Spelunky is © 2008, 2009 Derek Yu and Mossmouth, LLC, and is used under the [Spelunky User License v1.1b](https://spelunky.ai/LICENSE.txt). spelunky.ai is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Mossmouth. The game and its assets may not be sold. Music by George Buzinkai and Jonathan Perry; sound effects made in SFXR. From Spelunky Classic 1.1, © 2008, 2009 Derek Yu and Mossmouth, LLC. # Bombs and ropes From the spelunky.ai wiki: . Verified against the spelunky.ai port [v0.1.10](https://github.com/851-labs/spelunky/releases/tag/v0.1.10) on 28 October 2026. Bombs and ropes in Spelunky Classic are the player's two counted supplies: he starts a game with 4 of each, can carry up to 99, and gets more in bundles. The game keeps the player's bombs and ropes as two numbers, drawn beside the hearts at the top of the screen, rather than as items he carries. A [Bomb](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb) or a [Rope](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/rope) only becomes an item when he uses one, and goes back into its count if he takes it out unused. Both counts carry over from level to level and start again with each game. The items' own pages say what a bomb and a rope do; this one is about how many the player has. ## How it works ### The counts The HUD draws the bombs beside a bomb icon (a sticky bomb's, once the player has [Paste](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/paste)) and the ropes beside a rope icon, each as the plain number[^1]. Nothing else keeps them: a bomb or rope the player isn't holding exists only as the count. **Starting.** A new game sets each to 4, or to 0 for the [Tunnel Man](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/tunnel-man)[^2]. The Tutorial starts with no bombs and 2 ropes[^3], and a custom level from the [level editor](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/level-editor) with the counts its author set, each from 0 to 99[^4]. **The cap.** At the start of each of the player's steps, a count above 99 is cut back to 99[^5]. Nothing is lost before that, so a bundle picked up near the cap still adds what it can. ### Using them Each use takes one from its count: - **The bomb key** throws a lit bomb, if the count is above 0[^6] ([Bomb](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb#throwing-it)). - **The rope key** throws a rope up, or drops it down a ledge with down held[^7] ([Rope](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/rope#usage)). - **The item key** takes a bomb into the player's hands, unlit; pressed again, it puts the bomb back and takes out a rope, and a third time puts the rope back and brings back what he held. With no bombs it goes straight to a rope, and with neither, or with a heavy item or a shop's ware in his hands, it does nothing. A lit bomb can't be put away[^8] ([Bomb](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb#in-the-hands)). At an exit, an unlit bomb or a rope in the player's hands goes back into its count; a lit one is left behind[^9]. ### Getting more The bundles add to the counts when they're taken: a free one when the player touches it, a shop's when he buys it or carries it out[^10][^11]. | Source | Gives | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----- | | Bomb Bag | 3 bombs | [^12] | | Bomb Box | 12 bombs | [^13] | | Rope Pile | 3 ropes | [^14] | | [Kali](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/kalis-favour)'s third gift, at a favour of 32 | Bombs set to 99, if the player has fewer than 80; otherwise hearts | [^15] | The bundles come from: - **Shops.** The [General Store](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/general-store) sells Bomb Bags and Rope Piles[^16], the [Bomb Shop](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb-shop) and the [Weapon Shop](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/weapon-shop) Bomb Bags and Bomb Boxes[^17], the [Clothing Shop](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/clothing-shop) Rope Piles[^18] and the [Rare Shop](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/rare-shop) Bomb Boxes[^19]. A Bomb Box is also the [Dice House](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/dice-house)'s prize when the rolls for the others fail[^20]. - **[Crates](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/crate).** Mostly a Rope Pile or a Bomb Bag, at even odds, once every other item's roll fails. Before those, a Bomb Box's is 1 in 40, once the fourteen rolls ahead of it, from the Jetpack's to the Machete's, fail. A Crate in the Tutorial always holds a Bomb Bag[^21]. - **The [Yeti King](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/yeti-king)**, which leaves four items when it dies, each a Rope Pile one time in two once its 1 in 12 for [Spike Shoes](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/spike-shoes) fails, and a [Big Sapphire](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/big-sapphire) otherwise[^22]. - **Kali.** Her first gift is a Bomb Box once the player has a [Jetpack](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/jetpack) and every other piece of equipment she gives[^23]. ### Losing them Apart from using them, a [Monkey](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/monkey) on the player's back takes them: when it doesn't throw away some of his money, it throws away a rope half the time, if he has one, or else a bomb, lit one time in ten[^24]. The rope or bomb lands loose in the level, where he can pick it up again ([Rope](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/rope#locations), [Bomb](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb#locations)). ## Numbers | Value | | | | --------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------- | | Bombs at the start of a game | 4 | [^25] | | Ropes at the start of a game | 4 | [^26] | | The Tunnel Man's bombs and ropes | 0 and 0 | [^27] | | The Tutorial's bombs and ropes | 0 and 2 | [^28] | | Most bombs, most ropes | 99, 99 | [^5] | | A Bomb Bag, a Bomb Box, a Rope Pile | 3, 12, 3 | [^11] | | Their prices, before the level's markup | $2,500, $10,000, $2,500 | [^29], the markup | | Kali's bombs | 99, below 80 | [^30] | The bundles' pages have their prices on each level. ## Examples **Clip: Bombs and ropes picked up.** The player walks over a bomb bag, a rope pile and a bomb box, and his counts at the top of the screen go from 4 bombs and 4 ropes to 19 and 7. He throws a bomb ahead, walks back and throws a rope up, and each takes one from its count. ([video](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/media/1d3f433106e37ef1/clips/bombs-and-ropes/pickups/clip.mp4)) In the clip, the player walks over a Bomb Bag, a Rope Pile and a Bomb Box, lying free on the floor, and the counts go from 4 bombs and 4 ropes to 7 and 4, 7 and 7, then 19 and 7. A bomb thrown ahead takes the bombs to 18, and a rope thrown up the ropes to 6[^31]. ## Quirks - **A bomb arrow costs no bomb.** The bomb key readies one on a drawn [Bow](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bow) while the player has a bomb, but takes none from the count: [Free bomb arrows](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/free-bomb-arrows)[^32][^33]. - **A lit bomb the player didn't light goes back into the count.** One lit by anything but the player, a Monkey or the Sun Room isn't marked as lit, so carried out of a level it's counted as an unlit bomb: [Unarmed lit bombs](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/unarmed-bombs)[^32][^34]. ## FAQ ### How many bombs and ropes do you start with in Spelunky Classic? 4 bombs and 4 ropes. The [Tunnel Man](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/tunnel-man) starts with none of either, the Tutorial gives none and 2, and a custom level what its author set. ### What is the most bombs you can carry in Spelunky Classic? 99, and as many ropes. Anything above that is cut back to 99 at the start of the player's next step, so a Bomb Box picked up with 95 bombs leaves him 99. ### How do you get more bombs in Spelunky Classic? From a Bomb Bag (3) or a Bomb Box (12), which shops sell and [Crates](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/crate) hold, or from [Kali](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/kalis-favour), whose third gift fills the bag to 99. ### How do you get more ropes in Spelunky Classic? From a Rope Pile, which adds 3. The General Store and the Clothing Shop sell them, Crates hold them, and each of the four items the [Yeti King](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/yeti-king) leaves may be one. ### Can a monkey steal your bombs in Spelunky Classic? Yes. A [Monkey](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/monkey) on the player's back that doesn't take his money throws away a rope, half the time, or a bomb, which is lit one time in ten. ## See also - **Related:** [Bomb](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/bomb), [Rope](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/rope), Bomb Bag, Bomb Box, Rope Pile, [Crate](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/crate), [Monkey](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/monkey), [Kali's favour](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/kalis-favour), [Level editor](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/level-editor) ## References [^1]: [`scripts/scrDrawHUD.gml:36-40`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrDrawHUD#L36-L40) [^2]: [`scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml:103-114`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrClearGlobals#L103-L114) [^3]: [`objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end.gml:76-94`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end#L76-L94) [^4]: [`scripts/scrLoadLevel.gml:143-148`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrLoadLevel#L143-L148) [^5]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:10-11`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L10-L11) [^6]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:1137-1174`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L1137-L1174) [^7]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:1045-1131`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L1045-L1131) [^8]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:954-1043`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L954-L1043) [^9]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:821-841`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L821-L841) [^10]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:2020-2062`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L2020-L2062) [^11]: [`scripts/scrStealItem.gml:68-111`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrStealItem#L68-L111) [^12]: [`scripts/scrStealItem.gml:70`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrStealItem#L70) [^13]: [`scripts/scrStealItem.gml:82`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrStealItem#L82) [^14]: [`scripts/scrStealItem.gml:105`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrStealItem#L105) [^15]: [`scripts/scrGetFavorMsg.gml:39-50`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrGetFavorMsg#L39-L50) [^16]: [`scripts/scrShopItemsGen.gml:173-174`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrShopItemsGen#L173-L174) [^17]: [`scripts/scrShopItemsGen.gml:24-67`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrShopItemsGen#L24-L67) [^18]: [`scripts/scrShopItemsGen.gml:74`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrShopItemsGen#L74) [^19]: [`scripts/scrShopItemsGen.gml:108`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrShopItemsGen#L108) [^20]: [`scripts/scrGenerateItem.gml:61`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrGenerateItem#L61) [^21]: [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:616-636`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step#L616-L636) [^22]: [`objects/oYetiKing/step.gml:23-40`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oYetiKing/step#L23-L40) [^23]: [`scripts/scrGetFavorMsg.gml:85-105`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrGetFavorMsg#L85-L105) [^24]: [`objects/oMonkey/step.gml:244-274`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oMonkey/step#L244-L274) [^25]: [`scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml:112`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrClearGlobals#L112) [^26]: [`scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml:113`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrClearGlobals#L113) [^27]: [`scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml:105-107`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrClearGlobals#L105-L107) [^28]: [`objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end.gml:79-80`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end#L79-L80) [^29]: [`scripts/scrShopItemsGen.gml:186`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrShopItemsGen#L186) [^30]: [`scripts/scrGetFavorMsg.gml:39-44`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrGetFavorMsg#L39-L44) [^31]: Clip bombs-and-ropes/pickups [^32]: Quirk 1 (docs/quirks.md) [^33]: Replay `fidelity/replays/weapon-bow-bomb-arrow-free.txt` [^34]: Replay `fidelity/replays/item-chest-trap-bomb-unarmed.txt` ### Source code - [`scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrClearGlobals) - [`scripts/scrDrawHUD.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrDrawHUD) - [`objects/oPlayer1/step.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/step) - [`objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end) - [`scripts/scrStealItem.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrStealItem) - [`scripts/scrLoadLevel.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrLoadLevel) - [`scripts/scrGetFavorMsg.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/scripts/scrGetFavorMsg) - [`objects/oMonkey/step.gml`](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/source/objects/oMonkey/step)