User Guide

When you encounter hostile monsters, your party goes on full alert. Two windows
will automatically appear. One will show you the names and number of the monsters
you are facing, and the other will be used to gather instructions and report on the
progress of the combat. You will also be shown pictures of the monsters you are
desperately trying to overcome. Once the battle is underway, only the narration
window is shown. There you'll see a description of the combat, your character's
actions and the monster's actions.
Most of the time, you will only be told what the monsters look like, not what they
really are. For example, their descriptions may say "Unseen Entity." This identifies the
monsters as one of that nasty group. However, knowing their true identity as
"Vampires" will enable you to take a better defense against them. Eventually, you will
learn what it takes to defeat different types of monsters. To discern their true
identities your character's I.Q. must be high enough.
Combat proceeds in rounds. Each round, both you and the monsters decide what
actions to take, and then Wizardry mediates the combat. Combat is over when either
side runs away or is totally defeated.
Each active character in your party will be presented with a list of options each round.
The possible options are:
F)ight the monsters. To do this, the character normally must be in the first,
second or third position in the party. However, certain weapons permit the party
member equipped with that weapon to fight farther back in the ranks while still
directly attacking the monsters.
Close range weapons permit party slots 1-3 to attack monster groups 1-2.
Short range weapons permit party slots 1-3 to attack monster groups 1-3, or party
slots 4-6 to attack monster groups 1-2.
Medium range weapons permit party slots 1-3 to attack all monster groups, and
party slots 4-6 to attack monster groups 1-3.
Long range weapons permit all members of the party to attack all monster groups.
(Don't worry. This may sound complicated, but you'll get the hang of it quickly.)
P)arry the monsters. Generally, you only do this if there is nothing the character
can do to help; it means you'll just be standing there checking out the action!
Parry reduces the chance that the monsters will be able to hit the character.
D)ispel the monsters. Some monsters in the Maze are animated only through the
power of great evil. If successful, dispel forces these monsters to return to the
Abyss from where they came. Priests, high level Bishops and Lords have the
ability to dispel monsters. They do this with varying degrees of effectiveness,
depending on the power of the monsters and on how powerful the spell-caster is.
You don't get any experience points for monsters you dispel.
Cast a S)pell. You will be asked which spell you want to cast. Type the first few
letters of the spell, enough to distinguish it from the names of other spells, then
press [ENTER]. If the spell requires a target, a certain group of monsters or a
character, you will be asked for that as well.
U)se an item. You will be shown a list of all the items that you can use, and then
you will be asked to choose one. If no screen appears with items to use, your
character has no usable items.
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Heart of the Maelstrom