Zen - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2025-06-24T14:12:50Z

pothole

Umbire the Phantom: /* NetHack 4 */ another reminder for ais523 :B

2025-04-10T12:37:38Z

‎NetHack 4: another reminder for ais523 :B

Umbire the Phantom: /* NetHack 4 */ they still give astral vision seemingly

2025-04-10T11:46:54Z

‎NetHack 4: they still give astral vision seemingly

Umbire the Phantom: citations and wordsmithing

2025-04-10T09:51:45Z

citations and wordsmithing

Umbire the Phantom: /* UnNetHack */ thanks bhaak!

2025-04-10T08:57:29Z

‎UnNetHack: thanks bhaak!

Umbire the Phantom: cite altar

2025-04-10T08:56:06Z

cite altar

Umbire the Phantom: /* UnNetHack */ no go

2025-04-10T08:47:42Z

‎UnNetHack: no go

Umbire the Phantom: follow up on that

2025-04-10T08:45:38Z

follow up on that

Netzhack: /* Strategy */ Some wording

2025-04-02T12:38:17Z

‎Strategy: Some wording

Ville: priest

2025-03-10T09:52:43Z

priest

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Players are recommended to use the [[search]] command with almost every step at least. This will be the only way to get any sort of warning of an approaching monster, and it will speed up the "mapping" of the level as the search command checks all adjacent squares for walls, items, or creatures, while simply moving only checks the square you're about to step on. If you suspect there is a wall adjacent to you, then walk into it: walking into a wall will reveal its tile on the map without using up a turn.
-A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible. The most common and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one&mdash;a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, while the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
+A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible. The most common and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one&mdash;a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the {{+ of|detect monsters}} spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, while the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
 A hero can also obtain telepathy via [[prayer]] with at least 6 [[luck]], or by finding a [[helm of telepathy]] or an [[amulet of ESP]], but getting enough luck without a [[luckstone]] is challenging in the early game, and the other two items are not particularly common overall (though the amulet of ESP is also the most common type of amulet).

@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 ===NetHack 4===
-[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, zen heroes can invoke the Book of the Dead for the invocation. The conduct also cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld.
+[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, zen heroes can invoke the Book of the Dead for the invocation. The conduct also cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld: the intention is for permanent blindness to fully override astral vision, but this part has not yet been implemented.
 ===TNNT (the game)===

@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 ===NetHack 4===
-[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, zen heroes can invoke the Book of the Dead for the invocation. The conduct also cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld, as they do not grant astral vision.
+[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, zen heroes can invoke the Book of the Dead for the invocation. The conduct also cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld.
 ===TNNT (the game)===

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class: all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, e.g. by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see objects glow from landing on the altar.{{refsrc|src/do.c|274|nethack=3.6.7}}
+The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects (including [[Randomized appearance|randomized ones]]), and they are only shown as their object class: all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1082|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|1109|nethack=3.6.7}} The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, e.g. by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels.{{refsrc|src/shk.c|2562|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/shk.c|2567|nethack=3.6.7}} They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the beatitude of an object, since they cannot see objects glow from landing on the altar.{{refsrc|src/do.c|274|nethack=3.6.7}}
-[[Spellbook]]s ordinarily cannot be read while blind, with the [[Book of the Dead]] as the only exception since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.
+[[Spellbook]]s ordinarily cannot be read while blind, with the [[Book of the Dead]] as the only exception since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.{{refsrc|src/read.c|329|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ===Early game===
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible. The most common and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one&mdash;a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, while the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
-Players can also obtain telepathy via prayer with at least 6 [[Luck]], a [[helm of telepathy]] or an [[amulet of ESP]], but getting enough Luck without a [[luckstone]] is challenging in the early game, and the other two items are not particularly common.
+A hero can also obtain telepathy via [[prayer]] with at least 6 [[luck]], or by finding a [[helm of telepathy]] or an [[amulet of ESP]], but getting enough luck without a [[luckstone]] is challenging in the early game, and the other two items are not particularly common overall (though the amulet of ESP is also the most common type of amulet).
 ===Pets===
-It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing it accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceed into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet once telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player who is not a Priest should eventually acquire a pet to identify the BUC status of items.
+It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing it accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceed into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet once telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player who is not a Priest should eventually acquire a pet to identify the beatitude of items (since Priests have innate knowledge of an item's beatitude even if they cannot see it).
 ===Object appearances===
-For information on how you can see objects while blind, see [[Blindness#Discovering objects|the article section on object appearances]], which contains a full list of ways to make an object "seen" without breaking the conduct. Most notably, a blessed [[potion of object detection]], which can be dropped by a nymph, will identify all items in your inventory, containers and the map. If the farlook command {{kbd|;}} does not tell you the appearance of an object even though you should know it, the object is buried or carried by a monster, or has since been moved away.
+For information on how to see objects while blind, see [[Blindness#Discovering objects|the article section on object appearances]], which contains a full list of ways to make an object "seen" without breaking the conduct. Most notably, a blessed [[potion of object detection]] can be dropped by a nymph and will identify all items in the hero's inventory, in containers and on the level map. If the farlook command {{kbd|;}} does not tell you the appearance of an object even though the hero should know it, that object is buried, carried by a monster or has since been moved.
-Be careful not to eat [[zombie]] corpses, and keep an eye out for critical messages in this regard when fighting monsters: you "destroy" zombies, but "kill" living enemies. Zombies also cannot be seen via telepathy.
+Be careful not to eat [[zombie]] corpses, and keep an eye out for critical messages in this regard when fighting monsters: a hero will "destroy" zombies, but "kill" living enemies. Zombies also cannot be seen via telepathy.
 ===Shopkeepers===

@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 [[UnNetHack]] adds functionality that allows players to optionally select certain conducts at the start of the game, tracks them, and punishes players for breaking them. If the player selects zen conduct, they begin the game wearing a cursed blindfold: if it is ever removed and the conduct is broken, some monsters are summoned around the hero. A zen hero can use the Book of the Dead, by [[invoking]] it.
-One notable variant zen ascension is a [[nudist]] zen ranger player by boxo&mdash;[http://un.nethack.nu/user/boxo/dumps/boxo.1341391449.txt.html the dumplog] is unavailable due to link rot.
+One notable variant zen ascension is a [[nudist]] [https://ascension.run/history/unn/users/boxo/dumps/boxo.1341391449.txt.html zen ranger] played by boxo, originating from un.nethack.nu and archived on [[ascension.run]].
 ===NetHack 4===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Zen''' is a particularly challenging [[conduct]] in ''[[NetHack]]'' that is based around remaining [[blind]] throughout the whole game. The status window that displays [[base attributes]] refers to the conduct as '''blind from birth'''.
-Unlike most other conducts, you must enable the [[Options#blind|blind]] option in your [[configuration file]] with the line <tt>OPTIONS=blind</tt> in order for your game to qualify. This makes you permanently blind without requiring other sources of blindness.
+Unlike most other conducts, a player must enable the [[Options#blind|blind]] option in their [[configuration file]] with the line <tt>OPTIONS=blind</tt> in order for their game to qualify, which makes them permanently blind without requiring other sources of blindness.
 ==Strategy==
-The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class - all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, for example by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see objects glow from landing on the altar.
+The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class: all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, e.g. by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see objects glow from landing on the altar.{{refsrc|src/do.c|274|nethack=3.6.7}}
 [[Spellbook]]s ordinarily cannot be read while blind, with the [[Book of the Dead]] as the only exception since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class - all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, for example by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see objects glow on landing on the altar.
+The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class - all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which is always fully identified at the beginning of the game. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, for example by buying scrolls from shopkeepers, which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to ascertain the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see objects glow from landing on the altar.
-While spellbooks ordinarily cannot be read while blind, the [[Book of the Dead]] is still usable since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.
+[[Spellbook]]s ordinarily cannot be read while blind, with the [[Book of the Dead]] as the only exception since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.
 ===Early game===
-Exploration will be slow and tedious, especially in the early game. Moving blindly will anger a peaceful creature if you attempt to walk onto their square without seeing them, even when using the safe-move function {{kbd|m}}. A lawful or neutral zen player should be especially careful of committing accidental or intentional murder.
+Exploration will be slow and tedious, especially in the early game. Moving blindly will anger a peaceful creature if you attempt to walk onto their square without seeing them, even when using the safe-move command {{kbd|m}} beforehand. A lawful or neutral zen player should be especially careful of committing accidental or intentional murder.
 Players are recommended to use the [[search]] command with almost every step at least. This will be the only way to get any sort of warning of an approaching monster, and it will speed up the "mapping" of the level as the search command checks all adjacent squares for walls, items, or creatures, while simply moving only checks the square you're about to step on. If you suspect there is a wall adjacent to you, then walk into it: walking into a wall will reveal its tile on the map without using up a turn.
-A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible. The most common and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one - a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, while the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
+A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible. The most common and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one&mdash;a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, while the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
 Players can also obtain telepathy via prayer with at least 6 [[Luck]], a [[helm of telepathy]] or an [[amulet of ESP]], but getting enough Luck without a [[luckstone]] is challenging in the early game, and the other two items are not particularly common.
 ===Pets===
-It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing it accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceed into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet once telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player who is not a [[Priest]] should eventually acquire a pet to identify the BUC status of items.
+It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing it accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceed into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet once telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player who is not a Priest should eventually acquire a pet to identify the BUC status of items.
 ===Object appearances===
@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 ==Notable ascensions==
-Only a handful of people are known to have ascended zen games, and most of them have been zen [[samurai]]. [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_thread/thread/1f508de3da1c4ed3/3f67dccf081db600?lnk=st this post to RGRN] announces the first known ascended zen [[tourist]]. [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/msg/83ba3b23689d60dc?hl=en Jo&atilde;o Santos] is the only person known to have completed zen ascensions in all four pre-3.6.0 roles able to do zen. A [[Unofficial_conduct#Nudist|nudist]] zen ranger [http://un.nethack.nu/user/boxo/dumps/boxo.1341391449.txt.html has been ascended] in [[UnNetHack]], which allows all roles to try zen.
+Only a handful of people are known to have ascended zen games, and most of them have been zen [[Samurai]]. [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/browse_thread/thread/1f508de3da1c4ed3/3f67dccf081db600?lnk=st this post to RGRN] announces the first known ascended zen [[Tourist]]. [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.roguelike.nethack/msg/83ba3b23689d60dc?hl=en Jo&atilde;o Santos] is the only person known to have completed zen ascensions in all four pre-3.6.0 roles able to do zen.
 A complete Zen Samurai ascension can be watched [http://www.codehappy.net/nethacktheatre/zen.ttyrec.gz here] in [[ttyrec]] format.
-A video of a complete Zen [[Nudist]] Valkyrie ascension from 2019 [[TNNT]] can be watched [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLZEdecBa4A here].
+The [[#Variants|variants section]] contains some link to notable variant ascensions.
 ==History==
-In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and earlier versions, players have to set their own rules for the conduct (which was unofficial during the time that it was the latest version) and use several workarounds, such as wearing [[blindfold]]s or permanently polymorphing into blind monsters. Only [[Samurai]], [[Rogue]]s, Wizards, and [[Tourist]]s can start with a [[blindfold]] or [[towel]], which typically required a little [[start scumming]], and even then you would be momentarily non-blind for a short time at the beginning to blind yourself. Players also had to temporarily remove their source of blindness in order read the Book of the Dead as part of the [[invocation ritual]].
+In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and earlier versions, players have to set their own rules for the conduct (which was unofficial during the time that it was the latest version) and use several workarounds, such as wearing [[blindfold]]s or permanently polymorphing into blind monsters. Only, [[Rogue]]s, Samurai, Tourists and [[Wizard]]s can start with a blindfold or [[towel]], which typically requires a little [[start scumming]], and even then the hero will be momentarily non-blind for the short time at the beginning that it takes to [[put on]] the item; The hero will also have to temporarily remove their source of blindness in order read the Book of the Dead as part of the [[invocation ritual]].
-The term "zen" dates back to the era when this was a purely unofficial conduct. It remains more popular in the community than the conduct's official name of "blind from birth."
+The term "zen" dates back to the era when this was a purely unofficial conduct, and remains popular in the community as the conduct's name.
 ===NetHack 3.4.3 specific strategy===
-Generally, a Samurai is considered the easiest role for 3.4.3 zen conduct due to their good starting armor and strong melee combat skills, which are important in the early parts of the game. A Wizard can start with several helpful items for the early game as well, such as a [[wand of fire]] or [[wand of lightning|lightning]] for partially reliable engraving of [[Elbereth]], or a [[ring of warning]]. The Rogue and Tourist are going to have a more difficult time, due to weaker melee skills and a lack of strong starting gear.
+Generally, a Samurai is considered the easiest role for 3.4.3 zen conduct play, due to their good starting armor and strong melee combat skills being important in the early parts of the game. A Wizard can start with several helpful items for the early game as well, such as a [[wand of fire]] or {{of|wand|lightning}} for partially reliable engraving of [[Elbereth]], or a [[ring of warning]]. The Rogue and Tourist are going to have a more difficult time, due to weaker melee skills and a lack of strong starting gear.
-A zen game is ''flawed'' if a nymph or monkey steals your blinding item and you immediately put on another one, without looking at your inventory. Should this happen, be careful not to use the [[#name]] or {{kbd|i}} commands, since these will reveal object appearances in your inventory.
+A zen game is ''flawed'' if a nymph or monkey steals the hero's blinding item and they immediately put on another one without looking at their inventory. Should this happen, be careful not to use the #[[name]] or {{kbd|i}} commands, since these will reveal object appearances in your inventory.
 ==Origin==
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
    -Bodhidharma
-Zen conduct in ''NetHack'' focuses more on the "detachment from appearances" tenet of the above.
+Zen conduct in ''NetHack'' focuses primarily on the "detachment from appearances" tenet of the above.
 ==Variants==
 ===UnNetHack===
-[[UnNetHack]] adds functionality that allows players to optionally select certain conducts at the start of the game, tracks them, and punishes players for breaking them. If the player selects zen conduct, they begin the game wearing a cursed blindfold: if it is ever removed and the conduct is broken, some monsters are summoned around the player character. To use the Book of the Dead, you can #[[invoke]] it.
+[[UnNetHack]] adds functionality that allows players to optionally select certain conducts at the start of the game, tracks them, and punishes players for breaking them. If the player selects zen conduct, they begin the game wearing a cursed blindfold: if it is ever removed and the conduct is broken, some monsters are summoned around the hero. A zen hero can use the Book of the Dead, by [[invoking]] it.
 ===NetHack 4===
-[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, #invoke also allows use of the Book of the Dead. The conduct cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld, because they no longer grant astral vision.
+[[NetHack 4]] offers a "permablind" option that gives blindness as an [[intrinsic]], overriding any attempt to remove it. Like UnNetHack, zen heroes can invoke the Book of the Dead for the invocation. The conduct also cannot be broken by the Eyes of the Overworld, as they do not grant astral vision.
 ===TNNT (the game)===
-[[TNNT (the game)]] offers the "blind" option, and there is an achievement for receiving the quest with the Zen conduct intact.
+[[TNNT (the game)]] offers the "blind" option, and there is an achievement for receiving the quest with the zen conduct intact.
 ==References==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Strategy==
-The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class - all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which they always start with knowledge of. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, e.g. buying scrolls from shopkeepers will have them name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to find the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see if the objects glow and in what color.
+The difficulty in zen lies in the fact that the hero cannot identify the appearance and [[beatitude]] of most objects, and they are only shown as their object class - all potions are only shown as "a potion", wands as "a wand", etc. The exception to this is the hero's starting inventory, which they always start with knowledge of. The hero cannot read scrolls while blind unless they learn their labels, for example by buying scrolls from shopkeepers which will name the labels. They also cannot use [[altar]]s to find the [[beatitude]] of an object, since they cannot see if the objects glow and in what color.
 While spellbooks are ordinarily unable to be read, the [[Book of the Dead]] is still usable since it is required to perform the [[invocation]] and win the game.
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Players are recommended to use the [[search]] command with almost every step at least. This will be the only way to get any sort of warning of an approaching monster, and it will speed up the "mapping" of the level as the search command will check each adjacent square for walls, items, or creatures, while just moving will only check the square you're about to step on. If you know (or reasonably suspect) there is a wall, then walk into it; walking into a wall tile will reveal it on the map without using up a turn.
-A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible - the most commonplace and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one - a [[Wizard]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, but the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
+A player's primary goal will be to acquire a source of telepathy as soon as possible - the most commonplace and likely source of telepathy is a [[floating eye]], which will begin appearing when the average of the player's dungeon level and experience level is roughly 3.<!-- integer division cuts off any fractional parts--> Players seeking a floating eye should not proceed much farther beyond the dungeon floors most likely to generate one - a [[Wizard]] or [[Priest]] fortunate enough to start with the [[detect monsters]] spell will have a much easier time locating an eye, but the rest will be forced to rely (appropriately) on blind luck.
 Players can also obtain telepathy via prayer with at least 6 [[Luck]], a [[helm of telepathy]] or an [[amulet of ESP]], but getting enough Luck without a [[luckstone]] is challenging in the early game, and the other two items are not particularly common.
 ===Pets===
-It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing them accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceeding into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet when telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player should eventually acquire a pet to identify the BUC status of items.
+It is advisable for a zen player to start without a pet, also set via the options file. A pet is extremely difficult to keep track of and distinguish from hostile monsters in the early game, and the player runs a serious risk of killing them accidentally. An alternative is to quickly ditch a starting pet on DL1 and proceeding into the dungeon, returning to re-tame the pet when telepathy is acquired. In either case, a zen player who is not [[Priest]] should eventually acquire a pet to identify the BUC status of items.
 ===Object appearances===