I did it!
Not entirely sure which version it was, but it was remarkably similar to the Epyx one I had back in 1987. This "newer" version had Snakes instead of Slimes and mangoes instead of slime molds. I feel like the older one was a little bit more generous with hit points when you advanced levels. The newer one I got from Home of the Underdogs (?) about 5 or 6 years ago.
I've read most of the previous posts in this thread and don't have TOO terribly much to add. One thing that definitely should be noted is that the ring of stealth really IS beneficial - maybe even indispensable. I had one for the whole way down and a decent part of the way up. Had to drop it though to make room in my pack, plus my food supply was running out. Fortunately, on the way up there WERE some food rations lying around (and a few nymphs to take them from) - but it must be noted that items were far more sparse on the way back up. If there were no items on the ascent, I wouldn't think it possible to beat the game.
I was also surprised to see that I was able to beat the game using the mace from the beginning - only a few enchant weapon scrolls. It definitely helped having level 20 strength. The +9 armor sure came in handy, but by the time I was on the way back up, my hit points were in the 90's, so I was able to mow down trolls without thinking twice.
Wands/staffs. I don't know if it was a stroke of bad luck, but I wasted THREE polymorph charges on a dragon before giving up. Thankfully I did have a potion of haste self, which essentially works the same as zapping a monster with a slow monster charge. Then comes the dance - hit once, back up. Hit once, back up. Slow monster is an incredibly helpful stick, and it's surprising that I won without having it. At the end I also had a couple fire staffs and a wand of lightning, but honestly I have to say they were somewhat disappointing. The lightning bolt whizzes past the griffin. The flame whizzes past the ur-vile. When they actually DID make contact, it didn't seem that much more damaging than a good old-fashioned mace blow. I can't count how many turns I've wasted throwing impotent paralysis/confusion/blindness potions at griffins and the like that would shrug them off IF I was lucky enough to even connect.
The monsters I had the most difficulty with were the usual suspects: Jabberwocks, Dragons, Medusas, Griffins. Medusas aren't actually THAT bad if you are able to fight them head on. I've always wondered what would happen if you quaffed a potion of blindness before fighting them, but by the time I get to those levels, I'm not feeling like experimentation! Jabberwocks are VERY tough and even with an armor class of +9 I would lose at least 20 hit points a turn. In fact, it was a jabberwock that carried the Amulet on level 26.
Let me again stress that all the magic in the world will not help you unless you have:
(a) a decent weapon
(b) decent armor
(c) high hit points
I won without finding I would have thought to be indispensable: a two-handed sword, a slow digestion ring, a ring of searching (especially for trapdoors - TWO of which I fell down on the way back up!), a regeneration ring, a scare monster scroll, a wand of polymorph (granted, I HAD one, but only used it once ineffectively against a dragon). Luck is a FACTOR, but maybe not as big of one as some people here have said. It's sort of like Scrabble in that regard - if you draw 4 I's, you're not gonna get a bingo. Perseverance is definitely the key. I played Rogue a ton back in the late 80's, and have been playing it even more for the past several years, and only beat it for the first time a few days ago. I could count the number of times I've even found the Amulet of Yendor on two hands, and there would probably still be a finger or two left over.
a) 1000 The Amulet of Yendor
b) 100 A scroll of identify
c) 70 A scroll of monster confusion
d) 185 A staff of fire [2 charges](walnut)
e) 350 A staff of fire [2 charges](walnut)
f) 310 A staff of polymorph [0 charges](zebrawood)
g) 390 A staff of lightning [3 charges](eucalyptus)
h) 380 A staff of drain life [4 charges](dogwood)
i) 260 2 potions of healing (magenta)
j) 5 a potion of poison(clear)
k) 860 +1 plate mail [armor class 9]
l) 30 -5 splint mail [armor class 2] (being worn)
m) 152 A +3, +3 mace (weapon in hand)
n) 6 6 +0, +0 arrows
o) 1 A +0, +0 dart
5169 Gold Pieces
