9

At one point in Brogue, I decided to run in a northwesterly direction (Shift+Num7). To my surprise, instead of running in that direction, the following message was delivered:

A dark presence surrounds you, whispering promises of stolen power. Succumb to demonic temptation? (y/n)

I've said No, to which,

The evil dissipates, hissing, from the air around you.

This was exceptionally unexpected, but it's also made me vastly curious. While I turned down the offer, I can bring it up again at any time by pressing the same key combination, to get the same promises and the same choice. This key choice isn't listed in the in-game help as far as I saw, so it's never quite explained what it does.

What happens if I do what appears to be selling my soul to demons? What is the benefits, the stolen power I receive? And what, naturally, is the catch, the drawback of doing so?

Improve this question
2
  • This reminds me quite a bit of the warning you get when you enable "wizard mode" in Angband. Generally this means you can cheat, but your character is permanently marked as a cheater and can therefore not set high scores. No idea if this is related, but I'll throw this thought out there anyhow.
    – agent86
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 17:32
  • 4
    The stolen power of travel in a diagonal direction?
    – badp
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 17:52

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

This Shift-Num7 combination only works when Num Lock is off - so what you're really pressing is Shift-7 — the ampersand symbol on some keyboard layouts.

Anyway, the current version of the game explains the prompt by saying:

Succumb to demonic temptation (i.e. enable easy mode)?

Answering Yes gives:

An ancient and terrible evil burrows into your willing flesh! --MORE--
Wracked by spasms, your body contorts into an ALL-POWERFUL AMPERSAND!!!
You have a feeling that you will take 20% as much damage from now on.
But great power comes at a great price -- specifically, a 90% income tax rate.

It should be said that easy mode does not reduce the gold you find in the dungeon, but your final score.

Improve this answer
6
  • Shift+7 = &, y'know. Which is the kind of demon you become. Intriguing. It's like a lower-level version of wizard mode - the benefits of trying the game without the high risk of death, but at the cost of your score.
    – Grace Note ♦
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 18:10
  • @GraceNote Shift-7 is / on the Italian keyboard layout :)
    – badp
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 19:14
  • Shift + 7 with or without NumLock doesn't give me the ampersand (or any character); I thought Windows (or any OS) interprets the numeric pad keys differently than the others.
    – Nick T
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 19:55
  • @Nick Shift-7, not Shift-Num7
    – badp
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 20:06
  • I misspoke. Did OP mean 7, not Num7 then? I don't understand the reason for your first paragraph
    – Nick T
    Commented Jan 17, 2012 at 20:24

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.