Left and Right Action Icons

Your character can fight, cast spells, use skills and perform several other actions. By clicking the left and right buttons of your mouse, you perform these actions. You can assign different actions to the mouse using the Action Icons. The Action Icon on the left represents the current action for the left mouse button, while the icon on the right represents the action for the right mouse button. Left-clicking on an Action Icon displays a pop-up menu of skill icons. Click on a skill icon to assign it to that mouse button.

Using Ctrl - Running

While your character normally walks, running is faster and is recommended for covering large distances. To run, simply hold down the Ctrl key as you direct your character around the Play Area. You can also run by clicking the Run/Walk button on the Interface Bar or using the R hot key. Click the button or press R again to return to walking mode.

You can only run as long as your character has stamina. The Stamina Bar indicates how much stamina you have, and how fast you are using it. By slowing to a walk, you can regain stamina. If you run until you are completely out of stamina, you will have to stop first before you begin to regain it.

Running vs Walking

You might wonder why you would want to walk instead of running all of the time. While you are running, melee monsters within range, will always hit you. So by running next to melee monsters you leave yourself very vulnerable to attacks. However when you walk by monsters, the normal chance to hit determined by your character level, the monster level, your defense, and so on will apply. You may wish to switch to walk mode when facing monsters, especially when playing melee classes such as the Barbarian, Paladin, and sometimes Amazon.

While running, there is the chance that the timing of the monster's attack will have it's contact point come after you've already vacated the area. So while it is a pretty good chance you'll get hit, it's not 100% certain. If you find you're getting hit too much while running, try switching to walk.

Since monsters will always hit you while you're running, classes that do a little running can care little about Defense. Necromancers and Sorceress in later acts and higher difficulty levels must stay away from monsters to avoid dying. To do that they often need to run. Sorceress' often are always running to avoid damage. Both of those classes should look to their shields for blocking and should focus little on Defense.

Using Alt

Press and hold 'Alt' to highlight any items (weapons, armor, potions, scrolls, gold, etc.) that you can pick up from the ground. The name of the item class appears above the item in the following color code:

White = Normal Item
Gray = Socketed Item
Violet = Magic Item
Green = Set Items
Yellow = Rare item
Gold = Unique item

Using Shift

Holding the shift key down allows you to attack without moving.

Ranged Combat

When using bows, throwing knives, or other ranged weapons, you may wish to fire without moving. By pressing and holding down the Shift key, your character will stay in place while firing at your target. This works for all other actions as well, allowing you to stand, fight, or cast spells while remaining in place.

Automap Overlay

As you explore the world, the game maps where you have been. The map shows important terrain features like stairways and magical shrines and helps you navigate the world. To open the Automap, select the Automap icon from the Mini-panel, or press the Tab key on your keyboard. The Automap appears over the Play Area. Note that game play doesn't stop when you bring up the Automap. You can still move, attack, and be attacked by creatures in the world while the Automap is up.

Assigning and Using Skill Hot keys

You may assign 8 hot keys to automatically ready skills for the left or right mouse buttons. Bring up the Skill buttons (left-click on the left-hand or right-hand skill icon), then move the cursor over each skill and press one of the 8 hot keys - 'F1' thru 'F8' - to assign the hot key to that skill. When finished, press 'S' or the Spacebar.

NOTE: Some skills (generally non-attack) cannot be assigned to the left mouse button. Any skill can be assigned to the right mouse button.