6) Twist of Fate/Once Upon a Time in Arabia - Solution

[sylas]

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ARABIA SOLUTION
(no Skills)


Begin with 10 Life Points (LP) and 12 Dinars (though you don’t need a single coin). Zero Skills. This path will see you through without much trouble. It is one of the shortest true paths for any gamebook at this size.


Talk to the sailor. Accompany the sailor to the docks. Seek adventure at sea. Gain 3 Dinars. Sail towards Egypt. Return to the ship. Buy nothing. You don’t have a black jewel. You are bound for Egypt.

Regain 1LP. Do some shopping. Buy nothing. Suggest the captain sails for the Scarlet Isle. Gain 5 Dinars. You don’t have Seafaring. You have none of those. Restore all LP. Go to speak with the wizard. Gain the magic slippers.

Buy nothing. You are captured. Ignore him. Don’t use magic slippers yet. You have magic slippers. Trust him. Go with him. Lose 2LP. Break the door down. Note Harem. Note Fabric. You don’t have a black jewel. Lose 6LP. You have Harem. Attack him. Take the sword. You have Harem. Agree to try. Restore all LP.

Look through your possessions. You have magic slippers. Take the jewelled key. You have Harem. You have the key. Leap in front of the Caliph. Lose 5LP. You don’t have Folklore. Lose 2LP. Retreat. Lose 2LP. You don’t have Iris. You become the new Grand Vizier.

[bloodbeasthandler]

I had no idea there was so short a route through this book!
Does Dave Morris himself know about it and did he plan it like that?

I notice it's based on having no skills as a character.

I've not checked but must you have NO skills for this route... ie could a given character with the normal number of four get through on this route or not?

[sylas]

Jul 4, 2021 8:31:43 GMT bloodbeasthandler said:

I had no idea there was so short a route through this book!
Does Dave Morris himself know about it and did he plan it like that?

I notice it's based on having no skills as a character.

I've not checked but must you have NO skills for this route... ie could a given character with the normal number of four get through on this route or not?

Yes. Basically, the more Skills you have (whatever they may be), the better. But no Skills are actually necessary to win. I don't think Dave Morris knows ANY of his books can be completed with zero Skills. He told me he didn't know that about Heart of Ice either so I doubt he would for these. Heart of Ice, Down Among the Dead Men, Necklace of Skulls and Once Upon a Time in Arabia are all zero Skill compatible. Pretty certain the same can't be said for Green Blood and Coils of Hate though. Still, four books out of a six book series with these true paths is seriously impressive.

[CharlesX]

Jul 3, 2021 17:49:34 GMT sylas said:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ARABIA SOLUTION
(no Skills)


Begin with 10 Life Points (LP) and 12 Dinars (though you don’t need a single coin). Zero Skills. This path will see you through without much trouble. It is one of the shortest true paths for any gamebook at this size.


Talk to the sailor. Accompany the sailor to the docks. Seek adventure at sea. Gain 3 Dinars. Sail towards Egypt. Return to the ship. Buy nothing. You don’t have a black jewel. You are bound for Egypt.

Regain 1LP. Do some shopping. Buy nothing. Suggest the captain sails for the Scarlet Isle. Gain 5 Dinars. You don’t have Seafaring. You have none of those. Restore all LP. Go to speak with the wizard. Gain the magic slippers.

Buy nothing. You are captured. Ignore him. Don’t use magic slippers yet. You have magic slippers. Trust him. Go with him. Lose 2LP. Break the door down. Note Harem. Note Fabric. You don’t have a black jewel. Lose 6LP. You have Harem. Attack him. Take the sword. You have Harem. Agree to try. Restore all LP.

Look through your possessions. You have magic slippers. Take the jewelled key. You have Harem. You have the key. Leap in front of the Caliph. Lose 5LP. You don’t have Folklore. Lose 2LP. Retreat. Lose 2LP. You don’t have Iris. You become the new Grand Vizier.

I haven't played Twist Of Fate for ages - I don't think I even own it anymore - but I think this solution makes use of the harem costume, which is only possible for female readers, or obviously guys who would readily play as a female? I'm pretty sure it isn't mission impossible to complete this book without the harem costume for the 50% of us who aren't the fairer sex, it just requires some skill(s). I recall beating this book without the harem costume well before with it, because the harem costume route isn't particularly obvious or accessible.

[sylas]

You can acquire a harem costume in the adventure but I didn't go that route as it is longer and I think you need certain Skills or items to survive it. You don't get anything vital out of it either.

[terrysalt]

Jul 3, 2021 17:49:34 GMT sylas said:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ARABIA SOLUTION
(no Skills)


Begin with 10 Life Points (LP) and 12 Dinars (though you don’t need a single coin).

Super nitpick but you do in fact need a single coin. In the very first reference you give a dinar to a dervish because you're "ashamed at the feeling of loathing that swept across your face at first".

[sylas]

Dec 22, 2021 10:31:19 GMT terrysalt said:

Jul 3, 2021 17:49:34 GMT sylas said:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ARABIA SOLUTION
(no Skills)


Begin with 10 Life Points (LP) and 12 Dinars (though you don’t need a single coin).

Super nitpick but you do in fact need a single coin. In the very first reference you give a dinar to a dervish because you're "ashamed at the feeling of loathing that swept across your face at first".

That's fair enough. Not sure I even noticed that before.