As borrowed from a classic rgra post, there’s not much that you actually have to do. Your one and only mission is to slay Morgoth on dungeon level 100. In order to get there, you need to go down a lot of stairs and kill Sauron on dungeon level 99. That’s about it – everything else is optional. Of course, before you can kill Sauron you’ll need lots of experience and good equipment, but by the time you get that deep you’ll have both. Just see to it that you don’t die along the way.
The one and most important thing you need to get in your head is that you can’t possibly kill every monster on every level. Think of the game as forays into the dungeon from which you want to return with cool stuff; think of the shallower levels as obstacles you need to overcome on your way deeper into the dungeon; or whatever you like. Just never-ever think of it as a killing spree. Until you find Sauron, your task is to survive and eventually get to level 99.
The next point is that you don’t need to fight any particular monster (other than the big two). Yes, there might be a rather impressive hoard in that vault – but if the monsters guarding it are too many or too fierce, well, just give it a pass. Angband offers an endless supply of monsters and treasure and everything. There will always be another day – provided you live to see another day. Sometimes you just have to bug out and run for your life.
So, let me recap, the vital points of Angband are:
- go down a lot of stairs
- kill Sauron (dl 99)
- kill Morgoth (dl 100)
- Quick start
From this point, the guide assumes that you are playing a fighting class (warrior, ranger, rogue or paladin) and race (Dunedain, High-Elf, Dwarf, Half-Orc, Half-Troll.) First, use the ‘cost-based’ stats selection, and create a character with 3 or 4 blows (Don’t pick a class/race combinations, like Dwarf Ranger, that can only get 2 blows.)
First, set your stats to get maximum blows. If you have a combination with good dexterity, select 18/10 dexterity, and then set your strength to 17 or 18. Set your spell-casting stat to something low but usable (~12), and spend the rest on constitution. For a beginning character, constitution is least important, because it doesn’t add significant HP until well above 18.
Example character:
[Angband 3.5.0 Character Dump]
Name Anar Age 102 Self RB CB EB Best
Sex Female Height 5'11" STR: 17 +1 +0 +0 18
Race High-Elf Weight 14st 0lb INT: 10 +3 +2 +0 15
Class Ranger Turns used: WIS: 10 -1 -2 +0 7
Title Runner Game 1 DEX: 18 +3 +1 +0 18/40
HP 14/14 Standard 0 CON: 10 +1 -1 +0 10
SP 0/0 Resting 0
Level 1 Armor [0,+2] Saving Throw 49%
Cur Exp 0 Stealth Good
Max Exp 0 Melee 1d4,+2 Disarming 36%
Adv Exp 23 To-hit 23,+4 Magic Devices 55
Blows 2.0/turn Perception 1 in 20
Gold 139 Searching 27%
Burden 18.5 lbs Shoot to-dam +0 Infravision 40 ft
Speed Normal To-hit 33,+4
Max Depth Town Shots 1/turn