Thoughts on Crypt Of The Sorceror

[CharlesX]

"The best defence is a good offence".

Not unreasonably, the suggestion about Crypt has often been to make Crypt easier, but why not make your starting PC stronger (possibly as well)? I'm referring not just to Skill, Stamina, and Luck increases, but perhaps some magic abilities.

Perhaps, for example, if you win a combat round with a double, you could roll again on a magic table to determine your spell.

This could affect the gameplay not just in combat and agility situations. You could make a roll to 'persuade' the Bonekeeper to assist you without you having to kill him (perhaps getting the werewolf ring that way, as well).

Some purists suggest it'd be best to stick to the letter of Livingstone's works. My own view is, whatever changes we suggest, I bet we've put more thought into them than he has into his stuff 😋.

[Wilf]

Crypt really needs a handful of Initial Skill and/or Attack Strength bonuses to become playable. Adding a damage reduction ability to The Defender wouldn't go amiss in the final combat, either - if the shield and a successful LUCK roll could between them reduce damage in an Attack Round to zero, it would reduce the odds of Razaak hitting you twice in succession. A few more of that sort of thing would make that combat possible, and it's not as if there's a shortage of items to collect in that book that you could append bonuses to...

[sylas]

There is an unofficial revised version of Crypt of the Sorcerer that solves all the problems (apart from the item/info collecting).

[philsadler]

Jan 9, 2022 13:42:17 GMT sylas said:

There is an unofficial revised version of Crypt of the Sorcerer that solves all the problems (apart from the item/info collecting).

But I don't think it solves the laughable 2-hit-death of the final boss?

[CharlesX]

I agree wi a question asked elsewhere, something like "How would Crypt Of The Sorceror rank if the gameplay difficulty was fair and fixed?".
   Gameplay is arguably a primary reason people play gamebooks, not other things. I'm saying it should have been Livingstone's responsibility, not just some FF fans online (no offence).
   Aside from the anodyne and cheap do-or-die rolls and the 2-consecutive-hits thing, which are wayyy bigger than they should be.. And the rubbish description and grey illustrations..
   The gameplay is the definition of linear, there's no opportunity to shop, and even trying to go somewhere else from the true path will normally get you killed. IL doesn't seem to have the flair for death paragraphs SJ does, either.
   The choices aren't logical as philsadler parodied in his Queen thing. Why do you kill the Bonekeeper, with no advice, when he was a 'good guy'? If he was good, why couldn't you roll for him to help you of his own volition? Why does he randomly have trap revenge rings? Stopping to hear someone talk about biting trolls ears off is tedious, where at least Green's words are directly relevant.
   The world feels fairly grey, and the nonsensical gameplay adds to that. There aren't memorable mechanics, or fights, or items, or encounters, unlike in Livingstone's better books such as IOTLK and TOT (no, enemies so hard they'd make the Japanese get out aren't good enough).
   I'd give a fixed Crypt a generous 2 stars out of 5. Same as I'd give Eye Of The Dragon.

[sylas]

Jan 9, 2022 17:25:26 GMT philsadler said:

Jan 9, 2022 13:42:17 GMT sylas said:

There is an unofficial revised version of Crypt of the Sorcerer that solves all the problems (apart from the item/info collecting).

But I don't think it solves the laughable 2-hit-death of the final boss?

I tested it with a Skill 9 hero, assuming everything was done correctly up to that point, and managed to beat him. I couldn't think of any other solution without changing too much of the existing text.