You can play different modes. To create character in certain mode – on character creation screen press = and change birth_ options which you want to yes.
- Force Descent mode (diving title)
You start in the regular Tangaria world. This mode forces player descent – upward staircases do not work. All downward staircases, including the one in town, transport the character one level below their previous maximum depth. Recalling from the dungeon works and brings the character to town. However, recalling from town sends the character one level below their previous maximum depth. The character cannot recall from quest levels until the quest is complete, but a warning is given before descending into a quest level. Any status effects that teleport the character up or down will always choose down. - No Recall mode (ironfoot title)
You start in the regular Tangaria world. Word of Recall scrolls and spells do not work.
Based on these two mini-modes, we now also have two new major ‘diehard’ modes – Ironman and Brave. Both includes both Force Descent and No Recall options with additional features.
Brave mode (brave title)
You appear in Carn Dûm and can explore the Angmar dungeon without the possibility to go back upstairs. You can buy items in shops before beginning your journey and even receive additional gold at the start. After entering the dungeon, you cannot go back to the starting town; you can only go deeper. However, in Brave mode, you can find new towns every 1000 ft where you can renew your supplies and rest.
To create a Brave character, press = during character creation and change both the birth_no_recall and birth_force_descend options to yes.
Ironman mode (ironman title)
You are kidnapped from Gondolin and taken to Morgoth’s jail. Before being delivered to the jail cell, you manage to escape and find yourself in the middle of Thangorodrim with minimal supplies. You are marked with a magical curse that draws you closer to the jailers, but you can resist it for a certain amount of time. Your goal is to find your way out and seek revenge.
In this daunting place, the adventure begins beneath the ominous shadow of Thangorodrim, in the very dungeons of Morgoth. Entrapped within these ancient, foreboding walls, the ultimate quest is to navigate a path to freedom. Adventurers face a tough challenge in an (almost) endless dungeon. It’s hard to leave once you’re in, and if you fail, there’s no coming back. Each corridor and chamber, a labyrinthine weave of peril, brings the heroes closer to escape, challenging their resolve at every turn. This escape from Morgoth’s stronghold is not just a journey of skill and courage, but also a race against time. As adventurers linger on each level, the ground beneath them trembles, and inevitably, they are plunged deeper into the abyss, into even more treacherous depths, adding a relentless urgency to their quest.
- On each dungeon level, you have a time limit before being thrown down. This timer decreases every turn and decreases twice as fast when moving. It leads to strategic thinking – planning your route for dungeon exploration. When you use stairs or are thrown down, the timer resets. The deeper you go, the longer the timer you have.
- You start without gold and there are no shops, but you receive additional supplies at the start.
- Every time you heal yourself with a potion, scroll or food, it restores a minimum of 30% of your HP.
- You have a high chance not to consume Phase Door scrolls (starting at 2/3, increasing towards the endgame).
To create an Ironman character, press = during character creation and change the ‘birth_ironman‘ option to yes.
Both Ironman and Brave modes have the following features:
- Ironman and Brave heroes cannot leave their locations, and players from regular Tangaria world cannot enter (to prevent cheating).
- Word of Recall scrolls function like Teleportation scrolls.
- Dungeons spawn only stairs leading down (no upstairs).
- Players restore plenty of satiation when drinking from fountains.
- Golem race can restore satiation by digging tunnels (more effective in the regular world).
- You can drop cursed items on the ground, not only on daylight surfaces (after a few attempts).
- You get additional Account points from playing Ironman or Brave modes.
As you may understand, playing in Ironman and Brave modes requires totally different playstyles. To play effectively as a Brave hero, you should explore each level thoroughly and take your time to gather gear in town. In contrast, Ironman is a fast-paced mode where you have to plan your journey with limited time and make decisions on where to spend your resources, the most valuable of which is time. Ironman mode might be interesting to players who are a bit tired of intensive item management and spending a lot of time in shops to find suitable items, as it swaps these for additional bonuses like more effective healing.
Hardcore mode (hardcore title)
In this mode, it is possible to play in the old ways, without Second Chance and extra low-HP heal. If you play a hardcore character, for every 10 levels up to 50, you will receive an extra account point.
Fruit Bat (batty title)
Play as a fruit bat – this turns you into a fruit bat at birth, giving you up to +15 speed (gradually, starting with +2 speed at level 1 and +15 at level 50) at the cost of 40% of your maximum HPs. Also, now you can “run” as a batty without staggering. This mode can also be applied on top of all other modes.
Hardcore and Fruit Bat modes can be applied on top of all other modes.
Other options
no_artifacts
Restrict the creation of artifacts – no artifacts will be created. Ever.
feelings
Show level feelings – with this option turned on, the game will give you hints about what a new level has on it. With this option off, these hints will not be shown.
no_selling
Increase gold drops but disable selling – shopkeepers will never pay you for items you sell, though they will still identify unknown items for you, and will still sell you their wares. To
balance out income in the game, gold found in the dungeon will be increased if this option is on.
start_kit
Start with a kit of useful gear – start with items, a useful option for new players, or ones that wish to descend immediately into the dungeon. If turned off, the character will start with additional gold with which to purchase starting gear.
no_stores
Restrict the use of stores/home – the stores are all closed. The home is someone else’s, and locked. You can keep nothing but what you carry with you, and get nothing but what you find in the dungeon. No selling items, or buying mushrooms of vigor… Not recommended for new players, or indeed for sane players.
no_ghost
(this mode applied by default in Tangaria, you can not change it). Death is permanent – this option, not recommended for non-advanced players, prevents dead characters from turning into ghosts. Death is final, like in most single player roguelikes.