So, a big scary monster is coming after you, and you need to kill them. What do you do? Well, there are two options. First, if you're brave enough, trying to move into a monster (using the movement keys from the section called “Controls” will trigger hand-to-hand combat. If you still have zaps left, you can zap the opposing monster from afar using the z key and the controls from the section called “Targeting”. The eventual goal of combat is to reduce your opponent to 0 HP. When a monster (or you) hits 0 HP, they die. When you die, the game ends.

Your character, has 6 essential attributes, or stats. There are: Strength (Str), Dexterity (Dex), Constitution (Con), Intelligence (Int), Wisdom (Wis), and Saves. The exact purpose of these attributes has not been determined, but they do count for something,

Also, your character has three other characteristics. Hit points (HP), show how much life your character has left. When they reach 0, you die and the game is over.

In Menace of the Mines, there are 7 degrees of blessedness or accursedness in which your items may be. If an item is blessed, it confers minor additional benefits to the user, BLESSED items bring greater benefits and *BLESSED* items, though extremely rare, can do almost anything except bring you back from the dead. Similarly, if an item is cursed, it causes minor complications for the user, CURSED items cause greater suffering and *CURSED* items, though extremely rare, will do anything in their considerable power to hurt you.