The Action-Packed Dungeon Adventure
The Delve! compendium
Delve! is a remarkably simple game, but with a detailed world that can often be confusing. First-time players especially tend to have problems identifying what things are and what they do--if this sounds like you, then you're in the right place. The Delve! compendium is the place to go if you're wondering on the finer points of the classes, or what a certain spell does, or exactly what the poorly drawn blobs chasing you through the dungeons are supposed to represent. If you're just looking for basic instructions, try the Delve! quickstart page instead.
Class listings
The Barbarian is a hulking powerhouse. A fierce nomad warrior of the barren wastes, his muscular frame ripples with power. His melee attack is the strongest in the game, and the heavy axes he throws hit hard as well. He wears very light armor to maintain his mobility, but has almost no magic skill whatsoever.
The Elf is a crafty and cunning sylvan warrior. Nimble and clever, the Elf is light on his feet and a spellcaster to be reckoned with. His legendary aim lends him considerable skill in missile combat, but his light armor and weak melee attack can be troublesome.
The Knight is a heavily armored crusader of justice. He's the most well-protected character available, taking only a fraction of the damage of the other classes. The Knight is ideally suited for close combat but can do appreciable damage with his crossbow, as well, and although his magic skills are below average, they're still useful. Unfortunately, the bulky armor he wears tends to slow him down considerably compared to lighter classes.
The Monk is a mysterious and reclusive warrior-mage. He wields no weapons but his own body and mind, using his mystical talents to enhance his martial arts skills. The result is a well-balanced, warrior, adept in close combat and excellent with magic. Unfortunately, his missile attacks tend to be quite a bit weaker than most other classes.
The Ninja is a fearsome and lethal killing machine. A master assassin, his deadly shuriken are the fastest, most powerful nonmagical missile attack, and his razor-sharp katana can quickly slay any foe that manages to get close enough. The Ninja is one of the fastest characters, as he prefers to move about unfettered by the weight of heavy armor. Unfortunately, his utter lack of protective gear can quickly become a massive liability should his enemies get a few attacks in.
The Ranger is a versatile and well-balanced warrior. Trained to be ever vigilant and in perfect tune with his environment, the Ranger truly has no weaknesses--he is the only character you'll never have to worry about coming up short in a skill when you need it most. He makes an excellent addition to any team and a good place for new players to start out.
The Soldier is a battle-seasoned veteran of countless campaigns. An expert warrior, he combines excellent defense and offense to be one of the best all-around physical fighters, yet still maintaining his speed and mobility. However, the Soldier scorns magic, relying on the physical reality of his own weapons and armor to do battle.
The Templar is a holy warrior with a divine mission to deliver evil from the land. Gifted with the powers of magic by his deity and outfitted with heavy weapons and armor, the Templar is an excellent ally--he has one of the highest magic scores in the game, but doesn't possess the lower armor and feeble attacks that limit the usefulness of other key magic classes. Unfortunately, the Templar does tend to be rather slow from his heavy equipment.
The Thief is a wily and mischeivous rogue, driven to further the cause of good--for a price. Although he quests for money rather than for justice, never underestimate his value to the party. His fighting skills, while mediocre, are not nearly so low as to render him a liability. His true strength lies in his incredible agility--he can dance circles around opponents with ease.
The Wizard is a truly a power worthy of awe. His magical aptitude soars above and beyond that of the other characters. Give him a powerful spell or two and he'll quickly prove himself the party's most valuable asset. Unfortunately, his pool of spellcasting ability, while vast, is still limited, and his feeble physique doesn't leave him to be of much use when his magic runs out.
Grimoire
The Lightning Bolt spell is a very powerful offensive spell that will fire a continuous bolt of electricity forward from the caster, blasting through enemies with extreme force.
The Fireball spell is a basic attack spell, firing a ball of flame capable of doing considerable damage. While unimpressive compared to more powerful spells, it makes an excellent supplemental attack for less magically inclined classes.
The Flash spell will create bright lights to dazzle your foes. While it does hit all enemies on screen, it doesn't do particularly much damage to each individual target.
The Freeze spell launches a ball of intense cold that will do a good amount of damage to its victims, as well as momentarily freezing them solid. Definitely an offensive spell to be reckoned with.
The Haste spell magically boosts the speed of a party member for a short duration. Very useful for quick escapes, as well as helping slower party members keep up with speedier characters.
The Heal spell will restore a small amount of health to its target. Although its effects are minor, it can be a great boon to the party if used wisely.
The Hold spell will create a magical stasis field that prevents one foe from moving or fighting for a few seconds. Although costly, never underestimate its use against powerful enemies.
The Quagmire spell will turn a wide patch of ground in front of the caster into a sticky, slimy swamp for a short duration. Friend and foe alike will find the slippery footing to be hard to walk through.
The Seeker spell will fire a magical bolt of energy charged with a mind of its own, capable of flying as it wills to hunt down foes. Although its flying ability isn't perfect, the spell nonetheless is very useful for hitting hard-to-reach foes.
The Venom spell shoots a noxious blast of poison slime at foes. The toxins it contains will wrack its victims with pain, doing minor damage and lowering their stats.
The Will o' Wisp spell conjures forth a dazzling, swirling light which dances about the area. Monsters who see the wisp will be mesmerized by its hypnotic twinkling, becoming too distracted to pay attention to the party and making them easy targets.