Trebor
The mad overlord who commissions the dungeon and whose name is used in the game's reverse spelling.
Documented for this version
D-pad | Move and turn in the dungeon |
|---|---|
A | Confirm selections and examine menus |
B | Cancel or return to the previous menu |
Menu commands are selected with the directional pad and confirmed with A.
Controls describe the standard NES version.
How it plays
The game alternates between Gilgamesh's Tavern, Boltac's Trading Post, the training grounds, and a first-person dungeon maze. A party of up to six characters moves one step at a time, maps corridors, opens chests, searches for stairs, and fights turn-based encounters.
Combat requires choosing commands for each party member, including attacking, casting spells, defending, parrying, hiding, or running. Experience raises levels, while equipment, class changes, spell learning, and resurrection determine long-term progression. The main objective is to reach deeper dungeon floors and recover the amulet.
Plan your run
Build a balanced party with reliable front-line fighters, a thief for detecting and disarming traps, a priest for healing, and a mage for offensive and defensive spells.
Map every corridor carefully, return to town before resources are exhausted, and keep spare characters available. Treat resurrection as risky: failed recovery can permanently destroy a character. Save valuable spell charges for encounters that can overwhelm the party.
Meet the cast
The mad overlord who commissions the dungeon and whose name is used in the game's reverse spelling.
A powerful wizard who stole Trebor's amulet and waits at the dungeon's deepest level.
Before you begin
Keep several rotating party members so a single death does not end the campaign.
Identify chest traps with the thief before opening them.
Restock healing and spell-support items before descending to a new floor.
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is a first-person dungeon-crawling role-playing game developed by Sir-Tech Software and adapted for the Nintendo Entertainment System by ASCII Corporation. The player creates a party of adventurers, explores a dangerous maze, battles monsters, and seeks the stolen amulet hidden by the wizard Werdna. Its demanding rules include character classes, alignments, spell management, surprise attacks, and permanent death. The NES version presents the traditionally complex computer RPG in a more accessible console format while preserving its unforgiving design. It is historically regarded as one of the foundational party-based dungeon RPGs and a major influence on later Japanese role-playing games.
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