display  a  list  of significant events in the current game, also
          shown by #chronicle.

          `v' used to display the game's version number.  Use `V' for  that
          now.

     V    Display version number.

          `V'  used  to  display  a  summary  of the game's history.  Still
          available via #history.




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     w    Wield weapon.

               w- - wield nothing, use your bare (or gloved) hands.

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

     W    Wear armor.

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

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

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

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

          (In versions prior to 3.6  this  keystroke  ran  the  command  to
          switch from normal play to "explore mode", also known as "discov-
          ery mode", which has now been moved to "#exploremode" and M-X.)

     ^X   Display basic information about your character.

          Displays name, role, race, gender (unless role  name  makes  that
          redundant,  such  as  Caveman or Priestess), 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 considera-
          tions.

          In normal play, that's all that `^X' displays.  In explore  mode,
          the role and status feedback is augmented by the information pro-
          vided by enlightenment magic.

     z    Zap a wand.

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

     Z    Zap (cast) a spell.

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





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     ^Z   Suspend the game (UNIX(R) versions with job control  only).   See
          "#suspend" below for more details.

     :    Look at what is here.

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

     ,    Pick up some things from the floor beneath you.

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

     @    Toggle the autopickup option on and off.

     ^    Ask for the type of an adjacent trap you found earlier.

     )    Tell what weapon you are wielding.

     [    Tell what armor you are wearing.

     =    Tell what rings you are wearing.

     "    Tell what amulet you are wearing.

     (    Tell what tools you are using.

     *    Tell what equipment you are using.

          Combines the preceding five type-specific commands into one.

     $    Report the gold you're carrying, possibly shop credit and/or debt
          too.

     +    List the spells you know.

          Using this command, you can also rearrange  the  order  in  which
          your  spells  are listed, either by sorting the entire list or by
          picking one spell from the menu  then  picking  another  to  swap
          places  with  it.  Swapping pairs of spells changes their casting
          letters, so the change lasts after the current `+'  command  fin-
          ishes.   Sorting  the  whole list is temporary.  To make the most
          recent sort order persist beyond the current `+' command,  choose
          the  sort  option again and then pick "reassign casting letters".
          (Any spells learned after that will be added to the  end  of  the
          list rather than be inserted into the sorted ordering.)

     \    Show what types of objects have been discovered.

          May be preceded by `m' to select preferred display order.

     `    Show discovered types for one class of objects.


     __________
     (R)UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group.


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          May be preceded by `m' to select preferred display order.

     |    If  persistent  inventory  display is supported and enabled (with
          the perm_invent option), interact with it  instead  of  with  the
          map.

          Allows  scrolling  with  the menu_first_page, menu_previous_page,
          menu_next_page, and menu_last_page keys (`^', `<',  `>',  `|'  by
          default).   Some  interfaces  also  support  menu_shift_left  and
          menu_shift_right keys (`{' and `}' by default).  Use  the  Return
          (aka Enter) or Escape key to resume play.

     !    Escape to a shell.  See "#shell" below for more details.

     Del  Show map without obstructions.  You can view the explored portion
          of the current level's map without monsters; without monsters and
          objects; or without monsters, objects, and traps.

          The  <del>  key  is  also  shown as <delete> on some keyboards or
          <rubout> on others.  It is sometimes displayed as ^? even  though
          that is not an actual control character.

          Many   terminals   have  an  option  to  swap  the  <delete>  and
          <backspace> keys, so typing the <del> key might not execute  this
          command.   If  that  happens,  you  can  use the extended command
          "#terrain" instead.

     #    Perform an extended command.



          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.

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

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

          Adjusting without a count used to collect all  compatible  stacks
          when  moving to the destination.  That behavior has been changed;
          to gather compatible stacks,  "#adjust"  a  stack  into  its  own
          inventory slot.  If it has a name assigned, other stacks with the


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          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 com-
          patible  stacks  with  a different name will not be merged.  This
          contrasts with using "#adjust" to move from one slot to a differ-
          ent  slot.  In that situation, moving (no count given) a compati-
          ble 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.

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

          Preceding #annotate with the `m' prefix is the same as  #overview
          with the prefix.

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

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

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

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

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

     #bugreport
          Bring up a browser window to  submit  a  report  to  the  NetHack
          Development  Team.   Can  be  disabled at the time the program is
          built; when enabled, CRASHREPORTURL must be  set  in  the  system
          configuration file.

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

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

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




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     #chronicle
          Show a list of important game events.  Default key is `v'.

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

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

          See the section below entitled "Conduct" for details.

     #debugfuzzer
          Start the fuzz tester.  Debug mode only.

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

          The  `m' prefix skips dipping into a fountain or pool if there is
          one at your location.

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

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

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

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

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

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

     #exploremode
          Switch from normal play to non-scoring explore mode.  Default key
          is `M-X'.

          Requires  confirmation;  default  response  is n (no).  To really
          switch to explore mode, respond with y.  You can  set  the  para-
          noid_confirmation:quit  option  to  require  a  response  of  yes
          instead.

     #fight
          Prefix key to force fight a direction, even if you see nothing to
          fight there.  Default key is `F', or `-' with number_pad


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     #fire
          Fire ammunition from quiver, possibly autowielding a launcher, or
          hit with a wielded polearm.  Default key is `f'.

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

     #genocided
          List any monster types which have  been  genocided.   In  explore
          mode  and  debug  mode  it  also  shows  types  which have become
          extinct.

          The display order is the same as is used by #vanquished.  The `m'
          prefix  brings  up  a menu of available sorting orders, and doing
          that for either #genocided or #vanquished changes the  order  for
          both.

          If  the  sorting  order  is  "count high to low" or "count low to
          high" (which  are  applicable  for  #vanquished),  that  will  be
          ignored  for  #genocided  and  alphabetical will be used instead.
          The menu omits those two choices when used for #genocide.

          Autocompletes.  Default key is `M-g'.

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

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

     #herecmdmenu
          Show a menu of possible actions directed at  your  current  loca-
          tion.   The menu is limited to a subset of the likeliest actions,
          not an exhaustive set of all possibilities.  Autocompletes.

          If mouse support is enabled and the herecmd_menu  option  is  On,
          clicking  on  the  hero (or steed when mounted) will execute this
          command.

     #history
          Show a summary of the game's development.

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

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

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



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

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

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

          The  `m' prefix allows assigning a new value to the sortdiscover-
          ies option to control the order in which the discoveries are dis-
          played.

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

          The `m' prefix operates the same as for "#known".

     #levelchange
          Change your experience level.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

     #lightsources
          Show mobile light sources.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

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

     #lookaround
          Describe what you can see, or remember, of your surroundings.

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

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

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

     #offer
          Offer  a  sacrifice  to the gods.  Autocompletes.  Default key is
          `M-o'.




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

          The `m' prefix skips offering any items which are on the altar.

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

     #options
          Show  and  change  option settings.  Default key is `O'.  Precede
          with the `m' prefix to show advanced options.

     #optionsfull
          Show advanced game option settings.   No  default  key.   Precede
          with  the  `m'  prefix  to  execute  the simpler options command.
          (Mainly useful if you use  BINDING=O:optionsfull  to  switch  `O'
          from simple options back to traditional advanced options.)

     #overview
          Display  information  you've  discovered  about the dungeon.  Any
          visited level 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 dun-
          geon overview is chosen during end-of-game disclosure, every vis-
          ited level will be included regardless of annotations.

          Precede #overview with the `m'  prefix  to  display  the  dungeon
          overview  as a menu where you can select any visited level to add
          or remove an annotation without needing to return to that  level.
          This  will  also  force all visited levels to be displayed rather
          than just the "interesting" subset.

          Autocompletes.  Default keys are `^O', and `M-O'.

     #panic
          Test the panic routine.  Terminates the current  game.   Autocom-
          pletes.  Debug mode only.

          Asks  for  confirmation; default is n (no); continue playing.  To
          really panic, respond with y.  You can set the paranoid_confirma-
          tion:quit option to require a response of yes instead.

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

     #perminv
          If  persistent  inventory  display is supported and enabled (with
          the perm_invent option), interact with it  instead  of  with  the
          map.   You'll  be  prompted for menu scrolling keystrokes such as
          `>' and `<'.  Press Return  or  Escape  to  resume  normal  play.
          Default key is `|'.

     #pickup
          Pick up things at the current location.  Default key is `,'.  The


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          `m' prefix forces use of a menu.

     #polyself
          Polymorph self.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

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

          Praying too soon after  receiving  prior  help  is  a  bad  idea.
          (Hint:  entering  the dungeon alive is treated as having 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
          paranoid_confirmation option to disable it.

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

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

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

          The `m' prefix skips drinking from a fountain or sink if there is
          one at your location.

     #quit
          Quit the program without saving your game.  Autocompletes.

          Since using this command by accident would throw away the current
          game, you are asked  to  confirm  your  intent  before  quitting.
          Default  response  is  n (no); continue playing.  To really quit,
          respond with  y.   You  can  set  the  paranoid_confirmation:quit
          option to require a response of yes instead.

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

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

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

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

     #repeat
          Repeat the previous command.  Default key is `^A'.



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     #reqmenu
          Prefix  key to modify the behavior or request menu from some com-
          mands.  Prevents autopickup when  used  with  movement  commands.
          Default key is `m'.

     #retravel
          Travel  to a previously selected travel destination.  Default key
          is `C-_'.  See also #travel.

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

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

     #run
          Prefix  key  to run towards a direction.  Default key is `G' when
          number_pad is off, `5' when number_pad is set to 1 or  3,  other-
          wise `M-5' when it is set to 2 or 4.

     #rush
          Prefix key to rush towards a direction.  Default is `g' when num-
          ber_pad is off, `M-5' when number_pad is set to 1 or 3, otherwise
          `5' when it is set to 2 or 4.

     #save
          Save the game and exit the program.  Default key is `S'.

     #saveoptions
          Save  configuration  options to the config file.  This will over-
          write the file, removing all comments, so if  you  have  manually
          edited the config file, don't use this.

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

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

          Will display in-use items in a menu even when there is only one.

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

          Using the `m' prefix will force the display of a worn amulet in a
          menu rather than with just a message.

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

          Will  display  worn armor in a menu even when there is only thing
          worn.


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

          Will display worn rings in a menu if there are two (or  there  is
          just  one and is a meat ring rather than a "real" ring).  Use the
          `m' prefix to force a menu for one ring.

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

          Will display the result in a message if there is one tool in  use
          (worn blindfold or towel or lenses, lit lamp(s) and/or candle(s),
          leashes attached to pets).  Will display a menu if there are more
          than one or if the command is preceded by the `m' prefix.

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

          If  dual-wielding,  a separate message about the secondary weapon
          will be given.  Using the `m' prefix will force  a  menu  and  it
          will include primary weapon, alternate weapon even when not dual-
          wielding, and also whatever is currently assigned to  the  quiver
          slot.

     #shell
          Do  a  shell escape, switching from NetHack to a subprocess.  Can
          be disabled at the time the  program  is  built.   When  enabled,
          access for specific users can be controlled by the system config-
          uration file.  Use the shell command  `exit'  to  return  to  the
          game.  Default key is `!'.

     #showgold
          Report  the gold in your inventory, including gold you know about
          in containers you're carrying.  If you are inside a shop,  report
          any credit or debt you have in that shop.  Default key is `$'.

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

     #showtrap
          Describe  an adjacent trap, possibly covered by objects or a mon-
          ster.  To be eligible, the trap must already be discovered.  (The
          "#terrain" command can display your map with all objects and mon-
          sters temporarily removed, making it possible to see all  discov-
          ered traps.)  Default key is `^'.

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

     #stats
          Show memory usage statistics.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

     #suspend
          Suspend  the  game, switching from NetHack to the terminal it was


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          started from without performing save-and-exit.  Can  be  disabled
          at  the  time  the program is built.  When enabled, mainly useful
          for tty and curses interfaces on UNIX.   Use  the  shell  command
          `fg' to return to the game.  Default key is `^Z'.

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

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

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

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

     #terrain
          Show  map  without obstructions.  In normal play you can view the
          explored portion of the current  level's  map  without  monsters;
          without  monsters  and objects; or without monsters, objects, and
          traps.

          If there are visible clouds of gas in view, they are treated like
          traps  when deciding whether to show them or the floor underneath
          them.

          In explore mode, you can choose to view the full map rather  than
          just  its  explored  portion.  In debug mode there are additional
          choices.

          Autocompletes.  Default key is `<del>'  or  `<delete>'  (see  Del
          above).

     #therecmdmenu
          Show  a  menu  of possible actions directed at a location next to
          you.  The menu is limited to a subset of the  likeliest  actions,
          not an exhaustive set of all possibilities.  Autocompletes.

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

     #timeout
          Look at the timeout queue.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

     #tip
          Tip over a container (bag or box) to pour out its contents.  When
          there are containers on the floor, the game will prompt  to  pick
          one  of  them or "tip something being carried".  If the latter is
          chosen, there will be another prompt for which item  from  inven-
          tory to tip.

          The `m' prefix makes the command skip containers on the floor and
          pick  one  from  inventory,  except  for  the  special  case   of


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          menustyle:traditional  with  two or more containers present; that
          situation will start with the floor container menu.

          Autocompletes.  Default key is `M-T'.

     #toggle
          Toggle a boolean option on  or  off.   Requires  a  parameter  in
          parenthesis,  the  name of the option to toggle.  The option must
          be settable in-game.

          For example:

               BIND=':toggle(price_quotes)
               BIND=@:toggle(autopickup)

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

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

     #twoweapon
          Toggle  two-weapon combat on or off.  Autocompletes.  Default key
          is `X', and also `M-2' if number_pad is off.

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

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

          In some circumstances it can also be used to rescue trapped  mon-
          sters.

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

     #vanquished
          List vanquished monsters by type and count.

          Note  that  the  vanquished  monsters  list includes all monsters
          killed by traps and each other as well as by you, and  omits  any
          which  got removed from the game without being killed (perhaps by
          genocide, or by a mollified shopkeeper dismissing summoned  Kops)
          or were already corpses when placed on the map.

          Using  the "request menu" prefix prior to #vanquished brings up a
          menu of sorting orders available (provided  that  the  vanquished


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          monsters  list  contains at least two types of monsters).  Which-
          ever ordering is  picked  gets  assigned  to  the  sortvanquished
          option so is remembered for subsequent #vanquished requests.  The
          "#genocided" command shares this sorting order.

          During end-of-game disclosure, when asked whether  to  show  van-
          quished  monsters answering `a' will let you choose from the sort
          menu.

          Autocompletes.  Default key is `M-V'.

     #version
          Print compile time options for this version of NetHack.

          The  second  paragraph  lists  the  user  interface(s)  that  are
          included.  If there are more than one, you can use the windowtype
          option in your run-time configuration file to select the one  you
          want.

          Autocompletes.  Default key is `M-v'.

     #versionshort
          Show  the  program's  version number, plus the date and time that
          the running copy  was  built  from  sources  (not  the  version's
          release date).  Default key is `V'.

     #vision
          Show vision array.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

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

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

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

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

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

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

     #wizborn
          Show  monster  birth,  death,  genocide,  and extinct statistics.
          Debug mode only.




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     #wizbury
          Bury objects under and around you.   Autocompletes.   Debug  mode
          only.

     #wizcast
          Cast any spell.  Debug mode only.

     #wizdetect
          Reveal  hidden  things (secret doors or traps or unseen monsters)
          within a modest radius.  No time elapses.  Autocompletes.   Debug
          mode only.  Default key is `^E'.

     #wizgenesis
          Create a monster.  May be prefixed by a count to create more than
          one.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.  Default key is `^G'.

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

     #wizintrinsic
          Set one or more intrinsic attributes.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode
          only.

     #wizkill
          Remove monsters from play by just pointing at them.   By  default
          the  hero  gets credit or blame for killing the targets.  Precede
          this command with the `m'  prefix  to  override  that.   Autocom-
          pletes.  Debug mode only.

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

     #wizmap
          Map the level.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.  Default key  is
          `^F'.

     #wizrumorcheck
          Verify  rumor boundaries by displaying first and last true rumors
          and first and last false rumors.

          Also displays first, second, and  last  random  engravings,  epi-
          taphs, and hallucinatory monsters.

          Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

     #wizseenv
          Show  map  locations'  seen  vectors.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode
          only.

     #wizsmell
          Smell monster.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.



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     #wizwhere
          Show locations of special  levels.   Autocompletes.   Debug  mode
          only.

     #wizwish
          Wish  for  something.   Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.  Default
          key is `^W'.  Precede this command with the `m' prefix to show  a
          wish history menu.

     #wmode
          Show wall modes.  Autocompletes.  Debug mode only.

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

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



          If  your keyboard has a meta key (which, when pressed in combina-
     tion with another key, modifies it by  setting  the  "meta"  [8th,  or
     "high"]  bit),  you  can invoke many extended commands by meta-ing the
     first letter of the command.

          On Windows and MS-DOS, the "Alt" key can be used in this fashion.
     On  other  systems,  if  typing "Alt" plus another key transmits a two
     character sequence consisting of an Escape followed by the other  key,
     you  may  set  the  altmeta  option  to have NetHack combine them into
     meta+<key>.  (This combining action only takes place when  NetHack  is
     expecting a command to execute, not when accepting input to name some-
     thing or to make a wish.)

          Unlike control characters, where ^x and ^X denote the same thing,
     meta  characters  are case-sensitive:  M-x and M-X represent different
     things.  Some commands which can be run via a meta  character  require
     that  the  letter  be capitalized because the lower-case equivalent is
     used   for   another   command,   so   the   three   key   combination
     meta+Shift+<letter> is needed.

















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

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

     M-a  #adjust

     M-A  #annotate

     M-c  #chat

     M-C  #conduct

     M-d  #dip

     M-e  #enhance

     M-f  #force

     M-g  #genocided

     M-i  #invoke

     M-j  #jump

     M-l  #loot

     M-m  #monster

     M-n  #name

     M-o  #offer

     M-O  #overview

     M-p  #pray

     M-r  #rub

     M-R  #ride

     M-s  #sit

     M-t  #turn

     M-T  #tip

     M-u  #untrap

     M-v  #version

     M-V  #vanquished

     M-w  #wipe



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     M-X  #exploremode



          If  the  number_pad option is on, some additional letter commands
     are available:

     h    #help

     j    #jump

     k    #kick

     l    #loot

     N    #name

     u    #untrap






































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     5.  Rooms and corridors

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

          Secret corridors are hidden and appear to be solid rock.  You can
     find them with the `s' (search) command when adjacent to them.  Multi-
     ple  search  attempts  may  be  needed.  When searching is successful,
     secret corridors become ordinary  open  corridor  locations.   Mapping
     magic  reveals secret corridors, so converts them into ordinary corri-
     dors and shows them as such.

     5.1.  Doorways

          Doorways connect rooms and  corridors.   Some  doorways  have  no
     doors;  you  can walk right through.  Others have doors in them, which
     may be open, closed, or locked.  To open a closed door,  use  the  `o'
     (open)  command;  to  close it again, use the `c' (close) command.  By
     default the autoopen option is enabled, so simply attempting  to  walk
     onto  a closed door's location will attempt to open it without needing
     `o'.  Opening via autoopen will  not  work  if  you  are  confused  or
     stunned or suffer from the fumbling attribute.

          Open  doors  cannot be entered diagonally; you must approach them
     straight on, horizontally or vertically.  Doorways without  doors  are
     not  restricted  in  this  fashion  except  on  one  particular  level
     (described by "#overview" as "a primitive area").

          Unlocking magic exists but usually won't be available  early  on.
     You  can  get  through  a  locked door without magic by first using an
     unlocking tool with the `a' (apply) command, and then opening it.   By
     default  the  autounlock  option is also enabled, so if you attempt to
     open (via `o' or autoopen) a locked door while carrying  an  unlocking
     tool,  you'll be asked whether to use it on the door's lock.  Alterna-
     tively, you can break a closed door (whether locked or  not)  down  by
     kicking  it via the `^D' (kick) command.  Kicking down a door destroys
     it and makes a lot of noise which might wake sleeping monsters.

          Some closed doors  are  booby-trapped  and  will  explode  if  an
     attempt  is  made  to  open (when unlocked) or unlock (when locked) or
     kick down.  Like kicking, an explosion destroys the door and  makes  a
     lot  of noise.  The "#untrap" command can be used to search a door for
     traps but might take multiple attempts  to  find  one.   When  one  is
     found,  you'll  be  asked whether to try to disarm it.  If you accede,
     success will eliminate the trap but failure will set  off  the  trap's
     explosion.   (If  you  decline, you effectively forget that a trap was
     found there.)

          Closed doors can be useful for shutting out monsters.  Most  mon-
     sters  cannot  open  closed  doors,  although a few don't need to (for
     example, ghosts can walk through doors and fog clouds can  flow  under
     them).  Some monsters who can open doors can also use unlocking tools.


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     And some (giants) can smash doors.

          Secret doors are hidden and appear  to  be  ordinary  wall  (from
     inside  a  room) or solid rock (from outside).  You can find them with
     the `s' (search) command but it might take  multiple  tries  (possibly
     many  tries  if  your  luck is poor).  Once found they are in all ways
     equivalent to normal doors.  Mapping  magic  does  not  reveal  secret
     doors.

     5.2.  Traps (`^')

          There  are  traps  throughout  the  dungeon  to  snare the unwary
     intruder.  For example, you may suddenly fall into a pit and be  stuck
     for a few turns trying to climb out (see below).  A trap usually won't
     appear on your map until you trigger it by moving  onto  it,  you  see
     someone else trigger it, or you discover it with the `s' (search) com-
     mand (multiple attempts are often needed; if your luck is  poor,  many
     attempts  might  be needed).  Wands of secret door detection and spell
     of detect unseen also reveal traps within a modest radius but only  if
     the trap is also within line-of-sight (whether you can see at the time
     or not).  There is also other magic which can reveal traps.

          Monsters can fall prey to traps, too, which  can  potentially  be
     used  as  a defensive strategy.  Unfortunately traps can be harmful to
     your pet(s) as well.  Monsters, including  pets,  usually  will  avoid
     moving onto a trap which is shown on your map if they have encountered
     that type of trap before.

          Some traps such as pits, bear traps, and webs  hold  you  in  one
     place.   You  can  escape by simply trying to move to an adjacent spot
     and repeat as needed; eventually you will get free.

          Other traps can send you  to  different  locations.   Teleporters
     send  you elsewhere on the same dungeon level.  Level teleporters send
     you to a random dungeon level, the destination chosen from a few  lev-
     els  lower  all the way to the top.  These traps choose a new destina-
     tion each time they're activated.  Trap doors and holes also send  you
     to  another  level,  but  one which is always below the current level.
     Usually that will be the next  level  down  but  it  can  be  farther.
     Unlike (level) teleporters, the destination level of a particular trap
     door or hole is persistent, so falling into one will bring you to  the
     same  level  each  time--though  not  necessarily the same spot on the
     level.  Magic portals behave similarly, but with some additional vari-
     ation.   Some  portals  are  two-way  and  their remote destination is
     always the same: another portal which can take you back.   Others  are
     one-way and send you to a specific destination level but not necessar-
     ily to a specific location there.

          There is a special multi-level branch of the  dungeon  with  pre-
     mapped  levels  based on the classic computer game "Sokoban."  In that
     game, you operate as a  warehouse  worker  who  pushes  crates  around
     obstacles  to  position them at designated locations.  In NetHack, the
     goal is to push boulders into pits or holes until those traps have all
     been  nullified,  giving  access  to  whatever is beyond them.  In the


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     Sokoban game, you can only move in the four  cardinal  compass  direc-
     tions,  and  a crate in its final destination blocks further access to
     that spot.  In the Sokoban levels of NetHack, you can move  diagonally
     (unless  that would let you pass between two neighboring boulders) but
     you can only push boulders in the  four  cardinal  directions,  and  a
     boulder  which  fills  a  pit or hole removes both the boulder and the
     trap so opens up normal access to that spot.  With careful  foresight,
     it  is  possible to complete all of the levels according to the tradi-
     tional rules of Sokoban.  (Hint: to solve Sokoban puzzles,  you  often
     need  to move things away from their eventual destinations in order to
     open up more room to maneuver.)  Since NetHack  does  not  support  an
     undo  capability, some allowances are permitted in case you get stuck.
     For example, each level has at least one extra boulder.  Also,  it  is
     possible  to  drop  everything in order to be able to squeeze into the
     same location as a boulder (and then presumably move past it),  or  to
     destroy  a boulder with magic or tools, or to create new boulders with
     a scroll of earth.  However, doing such things will  lower  your  luck
     without  any  specific message given about that.  See the Conduct sec-
     tion for information  about  getting  feedback  for  your  actions  in
     Sokoban.

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

          In general, each level in the dungeon will have a staircase going
     up (`<') to the previous level and another going  down  (`>')  to  the
     next  level.   There are some exceptions though.  For 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.

          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
     "special" levels, or loaded from the remains of an earlier game for  a
     "bones"  level  as briefly described below).  Monsters are only active
     on the current level; those on other  levels  are  essentially  placed
     into stasis.

          Ordinarily when you climb a set of stairs, you will arrive on the
     corresponding staircase  at  your  destination.   However,  pets  (see
     below)  and  some  other  monsters  will follow along if they're close
     enough when you travel up or down  stairs,  and  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.

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


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     5.4.  Shops and shopping

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

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

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

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

          The `$' command, which reports the amount of gold you are  carry-
     ing,  will  also  show  current shop debt or credit, if any.  The "Iu"
     command lists unpaid items (those which still belong to the  shop)  if
     you  are  carrying any.  The "Ix" command shows an inventory-like dis-
     play of any unpaid items which have been used  up,  along  with  other
     shop fees, if any.

     5.4.1.  Shop idiosyncrasies

          Several aspects of shop behavior might be unexpected.

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

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

     * While the shopkeeper watches you like a hawk, he or she will  gener-
       ally ignore any other customers.

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

     * Shops do not get restocked with new items, regardless  of  inventory
       depletion.





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     5.5.  Movement feedback

          Moving  around  the  map usually provides no feedback--other than
     drawing the hero at the new location--unless you step on an object  or
     pile  of objects, or on a trap, or attempt to move onto a spot where a
     monster is located.  There are several options which can  be  used  to
     augment the normal feedback.

          The  pile_limit  option  controls  how  many  objects can be in a
     pile--sharing the same map location--for the game to state "there  are
     objects  here" instead of listing them.  The default is 5.  Setting it
     to 1 would always give that message instead of  listing  any  objects.
     Setting  it  to 0 is a special case which will always list all objects
     no matter how big a pile is.  Note that the number refers to the count
     of separate stacks of objects present rather than the sum of the quan-
     tities of those stacks (so 7 arrows or 25 gold pieces will each  count
     as  1  rather than as 7 and 25, respectively, and total to 2 when both
     are at the same location).

          The "nopickup" command prefix (default `m') can be used before  a
     movement  direction  to step on objects without attempting auto-pickup
     and without giving feedback about them.

          The mention_walls option controls whether you get feedback if you
     try  to  walk  into  a wall or solid stone or off the edge of the map.
     Normally nothing happens (unless the hero is  blind  and  no  wall  is
     shown,  then  the  wall that is being bumped into will be drawn on the
     map).  This option also gives feedback when rushing or  running  stops
     for some non-obvious reason.

          The  mention_decor  option controls whether you get feedback when
     walking on "furniture."  Normally stepping onto stairs or  a  fountain
     or  an altar or various other things doesn't elicit anything unless it
     is covered by one or more objects so is obscured on the map.   Setting
     this  option  to  true will describe such things even when they aren't
     obscured.  Doorless doorways and open doors aren't  considered  worthy
     of mention; closed doors (if you can move onto their spots) and broken
     doors are.  Assuming that you're able to do so, moving onto  water  or
     lava  or ice will give feedback if not yet on that type of terrain but
     not repeat it (unless there has been some  intervening  message)  when
     moving  from  water  to another water spot, or lava to lava, or ice to
     ice.  Moving off of any of those back onto "normal" terrain will  give
     one  message  too, unless there is feedback about one or more objects,
     in which case the back on land circumstance is implied.

          The confirm and safe_pet options control what  happens  when  you
     try to move onto a peaceful monster's spot or a tame one's spot.

          The  "nopickup"  command  prefix  (default `m') is also the move-
     without-attacking prefix and can be used to try to step onto a visible
     monster's  spot  without  the move being considered an attack (see the
     Fighting subsection of Monsters below).  The  "fight"  command  prefix
     (default  `F';  also  `-' if number_pad is on) can be used to force an
     attack, when guessing where an unseen monster is or when  deliberately


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     attacking a peaceful or tame creature.

          The  run_mode option controls how frequently the map gets redrawn
     when moving more than one step in a single command (so  when  rushing,
     running, or traveling).

     5.6.  Rogue level

          One  dungeon  level  (occurring  in mid to late teens of the main
     dungeon) is a tribute to the ancestor game hack's inspiration rogue.

          It is usually displayed differently from other  levels:  possibly
     in  characters  instead  of  tiles, or without line-drawing symbols if
     already in characters; also, gold is shown as  *  rather  than  $  and
     stairs  are shown as % rather than < and >.  There are some minor dif-
     ferences in actual game play: doorways lack doors; a scroll, wand,  or
     spell  of  light  used  in a room lights up the whole room rather than
     within a radius around your character.  And  monsters  represented  by
     lower-case letters aren't randomly generated on the rogue level.

          The slight strangeness of this level is a feature, not a bug....

     6.  Monsters

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

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

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

     6.1.  Fighting

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

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


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     instead.

          If  you  can't  see  a monster (if it is invisible, or if you are
     blinded), the symbol `I' will be shown when you learn of its presence.
     If  you  attempt to walk into it, you will try to fight it just like a
     monster that you can see; of course, if the  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 `m' command to  move  without
     fighting;  likewise,  if  you don't remember a monster but want to try
     fighting anyway, you can use the `F' command.

     6.2.  Your pet

          You start the game with a little dog (`d'), kitten (`f'), or pony
     (`u'),  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 vegetar-
     ian 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.

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

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

     6.3.  Steeds

          Some  types of creatures in the dungeon can actually be 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  "#ride"  command.
     Lead  the  beast around the dungeon when riding, in the same manner as
     you would move yourself.  It is the beast that you will see  displayed
     on the map.

          Riding  skill is managed by the "#enhance" command.  See the sec-
     tion on Weapon proficiency for more information about that.

          Use the `a' (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.




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          Use the "#loot" 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.

     6.4.  Bones levels

          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.

     6.5.  Persistence of Monsters

          Monsters (a generic reference  which  also  includes  humans  and
     pets) are only shown while they can be seen or otherwise sensed.  Mov-
     ing 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.

          However, if you encounter  a  monster  which  you  can't  see  or
     sense--perhaps it is invisible and has just tapped you on the noggin--
     a special "remembered, unseen monster" 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.

     7.  Objects

          When you find something in the dungeon, it is common to  want  to
     pick  it  up.   In NetHack, this is accomplished by using the `,' com-
     mand.  If autopickup option is on, you will automatically pick up  the
     object by walking over, unless you move with the `m' prefix.

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

          As  you  add  items to your inventory, you also add the weight of
     that object to your load.  The amount that you can  carry  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.

          NetHack will tell you how badly you have loaded yourself.  If you
     are  encumbered,  one  of the conditions Burdened, Stressed, Strained,


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     Overtaxed, or Overloaded will be shown on the bottom line status  dis-
     play.

          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).

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

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

     7.1.  Curses and Blessings

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

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

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

          There are magical means of  bestowing  or  removing  curses  upon
     objects,  so  even  if  you are stuck with one, you can still have the
     curse lifted and the item removed.  Priests and  Priestesses  have  an
     innate  sensitivity  to  this property in any object, so they can more
     easily avoid cursed objects  than  other  character  roles.   Dropping
     objects  onto an altar will reveal their bless or curse state provided
     that you can see them land.



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          An item with unknown status will be reported  in  your  inventory
     with  no  prefix.  An item which you know the state of will be distin-
     guished in  your  inventory  by  the  presence  of  the  word  cursed,
     uncursed,  or  blessed  in the description of the item.  In some cases
     uncursed will be omitted as being redundant when enough other informa-
     tion  is  displayed.  The implicit_uncursed option can be used to con-
     trol this; toggle it off to have uncursed be displayed even when  that
     can be deduced from other attributes.

          Sometimes  the  bless or curse state of objects is referred to as
     their "BUC" attribute, for Blessed,  Uncursed,  or  Cursed  state,  or
     "BUCX" for Blessed, Uncursed, Cursed, or unknown.  (The term beatitude
     is occasionally used as well.)

     7.2.  Artifacts

          Some objects have been imbued with special powers and  are  known
     as  Artifacts.  They have specific types (such as long sword or orcish
     dagger) and distinct names such as Giantslayer or Grimtooth.  Artifact
     weapons  typically  do  more  damage than their ordinary counterparts.
     Some do extra damage against all monsters, others  only  against  spe-
     cific  types of monsters so aren't better than regular weapons against
     other types.  Some confer defensive capabilities when wielded or  have
     other powers that aren't listed here.

          You  might find them simply lying on the floor, including but not
     limited to inside shops, or be granted as a reward for "#offer" on  an
     altar  to  your  patron deity.  A few might be dropped by monsters, or
     might be converted from an  ordinary  object  of  the  same  type  via
     assigning  the  right name.  Or you might wish for them, if you happen
     to be granted a wish, but such wishes can fail.

          Some artifacts have a  specific  alignment,  others  don't.   You
     won't  obtain  aligned ones that have a different alignment from yours
     via offering and might get a shock if you attempt to wish for  any  of
     those or find one and attempt to use it.

          Each  role has a distinct artifact that is contained in the Quest
     dungeon branch.  These are commonly known as quest artifacts.  All are
     aligned and most are non-weapons.  They won't be found randomly.

          The `\' and ``a' commands will list artifacts that you have fully
     identified (knowing the name and item type isn't sufficient).

     7.3.  Relics

          There are three unique items that are named and have limited spe-
     cial  powers but aren't classified as artifacts.  Each is guarded by a
     particular monster and you'll need to collect all three for  use  late
     in  the game.  They are the Bell of Opening, the Book of the Dead, and
     the Candelabrum of Invocation.  Their corresponding descriptions  when
     not  yet  identified  are  silver  bell, papyrus spellbook, and cande-
     labrum.



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     7.4.  Weapons (`)')

          Given a chance, most monsters in the Mazes of Menace will  gratu-
     itously  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 nor-
     mally do more damage with bare (or gloved) hands  than  they  do  with
     weapons.

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

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

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

          Many weapons can be wielded in one hand; some require both hands.
     When wielding a two-handed weapon, you can not wear a shield, and vice
     versa.  When wielding a one-handed weapon, you can have another weapon
     ready  to  use  by  setting  things  up  with  the  `x' command, which
     exchanges your primary (the one being wielded) and alternate  weapons.
     And  if you have proficiency in the "two weapon combat" skill, you may
     wield both weapons simultaneously as primary and  secondary;  use  the
     `X'  command  to engage or disengage that.  Only some types of charac-
     ters (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.

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

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


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     Unearthed Arcana, an AD&D supplement.

          Some interfaces support the  weaponstatus  option.   When  it  is
     enabled,  an  extra status condition is displayed, describing the cur-
     rently wielded weapon.

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

     7.4.1.  Throwing and shooting

          You can throw just about anything via the `t' command.   It  will
     prompt  for  the  item  to throw; picking `?' will list things in your
     inventory which are considered likely to be  thrown,  or  picking  `*'
     will  list  your entire inventory.  After you've chosen what to throw,
     you will be prompted for a direction rather than for a  specific  tar-
     get.   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.

          Some weapons will return when thrown.  A  boomerang--provided  it
     fails  to  hit  anything--is an obvious example.  If an aklys (thonged
     club) is thrown while it is wielded, it will return even when it  hits
     something.   A sufficiently strong hero can throw the warhammer Mjoll-
     nir; when thrown by a Valkyrie it will return too.   However,  aklyses
     and  Mjollnir  occasionally  fail to return.  Returning thrown objects
     occasionally fail to be caught, sometimes even  hitting  the  thrower,
     but when caught they become re-wielded.

          You  can simplify the throwing operation by using the `Q' command
     to select your preferred "missile", then  using  the  `f'  command  to
     throw  it.  You'll be prompted for a direction as above, but you don't
     have to specify which item to throw each time you use `f'.   There  is
     also  an  option, autoquiver, which has NetHack choose another item to
     automatically fill your quiver (or quiver sack, or have at the  ready)
     when  the  inventory  slot  used  for `Q' runs out.  If your quiver is
     empty, autoquiver is false,  and  you  are  wielding  a  weapon  which
     returns when thrown, you will throw that weapon instead of filling the
     quiver.  The fire command also has extra assistance, if fireassist  is
     on it will try to wield a launcher matching the ammo in the quiver.

          Some  characters  have  the ability to throw or shoot a volley of
     multiple items (from the same stack) in a single action.  Knowing  how
     to load several rounds of ammunition at once--or hold several missiles
     in your hand--and still hit a target is not an easy task.  Rangers are
     among those who are adept at this task, as are those with a high level
     of proficiency in the relevant weapon skill (in bow  skill  if  you're
     wielding one to shoot arrows, in crossbow skill if you're wielding one
     to shoot bolts, or in sling skill if  you're  wielding  one  to  shoot
     stones).   The number of items that the character has a chance to fire
     varies from turn to turn.  You can  explicitly  limit  the  number  of
     shots  by  using  a numeric prefix before the `t' or `f' command.  For


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     example, "2f" (or "n2f" if using number_pad mode) would ensure that at
     most 2 arrows are shot even if you could have fired 3.  If you specify
     a larger number than would have been  shot  ("4f"  in  this  example),
     you'll  just  end up shooting the same number (3, here) as if no limit
     had been 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.

     7.4.2.  Weapon proficiency

          You will have varying degrees of skill in the weapons  available.
     Weapon proficiency, or weapon skills, affect how well you can use par-
     ticular 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.

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

          The "#enhance" extended command is used to review current weapons
     proficiency  (also  spell proficiency) and to choose which skill(s) to
     improve when you've used one or more skills enough to become  eligible
     to  do  so.  The skill rankings are "none" (sometimes also referred to
     as "restricted", because you won't be able to  advance),  "unskilled",
     "basic",  "skilled",  and "expert".  Restricted skills simply will not
     appear in the list shown by "#enhance".   (Divine  intervention  might
     unrestrict  a  particular  skill,  in  which  case  it  will  start at
     unskilled and be limited to basic.)  Some characters can enhance their
     barehanded  combat  or martial arts skill beyond expert to "master" or
     "grand master".

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

     7.4.3.  Two-Weapon combat

          Some characters can use two weapons at once.  Setting  things  up
     to  do  so can seem cumbersome but becomes second nature with use.  To
     wield two weapons, you need to  use  the  "#twoweapon"  command.   But
     first  you  need  to  have a weapon in each hand.  (Note that your two


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     weapons are not fully equal; the one in the hand  you  normally  wield
     with  is considered primary and the other one is considered secondary.
     The most noticeable difference is after you stop--or before you begin,
     for  that  matter--wielding  two weapons at once.  The primary is your
     wielded weapon and the secondary is just an  item  in  your  inventory
     that's been designated as alternate weapon.)

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

          The whole process can be simplified via  use  of  the  pushweapon
     option.   When it is enabled, then using `w' to wield something causes
     the currently wielded weapon to become your alternate weapon.  So  the
     sequence  `w', `w' can be used to first wield the weapon you intend to
     be secondary, and then wield the one you want as  primary  which  will
     push the first into secondary position.

          When  in  two-weapon  combat  mode, using the `X' command toggles
     back to single-weapon mode.  Throwing or dropping either of the  weap-
     ons  or  having  one of them be stolen or destroyed will also make you
     revert to single-weapon combat.

     7.5.  Armor (`[')

          Lots of unfriendly things lurk about; you need armor  to  protect
     yourself  from  their blows.  Some types of armor offer better protec-
     tion 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  a  list  of the armor class values provided by suits of
     armor:
                   Dragon scale mail                        1
                   Plate mail, Crystal plate mail           3
                   Bronze plate mail, Splint mail,
                      Banded mail, Dwarvish mithril-coat    4
                   Chain mail, Elven mithril-coat           5
                   Scale mail, Orcish chain mail            6
                   Ring mail, Studded leather armor,
                      Dragon scales                         7
                   Leather armor, Orcish ring mail          8
                   Leather jacket                           9
                   none                                    10

          You can also wear other pieces of armor (cloak over  suit,  shirt
     under  suit,  helmet, gloves, boots, shield) to lower your armor class
     even further.  Most of these provide a one or two point improvement to


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     AC  (making the overall value smaller and eventually negative) but can
     also be enchanted.  Shirts are an exception; they  don't  provide  any
     protection  unless  enchanted.  Some cloaks also don't improve AC when
     unenchanted but all cloaks offer some protection against rust or  cor-
     rosion  to  suits  worn  under  them  and  against  some monster touch
     attacks.

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

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

          The  nudist option can be set (prior to game start) to attempt to
     play the entire game without wearing any armor (a  self-imposed  chal-
     lenge which is extremely difficult to accomplish).

          Some  interfaces  support  the  armorstatus  option.   When it is
     enabled, an extra status condition is displayed, summarizing currently
     worn armor.

          The commands to use armor are `W' (wear) and `T' (take off).  The
     `A' command can be used to take off armor as well as other worn items.
     Also, `P' (put on) and `R' (remove) which are normally for accessories
     can be used for armor, but pieces of armor won't be  shown  as  likely
     candidates in a prompt for choosing what to put on or remove.

     7.6.  Food (`%')

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

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

          Some character roles and some monsters are vegetarian.   Vegetar-
     ian monsters will typically never eat animal corpses, while vegetarian
     players can, but with some rather unpleasant side-effects.

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



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          The command to eat food is `e'.

     7.7.  Scrolls (`?')

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

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

          A  scroll  whose label is known can be read even when the hero is
     blind.  If a scroll has been discovered, it will be listed  in  inven-
     tory by type rather than by label, but the label is known in that sit-
     uation even though it isn't shown.

          Many scrolls produce a different effect from usual  if  they  are
     blessed or cursed, or read while the hero is confused.

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

          The command to read a scroll is `r'.

     7.8.  Potions (`!')

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

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

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

     7.9.  Wands (`/')

          Wands usually have multiple magical charges.  Some types of wands
     require  a  direction  in which to zap them.  You can also zap them at
     yourself (just give a `.' or `s' for the direction).  Be warned,  how-


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     ever,  for this is often unwise.  Other types of wands don't require a
     direction.  The number of charges in a wand is random and decreases by
     one whenever you use it.

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

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

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

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

     7.10.  Rings (`=')

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

          Putting  on a ring activates its magic.  You can wear at most two
     rings at any time, one on the ring finger of each hand.

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

          When  wearing  gloves,  rings are worn underneath.  If the gloves
     are cursed, rings cannot be put on and any already being  worn  cannot
     be  removed.   When worn gloves aren't cursed, you don't have to manu-
     ally take them off before putting on or removing a ring and  then  re-
     wear them after.  That's done implicitly to avoid unnecessary tedium.

          The  commands  to  use  rings  are `P' (put on) and `R' (remove).
     `A', `W', and `T' can also be used; see Amulets.

     7.11.  Spellbooks (`+')

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


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

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

          Some spells require a direction in which to cast them, similar to
     wands.  To cast one at yourself, just give a `.' or `s' for the direc-
     tion.  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.

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

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

          The  command  to read a spellbook is the same as for scrolls, `r'
     (read).  The `+' command lists each spell  you  know  along  with  its
     level, skill category, chance of failure when casting, and an estimate
     of how strongly it is remembered.  The  `Z'  (cast)  command  casts  a
     spell.

     7.12.  Tools (`(')

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

          Some tools (such as a blindfold) can be worn and can  be  put  on
     and  removed  like  other  accessories  (rings, amulets); see Amulets.
     Other tools (such as pick-axe) can be wielded as weapons  in  addition
     to  being  applied  for their usual purpose, and in some cases (again,
     pick-axe) become wielded as a weapon even when applied.

          The blind option can be set (prior to game start) to  attempt  to
     play  the  entire game without being able to see (a self-imposed chal-


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     lenge which is very difficult to accomplish).

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

     7.12.1.  Containers

          You may encounter bags, boxes, and chests  in  your  travels.   A
     tool of this sort can be opened with the "#loot" extended command when
     you are standing on top of it (that is, on the same  floor  spot),  or
     with  the  `a'  (apply)  command  when  you are 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 `a' (apply) command, by kicking it with  the  `^D'  com-
     mand,  or  by  using  a  weapon  to  force  the lock with the "#force"
     extended command.

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

          When the contents of a container are known, that  container  will
     be  described  as something like "a sack containing 3 items".  In this
     example, the 3 refers to number of stacks of compatible items, not  to
     the  total  number  of individual items.  So a sack holding 2 sky blue
     potions, 7 arrows, and 350 gold pieces would be described as having  3
     items  rather  than  10  or  359.  And you would need to have 3 unused
     inventory slots available in order to take  everything  out  (for  the
     case  where the items you remove don't combine into bigger stacks with
     things you're already carrying).

          If a chest or large box is described as "broken", that means that
     it  can't  be locked rather than that it no longer functions as a con-
     tainer.

          The apply and loot commands allow you to take out and/or  put  in
     an  arbitrary  number  of items in a single operation.  If you want to
     take everything out of a container, you can use the "#tip" command  to
     pour  the  contents  onto the floor.  This may be your only way to get
     things out if your hands are stuck  to  a  cursed  two-handed  weapon.
     When  your hands aren't stuck, you have the potential to pour the con-
     tents into another container.  (As of this  writing,  the  other  con-
     tainer must be carried rather than on the floor.)

     7.13.  Amulets (`"')

          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.

          Only  one  amulet  may be worn at a time, around your neck.  Like
     wearing rings, wearing an amulet affects your metabolism, causing  you
     to grow hungry more rapidly.




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          The  commands  to use amulets are the same as for rings, `P' (put
     on) and `R' (remove).  `A' can be used to remove  various  worn  items
     including amulets.  Also, `W' (wear) and `T' (take off) which are nor-
     mally for armor can be used for amulets and other  accessories  (rings
     and eyewear), but accessories won't be shown as likely candidates in a
     prompt for choosing what to wear or take off.

     7.14.  Gems (`*')

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

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

     7.15.  Large rocks (``')

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

          Boulders occasionally block your path.  You can push one  forward
     (by attempting to walk onto its spot) when nothing blocks its path, or
     you can smash it into a pile of small rocks with breaking magic  or  a
     pick-axe.  It is possible to move onto a boulder's location if certain
     conditions are met; ordinarily one of those conditions is that pushing
     it  any  further be blocked.  Using the move-without-picking-up prefix
     (default key `m') prior to the direction of movement will  attempt  to
     move  to  a  boulder's  location without pushing it in addition to the
     prefix's usual action of suppressing auto-pickup at the destination.

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

          Unlike  boulders,  statues  can't be pushed, but don't need to be
     because they don't block movement.  They can  be  smashed  into  rocks
     though.

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

     7.16.  Gold (`$')

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

          Gold  pieces  are the only type of object where bless/curse state
     does not apply.   They're  always  uncursed  but  never  described  as
     uncursed  even  if you turn off the implicit_uncursed option.  You can
     set the goldX option if you prefer to have gold pieces be  treated  as


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     bless/curse  state  unknown rather than as known to be uncursed.  Only
     matters when you're using an object selection prompt that  can  filter
     by "BUCX" state.

     7.17.  Persistence of Objects

          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--perhaps a  monster
     has picked it up or it has rotted away--until you can see or feel that
     location again.  One notable exception is that if the object gets cov-
     ered  by the "remembered, unseen monster" marker.  When that marker is
     later removed after you've verified that no monster is there, you will
     have  forgotten  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-dis-
     cover the object and resume remembering it.

          The situation is the same for a pile of objects, except that only
     the  top item of the pile is displayed.  The hilite_pile option can be
     enabled in order to show an item differently when it is the top one of
     a pile.

     8.  Conduct

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

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

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


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          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 (`P') other  than
     the  black puddings, eggs and food made from eggs (fortune cookies and
     pancakes), food made with milk (cream pies and candy bars), and  lumps
     of royal jelly.  Monks are expected to observe a vegetarian diet.

          Eating any kind of meat violates the vegetarian, vegan, and food-
     less 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  poly-
     morphed  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.

          Regardless  of  conduct, there will be some items which are indi-
     gestible, 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 "vegan" is used here  only  in  the
     context  of  diet.   You  are  still free to choose not to use or wear
     items derived from animals (e.g. leather, dragon  hide,  bone,  horns,
     coral),  but  the game will not keep track of this for you.  Also note
     that "milky" potions may be a translucent white, but they do not  con-
     tain  milk,  so they are compatible with a vegan diet.  Slime molds or
     player-defined "fruits", although they could be anything  from  "cher-
     ries" to "pork chops", are also assumed to be vegan.

          An atheist is one who rejects religion.  This means that you can-
     not #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.

          A  pauper  starts the game with no possessions, no spells, and no
     weapon or spell skills (and if playing as a knight, your pony will not
     have  a  saddle).   Can  only be initiated by starting a new game with
     OPTIONS=pauper set in your run-time configurtion  file  or  NETHACKOP-
     TIONS  environment  variable.   Once  the  game  is  underway, you can
     acquire and use items, spells, and skills in the usual way.

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

          In NetHack, a pacifist refuses to cause the death  of  any  other
     monster  (i.e.  if you would get experience for the death).  This is a


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     particularly difficult challenge, although it  is  still  possible  to
     gain experience by other means.

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

          There  is  a  side-branch  to  the main dungeon called "Sokoban,"
     briefly described in the earlier section about  Traps.   As  mentioned
     there,  the  goal  is  to push boulders into pits and/or holes to plug
     those in order to both get the boulders out of the way and be able  to
     go  past  the  traps.   There are some special "rules" that are active
     when in that branch of the dungeon.  Some  rules  can't  be  bypassed,
     such  as  being unable to push a boulder diagonally.  Other rules can,
     such as not smashing boulders with magic or tools, but doing so causes
     you  to receive a luck penalty.  No message about that is given at the
     time, but it is tracked as a conduct.  The #conduct command and end of
     game  disclosure  will  report  whether you have abided by the special
     rules of Sokoban, and if not, how many times you violated  them,  pro-
     viding you with a way to discover which actions incur bad luck so that
     you can be better informed about whether or  not  to  avoid  repeating
     those actions in the future.  (Note:  the Sokoban conduct will only be
     displayed if you have entered the Sokoban branch of the dungeon during
     the  current  game.   Once  that has happened, it becomes part of dis-
     closed conduct even if you haven't done  anything  interesting  there.
     Ending  the  game with "never broke the Sokoban rules" conduct is most
     meaningful if you also manage to perform  the  "obtained  the  Sokoban
     prize" achievement (see Achievements below).)

          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  "none" if you want to decline.  You can change the
     form of an item into another item of the same type  ("polypiling")  or
     the  form of your own body into another creature ("polyself") by wand,
     spell, or potion of polymorph; avoiding these effects are each consid-
     ered  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 chal-
     lenge, as is a game without wishing for an artifact (even if the arti-
     fact immediately disappears).  When the game offers you an opportunity
     to make a wish for an item, you may choose "nothing" if  you  want  to
     decline.






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     8.1.  Achievements

          End  of  game  disclosure  will also display various achievements
     representing progress toward ultimate  ascension,  if  any  have  been
     attained.   They  aren't  directly  related to conduct but are grouped
     with it because they fall into the same category of "bragging  rights"
     and  to  limit the number of questions during disclosure.  Listed here
     roughly in order of difficulty and not necessarily  in  the  order  in
     which you might accomplish them.

         Rank         -  Attained rank title Rank.
         Shop         -  Entered a shop.
         Temple       -  Entered a temple.
         Mines        -  Entered the Gnomish Mines.
         Town         -  Entered Mine Town.
         Oracle       -  Consulted the Oracle of Delphi.
         Novel        -  Read a passage from a Discworld Novel.
         Sokoban      -  Entered Sokoban.
         Big Room     -  Entered the Big Room.
         Soko-Prize   -  Explored  to  the  top  of Sokoban and found a
                         special item there.
         Mines' End   -  Explored to the bottom of  the  Gnomish  Mines
                         and found a special item there.
         Medusa       -  Defeated Medusa.
         Tune         -  Discovered  the  tune that can be used to open
                         and close the drawbridge on the Castle level.
         Bell         -  Acquired the Bell of Opening.
         Gehennom     -  Entered Gehennom.
         Candle       -  Acquired the Candelabrum of Invocation.
         Book         -  Acquired the Book of the Dead.
         Invocation   -  Gained  access  to  the  bottommost  level  of
                         Gehennom.
         Amulet       -  Acquired the fabled Amulet of Yendor.
         Endgame      -  Reached the Elemental Planes.
         Astral       -  Reached the Astral Plane level.
         Blind        -  Blind from birth.
         Deaf         -  Deaf from birth.
         Nudist       -  Never wore any armor.
         Pauper       -  Started out with no possessions.
         Ascended     -  Delivered the Amulet to its final destination.


     Notes:

          Achievements  are recorded and subsequently reported in the order
     in which they happen during your current game rather  than  the  order
     listed here.

          There  are  nine <Rank> titles for each role, bestowed at experi-
     ence levels 1, 3, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, and 30.  The one for  experi-
     ence  level 1 is not recorded as an achievement.  Losing enough levels
     to revert to lower rank(s) does not discard the corresponding achieve-
     ment(s).



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          There's  no guaranteed Novel so the achievement to read one might
     not always be attainable (except perhaps by wishing).  Similarly,  the
     Big  Room level is not always present.  Unlike with the Novel, there's
     no way to wish for this opportunity.

          The "special items" hidden in Mines'  End  and  Sokoban  are  not
     unique  but are considered to be prizes or rewards for exploring those
     levels since doing so is not necessary to complete the game.   Finding
     other  instances  of the same objects doesn't record the corresponding
     achievement.

          The Medusa achievement is recorded if she dies  for  any  reason,
     even if you are not directly responsible, and only if she dies.

          The 5-note tune can be learned via trial and error with a musical
     instrument played closely enough--but not too  close!--to  the  Castle
     level's drawbridge or can be given to you via prayer boon.

          Blind,  Deaf,  Nudist, and Pauper are also conducts, and they can
     only be  enabled  by  setting  the  correspondingly  named  option  in
     NETHACKOPTIONS or run-time configuration file prior to game start.  In
     the case of Blind and Deaf, the  option  also  enforces  the  conduct.
     They  aren't  really significant accomplishments unless/until you make
     substantial progress into the dungeon.

     9.  Options

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

     9.1.  Setting the options

          Options may be set in a number of ways.  Within the game, the `O'
     command  allows  you to view all options and change most of them.  You
     can also set options automatically by placing them in a  configuration
     file, or in the NETHACKOPTIONS environment 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 adminis-
     trators.

     9.2.  Using a configuration file

          The default name of the configuration file  varies  on  different
     operating systems.

          On  UNIX,  Linux, and macOS it is ".nethackrc" in the user's home
     directory.  The file may not exist, but it is a normal ASCII text file
     and can be created with any text editor.

          On  Windows,  the  name  is  ".nethackrc"  located  in the folder
     "%USERPROFILE%\NetHack\".  The file may not exist, but it is a  normal
     ASCII  text  file can can be created with any text editor.  After run-
     ning NetHack for the first time, you should find  a  default  template


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     for    the   configuration   file   named   ".nethackrc.template"   in
     "%USERPROFILE%\NetHack\".  If you have not created  the  configuration
     file, NetHack will create one for you using the default template file.

          On MS-DOS, it is "defaults.nh" in the same folder as nethack.exe.

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

          Any line beginning with `[' and ending in `]' is a section marker
     (the  closing  `]' can be followed by whitespace and then an arbitrary
     comment beginning with `#').  The text between the square brackets  is
     the  section  name.   Section  markers  are  only valid after a CHOOSE
     directive and their names are case-insensitive.  Lines after a section
     marker  belong  to  that  section up until another section starts or a
     marker without a name is encountered or the file ends.   Lines  within
     sections  are ignored unless a CHOOSE directive has selected that sec-
     tion.

          You can use different configuration directives in the file,  some
     of  which  can be used multiple times.  In general, the directives are
     written in capital letters, followed by an equals  sign,  followed  by
     settings particular to that directive.

          Here is a list of allowed directives:

     OPTIONS
       There are two types of options, boolean and compound options.  Bool-
       ean options toggle a setting on or off, while compound options  take
       more  diverse  values.   Prefix a boolean option with "no" or `!' to
       turn it off.  For compound options, the option name  and  value  are
       separated  by  a colon.  Some options are persistent, and apply only
       to new games.  You can specify multiple OPTIONS directives, and mul-
       tiple  options  separated  by  commas in a single OPTIONS directive.
       (Comma separated options are processed from right to left.)

       Example:

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

     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.

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

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



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

     LOCKDIR
       The location that file synchronization locks are stored. Defaults to
       HACKDIR, must be writable.

     TROUBLEDIR
       The location that a record of game aborts  and  self-diagnosed  game
       problems is kept. Defaults to HACKDIR, must be writable.

     AUTOCOMPLETE
       Enable  or  disable an extended command autocompletion.  Autocomple-
       tion has no effect for the X11 windowport.  You can specify multiple
       autocompletions.   To  enable autocompletion, list the extended com-
       mand.  Prefix the command with "!" to disable the autocompletion for
       that command.

       Example:

            AUTOCOMPLETE=zap,!annotate

     AUTOPICKUP_EXCEPTION
       Set  exceptions  to  the  pickup_types option.  See the "Configuring
       Autopickup Exceptions" section.

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

       Example:

            BIND=^X:getpos.autodescribe

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

       Example:

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

       If [] is present, the preceding section is closed and no new section
       begins;  whatever follows will be common to all sections.  Otherwise


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       the last section extends to the end of the options file.

     MENUCOLOR
       Highlight menu lines with different colors.   See  the  "Configuring
       Menu Colors" section.

     MSGTYPE
       Change the way messages are shown in the top line.  See the "Config-
       uring Message Types" section.

     ROGUESYMBOLS
       Custom symbols for the rogue level's symbol set.  See SYMBOLS below.

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

     SOUNDDIR
       Define the directory that contains the sound files.  See  the  "Con-
       figuring User Sounds" section.

     SYMBOLS
       Override  one or more symbols in the symbol set used for all dungeon
       levels except for the  special  rogue  level.   See  the  "Modifying
       NetHack Symbols" section.

       Example:

            # replace small punctuation (tick marks) with digits
            SYMBOLS=S_golem:7

     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.  Entries are added to the  wish  his-
       tory; see the wizwish-command.

       Example:

            WIZKIT=~/wizkit.txt



     Here is an example of configuration file contents:












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     # 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
     OPTIONS=boulder:0
     SYMBOLS=S_golem:7
     #
     # No startup splash screen. Windows GUI only.
     OPTIONS=!splash_screen



     9.3.  Using the NETHACKOPTIONS environment variable

          The  NETHACKOPTIONS variable is a comma-separated list of initial
     values for the various options.  Some can only be turned  on  or  off.
     You turn one of these on by adding the name of the option to the list,
     and turn it off by typing a `!' or "no" 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.

          For example, to set up an environment variable so that  color  is
     on,  legacy  is off, character name is set to "Blue Meanie", and named
     fruit is set to "lime", you would enter the command

     % setenv NETHACKOPTIONS "color,\!leg,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:lime"

     in csh (note the need to escape the `!' since  it's  special  to  that
     shell), or the pair of commands

     $ NETHACKOPTIONS="color,!leg,name:Blue Meanie,fruit:lime"
     $ export NETHACKOPTIONS

     in sh, ksh, or bash.

          The  NETHACKOPTIONS  value  is  effectively  the same as a single
     OPTIONS directive in a configuration file.  The "OPTIONS="  prefix  is
     implied  and comma separated options are processed from right to left.
     Other types of configuration directives such as BIND  or  MSGTYPE  are
     not allowed.

          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 `@' (at-
     sign) to let NetHack know that the rest is intended as  a  file  name.


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     If it does start with `/', the at-sign is optional.

     9.4.  Customization options

          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.

          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.

     accessiblemsg
       Add location or direction information to messages (default is off).

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

     alignment
       Your    starting    alignment   (align:lawful,   align:neutral,   or
       align:chaotic).  You may specify just the first letter.  Many  roles
       and  the non-human races restrict which alignments are allowed.  See
       role for a description of how to use negation to exclude choices.

       If align is not specified, there is no default value; player will be
       prompted  unless  role  and/or  race  forces a choice for alignment.
       Cannot be set with the `O' command.  Persistent.

     armorstatus
       Display an extra status condition which  summarizes  currently  worn
       armor (default off, not supported by all interfaces).

       For  the  usual  case  where more than one piece of armor is worn, a
       list of letters is shown in the following order:

            G - gloves;
            C - cloak;
            A - suit;
            U - shirt;
            H - helmet;
            B - boots;
            S - shield.

     autodescribe
       Automatically describe the terrain under cursor when asked to get  a
       location  on  the  map (default true).  The whatis_coord option con-
       trols whether the description includes map coordinates.

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



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     autoopen
       Walking into a closed door attempts to open it (default true).  Per-
       sistent.

     autopickup
       Automatically pick up things onto  which  you  move  (default  off).
       Persistent.

       See  pickup_types  and  also autopickup_exception for ways to refine
       the behavior.

       Note: prior to version 5.0.0, the default for autopickup was on.

     autoquiver
       This option controls what happens when you attempt  the  `f'  (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 `Q' command instead.  If no weapon is  found  or
       the  option  is  false, the `t' (throw) command is executed instead.
       Persistent.

     autounlock
       Controls what action to take when attempting to walk into  a  locked
       door  or  to  loot  a locked container.  Takes a plus-sign separated
       list of values:

       Untrap    - prompt about whether to attempt to find a trap; it might
                   fail to find one even when present; if it does find one,
                   it will ask whether you want to try to disarm the  trap;
                   if you decline, your character will forget that the door
                   or box is trapped;
       Apply-Key - if carrying a key or other unlocking tool, prompt  about
                   using it;
       Kick      - kick  the door (if you omit untrap or decline to attempt
                   untrap and you omit apply-key or you lack a key  or  you
                   decline to use the key; has no effect on containers);
       Force     - try  to  force  a  container's  lid  with your currently
                   wielded weapon (if you omit untrap or decline to attempt
                   untrap  and  you omit apply-key or you lack a key or you
                   decline to use the key; has no effect on doors);
       None      - none of the above; can't  be  combined  with  the  other
                   choices.

       Omitting the value is treated as if autounlock:apply-key.  Preceding
       autounlock with `!' or "no" is treated as autounlock:none.

       Applying a key might set off a trap if  the  door  or  container  is
       trapped.   Successfully  kicking  a  door  will break it and wake up
       nearby monsters.  Successfully forcing a container open  will  break
       its  lock and might also destroy some of its contents or damage your
       weapon or both.


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       The default is Apply-Key.  Persistent.

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

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

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

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

     character
       Synonym for "role" to pick the type of your character  (for  example
       "character:Monk").  See role for more details.

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

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

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

     dark_room
       Show out-of-sight areas of lit rooms (default on).  Persistent.

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

     dropped_nopick
       If this option is on, items you dropped will  not  be  automatically
       picked   up,  even  if  autopickup  is  also  on  and  they  are  in
       pickup_types or match a positive autopickup exception (default  on).
       Persistent.

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







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

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

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

       The  listings  of  vanquished monsters and of genocided types can be
       sorted, so there are two additional choices for `v' and `g':

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

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

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

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

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

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

     extmenu
       Changes the extended commands interface to pop-up a menu  of  avail-
       able  commands.   It  is  keystroke  compatible with the traditional
       interface except that it does not require that you hit Enter.  It is
       implemented for the tty interface (default off).

       For  the  X11  interface,  which  always uses a menu for choosing an
       extended command, it controls whether the menu shows  all  available


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       commands  (on)  or just the subset of commands which have tradition-
       ally been considered extended ones (off).

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

     fireassist
       This  option  controls  what happens when you attempt the `f' (fire)
       and don't have an appropriate launcher, such as a bow  or  a  sling,
       wielded.   If on, you will automatically wield the launcher. Default
       is on.

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

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

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

     gender
       Your starting gender (gender:male or gender:female).  You may  spec-
       ify  just the first letter.  Although you can still denote your gen-
       der using either of the deprecated male and female options,  if  the
       gender option is also present it will take precedence.  See role for
       a description of how to use negation to exclude choices.

       If gender is not specified, there is no default value;  player  will
       be  prompted  unless  role  and/or  race forces a choice for gender.
       Cannot be set with the `O' command.  Persistent.

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

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


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       tent.

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

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

       With the tty or curses interface, the petattr option controls how to
       highlight  pets and setting it will turn the hilite_pet option on or
       off as warranted.

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

     hitpointbar
       Show a hit point bar graph behind your name and title in the  status
       display (default off).

       The  "curses"  interface supports it even if the status highlighting
       feature has been disabled when building the program.  The "tty"  and
       "mswin"  (aka  "Windows  GUI")  interfaces support it only if status
       highlighting is left enabled when building.  You don't need  to  set
       up  any highlighting rules in order to display the bar.  If there is
       one for hitpoints in effect and it specifies color, that color  will
       be used for the bar.  However if it specifies video attributes, they
       will be ignored in favor of inverse.  For tty and curses, blink will
       also be used if the current hitpoint value is at or below the criti-
       cal HP threshold.

       The "Qt" interface also supports hitpointbar, by drawing a solid bar
       above  the  name  and  title with a hard-coded color scheme.  (As of
       this writing, having the bar enabled unintentionally inhibits resiz-
       ing  the status panel.  To resize that, use the #optionsfull command
       to toggle the hitpointbar option off, perform the resize while  it's
       off, then use the same command to toggle it back on.)

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

     ignintr
       Ignore interrupt signals, including breaks (default  off).   Persis-
       tent.



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     implicit_uncursed
       Omit "uncursed" from object descriptions when it can be deduced from
       other aspects of the description (default on).  Persistent.

       If you use menu coloring, you may want to turn this off.

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

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

     lootabc
       When using a menu to interact with a container,  use  the  old  `a',
       `b',  and `c' keyboard shortcuts rather than the mnemonics `o', `i',
       and `b' (default off).  Persistent.

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

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

     mention_decor
       Give  feedback  when  walking  onto various dungeon features such as
       stairs, fountains, or altars which  are  ordinarily  only  described
       when  covered  by  one or more objects (default off).  Cannot be set
       with the `O' command.  Persistent.

     mention_map
       Give feedback when interesting map locations change (default off).

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

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

     menustyle
       Controls the method used when you need to choose various objects (in
       response  to  the  Drop  (aka droptype) command, for instance).  The
       value specified should be the first letter of one of the  following:
       traditional,  combination, full, or partial.  Default is full.  Per-
       sistent.

       Traditional was the only method available for very  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


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       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.  (Choosing its `A' (Autoselect-All) choice skips the sec-
       ond menu.  To avoid choosing that  by  accident,  set  paranoid_con-
       firm:AutoAll  to  require  confirmation.)   Partial skips the object
       class filtering and immediately displays a menu of all objects.

     menu_deselect_all
       Key to deselect all items in a menu.  Default `-'.

     menu_deselect_page
       Key to deselect all items on this page of a menu.  Default `\'.

     menu_first_page
       Key to jump to the first page in a menu.  Default `^'.

     menu_headings
       Controls how the headings in a menu are highlighted.  Takes  a  text
       attribute,  or text color and attribute separated by ampersand.  For
       allowed attributes and colors, see "Configuring Menu  Colors".   Not
       all ports can actually display all types.

     menu_invert_all
       Key to invert all items in a menu.  Default `@'.

     menu_invert_page
       Key to invert all items on this page of a menu.  Default `~'.

     menu_last_page
       Key to jump to the last page in a menu.  Default `|'.

     menu_next_page
       Key to go to the next menu page.  Default `>'.

     menu_objsyms
       Inventory  and  other  object menus are normally separated by object
       class (weapons, armor, and so forth), with a menu header line at the
       beginning  of each group.  You can have menus add the display symbol
       for the class of objects for each header line.  You can also add the
       display  symbol  for  the individual item in each menu entry.  For a
       tiles map, that would be a small rendition of an object's tile.  For
       a  text  map,  it  is the same character as is used for the object's
       class, which would be most useful when there are no headers separat-
       ing objects among classes.  Possible values are

       0 - None         - no  symbols  for  either  header  lines  or  menu
                          entries;
       1 - Headers      - show symbols on header lines but not entries;
       2 - Entries      - show symbols on menu entry lines but not headers;
       3 - Both         - show symbols on headers and entries;
       4 - Conditional  - only show symbols for entries  if  there  are  no
                          headers;
       5 - One-or-other - show  symbols  on  headers,  or  on entries if no


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                          headers.

       Supported by tty and curses.  When setting  the  value,  it  can  be
       specified  by  digit  or  keyword.  The default value is Conditional
       (4).

     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)

     menu_previous_page
       Key to go to the previous menu page.  Default `<'.

     menu_search
       Key  to  search for some text and toggle selection state of matching
       menu items.  Default `:'.

     menu_select_all
       Key to select all items in a menu.  Default `.'.

     menu_select_page
       Key to select all items on this page of a menu.  Default `,'.

     menu_shift_left
       Key to scroll a menu--one which has been scrolled right--back to the
       left.   Implemented for perm_invent only by curses and X11.  Default
       `{'.

     menu_shift_right
       Key to scroll a menu which has text beyond the  right  edge  to  the
       right.  Implemented for perm_invent only by curses and X11.  Default
       `}'.

     mon_movement
       Show a message when hero notices  a  monster  movement  (default  is
       off).

     monpolycontrol
       Prompt  for  new  form  whenever  any monster changes shape (default
       off).  Debug mode only.

     montelecontrol
       Prompt for destination whenever any monster gets teleported (default
       off).  Debug mode only.

     mouse_support
       Allow use of the mouse for input and travel.  Valid settings are:

            0 - disabled
            1 - enabled and make OS adjustments to support mouse use
            2 - like 1 but does not make any OS adjustments

       Omitting a value is the same as specifying 1 and negating mouse_sup-
       port is the same as specifying 0.


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

     msg_window
       Allows  you to change the way recalled messages are displayed.  Cur-
       rently it is only supported for  tty  (all  four  choices)  and  for
       curses (`f' and `r' choices, default `r').  The possible values are:

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

       For  backward  compatibility,  no value needs to be specified (which
       defaults to "full"), or it can be negated (which defaults  to  "sin-
       gle").

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

       On  some  systems, the default is the player's user name; on others,
       there is no default and the player will be prompted.  The former can
       made  to behave like the latter by specifying a generic name such as
       ``player''.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

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

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

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

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

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

       For backward compatibility, omitting a value is the same as specify-
       ing 1 and negating number_pad is the same as  specifying  0.   (Set-


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       tings  2  and 4 are for compatibility with MS-DOS or old PC Hack; in
       addition to the different behavior for `5', `Alt-5' acts as `G'  and
       `Alt-0'  acts as `I'.  Setting -1 is to accommodate some QWERTZ key-
       boards which have the location of the `y'  and  `z'  keys  swapped.)
       When  moving  by numbers, to enter a count prefix for those commands
       which accept one (such as "12s" to search twelve times), precede  it
       with the letter `n' ("n12s").

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

     paranoid_confirmation
       A space  separated  list  of  specific  situations  where  alternate
       prompting  is  desired.   The default is "paranoid_confirmation:pray
       swim trap".

       Confirm     - for any prompts which are set to require "yes"  rather
                     than  `y',  also  require  "no"  to  reject instead of
                     accepting any non-yes response as no; changes pray and
                     AutoAll to require "yes" or `no' too;
       quit        - require  "yes" rather than `y' to confirm quitting the
                     game or switching into non-scoring explore mode;
       die         - require "yes" rather than `y' to  confirm  dying  (not
                     useful in normal play; applies to explore mode);
       bones       - require  "yes" rather than `y' to confirm saving bones
                     data when dying in debug mode;
       attack      - require "yes" rather than `y' to confirm  attacking  a
                     peaceful monster;
       wand-break  - require  "yes"  rather  than `y' to confirm breaking a
                     wand with the apply command;
       eating      - require "yes" rather than `y' to  confirm  whether  to
                     continue eating;
       Were-change - require "yes" rather than `y' to confirm changing form
                     due to lycanthropy when hero has polymorph control;
       pray        - require `y' to confirm an attempt to pray rather  than
                     immediately  praying; on by default; (to require "yes"
                     rather than just `y', set Confirm too);
       trap        - require `y' to confirm an attempt to move into or onto
                     a  known  trap,  unless  doing  so is considered to be
                     harmless; when enabled, this confirmation is also used
                     for moving into visible gas cloud regions; (to require
                     "yes" rather than just `y', set Confirm too);  confir-
                     mation  can  be skipped by using the `m' movement pre-
                     fix;
       swim        - prevent walking into water or lava; on by default; (to
                     deliberately  step onto/into such terrain when this is
                     set, use the `m' movement prefix when adjacent);
       AutoAll     - require confirmation  when  the  `A'  (Autoselect-All)
                     choice is selected in object class filtering menus for
                     menustyle:Full; (to require  "yes"  rather  than  just
                     `y', set Confirm too);


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       Remove      - require  selection from inventory for `R' and `T' com-
                     mands even when wearing just one applicable item;
       all         - turn on all of the above.

       By default, the pray, swim, and trap choices are enabled, the others
       disabled.  To disable them without setting any of the other choices,
       use paranoid_confirmation:none.  To keep them enabled while  setting
       any  of  the  others,  you can include them in the new list, such as
       paranoid_confirmation:attack pray swim Remove or you can precede the
       first  entry  in  the  list  with  a  plus  sign, paranoid_confirma-
       tion:+attack Remove.  To remove an entry that  has  been  previously
       set  without  removing  others,  precede the first entry in the list
       with a minus sign, paranoid_confirmation:-swim.  To  both  add  some
       new  entries  and  remove  some old ones, you can use multiple para-
       noid_confirmation option settings, or you can use the `+'  form  and
       list  entries to be added by their name and entries to be removed by
       `!' and name.  The positive (no `!') and negative (with `!') entries
       can be intermixed.

     pauper
       Start  the  character  with no possessions (default false).  Persis-
       tent.

       Also start with no spells or skills,  which  are  tied  to  starting
       equipment.   Does not inhibit acquiring and using items, spells, and
       skills once play has started.

     perm_invent
       If true, always display your current inventory in a window  (default
       false).

       This only makes sense for windowing system interfaces that implement
       this feature.  For those that do, the  perminv_mode  option  can  be
       used to refine what gets displayed for perm_invent.  Setting that to
       a value other than none while perm_invent is false will change it to
       true.

     perminv_mode
       Augments the perm_invent option.  Value is one of

       none   - behave as if perm_invent is false;
       all    - show all inventory except for gold;
       full   - show full inventory including gold;
       in-use - only show items which are in use (worn, wielded, lit lamp).

       Default is none but if perm_invent gets set to true while it is none
       it will be changed to all.

       Note: if gold has been equipped in quiver/ammo-pouch then it will be
       included for all despite that mode normally omitting gold.

     petattr
       Specifies one or more text highlighting attributes to use when show-
       ing pets on the map.  Effectively a superset of the hilite_pet bool-


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       ean  option.   Curses  or  tty interface only; value is one of none,
       bold, dim, underline, italic, blink, and  inverse.   Some  of  those
       choices might not work, depending upon terminal hardware or terminal
       emulation software.

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

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

     pickup_stolen
       If this option is on and autopickup is  also  on,  try  to  pick  up
       things  that  a  monster  stole  from  you,  even  if they aren't in
       pickup_types or match an autopickup exception.  Default is on.  Per-
       sistent.

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

     pickup_types
       Specify  the  object  types  to  be picked up when autopickup is on.
       Default is all types.  Persistent.

       The value is a list of object symbols, such as  pickup_types:$?!  to
       pick  up  gold, scrolls, and potions.  You can use autopickup_excep-
       tion configuration file lines to further refine autopickup behavior.

       There is no way to set pickup_types to "none".  (Setting  it  to  an
       empty  value  reverts to "all".)  If you want to avoid automatically
       picking up any types of items but do want to have autopickup  on  in
       order  to have autopickup_exception settings control what you do and
       don't pick up, you can set pickup_types to `.'.  That  is  the  type
       symbol  for venom and you won't come across any venom items so won't
       unintentionally pick such up.

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



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

     price_quotes
       Whenever the game mentions the name of an object you haven't identi-
       fied yet, it also mentions the range of buy and sell prices you have
       seen for that item (to help narrow down  what  it  could  be).   The
       price  shown is the unit price for one item (even when you are look-
       ing at a stack of multiple items).  Many players may  want  to  turn
       this  on  while identifying objects, and then turn it back off again
       for general play.  Default is off.

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

     query_menu
       Use a menu when asked specific yes/no queries, instead of a prompt.

     quick_farsight
       When set, usually prevents the "you sense your surroundings" message
       where play pauses to allow you to browse the map whenever  clairvoy-
       ance  randomly activates.  Some situations, such as being underwater
       or engulfed, ignore this option.  It does not affect  the  clairvoy-
       ance  spell where pausing to examine revealed objects or monsters is
       less intrusive.  Default is off.  Persistent.

     race
       Selects your race (for example,  race:human).   Choices  are  human,
       dwarf, elf, gnome, and orc but most roles restrict which of the non-
       human races are allowed.  See role for a description of how  to  use
       negation to exclude choices.

       If  race is not specified, there is no default value; player will be
       prompted unless role forces a choice for race.  Cannot be  set  with
       the `O' command.  Persistent.

     reroll
       Allows  rerolling your character's starting inventory and attributes
       (default false).  Persistent.

       Note that rerolling your character is not a recommended way to  play
       if  aiming merely to win (a lucky start has a much smaller influence
       on whether or not you win the game than your actions  later  in  the
       game).   This  option  exists partly as an acknowledgement that some


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       players will insist on doing so anyway, and partly because rerolling
       may be necessary for certain types of challenge games.

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

     role
       Pick your type of character (for example, role:Samurai); synonym for
       character.   See  name  for  an  alternate method of specifying your
       role.

       This option can also be used to limit selection when role is  chosen
       randomly.   Use  a  space-separated  list of roles and either negate
       each one or negate the option itself instead.   Negation  is  accom-
       plished in the same manner as with boolean options, by prefixing the
       option or its value(s) with `!' or "no".
       Examples:

            OPTIONS=role:!arc !bar !kni
            OPTIONS=!role:arc bar kni

       There can be multiple instances of the role option  if  they're  all
       negations.

       If  role is not specified, there is no default value; player will be
       prompted.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.  Persistent.

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

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

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

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

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


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     safe_pet
       Prevent you from (knowingly) attacking your pets (default on).  Per-
       sistent.

     safe_wait
       Prevents you from waiting or searching when next to a  hostile  mon-
       ster (default on). Persistent.

     sanity_check
       Evaluate  monsters,  objects,  and  map  prior to each turn (default
       off).  Debug mode only.

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

     showdamage
       Whenever  your  character takes damage, show a message of the damage
       taken, and the amount of hit points left.

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

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

     showscore
       Show your approximate accumulated  score  on  bottom  line  (default
       off).  By default, this feature is suppressed when building the pro-
       gram.  Persistent.

     showvers
       Include the game's version number on the status lines (default off).
       Potentially useful if you switch between different versions or vari-
       ants, or you are making screenshots or streaming video.   Using  the
       statuslines:3  option is recommended so that there will be more room
       available for status information, unless you're using  NetHack's  Qt
       interface  or  your  terminal emulator window displays fewer than 25
       lines.  Persistent.

       The versinfo option provides limited control over  what  information
       showvers displays.

     silent
       Suppress terminal beeps (default on).  Persistent.

     sortdiscoveries
       Controls the sorting behavior for the output of the `\' and ``' com-


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       mands.  Persistent.

       The possible values are:

       o - list object types by  class,  in  discovery  order  within  each
           class; default;
       s - list  object types by sortloot classification: by class, by sub-
           class within class for classes which have substantial  groupings
           (like  helmets,  boots,  gloves,  and  so forth for armor), with
           object types partly-discovered via assigned name  coming  before
           fully identified types;
       c - list by class, alphabetically within each class;
       a - list alphabetically across all classes.

       Can  be  interactively  set via the `O' command or via using the `m'
       prefix before the `\' or ``' command.

     sortloot
       Controls the sorting behavior of the pickup lists for inventory  and
       #loot commands and some others.  Persistent.

       The possible values are:

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

     sortpack
       Sort the pack contents by type when  displaying  inventory  (default
       on).  Persistent.

     sortvanquished
       Controls the sorting behavior for the output of the #vanquished com-
       mand and also for the #genocided command.  Persistent.

       The possible values are:

       t - traditional--order by monster level; ties are broken by internal
           monster index; default;
       d - order  by  monster  difficulty  rating;  ties broken by internal
           index;
       a - order alphabetically, first any unique  monsters  then  all  the
           others;
       c - order by monster class, by low to high level within each class;
       n - order by count, high to low; ties are broken by internal monster
           index;
       z - order by count, low to high; ties broken by internal index.

       Can be interactively set via the `m O' command or via using the  `m'
       prefix  before either the #vanquished command or the #genocided com-
       mand.




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     sounds
       Allow sounds to be emitted from an integrated sound library (default
       on).

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

     spot_monsters
       Show a message when hero notices a monster (default is off).

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

     statushilites
       Controls how many turns status hilite behaviors highlight the field.
       If negated or set to zero, disables status hiliting.  See "Configur-
       ing Status Hilites" for further information.

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

     suppress_alert
       This  option may be set to a NetHack version level to suppress alert
       notification messages about feature changes for that and prior  ver-
       sions (for example "suppress_alert:3.3.1").

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

     terrainstatus
       Display  an  extra  status condition describing the spot beneath the
       hero's feet (default off, not supported by all interfaces).

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

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

     tips
       Show some helpful tips during gameplay (default on).  Persistent.

     tombstone
       Draw a tombstone graphic upon your death (default on).  Persistent.



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     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 win-
       dow, but it no longer leaves the score list around after game end on
       a terminal or emulating window.

     travel
       Allow the travel command via mouse click (default on).  Turning this
       option off will prevent the game from attempting unintended moves if
       you  make  inadvertent  mouse  clicks  on  the map window.  Does not
       affect traveling via the `_' ("#travel") command.  Persistent.

     tutorial
       Play a tutorial level at the start of the game.  Setting this option
       on or off in the config file will skip the query.

     verbose
       Provide more commentary during the game (default on).  Persistent.

     versinfo
       Controls what the showvers option displays on the status lines.

     weaponstatus
       Display  an extra status condition which describes currently wielded
       weapon (default off, not supported by all interfaces).

       Some possible displayed values are:

            bare-hnds - no weapon and no gloves;
            empty-hnd - no weapon but gloves are worn;
            dual-weps - wielding two weapons.

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

       The possible settings are:

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

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

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


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

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

       Filtering can also be changed when getting a location with the "get-
       pos.filter" key.

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

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

     windowtype
       When  the  program  has  been  built to support multiple interfaces,
       select which one to use, such as "tty" or "X11" (default depends  on
       build-time  settings;  use "#version" to check).  Cannot be set with
       the `O' command.

       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  rightmost
       option in the list.

     wizweight
       Augment  object  descriptions  with  their  objects' weight (default
       off).  Debug mode only.

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

     9.5.  Window Port Customization options

          Here are explanations of the various options  that  are  used  to
     customize  and  change  the characteristics of the windowtype that you
     have chosen.  Character strings that are too long  may  be  truncated.
     Not  all  window  ports will adjust for all settings listed here.  You
     can safely add any of these options to your 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.


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     Some options are dynamic and can be specified during the game with the
     `O' command.

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

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

     ascii_map
       If NetHack can, it should display the map  using  simple  characters
       (letters  and  punctuation)  rather  than  tiles  graphics.  In some
       cases, characters can be augmented with  line-drawing  symbols;  use
       the  symset  option  to  select  a symbol set such as DECgraphics or
       IBMgraphics if your display supports  them.   Setting  ascii_map  to
       True forces tiled_map to be False.

     color
       If NetHack can, it should display color if it can for different mon-
       sters, objects, and dungeon features (default on).

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

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

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

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

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

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

     font_size_map
       If NetHack can, it should use this size font for the map window.

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



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

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

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

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

     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.

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

     map_mode
       If NetHack can, it should display the map in the manner specified.

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

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

     preload_tiles
       If  NetHack  can, it should preload tiles into memory.  For 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 perfor-
       mance of the tile graphics, but  uses  more  memory.  (default  on).
       Cannot be set with the `O' command.

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

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

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

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


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

     statuslines
       Number  of  lines  for  traditional  below-the-map  status  display.
       Acceptable values are 2 and 3 (default is 2).

       When set to 3, the tty interface moves some fields around and mainly
       shows  status  conditions  on  their own line.  A display capable of
       showing at least 25 lines is recommended.  The value can be  toggled
       back and forth during the game with the `O' command.

       The curses interface does likewise if the align_status option is set
       to top or bottom but ignores statuslines when set to left or right.

       The Qt interface already displays more than 3 lines  for  status  so
       uses the statuslines value differently.  A value of 3 renders status
       in the Qt interface's original format, with the status window spread
       out  vertically.   A  value of 2 makes status be slightly condensed,
       moving some fields to different lines to eliminate one  whole  line,
       reducing the height needed.  (If NetHack has been built using a ver-
       sion of Qt older than qt-5.9, statuslines can only  be  set  in  the
       run-time  configuration  file or via NETHACKOPTIONS, not during play
       with the `O' command.)

     term_cols  and

     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.

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

       Note: the X11 interface  uses  X  resources  rather  than  NetHack's
       options  to select an alternate tile file.  See NetHack.ad, the sam-
       ple X "application defaults" file.

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

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

     tiled_map
       If NetHack can, it should  display  the  map  using  tiles  graphics
       rather  than  simple  characters  (letters and punctuation, possibly
       augmented by  line-drawing  symbols).   Setting  tiled_map  to  True
       forces ascii_map to be False.



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

     use_inverse
       If  NetHack  can,  it should display inverse when the game specifies
       it.

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

     windowborders
       Whether to draw boxes around the map, status area, message area, and
       persistent inventory window  if  enabled.   Curses  interface  only.
       Acceptable values are

            0 - off, never show borders
            1 - on, always show borders
            2 - auto, on if display is at least (24+2)x(80+2) [default]
            3 - on, except forced off for perm_invent
            4 - auto, except forced off for perm_invent

       (The  26x82 size threshold for `2' refers to number of rows and col-
       umns of the display.  A width of at least 110 columns (80+2+26+2) is
       needed to show borders if align_status is set to left or right.)

       The  persistent inventory window, when enabled, can grow until it is
       too big to fit on most displays, resulting in truncation of its con-
       tents.  If borders are forced on (1) or the display is big enough to
       show them (2), setting the value to 3 or 4 instead will keep borders
       for the map, message, and status windows but have room for two addi-
       tional lines of inventory plus widen each inventory line by two col-
       umns.

     windowcolors
       If  NetHack can, it should display all windows of a particular style
       with the specified foreground and background  colors.   Windows  GUI
       and curses windowport only.  The format is

          OPTION=windowcolors:style foreground/background

       where  style  is  one of "menu", "message", "status", or "text", and
       foreground and background are colors, either numeric (hash sign fol-
       lowed  by  three  pairs  of hexadecimal digits, #rrggbb), one of the
       named colors (black, red, green, brown, blue, magenta, cyan, orange,
       bright-green,   yellow,  bright-blue,  bright-magenta,  bright-cyan,
       white, gray, purple, silver, maroon,  fuchsia,  lime,  olive,  navy,
       teal,  aqua),  or (for Windows only) one of Windows UI colors (true-
       black, activeborder, activecaption, appworkspace,  background,  btn-
       face,  btnshadow,  btntext,  captiontext,  graytext, greytext, high-
       light, highlighttext, inactiveborder, inactivecaption,  menu,  menu-
       text, scrollbar, window, windowframe, windowtext).




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

     9.6.  Crash Report Options

          Please note that NetHack does not send any information  off  your
     computer unless you manually click submit on a form.

          OPTION=crash_email:email_address

          OPTION=crash_name:your_name
            These  options  are  used  only  to save you some typing on the
            crash report and #bugreport forms.

          OPTION=crash_urlmax:bytes
            This option is used to limit the length of the  URLs  generated
            and  is  only  needed if your browser cannot handle arbitrarily
            long URLs.

     9.7.  Platform-specific Customization options

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

     altkeyhandling
       Select  an  alternate  way  to  handle keystrokes (Win32 tty NetHack
       only).  The name of the handling type is one  of  "default",  "ray",
       "340".

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

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

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

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


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     subkeyvalue
       (Win32  tty  NetHack  only).  May be used to alter the value of key-
       strokes that the operating system returns to NetHack to help compen-
       sate  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 assignments in the con-
       figuration file if needed.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

     video
       Set the video mode used (PC NetHack only).  Values are "autodetect",
       "default",  "vga", or "vesa".  Setting "vesa" will cause the game to
       display tiles, using the full capability of the VGA hardware.   Set-
       ting "vga" will cause the game to display tiles, fixed at 640x480 in
       16 colors, a mode that is compatible with all  VGA  hardware.  Third
       party   tilesets  will  probably  not  work.   Setting  "autodetect"
       attempts "vesa", then "vga", and finally sets "default"  if  neither
       of those modes works.  Cannot be set with the `O' command.

     video_height
       Set the VGA mode resolution height (MS-DOS only, with video:vesa)

     video_width
       Set the VGA mode resolution width (MS-DOS only, with video:vesa)

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

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

     9.8.  Regular Expressions

          Regular expressions are normally POSIX extended  regular  expres-
     sions.  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;  regardless,  this
     document  refers  to  both  as `regular expressions.'  This applies to
     Autopickup exceptions, Message types, Menu colors, and User sounds.

     9.9.  Configuring Autopickup Exceptions

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

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


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     autopickup something.

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

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

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

       The  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.

       Exceptions can be set with the `O' 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.  autopickup_exception rules and not
       saved with the game.

     Here are some examples:

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

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

     9.10.  Changing Key Bindings

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

          For example:

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

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



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     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 or
       selection letters into menu accelerators.  Some interfaces only sup-
       port some of the menu accelerators.

     Mouse buttons
       You  can  bind  "mouse1"  or  "mouse2" to "nothing", "therecmdmenu",
       "clicklook", or "mouseaction".

     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 "con-
       text", and if bound to same keys, only one of those commands will be
       available.  Special command can only be bound to a single key.

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

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

     getdir.mouse
       When  asked  for  a direction, the key to initiate a simulated mouse
       click.  You will be asked to pick a  location.   Use  movement  key-
       strokes  to  move  the  cursor  around  the  map, then type the get-
       pos.pick.once key (default `,') or the getpos.pick key (default `.')
       to  finish as if performing a left or right click.  Only useful when
       using the #therecmdmenu command.  Default is `_'.

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

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

     getpos.autodescribe
       When asked for a location, the key to toggle autodescribe.   Default
       is `#'.

     getpos.all.next
       When asked for a location, the key to go to next closest interesting
       thing.  Default is `a'.

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

     getpos.door.next
       When  asked  for  a  location, the key to go to next closest door or


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       doorway.  Default is `d'.

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

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

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

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

     getpos.obj.next
       When  asked  for  a  location, the key to go to next closest object.
       Default is `o'.

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

     getpos.menu
       When  asked  for  a  location, and using one of the next or previous
       keys to cycle  through  targets,  toggle  showing  a  menu  instead.
       Default is `!'.

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

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

     getpos.pick
       When asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and  pos-
       sibly  ask for more info.  When simulating a mouse click after being
       asked for a direction (see getdir.mouse above), the key  to  use  to
       respond as right click.  Default is `.'.

     getpos.pick.once
       When  asked for a location, the key to choose the location, and skip
       asking for more info.  When simulating a  mouse  click  after  being
       asked for a direction, the key to respond as left click.  Default is
       `,'.




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

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

     getpos.self
       When  asked for a location, the key to go to your location.  Default
       is `@'.

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

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

     getpos.valid
       When asked for a location, the key to go to show valid target  loca-
       tions.  Default is `$'.

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

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

     9.11.  Configuring Message Types

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

          In general, the configuration file entries to describe  the  mes-
     sage types look like this: MSGTYPE=type "pattern"

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

       The pattern should be a regular expression.

       Allowed types are:

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



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

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

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

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

     9.12.  Configuring Menu Colors

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

          In general, the configuration file entries to describe  the  menu
     color mappings look like this:

          MENUCOLOR="pattern"=color&attribute

            pattern    - the pattern to match;
            color      - the color to use for lines matching the pattern;
            attribute  - the  attribute  to use for lines matching the pat-
                         tern. 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.

       The pattern should be a regular expression.

       Allowed colors are black, red, green, brown,  blue,  magenta,  cyan,
       gray, orange, light-green, yellow, light-blue, light-magenta, light-
       cyan, and white.  And no-color, the default foreground color,  which
       isn't necessarily the same as any of the other colors.

       Allowed  attributes  are  none, bold, dim, italic, underline, blink,
       and inverse.  "Normal" is a synonym for "none".  Note that the plat-
       form used may interpret the attributes any way it wants.

       Here's  an  example  of menu colors using NetHack's internal pattern
       matching facility:

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

       specifies that any menu line with " blessed " contained in  it  will
       be shown in green color, lines with " cursed " will be shown in red,
       and lines with " cursed " followed by "(being  worn)"  on  the  same
       line will be shown in red color and underlined.  You can have multi-
       ple MENUCOLOR entries in your configuration file, and the last MENU-


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       COLOR line that matches a menu line will be used for the line.

          Note  that if you intend to have one or more color specifications
     match   " uncursed ",   you   will   probably   want   to   turn   the
     implicit_uncursed  option  off  so that all items known to be uncursed
     are actually displayed with the "uncursed" description.

     9.13.  Configuring User Sounds

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

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

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

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

       MESG        - message  window  mapping  (the  only  one supported in
                     5.0.0);
       msgtype     - optional; message type to use, see  "Configuring  Mes-
                     sage Types"
       pattern     - the pattern to match;
       sound file  - the sound file to play;
       volume      - the volume to be set while playing the sound file;
       sound index - optional; the index corresponding to a sound file.

       The pattern should be a regular expression.

          For example:

          SOUNDDIR=C:\nethack\sounds
          SOUND=MESG "This door is locked" "lock.wav" 100
          SOUND=MESG hide "^You miss the " "swing.wav" 75



     9.14.  Configuring Status Hilites

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

          The format for defining status colors is:

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



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

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

     (That example is actually specifying  red&normal  for  <=30%  and  no-
     color&normal for >30%.)

          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:

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

          Allowed colors are black, red, green, brown, blue, magenta, cyan,
     gray, orange, light-green, yellow, light-blue,  light-magenta,  light-
     cyan,  and white.  And "no-color", the default foreground color on the
     display, which is not necessarily the same as black or white or any of
     the other colors.

          Allowed attributes are none, bold, dim, underline, italic, blink,
     and inverse.  "Normal" is a synonym for "none";  they  should  not  be
     used in combination with any of the other attributes.

          To  specify  both  a  color  and an attribute, use `&' to combine
     them.  To specify multiple attributes, use `+' to combine those.   For
     example: "magenta&inverse+dim".

          Note  that  the  display  may  substitute  or  ignore  particular
     attributes depending upon its capabilities, and in general may  inter-
     pret  the  attributes  any way it wants.  For example, on some display
     systems a request for bold might yield blink or vice versa.   On  oth-
     ers, 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 tty
     interface) rather than all at once, the only way a situation like that
     can be controlled is to specify just one attribute.

          You can adjust the appearance of the following status fields:
                   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

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


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

       Allowed behaviors are "always", "up", "down", "changed", a  percent-
       age or absolute number threshold, or text to match against.  For the
       hitpoints field, the additional behavior "criticalhp" is  available.
       It  overrides other behavior rules if hit points are at or below the
       major problem threshold (which varies  depending  upon  maximum  hit
       points and experience level).

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

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

          * "changed"  sets  the  field  attribute for when the field value
            changes.  This attribute times out after  statushilites  turns.
            (If  a  field  has  both a "changed" rule and an "up" or "down"
            rule which matches a change in the field's value, the  "up"  or
            "down" one takes precedence.)

          * percentage  sets  the  field  attribute  when  the  field value
            matches the percentage.  It is specified as a number between  0
            and  100, followed by `%' (percent sign).  If the percentage is
            prefixed with `<=' or `>=', it also matches when value is below
            or  above  the percentage.  Use prefix `<' or `>' to match when
            strictly  below  or  above.   (The  numeric  limit  is  relaxed
            slightly  for  those:  >-1%  and <101% are allowed.)  Only four
            fields support percentage rules.  Percentages  for  "hitpoints"
            and  "power"  are  straightforward; they're based on the corre-
            sponding maximum field.  Percentage highlight  rules  are  also
            allowed  for  "experience level" and "experience points" (valid
            when the showexp option is enabled).  For those, the percentage
            is  based on the progress from the start of the current experi-
            ence 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  =100%  is
            allowed and matches the special case of being exactly 1 experi-
            ence point short of the next level.

          * absolute value sets the attribute when the field value  matches
            that  number.   The  number  must  be  0  or higher, except for
            "armor-class' which allows negative values, and may  optionally
            be  preceded by `='.  If the number is preceded by `<=' or `>='
            instead, it also matches when value is below or above.  If  the
            prefix is `<' or `>', only match when strictly above or below.



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          * criticalhp  only  applies  to the hitpoints field and only when
            current hit points are below a threshold (which varies by maxi-
            mum  hit  points  and experience level).  When the threshold is
            met, a criticalhp rule takes precedence  over  all  other  hit-
            points rules.

          * text  match sets the attribute when the field value matches the
            text.  Text matches can only be used for  "alignment",  "carry-
            ing-capacity",  "hunger",  "dungeon-level",  and  "title".  For
            title, only the role's rank title is  tested;  the  character's
            name is ignored.

          The  in-game options menu can help you determine the correct syn-
     tax for a configuration file.

          The whole feature can be disabled by setting option statushilites
     to 0.

          Example hilites:

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



     9.15.  Modifying NetHack Symbols

          NetHack can load entire symbol sets from the symbol file.

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

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

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

          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 ^ prefix causes the following character to be treated


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     as a control character.

        NetHack Symbols
           Symbol Name            Description
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
           S_air                  (air)
        _  S_altar                (altar)
        "  S_amulet               (amulet)
        A  S_angel                (angelic being)
        a  S_ant                  (ant or other insect)
        ^  S_anti_magic_trap      (anti-magic field)
        [  S_armor                (suit or piece of armor)
        [  S_armour               (suit or piece of armor)
        ^  S_arrow_trap           (arrow trap)
        0  S_ball                 (iron ball)
        #  S_bars                 (iron bars)
        B  S_bat                  (bat or bird)
        ^  S_bear_trap            (bear trap)
        -  S_blcorn               (bottom left corner)
        b  S_blob                 (blob)
        +  S_book                 (spellbook)
        )  S_boomleft             (boomerang open left)
        (  S_boomright            (boomerang open right)
        `  S_boulder              (boulder)
        -  S_brcorn               (bottom right corner)
        >  S_brdnladder           (branch ladder down)
        >  S_brdnstair            (branch staircase down)
        <  S_brupladder           (branch ladder up)
        <  S_brupstair            (branch staircase up)
        C  S_centaur              (centaur)
        _  S_chain                (iron chain)
        #  S_cloud                (cloud)
        c  S_cockatrice           (cockatrice)
        $  S_coin                 (pile of coins)
        #  S_corr                 (corridor)
        -  S_crwall               (wall)
        #  S_darkroom             (dark room)
        ^  S_dart_trap            (dart trap)
        &  S_demon                (major demon)
        *  S_digbeam              (dig beam)
        >  S_dnladder             (ladder down)
        >  S_dnstair              (staircase down)
        d  S_dog                  (dog or other canine)
        D  S_dragon               (dragon)
        ;  S_eel                  (sea monster)
        E  S_elemental            (elemental)
        #  S_engrcorr             (engraving in a corridor)
        `  S_engroom              (engraving in a room)
        /  S_expl_tl              (explosion top left)
        -  S_expl_tc              (explosion top center)
        \  S_expl_tr              (explosion top right)
        |  S_expl_ml              (explosion middle left)
           S_expl_mc              (explosion middle center)



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        |  S_expl_mr              (explosion middle right)
        \  S_expl_bl              (explosion bottom left)
        -  S_expl_bc              (explosion bottom center)
        /  S_expl_br              (explosion bottom right)
        e  S_eye                  (eye or sphere)
        ^  S_falling_rock_trap    (falling rock trap)
        f  S_feline               (cat or other feline)
        ^  S_fire_trap            (fire trap)
        !  S_flashbeam            (flash beam)
        %  S_food                 (piece of food)
        {  S_fountain             (fountain)
        F  S_fungus               (fungus or mold)
        *  S_gem                  (gem or rock)
           S_ghost                (ghost)
        H  S_giant                (giant humanoid)
        G  S_gnome                (gnome)
        '  S_golem                (golem)
        |  S_grave                (grave)
        g  S_gremlin              (gremlin)
        -  S_hbeam                (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)
        ^  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)
        ^  S_land_mine            (land mine)
        }  S_lava                 (molten lava)
        }  S_lavawall             (wall of lava)
        l  S_leprechaun           (leprechaun)
        ^  S_level_teleporter     (level teleporter)
        L  S_lich                 (lich)
        y  S_light                (light)
        #  S_litcorr              (lit corridor)
        :  S_lizard               (lizard)
        \  S_lslant               (diagonal beam [zap animation])
        ^  S_magic_portal         (magic portal)
        ^  S_magic_trap           (magic trap)
        m  S_mimic                (mimic)
        ]  S_mimic_def            (mimic)
        M  S_mummy                (mummy)
        N  S_naga                 (naga)
        .  S_ndoor                (doorway without door)
        n  S_nymph                (nymph)



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        O  S_ogre                 (ogre)
        o  S_orc                  (orc)
        p  S_piercer              (piercer)
        ^  S_pit                  (pit)
        #  S_poisoncloud          (poison cloud)
        ^  S_polymorph_trap       (polymorph trap)
        }  S_pool                 (water)
        !  S_potion               (potion)
        P  S_pudding              (pudding or ooze)
        q  S_quadruped            (quadruped)
        Q  S_quantmech            (quantum mechanic)
        =  S_ring                 (ring)
        `  S_rock                 (boulder or statue)
        r  S_rodent               (rodent)
        ^  S_rolling_boulder_trap (rolling boulder trap)
        .  S_room                 (floor of a room)
        /  S_rslant               (diagonal beam [zap animation])
        ^  S_rust_trap            (rust trap)
        R  S_rustmonst            (rust monster or disenchanter)
        ?  S_scroll               (scroll)
        #  S_sink                 (sink)
        ^  S_sleeping_gas_trap    (sleeping gas trap)
        S  S_snake                (snake)
        s  S_spider               (arachnid or centipede)
        ^  S_spiked_pit           (spiked pit)
        ^  S_squeaky_board        (squeaky board)
        0  S_ss1                  (magic shield 1 of 4)
        #  S_ss2                  (magic shield 2 of 4)
        @  S_ss3                  (magic shield 3 of 4)
        *  S_ss4                  (magic shield 4 of 4)
        ^  S_statue_trap          (statue trap)
           S_stone                (solid rock)
        ]  S_strange_obj          (strange object)
        -  S_sw_bc                (swallow bottom center)
        \  S_sw_bl                (swallow bottom left)
        /  S_sw_br                (swallow bottom right)
        |  S_sw_ml                (swallow middle left)
        |  S_sw_mr                (swallow middle right)
        -  S_sw_tc                (swallow top center)
        /  S_sw_tl                (swallow top left)
        \  S_sw_tr                (swallow top right)
        -  S_tdwall               (wall)
        ^  S_teleportation_trap   (teleportation trap)
        \  S_throne               (opulent throne)
        -  S_tlcorn               (top left corner)
        |  S_tlwall               (wall)
        (  S_tool                 (useful item (pick-axe, key, lamp...))
        ^  S_trap_door            (trap door)
        t  S_trapper              (trapper or lurker above)
        -  S_trcorn               (top right corner)
        #  S_tree                 (tree)
        T  S_troll                (troll)
        |  S_trwall               (wall)



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        -  S_tuwall               (wall)
        U  S_umber                (umber hulk)
           S_unexplored           (unexplored terrain)
        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)
        ^  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)
        "  S_web                  (web)
        w  S_worm                 (worm)
        ~  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)

     Notes:

     * 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
       "sysconf" file.

     * 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.

     9.16.  Customizing Map Glyph Representations Using Unicode

          If  your platform or terminal supports the display of UTF-8 char-
     acter sequences, you can customize your game display by assigning Uni-
     code  codepoint  values and red-green-blue colors to glyph representa-
     tions. The customizations can be specified for use with a symset  that
     has  a UTF8 handler within the symbols file such as the enhanced1 set,
     or individually within your nethack.rc file.




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          The format for defining a glyph representation is:

     OPTIONS=glyph:glyphid/U+nnnn/R-G-B

          The window port that is active needs to provide support for  dis-
     playing  UTF-8  character sequences and explicit red-green-blue colors
     in order for the glyph representation to be visible.  For example, the
     following  line in your configuration file will cause the glyph repre-
     sentation for glyphid G_pool to use Unicode codepoint U+224B  and  the
     color represented by R-G-B value 0-0-160:

     OPTIONS=glyph:G_pool/U+224B/0-0-160

     The  list  of acceptable glyphid's can be produced by nethack --dumpg-
     lyphids.  Individual NetHack glyphs can be specified using the G_ pre-
     fix,  or  you  can use an S_ symbol for a glyphid and store the custom
     representation for all NetHack glyphs that would map to that  particu-
     lar symbol.

          You  will  need  to select a symset with a UTF8 handler to enable
     the display of the customizations, such as the Enhanced symset.

     9.17.  Configuring NetHack for Play by the Blind

          NetHack can be set up to use only standard ASCII  characters  for
     making  maps  of  the dungeons. This makes even the MS-DOS versions of
     NetHack (which use special line-drawing characters  by  default)  com-
     pletely  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 valu-
     able. 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 loca-
     tion of items on the screen.

          NetHack can also be compiled with support for  sending  the  game
     messages to an external program, such as a text-to-speech synthesizer.
     If the "#version" extended command shows "external program as  a  mes-
     sage  handler",  your  NetHack  has been compiled with the capability.
     When compiling NetHack from source on Linux and other  POSIX  systems,
     define  MSGHANDLER to enable it.  To use the capability, set the envi-
     ronment variable NETHACK_MSGHANDLER to an executable,  which  will  be
     executed with the game message as the program's only parameter.

          The most crucial settings to make the game more accessible are:




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

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

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

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

     paranoid_confirmation:swim
       Prevent walking into water or lava.

     accessiblemsg
       Adds direction or location information to messages.

     spot_monsters
       Shows  a  message when hero notices a monster; combine with accessi-
       blemsg.

     mon_movement
       Shows a message when hero notices a monster movement;  combine  with
       spot_monsters and accessiblemsg.

     autodescribe
       Automatically describe the terrain under the cursor when targeting.

     mention_map
       Give feedback messages when interesting map locations change.

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

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

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

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

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


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     showdamage
       Give a message of damage taken and how many hit points are left.

     9.18.  Global Configuration for System Administrators

          If  NetHack  is compiled with the SYSCF option, a system adminis-
     trator 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).

       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.

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

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

       MSGHANDLER = A path and filename of executable.  Whenever a message-
       window  message  is  shown,  NetHack runs this program.  The program
       will get the message as the only parameter.

       MAXPLAYERS = Limit the maximum number of games that can  be  running
       at the same time.

       SUPPORT = A  string  explaining how to get local support (no default
       value).

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

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

       CHECK_PLNAME = Setting this to 1 will make the  EXPLORERS,  WIZARDS,
       and  SHELLERS  check for the player name instead of the user's login
       name.

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

          The following four options affect the score file:

       PERSMAX = Maximum number of entries for one person.

       ENTRYMAX = Maximum number of entries in the score file.



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

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

       HIDEUSAGE = 0 or 1 to control whether the help menu entry  for  com-
       mand line usage is shown or suppressed.

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

       ACCESSIBILITY = 0 or 1 to disable or enable, respectively, the abil-
       ity for players to set S_pet_override and S_hero_override symbols in
       their configuration file.

       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.

       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 follow-
       ing placeholders:

           %% - literal `%'
           %v - version (eg. "5.0.0-0")
           %u - game UID
           %t - game start time, UNIX timestamp format
           %T - current time, UNIX timestamp format
           %d - game start time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
           %D - current time, YYYYMMDDhhmmss format
           %n - player name
           %N - first character of player name

       LIVELOG = A  bit-mask  of  types of events that should be written to
       the livelog file if one is present.  The sample sysconf file  accom-
       panying  the  program  contains a comment which lists the meaning of
       the various bits  used.   Intended  for  server  systems  supporting
       simultaneous play by multiple players (to be clear, each one running
       a separate single player game), for displaying their  game  progress
       to  observers.   Only relevant if the program was built with LIVELOG
       enabled.  When available, it should be left commented out on  single
       player  installations  because  over  time the file could grow to be
       extremely large unless it is actively maintained.

       CRASHREPORTURL = If                      set                      to
       https://www.nethack.org/links/cr-37BETA.html and support is compiled
       in, brings up a browser window pre-populated  with  the  information
       needed  to  report  a  problem  if  the game panics or ends up in an
       internally inconsistent state,  or  if  the  #bugreport  command  is
       invoked.




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     10.  Scoring

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

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

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

     11.  Explore mode

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

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

     11.1.  Debug mode

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

          For some systems, the player must be logged in under a 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 "wizard mode" and the Wizard role).  Attempting  to


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     start  a  game  in  debug  mode when not allowed or not available will
     result in falling back to explore mode instead.

     12.  Credits

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

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

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

          Andries Brouwer did a major re-write while at Stichting  Mathema-
     tisch  Centrum (now Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica), transforming Hack
     into a very different game.  He published the Hack source code for use
     on UNIX systems by posting that to Usenet newsgroup net.sources (later
     renamed comp.sources) releasing version 1.0 in December of 1984,  then
     versions  1.0.1,  1.0.2,  and  finally  1.0.3 in July of 1985.  Usenet
     newsgroup net.games.hack  (later  renamed  rec.games.hack,  eventually
     replaced  by  rec.games.roguelike.nethack)  was created for discussing
     it.

          Don G. Kneller ported Hack 1.0.3 to Microsoft C and MS-DOS,  pro-
     ducing  PC  HACK 1.01e, added support for DEC Rainbow graphics in ver-
     sion 1.03g, and went on to produce at least four more  versions  (3.0,
     3.2,  3.51, and 3.6; note that these are old Hack version numbers, not
     contemporary NetHack ones).

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

          Mike  Stephenson  merged  these  various  versions back together,
     incorporating many of the added features, and produced NetHack version
     1.4 in 1987.  He then coordinated a cast of thousands in enhancing and
     debugging NetHack 1.4 and released NetHack versions 2.2 and 2.3.  Like
     Hack,  they were released by posting their source code to Usenet where
     they remained available in various archives  accessible  via  ftp  and
     uucp after expiring from the newsgroup.

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

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



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

          Version  3.0 went through ten relatively rapidly released "patch-
     level" revisions.  Versions at the time were known as 3.0 for the base
     release  and  variously  as  "3.0a" through "3.0j", "3.0 patchlevel 1"
     through "3.0 patchlevel 10", or "3.0pl1" through "3.0pl10" rather than
     3.0.0  and  3.0.1 through 3.0.10; the three component numbering scheme
     began to be used with 3.1.0.

          Headed by Mike Stephenson and coordinated by  Izchak  Miller  and
     Janet  Walz,  the  NetHack  Development  Team  which  now included Ken
     Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jean-Christophe Collet, Kevin Darcy, Matt  Day,
     Timo  Hakulinen,  Steve Linhart, Dean Luick, Pat Rankin, Eric Raymond,
     and Eric Smith undertook a radical revision of  3.0.   They  re-struc-
     tured  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.  Version 3.1.0 was released in January of 1993.

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

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

          Jon W{tte and Hao-yang Wang, with help from Ross Brown, Mike Eng-
     ber,  David Hairston, Michael Hamel, Jonathan Handler, Johnny Lee, Tim
     Lennan, Rob Menke, and Andy Swanson, developed  NetHack  3.1  for  the
     Macintosh,  porting  it  for MPW.  Building on their development, Bart
     House added a Think C port.

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

          Dean Luick, with help from David Cohrs, developed NetHack 3.1 for
     X11.  It drew the map as text rather  than  graphically  but  included
     nh10.bdf,  an optionally used custom X11 font which has tiny images in
     place of letters and punctuation, a precursor of tiles.  Those  images
     don't extend to individual monster and object types, just replacements
     for monster and object classes  (so  one  custom  image  for  all  "a"
     insects  and  another  for  all  "["  armor and so forth, not separate
     images for beetles and ants or for cloaks and boots).

          Warwick Allison wrote a graphically displayed version of  NetHack
     for  the  Atari  where the tiny pictures were described as "icons" and
     were distinct for specific types of monsters and objects  rather  than


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     just  their  classes.   He contributed them to the NetHack Development
     Team which rechristened them "tiles", original usage which has  subse-
     quently  been  picked up by various other games.  NetHack's tiles sup-
     port was then implemented on other  platforms  (initially  MS-DOS  but
     eventually Windows, Qt, and X11 too).

          The  3.2  NetHack Development Team, comprised of Michael Allison,
     Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Steve  Creps,  Kevin  Darcy,
     Timo  Hakulinen,  Steve  Linhart,  Dean Luick, Pat Rankin, Eric Smith,
     Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz, and Paul Winner, released  version  3.2.0
     in April of 1996.

          Version  3.2 marked the tenth anniversary of the formation of the
     development team.  In a testament to their dedication to the game, all
     thirteen  members of the original 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 3.2.0, one of the founding members of
     the NetHack Development Team, Dr. Izchak Miller,  was  diagnosed  with
     cancer and passed away.  That release of the game was dedicated to him
     by the development and porting teams.

          Version 3.2 proved to be  more  stable  than  previous  versions.
     Many  bugs  were fixed, abuses eliminated, and game features tuned for
     better game play.

          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
     "variants" publicly available:

          Tom Proudfoot and Yuval Oren created NetHack++, which was quickly
     renamed  NetHack--  when some people incorrectly assumed that it was a
     conversion of the  C  source  code  to  C++.   Working  independently,
     Stephen  White wrote NetHack Plus.  Tom Proudfoot later merged NetHack
     Plus and his own NetHack-- to produce SLASH.  Larry Stewart-Zerba  and
     Warwick  Allison  improved  the  spell  casting system with the Wizard
     Patch.  Warwick Allison also ported NetHack to use the Qt interface.

          Warren Cheung combined SLASH with the  Wizard  Patch  to  produce
     Slash'EM, and with the help of Kevin Hugo, added more features.  Kevin
     later joined the NetHack Development Team and incorporated the best of
     these ideas into NetHack 3.3.

          The  final update to 3.2 was the bug fix release 3.2.3, which was
     released simultaneously with 3.3.0 in December 1999 just in  time  for
     the  Year 2000.  Because of the newer version, 3.2.3 was released as a
     source code patch only, without  any  ready-to-play  distribution  for
     systems that usually had such.

          (To anyone considering resurrecting an old version:  all versions
     before 3.2.3 had a Y2K bug.  The high scores file  and  the  log  file
     contained  dates  which  were  formatted  using  a two-digit year, and
     1999's year 99 was followed by 2000's year 100.  That got written  out
     successfully  but it unintentionally introduced an extra column in the
     file layout which prevented score entries from being read back in cor-


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     rectly,  interfering  with  insertion  of  new  high  scores  and with
     retrieval of old character names to use for random  ghost  and  statue
     names in the current game.)

          The  3.3 NetHack Development Team, consisting of Michael Allison,
     Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Steve  Creps,  Kevin  Darcy,
     Timo Hakulinen, Kevin Hugo, Steve Linhart, Ken Lorber, Dean Luick, Pat
     Rankin, Eric Smith, Mike Stephenson,  Janet  Walz,  and  Paul  Winner,
     released 3.3.0 in December 1999 and 3.3.1 in August of 2000.

          Version 3.3 offered many firsts. It was the first version to sep-
     arate 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  list-
     ing  all  the  bugs that had been discovered.  Despite that constantly
     growing bug list, 3.3 proved stable enough to last  for  more  than  a
     year and a half.

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

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

          Pat Rankin maintained 3.4 for VMS.

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

          Dean Luick, Mark Modrall, and Kevin Hugo maintained and  enhanced
     the Macintosh port of 3.4.

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

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

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



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

          The release of NetHack 3.4.3 in December 2003 marked  the  begin-
     ning  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 contin-
     ued to work on the game behind the scenes during the tenure of  3.4.3.
     It  was  during  that  same  period  that several new variants emerged
     within the NetHack community.  Notably  sporkhack  by  Derek  S.  Ray,
     unnethack  by  Patric Mueller, nitrohack and its successors originally
     by Daniel Thaler and then by Alex Smith, and Dynahack by Tung  Nguyen.
     Some  of  those  variants  continue  to  be developed, maintained, and
     enjoyed by the community to this day.

          In September 2014, an interim snapshot of the code under develop-
     ment  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 Develop-
     ment Team's official https://www.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.

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

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

          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.

          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  restruc-
     tured.

          The  NetHack  Development  Team, as well as Steve VanDevender and
     Kevin Smolkowski, ensured that NetHack 3.6  continued  to  operate  on
     various UNIX flavors and maintained the X11 interface.

          Ken  Lorber,  Haoyang Wang, Pat Rankin, and Dean Luick maintained
     the port of NetHack 3.6 for MacOS.




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          Michael Allison, David Cohrs, Bart  House,  Pasi  Kallinen,  Alex
     Kompel,  Dion  Nicolaas, Derek S. Ray and Yitzhak Sapir maintained the
     port of NetHack 3.6 for Microsoft Windows.

          Pat Rankin attempted to keep the VMS  port  running  for  NetHack
     3.6,  hindered  by  limited  access.  Kevin Smolkowski has updated and
     tested it for the most recent version of  OpenVMS  (V8.4  as  of  this
     writing) on Alpha and Integrity (aka Itanium aka IA64) but not VAX.

          Ray  Chason  resurrected  the MS-DOS port for 3.6 and contributed
     the necessary updates to the community at large.

          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
     Warwick  Allison,  Michael  Allison, Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie
     Collet, Pasi Kallinen, Ken Lorber, Dean  Luick,  Patric  Mueller,  Pat
     Rankin,  Derek  S.  Ray,  Alex Smith, Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz, and
     Paul Winner.

          In early May 2019, another 320 bug fixes along with some enhance-
     ments and the adopted curses window port, were released as 3.6.2.

          Bart  House,  who  had  contributed to the game as a porting team
     participant for decades, joined the NetHack Development Team  in  late
     May 2019.

          NetHack  3.6.3  was  released on December 5, 2019 containing over
     190 bug fixes to NetHack 3.6.2.

          NetHack 3.6.4 was released on  December  18,  2019  containing  a
     security fix and a few bug fixes.

          NetHack  3.6.5  was  released on January 27, 2020 containing some
     security fixes and a small number of bug fixes.

          NetHack 3.6.6 was released on March 8, 2020 containing a security
     fix and some bug fixes.

          NetHack  3.6.7  was  released  on  February 16, 2023 containing a
     security fix and some bug fixes.

          Development work for the major  release  to  follow  NetHack  3.6
     began  in  2015  around  the  same  time  as  NetHack  3.6.0 was being
     released. That development work continued in parallel to each  of  the
     NetHack  3.6  releases from 2015 through 2023, and continued until the
     end of April 2026.  For the first time, that  development  was  shared
     publicly  on GitHub and SourceForge as it occurred.  It was done under
     the label NetHack-3.7 work-in-progress  (WIP),  although  the  version
     number for the next release had not yet been solidified.

          Exposure  of  the  development  to  the  public brought many good
     things, and some challenges. People were able to observe and criticize
     changes  and  new features almost immediately, and they often did. The


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     GitHub pull request system made it straightforward for people to  con-
     tribute  directly  to  development.  Contributions resolved many, many
     bugs in the game and we thank all the contributors.

          In early 2026, with the game development getting stable enough to
     consider  initiating  an  official  release,  the devteam reviewed the
     nature and number of changes in the game. It was clear that there  was
     sufficient  depth  and  breadth to warrant a major release and version
     5.0 was decided on.  That's a new  major  release  over  3.x,  without
     opening  up  any  ambiguity  or  confusion with existing variants that
     there might have been had it been released as version 4.0.

          NetHack 5.0.0 was released on May 2, 2026.

          The source code for NetHack 5.0.0 was modified and modernized  to
     be  compliant  with the C99 standard. The 5.0.0 release contained over
     3100 fixes, changes, and updated features.

          NetHack 5.0 was the first version to replace  the  lex  and  yacc
     level  and  dungeon  compilers of past versions, with a new Lua inter-
     preter-based approach to provide those elements. Lua is also used  for
     the quest texts in NetHack 5.0.0. The entire development team acknowl-
     edges the work done by Pasi Kallinen to make that happen.

          At the time of the NetHack  5.0  release,  the  core  development
     team, active and erstwhile, included Warwick Allison, Michael Allison,
     Ken Arromdee, David Cohrs, Jessie Collet, Bart House, Kevin Hugo, Pasi
     Kallinen,  Ken  Lorber,  Dean  Luick,  Pat  Rankin, Derek S. Ray, Alex
     Smith, Patric Mueller, Mike Stephenson, Janet Walz, Paul Winner.

          Ken Lorber, Pat  Rankin,  Patrick  Mueller  and  Michael  Allison
     helped ensure that NetHack 5.0 would run on macOS.

          Ingo Paschke somehow managed to revive a NetHack 5.0 port for the
     Amiga, using a cross-compiler on a modern platform to do so. His  work
     was shared so others can straightforwardly produce NetHack 5.0 for the
     Amiga thanks to his efforts.

          Ray Chason contributed the majority of maintenance work  for  the
     NetHack 5.0 MS-DOS port, including porting the curses interface to it.
     Michael Allison ensured that NetHack 5.0  core  changes  continued  to
     work  with  the msdos port and keep it alive.  Cross-compiling the MS-
     DOS port has helped make that possible and mostly painless.

          People that contributed to the Windows port of NetHack 5.0  since
     the  development  of NetHack 5.0 began over eleven years ago, included
     Michael Allison, David Cohrs, Bart House, Pasi Kallinen, Alex  Kompel,
     Dion Nicolaas, Derek S. Ray and Yitzhak Sapir.

          With  sadness, the devteam would like to acknowledge and remember
     the past contributions from the late Ron Van  Iwaarden,  who  was  the
     sole maintainer of NetHack for OS/2 for several past NetHack releases.
     Ron will be missed.



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          The official NetHack web site is  maintained  by  Ken  Lorber  at
     https://www.nethack.org/.









































     12.1.  Special Thanks

          On  behalf  of  the  NetHack  community, thank you very much once
     again to M. Drew Streib and  Pasi  Kallinen  for  providing  a  public
     NetHack  server  at  nethack.alt.org. Thanks to Keith Simpson and Andy
     Thomson 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).




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     12.2.  Dungeoneers

          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:








































           Adam Aronow       Irina Rempt-Drijfhout       Mike Gallop
           Alex Kompel           Izchak Miller         Mike Passaretti
           Alex Smith            J. Ali Harlow         Mike Stephenson
          Andreas Dorn             Janet Walz            Mikko Juola
           Andy Church          Janne Salmijarvi         Nathan Eady
          Andy Swanson       Jean-Christophe Collet      Norm Meluch
          Andy Thomson            Jeff Bailey            Olaf Seibert



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          Ari Huttunen           Jochen Erwied          Pasi Kallinen
           Bart House             John Kallen             Pat Rankin
       Benson I. Margulies        John Rupley           Patric Mueller
            Bill Dyer             John S. Bien           Paul Winner
        Boudewijn Waijers          Johnny Lee          Pierre Martineau
            Bruce Cox              Jon W{tte              Ralf Brown
         Bruce Holloway         Jonathan Handler          Ray Chason
         Bruce Mewborne         Joshua Delahunty       Richard Addison
          Cameron Root           Karl Garrison          Richard Beigel
          Carl Schelin           Keizo Yamamoto       Richard P. Hughey
           Chris Russo           Keith Simpson            Rob Menke
           David Cohrs             Ken Arnold            Robin Bandy
         David Damerell           Ken Arromdee          Robin Johnson
          David Gentzel            Ken Lorber         Roderick Schertler
         David Hairston          Ken Washikita          Roland McGrath
           Dean Luick       Kestrel Gregorich-Trevor   Ron Van Iwaarden
            Del Lamb              Kevin Darcy           Ronnen Miller
          Derek S. Ray             Kevin Hugo             Ross Brown
          Deron Meranda           Kevin Sitze          Sascha Wostmann
          Dion Nicolaas         Kevin Smolkowski         Scott Bigham
         Dylan O'Donnell          Kevin Sweet          Scott R. Turner
           Eric Backus            Lars Huttar             Sean Hunt
        Eric Hendrickson          Leon Arnott          Stephen Spackman
          Eric R. Smith          M. Drew Streib       Stefan Thielscher
         Eric S. Raymond          Malcolm Ryan          Stephen White
          Erik Andersen          Mark Gooderum           Steve Creps
        Fredrik Ljungdahl         Mark Modrall          Steve Linhart
        Frederick Roeber        Marvin Bressler       Steve VanDevender
       G. Branden Robinson        Matthew Day            Teemu Suikki
           Gil Neiger             Merlyn LeRoy            Tim Lennan
           Greg Laskin          Michael Allison         Timo Hakulinen
           Greg Olson             Michael Feir             Tom Almy
         Gregg Wonderly          Michael Hamel             Tom West
          Hao-yang Wang          Michael Meyer          Warren Cheung
          Helge Hafting         Michael Sokolov        Warwick Allison
          Ingo Paschke            Mike Engber           Yitzhak Sapir




















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          Brand and product names are trademarks or  registered  trademarks
     of their respective holders.






















































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