Monster choices, other monster race questions

[phlinn]

Is there a list somewhere of what letters are available to choose from for the monster race? The command help file provides a semi useufl list, but several options are not available. Would it be possible to add the ability to list choices in the game when picking?

Ouside the game, I wouldn't mind seeing information on evolving options and level requirements. As a test, I ran a small panther (max hp 0!) got it to level 2 and evolved to a wild cat. I could instead have started as a wild cat, or panther, or even a tiger. It seems odd that I could start as a feline better than anything I could evolve into.

The help file mentions P for giants, which is not a valid choice apparently. I don't get any actual text when I try to pick it, it just cycles back to asking me to pick after showing some blank messages. You may want to adjust the help file.

Do monsters ever get standard unarmed attacks if they aren't wielding weapons? It's a bit cumbersome to have to pick an attack each time I move into an enemy rather than just autoattacking.

Will it ever be possible to buy con or wisdom for monsters with stat points? It would be fitting if the naga priestess could use wisdom casting for instance.

[Variaz]

Technically, you can use ANY letters or symbols. However, some may not have monsters of depth low enough to allow you to select the race, such as the "P". Some type of enemies can evolve, like "d" can evolve to "D", "u" to "U"(won't happen, though, because the "U" will probably be uniques mostly). But p -> P is not one of them.

No, Monsters don't get standard unarmed attacks, and that's the way it was designed. Monsters uses their natural attacks if not using weapons. They will not actually get the standard unarmed attacks. The special properties and attack variety is what makes playing Monsters unique in the first place. If you put them exactly the same as regular races, there's not much point in playing them.

Besides... how would, let's say, a Glowing Sphere performs punches and kicks? (Sphere-fu Fighting? )

The thing is that monsters themselves don't have int and wis, but a "mind" stat instead. Also, the mana cost of monsters spells is much lower than regular spells, meaning wisdom-casting would easily be free-casting. As for CON, monsters hp is calculated differently that regular characters, and it's all based on the monster race's base hit dices.