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An escape item refers to any object that can instantly get you out of trouble. These are the ones you will search your inventory for when cornered by a tough monster, being pulled underwater, or something similar. As a general note, scrolls and potions can get destroyed, and some intelligent artifacts will blast you, so you might want to carry one of the less vulnurable cures to each trouble in your main inventory at all times.

Some common escape items are:

Scroll of teleportation
An obvious one — teleports you out. A cursed scroll of teleportation is noteworthy as it will not only teleport you away from your current predicament but also place you on a different dungeon level.
Cursed potion of gain level 
Moves you through the ceiling to an upper dungeon level.[1]
The Eye of the Aethiopica 
Opens a portal for you to any visited dungeon branch when #invoked.[1]
This is not a reliable escape item because rnz might draw huge timeouts.
The Orb of Fate.
Can be invoked for level teleportation.[1]
This is not a reliable escape item because rnz might draw huge timeouts.
Wand of digging 
Zap this downwards and fall to the next dungeon level, or engrave Elbereth.
Scroll of genocide 
Can instantly kill the monster that is about to kill you. Note that reading an uncursed scroll of genocide while confused is a very Bad Idea, and reading a cursed scroll of genocide will create even more monsters rather than getting rid of them.
Wand of teleportation 
Same as the scroll, except that the wand gives you the choice of teleporting the monster instead, and a cursed wand won't teleport you to a different level. The wand is much more useful on no-teleport levels, as teleporting monsters will work even on no-teleport levels.
Wand of cold 
If you are being pulled underwater, you can use this wand to freeze the water that the sea monster is swimming in, thus preventing it from drowning you. It also deals significant damage, and stands a pretty good chance of destroying most early-game threats in one strike.
Wand of fire or wand of lightning 
can be used to engrave Elbereth permanently and quickly. The wand of lightning, however, will blind you, and there are monsters that don't respect Elbereth. Also, like the wand of cold, these can be used to simply nuke the attacking monster. Fire can also be used to cure sliming. Lightning will not explode if monsters zap you.
Blessed scroll of earth 
You can use this one in an open space to create a boulder fort around you, possibly giving you the time to heal.
Wand of polymorph 
Zap that monster that is about to kill you and change it into another (hopefully easier) monster. You can also zap yourself with it, using it as a makeshift healing device (if your HP reaches 0 when you are polymorphed, you change back to your original form instead of dying). This should be your last resort, as the monster may very well become much tougher than whatever it was before, or you could kill yourself with system shock, not to mention that using this wand for polypiling is a much better use for it.
Non-cursed athame, including Magicbane 
You can engrave one Elbereth per turn as often as you need to. Wizards might want to melee fight on ElberethElberethElb, adding more Elbereth as needed, once they have sacrificed for Magicbane.
Tooled horn 
Scares monsters, 80% chance, even those that don't respect Elbereth.
Expensive camera 
May blind or scare seeing monsters, causing them to be less effective at attacking you and/or to flee, but beware: Elbereth will not work on blinded monsters.
Magic whistle 
Summons your pet(s), which can then either attack the monster or block its path to you.
Wand of Death 
Will nuke most enemies in one turn. However, there is a slight chance to miss. (A)pply it if you are surrounded.
Lizard corpse or potion of acid 
Not strictly for running away, but cures stoning in one turn. Note cans of acidic monsters will also work, but take at least two turns to consume, and the spell of stone to flesh has other drawbacks.
Amulet of life saving 
Remember to put it on!

Strategy[]

You might want to assign fixed inventory letters to the following items and carry them in your main inventory at all times:

The above selection covers the most common or pressing problems without burdening you down too much.

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Using this item to escape from some nasties (e.g., named Demons) may not work. If the nasty is next to you when you #invoke the artifact, quaff the potion, etc., he may follow you!

See also[]

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