Message 2502 : Extra Newbie Info (not for diehards) (*Lost*)
Written on Mon Dec  8 19:40:35 1997

I have given auxiliary info to newbie bn's that some prefer to learn
on their own.  So if you're a diehard bn who wants to suffer even more,
don't read this.

   MAPPING

Some people insist that they need play a bn before they have another
character high level.  This is problematic primarily because the hardest
part of playing a bn is learning how to get somewhere "safe" after
they pray to a random location.  There is no recipe for getting "safe",
as mentioned in other posts, sometimes even legend bn's have trouble
getting "safe" after a pray.  It *IS* possible to learn the geography
as a bn.  It is very difficult, since one can only make small maps
until they die, and then hope after enough deaths they can start fitting
the pieces together (I did this).  Learning invisibility helps alot
when trying to piece maps together, primarily because of wargs.

A tid-bit for those who haven't had much experience at mume, one
MUST understand the "map" command.  Try "help map".  If you have any
trouble with it, playing bn is not for you.  Most grids on the map
consist of areas approximately 10x10 rooms (with small variations).

   GUILDMASTERS

There are four guildmasters, cleric/thief/sorcerer/ranger.  The
difficulty in finding each is in the order I mentioned them, cleric
being easiest and ranger being hardest.  The cleric guildmaster
always loads on the "Path to Angmar" (not to be confused with
"Angmarian Trail").  He never wanders far, so is easy to find.  The
"Path to Angmar" is north of loudwater plains if you follow a trail
northwest (not buinen heath).  The thief guildmaster doesn't wander
far from where he loads, but can load in one of two places: a forest
east of wild forest (2 zones east of R on the map) (be careful of
wolves and bears), or on the trail winding upwards east of abr
(abr = ancient broken road).  Sorcerer guildmaster will wander far
and wide, but generally loads in one of two places: either near
wolfgate by NOC (usually in the mountains just west and south of
wolfgate) (1 zone south and 1 zone west of the O on the map), or
south of ABR in green hills.  The ranger guildmaster used to be
the hardest to find because he sneaks and hides, so lowbie bn's
wont even be able to see him unless they are in the same room.
I think the recent changes to sneak has made it so that he reveals
himself, but it's still a task to find him.  Like the sorcerer he
will also wander far and wide, but since he regens either near khuzur
or near woodhall (sw of khuzur), it's not too hard to find him if
you xp/map in eregion.

If you see me logged in, and I'm not too busy, you can often get
me to locate the exact zone the sorcerer or ranger is in at the time.
Dont bother me for cleric or thief, I figure that with the above
information, you should learn to find them on your own.

There is no warrior guildmaster, and you cannot learn pierce from
the thief guildmaster.  So if you're a warrior bn, you may wish to
quit now.  People still seem to like playing thief bn's, but they
don't generally go very far.  BN's are primarily mages and some
clerics (you can't learn heal either, and cure serious only to about
50 percent).  Of course, if you want to break the mold... good luck.

   XPING

It's relatively easy to xp a bn to level 4.  Recover a bow and
some arrows (along with other basics), and you'll find that with a
bow, most small animals will fall with just a few shots.  If you
try to take on larger animals you may find all your arrows will
break.  Getting 5th level takes a little more patience, but if you
are playing your first bn, 4th is good enough to get invisability
which will help you learn your way around immensely.