Opening screen from the Sil-Q version.
Sil is a roguelike game based on J. R. R. Tolkien's books set in Middle-earth, which is a successor of Angband. It went back to the roots and focuses more on recreating Tolkien's universe and flair. The goal is not to kill Morgoth, but to steal as many Silmarils as possible, which have to be cut from Morgoth's iron crown first. Bonus points for only using a shovel as equipment.A fork called Sil-Q
has been developed due to the development of Sil stopping in 2016. This fork rebalances several skills and gears, making them more useful throughout the game, and makes Morgoth harder to kill.
Tropes used in Sil:
- Dump Stat: Averted with the last stat: Grace. While not as important as Strength and Dexterity in combat, you will step in every trap and get knocked out or poisoned later in the game, because you lack the willpower.
- Hit Points: You start with 28 as an elf, and even only 20 as Edain, and can not gain more that easily. Orc warriors can do 4d7 on critical hits, meaning an unlucky Critical Hit can outright kill you.
- Humans Are Average: Averted. Humans are BadassNormals at best. Compared to Noldor and Sindar, who are better at everything than humans. Even Naugrim are better of and have Axe proficiency.
- Level Scaling: Averted and not needed to keep the game balanced. The wolves at the first dungeon level can still kill you easily.
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Nintendo Hard: The game starts you off with a poor quality sword, a few rations and torches and that's it. There's no town level, unlike Angband, everything else you need you'll have to scavenge from the dungeon or make yourself. A single enemy can kill you on the first level, much less a group and useful magic is difficult to acquire, identify and use effectively. - Permadeath: Beware, even the first orc pack can easily kill you, if you get surrounded!
- Randomly Generated Levels: Even more extreme than in other Roguelikes, because it is an Angband successor - each dungeon floor is redesigned, if you take stairs up and down again, for example. This can come in handily if you want to find new items, but if you get chased of the level, you will loose any loot left behind.
- Random Number God: Most actions except movement require a roll on a d10, combat rolls require a d20. And Eru help you if you fail your evasion and protection roll when enemies critical hit you.
- Weapon of X-Slaying: Weapons of Gondolin do extra damage against Orcs and Trolls. Those of Doriath do the same to wolves and giant spiders.
