Starting Guide for NetHack Veterans

👉 GnollHack introduces major enhancements to NetHack 3.6.2, including modern graphics, full audio, an overhauled UI, and significant gameplay rebalances. If you are an experienced NetHack player transitioning to GnollHack, this guide highlights the crucial mechanical, interface, and strategic changes you need to know to survive and thrive.

🎖ī¸ Part 1: Transitioning to GnollHack

❓ Why Play GnollHack?

If you are a NetHack veteran, you might be wondering why you should play GnollHack over vanilla NetHack or other popular variants. Here are the main highlights that make GnollHack a unique experience:

  • A True Modern Port: GnollHack is not just a gameplay mod; it is a complete technological modernization. It features high-resolution graphics, animations, an overhauled multi-layered tile engine, a modern graphical user interface (GUI) optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, and a full musical score, along with thousands of sound effects and voiceovers.
  • Respect for Your Time: The pacing and quality of life are vastly improved. The leveling curve is faster, and the dungeons are slightly shorter. Notably, Gehennom has no mazes except on special levels! Constant stealing from shops has been replaced with a stronger economy.
  • Improved Combat: Ranged combat has been significantly buffed to be a viable primary choice, but you can no longer fire missiles at enemies in melee range. You are encouraged to swap between ranged and melee weapons (which no longer costs a turn) as enemies close the gap.
  • Improved Mechanics: You can dual-wield artifacts and wear robes over body armor. Magic Cancellation (MC) works differently, and Magic Resistance no longer blocks death effects (you need Death Resistance!), which makes gear choices much more interesting.
  • Expanded Equipment Slots: GnollHack gives you 22 equipment slots to customize your character. In addition to the classics, you can now equip Bracers, wear Robes over your body armor, and equip up to 5 Miscellaneous Items simultaneously (such as belts, earrings, eyeglasses, or wings).
  • In-Game Item Information: You can now use the Examine items to view exact item stats, damage formulas, and magical effects directly within the game.
  • Vastly Increased Loot: You will encounter vastly increased options in loot, such as powerful Mythic and Legendary Items.

💡 Tip: If you are overwhelmed by the long, repetitive mazes of vanilla NetHack's Gehennom, you will be happy to know that GnollHack has removed all non-special mazes from Gehennom, allowing you to descend and fight boss monsters much faster!

What should you try first?

We recommend trying out a spellcasting class like a Wizard or a hybrid like an Archaeologist (who now starts with a hand crossbow!) to experience the new spell system and ranged combat mechanics. Alternatively, try out the new Gnoll race to see their specialized starting gear.

🔗 Learn More

🕹ī¸ Gameplay Mode

GnollHack offers several gameplay modes in its modern interface. By default, the game may start in Modern Mode, where your character resurrects at the starting altar upon dying.

For a traditional NetHack experience with permanent death, you should select Classic Mode. You can enable this by toggling Classic Mode to On and leaving Casual Mode as Off when creating a new character.

ℹī¸ Note: Classic Mode is required for your scores to be recorded on the NetHack Scoreboard.

🌟 Difficulty

We recommend starting between the Adept and Expert difficulties.

Difficulty Description Recommended starting point?
Standard Very easy, provides many hints ❌ No, too easy.
Experienced Very easy ❌ No, too easy.
Adept Much easier than NetHack ✅ Yes, good while you are learning new mechanics.
Veteran Easier than NetHack ✅ Yes, good while you are learning new mechanics.
Expert Slightly easier than NetHack ✅ Yes, required for NetHack Scoreboard along with the Classic Mode.
Master Harder than NetHack ❌ No, too hard.
Grand Master Very hard ❌ No, too hard.

GnollHack's late game is more difficult than NetHack's.

📱 Part 2: Interface & Controls

ℹī¸ Note: Keyboard shortcuts on this wiki are written in lowercase notation. A single letter (e.g. e) represents the normal key. Combination shortcuts are written with a plus sign + and lowercase letters (e.g. Shift+e, Alt+e, Alt+Shift+e).

🎒 Action Menus and Quick Looting

  • Action Menus: You can interact with an item in your inventory by opening the Inventory (i) and then clicking or pressing its letter. This opens a context-sensitive action menu.
  • Quick Container Actions: You can manage bags efficiently, whether they are on the ground, in a chest, or in another bag:
    • Use Apply (a) on a bag, then press Drop (d) to drop items from the bag directly onto the ground.
    • Use Apply (a) on a bag, then press Pick up (p) to pick up items from the ground directly into the bag.

⌨ī¸ Important Command Changes

ℹī¸ Note: The Swap weapons (x) command is greatly improved: it does not cost a turn to use! Combined with Handedness (Alt+h), you can control whether you switch both weapon and shield, or only the right-hand weapon.

Command Type Description
Examine (Alt+x) New Shows detailed stats and effects of an item.
Save (Alt+s) Changed Moved from Shift+s.
Skills (Shift+s) Changed Replaces the NetHack save key.
Take off many (Alt+t) Changed Replaces the old shortcut.
Dual weapon mode (Ctrl+x) Changed Toggle dual-wielding.
Chat (Shift+c) Changed Talk to NPCs. Use Name (Shift+n or Alt+Shift+n) for naming.
Mix spells (Shift+x) New Prepare spells using material components.
View spell (Alt+z) New View details about your spells.
Spell menu (+) New Open the spell management menu.
Abilities (Shift+a) New View abilities gained from corpses or items.
Character details (}) New View detailed stats, including alignment.
Handedness (Alt+h) New Toggle left/right handedness for equipping.
Dig (Ctrl+g) New Quick command for digging.
Commands menu (Alt+c) New Open the extended commands menu.
Yell for pets (Ctrl+y / Alt+y) New Call your pets to your location.

🔗 Learn More

đŸ’Ē Part 3: Character Progression & Magic

đŸ§Ŧ Attributes and Abilities

  • No Exercise Training: The attribute training system from NetHack has been removed. You gain abilities and stats by eating corpses (e.g., Ogres grant Constitution, Nymphs grant Charisma and no longer give teleportitis).
  • Fruit Bonuses: Some fruits, such as bananas, grant attribute points. Use Examine (Alt+x) to check what different fruits do.
  • Level Cap and Scaling: The experience level cap has been increased to 50. It also requires significantly less XP to level up (e.g., reaching level 30 takes only 204,000 XP compared to NetHack's 100 million).
  • Stat-Driven Combat and AC: Your Dexterity directly contributes to your Armor Class. Generally, both players and monsters have higher HP, deal more damage, and reach higher AC values than in traditional NetHack.
  • Immediate Stat Scaling: Changes in attributes reflect immediately in your Hit Points and Mana Points. Finding a Constitution-boosting item instantly increases your maximum HP.
  • Faster Regeneration: Hit Points and Mana regenerate much faster than in NetHack.

💡 Tip: Since there is no attribute training by actions in GnollHack, look out for attribute-boosting corpses (like ogres or giants) and fruits. Eating a fruit like a banana or pomegranate will directly boost your stats!

🔗 Learn More

  • Attribute Scores — Overview of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma
  • Experience Level — Detailed information on progression and experience requirements

🔮 Spell Casting

  • More Spells: GnollHack features a wider variety of spells.
  • Material Components: Most spells must be prepared using Mix (Shift+x) with material components. Each preparation gives you a set number of castings for that spell.
  • Armor Penalties: Spells with a somatic component suffer penalties from armor use. Generally, Priests can cast spells while wearing armor, but Wizards cannot.

⚠ī¸ Warning: Somatic spells cannot be cast reliably in heavy armor. Make sure to wear lightweight armor or robes if you play a Wizard, as somatic cast penalties can completely prevent spellcasting.

🔗 Learn More

  • Spells — Full spell lists, levels, and statistics
  • Spell Casting — Detailed spellcasting mechanics, somatic armor penalties, and casting chances

⚔ī¸ Part 4: Combat & Tactical Changes

🏹 Ranged Combat Enhancements

  • Viable Archery: Bows and crossbows are highly effective and viable primary weapons.
  • No Melee Firing: You cannot hit enemies with fired missiles or thrown weapons if they are in melee range.
  • Reach Weapons: Polearms are significantly better, able to hit enemies 2 squares away in all directions, regardless of your skill level. Spears can also hit 2 squares away (via the apply command), provided you have at least "Basic" skill in Spears.
  • Durable Missiles: Missiles (like arrows) break very rarely. Uncursed missiles have only a 5% chance to break, and blessed missiles do not break at all!

💡 Tip: You are encouraged to use ranged weapons first, and then swap to melee weapons (using the 0-turn Exchange weapons (x) command) when monsters close the gap!

🎒 Part 5: Items, Equipment & Economy

🛡ī¸ Items and Equipment

  • Armor and MC: Magic Cancellation (MC) is completely overhauled. It now ranges from 0–25 instead of 0–3, and MC from different items stacks. Because of this broader scale, most special attacks from monsters are more dangerous until you can build up your MC.
  • Armor Spell Penalties: Items also grant a spell casting penalty (or sometimes a bonus). Heavier armor typically applies a larger penalty. For example, Dragon Scale Mail is heavier and incurs a spell casting penalty, making it less suitable for Wizards. Instead, Crystal plate mail now grants reflection and is an excellent body armor choice for a Wizard.
  • Robes: Robes occupy a new, separate item slot. They do not stack AC/MC with body armor (the game uses the best value), but you can wear both to benefit from their magical properties (e.g., wearing a Robe of Magic Resistance over Silver Dragon Scale Mail).
  • Death Resistance Extrinsics: Magic Resistance no longer blocks death spells. You can acquire extrinsic Death Resistance from items like the gown of the archbishops, ring of protection from undeath, or an amulet versus undeath.
  • Identifying Items:
  • Cursed Stones: There is a new cursed gray stone called the jinxstone. Kicking is no longer enough to identify all stones; you need a pet to be safe.
  • Wand Damage: Wands deal specific amounts of damage (e.g., a wand of cold deals 12d6 damage). You can also apply wands on items using Apply (a).
  • Artifact Changes:
    • Cleaver is safer: its arc attack no longer hits peaceful or tame monsters.
    • Stormbringer will not hit tame creatures.
    • Excalibur can only be obtained from magic fountains (the original NetHack fountains).
  • Other Item Changes:
    • Figurines have been removed from the game.
    • Unicorn horns now have charges, but they have a 100% chance to work when used.
    • Conflict has been nerfed: it is no longer a permanent extrinsic. Items granting conflict now consume charges.
    • Some mushrooms are poisonous. Eat them with caution!

💡 Tip: Since Robes have their own dedicated equipment slot, you can wear a robe (like a Robe of Magic Resistance) on top of your body armor (like Silver Dragon Scale Mail) to get the bonuses of both!

⚠ī¸ Warning: Remember to acquire Death Resistance against insta-death attacks. Magic Resistance alone will not protect you from these anymore!

🔗 Learn More

🏁 Starting Items

GnollHack changes the initial inventory of almost every role to make the early game more dynamic and balanced:

  • Everyone Gets a Container: Every single role now starts with some kind of container (e.g., a sack, backpack, or leather bag).
  • Specialized Bags: Rogues begin with a bag of treasure hauling (vital because gold has significant weight in GnollHack), and Wizards start with a bag of wizardry.
  • Guaranteed Scroll of Identify: Everyone is guaranteed to start with at least one scroll of identify. Their number depends on the difficulty level.
  • Melee for Tourists: Tourists now start with an enchanted golf club! This is necessary because throwing darts at enemies in melee range now incurs a heavy to-hit penalty.
  • Elemental Weapons: Some classes begin with elemental enchanted weapons (e.g., Valkyries start with a cold-enchanted dagger, and Archaeologists start with lightning-enchanted crossbow bolts).
  • New Role Items:
  • Racial Gear Swaps: If you play as the new Gnoll race, your starting swords and maces are swapped out for flails, bows for crossbows, and standard armor for specialized gnollish gear.

đŸĒ Shops and Economy

  • No Shop Stealing: Pets can no longer steal from shops. However, you naturally acquire more money during your run, so just buy the items you need!
  • Sell Spellbooks: You will find many expensive spellbooks on your journey. If you do not need them, sell them and buy something useful.
  • NPC Appraisers: Different vendors can identify items for you:
    • General storekeepers can identify all item types.
    • Specialized shopkeepers can identify the item types they sell.
    • Smiths, Geologists, and Artificers can also identify certain item types.
    • Geologists will buy gems, and Artificers will buy spellbooks.

💡 Tip: Selling unwanted high-level spellbooks to an Artificer or gems to a Geologist is a great way to generate massive amounts of gold in the early-to-mid game.

🔗 Learn More

  • Shops — Guide to shop types, item pricing, and shopkeeper behaviors
  • Smithy — Information on services offered by the Smith
  • Laboratory — Information on the Artificer who buys spellbooks
  • Workshop — Details on selling valuable gems to the Geologist
  • Temple — Guide to temples, priests, blessings, and protection donations

👹 Part 6: Dungeon, Monsters & Companions

đŸ—ēī¸ Dungeon Features

  • Starting Room Stash: Your starting room now always contains a co-aligned altar and a stash (a magic chest). The stash contains 2 to 3 random items.
  • More Loot: The overall number of items generated in the dungeon has been greatly increased.
  • Shorter Dungeons: The Dungeons of Doom is slightly shorter. More importantly, Gehennom is shorter and features no mazes except on special levels!
  • Fountains: There are now several types of fountains. Test a fountain's type by dipping a potion into it to see what happens.
  • Sinks: Sinks can be used to dilute potions.
  • Traps: Disarming traps yields items. Disarming magical traps usually yields wands.
  • The 'Gilthoniel' Rune: You can engrave a new rune word, Gilthoniel, to protect your items. Monsters cannot pick up items or loot containers located on squares protected by this rune.

💡 Tip: The Gilthoniel rune is highly effective for setting up a safe stash. Engrave it on the floor, and monsters will be unable to pick up items or loot containers on that square.

🔗 Learn More

  • Dungeon Layout — Full layout of dungeon branches, special rooms, and levels
  • Fountains — Details on fountain types, dipping, and drinking effects

👹 Monster Changes

  • The Touch of Death: High-level priests (like the High Priest in the Sanctum) can cast the Touch of Death. You need Death Resistance to survive this; Magic Resistance is no longer enough!
  • Wizards and Liches: High-level mage casters (like the Wizard of Yendor) can no longer cast the Touch of Death, so you do not need Death Resistance for them.
  • Covetousness Removed: Covetousness (teleporting to you to steal artifacts and teleporting to the stairs to heal) has been removed from all monsters except the Wizard of Yendor and high-level liches. Boss monsters are generally easier in this regard, but they often have new abilities and more HP to compensate.
  • Cockatrice Corpses Nerfed: When you wield and hit an enemy with a Cockatrice corpse, the petrification effect must now pass the monster's MC to take effect.
  • Fearless Undead: Undead and mindless monsters will never flee from battle and are completely immune to fear.
  • Summon Nasties Nerfed: The dreaded "summon nasties" monster spell has been heavily nerfed.
  • Faster Scaling: Higher level monsters appear quicker as you delve deeper compared to NetHack.
  • Hire Mercenaries: You can hire peaceful monsters to join your party. High Charisma makes this a highly effective way to acquire powerful allies.

🔗 Learn More

🐾 Pets and Companions

  • Improved Pet Pathing: Pets now use an advanced pathfinding algorithm (the same used for travel). They will no longer get permanently stuck on the other side of the map!
  • Pet Commands: You can give items directly to your pets and command them to equip, undress, or drop them. You can also command them to stay put (useful to prevent them from eating specific corpses).
  • Aggressive Pets: Pets will actively attack high-level monsters, making them more useful but also putting them at greater risk of dying.
  • Pet Status Visibility: Your pet's HP and other statistics are clearly visible on the status lines.

🏆 Scoring Changes

The scoring system has been completely redesigned.

  • No Hoarding for Score: Unlike NetHack, you do not gain any score from hoarding gold, gems, artifacts, or amulets.
  • How to Score: Your score is primarily based on delving deeper into the dungeon, completing achievements, your chosen difficulty, and (if you ascend) your conducts and turn count (lower is better).

🔗 Learn More

  • Scoring — Detailed breakdown of how scores and achievements are calculated

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