Score is calculated 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. Score also decides if the game considers your character a beginner.
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, ascension 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.
The lowest possible score one can achive when ascending is 24400[1], although this depends on the Sanctum's depth (see below for details).
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 two points. Gold has a weight of one unit per 100 pieces. This means that 100 gold, or 200 points weighs one unit, which is the same weight as the least valuable gem.
Each amulet weighs twenty units and, except for the cheap plastic imitation of the Amulet of Yendor, is worth 150 zorkmids. This makes each amulet worth far less than its weight in gold; however, some of the amulets (such as life saving) would be worth carrying even if they contributed nothing to your final score.
Artifacts weigh more than one unit, so depending on their value, they may or may not be worth more than an equivalent weight in gold. The following chart lists the value of each artifact, its weight, and its value/weight. If the value/weight column is not at least 200, the artifact is worth less than its weight in gold, and, for score purposes, you would be better off carrying gold than that artifact into the End Game.
* The Invocation items cannot be held in a bag of holding, so if you have one, they're relatively heavier than items in the bag; however, they are still more worthwhile than gold for carrying into the endgame.
Each gem weighs one unit, so every gem is at least as valuable as its weight in gold; some many times over.
| Gem | Value | Color |
|---|---|---|
| dilithium crystal | 4500 | white |
| diamond | 4000 | white |
| ruby | 3500 | red |
| jacinth | 3250 | orange |
| sapphire | 3000 | blue |
| black opal | 2500 | black |
| emerald | 2500 | green |
| turquoise | 2000 | green, blue |
| aquamarine | 1500 | green, blue |
| citrine | 1500 | yellow |
| amber | 1000 | yellowish brown |
| topaz | 900 | yellowish brown |
| jet | 850 | black |
| opal | 800 | white |
| chrysoberyl | 700 | yellow |
| garnet | 700 | red |
| amethyst | 600 | violet |
| jasper | 500 | red |
| fluorite | 400 | green, blue, white, violet |
| jade | 300 | green |
| obsidian | 200 | black |
| agate | 200 | orange |
Berry ascended with 9223372036854775807 points during Junethack tournament.
How to minimize score[]
- Play as a pacifist.
- Do not consult the oracle. Instead, use a potion of gain level to reach XL 2, at which point it is safe to dally with a foocubus.
- Obtain a spellbook of identify (from a wish, prayer, magic marker, or random loot), and formally identify any wands, scrolls, potions before use.
- If you can't, price-ID the scroll of identify, then find and bless as many as possible. Use these scrolls to identify any potions, scrolls and wands before using (or engraving, in the case of wands).
- Drop all gold, valuable gems, amulets and artifacts before offering the Amulet of Yendor. When you do offer it, make sure your pet is not next to you.
The minimum possible score for an ascension is dependent on the depth of Moloch's Sanctum in the game:
| Sanctum Depth | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| 45 | 24400 |
| 46 | 24500 |
| 47 | 24600 |
| 48 | 24700 |
| 49 | 24800 |
| 50 | 24900 |
| 51 | 25000 |
| 52 | 25100 |
| 53 | 25200 |
Yeti ascended with 24400 points during the 2014 Devnull tournament.