WazHack is a semi turn-based 3D interpretation of a Rogue variant, where the player must explore in the depths of the legendary dungeons of Wazhack, to find the Amulet of Zaw.
The dungeon is a series of connected rooms and is traveled in a downward path. The player may explore up to three floors on the same screen, before attempting to travel even further down. Each floor is connected by ladders and each room may or may not have doors attached. Depth is also notified by the game, usually near a ladder entrance, describing how deep the player is e.g. 300 feet. The further down, the stronger the monsters, in addition to discovering interesting locations, such as shopkeepers.
Similar to the original Rogue, this game also introduces an abundance of unidentified items, weapons, armor, potions, wands, etc., which may be found scattered on the floor, in chests, or carried by monsters. These items may have negative (e.g. cursed) or positive characteristics (e.g. blessed), which properties may only be discovered from spells, shopkeeper identification, or a dangerous trial-and-error process of using them. Hunger, encumbrance, and permadeath are also in effect.
Character Classes and Pets
The game introduces 16 character classes, each with different 9 combination of talents, different starting equipment, pet companions, and repetition-based weapon/magic skills. Fighter (melee/ranged) classes bring along dog companions (who unfortunately cannot climb ladder), mage classes bring along cat companions (who can climb ladders, though weaker than dogs), while the rogue and thief brings monkey companies (who specialize in stealing weapons from enemies). By order of appearance, available classes are as of following:
Knight (m), Valkyrie (f), Wizard (m), White Witch (f), Sorcerer (m), Sorceress (f), Huntsman (m), Huntress (f), Rogue (m), Thief (m), Bard (m), Bardess (f), Barbarian (m), Vandal (f), Druid (m), and Druidess (f).
Skills and Talents
Talents are game’s equivalent to abilities or perks, which may be upgraded to three levels, with some classes possessing talents no other class may have. The rogue for example, has the trap talent, which at the first level allows him to detect traps, at the second level, allows him to create traps out of three or more daggers of the same type (e.g. three crude daggers), and at the last level allows him to create traps out of three weapons of the same type.
Weapon skills represent the skill level of the character when using a particular weapon or spell. Constant use of a weapon or spell, will gradually increase the skill, until it reaches a threshold where the player may optionally invest skill points to acquire a permanent skill level. Each skill may be upgraded to a maximum of five levels.
Melee weapon skills are as of the following: knives, swords, greatswords, backswords, axes, clubs, and polearms. Ranged weapons only consist of the bow skill. Magic consists of four skills: life, light, death, and dark. Investing points in one magic skill however, will limit the maximum level of the opposing skill: life vs. death, light vs. dark (e.g. three levels of life magic only allows two levels of death levels). The bard and bardeess have the unique skill of music, which by using a musical instrument (if successful) will mesmerize enemy units into temporary minions for a certain period of time.
Combat
Although technically turned based, turns take place depending on the speed of a character, pet, or enemy, as well as the speed of the weapon being used and encumbrance. The faster a character and the weapon used, the more turns available during combat or distance covered out of combat.
Combat itself is conducted by bumping into an enemy for melee encounters and continuously hitting the enemy until either the enemy or the character dies (or flees). Ranged (bows) and magic combat allows the player to take aim a designated location/target, although some bows and spells (including wands) may have a limited range. Ranged weapons are also quite poor in hitting targets at melee range (skill depending). Music in itself is not combat, however minions will grant the character experience if it kills an enemy. While playing music however, no weapon may be equipped.
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