Rings

Getting Started

Lacking any direct melee attacks and any means of movement, the ring's 
first order of business is to lure a suitable ring-bearer. To achieve 
this, there are two approaches. First, the most powerful means, and the 
one available to the ring at the very start of their adventuring is to 
lie still and look enticing! This is the essence of mimicry, and 
monsters will generally take you for a normal ring unless you do 
something to reveal your true nature (such as launching a magic missile 
or otherwise damaging a visible monster). The second means of acquiring 
a ring-bearer only comes later in the game, and should only be used 
once a monster has perceived the ring for what it truly is: a sentient 
and malicious magical creature, out to dominate its wielder.

So the initial approach is to lure a potential ring-bearer and hope 
they pick the ring up; but what if there are no suitable monsters 
about? Here, the ring possesses a very special power called Glitter 
(available through the U/O key). This power is much like resting: the 
ring simply waits until a monster comes near; however, potential 
ring-bearers will sense you glittering and approach you out of 
curiosity. So don't worry: simply lie still and be patient, and 
monsters will come to you!

Once a suitable ring-bearer approaches, you will want to lie still and 
trick it into picking you up and wearing you. Only then will it realize 
its mistake but by that time, it is too late! Of course, the 
ring-bearer might recognize you for what you are when it gets close, at 
which point it will attack you, so this approach is not without risk; 
but if you succeed in being worn, the ring-bearer becomes your pet, and 
is controlled by your will. Now, at last, you may move about!

The other order of business for the ring upon starting the game is to 
acquire magical spells by absorbing suitable jewelry (rings or 
amulets). Since these are rare in the early going, the ring is actually 
born with a couple of fine trinkets. You should absorb these at once to 
gain a couple of minor powers that will assist you in the early going. 
(See [a] below for more details.)

Acquiring and Keeping Your Bearer

Glittering has a couple of downsides that limit its usefulness. 
Firstly, you need to look nice and innocent, so being on somebody 
else's finger won't do; if you already have a bearer, you need to 
dismiss them or at least slip off their finger. Secondly, you only get 
one attempt at fooling a monster; if he sees through you, he'll attack 
you... just when you are at your most vulnerable due to having no 
ring-bearer. Thirdly, even if you successfully fool a monster into 
picking you up, it might not be a monster you're happy with!

There is another way to acquire ring-bearers, though it only becomes 
available some way into the game: you can charm any suitable monster. 
The Charming power, like Glitter and Absorb, is used through the U 
command (O in the roguelike keyset). Charming is not very reliable, but 
unlike glittering, if you fail you can (usually) try again.

Having successfully charmed your target, use the p pet commands to make 
them your new ring-bearer: get off a pet to leave the previous bearer, 
stay close to encourage the new bearer to approach and finally ride a 
pet when they are adjacent.

Both approaches to acquiring a ring-bearer rely on the ring's charisma 
for success. Next to intelligence (which is your spellcasting stat), 
charisma is the most important stat to a ring; so be sure to invest 
points in both INT and CHR at birth.

A final point to mention is that your hold on a ring-bearer is not 
all-powerful. Occasionally, the bearer might cast you off, hurl you on 
the ground, and begin attacking you! Again, the ring needs a strong 
force of personality (i.e., Charisma) to maintain its dominance. Should 
this fail, you can try to recharm the bearer; but sometimes a soured 
ring-bearer simply needs to be put down, at which point the ring may 
glitter patiently to lure a new bearer.

Getting Powers and Growing Stronger

Rings have a normal inventory, but cannot wear any equipment. Instead, 
they gain abilities and spells by absorbing any jewelry (rings or 
amulets) that they find. A list of your absorbed magical spells and 
essences, their effects, and their powers is displayed on your 
character sheet (C), as well as in the Knowledge Menu's Extra Character 
Info section (~x).

To absorb jewelry, you can use the U command (roguelike O); but for 
ergonomic reasons, absorbing also happens automatically when you 
destroy a ring or an amulet.

Getting powerful spells is difficult, and the ultimate powers may prove 
elusive; however, with a suitably strong ring-bearer, ultimate success 
should be possible.

Acceptable Ring-Bearers

Not all monsters are suitable ring-bearers. Bearer candidates include 
all humans (p), humanoids (h), townspeople (t), angels (A) and yeeks 
(y), most vampires (V) and liches (L), and a few other thematically 
suitable monsters such as the Nazgul. The Charm Ring-Bearer power only 
works on these monsters; and even if you still acquire other monsters 
as pets, you cannot ride them or make them pick you up.