Time

In Angband, everything your character does takes time, expressed as turns, also known as game turns. A turn is (very roughly) equivalent to one second (see note, below). When moving at normal speed, each time your character moves one space, ten turns (or seconds) pass. The number of turns taken in the current game can be seen on the Character Screen, or by viewing the Hall of Fame.

Confusingly, there is another place where the game refers to 'turns': if you are carrying a torch or lantern, and press 'e' to see your equipment list, the number of turns of light left in the light source is shown; here, each 'turn' is actually equal to 10 game turns.

Other than moving, actions can take longer or shorter times: for example, picking up an object from the floor generally takes one turn. You can also choose to repeat actions either for a number of turns, or on an open-ended basis until the goal is achieved.

Note: A day lasts 100,000 turns (in the town, this means that there are 50,000 turns of daylight, followed by a tropically rapid nightfall, and then the same number of turns of night). A day is 24 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds, which is 86,400 seconds, so a turn is actually 0.864 seconds. But treating a turn as a second is close enough.

Increasing Character Speed

There are a number of ways of increasing your character's speed above normal: there are spells, potions, staves and rods which can increase speed temporarily, and permanent speed increases can be bestowed by special rings, boots and other magical items which can be worn.

Temporary speed effects increase speed by +10 (see below); only one temporary speed increase can be in effect at any given time, and further potions, spells, etc., merely extend the duration of the temporary effect),

Permanent speed effects are cumulative (so wearing more than one item is worthwhile), but items which give permanent speed increase can give variable bonuses, from +1 upwards.

If moving at faster than normal speed, this is shown at the bottom of the screen in bright green text, e.g. Fast (+10). Each extra point of speed is effectively a bonus of 10% to the speed at which the character moves, so +5 means he or she is moving half as fast again as normal speed, +10 at twice normal speed, and +20 three times normal speed (above +25, each point gives a somewhat smaller bonus). This means twice (or three times) as many combat attacks, chances to fire a missile, or opportunities to cast a spell – an advantage which can be very significant.

Going Slow – Moving Below Normal Speed

Some powerful monsters have magical attacks, or can cast spells, which can temporarily slow a character. Like temporary increases, these are not cumulative in effect but only in duration, and decreases speed by -10.

Speed can also be affected by how encumbered your character is. Once the aggregate weight of equipment and inventory exceeds a value based on the character's STRength, the character will move more slowly, and this penalty will increase with the weight carried. As this is a permanent (while the weight limit is exceeded) penalty, it can take any negative value from -1 onwards.

A speed of -10 is equivalent to half normal speed, -20 to one third of normal speed, and so on.

The Speed of Your Enemies

Most monsters move at the same, normal, speed as characters, but some may be faster or slower. Monsters described as moving slowly generally have a speed equivalent to a character with speed -10 (half normal speed); moving fast is equivalent to +10 (double speed) and very fast movement is equivalent to +20 (triple speed). A few very powerful monsters, probably including Morgoth himself, move at +30, or nearly four times normal speed. This underlines how important to your character's survival his or her own speed bonuses will be, merely to remain on an equal footing.

Some intelligent monsters may be able to cast spells to increase their own speed, while scrolls which aggravate monsters and the ability of some monsters to call for help may affect the speed of creatures coming to attack you.