How is Cthangband different from Angband?
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Cthangband has developed a great deal of differences from Angband. Here
are some of the more important:
- Skills: Instead of having levels and classes, every Cthangband
character has skills of varying value. Skills are improved by using
them, although there are limits. As far as can be enforced, the use
has to be realistic, and each dungeon level has a limit on how far
a skill can be raised there.
- Races:
There are many more races available, with different
characteristics. Most have some sort of racial power they can use
by paying mana, chi, or hit points, and some get other benefits
when their racial power skill is high enough. (The equivalent
of Angband's Dunadan or Zangband's Amberite is the Great One.)
- Templates: There are no character classes per se, but there
are a selection of character templates. Templates help define
starting skill levels and equipment (which may include bound
spirits), and how fast the character can advance in various skills.
Templates have very little effect at the end of the game, since
a character can acquire any desired skill during the game.
(The best equivalent to Angband's Fighter class is Gladiator,
although Swashbuckler is also a good choice.)
- Wilderness: There are multiple dungeons (and towers) in a
wilderness. To win, eliminate all guardian monsters, not just one
or two. There are also multiple towns with differences between them.
- Speed:
Speed has been broken down, so that a ring of speed affects
movement speed only, not combat abilities. Items in belt pouches may
be used very fast, high-level mages can cast low-level spells very fast,
and skilled fighters can hit foes very fast. (The Ringil-equivalent is
still a very good weapon, but not a no-brain choice.)
- Hermetic Magic: This is the main successor to Angband magic. It
comes in four schools, Necromancy, Conjuring, Thaumaturgy, and Sorcery,
and each spell is of type Animae, Naturae, Vis, or Corporis. Each
school has four spellbooks available (two in shops, two only in the
dungeon or black market). The skill for an individual spell is the
average of the caster's skill in that school and skill in that type.
There is one skill to determine Mana, and this also determines the
number of spells that may be learned. Hermetic mages should have good
Intelligence, and should not wear gloves that do not confer free
action or enhance dexterity.
- Mindcrafting:
This is the use of psychic powers. There are only
a few mindcrafting powers, but they increase in power with Mindcrafting
skill. Mindcrafting does not require books, or anything else carried
around, but the wearing of any headgear (except Wisdom-boosting or
providing ESP) hinders it. Mindcrafting powers get their power from
Chi, similar to but separate from Mana, and Mindcrafters need good
Wisdom.
- Hedge Magic:
This involves carrying certain charms around to cast
rather low-powered cantrips from. Each charm has its own cantrips.
Charms are not permanent, but will disintegrate with a failed casting,
and possibly even with a successful one. There is no real governing
characteristic, but witches with high Intelligence cast cantrips
more reliably.
- Spirit Magic: This involves making pacts with spirits and asking
them for favors. There are four "life" spirits and four "wild" spirits
of differing power, and making pacts with them involves losing points
in some characteristics. This is the only way to get powerful healing
magic. Shamans need to have good Charisma.
- Martial Arts:
This is an alternative form of fighting monsters.
To use Martial Arts, wear light armor (the limit starts at 10 pounds,
and goes up with skill), and do not wield a weapon. Martial Artists
gain some armor class for each piece of armor not used, and move
increasingly quickly as they gain skill. Their bodies become deadly
weapons, capable of inflicting great damage.
All contents of these pages
Copyright 2000 by David H. Thornley.