# Commands

Contents

1 Directional keys
2 Commands

2.1 Meta Key
2.2 Controls
2.3 In Game Status
2.4 Equipment, Skills &amp; Inventory
2.5 Character interaction
2.6 Item interaction
2.7 System

3 Wizard-mode commands
4 SLASH'EM
5 Reference cards
6 Notes

This article is about commands. For a chart of keyboard keys and their uses, see Commands (by key).
In NetHack, a command is an action you want the game to perform. This includes actions your character might do, gathering information about your character or the game, or even modifying the behavior of the game itself.
In previous versions of NetHack, commands were separated into two main categories: normal commands, which predominantly were by default bound to single character keys, and extended commands, which were somewhat less common and either didn't have a default keybinding or were executed with a modifier key like alt or ctrl. These "extended commands" are entered by typing # and entering the command name.
NetHack 3.6.1 does not make a meaningful distinction between normal commands and extended commands, providing most normal commands with an "extended" form, and can be entered either by their respective keybinding or the extended way. 3.6.1 also adds the custom keybinding system, where players can arbitrarily re-bind commands to particular keys or key combinations. When setting these, the "extended" format command name is used. For more information see the binding keys main article.
When entering commands with the # prefix, some commands will autocomplete after only a few letters. This behavior can be modified with the AUTOCOMPLETE option.

Directional keys

Keyboard

y

k

u

↖
↑
↗

h
←

→
l

↙
↓
↘

b

j

n

Numpad†

Numpad 7

Numpad 8

Numpad 9

↖
↑
↗

Numpad 4
←

→
Numpad 6

↙
↓
↘

Numpad 1

Numpad 2

Numpad 3

(†)Available ony if number_pad option is enabled.

Commands
Here is a list of commands, their default keybinding, and a short description.

Meta Key

System

Key

NT, OS/2, PC and ST
Alt

Amiga
Set altmeta option

Controls

Category

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

Cancel

ESC

Redo last command

Ctrl&nbsp;+ a

Panic button

Ctrl&nbsp;+ c
Quit the game.

Shell Commands

Save

#save

S

Save the game and exit.

Quit

#quit

Meta&nbsp;+ q

Exit without saving current game.

Suspend

#suspend

Ctrl&nbsp;+ z

Suspend the game (UNIX(R) versions with job control only).

Message
Repeat previous messages
#prevmsg
Ctrl&nbsp;+ p
Show previously displayed game messages.

Help on commands

#whatdoes

&amp;

Tell what a key does.

#?

Meta&nbsp;+ ?†††

Get the list of available extended commands.

Help, in game

Help (in-game)

#help

?

Show the help menu.

h†

What is

#whatis

/

Show what type of a thing a symbol corresponds to.

Far look

#glance

;

Show what a map symbol means.

#herecmdmenu

Show a menu of possible actions in your current location.

#therecmdmenu

Show menu of possible actions in an adjacent location.[1]

In game options

Explore mode

#exploremode

Enter non-scoring game exploring/discovery mode. Used for learning about the game.

Autopickup

#autopickup

@

Toggle autopickup on/off.

Terrain

#terrain

Show the map without monsters, objects, or traps.

Motion

Direction keys

Go one step in the direction indicated

Uppercase Direction keys

Go in that direction until you hit a wall

m&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Move without picking up objects or fighting

M&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Move far, no pickup

g&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Move until something interesting is found.

G&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Same as g&nbsp;+ Direction keys, but forking of corridors is not considered interesting.

Ctrl&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Staircase

#up

&lt;

Go up a staircase.

#down

&gt;

Go down a staircase.

Travel

#travel

_

Travel to a specific location on the map.

m&nbsp;+ _

m prefix shows a menu of interesting targets in sight without asking to move the cursor.

Teleport

#teleport

Ctrl&nbsp;+ t

Teleport around the level, if you have the ability.

Jump

#jump

Meta&nbsp;+ j

Jump to a location.

j†

Other actions

Wipe

#wipe

Meta&nbsp;+ w

Wipe off your face.

Sit

#sit

Meta&nbsp;+ s

Sit down.

Rest

#wait

.

Rest one move while doing nothing.

Space if rest_on_space is on.

Battle

Fight

F&nbsp;+ Direction keys

Fight a monster (even if you only guess one is there).

Firing

#fire

f

Fire ammunition from quiver.

Quiver

#quiver

Q

Select ammunition for quiver.

Zap

#zap

z

Zap a wand.

Spellcasting

#cast

Z

Cast a spell.

Throw

#throw

t

Throw something.

Explore

Near look

#look

:

Look at what is under you.

Search

#search

s

Search for unseen things near you.

Engrave

#engrave

E

Engrave writing on the floor.

Trap

#seetrap

^

Show the type of an adjacent trap.

untrap

#untrap

Meta&nbsp;+ u

Untrap something.

u†

In Game Status

Category

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

Character info

#attributes

Ctrl&nbsp;+ x

Display basic information about your character.

Conduct

#conduct

Meta&nbsp;+ C

List which challenges you have adhered to.

Current equipment

#seeall

*

Show all equipment in use.

Amulet

#seeamulet

"

Show currently worn amulet.

Armor

#seearmor

[

Show currently worn armor.

Gold

#seegold

$

Count your gold.

Ring

#seerings

=

Show currently worn ring(s).

Spellcasting

#seespells

+

List and reorder known spells.

Tool

#seetools

(

Show tools currently in use.

Weapon

#seeweapon

)

Show currently wielded weapons.

Discoveries

#known

\

Show discovered objects.

#knownclass

`

Show discovered objects of one type.

Dungeon

Overview

#overview

Meta&nbsp;+ O

Display an overview of the dungeon.

Ctrl&nbsp;+ o†

Annotate

#annotate

Meta&nbsp;+ A

Leave a note about the level.

Ctrl&nbsp;+ n†

Equipment, Skills &amp; Inventory

Category

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

Equipment

Twoweapon

#twoweapon

X

Toggle two-weapon combat.

Meta&nbsp;+ 2††

Take off

#takeoffall

A

Remove all armor.

Put on

#puton

P

Put on an accessory.

Remove

#remove

R

Remove an accessory (ring, amulet, or blindfold).

Take off

#takeoff

T

Take off one piece of armor.

Wield

#wield

w

Wield a weapon.

Wear

#wear

W

Wear a piece of armor.

Swap weapons

#swap

x

Swap wielded and secondary weapons.

Apply

#apply

a

Apply (use) a tool. If used on a wand, that wand will be broken, releasing its magic in the process.

m&nbsp;+ a

m prefix skips items if the tool used acts on items on the floor

Quiver

#quiver

Q

Select ammunition for quiver.

Skills

Enhance

#enhance

Meta&nbsp;+ e

Advance or check weapons skills.

Inventory

#inventory

i

Show your inventory.

#inventtype

I

List inventory by type.

I&nbsp;+ *

List all gems in inventory.

I&nbsp;+ u

List all unpaid items

I&nbsp;+ x

List all used up items that are on your shopping bill

I&nbsp;+ B

List all items known to be blessed

I&nbsp;+ U

List all items known to be uncursed

I&nbsp;+ C

List all items known to be cursed

I&nbsp;+ X

List all items whose bless/curse status is unknown

I&nbsp;+ $

Count your money.

Call

#call

C

Name a monster or object, or add an annotation.

Name

#name

Meta&nbsp;+ n

Name an item or type of object.

N†

Adjust

#adjust

Meta&nbsp;+ a

Adjust inventory letters.

Character interaction

Category

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

Chat

#chat

Meta&nbsp;+ c

Talk to someone, monster or creature.

Shop

Pay bill

#pay

p

Pay your shopping bill.

Creature

Ride

#ride

Meta&nbsp;+ R

Ride (or stop riding) a monster.

Call

#call

C

Name a monster or object, or add an annotation.

Name

#name

Meta&nbsp;+ n

Name an item or type of object.

N†

Monster Ability

#monster

Meta&nbsp;+ m

Use a monster's special ability.

Turn undead away

#turn

Meta&nbsp;+ t

Turn undead.[2]

Gods

Pray

#pray

Meta&nbsp;+ p

Pray to the gods for help.

Offer

#offer

Meta&nbsp;+ o

Offer a sacrifice to the gods.

Item interaction

Category

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

Basics

Pick up

#pickup

,

Pick up things at current location.

m&nbsp;+ ,

m prefix to force a selection menu

Drop

#drop

d

Drop an item.

#droptype

D

Drop specific item types.

D&nbsp;+ B

Drop all objects known to be blessed.

D&nbsp;+ U

Drop all objects known to be uncursed.

D&nbsp;+ C

Drop all objects known to be cursed.

D&nbsp;+ X

Drop all objects of unknown B/U/C status.

D&nbsp;+ a

Drop all objects, without asking for confirmation.

D&nbsp;+ i

Examine your inventory before dropping anything.

D&nbsp;+ u

Drop only unpaid objects (when in a shop).

D&nbsp;+ m

Use a menu to pick which object(s) to drop.

D&nbsp;+ %&nbsp;+ u

Drop only unpaid food.

Kick

#kick

Ctrl&nbsp;+ d

Kick something.

k†

Read

#read

r

Read a scroll, spellbook, or something else.

Eat

#eat

e

Eat something.

m&nbsp;+ e

m prefix skips eating items on the floor.

Drink

#quaff

q

Drink something.

Rub

#rub

Meta&nbsp;+ r

Rub a lamp or a stone.

Dip

#dip

Meta&nbsp;+ d

Dip an object into something.

Invoke

#invoke

Meta&nbsp;+ i

Invoke an object's powers.

Throw

#throw

t

Throw something.

Containers,bag,box

Tip

#tip

Meta&nbsp;+ T

Tip over a container.

Loot

#loot

Meta&nbsp;+ l

Loot a box on the floor.

l†

Doors

Open door

#open

o

Open a door.

Close door

#close

c

Close a door.

Lock

Force lock

#force

Meta&nbsp;+ f

Force a lock.

System

Action

Extended Command

Key

Short Description

History

#history

V

Show long version and game history.

Version

#versionshort

v

Show version string.

#version

Meta&nbsp;+ v

List compile time options for this version of NetHack.

Redraw screen

#redraw

Ctrl&nbsp;+ r

Redraw the screen.

Ctrl&nbsp;+ l†

Shell escape

#shell

!

Do a shell escape. (Disabled on most NetHack servers.)

Options

#options

O

Show and change settings.

(†) These keybindings are only present when the number_pad option is enabled.
(††) These keybindings are only  present when the number_pad option is disabled.
(†††) Not supported on all platforms

Wizard-mode commands
Playing in wizard mode adds several commands:

Command

Shortcut

Short Description

levelchange

Change your experience level.

lightsources

Show mobile light sources.

monpolycontrol

Control monster polymorphs.

panic

Test the panic routine.

polyself

Polymorph self.

seenv

Show seen vectors.

stats

Show memory statistics.

timeout

Look at the timeout queue.

vanquished

List vanguished monsters.

vision

Show vision array.

wizdebug_bury

Bury objects under and around you.

wizdebug_traveldisplay

Toggle travel display.

wizdetect

ctrl&nbsp;+ e

Search a room.

wizgenesis

ctrl&nbsp;+ g

Create a monster.

wizidentify

ctrl&nbsp;+ i

Identify all items in inventory.

wizintrinsic

Set intrinsic.

wizlevelport

ctrl&nbsp;+ v

Teleport to another level.

wizmap

ctrl&nbsp;+ f

Map the level.

wizrumorcheck

Verify rumor boundaries.

wizsmell

Smell monster.

wizwhere

Show locations of special levels.

wizwish

ctrl&nbsp;+ w

Wish for something.

wmode

Show wall modes.

SLASH'EM
SLASH'EM adds the following extended commands:

Command

Short Description

2weapon

Alias of 'Twoweapon'.

Borrow

steals gold from monsters.

Technique

use a technique.

Youpoly

Polymorph at will, as a Doppelganger, Flame mage, or Ice mage.

Reference cards
A number of downloadable reference cards are also available for quick reference.

Notes

↑ This command currently does not function properly; see this commit.

↑ This command is related to the D&amp;D concept of "undead turning"; it does not cause your character to suddenly become an undead monster!

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.
It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.1. Information on this page may be out of date.
Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-361}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.