Guide:First Steps
Welcome to SlothMUD, a text-based online Multi-User Dungeon based on DikuMUD. This free game is enjoyed continuously by players worldwide. With over 23,500 uniquely described rooms, 8,300 distinct creatures, 12,200 characters and 7,100 pieces of equipment, charms, trinkets and other items, our online RPG world is absolutely enormous and ready to explore.
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Introduction
This guide is designed to help inexperienced players with their first steps into the world. If you are an experienced MUD player, it is recommended that you skip down to the Getting your Bearings section for information specific to Sloth.
Command Conventions
The command lists below contain various commands and their parameters and a description of what those commands accomplish. Acceptable abbreviations are in bold. Required parameters are shown in angle brackets (<>) and optional parameters are shown with square brackets ([]).
Keyword Conventions
There are some shortcuts that allow you to process multiple items with a single command.
| Item Specified | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Single Keyword | Using a single keyword (ie "food" or "guard") will process one item or mobile. |
| #.Keyword | Using a number before the keyword (ie "2.food" or "2.guard") will process the nth item/mobile only (in this case the 2nd). |
| all.keyword | Using the alldot specifier before the keyword (ie "all.food") will process all items matching the keyword (in this case "food"). |
| all | Using the word "all" will process the command on all visible items. |
Examples:
- get all
- put all.food 2.bag
- hit 3.guard
Basic Commands
If you haven't already logged into the game, log in and press [ENTER] until you reach the main menu. Select option "1" at the menu and press [ENTER].
Look Command
The "look" command is the most basic command for gaining information about your whereabouts. It can be used in the following fashion:
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Look | Display the name of the current room, a description of the room, and all visible players and items in the room. |
| Look <direction> | Display a description of the next room in that direction. |
| Look <player> Look <mobile> Look <item> |
Display a description of the specified player or mobile or item. |
| Look in <container> | Display a list of items in the container. If the container contains a liquid, it will provide a description of the liquid and how much is contained. |
Movement Commands
There are several basic movement commands to help you move from room to room. These commands are listed in the table below.
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| North, East, South, West, Up, Down | Move to the next room in the specified direction. |
| Enter [object] | Move through an object such as a portal or walk from outside a building to inside. |
| Climb [object] | Climb an object such as a ladder or cliff. Requires the skill to be successful. |
| Exit | Leaves the room to go outside or disembarks from a boat or other vehicle. |
| Exits | Lists the possible directions to move. Does not include enter or climb destinations. Directions listed with square brackets are closed and must be opened before moving in that direction. |
| Scan | Shows a summary of all nearby players and mobiles in each direction. |
| Open <door> [direction] | Open a door or gate. If there are multiple similarly named doors in a room, you can specify the direction to make sure you open the desired one. |
| Close >door> [direction] | Performs the opposite of the open command. |
| Lock <door> [direction] | Locks the specified door. Requires the correct key. |
| Unlock <door> [direction] | Unlocks the specified door. Requires the correct key. |
| Pick <door> [direction] | Attemps to pick the lock on the specified door. Requires the skill to be successful. Not all doors can be picked, some require a key or other action to open. |
Position Commands
Most of the time your character will be standing in order to walk around the various rooms in the realm. But there are other positions you can change to that allow you to regenerate faster. These positions are more vulnerable than standing and attackers will do additional damage if they catch you off guard. Some commands can only be performed while awake and some commands require you to rest. Commands for changing position are listed below.
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Stand | Puts the character back in standing position from one of the positions below. |
| Sit | Sit down if standing or sit up if resting. |
| Rest | The resting position is the most relaxed position while still awake. Characters need to rest in order to read the skill and spell books in the guilds. |
| Sleep | The sleeping position is extremely vulnerable but provides the fastest regeneration. Sleeping characters will not observe anything in the room and can easily be stolen from. |
| Wake | Wake from sleeping and go into the sitting position. |
There are four additional involuntary positions. They are:
| Position | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Stunned | The character is either knocked out due to an opponent's skill or due to reaching zero hit points. A stunned character will regain consciousness if they aren't hit again. |
| Incapacitated | The character has dropped below zero hit points but has not died. The character will continue to lose hit points until they die. |
| Mortally Wounded | The character is on the verge of death and will die very soon. |
| Dead | The character has died. For more information on the options presented to dead characters, see Guide:Death. |
Getting your Bearings
Newbatia Map
If you chose to start in Newbatia, an interactive map can be found in your inventory. Type "look map" to view this map. Your location will be shown in green and the location of other players will be shown in red. Maps for most areas can be found in this wiki in Category:Areas.
Player Test Mode
If you would like to play test a high level character to make sure you've made the right choice for your primary class, you can use the ptest command. The command performs the following operations:
- Raises your character to level 40 in the first four classes.
- Gives your character all available skills and spells for those classes.
- Gives your character a high level set of equipment.
- Limits access to many item commands such as "get" and "drop" to prevent cheating.
- Allows the character to accumulate gold and experience while testing.
- If in Newbatia, the character is teleported to Bal Harbor since the continent of Valkyre is limited to players below level 21.
- Only level 1 characters can use the command. After gaining level 2 the command is unavailable.
- Use the command "ptest return" to end player test mode. This will teleport you back to the city you were in when you originally started testing.
- Type "help ptest" in the game for additional information.
Start your first Quest
If you're still in Newbatia, use your map to locate the Inn of Newbatia. Use the movement commands to walk there. When you reach the inn, you should see Shelda, the Valkrye Innkeeper. Use the "ask" command to "ask shelda about quest". Shelda will tell you about a number of different quests. Use the "ask" command again to ask shelda about the particular quest for your primary class. The command would be something like "ask shelda about mage_guild". Shelda will give you instructions for completing the quest.
Learning Skills
Use your map to locate your guild. Some guilds are inside the town while others may be just outside town. Instructions for reaching these guilds can be found at the bottom of the map. Walk to your guild using the movement commands above and stop when you reach your guildmaster. Note that players automatically given their level 1 spells but will need to learn any new spells after gaining levels.
Guild Commands
The following commands are related to guilds, earning new levels, and learning to skills and spells.
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Score | Display statistics about your character including earned experience and gold. |
| Level | Display the amount of experience required to gain your next level in this guild. Experience is gained through killing mobiles, exploring new areas, learning skills, and completing some quests. |
| Level gain | Spend your acquired experience and gold to raise your character to the next level in this guild. Raising levels may increase your character's hit points, mana points, movement points, and which spells and skills are available. |
| Practice | Shows a list of skills and spells that are available to your character and to what percentage you have studied these skills. The maxmimum percentage for most skills is 85% while the maximum for most spells is 95%. |
| Skills <class> | Shows a list of skills available to the specified class and at what level. |
| Spells <class> | Shows a list of spells available to the specified class and at what level. |
Type the "score" command to view your current level of experience and gold. Then type the "level" command to view the amount needed for your next level. You'll find that you still have work to do to reach level 2. If the guild hall has multiple exits, you should explore them in order to complete the quest to received from Shelda. As you're exploring, you'll probably notice one or more spell or skill books on the floor of the guild. Each book corresponds to a different skill or spell. Before you can read these books, you'll need to become more "relaxed".
Learn Skills and Spells
Now that you know the positions, "rest" in the guild and attempt to "read" the different books and manuals that have been left in the guild. If the skill or spell is available to you, you'll start to read the book. During this time, you must remain rested and can not interact with other players. Once enough time has elapsed, you'll be told that you've finished reading. Type the "practice" command to see what skill or spell you have learned and to what percentage you have learned it.
Hint: You can read a skill or spell book multiple times to increase the percentage. A higher percentage means a better chance of success when attempting to use the skill or spell. Once you reach the maximum percentage possible you'll be told you can't learn any more from that book.
Hint: Each time you read a skill or spell book successfully, you will gain experience.
Hint: If there are multiple spellbooks in the room, you can read the second book by typing "read 2.spellbook".
Hint: You can type "help <skill>" or "help <spell>" to identify which book you need for a given skill or spell.
Hint: The Newbatia Library has a collection of books that can be purchased for free.
Hint: If you can't find a skill book at your guild, you might find it at a different guild that teaches the same skill. The 1st level skills for Bards (sneak and pick locks) can be found at a different guild in Newbatia.
As you reach higher levels you will learn that some spellbooks decay after being read. In these cases you'll have to find multiple copies of the book in order to reach the maximum percentage.
Complete the Quest
Once you've finished learning all of your skills and spells, return to Shelda to complete your quest. Shelda will reward you with two Drachma, a special currency used by some Magic Shops.
Managing Items
There are variety of items scattered throughout the realm that will assist you in your various quests. The commands for managing these items can be found below.
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Inventory | Displays the list of items you are carrying. Items in inventory are "inactive." |
| Equipment | Displays the list of items you are wearing or using. Worn items are "active" in that they affect your character. Worn armor makes it harder to hit you and wielded weapons are used while fighting. |
| Get <item> | Picks up the item from the room and places it in your inventory. |
| Get <item> from <container> | Take the item from a container and place it in your inventory. |
| Drop <item> | Remove the specified item from inventory and leave it in the current room. |
| Put <item> <container> | Remove the specified item from inventory and place it inside the specified container. |
| Wear <item> Wield <item> Hold <item> |
Equip/wear the specified item in your inventory. |
| Remove <item> | Remove the specified item from your body and place it in inventory. |
Type the "equipment" and "inventory" commands now to view the items that have been given to you by default.
Leaving the Game
When you've decided to leave the game, there are three methods that you should be aware of.
Renting a Room
The best way to leave is to rent a room at the Inn. The following commands are used at the Inn.
| Command | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Offer | Display a list of items for which rent will be charged. Rent applies only to items in inventory and not items that are worn/equipped. |
| Rent | Rent a room and exit the game. The Innkeeper will take 1/6 of the daily rental fee up front. Any additional charges will occur when you come back into the game. |
Dropping Connection
If you drop your connection, you'll be auto-rented after a period of inactivity. This works similar to renting a room, except that you will return with minimal hit points and mana after sleeping in the wild.
Using the Quit! Command
Typing the entire word "quit!" will drop all of your items (equipped and inventory) and leave them in the current room. You will then be disconnected. When you return to the game, you will have nothing.
Additional Help
Help Pages
Extensive help pages can be viewed from within the game. Type "help" to get a list of frequently viewed topics or "help <topic>" to view detailed help information for a specific topic or command.
Newbie Channel
SlothMUD contains several "channels" that can be turned on and off for communicating different types of messages to the players currently online. For New Players, the "newbie" channel exists to get help from experienced players. Type "newbie <message>" to send a message to all players currently listening to the Newbie channel.
Mobile Questions
If you can't get your answer from another player, most mobiles in the towns can answer basic questions to help you find people or places in that town. You can enter commands such as:
- Ask <mobile> where is <player or mobile>?
- Ask <mobile> where is <guild or inn or store>?
Next Step
At this point you should have a character with 1st level skills, a completed quest, and some basic equipment. Next step: adventure!
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