53) Spellbreaker Solution

[stevendoig]

Oh Jings!!

Been trying this book for a few days now.  It good, I Like it a lot, but its driving me mad!!

Anyway got a solution coz I'm stuck!!

Cheers 

[The Editor (Alex B)]

If you are patient Champskees will get to it eventually!

[champskees]

Yep..haven't actually read the book before, but I do have it. Looking forward to it actually.

[champskees]

This book is the ugly lovechild of Ian Livingstone and Stephen Hand. Inherited from Livingstone are the ridiculous 50/50 rolls, a billion necessary Skill/Luck Tests, and a treasure hunt for a list of peculiar items hidden throughout the book, from a Golden Scythe to Toe Shackles. Inspiration from Hand allows for some interesting encounters & adds strong atmosphere at times.

The gameplay is rubbish, but Green does have an incredible talent in creating memorable characters and personalities. I love how so many of the characters have names & a bit of detail added to them, really adds a lot of flavour to the story. I don’t think I have seen any FF authors write up characters this good since Talisman of Death.

For this adventure, I recommend 11 Skill, 18+ Stamina & 11+ Luck. You will also need the maximum amoutn of Gold. I also recommend loaded dice, a couple that always roll 1s and a couple that always roll 6s.

You start with:

- Sword.
- Lantern & Tinderbox.
- 5 Food.
- D6+4 Gold Pieces.

Rassin Abbey

- Fight Sk 8 St 9 Brimstone Demon.
        o -1 Attack Strength for duration of combat.
- Study some of the books in the library (+6 Stamina).
- Study A Demonological Dissertation.
- Add note: Demonic Word of Command.
- Visit the herb garden first.
- Take Aramance.
- Add 2 Faith.
- You want to accompany Lady Hattana to Hallow’s Well.

Escort Job

- Stop.
- Fight Sk 7 St 7 Brigand.
- Fight Sk 11 St 12 Masked Brigand for two rounds.
- Do not give chase.
- Take Silver Key ‘252’.

Hallow’s Well

- Go with them.
- Take 10 Gold Pieces.
- Join the group of pilgrims.
- Enter the competition.
- Add note: The Protector cut out the Canker growing in Aryn’s Hill.
- Test Skill+2. Success = Take 6 Gold Pieces.
- D6 Test Faith.
        o Success:
                o Take Pilgrim’s Staff (+2 Stamina).
                o Add 2 Faith.
        o Fail:
                o Start again (your Faith will be too low to get essential quest items).
- Make your way to the healing well.
- Throw him a Gold Piece (-1 Gold Piece, +1 Luck).
- Add 1 Faith.
- Take the waters of the well (-2 Gold Pieces).
- D6+4 Test Faith.
        o Success:
                o Take Heal All (restores Skill & Stamina to Initial levels & gain 2 Luck points when used).
        o Fail:
                o Start again (you have missed an essential quest item).
- Look round the stalls.
- Take a closer look at this stall.
- Take Shroud (-3 Gold Pieces).
- Add 2 Faith.
- You are finished at this stall.
- You are interested in purchasing a hawk.
- You can afford this price and want to buy the bird (-15 Gold Pieces).
- Take Hawk.
- Add note: One two away.
- Add note: Hawk has Sk 7 St 5, can attack once per battle against an enemy of your choice.
- See what Hemlock & Hogweed have to offer.
- You are interested in the common herbs.
- Take Drake Nettle (-1 Gold Piece).
- Take Scarlet Lady (-1 Gold Piece).
- Buy some rarer herbs.
- Take Phoenix Grass (-3 Gold Pieces).
- You want neither.
- Set off to the south.
- Help the person.
- Help the man buy giving him some of your provisions (-1 Food).
- Make your way towards the South Gate.
- You have spoken to the man from Aryll.
- Test Skill. Fail = Start again (you have missed an essential quest item).
- Test Luck. Fail = 2 Damage & Rat Bite.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Piper.
- Take Charmed Pipes.
- Face the militiamen.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Militiaman & Sk 7 St 8 Militiaman together.
        o If you defeat the militiamen in 10 attack rounds or less:
                o Start again (you have missed an essential quest item).
        o If the battle takes longer than 10 attack rounds:
                o Accept the mad beggar’s help.
- Hear the riddle.
- Answer is KEY. 11+5+25=41. Turn to Para 41.
- Take Skeleton Key.
- Release Tira.
- Take Jar of Powder.
- Go south towards Aryll.

Aryll

- Look for a place further into the hills.
- Investigate further in the hope of finding shelter for the night (+2 Stamina).
- Retire for the night.
- Take 2 Food.
- Enter the village to see if you can help in any way.
- Add 1 Infection.
- Add note: If Infection score is 15+ in future, start again (you need the Heal All later).
- You have Aramance.
- Add note: Reduce any infection additions by 1.
- If you have a rat bite: +2 Infection.
- You have a set of charmed pipes.
- Add D6+1 Infection & take same in damage.
- Test Luck. Fail = Death.
- You have heard the name ‘Aryn’s Hill’ before (2 Damage).
- Investigate further.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Plague Rat.
- Add 2 Infection.
- D6+4 Test Faith.
        o If fail:
                o Fight Sk 6 St 7 Plague Zombie & Sk 7 St 6 Plague Zombie together.
                o Add 4 Infection.
- Test Luck.
        o If fail:
                o Add D6/2+1 Infection.
- Fight Sk 7 St 11 Carrier Flies for three rounds.
        o If hit by enemy, Add 2 Infection instead of 2 Damage.
- Add note: while in crypt -2 Skill.
- Roll D6 for number of zombies.
        o For each zombie:
                o D6+4 Test Faith.
                        • Fail = Fight Sk 6 St 6 Plague Zombie & Add 2 Infection.
- Throw your lantern at the monstrosity.
- Fight Sk 6 St 8 Canker.
        o If combat lasts 9+ rounds, death.
- Add 4 Infection.
- Take 6 Gold Pieces (+2 Luck).
- Take 3 Food.
- Take Lantern.
- Make the long diversion south to Gwythain’s barrow.

Gwythain’s Barrow

- You have a Heal All & use it (+6 Stamina & Infection to zero; ignore other recorded effects).
- Reply that you wish to enter Gwythain’s Barrow.
- Puzzle: 56, 21, 35, 63, 42, 14. All multiples of 7. Turn to Para 7.
- You have the Pilgrim’s Staff.
- Take Ilithorn Rose.
- Test Luck. Fail = Test Skill. Fail = 1 Damage.
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Barrow Guard.
        o If hit by enemy, Roll D6. 6 = 3 Damage inflicted instead of 2.
- Open the coffin.
- Take Golden Sickle.
- Take Skullsgrig.
- Take the shield.
- Take Shield (+1 Initial & current Skill).
- Add 1 Faith.
- Leave the chamber.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Barrow Guard.
        o If hit by enemy, Roll D6. 6 = 3 Damage inflicted instead of 2.
- Fight Sk 8 St 10 Ogre.
- Take the new branch northwards.

Bandits

- Do as the outlaw says but with the intention of tricking her.
- Test Skill. Success = You have their leader as hostage (-2 Enemies in next fight).
- 2 Damage.
- Roll D6.
        o 1-2 = -2 Enemies in following fight.
        o 3-4 = -1 Enemy in following fight.
- Fight Sk 8 St 6 Veteran Brigand.
- Fight Sk 6 St 7 Scarred Ruffian.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Dwarf Rogue.
- Fight Sk 8 St 7 Staff-Wielding Outlaw.
- Fight Sk 7 St 5 Blackguard.
- Fight Sk 7 St 7 Outlaw Leader.
        o Fight two at a time.
        o Cross off any previously defeated enemies from top of list.
        o When Outlaw Leader’s stamina is 3 or less & all other enemies defeated:
                o Press the woman for more information about the Mask.
- Make the diversion & go after the Mask.
- Try to imitate the call before proceeding (+1 Luck).
- First try to cause a distraction in order to divert attention away from your actions.
- Test Luck.
        o Fail = Fight Sk 9 St 10 Rogue Captain.
                o If enemy wins two consecutive attack rounds:
                        • You fall to the ground (automatically lose next round).
                o If combat lasts 8+ rounds, death.
- Go through the door to the right.
- Fight Sk 11 St 12 The Mask.
- Take Deliverer (+1 Initial & current Skill, +1 Luck).
- Add 2 Faith.
- Take D6+6 Gold Pieces.
- You have a Silver Key on a chain. Turn to Para 252.
- Take Elven Prayer Bead Necklace.
- Add 1 Faith.
- Test Skill.
        o Succeed: 2 Damage.
        o Fail: 4 Damage, -1 Skill.

Fenford

- Enter the Brindled Cat.
- Talk to the man in black.
- You do not have the Witch’s Mark or a Crescent Moon Amulet.
- You have the Ilithorn Rose.
- Add note: Password is The Four Phases of the Moon.
- Take Shackles.
- Brave the perils of Blackmire.

Blackmire

- Follow this gruesome trail.
- Test Luck.
        o If fail:
                o Fight Sk 8 Marsh Assailant.
                        • No stamina loss during fight.
                        • Need to win two rounds in a row within six rounds or death.
- Fight Sk 8 St 10 Fen Beast.
- You were not sent into the marsh by a group of farmers.
- Take Mistletoe & cut it with a Golden Sickle.
- Go right.
- Take Malague.
- Go straight on.
- Go left.
- Take Death’s Shroud.
- Go right.
- Try to communicate with it.
- You have plants, herbs & fungi and want to accept Sam’s kind offer.
- Use Skullsgrig, Drake Nettle & Phoenix Grass to make a Salamander Potion.
- Take Salamander Potion ‘116’.
- Use Malague, Death’s Shroud & Mistletoe to make Venom’s Bane.
- Take Venom’s Bane ‘331’.
- Visit Enthus’ Tomb (+4 Stamina).
- Try to invoke the spirit of the priest so that he may aid you on your quest.
- Use the candles and a prayer.
- You have the herb Scarlet Lady (-2 to Test Faith roll below).
- D6+8 Test Faith. Fail = Start again (you have missed an essential quest item).
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Revenant.
- Take Page with Spell of Locking ‘376’.
- Take Holy Amulet (+1 Luck).
- Add 1 Faith.
- You do not have the potion Clearsee.
- Politely decline.
- You have Gwythain’s sword, Deliverer.
- Fight Sk 10 St 9 Wraith Rider.

Selwick

- Restore 4 Stamina points.
- Test Skill. Fail = 2 Damage.
- Test Luck. Fail = 3 Damage.
- Fight Sk 6 St 3 Grimalkin.
        o If enemy hits you 3+ times, -1 Skill.
- Help the people of Selwick (+1 Luck).
- Fight Sk 8 St 8 Crow’s Foot.
- You have a Jar of Powder.
- Sprinkle the powder on the tailless rat.
- You have a Set of Shackles.
- Fight Sk 5 St 4 Black Cat, Sk 2 St 2 Toad, Sk 5 St 3 Grimalkin & Sk 3 St 2 Bat together.
        o If Grimalkin hits you 3+ times, -1 Skill.
- You have a Falcon and wish to send it after the Raven. Turn to Para 12.
- Add word: Raven (+1 Luck).
- Take Healing Salve (+6 Stamina when used).

Tallow

- You want to drink a Salamander Potion now.
- You do not have the Witch’s Mark or a Crescent Moon Amulet.
- Roll D6. 1-3 = Death.
- You have drunk the Salamander Potion. Turn to Para 116.
- You know a Demonic Word of Command.
- Lose 1 Faith (+5 Stamina).
- You have the word ‘Raven’ written down.

Claybury

- Look for them somewhere else.
- Password: 50*4=200. Turn to Para 200.
- D6+4 Test Faith. Fail = Death.
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Dread Demon.
- Go to the monastery.
- Fight Sk 7 St 8 Demon Bat.
        o On its third strike, enemy deals an extra 5 Damage.
- Test Luck. Fail = 4 Damage.
- Lead the resistance into battle against the Cauldron of Midnight.
- Roll D6.
        o 1-3: D6+3 Test Faith. Fail = Fight Sk 7 St 6 Hob.
        o 4-5: Fight Sk 8 St 7 Enchantress.
                o If enemy wins a round, Roll D6. 5-6 = Lose next round automatically.
- Fight Sk 9 St 10 Goat-Headed Demon.
- Read the Spell of Locking. Turn to Para 376.
- Test Skill. Fail = Start again (You needed to lock the Demafrauge).
- The Demafrauge has been locked.
- Fight Sk 12 St 18 Kurakil.
        o After each round, Roll D6. 5-6 = 2 Damage.
- You have the potion called Venom’s Bane. Turn to Para 331.
- Fight Sk 10 St 9 Nazek.
        o Fight until enemy’s Stamina is reduced to 2 Stamina or less.
- D6+7 Test Faith. Fail = Bad ending.
- Yelling you bring the Blessed Blade down with such force that it goes straight through Nazek’s body into the plinth beneath. Nazek is dead. The rest of the fighting is soon over & the Cauldron of Midnight is no more.

[stevendoig]

Brilliant! Cheers!! - just reading through your solution makes me realise how completely off the correct path I was - each time I played!

[sylas]

champskees
are you using the original version or the amended version of Spellbreaker?

[champskees]

Good point Victor. I have the older version, so if you have the newer version, it is important to note that many of the enemies you fight are a lot weaker in the newer version. The link below lists the changes in the Wizard edition.

www.gamebooks.org/contributions/ffw28_changes.html

Would be nice if someone can confirm that this is correct, as I only have the original books up to RotV.

Also really annoying that they didn't give that surrender option on the true path! Grrrr!

[johnbrawn1972]

Dec 31, 2013 1:57:56 GMT champskees said:

Good point Victor. I have the older version, so if you have the newer version, it is important to note that many of the enemies you fight are a lot weaker in the newer version. The link below lists the changes in the Wizard edition.

www.gamebooks.org/contributions/ffw28_changes.html

Would be nice if someone can confirm that this is correct, as I only have the original books up to RotV.

Also really annoying that they didn't give that surrender option on the true path! Grrrr!

Some of the fights are a little easier in the wizard edition. I would go for 11 skill in the original and 10 skill in the wizard edition but as the minimum stats per book thread says you are probably still screwed.

It was unconscionable not to add the surrender option to the correct path hence the 10 skill giving you a reasonable chance of failing the fight in the wizard edition. Whoever was in charge could obviously not care less about the consumer.

The signs of unfairness were there in City Of Thieves and Deathtrap Dungeon. Caverns Of The Snow Witch and Trial Of Champions are further down the slippery slope but are beatable with 12/24/12 but the sadism is only fully realised in Crypt Of The Sorcerer. As a matter of interest from there onwards how many FF books are unplayable?

[sylas]

yeah, a Skill 10 hero in the original version is still screwed. he may lose the fight against the guards but against the Kurakil he has little chance. little is still better than none i suppose. the problem isn't really the Kurakil's Skill score but the additional tail lash ability that has a reasonable chance of damaging you automatically even if your AS is higher!

as far as unplayable gamebooks go i can name a few (unplayable for me means play as normal and keep a record of items/skills etc, but it's more enjoyable if you don't use dice):

Crypt of the Sorcerer, Masks of Mayhem, Black Vein Prophecy, Trial of Champions, Phantoms of Fear(largely cos i find dream-combat infuriating), Chasms of Malice, The Crimson Tide, Blood of the Zombies, Return to Firetop Mountain, Caverns of the Snow Witch, Spellbreaker, Deathmoor, Eye of the Dragon, Clash of the Princes.

Knights of Doom and Island of the Undead are on the brink of this but kind of forgivable because of only one annoying combat.

[kieran]

Deathmoor is pretty fair for dice rolls I think - certainly think it a more forgiving book than Island of the Undead or Knights of Doom.

[nathanh]

Dec 31, 2013 1:57:56 GMT champskees said:

Good point Victor. I have the older version, so if you have the newer version, it is important to note that many of the enemies you fight are a lot weaker in the newer version. The link below lists the changes in the Wizard edition.

www.gamebooks.org/contributions/ffw28_changes.html

Would be nice if someone can confirm that this is correct, as I only have the original books up to RotV.

Also really annoying that they didn't give that surrender option on the true path! Grrrr!

I can confirm these as correct for the Wizard first edition. The only relevance to the solution is probably that it's worth fighting the Demoniac rather than using the Word of Command on him---this keeps your FAITH at 13 and so ensures victory at the end, and at this point your character should be skilled enough to take on a SKILL 9 enemy with ease. Although this is probably dependent on your STAMINA situation, since you really want to hit the end battle at near-full STAMINA.

One further observation: if you don't have enough money for the necessary purchases at the market, you can nip into the Brass Farthing beforehand and try to win at Eclipse.

[ed]

does the beggars curse have any effect on you later in the book ?

is it ever mentioned again in the text ?

[a moderator]

It significantly increases your susceptibility to infection in Aryll.

[ed]

thanks for that, I just cant find the exact reference where is says so.

[kieran]

It also indirectly

SPOILER: Click to show

lowers your chance of getting the Heal-All as you'll miss out on a Faith point

[a moderator]

For the specific reference, read section 138.

As regards Kieran's comment:

SPOILER: Click to show

Lowers? Obliterates, more like. Without that Faith point (and every other one that can be acquired on the way to the well), you'd need to roll less than 1 to get the Heal-All.

[kieran]

Admittedly I don't have the book to hand, but looking at Champskee's solution I think I have it right:

SPOILER: Click to show

You start with 1 Faith. You get an additional 2 automatically before setting off for Hallow's Well. You then get another 2 for getting the Pilgrim's Staff. If you miss out on the Faith point from the beggar, that puts you at 5 when you have to roll equal to or less than your faith on D6+4. So if you roll a 1 you'll pass.

[a moderator]

You're partly right. I'd misremembered

SPOILER: Click to show

the Faith bonus for the Pilgrim's Staff as being just 1 point.

However, the Beggar's Curse comes with a 1-point Faith penalty, which would bring you down to 4 if you had the Staff, so you would still need to roll 0 to succeed.

[kieran]

Ah ok.

[johnbrawn1972]

Wizard version only. 10/24/12. Must have maximum gold at the beginning.  22.6.18
-Brimstone Demon sk8 st9(-1 attack strength for the duration)(use 1 luck for extra damage)    11L
- +6 stamina
-Visit the herb garden
-Aramance
- +2 faith    3F
-If you want to accompany Lady Attana to Hollow’s Well
-Do you want to stop
-Brigand sk7 st7(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Masked Brigand sk10 st12(after two Attack Rounds)
-if not
-silver key 252. If you want to do this
- +10gp. Do you want to join the group of pilgrims
-Do you want to enter their competition
-(the protector cut out the canker in Aryn’s Hill)2d6+2 <=skill=+6gp >skill=start again
- 1d6 <=faith=+2 stamina. Pilgrim’s Staff +2 faith >faith=start again(if stamina <19 eat 1 meal)    5F
-Make your way to the healing well
-Will you throw him a Gold Piece
- -1gp. +1 luck. +1 faith    12L    6F
-At the temple you have the choice of taking the waters of the well
- -2gp. 1d6+4 <=faith=Heal-all >faith=start again
-Look round the stalls
-If you want to take a closer look at this stall
-Shroud -3gp
- +2 faith    8F
-If you are interested in purchasing a hawk
-If you can afford this price and want to buy the bird
- -15gp
-If you want to see what Hemlock & Hogweed have to offer
-If you are interested in the common herbs
- -1gp Scarlet Lady. -1gp Drake Nettle. You can also buy some rarer herbs
-Phoenix Grass -3gp. If you want neither
-or the south
-Do you want to help the person
-If you still want to help the man by giving him some of your Provisions
- -1 meal
-If you would rather make your way towards the South Gate
-If you have
- 2d6 <=skill=ok >skill=start again
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=-2 stamina. Rat bite(if stamina <19 eat 1 meal)    11L
-Piper sk8 st7(if stamina <19 eat 1 meal)
-Charmed Pipes. Do you want to face the militiamen
- 1st Militiaman sk8 st7 2nd Militiaman sk7 st8. Defeat in >10 attack rounds=ok or start again
-If you accept the mad beggar’s help
-Do you want to hear the riddle
-turn 41
-If you release Tira
-small jar of powder
-Will you go south towards Aryll
-or look for a place further into the hills
-Will you investigate further in the hope of finding shelter for the night
- +2 stamina. If not, you retire for the night(if stamina <15 eat 1 meal)
- +2 provisions
-or will you enter the village to see if you can help in any way
-Infection 1. Aramance(reduce any additions to your infection by 1)
-Rat Bite +2 infection otherwise
-If you have a set of Charmed Pipes, you may be able to help the villagers
- 1d6+1=infection increase and reduce stamina. 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=start again    10L
- -2 stamina. If you have heard the name ‘Aryn’s Hill’ before(if stamina <15 eat 1 meal)
-Do you want to investigate further
-Plague Rat sk6 st5. +2 infection(if stamina <15 eat 1 meal)
- 1d6+4 <=faith=ok >faith=1st Plague Zombie sk6 st7 2nd Plague Zombie sk7 st6. +4 infection
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=+1d6/2+1 infection    9L
-Carrier Flies sk7 st11(lose attack round +2 infection)
- -2 skill. 1d6=zombies 1d6+4 <=faith=beat it >faith=Plague Zombie sk6 st6. Each fight=+2 infection
-Throw your lantern at the monstrosity
-Canker sk6 st8. Defeat it in <=8 Attack Rounds=+4 infection otherwise start again
- +2 skill. +2 luck. +6gp. +3 meals. Lantern. Will you now make the long diversion south to Gwythain’s barrow    11L
-Infection 0. +6 stamina(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Will you reply that you wish to enter Gwythain’s barrow
-turn 7
-If you have the Pilgrim’s Staff
-Ilithorn Rose
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=2d6 <=skill=ok >skill=-1 stamina(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)    10L
-Barrow Guard sk9 st8. If hit 1d6 6=-3 damage(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Do you want to open the coffin
-Golden Sickle. Skullsgrig
-Take the shield
- +1 skill and initial skill. +1 faith. Or leave the chamber    9F
-Barrow Guard sk9 st8. If hit 1d6 6=3 damage(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Ogre sk8 st10(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-or take the new branch north-westwards
-Do as the outlaw says but with the intention of tricking her
- 2d6 <=skill=-2 stamina >skill=-2 stamina(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Follow rules
-If you want to press the woman for more information about the Mask
-make the diversion and go after the Mask
-or try to imitate the call before proceeding
- +1 luck. Or first try to cause a distraction in order to divert attention away from your actions    11L
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=Rogue Captain sk9 st10(must last <8 attack rounds)    10L
-or the door to the right(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-The Mask sk10 st12(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Deliverer. +2 faith. +1 luck. +1 skill and to initial. +1d6gp. Turn 252    11L    11F
- +1 faith    12F
- 2d6 <=skill=-2 stamina(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Will you enter the Brindled Cat
-The man in black
-If you do not
-If you have the Illithorn Rose
-Shackles
-or will you brave the perils of Blackmire
-Do you want to follow this gruesome trail
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=Marsh Assailant sk8(must win in 6 rounds)    10L
-Fen Beast sk8 st10. If you were not
-Mistletoe with Golden Sickle. Right
-Malague. Straight on
-Left
-Death’s Shroud. Right
-or try to communicate with it
-If you have any plants, herbs or fungi and want to accept Sam’s kind offer
-Salamander 116
-Venom’s bane 331
- +4 stamina. Do you want to visit Enthus’s tomb(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-or will you try and invoke the spirit of the priest so that he may aid you in your quest
-The candles and prayer
- 1d6+8-2 <=faith=ok >faith=start again
-Revenant sk9 st8(if stamina <17 eat 1 meal)
-Silver Amulet. Parchment 376. +1 faith. +1 luck    11L    13F
-If you do not have it
-or will you politely decline
-If you have
-Wraith Rider sk10 st9
- +4 stamina. 2d6 <=skill=ok(if stamina <16 eat 1 meal)
- 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=-3 stamina(if stamina <16 eat 1 meal)    10L
-Grimalkin sk6 st3(if stamina <16 eat 1 meal)
- +1 luck. If you will    11L
-Crow’s Foot sk8 st8(if stamina <16 eat 1 meal)
-If you have a Jar of Powder
-The tailless rat
-If you have
-Black Cat sk5 st4 Toad sk2 st2 Grimalkin sk5 st3 Bat sk3 st2(if stamina <16 eat 1 meal)
-turn 12
-Raven
- +1 luck. Healing Salve +6 stamina    12L
-Take Salamander potion. Otherwise
- 1d6 1-3=start again 4-6=ok
-turn 116
-if you do not
-Demoniac sk9 st10
- +5 stamina. If you have the word ‘Raven’ noted down on your Adventure Sheet(if stamina <21 eat 1 meal)
-or somewhere else
-turn 200
- 1d6+4 <=faith=ok >faith=start again
-Dread Demon sk9 st8(if stamina <21 eat 1 meal)
-The monastery
-Demon Bat sk7 st8. 2d6 <=luck=ok >luck=-4 stamina(if stamina <21 eat 1 meal)    11L
-you can lead the Resistance into battle against the Cauldron of Midnight, using your sword to stop the Warlock
- 1d6 1-3=1d6+3 <=faith=ok(go to 6) 4-5=Enchantress sk8 st7(go to 6) 6=Goat-Headed Demon sk8 st10(if stamina <21 eat 1 meal)
-turn 376
- 2d6 <=skill=ok
-If it has been locked
-Kurakil sk12 st18(after every round 1d6 5-6=-2 damage)(use 4 luck for extra damage)    7L
-turn 331(if stamina <24 eat 1 meal otherwise take Healing Salve +6 stamina)
-Nazek sk10 st9
- 1d6+7 <=faith=ok

[daredevil123]

Dec 30, 2013 3:17:33 GMT champskees said:

Do you mean to tell me that even the revised version of this book is harder than Crypt of the Sorcerer? That's shocking.

[johnbrawn1972]

My gut instinct for the revised version is 10/24/12 is the optimum because it gives you the best chance of 'failing' the fight in the correct way. The mathematics seems to show I am wrong. I always thought a 12 skill at the end was sufficient as long as you had a mountain of luck to really even things up.

The utterly forbidding odds really show what a hopeless book this is when it could have been one of the best.

[champskees]

Aug 13, 2018 16:33:20 GMT johnbrawn1972 said:

My gut instinct for the revised version is 10/24/12 is the optimum because it gives you the best chance of 'failing' the fight in the correct way. The mathematics seems to show I am wrong. I always thought a 12 skill at the end was sufficient as long as you had a mountain of luck to really even things up.

The utterly forbidding odds really show what a hopeless book this is when it could have been one of the best.

When I wrote the program out I had to check and double check because I cannot accept the odds being so low.

I may revisit this one because the use of luck is not optimised when fighting the militiamen. This, I believe, will increase the odds for a high luck character dramatically (or at least I hope so!).

Stay tuned.

[johnbrawn1972]

Aug 15, 2018 0:05:21 GMT champskees said:

Aug 13, 2018 16:33:20 GMT johnbrawn1972 said:

My gut instinct for the revised version is 10/24/12 is the optimum because it gives you the best chance of 'failing' the fight in the correct way. The mathematics seems to show I am wrong. I always thought a 12 skill at the end was sufficient as long as you had a mountain of luck to really even things up.

The utterly forbidding odds really show what a hopeless book this is when it could have been one of the best.

When I wrote the program out I had to check and double check because I cannot accept the odds being so low.

I may revisit this one because the use of luck is not optimised when fighting the militiamen. This, I believe, will increase the odds for a high luck character dramatically (or at least I hope so!).

Stay tuned.

I think I know what you have in mind but there is a major problem if you denude your luck to make the 'failed' roll a breeze namely the luck roll a little later where you asked if you have any charmed pipes. Prima facie I cannot see any way around this but I had never thought of trying your strategy until you mentioned the above. This is why I try 10 skill to 'fail' in the right way but you have parity in the last phase where your high luck should allow you to win notwithstanding the number of rolls you need to make against seemingly everything.

[a moderator]

What would the odds look like if the Wizard reissue had added the surrender option at the correct gate?

[champskees]

Aug 15, 2018 23:25:47 GMT a moderator said:

What would the odds look like if the Wizard reissue had added the surrender option at the correct gate?

I just lazily deleted the rounds check and the following spat out:




This is only for 1000 attempts per stat (so it ran fast enough to do it on the fly). So not very accurate, but ballpark.

Regardless of stats, the faith mechanic virtually ensures a ton of characters will fail straight off the bat. Then the test your luck/die rolls, then the skill/die rolls, then the combats, then the infection stat...seems low but I did check the program again, nothing seems out of place.

I think the question is more 'how will you die?' rather than 'will you die?'

[philsadler]

Wow. So this book really is almost as pathetic as Crypt?

[johnbrawn1972]

Hi Champskees

I checked out your post above at work and something seems crazily wrong?

If you have deleted the rounds check how the heck can 11/24/12 be more probable than 12/24/12? Surely this is irrational?

I do not know this book like the back of my hand but 12 skill at endgame would help a great deal and use of luck would make it a near certainty at least compared to 11 skill?

Is there something wrong with your coding or is there something I missed?(Lots of question marks)

[champskees]

Aug 16, 2018 19:16:46 GMT johnbrawn1972 said:

Hi Champskees

I checked out your post above at work and something seems crazily wrong?

If you have deleted the rounds check how the heck can 11/24/12 be more probable than 12/24/12? Surely this is irrational?

I do not know this book like the back of my hand but 12 skill at endgame would help a great deal and use of luck would make it a near certainty at least compared to 11 skill?

Is there something wrong with your coding or is there something I missed?(Lots of question marks)

Like I said I only ran it 1000 times. Usually I run 100K minimum. You actually get these anomalies often, much more so with low number of playthroughs. It is also likely due to the majority of deaths throughout the book being based on a fixed faith stat and luck, rather than skill. So I wouldn't worry too much about that tbh.

This being said overall survival still looks fairly low. I always go over code if the results don't stack up and can usually pick out the error/s very quickly, but you only need one line to be wrong and this code is about 1000 lines long, with several combats requiring special rules.

Will look into it line by line next week.

[champskees]

Ok, so I had a look at the code and there were a couple of minor bugs I fixed.

The main thing I forgot about though was that you pretty much need maximum starting gold i.e. 10 in order to acquire all the items you need!

I updated the above quick probability table re greenspine question to reflect this (no guards death if < 11 rounds & maximum starting gold). This changes the odds considerably.

Will update the actual tables later.