Score
Score is caclulated all throughout the game, and if you have the showscore setting in your rcfile you can see it on the bottom line at all times.
How score is calculated
The following things contribute to your score:
- Killing a monster - worth 4 times the monster's experience in points
- Identifying a wand by engraving or zapping - 10 points
- Identifying a potion by quaffing - 10 points
- Identifying a scroll by reading - 10 points
- Oiling or greasing a squeaky board trap - 9 points
- Eating a tripe ration when not a carnivorous non-humanoid - 4 points
- Quaffing from a sink and getting the message "Yuk, this water tastes awful" - 4 points
The first oracle of each type:
- Minor (if not yet major): 21 points.
- Minor (if already major): 9 points.
- Major (if not yet minor): 210 + (21 * XL) points.
- Major (if already minor): 90 + (9 * XL) points.
At the end of the game (via death, ascention or escape):
- 1 point for each zorkmid more than starting gold ( * 90% if game ended in death).
- 50 * (DL-1) points where DL is the deepest level reached.
- 1000 points for each dungeon level reached beyond 20, to a maximum of 10000 points.
The score so far is doubled if you ascended. Then, if you escaped the dungeon or ascended, you receive points for items in inventory:
- Value of amulets and valuable gems
- Value of artifacts * 2.5, including invocation items.
And finally points for adjacent pets equivalent to their total current hit points.
How to maximize score
Certain things are worth more than others when completing the game. When the player ascends, his base score is doubled. Because gold is part of this base score, each gold piece is essentially worth 2 points. Gold has a weight of 1 unit per 100 peices. This means that 100 gold, or 200 points weighs 1 unit, which is the same weight as the least valulable gem.
However, other objects such as amulets and artifacts weigh more than 1 unit, so depending on their value, they may or may not be worth more than an equivilent weight in gold. The following chart lists the value of each artifact, it's weight, and it's value/weight. If the value/weight column is not greater than 200, the artifact is worth less than it's weight in gold, and you would be better off carrying gold than that artifact into the endgame.
| demonbane | 6250 | 40 | 156 |
| excalibur | 10000 | 40 | 250 |
| grayswandir | 20000 | 40 | 500 |
| snickersnee | 3000 | 40 | 75 |
| sunsword | 3750 | 40 | 93 |
| cleaver | 3750 | 120 | 31 |
| giantslayer | 500 | 40 | 12 |
| magicbane | 8750 | 10 | 875 |
| Mjollnir | 10000 | 50 | 200 |
| Vorpal Blade | 10000 | 40 | 250 |
| Grimtooth | 750 | 10 | 75 |
| Orcrist | 5000 | 70 | 71 |
| Sting | 2000 | 10 | 200 |
| Stormbringer | 20000 | 40 | 500 |
| Dragonbane | 1250 | 70 | 17 |
| Fire Brand | 7500 | 40 | 187 |
| Frost Brand | 7500 | 40 | 187 |
| Ogresmasher | 500 | 50 | 10 |
| Trollsbane | 500 | 120 | 4 |
| Werebane | 3750 | 40 | 93 |
