Akalabeth: World of Doom/Gameplay

Documents
There are two versions for the Apple II: the later one includes the manual within the game.

Lucky number
This is a "seed" for the random number generator (or "randomizer").

Note that the randomizer is reset every time you enter a dungeon (at least in the Apple 2 version). Therefore, if you repeat the same actions in the same order, you get the exact same result.


 * EXAMPLE: Choose 2 as lucky number. Enter a dungeon, turn right, attack twice with any weapon, then use a magic amulet (attack command), cast spell n.4, and you are turned into a lizard man (all attributes x2.5). Exit the dungeon and repeat to raise attributes at leisure.

Difficulty level
Select difficulty level at leisure: 1 is easier, 10 is the toughest level. It affects the health points of the enemies. If you clear the game at level 10, the ending will be different.

Status-statistics (stat.)
All attributes are generated randomly, between 4 and 24. You can re-roll them until you are satisfied.
 * HP (health points): health decreases every time an enemy hits the hero, but it is increased as a reward for defeating enemies. The health increased is calculated and awarded every time the hero exits from a dungeon.
 * Strength: determines the amount of damage dealt.
 * Dexterity: determines hit rate and evasion rate.
 * Stamina: reduces the amount of damage suffered.
 * Wisdom: determines success rate of a spell (magic amulet).
 * Gold: necessary to buy food and equipment.

The same attributes (plus charisma and intellect) are used in Ultima 1 and 2.

Choose your class:
 * Both classes can use axe and shield.
 * The fighter can use a sword (rapier) and bow & arrows.
 * The mage can control magic amulets.

Food
If the hero runs out of food, he instantly dies of starvation (the same mechanic is used in Ultima 1 and 2).

At game start, purchase as much food as possible. Keep an eye on the "food meter". The hero eats one portion per step on the world surface, and 0.15 portions per step in the dungeons.

The magic amulets
The magic amulets allow a hero to cast four spells. Every amulet has a limited number of charges.

If a fighter uses the amulet, the effect is random. If a mage uses it, he can choose one of four spells (but the 4th one still has a random outcome).
 * 1) Ladder-up creates a ladder in front of the hero; it diappears as soon as he climbs it to the previous floor up.
 * 2) Ladder-down creates a ladder in front of the hero; it diappears as soon as he climbs it to the next floor down.
 * 3) Kill instantly defeats any enemy in front of the hero.
 * 4) Bad??? can have one of three effects at random:
 * 5) * Backfire cuts the hero's current health points in half;
 * 6) * Lizard man turns the hero into a powerful lizard man; all of his attributes are permanently multiplied by 2.5, and the effect is cumulative!
 * 7) * Toad turns the hero into a toad, and all of his attributes (except for health points) are permanently set equal to 3. Permanently, that is, until another use of an amulet turns him into a lizard man again.

Even if the hero is turned into a toad, three subsequent transformations into lizard man bring his attributes back to 18, near the starting values. You can then continue to power-up.

Beware: even the most powerful lizard man can still die of starvation, if he runs out of food!