ir Player: angryartificer Game: DCSS 0.34 Server: crawl.dcss.io Filename: 2026-03-04.02:33:58.ttyrec Time: (1772591638) Wed Mar 4 02:33:58 2026 i [?1051l[?1052l[?1060l[?1061hikV)0[?7h[?25l[?1ci:ii&Welcome, angryartificer. Please select your species. SimpleIntermediateAdvanced a - Gnollj - Human s - Coglin b - Minotaurk - Koboldt - Vine Stalker c - Merfolkl - Revenantu - Poltergeist d - Gargoylem - Demonspawnv - Demigod e - Mountain Dwarfn - Djinniw - Formicid f - Draconiano - Sprigganx - Naga g - Trollp - Tenguy - Octopode h - Deep Elfq - Oniz - Felid i - Armataurr - BarachiA - Mummy Humans are natural explorers. Discovering new places refreshes and invigorates them. They are otherwise completely average. + - Recommended species * - Random species # - Recommended character ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Pick background first ? - Help Tab - Human Fighteri i i Welcome, angryartificer. Please select your background. WarriorAdventurerMage a - Fighter i - Artificerq - Hedge Wizard b - Gladiatorj - Shapeshifterr - Conjurer c - Monkk - Wanderers - Summoner d - Hunterl - Delvert - Necromancer e - Brigandiڛ Warrior-mageu - Forgewright Zealotm - Warperv - Fire Elementalist f - Berserkern - Hexslingerw - Ice Elementalist i 9g - Cinder Acolyteo - Enchanterx - Air Elementalist h - Chaos Knightp - Reavery - Earth Elementalistz - Alchemist Fighters are equipped with armour and shield, as well as a weapon of their choice and potions of might. + - Recommended background * - Random background # - Recommended character ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Pick species first ? - Help Tab - Human Fighter;iU;i;i.Welcome, angryartificer the Forgewright. Please select your species. SimpleIntermediateAdvanced a - Gnollj - Human s - Coglin b - Minotaurk - Koboldt - Vine Stalker c - Merfolkl - Revenantu - Poltergeist d - Gargoylem - Demonspawnv - Demigod e - Mountain Dwarfn - Djinniw - Formicid ;i`of - Draconiano - Sprigganx - Naga g - Trollp - Tenguy - Octopode h - Deep Elfq - Oniz - Felid i - Armataurr - BarachiA - Mummy Humans are natural explorers. Discovering new places refreshes and invigorates ;ithem. They are otherwise completely average. + - Recommended species * - Random species # - Recommended character ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Change background ? - Help Tab - Human Fighter;iGiD------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.LIST OF CHARACTER SPECIES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Species are categorised, roughly, by how difficult and complex they are to learn how to play, into three categories: *Simple*, *Intermediate*, and *Advanced*. These categories do not necessarily align with difficulty for an experienced Crawl player, but rather are intended as an indication of to what degree a species has unusual or complex mechanics, or requires deeper/wider knowledge of how the game works. (For example, Djinn have one of the higher win rates of all species, but are classified as "Intermediate" because their no-mp/no-books mechanic takes some adapting to, and has non-trivial interactions with background and god choice.) Despite being the outcome of a discussion among many players, these categorizations definitely have a subjective element to them, and you shouldn't take them to be limiting! The order within categories is also, roughly, determined by our best judgment about the relative ease of learning to play each species. Next to each species name, in parentheses, is the canonical abbreviation for the species. Note: Use 'A' to check for which particular peculiarities a species mightGi Hi 3have. Also, some species have special abilities which can beaccessed by the 'a' abilities menu. Some also have physicalcharacteristics which allow them to make extra attacks. Note: Humans are a useful reference point when considering other species:Hi IiV3they have 0 for almost all aptitudes; have no special abilities,weakness, or constraints against using certain types ofequipment; move normally; and gain experience and willpower at a"typical" rate. However, you will see that they are categorisedIi~ `  as an *Intermediate* species -- because they are decent, but notIi Ji `  excellent, at nearly everything, a Human may need to make use ofJi^  all sorts of game mechanics depending on what they find in theJiۇJi dungeon, and know how to defend itself against any type of damageor attack it encounters. Simple species ==============KieSpecies categorised as *Simple* work straightforwardly for players who have  less experience with Crawl's game mechanics. While many do have quirks,Ki1Kib  these quirks tend to be passive traits that simplify gameplay, rather thanKi challenges that a player has to consciously work around. While all of these species do have weaknesses of some kind, these weaknesses are simple toKis understand, aren't fundamentally crippling to all members of the species, and are balanced by other strengths. In many cases the special propertiesKiGLihtof these species allow the player to set aside many aspects of the game while still developing a strong character. LiEI-Gnolls (Gn)LiMi/H`  Gnolls are a species of caniform humanoids originally hailing from theMiMiTMiUi ^  arid deserts and grasslands of the east. In recent history they haveUi- Uic  become unusually attracted to the Dungeon, establishing tribes around andVi]  even inside of it. Unfortunately their long stay in the Dungeon hasViVieViViF Vik a  exposed their somewhat fragile minds to excessive amounts of its magic.Vi9WiWiWig Xik\i;   \iS \ On the one hand, their bizarrely altered brains now have incredible\i"^ic  proficiency at learning every skill. On the other, these same alterations^iY2^iTU^  have rendered Gnolls incapable of selective learning. They learn all^im _i-_i_ic  skills at the same time, so are generally unable to specialise in any one_iL@_iA3 aiڪ Gnolls are a species of caniform humanoids originally hailing from thearid deserts and grasslands of the east. In recent history they have  become unusually attracted to the Dungeon, establishing tribes around and  even inside of it. Unfortunately their long stay in the Dungeon has  exposed their somewhat fragile minds to excessive amounts of its magic. aiD On the one hand, their bizarrely altered brains now have incredible  proficiency at learning every skill. On the other, these same alterations  have rendered Gnolls incapable of selective learning. They learn all  skills at the same time, so are generally unable to specialise in any one  thingaih.In order to survive with this limitation, Gnolls use their universal  knowledge to take advantage of every resource they find in the Dungeon.They also have a knack for finding items, allowing them to easily locateaiHthe Dungeon's hidden treasures. Minotaurs (Mi)aiThe Minotaurs are a species of hybrids, possessing Human bodies withbovine heads. They delve into the Dungeon because of their instinctiveaiī0love of twisting passageways.  aiMinotaurs are extremely good at all forms of physical combat, but areawful at using any type of magic. They can wear all armour except foraihq some headgear. When in close combat, Minotaurs are able to reflexivelyheadbutt those who dare attack them. Merfolk (Mf)ai(b  The Merfolk are a hybrid species of half-Human, half-fish that typicallyai! live in the oceans and rivers, seldom venturing toward land. However,Merfolk aren't as limited on land as some myths suggest; their tails willquickly reform into legs once they leave the water (and, likewise, theiraiolegs will quickly reform into a tail should they ever enter water). Theytend to be surprisingly nimble on land as well as in the water. ExpertsaiV% aiat swimming, they need not fear drowning and move very quickly throughwater.The Merfolk have developed their martial arts strongly on thrusting andgrappling, since those are the most efficient ways to fight underwater.aiThey therefore prefer polearms and short swords above all other weapons,though they can also use longer swords quite well.As spellcasters, they tend to be quite good in specific areas. Theirmystical relationship with water makes it easier for them to use alchemyai; b  and ice magic, which use water occasionally as a material component. TheaiĽ  legendary water magic of the Merfolk was lost in ancient times, but someof that affinity still remains. Most other magic seems foreign to them. Gargoyles (Gr)A cross between ordinary stone gargoyles and living beings, Gargoyles arehideous humanoids with an affinity to earth magic. They have low health,but large amounts of innate armour which increases further as they gainlevels. They eventually gain the ability to fly.ai? evels. They eventually gain the ability to fly.  Gargoyles' partially living form grants them immunity to poison, as wellas resistance to electricity, and protection from some effects ofai;@ necromancy. Their natural armour makes them strong melee fighters, andthey are naturally skilled with blunt weapons and in unarmed combat. Theycan also be exceptional earth-based conjurers. Mountain Dwarves (MD)ai]@ Mountain Dwarves are stout and hardy folk, adept at fighting with axesand blugeoning weapons, though lacking the dexterity to excel at otherai@ forms of combat. Their reserves of magic are somewhat poor, though theystill make passable spellcasters, and their connection with the blood ofai@ the earth gives them a particular talent at fire and earth magics. Theirspell success is significantly less encumbered by armour than otherai@ species.  ai@ They are superlative artisans and smiths, employed in ancient times byeven the gods themselves, and this spiritual history makes them ai7A exceptional at invoking divine aid. They can even use enchantment scrollsto improve artefacts that would be beyond the understanding of any otheraiaA +species. Draconians (Dr)aivspecies.They are superlative artisans and smiths, employed in ancient times byeven the gods themselves, and this spiritual history makes themexceptional at invoking divine aid. They can even use enchantment scrollso improve artefacts that would be beyond the understanding of any otherspecies. Draconians (Dr)Draconians are Human-dragon hybrids: humanoid in form and approximatelyHuman-sized, with wings, tails and scaly skins. Draconians start out inan immature form with brown scales, but as they grow in power they takeai%on a variety of colours. This happens at an early stage in their career,and the colour is determined by chromosomes, not by behaviour.  Most types of Draconians have breath weapons or special resistances.Draconians cannot wear body armour and advance very slowly in levels, butare reasonably good at all skills other than missile weapons, and thedevelop natural physical defences that compensate for the lack of bodyarmour, without needing to train their Armour skill at all. Still, eachai'colour has its own strengths and some have complementary weaknesses,which sometimes requires a bit of flexibility on the part of the player.They are good general-purpose spellcasters, and typically their  spellcasting aptitudes will adapt slightly when they gain a colour.bixbi" Draconian colours are detailed below, in the subsection titled"Draconian types". Trolls (Tr)Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick,knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which arebi:  covered in patches of thick fur.bi bil biFN biN m They are incredibly strong, and regenerate rapidly from even the mostbiN Eterrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learnbiX most skills very slowly. Their large size prevents them from wearing mostforms of armour. ci~CciM terrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learnmost skills very slowly. Their large size prevents them from wearing mostciTMforms of armour. Deep Elves (DE) The Deep Elves are a species of Elves who long ago fled the overworld to live in darkness underground. There, they developed their mental ciuM]powers, evolving a natural gift for all forms of magic, and adapted physicallyciM to their new environment, becoming weaker and losing all colouration. They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they areciMUcapable at using bows and other ranged weapons. Armataurs (At)ciMThe Armataurs are a large, scaled mammalian species, walking on four feet  and swinging a powerful tail behind them. Their elephant-back armiesterrorise the lands outside the Dungeon. ciNZ Armataurs instinctively roll when moving toward foes, getting a free moveci=NHand regenerating magic. They have great aptitudes with armour andci[Nshields, though their body shape reduces the protection offered by bodyarmour early on. At higher levels they also regenerate both health andci}N8agic when rolling, making them truly resilient. ciTIntermediate Species ==================== Species classified as *Intermediate* require a broader understanding of the mechanics of Crawl, have some weakness(es) that must be actively compensated for, and/or add a relatively complex mechanic (or change in mechanic) to gameplay. Humans (Hu)Humans are natural explorers. As they uncover new spaces in the dungeon,ci9 they are refreshed and invigorated, rapidly healing and recovering magic.They are also the most versatile of all species - having balancedaptitudes for all skills lets them adapt to use whatever they find. ciT Kobolds (Ko)Kobolds are small, mysterious creatures of unknown origin. They are wellsuited to lurking in the darkness of the Dungeon, and have a reducedciՠ range of vision which also reduces the range at which they can be seen byenemies.They are competent in combat, especially with short blades, maces orranged weapons, and are comfortable with all forms of magic. They areci  also very adept at using magical devices. Their small size makes themunable to wield large weapons, but they are agile and stealthy, andadvance in levels slightly more quickly than Humans. Demonspawn (Ds)Demonspawn are horrible half-mortal, half-infernal creatures. Demonspawncan be created in any number of ways: magical experiments, breeding,unholy pacts, etc. Although many Demonspawn may initially beindistinguishable from those of pure mortal stock, they will inevitablygrow horns, scales or other unusual features. Powerful members of thisclass of beings also develop a range of unholy abilities, which arelisted as mutations.cizj Demonspawn advance slowly in experience and learn most skills slightlydiclass of beings also develop a range of unholy abilities, which arelisted as mutations.  Demonspawn advance slowly in experience and learn most skills slightlydiOlower than Humans, although they are talented at some forms of magic.They learn Invocations especially quickly, although the good gods willnot accept their worship due to their unholy nature. Djinn (Dj)diMDjinn are beings of smokeless fire. They enter the world spontaneouslydind without explanation, born with a tireless hunger for knowledge andadventure. Djinn have a unique relationship with magic: rather thandiªlearning spells from books, their spells come from within, welling upfrom their fiery core as they gain experience. They draw from that same  fiery core to cast spells - for Djinn, magical power and health are onedi and the same.  diAs elemental beings, Djinn are immune to poison and highly resistant tofire, though cold damage is deeply inimical to them. Since they floatthrough the air without need for legs or feet, they cannot wear boots. di&Z Djinn are middlingly competent at most forms of physical combat, but havediha particular aptitude for spellcasting. Their aptitudes for all forms ofmagic are phenomenal, though their unique relationship with magic meansdi They are poor fighters and have little physical resilience, but they moveextremely quickly and stealthily, and are incredible at dodging attacks.They are terrible at destructive magic - conjurations, summonings,necromancy and elemental spells. On the other hand, they are excellent atother forms of magic and at evoking magical items. Their size makes themunable to wear most armour. They cannot wield large weapons, and evendimost smaller weapons require both hands to be wielded by a Spriggan. Revenants (Re)Revenants are skeletal undead, created when an individual dies to violentmagic without being mourned or remembered. They rise with fragmentaryrecollections of their former life and an all-consuming hunger to clawback that existence which the world forgot. di8 So powerful is this drive which animates them that they can actually ripthe very existence from others, tearing fragments of souls and memoriesdi]and even the fundamental essence of inanimate objects and turning theminto fuel for the unholy fire that forever flickers upon their form.  di}Their nature makes them uniquely skilled at wielding destructive magic;while their reserves of magical energy are poor and their aptitudesdiunremarkable (aside from an affinity for ice, earth, and necromantic), they can channel damage-dealing spells through their claws,diDunremarkable (aside from an affinity for ice, earth, and necromanticmagic), they can channel damage-dealing spells through their claws,allowing them to perform melee attacks at the same time as they castdiVEspells. They can even burn away the memories they have collected tobriefly empower their magic and allow them to cast unhindered by armour.  Beyond this, they are sturdy and skilled at using their claws in unarmedcombat, and possess the same immunity to poison, negative energy, andtorment that all undead share, as well as a resistance to cold. Tengu (Te)The Tengu are an ancient and feared species of bird-people with adirElegendary propensity for violence. Basically humanoid with bird-likeheads and clawed feet, the Tengu can wear all types of armour exceptdiEhelmets and boots. Their magical nature helps them evade attacks while inmotion, and despite their lack of wings, more experienced Tengu candiEpmagically fly.  They are experts at all forms of fighting, including the magical arts ofdiEcombat (conjurations, summonings and, to a lesser extent, necromancy).y are good at air and fire elemental magic, but poor at ice and earthdiEmagic. Tengu do not appreciate any form of servitude, and so are poor atsing invocations. Their light avian bodies cannot sustain a great dealof injury.di_Bwell. They are, however, good at throwing things, in particular largerocks.  Their large size prevents them from wearing most forms of armour, and arepoor at dodging, relying on their enormous bulk to survive battlesinstead. Barachim (Ba)Barachim are an amphibious humanoid species, spawned at the dawn of timeas servants for the gods. Inevitably, they rebelled and fled into the  mortal world; but even uncounted years later, the darkness still flees attheir approach, remembering those who they once served.  Barachim's most remarkable trait is their grossly overmuscled legs, whichallow them to leap great distances. When not leaping, they are somewhatslow-moving, and the long sight-lines that their heritage creates can bea major disadvantage, but they can master almost any skill. Advanced Species ================ *Advanced* species have some substantial weaknesses, and/or add multiple complex new mechanics to gameplay. This category includes several species that experienced players may not find difficult per se, but that maydi independently in each arm, are begun with hand-me-downs from their sprawling families. By the time they come of age, they are inseparablefrom their creations, and experienced individuals often further customise themselves with uniquely powerful additions.  Haphazard and jerry-rigged, Coglin exoskeletons lack the flexibility ofnatural bodies. Though their arms can fly in a whir of destruction, it  takes quite a bit of swinging to rev them up to that speed. Further, with their bodies swallowed in the controls of their machine, they cannot wear jewelry - the interference of multiple magical fields would be catastrophic! Even so, a true Coglin would never criticise their creation. They believe that spirits of steel and sandalwood come to rest within every thing that draws blood, slowly and carefully re-attuning their exoskeletons to those spirits whenever they wield or remove weapons. Never scorn the spirits! Vine Stalkers (VS)  Limber in shape, Vine Stalkers are anthropomorphic masses of thick vines.They possess a once-humanoid core, parasitised moments before death by  the magical vines. Lacking any other discernible features, their faces  are dominated by the disproportionate, vicious maw with which they  disrupt and devour the magical energies of their foes.di  Magic courses freely through their bodies, and any damage they take issplit between their health and magical reserves. They also physicallyregenerate at an alarming rate. However, these traits come at a price:the dual nature of their bodies makes them extremely frail, and theycannot benefit from potions to heal their wounds.  Living examples of adaptation, Vine Stalkers level up quickly and lendwell to an all-out offensive style; trusting their stealth to choosetheir prey and then their regenerating capabilities to power through thewounds they may sustain in battle. Many members of the species, however,are seen wielding magic quite competently and then switching to a hybriddi "style when their reserves start to run low, thus replenishing theirshroud of magic and their spells' fuel with each voracious bite. Poltergeists (Po)Poltergeists are undead spirits who delight in causing trouble for theliving. Completely incorporeal, they interact with the physical world by  possessing small objects and making them fly through the air. They canuse this to fight with weapons as well as the living do, as well as gainthe protective benefits of many different hats, boots, gloves, and cloaksat once, though body armour is too large for them to manipulate in thisfashion. At higher levels of experience, they can even control thesepossessed objects at a distance from time to time, harassing their foesdi* enchanters, and they are adequate at most other forms of magic, thoughthey struggle with conjurations. They are adept with short blades, if alittle below average with heavier weapons, and their lack of a physicalbody makes them terrible at unarmed combat. The same power they used topossess objects makes them natural experts at throwing.  Finally, their nature as spirits of bad luck also grants them temporaryAC whenever they inflict maladies upon their enemies. Demigods (Dg)Demigods are mortals with some divine or angelic ancestry, howeverdistant. Demigods look more or less like members of their mortal part'species, but they are extremely robust and can draw on great supplies ofmagical energy. They are able to sculpt their attributes to a far greaterextent than any other species, gaining substantial boosts to their choice  of Strength, Intelligence or Dexterity as they gain experience. On thedownside, they advance more slowly in experience than any other species,gain skills slightly less quickly than Humans and, due to their status,refuse to worship any god. Formicids (Fo)The Formicids are a species of humanoid ants. Just like their tiny insectancestors, the Formicids are well adept at earth work, both on thehysical and magical sides. Their abilities have been used to tunneldi+| X  extent than any other species, gaining substantial boosts to their choiceof Strength, Intelligence or Dexterity as they gain experience. On thedownside, they advance more slowly in experience than any other species,gain skills slightly less quickly than Humans and, due to their status,di| mrefuse to worship any god. Formicids (Fo)The Formicids are a species of humanoid ants. Just like their tiny insectancestors, the Formicids are well adept at earth work, both on the  physical and magical sides. Their abilities have been used to tunnelimmense underground communities and structures, many of which are tens ofdi| tthousands of years old.  Perhaps unfortunately, their strong ties to earth have left themdi| completely impervious to being teleported or hasted; Formicids are tiedto the earth with a complete sense of stasis. While this is a seeminglydi| bad property for a dungeon adventurer, stasis has the beneficial effectof preventing many types of nasty hexes and maledictions. di} W With the ability to lift ten times their own weight, the Formicids have diC} strength rivaling that of Oni. This, along with the fact that they havefour arms, allows Formicid warriors to equip both a shield and atwo-handed weapon at the same time. ei7Mtwo-handed weapon at the same time.  Formicids make good earth mages and alchemists, but are quite capable atboth melee and ranged combat too. They are naturally bad at air magic andconjurations. Nagas (Na)eiMNagas are a hybrid species: Human from the waist up with a large snaketail instead of legs.  They are reasonably good at most things and advance in experience levelseiMat the same rate as Humans. They are naturally resistant to poisons, cansee invisible creatures, and have tough skin, but their tails arerelatively slow and cannot move them around as quickly as can othereiMreatures' legs (this only affects their movement rate; all other actionsare at normal speed). Like Armataurs, their body shape also prevents themfrom gaining full protection from body armour. A Naga's biggest forte isei Nstealth: Nagas are very good at moving unnoticed. Their tails eventuallygrow strong enough to constrict their foes in combat.  Nagas can spit poison; the accuracy and damage of this poison increaseseiN@with the Naga's experience level. Octopodes (Op)ei""Octopodes (Op)These land-capable relatives of common octopuses can move about as fastas Humans and yet retain the ability to swim underwater, although theirdual adaptation is not as good as that of the shapechanging Merfolk.  ei"Octopodes have eight tentacle-shaped legs, and need four of them to move.  While a tentacle lacks fingers, two tentacles are a rough equivalent of aHuman's arm where item manipulation is concerned - including wieldingwo-handed weapons with four. They can use no armour other than loosehats, but can handle shields just fine. Another peculiarity they have isthe ability to wear eight rings, one on each tentacle.  Their natural camouflage makes them excel at stealth, and they have goodei"knowledge of alchemy as well. They are also able to use their tentaclesto constrict enemies - potentially several at a time! ei"`Felids (Fe)Felids are a breed of cats that have been granted sentience. Originei #Zallythey were witches' familiars that were magically augmented to provideei)#help for their masters' rituals, yet many have abandoned, outlived, or,in at least one case, eviscerated their former masters and gone out intoeiJ#\the world.  While fully capable of using speech and most forms of magic, Felids areei| at a serious disadvantage due to their inability to use armour orweapons.ei8Their agility and stealth are legendary, as is their ability to get tohard to reach places. Felids advance in levels very slowly. They areskilled with many forms of magic, though less so with raw elementalmagic.Felids start with an extra life, and gain more as they increase inei,Olevels. Upon death, they will be resurrected in a safe place. Mummies (Mu)ei@  bodies are highly flammable. They also cannot drink.  Like other undead, mummies are naturally immune to poisons, negativeenergy and torment; have little warmth left to be affected by cold; and  are not susceptible to mutations. Draconian types ======================================== Red Draconiansfeel at home in fiery surroundings. They are bad with ice magic but veryei@proficient with fire. They can breathe highly combustible embers whichcause a fiery explosion whenever they hits a foe. White Draconiansstem from frost-bitten lands, and are naturally resistant to frost. Theybeathe piercing cold which encases anything it kills in a solid block ofice. They are versed in ice magic, but bad at fire. Green Draconiansare used to venomous surroundings and breathe clouds of mephitic vapours.ei@They are especially good in the arts of alchemy and without deficienciesin other magic realms. Later on, they will develop a poisonous stinger. ei_ABlack Draconianscan unleash arcing electrical discharges, and are naturally insulated.They are good at air magic but feel cumbersome with earth magic. Theirwings will eventually grow larger, which allows them to fly when combinedwith their natural skill with air magic. Purple Draconians  are highly adapted to all spellcasting in general, and to hexes inparticular. They are a bit better at evoking things than most other  Draconians. They can breathe dispelling energy which strips those it hitsei7of enchantments and impairs their spellcasting. They are stronger-willedthan other draconians, and later on, they gain resistance to bothexternal mana draining and to enchantment stripping. Palare better at air and fire magic, and have no deficiencies in otherschools. They breathe sight-obscuring steam and, like their Purplecousins, have a slight advantage at Evocations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.LIST OF CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In your quest, you play as one of a large number of different types ofei------------------------------------------------------------------------ In your quest, you play as one of a large number of different types of characters. Although each has its own strengths and weaknesses, some are definitely easier than others, at least to begin with. The best backgrounds for a beginner are probably Gladiators and Berserkers; if you really want to play a magician, try a Conjurer or a Hedge Wizard. However, not all species are equally well suited for all backgrounds. After you have selected a species, the background selection menu will show backgrounds eiQ-generally considered to be more accessible for a species in a brighter colour. Each background starts out with a different set of skills and items, but from there you can shape them as you will. Note that due to peculiarities of size or body shape, some species-background combinations start with a different inventory than described here. Warrior backgrounds =================== Warriors are experienced at using physical weapons and defending themselves. FightersgiCgivgi cousins, have a slight advantage at Evocations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.gi7#LIST OF CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS gi^ gi/ giТ  external mana draining and to enchantment stripping. Pale Draconiansare better at air and fire magic, and have no deficiencies in otherschools. They breathe sight-obscuring steam and, like their PurplehiZhin@  different inventory than described here.hi  oi Welcome, angryartificer the Forgewright. Please select your species. SimpleIntermediate Advanced a - Gnollj - Humans - Coglin b - Minotaurk - Koboldt - Vine Stalker c - Merfolkl - Revenant u - Poltergeist d - Gargoyle m - Demonspawn v - Demigod e - Mountain Dwarf n - Djinniw - Formicid f - Draconiano - Sprigganx - Naga oi g - Trollp - Tenguy - Octopode h - Deep Elfq - Oniz - Felid i - Armataur r - Barachi A - Mummy Scaled mammals the size of horses, Armataurs are fast-rolling and tenacious whenpursuing enemies, but lack dexterity. + - Recommended speciesoiZ * - Random species # - Recommended character ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Change background oi~ m? - Help Tab - Human Fighterqia qih qil Welcome, angryartificer. Please select your background. WarriorAdventurerMage a - Fighter i - Artificerq - Hedge Wizard b - Gladiatorj - Shapeshifterr - Conjurer c - Monkk - Wanderers - Summoner d - Hunterl - Delvert - Necromancer e - BrigandWarrior-mageu - Forgewright Zealotm - Warperv - Fire Elementalist f - Berserkern - Hexslingerw - Ice Elementalist g - Cinder Acolyteo - Enchanterx - Air Elementalist h - Chaos Knightp - Reavery - Earth Elementalistz - Alchemist Fighters are equipped with armour and shield, as well as a weapon of their choice and potions of might. + - Recommended background * - Random background # - Recommended character ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Pick species first ? - Help Tab - Human Fighteryi4yi9yi=NWelcome, angryartificer the Conjurer. Please select your species. SimpleIntermediateAdvanced a - Gnollj - Human s - Coglin b - Minotaurk - Koboldt - Vine Stalker c - Merfolkl - Revenantu - Poltergeist d - Gargoylem - Demonspawnv - Demigod e - Mountain Dwarfn - Djinniyi4>w - Formicid f - Draconiano - Sprigganx - Naga g - Trollp - Tenguy - Octopode h - Deep Elfq - Oniz - Felid i - Armataurr - BarachiA - Mummy yiy>Humans are natural explorers. Discovering new places refreshes and invigorates them. They are otherwise completely average. + - Recommended species * - Random species # - Recommended characteryi>8 ! - Random character % - List aptitudesyi>ZSpace - Change background ? - Help Tab - Human Fighter~i------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.LIST OF CHARACTER SPECIES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Species are categorised, roughly, by how difficult and complex they are to learn how to play, into three categories: *Simple*, *Intermediate*, and *Advanced*. These categories do not necessarily align with difficulty for an experienced Crawl player, but rather are intended as an indication of to what degree a species has unusual or complex mechanics, or requires deeper/wider knowledge of how the game works. (For example, Djinn have one of the higher win rates of all species, but are classified as "Intermediate" because their no-mp/no-books mechanic takes some adapting to, and has non-trivial interactions with background and god choice.) Despite being the outcome of a discussion among many players, these categorizations definitely have a subjective element to them, and you shouldn't take them to be limiting! The order within categories is also, roughly, determined by our best judgment about the relative ease of learning to play each species. Next to each species name, in parentheses, is the canonical abbreviation for the species. Note: Use 'A' to check for which particular peculiarities a species might~i i& iiūhave. Also, some species have special abilities which can beaccessed by the 'a' abilities menu. Some also have physicalcharacteristics which allow them to make extra attacks. Note: Humans are a useful reference point when considering other species:they have 0 for almost all aptitudes; have no special abilities,weakness, or constraints against using certain types ofequipment; move normally; and gain experience and willpower at a"typical" rate. However, you will see that they are categorisedas an *Intermediate* species -- because they are decent, but notexcellent, at nearly everything, a Human may need to make use ofiall sorts of game mechanics depending on what they find in thedungeon, and know how to defend itself against any type of damageor attack it encounters. Simple species ============== iSpecies categorised as *Simple* work straightforwardly for players who have less experience with Crawl's game mechanics. While many do have quirks,i these quirks tend to be passive traits that simplify gameplay, rather than challenges that a player has to consciously work around. While all of these species do have weaknesses of some kind, these weaknesses are simple toi: #Mi 4 judgment about the relative ease of learning to play each species. Next to each species name, in parentheses, is the canonical abbreviation for the species. i}ixNKdeeper/wider knowledge of how the game works. (For example, Djinn have one of the higher win rates of all species, but are classified as "Intermediate" because their no-mp/no-books mechanic takes some adapting to, and has non-trivial interactions with background and god choice.) Despite being the outcome of a discussion among many players, these categorizations definitely have a subjective element to them, and you shouldn't take them to be limiting! The order within categories is also, roughly, determined by our besti Species are categorised, roughly, by how difficult and complex they are to learn how to play, into three categories: *Simple*, *Intermediate*, and *Advanced*. These categories do not necessarily align with difficulty for an experienced Crawl player, but rather are intended as an indication of to what degree a species has unusual or complex mechanics, or requires i"m------------------------------------------------------------------------iVEM1.LIST OF CHARACTER SPECIESijM------------------------------------------------------------------------hti{ ix i\  have. Also, some species have special abilities which can bei=$ i0ui`iicvaccessed by the 'a' abilities menu. Some also have physicalcharacteristics which allow them to make extra attacks. Note: Humans are a useful reference point when considering other species:they have 0 for almost all aptitudes; have no special abilities,weakness, or constraints against using certain types ofi{i6 equipment; move normally; and gain experience and willpower at a"typical" rate. However, you will see that they are categorisedas an *Intermediate* species -- because they are decent, but notir   i @excellent, at nearly everything, a Human may need to make use ofi^  all sorts of game mechanics depending on what they find in thei/Pi~ dungeon, and know how to defend itself against any type of damageor attack it encounters. ivSimple species ============== Species categorised as *Simple* work straightforwardly for players who have i wless experience with Crawl's game mechanics. While many do have quirks, these quirks tend to be passive traits that simplify gameplay, rather thanii<schallenges that a player has to consciously work around. While all of these i<2species do have weaknesses of some kind, these weaknesses are simple to understand, aren't fundamentally crippling to all members of the species, and are balanced by other strengths. In many cases the special properties of these species allow the player to set aside many aspects of the gamei? i Úiwhile still developing a strong character. Gnolls (Gn)Gnolls are a species of caniform humanoids originally hailing from theÚi۷ arid deserts and grasslands of the east. In recent history they havebecome unusually attracted to the Dungeon, establishing tribes around andeven inside of it. Unfortunately their long stay in the Dungeon hasÚim exposed their somewhat fragile minds to excessive amounts of its magic.On the one hand, their bizarrely altered brains now have incredibleÚiNac  proficiency at learning every skill. On the other, these same alterationsÚit( ^  have rendered Gnolls incapable of selective learning. They learn allÚi| Úi:K ĚiOĚilc  skills at the same time, so are generally unable to specialise in any oneĚiQB $ ĚiB Qthing.In order to survive with this limitation, Gnolls use their universalĚi6 a  knowledge to take advantage of every resource they find in the Dungeon.Śi, They also have a knack for finding items, allowing them to easily locatethe Dungeon's hidden treasures. ŚikeŚi+ȚiMinotaurs (Mi)The Minotaurs are a species of hybrids, possessing Human bodies withbovine heads. They delve into the Dungeon because of their instinctivelove of twisting passageways.Minotaurs are extremely good at all forms of physical combat, but areawful at using any type of magic. They can wear all armour except forȚiIqsome headgear. When in close combat, Minotaurs are able to reflexivelyheadbutt those who dare attack them.Țiϓ  ȚiqȚi0p }Merfolk (Mf)The Merfolk are a hybrid species of half-Human, half-fish that typicallyȚiE ʚi#  some headgear. When in close combat, Minotaurs are able to reflexivelyheadbutt those who dare attack them. Merfolk (Mf)The Merfolk are a hybrid species of half-Human, half-fish that typicallyʚi4live in the oceans and rivers, seldom venturing toward land. However,Merfolk aren't as limited on land as some myths suggest; their tails willquickly reform into legs once they leave the water (and, likewise, theirlegs will quickly reform into a tail should they ever enter water). Theytend to be surprisingly nimble on land as well as in the water. Expertsat swimming, they need not fear drowning and move very quickly throughwater. erfolk have developed their martial arts strongly on thrusting andʚigrappling, since those are the most efficient ways to fight underwater.They therefore prefer polearms and short swords above all other weapons,though they can also use longer swords quite well.  ʚiAs spellcasters, they tend to be quite good in specific areas. Theirmystical relationship with water makes it easier for them to use alchʚiYemyand ice magic, which use water occasionally as a material component. Theʚi0legendary water magic of the Merfolk was lost in ancient times, but some  of that affinity still remains. Most other magic seems foreign to them. ʚi8Gargoyles (Gr)A cross between ordinary stone gargoyles and living beings, Gargoyles arehideous humanoids with an affinity to earth magic. They have low health,but large amounts of innate armour which increases further as they gainlevels. They eventually gain the ability to fly.Gargoyles' partially living form grants them immunity to poison, as wellas resistance to electricity, and protection from some effects ofnecromancy. Their natural armour makes them strong melee fighters, andʚi  quickly reform into legs once they leave the water (and, likewise, theirlegs will quickly reform into a tail should they ever enter water). Theyʚi| J love of twisting passageways.Minotaurs are extremely good at all forms of physical combat, but areawful at using any type of magic. They can wear all armour except forsome headgear. When in close combat, Minotaurs are able to reflexivelyheadbutt those who dare attack them. Merfolk (Mf)The Merfolk are a hybrid species of half-Human, half-fish that typicallylive in the oceans and rivers, seldom venturing toward land. However,Merfolk aren't as limited on land as some myths suggest; their tails willʚim Minotaurs (Mi)The Minotaurs are a species of hybrids, possessing Human bodies withbovine heads. They delve into the Dungeon because of their instinctives,ʚin3  Gnolls (Gn)Gnolls are a species of caniform humanoids originally hailing from tharid deserts and grasslands of the east. In recent history they havebecome unusually attracted to the Dungeon, establishing tribes around andeven inside of it. Unfortunately their long stay in the Dungeon hasexposed their somewhat fragile minds to excessive amounts of its magic.  On the one hand, their bizarrely altered brains now have incredibleproficiency at learning every skill. On the other, these same alterations  have rendered Gnolls incapable of selective learning. They learn allskills at the same time, so are generally unable to specialise in any oneʚi3 Lthing.  In order to survive with this limitation, Gnolls use their universalknowledge to take advantage of every resource they find in the Dungeon.They also have a knack for finding items, allowing them to easily locatethe Dungeon's hidden treasures. Minotaurs (Mi)ʚi3 inotaurs are a species of hybrids, possessing Human bodies withbovine heads. They delve into the Dungeon because of their instinctivelove of twisting passageways.ʚinless experience with Crawl's game mechanics. While many do have quirks, these quirks tend to be passive traits that simplify gameplay, rather than challenges that a player has to consciously work around. While all of these species do have weaknesses of some kind, these weaknesses are simple to understand, aren't fundamentally crippling to all members of the species, and are balanced by other strengths. In many cases the special properties of these species allow the player to set aside many aspects of the game while still developing a strong character.˚iqzSimple species ============== Species categorised as *Simple* work straightforwardly for players who have˚iFThe order within categories is also, roughly, determined by our best judgment about the relative ease of learning to play each species. Next to each species name, in parentheses, is the canonical abbreviation for the species. Note: Use 'A' to check for which particular peculiarities a species might have. Also, some species have special abilities which can be accessed by the 'a' abilities menu. Some also have physical characteristics which allow them to make extra attacks. Note: Humans are a useful reference point when considering other species: they have 0 for almost all aptitudes; have no special abilities,weakness, or constraints against using certain types ofequipment; move normally; and gain experience and willpower at a "typical" rate. However, you will see that they are categorised as an *Intermediate* species -- because they are decent, but not excellent, at nearly everything, a Human may need to make use of all sorts of game mechanics depending on what they find in the dungeon, and know how to defend itself against any type of damage or attack it encounters. Simple species ==============˚iXQ$to, and has non-trivial interactions with background and god choice.) Despite being the outcome of a discussion among many players, these categorizations definitely have a subjective element to them, and you shouldn't take them to be limiting!˚igof the higher win rates of all species, but are classified as "Intermediate" because their no-mp/no-books mechanic takes some adaptingot˚i! (excellent, at nearly everything, a Human may need to make use ofall sorts of game mechanics depending on what they find in thedungeon, and know how to defend itself against any type of damageor attack it encounters. Simple species˚i' ˚i6============== Species categorised as *Simple* work straightforwardly for players who have less experience with Crawl's game mechanics. While many do have quirks, these quirks tend to be passive traits that simplify gameplay, rather than challenges that a player has to consciously work around. While all of these species do have weaknesses of some kind, these weaknesses are simple to understand, aren't fundamentally crippling to all members of the species, and are balanced by other strengths. In many cases the special properties of these species allow the player to set aside many aspects of the game while still developing a strong character. ̚i-Gnolls (Gn)Кi #`  Gnolls are a species of caniform humanoids originally hailing from theКiКijE^  arid deserts and grasslands of the east. In recent history they haveКi become unusually attracted to the Dungeon, establishing tribes around andeven inside of it. Unfortunately their long stay in the Dungeon hasКi/3exposed their somewhat fragile minds to excessive amounts of its magic.On the one hand, their bizarrely altered brains now have incredibleproficiency at learning every skill. On the other, these same alterationshave rendered Gnolls incapable of selective learning. They learn allКiUIskills at the same time, so are generally unable to specialise in any oneКi0 thing. њik In order to survive with this limitation, Gnolls use their universal  knowledge to take advantage of every resource they find in the Dungeon.  They also have a knack for finding items, allowing them to easily locate  the Dungeon's hidden treasures. Minotaurs (Mi)  The Minotaurs are a species of hybrids, possessing Human bodies with  bovine heads. They delve into the Dungeon because of their instinctivelove of twisting passageways.  Minotaurs are extremely good at all forms of physical combat, but areawful at using any type of magic. They can wear all armour except forsome headgear. When in close combat, Minotaurs are able to reflexivelyheadbutt those who dare attack them. Merfolk (Mf)The Merfolk are a hybrid species of half-Human, half-fish that typicallylive in the oceans and rivers, seldom venturing toward land. However,Merfolk aren't as limited on land as some myths suggest; their tails willquickly reform into legs once they leave the water (and, likewise, theirlegs will quickly reform into a tail should they ever enter water). Theyend to be surprisingly nimble on land as well as in the water. Expertsat swimming, they need not fear drowning and move very quickly throughњi@ water.The Merfolk have developed their martial arts strongly on thrusting andgrappling, since those are the most efficient ways to fight underwater.They therefore prefer polearms and short swords above all other weapons,though they can also use longer swords quite well.As spellcasters, they tend to be quite good in specific areas. Theirњi^ mystical relationship with water makes it easier for them to use alchemyand ice magic, which use water occasionally as a material component. Thelegendary water magic of the Merfolk was lost in ancient times, but someof that affinity still remains. Most other magic seems foreign to them. њiC Gargoyles (Gr)A cross between ordinary stone gargoyles and living beings, Gargoyles arehideous humanoids with an affinity to earth magic. They have low health,but large amounts of innate armour which increases further as they gainlevels. They eventually gain the ability to fly.Gargoyles' partially living form grants them immunity to poison, as wellas resistance to electricity, and protection from some effects ofњi4 I necromancy. Their natural armour makes them strong melee fighters, andthey are naturally skilled with blunt weapons and in unarmed combat. Theycan also be exceptional earth-based conjurers. Mountain Dwarves (MD)Mountain Dwarves are stout and hardy folk, adept at fighting with axesand blugeoning weapons, though lacking the dexterity to excel at otherforms of combat. Their reserves of magic are somewhat poor, though theystill make passable spellcasters, and their connection with the blood ofњiٚ Hthe earth gives them a particular talent at fire and earth magics. TheirњiYc n spell success is significantly less encumbered by armour than otherњic species.They are superlative artisans and smiths, employed in ancient times byeven the gods themselves, and this spiritual history makes themҚi. exceptional at invoking divine aid. They can even use enchantment scrollsto improve artefacts that would be beyond the understanding of any otherspecies. Draconians (Dr)Draconians are Human-dragon hybrids: humanoid in form and approximatelyҚiUto improve artefacts that would be beyond the understanding of any otherspecies. Draconians (Dr)Draconians are Human-dragon hybrids: humanoid in form and approximatelyHuman-sized, with wings, tails and scaly skins. Draconians start out inan immature form with brown scales, but as they grow in power they take  on a variety of colours. This happens at an early stage in their career,and the colour is determined by chromosomes, not by behaviour.  Most types of Draconians have breath weapons or special resistances.Draconians cannot wear body armour and advance very slowly in levels, butare reasonably good at all skills other than missile weapons, and theydevelop natural physical defences that compensate for the lack of bodyarmour, without needing to train their Armour skill at all. Still, eachcolour has its own strengths and some have complementary weaknesses,which sometimes requires a bit of flexibility on the part of the player.They are good general-purpose spellcasters, and typically theirspellcasting aptitudes will adapt slightly when they gain a colour.  Draconian colours are detailed below, in the subsection titled"Draconian types". Trolls (Tr)Қi^  Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick,Қi  They are good general-purpose spellcasters, and typically theirspellcasting aptitudes will adapt slightly when they gain a colour.  colours are detailed below, in the subsection titled"Draconian types". Trolls (Tr)Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick,knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which arecovered in patches of thick fur.  They are incredibly strong, and regenerate rapidly from even the mostterrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learnmost skills very slowly. Their large size prevents them from wearing mostforms of armour. Deep Elves (DE) The Deep Elves are a species of Elves who long ago fled the overworld tolive in darkness underground. There, they developed their mental powers, evolving a natural gift for all forms of magic, and adapted physically to their new environment, becoming weaker and losing all colouration.They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they are  capable at using bows and other ranged weapons. Қi to their new environment, becoming weaker and losing all colouration. They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they arecapable at using bows and other ranged weapons. Armataurs (At)The Armataurs are a large, scaled mammalian species, walking on four feet  and swinging a powerful tail behind them. Their elephant-back armiesterrorise the lands outside the Dungeon.  Armataurs instinctively roll when moving toward foes, getting a free moveand regenerating magic. They have great aptitudes with armour andshields, though their body shape reduces the protection offered by bodyarmour early on. At higher levels they also regenerate both health andagic when rolling, making them truly resilient. Intermediate Species ==================== Species classified as *Intermediate* require a broader understanding of the mechanics of Crawl, have some weakness(es) that must be actively compensated for, and/or add a relatively complex mechanic (or change in mechanic) to gameplay. Қi% Humans (Hu)Humans are natural explorers. As they uncover new spaces in the dungeon,they are refreshed and invigorated, rapidly healing and recovering magic.They are also the most versatile of all species - having balancedaptitudes for all skills lets them adapt to use whatever they find. Kobolds (Ko)Kobolds are small, mysterious creatures of unknown origin. They are wellҚiH Armataurs (At)The Armataurs are a large, scaled mammalian species, walking on four feetand swinging a powerful tail behind them. Their elephant-back armiesterrorise the lands outside the Dungeon.Қi~ eDeep Elves (DE)The Deep Elves are a species of Elves who long ago fled the overworld tolive in darkness underground. There, they developed their mental powers,evolving a natural gift for all forms of magic, and adapted physicallyto their new environment, becoming weaker and losing all colouration.Қi They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they arecapable at using bows and other ranged weapons.ҚiT7 forms of armour.Ӛi˨spellcasting aptitudes will adapt slightly when they gain a colour.  Draconian colours are detailed below, in the subsection titled"Draconian types". Ӛi8Trolls (Tr)Trolls are monstrous creatures with powerful claws. They have thick,knobbly skins of any colour from putrid green to mucky brown, which arecovered in patches of thick fur.  They are incredibly strong, and regenerate rapidly from even the mostterrible wounds. However, they are hopeless at spellcasting and learnmost skills very slowly. Their large size prevents them from wearing mostforms of armourӚiN . ӚibDeep Elves (DE)Ӛiĩ The Deep Elves are a species of Elves who long ago fled the overworld to live in darkness underground. There, they developed their mental powers, evolving a natural gift for all forms of magic, and adapted physically to their new environment, becoming weaker and Ӛi۩jlosing all colouration.They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they areӚiNcapable at using bows and other ranged weapons. Armataurs (At)Ӛi which sometimes requires a bit of flexibility on the part of the player.They are good general-purpose spellcasters, and typically theirӚio/Ӛi+BӚi Ӛi Armataurs (At)The Armataurs are a large, scaled mammalian species, walking on four feetӚi Dand swinging a powerful tail behind them. Their elephant-back armiesӚi Ԛi6  to their new environment, becoming weaker and losing all colouration. They are poor at melee combat and physical defence, although they arecapable at using bows and other ranged weapons. Armataurs (At)The Armataurs are a large, scaled mammalian species, walking on four feetand swinging a powerful tail behind them. Their elephant-back armiesterrorise the lands outside the Dungeon.  Armataurs instinctively roll when moving toward foes, getting a free moveand regenerating magic. They have great aptitudes with armour andshields, though their body shape reduces the protection offered by bodyarmour early on. At higher levels they also regenerate both health and  magic when rolling, making them truly resilient. Intermediate Species ==================== Species classified as *Intermediate* require a broader understanding of the mechanics of Crawl, have some weakness(es) that must be actively compensated for, and/or add a relatively complex mechanic (or change in mechanic) to gameplay. Ԛiã|Humans (Hu)Humans are natural explorers. As they uncover new spaces in the dungeon,ԚiWlc  they are refreshed and invigorated, rapidly healing and recovering magic.Ԛia2 They are also the most versatile of all species - having balancedaptitudes for all skills lets them adapt to use whatever they find.Ԛi: Ԛi ՚i} zKobolds (Ko)Kobolds are small, mysterious creatures of unknown origin. They are wellsuited to lurking in the darkness of the Dungeon, and have a reducedrange of vision which also reduces the range at which they can be seen byenemies.They are competent in combat, especially with short blades, maces or՚i} ranged weapons, and are comfortable with all forms of magic. They arealso very adept at using magical devices. Their small size makes themunable to wield large weapons, but they are agile and stealthy, andadvance in levels slightly more quickly than Humans.՚ia   ՚i= Demonspawn (Ds)Demonspawn are horrible half-mortal, half-infernal creatures. Demonspawncan be created in any number of ways: magical experiments, breeding,unholy pacts, etc. Although many Demonspawn may initially beindistinguishable from those of pure mortal stock, they will inevitablygrow horns, scales or other unusual features. Powerful members of this՚i= ^class of beings also develop a range of unholy abilities, which arelisted as mutations.֚i3.Demonspawn are horrible half-mortal, half-infernal creatures. Demonspawncan be created in any number of ways: magical experiments, breeding,unholy pacts, etc. Although many Demonspawn may initially beindistinguishable from those of pure mortal stock, they will inevitably  grow horns, scales or other unusual features. Powerful members of thisclass of beings also develop a range of unholy abilities, which arelisted as mutations.  Demonspawn advance slowly in experience and learn most skills slightlyslower than Humans, although they are talented at some forms of magic.learn Invocations especially quickly, although the good gods willnot accept their worship due to their unholy nature. ֚iQ4Djinn (Dj)Djinn are beings of smokeless fire. They enter the world spontaneouslyand without explanation, born with a tireless hunger for knowledge and  adventure. Djinn have a unique relationship with magic: rather thanlearning spells from books, their spells come from within, welling upfrom their fiery core as they gain experience. They draw from that samefiery core to cast spells - for Djinn, magical power and health are oneand the same.  ֚i4As elemental beings, Djinn are immune to poison and highly resistant tofire, though cold damage is deeply inimical to them. Since they float֚i_V through the air without need for legs or feet, they cannot wear boots.Djinn are middlingly competent at most forms of physical combat, but havea particular aptitude for spellcasting. Their aptitudes for all forms ofmagic are phenomenal, though their unique relationship with magic meansthat they cannot choose to train magic skills independently. Spriggans (Sp)Spriggans are small magical creatures distantly related to Elves. They֚i]U love to frolic and cast mischievous spells. ֚ih<Spriggans (Sp)Spriggans are small magical creatures distantly related to Elves. They  love to frolic and cast mischievous spells.  They are poor fighters and have little physical resilience, but they moveextremely quickly and stealthily, and are incredible at dodging attacks.They are terrible at destructive magic - conjurations, summonings,necromancy and elemental spells. On the other hand, they are excellent atother forms of magic and at evoking magical items. Their size makes them֚i|unable to wear most armour. They cannot wield large weapons, and evenmost smaller weapons require both hands to be wielded by a Spriggan. Revenants (Re)Revenants are skeletal undead, created when an individual dies to violentmagic without being mourned or remembered. They rise with fragmentaryrecollections of their former life and an all-consuming hunger to clawback that existence which the world forgot.  So powerful is this drive which animates them that they can actually ripthe very existence from others, tearing fragments of souls and memories ֚iD and even the fundamental essence of inanimate objects and turning theminto fuel for the unholy fire that forever flickers upon their form.  Their nature makes them uniquely skilled at wielding destructive magic;֚iD3 while their reserves of magical energy are poor and their aptitudesunremarkable (aside from an affinity for ice, earth, and necromantic֚i3-magic), they can channel damage-dealing spells through their claws,allowing them to perform melee attacks at the same time as they castspells. They can even burn away the memories they have collected tobriefly empower their magic and allow them to cast unhindered by armour. ֚i&  Beyond this, they are sturdy and skilled at using their claws in unarmedcombat, and possess the same immunity to poison, negative energy, and֚iI s torment that all undead share, as well as a resistance to cold. Tengu (Te)֚i ךiQ The Tengu are an ancient and feared species of bird-people with alegendary propensity for violence. Basically humanoid with bird-likeךi(^  heads and clawed feet, the Tengu can wear all types of armour exceptךi helmets and boots. Their magical nature helps them evade attacks while inmotion, and despite their lack of wings, more experienced Tengu canmagically fly.ךiMThey are experts at all forms of fighting, including the magical arts ofcombat (conjurations, summonings and, to a lesser extent, necromancy).They are good at air and fire elemental magic, but poor at ice and earthmagic. Tengu do not appreciate any form of servitude, and so are poor atusing invocations. Their light avian bodies cannot sustain a great dealof injury. ךix vOni (On)Oni are large, rowdy creatures who love a good fight. They areךix exceptionally strong and robust, and their fondness for drink allows themto heal twice as much from healing potions and even perform free meleeךi?  swings around themselves while they chug them.They are proficient with most melee weapons and forms of magic, but lackךi _  the dexterity or inclination to use ranged weapons or magical devicesؚiؚicؚi!ؚi ؚi^ well. They are, however, good at throwing things, in particular largeؚi ؚi ٚiٚiٚiߝٚig0 rocks. ٚih1  Their large size prevents them from wearing most forms of armour, and arepoor at dodging, relying on their enormous bulk to survive battlesinstead.ٚi /Barachim (Ba)ٚi well. They are, however, good at throwing things, in particular largerocks. ir large size prevents them from wearing most forms of armour, and arepoor at dodging, relying on their enormous bulk to survive battlesinstead. Barachim (Ba)  Barachim are an amphibious humanoid species, spawned at the dawn of timeas servants for the gods. Inevitably, they rebelled and fled into themortal world; but even uncounted years later, the darkness still flees atheir approach, remembering those who they once served.  Barachim's most remarkable trait is their grossly overmuscled legs, whichallow them to leap great distances. When not leaping, they are somewhatslow-moving, and the long sight-lines that their heritage creates can bea major disadvantage, but they can master almost any skill. Advanced Species ================ *Advanced* species have some substantial weaknesses, and/or add multiple complex new mechanics to gameplay. This category includes several species that experienced players may not find difficult per se, but that mayٚiQprequire quite a bit of experience to adapt to. It also includes species ٚi|that are just plain difficult, such as Mummies. Coglins (Co)Unlike most of their goblin kin, Coglins augment their tiny frames withٚicharm-wrought steel. Their exoskeletons, capable of wielding weaponsindependently in each arm, are begun with hand-me-downs from theirsprawling families. By the time they come of age, they are inseparableٚi|from their creations, and experienced individuals often furthercustomise themselves with uniquely powerful additions.ښi(Haphazard and jerry-rigged, Coglin exoskeletons lack the flexibility ofnatural bodies. Though their arms can fly in a whir of destruction, ittakes quite a bit of swinging to rev them up to that speed. Further,with their bodies swallowed in the controls of their machine, theycannot wear jewelry - the interference of multiple magical fields wouldښiW believe that spirits of steel and sandalwood come to rest within everything that draws blood, slowly and carefully re-attuning their  exoskeletons to those spirits whenever they wield or remove weapons.  Never scorn the spirits! Vine Stalkers (VS)  Limber in shape, Vine Stalkers are anthropomorphic masses of thick vines.  They possess a once-humanoid core, parasitised moments before death by  the magical vines. Lacking any other discernible features, their faces  are dominated by the disproportionate, vicious maw with which theydisrupt and devour the magical energies of their foes.  Magic courses freely through their bodies, and any damage they take issplit between their health and magical reserves. They also physicallyregenerate at an alarming rate. However, these traits come at a price:the dual nature of their bodies makes them extremely frail, and theycannot benefit from potions to heal their wounds.  Living examples of adaptation, Vine Stalkers level up quickly and lendwell to an all-out offensive style; trusting their stealth to choosetheir prey and then their regenerating capabilities to power through thewounds they may sustain in battle. Many members of the species, however,are seen wielding magic quite competently and then switching to a hybridstyle when their reserves start to run low, thus replenishing theirښiT shroud of magic and their spells' fuel with each voracious bite. Poltergeists (Po)Poltergeists are undead spirits who delight in causing trouble for theliving. Completely incorporeal, they interact with the physical world bypossessing small objects and making them fly through the air. They canuse this to fight with weapons as well as the living do, as well as gainښi* the protective benefits of many different hats, boots, gloves, and cloaksat once, though body armour is too large for them to manipulate in thisfashion. At higher levels of experience, they can even control theseښi possessed objects at a distance from time to time, harassing their foeswith a barrage of unruly armour. ښi  Their superlative aptitude for both stealth and hexes make them powerfulenchanters, and they are adequate at most other forms of magic, thoughthey struggle with conjurations. They are adept with short blades, if aښi L little below average with heavier weapons, and their lack of a physicalbody makes them terrible at unarmed combat. The same power they used topossess objects makes them natural experts at throwing.Finally, their nature as spirits of bad luck also grants them temporaryښiJ ;AC whenever they inflict maladies upon their enemies. ښi<$ Demigods (Dg)ۚiۚi`1ۚi  Finally, their nature as spirits of bad luck also grants them temporary  AC whenever they inflict maladies upon their enemies. Demigods (Dg)Demigods are mortals with some divine or angelic ancestry, howeverdistant. Demigods look more or less like members of their mortal part'sspecies, but they are extremely robust and can draw on great supplies ofmagical energy. They are able to sculpt their attributes to a far greaterۚii =extent than any other species, gaining substantial boosts to their choiceof Strength, Intelligence or Dexterity as they gain experience. On thedownside, they advance more slowly in experience than any other species,gain skills slightly less quickly than Humans and, due to their status,ۚi +refuse to worship any god. ۚi Formicids (Fo)The Formicids are a species of humanoid ants. Just like their tiny insectancestors, the Formicids are well adept at earth work, both on theۚi hysical and magical sides. Their abilities have been used to tunnelimmense underground communities and structures, many of which are tens ofۚi thousands of years old.  Perhaps unfortunately, their strong ties to earth have left them  completely impervious to being teleported or hasted; Formicids are tiedۚiG to the earth with a complete sense of stasis. While this is a seeminglybad property for a dungeon adventurer, stasis has the beneficial effectof preventing many types of nasty hexes and maledictions.With the ability to lift ten times their own weight, the Formicids haveۚifj  strength rivaling that of Oni. This, along with the fact that they havefour arms, allows Formicid warriors to equip both a shield and aۚi- $completely impervious to being teleported or hasted; Formicids are tiedto the earth with a complete sense of stasis. While this is a seeminglybad property for a dungeon adventurer, stasis has the beneficial effectpreventing many types of nasty hexes and maledictions.  With the ability to lift ten times their own weight, the Formicids havestrength rivaling that of Oni. This, along with the fact that they havefour arms, allows Formicid warriors to equip both a shield and a  two-handed weapon at the same time.  Formicids make good earth mages and alchemists, but are quite capable atboth melee and ranged combat too. They are naturally bad at air magic andconjurations. ۚi- Nagas (Na)Nagas are a hybrid species: Human from the waist up with a large snaketail instead of legs.  They are reasonably good at most things and advance in experience levelsat the same rate as Humans. They are naturally resistant to poisons, cansee invisible creatures, and have tough skin, but their tails arerelatively slow and cannot move them around as quickly as can othercreatures' legs (this only affects their movement rate; all other actionsۚi. Iare at normal speed). Like Armataurs, their body shape also prevents themۚii@ s from gaining full protection from body armour. A Naga's biggest forte isstealth: Nagas are very good at moving unnoticed. Their tails eventuallygrow strong enough to constrict their foes in combat.Nagas can spit poison; the accuracy and damage of this poison increaseswith the Naga's experience level. ۚi)Octopodes (Op)These land-capable relatives of common octopuses can move about as fastas Humans and yet retain the ability to swim underwater, although theirdual adaptation is not as good as that of the shapechanging Merfolk.ܚi] Octopodes have eight tentacle-shaped legs, and need four of them to move.While a tentacle lacks fingers, two tentacles are a rough equivalent of aHuman's arm where item manipulation is concerned - including wieldingtwo-handed weapons with four. They can use no armour other than loosehats, but can handle shields just fine. Another peculiarity they have isthe ability to wear eight rings, one on each tentacle. ܚiN#help for their masters' rituals, yet many have abandoned, outlived, or,in at least one case, eviscerated their former masters and gone out intothe world.  While fully capable of using speech and most forms of magic, Felids areat a serious disadvantage due to their inability to use armour orweapons.  Their agility and stealth are legendary, as is their ability to get tohard to reach places. Felids advance in levels very slowly. They areܚicOskilled with many forms of magic, though less so with raw elementalmagic.  Felids start with an extra life, and gain more as they increase inlevels. Upon death, they will be resurrected in a safe place. Mummies (Mu)These are undead creatures who travel into the depths in search ofrevenge, redemption, or just because they want to.  Mummies progress slowly in levels, half again as slowly as Humans in allskills except fighting, spellcasting and necromancy. The sacred embalmingrituals that brought them into unlife also grant them a specialconnection with the divine, and as they increase in levels, they becomeܚiRconnection with the divine, and as they increase in levels, they becomecreasingly in touch with the powers of death. However, their desiccatedbodies are highly flammable. They also cannot drink.Like other undead, mummies are naturally immune to poisons, negativeenergy and torment; have little warmth left to be affected by cold; andare not susceptible to mutations. Draconian types ======================================== Red Draconiansfeel at home in fiery surroundings. They are bad with ice magic but veryproficient with fire. They can breathe highly combustible embers whichcause a fiery explosion whenever they hits a foe. White Draconiansstem from frost-bitten lands, and are naturally resistant to frost. Theyܚi]Bbeathe piercing cold which encases anything it kills in a solid block ofice. They are versed in ice magic, but bad at fire. Green Draconiansare used to venomous surroundings and breathe clouds of mephitic vapours.They are especially good in the arts of alchemy and without deficienciesܚiproficientfire. They can breathe highly combustible embers whichcause a fiery explosion whenever they hits a foe. White Draconiansstem from frost-bitten lands, and are naturally resistant to frost. Theybeathe piercing cold which encases anything it kills in a solid block ofice. They are versed in ice magic, but bad at fire. Green Draconians  are used to venomous surroundings and breathe clouds of mephitic vapours.They are especially good in the arts of alchemy and without deficiencies  in other magic realms. Later on, they will develop a poisonous stinger. Yellow Draconianshave a sulphurous breath full of corrosive acid, and are naturally acidresistant. Their knowledge of corrosion makes them especially good in the  maintenance of Forgecraft machinery. Later on, they gain an acidic biteattack. ܚi<Grey Draconianscan breathe torrents of mud which impede the movement and attacks of  non-flying enemies. They are proficient with earth magic but bad with airmagic. Later on, iron fuses onto their scales to make them hardier thanother Draconians.ܚiܚiBlack Draconianscan unleash arcing electrical discharges, and are naturally insulated.ܚi9They are good at air magic but feel cumbersome with earth magic. Theirwings will eventually grow larger, which allows them to fly when combinedܚi R with their natural skill with air magic. ܚi2 ݚiȾ|Purple Draconiansare highly adapted to all spellcasting in general, and to hexes inݚi]  particular. They are a bit better at evoking things than most otherݚic  Draconians. They can breathe dispelling energy which strips those it hitsݚi of enchantments and impairs their spellcasting. They are stronger-willedthan other draconians, and later on, they gain resistance to bothexternal mana draining and to enchantment stripping. ݚiYPale Draconiansare better at air and fire magic, and have no deficiencies in otherݚiR\  schools. They breathe sight-obscuring steam and, like their Purpleݚi ݚi. cousins, have a slight advantage at Evocations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.LIST OF CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ޚihIn your quest, you play as one of a large number of different types ofޚiUᚧiᚧicharacters. Although each has its own strengths and weaknesses, some are definitely easier than others, at least to begin with. The best backgroundsᚧizfor a beginner are probably Gladiators and Berserkers; if you really want to play a magician, try a Conjurer or a Hedge Wizard. However, not all species are equally well suited for all backgrounds. After you haveᚧiMselected a species, the background selection menu will show backgrounds generally considered to be more accessible for a species in a brighterᚧiD  colour.ᚧii ᚧiX Each background starts out with a different set of skills and items, but from there you can shape them as you will. Note that due to peculiarities of size or body shape, some species-background combinations start with a ᚧi-Y (different inventory than described here.ᚧiE 5Warrior backgroundsᚧi,+  ===================㚧iϾ Welcome, angryartificer the Conjurer. Please select your species. SimpleIntermediateAdvanced a - Gnollj - Humans - Coglin b - Minotaur k - Koboldt - Vine Stalker c - Merfolkl - Revenant u - Poltergeist d - Gargoylem - Demonspawnv - Demigod 㚧ie - Mountain Dwarf n - Djinniw - Formicid f - Draconiano - Spriggan x - Naga g - Trollp - Tenguy - Octopode h - Deep Elfq - Oniz - Felid i - Armataur r - Barachi A - Mummy Scaled mammals the size of horses, Armataurs are fast-rolling and tenacious whenpursuing enemies, but lack dexterity. + - Recommended species * - Random species # - Recommended character㚧i, ! - Random character % - List aptitudesSpace - Change background ? - Help Tab - Human Fighter隧i C隧ic隧i]angryartificer the ConjurerDemigodHealth: 14/14 ========================Magic: 5/5========================AC: 2Str: 8EV: 11Int: 20SH: 0Dex: 12XL:  1 Next:  0% Place: Dungeon:1Noise: ---------  Time: 0.0 (0.0)-) Nothing wieldedCast: Magic Dart隧ifq.##.#.##.##.##.##.# #.#隧i#.# #.##.# #.##.#.##@##.#.#隧iS#.# #.##.# #.##.# #.#隧i#.##.##[##.#.#隧i #.隧i隧iWelcome, angryartificer the Demigod Conjurer.Will you be the one to retrieve the fabulous Orb of Zot from the depths?隧i3 隧iUPress ? for a list of commands and other information.  Found a ring mail.隧iO[隧i+][ _Found a staircase leading out of the dungeon.ik# i* D [?25h[?0c [?1051l[?1052l[?1060l[?1061l