Carsten's PPE Collection

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Tunnels-N-Tombs is a complex maze of levels containing good and bad items, monsters, traps and more. The trick to TNT is to learn as much as you can and use what you learn in your strategy to win the game. Of course, to win the game, you must travel to the last level, pick up the sacred star (*) and make it back out without getting killed. The following is a list of hints that might help someone to overcome the learning curve and take advantage of the game's features. Remember though, these are just hints. I'm not going to give it all away. - A ring of invisible (as long as it's not cursed) goes a long way in aiding your survival. - When a monster is killed and leaves an item behind, it is never cursed. - A scroll of lose item can be used to get rid of a cursed item. But you'll have to leave things you don't want to lose to the scroll behind before reading it. If your inventory pack contains only one item, you can be sure that is the item that will be lost to the scroll. - If you put on a ring of levitation and it's cursed, you're screwed unless you have a scroll of remove curse or lose item. Your best bet may be to starve to death and start over. - TNT *CAN* be played without a BBS. Set it up like a door but make your own DORINFO1.DEF drop file for TNT to read. Make the drop file look like the following example: BBS NAME SYSOP_FIRST_NAME SYSOP_LAST_NAME COM0 0 BAUD,N,8,1 0 YOUR_FIRST_NAME YOUR_LAST_NAME YOUR_CITY, ST 1 32000 255 When TNT is fired up it will run in local mode using your name information from the drop file. - An arrow is very effective when hurled while wielding a bow. - You can really cruise using fast mode. Enter the letter "F" followed by the direction you wish to move (movement keys). If you're sitting on a valid space, you'll cruise in the direction specified, if possible. - A wand of polymorph is generally more useful when used on other items rather than monsters. Zap a spent or un-needed item and maybe it will morph into a more desirable one. - Pressing "M" from within the game will display the last message. This is great for recalling the last message if you missed it. MONSTERS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tunnels-N-Tombs is equipped with 27 monsters which appear as the capital letters "A" through "Z" and the small letter "l". Each monster is created differently each time a new game is generated. For example, you may notice that after a new game is started, a Giant Eye may take 10 hitpoints before it is killed. In another game, it may only take 2 hitpoints to kill it. Before a monster is generated and placed in its resource file, it is created in its "raw" form which includes the monster's most basic characteristics. It also includes some ranges of characteristics which are randomly selected just before the monster is generated and placed in its resource file. The following pages provide a break-down of monsters in their raw form. Ranges used during generation are also given. The following explanation shows a list of fields which make-up each monster. Each of the fields is described. Character This is the letter which is displayed on-screen. This letter represents the monster described. Monster Name This is the name of the monster. Minimum Level This is the minimum level where this monster may appear. For example, if this value is 5, the monster will not appear until a level is reached that is 5% into the current maze. The exception to this rule is that monsters generated by wands or other actions, are usually exempt. Maximum Level This is the maximum level percentage where this monster may appear. User Level This is the user level assigned to this monster. The higher the user level, the meaner and badder the monster. Special Abilities This field shows any special abilities the monster may have. Hit Dice This is the value of the hit dice range assigned to this monster. For example, if this range is defined as 1 to 5, the monster could be assigned a hit point value of "<range> x hit_dice". Hit Points The number of hit points assigned to the monster during game generation will be a constant number (depending on the monster) multiplied by the value of the Hit Dice (see previous field). Damage Points Each monster is assigned a maximum number of damage points. This is the amount of damage it can do to a player after a successful hit against the player. Armor Class This is the armor class assigned to the monster. The higher the armor class, the harder it may be to hit the monster, depending on the player's characteristics. Experience Points This is the number of experience points player's will gain by killing this monster. This value is usually a multiple of the number of hit points assigned to the monster. BASIC MONSTER SPECS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Character: A Character: B Monster Name: Giant Ant Monster Name: Giant Bat Minimum Level: 1 Minimum Level: 1 Maximum Level: 20 Maximum Level: 20 User Level: 4 User Level: 3 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 8 Hit Dice: 1 to 8 Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice Damage Points: 1 to 4 Damage Points: 1 to 2 Armor Class: 4 Armor Class: 3 Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: C Character: D Monster Name: Centaur Monster Name: Dragon Minimum Level: 25 Minimum Level: 70 Maximum Level: 60 Maximum Level: 100 User Level: 7 User Level: 10 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: Zap (fire/frost) Hit Dice: 1 to 8 Hit Dice: 5 to 8 Hit Points: 4 x Hit Dice Hit Points: 9 x Hit Dice Damage Points: 1 to 8 Damage Points: 1 to 8 Armor Class: 5 Armor Class: 10 Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Character: E Character: F Monster Name: Giant Eye Monster Name: Frost Ghoul Minimum Level: 1 Minimum Level: 50 Maximum Level: 50 Maximum Level: 80 User Level: 3 User Level: 8 Special Abilities: Zap (freezing) Special Abilities: Zap (freezing) Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 2 x Hit Dice Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice Damage Points: 1 to 4 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Armor Class: 2 Armor Class: 6 Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: G Character: H Monster Name: Gargoyle Monster Name: Hobgoblin Minimum Level: 20 Minimum Level: 1 Maximum Level: 70 Maximum Level: 30 User Level: 7 User Level: 5 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 4 x Hit Dice + 3 Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice + 3 Damage Points: 2 to 4 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Armor Class: 7 Armor Class: 4 Experience Points: 4 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: I Character: J Monster Name: Imp Monster Name: Jackal Minimum Level: 5 Minimum Level: 1 Maximum Level: 40 Maximum Level: 30 User Level: 6 User Level: 4 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 2 x Hit Dice Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice Damage Points: 2 to 4 Damage Points: 2 to 4 Armor Class: 5 Armor Class: 3 Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: K Character: L Monster Name: Kobold Monster Name: Lizard Man Minimum Level: 5 Minimum Level: 10 Maximum Level: 40 Maximum Level: 40 User Level: 5 User Level: 6 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice + 1 Hit Points: 3 x Hit Dice + 3 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Damage Points: 2 to 5 Armor Class: 4 Armor Class: 6 Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: M Character: N Monster Name: Manticore Monster Name: Nymph Minimum Level: 40 Minimum Level: 30 Maximum Level: 70 Maximum Level: 60 User Level: 8 User Level: 6 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 5 x Hit Dice + 3 Hit Points: 2 x Hit Dice + 2 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Armor Class: 8 Armor Class: 5 Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Experience Points: 2 x Hit Points + 2 Character: O Character: P Monster Name: Ogre Monster Name: Phantom Minimum Level: 15 Minimum Level: 45 Maximum Level: 50 Maximum Level: 80 User Level: 6 User Level: 7 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 4 x Hit Dice + 1 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 3 Damage Points: 2 to 9 Damage Points: 2 to 12 Armor Class: 5 Armor Class: 7 Experience Points: 4 x Hit Points Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Character: Q Character: R Monster Name: Quasit Monster Name: Giant Rat Minimum Level: 40 Minimum Level: 1 Maximum Level: 70 Maximum Level: 30 User Level: 6 User Level: 3 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 2 x Hit Dice + 1 Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice Damage Points: 2 to 4 Damage Points: 2 to 4 Armor Class: 7 Armor Class: 1 Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: S Character: T Monster Name: Scorpion Monster Name: Troll Minimum Level: 20 Minimum Level: 60 Maximum Level: 50 Maximum Level: 100 User Level: 6 User Level: 9 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 3 x Hit Dice + 3 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 4 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Damage Points: 2 to 12 Armor Class: 7 Armor Class: 8 Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Experience Points: 6 x Hit Points +4 Character: U Character: V Monster Name: Umber Hulk Monster Name: Vampire Minimum Level: 60 Minimum Level: 50 Maximum Level: 100 Maximum Level: 90 User Level: 9 User Level: 10 Special Abilities: Zap (freezing) Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 4 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 4 Damage Points: 2 to 12 Damage Points: 2 to 12 Armor Class: 8 Armor Class: 9 Experience Points: 6 x Hit Points Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Character: W Character: X Monster Name: Werewolf Monster Name: Xarn Minimum Level: 50 Minimum Level: 60 Maximum Level: 90 Maximum Level: 100 User Level: 9 User Level: 10 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 2 Hit Points: 6 x Hit Dice + 5 Damage Points: 2 to 12 Damage Points: 2 to 15 Armor Class: 8 Armor Class: 10 Experience Points: 4 x Hit Points Experience Points: 5 x Hit Points Character: Y Character: Z Monster Name: Yetti Monster Name: Zombie Minimum Level: 30 Minimum Level: 30 Maximum Level: 70 Maximum Level: 70 User Level: 8 User Level: 7 Special Abilities: None Special Abilities: None Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 4 x Hit Dice + 2 Hit Points: 4 x Hit Dice + 3 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Damage Points: 2 to 10 Armor Class: 6 Armor Class: 5 Experience Points: 4 x Hit Points Experience Points: 3 x Hit Points Character: l (small letter) Monster Name: Leprechaun Minimum Level: 20 Maximum Level: 90 User Level: 6 Special Abilities: Steals gold Hit Dice: 1 to 7 Hit Points: 1 x Hit Dice + 1 Damage Points: 2 to 8 Armor Class: 5 Experience Points: 4 x Hit Points Again, you should keep in mind that monsters are generated differently for each new game. Using these definitions, you can see how monsters can change dramatically from game-to-game while still maintaining an order from least to most difficult to defeat. ITEMS ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Just as monsters are randomly assigned certain values, so too are other items such as wands, potions, scrolls and weapons. For example, in one game, a wand of blasting might have 3 charges. In another game, it may have only 1 charge. This was done to keep things interesting and to avoid constants which become predictable when avid players discover and remember them. You can imagine the advantage a player would have if he or she knew the potential of each and every item and monster in the game. The following list explains each item that a player can use along with some notes that may be helpful. RINGS Up to 2 rings can be worn by a player at a time. Rings can be cursed. A cursed ring cannot be removed until the curse has been removed or until the player reads a scroll of lose item and the cursed ring is the item that is lost. Ring Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Regeneration Adds 1 hitpoint per turn up to player's maximum, while worn. Protection Adds +1 to the armor class of the armor being worn. When cursed, subtracts one. Gain Strength Adds +1 to +3 to player's strength while worn. If cursed, subtracts +1 to +3. Invisibility While this ring is worn, the player's piece is not displayed. When the current level is not lit, nothing is revealed as the player moves. If cursed, it cannot be removed which puts the player in a position where he might consider starving himself to death if no scroll of remove curse is available. Levitation Causes the player to levitate while worn. When a player is levitating, can attack and be attacked but cannot pick up items. Player is immune to traps (levitates over them). Fire Resistance Protects the player against fire attacks by dragons while worn. Dragons can still attack in hand-to-hand but cannot throw fire at the player and do any damage. Cold Resistance Protects the player against frost attacks by dragons and frost ghouls. Teleportation When this ring is put on, the player is teleported to a randomly selected space on the same level. The ring then comes off automatically. This ring cannot be cursed. Fullness While worn, the player's vittles count remains the same so in effect, the player doesn't get any hungrier. If the player is wearing a cursed ring of hunger, this ring can counter its effect and still allow the player to move without getting hungry. Vampire When this ring is put on, the player's life blood runs from his character. Specifically, hitpoints are halved until this is taken off. Searching While this ring is worn, the player will not be allowed to move his piece onto a trap. Instead, the player is warned of the trap and the trap becomes visible. Hunger This ring is the opposite of fullness in that while it is worn, the player will use twice as many vittles while moving. POTIONS Players drink potions which may help or cause undesirable effects. Potions cannot be cursed. Potion Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Levitation Causes the player to levitate for "x" number of turns (selected randomly). Has the same effect as a ring of levitation. Healing This helps to heal a player. When a player's hitpoints are decimated, this potion will restore them up to the current maximum. For example, if a player has 10 of 20 hitpoints (10(20) on the status bar) this potion would restore it to 20(20). Extra Healing Like the potion of healing but also increases the player's current maximum hitpoints. Poison This potion is one to watch out for. If a player drinks this, he stands to lose a good deal of strength as well as hitpoints. Once the strength is lost, the only way to regain it is to drink a potion of Restore Strength or eat lots of spinach. Restore Strength This potion restores a user's strength back to the player's current maximum strength. For example, if a player has 10(18) strength, this potion will fully restore the player's strength back to 18(18). Gain Level When a player drinks this potion, he gains enough experience points to move him to the next user level. Confusion After drinking this potion, the player becomes confused for "x" number of turns. When in a confused state, the player's piece doesn't move exactly the way the player intends. Speed This potion causes the player's attack rate to be increased for "x" number of turns. During this period, the player will attack twice each time an attack is made on a monster. Slow Player This potion causes a player to become sluggish for "x" number of turns. During this period, the player will move only once for every two move commands until the potion wears off. Invisible After drinking this potion, the player becomes invisible for "x" number of turns. While invisible, this potion acts as the ring of invisible does. Wine If a player drinks this one, he becomes drunk for "x" number of turns. Like the potion of confusion but doesn't last as long. SCROLLS Scrolls are handy items to have around but like potions, some may be harmful. Each scroll may be read once and disappears after it has been read. Scrolls cannot be cursed. Scroll Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Identify This valuable scroll allows the player to identify any item in his pack. Once an item has been identified, it is displayed as if the player has used the item before. Teleport When this scroll is read, the player's piece is teleported to a randomly selected space on the same level. Destroy Armor As the name implies, this scroll causes the player's armor to disintigrate. Might be good when wearing a cursed piece of armor. Enchant Weapon When this scroll is read, the armor being worn is enhanced. That is, the armorclass of the worn armor is increased by 1. If the armor worn is cursed (eg. armorclass -5) reading several of these scrolls could be quite useful. Maximum armorclass is +11. Fire When this scroll is read it bursts into flames damage to the player in the form of lost hitpoints. Light Reading this scroll on an unlit level causes the level to be lit as though a wand of light were zapped. Blasting When this scroll is read, a number of hitpoints is is subtracted from each monster on the current level. Dang handy scroll but watch out... if a scroll of blasting (or wand of blasting) is used twice on the same level, the player is killed when the tombs collapse on them. Remove Curse When this scroll is read, any cursed item carried by the player is "un-cursed". For example, a -4 weapon becomes a +4 weapon and may be unwielded or hurled. Lose Item When this scroll is read, a randomly selected item is lost from the player's current pack. If the player's pack is empty, this scroll has no effect. Create Food When read, this scroll causes the player's vittles count to be increased by a random number. ARMOR When armor is being worn, the player is harder for monsters to hit. This is proportional to the armorclass of the armor being worn. For example, a player wearing +5 armor is harder to hit than a player wearing +4 armor. Armor can be cursed. Armor Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Leather Found primarily on beginning levels. Offers +2 armorclass protection. Ring Mail Offers +3 armorclass protection. Scale Mail Offers +4 armorclass protection. Chain Mail Offers +6 armorclass protection. Banded Mail Offers +8 armorclass protection. Plate Mail The best. Offers +10 armorclass protection. WEAPONS Weapons are wielded by players to aid them in attacking monsters. Weapons have an assigned armorclass for each weapon type. For example, a +4 Battleaxe does more damage than a +3 Battleaxe. However, a Flail is a better weapon than a Battleaxe and therefore a +3 Flail will probably do more damage than a +4 Battleaxe. Weapons can be cursed. When a weapon is cursed and wielded it cannot be unwielded or hurled. All weapons may be hurled at a monster except the Flail, Bow, or Club. When a weapon is hurled, it is removed from the game even if it misses its intended target. Weapons are assigned a random armorclass during map generation depending on the weapon type. Therefore, armorclass is not listed in the table below, which lists weapons from least to most damaging. Weapon Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Arrow Most effective if hurled while a bow is wielded. Otherwise, does minimum damage. Rock Imagine getting clubbed with one of these. It's a good sized rock too. Can be hurled nicely. Club This isn't for locking your car. It's for wielding and hitting. Cannot be hurled. Battleaxe Great for wielding and hurling. Flail Cannot be hurled but good for wielding. Hammer Not your ordinary hammer. Dagger Wield it to stab your victim or hurl it. Spear Chuck this sucker at a monster to do some damage. Bow Cannot be hurled. When wielded, makes hurling an arrow more effective. Short Sword Great for wielding and hurling. Long Sword Like the short sword but longer and heavier duty. Claymore Sword Most damaging weapon. The Claymore isn't a mine either. It's a heavy duty sword that keeps its edge even when you're losing yours! WANDS Wands cannot be cursed. They only zap. Most wands are used to zap monsters in the hopes of killing them but some have other effects. Wands have "x" number of charges (selected at random during map generation). Once a wand's charges are used up, you might as well leave it since it will only take up space in your pack. Weapon Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Magic Missle Not very damaging but does hurt the monster it hits. Fire Does significant damage to the monster is hits. Light When zapped on an unlit level, this causes the level to be lighted. This light is only in effect until you a) move to another level or b) leave the current level to the main menu. Frost Does significant damage to the monster it hits. Striking Does minor damage to the monster it hits. Lightning Does significant damage to the monster it hits. Negation This wand negates a monster's special abilities. For example, a Giant Eye has the ability to zap you. Zapping a Giant Eye with this wand takes away that ability. Also great for Frost Ghouls, Umber Hulks and Dragons. Fear Zapping a monster with this little beauty causes it to fear you. When a monster fears you, it won't even fight back when attacked. This makes a monster easy prey. Teleportation This wand can zap an item or a monster and cause it to be teleported to another space on the same level. Handy when you're in a jam. Polymorph This wand can be zapped at an item or a monster causing it to be changed. A zapped monster will change into another monster. A zapped item will be changed into another item. Handy for zapping items that are useless in an effort to transform them into something useful. Sleep Like the fear charge, this wand will cause a zapped monster to fall asleep. Sleeping monsters will not chase you. However, if attacked, they will wake up in a rotten mood. Blasting Like the scroll of blasting, this wand will cause all monsters on the current level to lose a random number of hitpoints. But beware, if a wand or scroll of blasting is used twice on the same level, the tombs will collapse, killing the player. Revealing When zapped, this wand causes all items and monsters on the current level to be illuminated regardless of whether or not the level is currently lit. FOOD Food rations are placed throughout TNT and are depicted by the % character. Food may be tainted. When tainted food is eaten, the player vomits it back up and gains or loses nothing. Untainted food will replenish a player's Vittles supply by a randomly selected number. There are 5 types of food. Food Name Description ------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Tomato How on earth these were preserved over centuries is most puzzling. Good for 75-200 vittles. Dog Food Originally intended to feed guard dogs prior to sealing the TNT. Good for around 200-400 vittles. Tin of Sardines Keeps very well in the cool of the tombs. Good for 200-400 vittles. Food Ration A ration of some food that usually is good for 250-500 vittles. Spinach Real good for you and good for 250-500 vittles. Eating this might also increase the player's strength by 1..3 points. GOLD Gold is scattered throughout TNT and is depicted by the $ character. When a player moves onto this character, the gold pieces are picked up automatically. Gold is not carried in the user's pack. When a player has 2500 or more gold pieces, he may B>uy a saved level. OTHER NOTES When a monster is killed, it will sometimes leave an item behind. Items that can be left behind include food as well as any other item that can be carried by a player. Players may purchase a saved level for 2500 gold pieces. When a player buys a saved level, the current level is saved and can be restored later should the player get killed. Saved levels are not liberal and the following characteristics should be considered: a) When a player buys a saved level, any existing previously saved level is forfeited and overwritten. b) If a player dies and has a saved level, the player is given the opportunity to restore the saved level AT THAT TIME. If the player does not opt to restore the saved level, it will be forfeited. Saved levels can only be restored at the time the player dies. c) Saved levels are NOT available once a player reaches the last level of the maze. Additionally, any previously saved level is forfeited when the player reaches the last level.