Nethack Roles

This guide will point out things that players should keep in mind about early-game with some roles. This guide will only explain about early-game and suggestions to do during those time, also this guide will not extends beyond Sokoban.

Valkyrie

  • You got cold resistance at level 1, stealth at level 1, and speed at level 7.
  • Reach Expert in long sword and dagger. Don’t bother with spells.
  • Read 1 low-leveled spellbook. this way, you can forget it 20.000 turns later.
  • If playing Lawful Dwarven Valkyrie, go to Minetown early for the shops and (hopefully) magic lamp.
  • Accumulate stack of daggers from Dwarves in Gnomish Mines. Use your pet if they’re peaceful.
  • Get Excalibur when you’re at least level 5. Preferably level 7 for speed intrinsics.
  • If you can find silver saber, train it to Basic. You can find one on Minetown watch captain.
  • You can reach Skilled in two weapon combat, but some people prefer having shields over twoweaponing.
  • After Minetown, go for Sokoban. Mines’ end is not that necessary because Valkyrie quest artifact acts as a luckstone.

Rogue

  • You got stealth at level 1, and searching at level 10.
  • Orcs have slightly easier early-game due to their starting food, poison resistance, infravision, cannibalism, and same-race sacrifice. However, humans have better starting weapon and stats.
  • Drop your starting short sword immediately because you’ll never use it.
  • Your main weapon is thrown daggers, your main objective is to train it to Expert.
  • Do an early Sokoban to train your strength.
  • Untrap dart traps, and #dip it in your starting potion of sickness.
  • If you want to, reach Expert in crossbows, but don’t advance this skill beyond Basic until you have mastered daggers.
  • If you can find silver saber, train it to Skilled. You can find one on Minetown watch captain.
  • You can reach Expert in two weapon combat. But, some people prefer not to because single-handed Grayswandir does a lot of damage already.
  • If you want to train spells, you can reach Skilled in divination, escape, and matter.

Barbarian

  • You got poison resistance at level 1, speed at level 7, and stealth at level 15.
  • Reach Expert in axe. Because, your first sacrifice is a guaranteed artifact battle-axe (Cleaver).
  • Scum until you start the game with battle-axe (50% chance) because it has more damage and train axe skill.
  • Barbarian is bad at spellcasting. Just Hulk Smash your way until you ascend :)
  • Read 1 low-leveled spellbook. this way, you can forget it 20.000 turns later.
  • If you find a coaligned altar, camp it until you get Cleaver.
  • Two-handed weapon is bad against curse, use #tip and genocide L to make your life easier.
  • Two-handed weapon is prone to curse, late-game try to sacrifice until you get Frost Brand, and twoweapon it with silver weapon.
  • Additionally, you can reach Basic in two weapon combat, Basic in saber, and Skilled in long sword.

Samurai

  • You got speed at level 1, and stealth at level 15.
  • Drop your starting wakizashi (short sword) immediately because you’ll never use it.
  • Reach Expert in long sword, and two weapon combat.
  • You can reach Expert in bow, but veteran players recommend to level it until Skilled only.
  • Samurai strategy is simple. Just Hulk Smash your way until you ascend :)
  • Find a long sword and turn it into Excalibur. Twoweapon it with your katana. Alternatively, try Snickersnee.

Wizard

  • You got teleport at will (if the character has teleportitis) at level 8, warning at level 15, and teleport control at level 17.
  • Drop your starting quarterstaff immediately because dagger is better, grab the first you can find, and collect tons of them to throw.
  • Reach Expert in dagger. Because, your first sacrifice is a guaranteed artifact dagger (Magicbane).
  • Until you have better spells (like Magic Missile) and Pw, early game you’re a warrior with a dagger.
  • Read any non-cursed spellbooks you find, you get warning if it’s too difficult.
  • If you find a coaligned altar, camp it until you get Magicbane.
  • Go down to the Oracle level and breaking statues there in search of spellbooks.