just something to consider: when you embed data in a function like that, mIRC has to go through the trouble of interpreting the whole series of selections even though you only end up choosing just one. while this is merely a low-level consideration in this case (few choices that only inclue simple identifiers such as $1), you can probably see how it can become more significant as your set of data increases and starts to include more complex code. a solution to this might be to store data elsewhere in the client, or even use the /goto approach one typically sees to replicate switch/case in mIRC:

  goto $r(1, 6)
  :1
  describe # slaps $$1 around a bit with a large trout
  return
  :2
  describe # slaps $1 with a television
  return
  :3
  etc.

also, when wrestling with the question of which character to use as delimiter to separate a list of items, try to first consider those that can never appear as part of a msg on IRC (if applicable), such as $cr or $lf. that, or try to re-work the code in question so it need not use such a list:

  var %1 = slaps $$1 around a bit with a large trout, $&
      %2 = slaps $1 with a television, $&
      %3 = etc.
      ...
      describe # $eval(% $+ $r(1, 6), 2)