The player begins in a town where they can buy equipment before beginning the descent. Once in the maze-like fortress, the player encounters traps, monsters, equipment, and hidden doors. With the help of found objects and enchantments, the player's attack and defense power increases, and can even neutralise specific attacks. The player also meets characters and finds artifacts from Tolkien's legendarium.

Angband gameplay emphasises combat and careful resource management. The player has a certain amount of health points. Although Angband records the player's progress to a save file, it does not allow one to resume a saved game in which the player character has already been beaten. The levels are procedurally generated, allowing for a unique game in every play.