Save scumming

Save scumming is an exploit which occurs in games that let the user save the game for later play. It is more common in games that feature permadeath, and nearly all Roguelike games do.

By creating a copy of a saved game, the player creates a state to which they can return to at any time. This will let the player try something potentially dangerous with no risk. The player may try this potentially dangerous action repeatedly, until chance favors them. For example, a player may repeatedly try to attack a high-level opponent until they land 5 critical hits in a row, and the opponent misses each time.

Counter-measures

• Do not let the player have control of the saved games (have the player connect to a games server, for example)