Inscriptions

You use the '{' and '}' keys to inscribe and uninscribe objects. The inscription on an object can have all sorts of effects.

To designate a main and backup weapon:

Inscribe both with "@w0". The 'X' command will replace whatever melee weapon you are wielding with another so inscribed. You may also inscribe these or other weapons with "@w1", etc., and wield weapons 0, 1, 2 and so on as desired.

To have a given command always use the same spellbook:

Inscribe it with "@m#", or "@p#", replacing the '#' with whatever digit you desire. This allows you to set up macros to cast a spell knowing that it will never choose the wrong book. Similar inscriptions make archery very convenient, and allow you to always use a given magical device with the same keystrokes.

In general, if you inscribe anything with @<any command><any digit>, you can issue the command, type the digit, and use the first legal inscribed object.

To prevent accidental use of an object with any command:

Inscribe it with "!x", where 'x' is the letter you type to issue that command. If you are very paranoid, inscribe it with "!*"

To automatically pick up an object:

Inscribe it with "=g". Especially useful for anything you throw.

Inscriptions for fun and profit:

Try inscribing the first monster killed by a weapon, hidden object abilities, and where you found the item or who dropped it.

Automatic inscriptions:

The game also inscribes objects automatically. Some of these inscriptions will disappear when the item is identified, and you may overwrite others.

• "broken": Object is broken in some way.
• "cursed": Object is cursed.
• "empty": Object has no more charges (and you know this).
• "indestructible": Object cannot be destroyed.
• "tried": Used an object, didn't learn anything about it.
• "50% off": Object is worth 50% less than normal.

Macros and keymaps

Quick Tutorial

Mages are forever casting spell "a", Magic Missile, in spellbook "a", Magic for Beginners. In both keysets, that's "maa", plus "*" to enter targeting mode, and finally "t" to target. Wouldn't it be nice if you could do all this with a single keypress? You can.

Choose an unused command (we shall pick "'" by way of example). Bring up the macro/keymap screen by typing "@". Press "8" to create a keymap, and the game will ask you for a trigger. Type "'". You then shift to the action field, where you input all the commands you want "'" to perform when pressed. In this case, you would enter: "maa*t", and press return.

Now save your new keymap by typing "6", and either allow the game to choose your character's name for the preference file, or (if you want all of your characters to use the same keymap) save to "user.prf".

This is only the beginning. What you can do with a spell, you can do with arrows, Rods of Trap Location, resting, activating stuff, talents, searching; all sorts of command combinations can profitably be macroed. Macros and keymaps are even more flexible when used in combination with object inscriptions.

In all cases, you remember the exact series of keypresses you need to issue, pick an unused trigger key, and fill in the action field.

Macros

Macros allow you to use a single keypress to activate a series of keypresses. They fire off in almost all cases: when the game is waiting for a command, is showing a menu, is asking you to enter text, etc. The only time they don't activate is when you already have a macro active.

You may use any key as a macro trigger, but it is recommended that you not use ordinary letters. You fill out the action field with the same commands you normally use.

Keymaps (sometimes known as "command macros")

Keymaps only fire off when the game is waiting for a command. You may not use special keys (like F1-F12) as keymap triggers, and must use underlying commands in the action field (a list of such commands is supplied below).

Effects of one on the other

Macros are often affected by keymaps; you may bypass keymaps in macros by putting a "\" before any action key. Keymaps are never affected by macros.

Examples

Macros are so handy that players (Jim Lyon in particular) have compiled lists of helpful tricks.

• To clear any pending messages:
  Insert some "\e"s (escapes) before and/or after your macros. Be careful about skipping past important info! If you want to be a little more careful, use "\s"s (spaces) instead.
• To learn how to represent any key:
  Some keys cannot be entered simply as numbers or letters. To figure out how to include the escape key in an action, for example, you bring up the macro/keymap screen, type 3: Query a macro, and press escape (ESC) when asked for a trigger. This will tell you that an escape is represented by "\e".
• Rest as needed:
  Keymap a trigger key to "R*\r". This is also helpful when waiting for a monster to approach, because you recover mana and HPs twice as quickly than when staying in place.
• Activate the Phial:
  Macro a trigger key to "Af\s\s".

In Depth

Not all keys can be entered as simple numbers or letters:

• \e : escape (useful for clearing the message line)
• \r : return
• \n : newline (is normally treated the same as return)
• \s : space (' ')
• \ : backslash ('\')
• \^ : caret ('^')
• ^X : control-X (other control keys use the same system)
• \x80 : character in position 0x80 (in hex: decimal equivalent would be 128)

Listing of underlying commands:

Underlying commands are usually the same as those in the original keyset, but there are important exceptions: