1. Twenty six different species types to choose from. Quite a variety, and a few never seen in a computer game before. This is one of the many great features of CRAWL.

Each species feels different and operates uniquely in play. For example, if you choose to play a Ghoul, be prepared to replenish your hit points the ghoulish way, by eating the fresh corpses of your recent victims! Blech!

This time, for demonstration purposes, I am going to choose the versatile everyman: a human adventurer. As tempting as it is to choose a High Elf or Draconian avatar, I think I'll go the "easy" route. (There is no easy route in CRAWL.)

Note: You can let the game choose for you if you're the indecisive type.

2. CRAWL adds to the variety of character choices by offering a fine selection of professions. Twenty eight, for example, if your character is human.

Each profession has its own "house rules", with differing abilities and starting equipment.

Your character's three randomly generated primary character "stats", Strength, Intelligence and Dexterity, will be modified according to your choices so far.

I'll choose one of the best novice difficulty professions: the fighter.

3. The adventure begins. A fighter arrives, complete with armor, shield, trusty mace and pedigree. His stats make him out to be somewhat of a brick, so I've named him Tor.

Tor is represented on the top down dungeon map view by this symbol: @

Tor is quite hale and hearty with his fifteen hit points (HP) and sixteen strength (Str). A ripping good start. Let's head north, up that short corridor, and see what we find.

4. Tor has found a reclusive goblin (g) who has become alerted due to a squeaky door.

There are some things to examine here but first things first. The goblin will probably try to attack Tor. Tor should try to beat him to the punch.

Attacking: If you can't use a missile weapon or spell, get in close and "bump" the goblin. This will automatically invoke an attack against your foe with your readied (held) melee weapon.

Try not to become outnumbered during combat. Some adversaries are best dealt with from a distance. Other foes will require you engage in melee. Use common sense and many strategies will occur to you.

After the combat is over objects and armor carried by your adversary may become available to you. Consider it a reward for your character's brave actions.

5. The goblin fight, fortunately for Tor, was resolved in his favor. Don't get too cocky with your charcter however. Your avatar can easily die even in the upper halls of CRAWL's dangerous labyrinth.

Stay alert and explore carefully. As you snoop around, try to examine everything you see with the x (area within your character's line of sight) and v (items in your character's possesion) commands.

Meanwhile, Tor has inadvertently discovered a hidden secret door near a stairway (>) leading down to a lower level. a darker place where greater challenges (and better treasure) can be found.

Is Tor destined to survive? We shall see... There are many ghosts here.

6. While exploring further, Tor happens to stumble upon an unguarded set of dragon armor. (Note the Commonwealth spelling: armour.)

The symbol for armor looks like this: [

Tor is obviously blessed by the gods. Well...

CRAWL is a fully randomized computer role playing game. It is different every that time it is played. You never really know what will happen or what is around the next corner in CRAWL, a game where fate's pendulum can swing both ways just as well.

Blessed beneficial items or cursed items with annoying or even harmful effects will be discovered. One is wise to be careful when wielding a new sword or wearing a pretty ring one has found.

If possible, wait until your character manages to find a way to detect curses before attempting to wield or wear newly found items with unknown properties.

7. Here is Tor's equipment list, so far. Note that every item is neatly categorized. Tor, like all worthy adventurers, is nothing if not organized.

Tor's mace is still readied. Dragon armor has replaced the scale mail armor which is still being carried.

Tor has also found some unidentified arrows and something called a choko, which just might be edible. Use e and your character will try to eat something.

8. While exploring further. Tor discovered a stairway to level two!

Level two is still part of the "main dungeon" but it is one layer deeper and a bit more dangerous.

Tor felt ready so he descended.

Previously, Tor had gained one experience level (for defeating various adversaries) and was granted a new "professional title" and rewarded with seven additional permanent hit points, for a new total of twenty two. Your adventurer's statistics and abilities will change and improve over time by gaining "experience levels" like this.

Tor's new dragon armor raises his armor class to nine, a fair amount of protection (but not the best), because it is of a higher quality than his original scale mail armor. The primary way in which your character becomes more resistant to physical damage is by obtaining better armor.

Note: AC, or armor class, is a number which reflects the amount of protection your character has or is wearing. The number in parentheses is your shield rating which affords additional protection. In either case the higher the number the better.

9. Tor tried to cast a spell from a scroll he found and inadvertently enchanted his trusty, rusty mace!

Note the plus one enchantment. The first number represents a bonus to the weapon's attack chance and the second, its damage amount.

Perhaps Tor is destined for greater things, and deeper levels, after all...

10. The point where everything goes wrong can be fatal in CRAWL.

Here you can see that Tor became confused (I hit the wrong keys) and threw his +1/+0 mace at the menacing hobgoblin. Bad move.

Two choices at least. Tor can sidestep the creature, take a few hits and retrieve his weapon, or stand there like a ninny and toss darts.

Tor was stupid. He chose fancy footwork. Let's see what happened.

11. Amazingly, Tor is unharmed! What a dazzling display of daring-do on the part of our hero!

Was it fate, luck or the dragon armor? (the dragon armor)

The hobgoblin must be totally confounded, poor fellow.

12. In the midst of the battle, a big bloodthirsty bat (b) flies in and joins the fray.

Tor and the hobgoblin are hitting each other with club and mace, and doing damage, but the hobgoblin is actually hurt, and its attacks seem weak.

Still, the outcome is uncertain while Tor is surrounded, and as we fade to black, Tor's post-combat equipment list casts many implications...

13. Tor's inventory contains some new items: Elven boots, a runed short sword and an oily brown potion. When one's character is doing well, it is often a good time to...

(shift + S) Save and exit.

You can always download CRAWL here.

New! Get the highly-recommended CRAWL tile version with nifty color graphics, an optional mouse interface and lots of other nice tweaks here!

Happy Crawling!