1) The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Solution

[champskees]

This walkthrough is intended to provide a path with minimum risk i.e. the true path. I recommend choosing the Potion of Strength as it can be used anytime.

As you are limited in where & when you can use your provisions, it is statistically better to cross the river by yourself.  

- Choose Strength Potion.
- Go west.
- Test Luck. Fail = Fight Sk 6 St 5 Orc.
- Go north.
- Open door.
- Open box.
- Fight Sk 5 St 2 Snake.
- Take Bronze Key ‘99’ (restore 1 Luck).
- Investigate the hideous din.
- Draw your sword & leap forward at them.
- Fight Sk 5 St 4 Orc. (+1 attack strength for this fight).
- Fight Sk 5 St 5 Orc. (+1 attack strength for this fight).
- Open box. Learn Farrigo Di Maggio’s Dragonfire spell.
- Go east.
- Go northwards.
- Walk on.
- Open the door to investigate.
- Try to force it open.
- Test Skill.
- If successful:
        - Take Shield (Whenever hit, Roll D6. 6 = Take 1 less damage).
        - Leave your original shield behind.
- If fail:
        - 1 Damage.
- Ignore the room & continue up the corridor.
- Right lever.
- Turn east.
- If low on stamina, eat provisions here on bench (restore 6 Stamina, +1 Skill, -1 Food).
- Go east.
- Go east.
- Open door.
- Try to take the jewel with you.
- Fight Sk 10 St 10 Cyclops. (use up to 3 luck points to deal extra damage, shield to reduce damage taken).
- Take Eye of the Cyclops and Key ‘111’ (+3 Luck).
- Eat provisions here (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Escape from Barbarian (2 Damage).
- Go straight through the room.
- Eat provisions here (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Leave through north door.
- If Stamina is less than maximum & you still have more than 1 portion of provisions left:
      - Swim.
      - 2D6 Test Stamina:
            - Success:
                  - If stamina < 7:
                        - Turn around and head to the south bank at full speed (1 Damage).
                        - Try again until only 1 portion of food left or stamina at maximum.
                  - If stamina 7+:
                        - Try a detour which will send you near the turbulence.
                        - Fight Sk 5 St 5 Pirahnas.
                        - Eat provisions here (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
                        - Try again until only 1 portion of food left or stamina at maximum.
            - Fail: 
                  -  Eat provisions here (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
                  -  Try again until only 1 portion of food left or stamina at maximum.
- Once Stamina is at maximum or you only have 1 portion of provisions left:
      - Punt the raft across.
      - Trust your strength and luck to hold on and keep punting to the north side.
      - Test Luck & 2D6 Test Stamina (do not deduct a Luck point when testing luck):
            - Success: turn to para 7.
            - Fail: Roll D6.
                  - If 1-4: 
                        - Try again until successful.
                  - If 5-6:
                        - Fight Sk 5 St 5 Pirahnas.
                        - Eat provisions here (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
                        - Try again until successful.
- Open large timber door (2 damage).
- Jump to your feet & attack them with your sword.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Zombie (+2 Luck).
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Zombie.
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Zombie.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Zombie.
- Go over to the dead body in the northeast corner.
- Choose Sword and Gold Pieces from the dead body (+1 Luck, +1 Skill).
- Take Magic Sword (+2 Initial Skill, +2 Luck).
- Take 10 Gold Pieces.
- Leave via the west door.
- Go west.
- Restore 2 Stamina and +1 Skill.
- Go northwards.
- Go through opening in north wall.
- Search first body.
- Take 5 Gold Pieces (+1 Luck).
- Tiptoe through the room northwards.
- Press on.
- Press on forward.
- Go east.
- Go up this passage.
- Go east.
- Try the large wooden door.
- Chat to them and try to befriend them.
- Eat and share provisions here (restore 2 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Go west.
- Go north.
- Go west.
- Go north.
- Go through the door.
- Fight Sk 9 St 9 Minotaur. Use luck & shield.
- Take 8 Gold pieces & Red Key ‘111’ (+2 Luck).
- You can eat a meal here if you wish (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Go south (Para 308).
- Go south (Para 160).
- Go south (Para 246).
- Go north (Para 329).
- Go east (Para 299).
- Go north (Para 359).
- Go west (Para 385).
- Go west (Para 297).
- Go westwards (Para 150).
- Go north (Para 222).
- Go north (Para 106).
- You can eat a meal here if you wish (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Search you memory for another means of attack.
- The name ‘Farrigo Di Maggio’ means something to you (+3 Luck).
- You can eat a meal here if you wish (restore 4 Stamina, -1 Food).
- Knock on the door and enter, greeting the old man courteously.
- Look through your pack for a weapon to use.
- Use the Eye of the Cyclops.
- Use keys (111+111+99 = 321)
- At least a thousand Gold Pieces, diamonds, jewellery, rubies and pearls are in the chest. You also find the Warlock’s spell book. With this book, unlimited power is yours and the safety of your return to the village is ensured. Or you could remain as master of Firetop Mountain...

[champskees]

Warlock Magazine The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Solution

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Warlock magazine version of the famous adventure was changed to provide a new challenge for those who owned the actual book. The changes make it much easier to complete this adventure, and also require you to actually fight the Warlock, which I think is much better.

This walkthrough is intended to provide a path with minimum risk i.e. the true path. I recommend choosing and using the two parts of the Potion of Fortune immediately to increase your Luck stat. Remember you can only eat when instructed & only eat one meal at a time.

Recommended stats:

Skill: 9+
Stamina: 18+
Luck: min. is fine

You begin with:

- 10 Meals.
- Take the Potion of Fortune.
- Use the two parts of the luck potion immediately (+2 Initial Luck).

Part I

- Turn west.
- Test Luck. Fail = Fight Sk 6 St 5 Orc.
- Press on northwards.
- Continue northwards.
- Investigate the hideous din.
- Draw your sword & leap forward at them.
- Fight Sk 5 St 4 Orc. (+1 attack strength for this fight).
- Fight Sk 5 St 5 Orc. (+1 attack strength for this fight).
- Open box.
- Learn Farrigo Di Maggio’s Dragonfire spell.
- Go west.
- Investigate.
- Attack them both.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Orc Chieftain.
- Fight Sk 5 St 3 Servant.
- Smash the lock with your sword. Take D6 Damage.
- Take 25 Gold Pieces, Potion of Invisibility & Black Glove.
- Take Key ‘125’.
- You can eat a meal here if you wish.
- Go northwards.
- Walk on.
- Open the door to investigate.
- Try to force it open.
- Test Skill.
        - If successful:
                - Take Shield (Whenever hit, Roll D6. 6 = Take 1 less damage).
                - Leave Glove behind.
        - If fail:
                - 1 Damage.
- Ignore the room & continue up the corridor.
- Right lever.
- Turn west.
- Go straight ahead westwards.
- Continue northwards.
- You can eat a meal here if you wish.
- Set off eastwards.
- Turn right into an eastwards passage that soon turns north.
- Walk across the room stepping only on stars.
- Continue northwards.
- Enter the room.
- Go for the key.
- Hold your breath and dash for the key first.
- Take Key ‘66’.
- Test Skill. Fail = -2 Skill & 3 Damage.
- Continue by what seems the only way forward, jumping into the river & swimming downstream.
- Ring the bell.
- Pay the boat guy (-3 Gold Pieces).
- Take the passage running off to the north-west.
- Go through the door.
- Leap across the room with sword drawn to cut down the dog.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Dog.
- Each round, Roll D6. 1-2 = 1 Damage.
- You wish to stay (+1 Luck).
- Fight Sk 8 St 8 Werewolf.
- You can eat a meal here if you wish.
- Take Boat House Keys (+1 Luck).
- Take Key ‘111’.
- Open the west door.
- Take 2 Food.
- Go for the door in the middle of the rock face (2 Damage).
- Jump to your feet & charge them with your sword.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Zombie (+2 Luck). Remember to use your shield if hit.
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Zombie.
- Fight Sk 6 St 6 Zombie.
- Fight Sk 6 St 5 Zombie.
- Go over to the dead body in the northeast corner.
- Choose Sword and Gold Pieces from the dead body (+1 Luck, +1 Skill).
- Take Magic Sword (+2 Initial & current Skill, +2 Luck).
- Take 10 Gold Pieces.
- Leave via the west door.
- Go north (Para 191).
- Go through opening in north wall (Para 89).

Part II

- Start your adventure at reference 286.
- Search first body.
- Take 5 Gold Pieces (+1 Luck).
- Tiptoe through the room northwards.
- Press on.
- Press on forward (Para 304).
- Go east (Para 391).
- Check for secret passages as you walk northwards (Para 362).
- Go through secret door in the west wall (Para 360).
- Walk to the crossroads (Para 331).
- Go north (Para 312).
- Go north (Para 307).
- Go through the door (Para 281).
- Fight Sk 9 St 9 Minotaur. Use luck & shield.
- Take 8 Gold pieces & Red Key ‘111’ (+2 Luck).
- You can eat a meal here if you wish.
- Go south (Para 308).
- Go south (Para 352).
- Go south (Para 395).
- Go north (Para 329).
- Go eastwards (Para 299).
- Simply proceed northwards (Para 359).
- Go west (Para 385).
- Go north to the dead end (Para 398).
- Push it.
- Climb through.
- Go north (Para 280).
- Search your memory for another means of attack.
- The name ‘Farrigo Di Maggio’ means something to you (+3 Luck).
- You may eat a meal here if you wish.
- Knock on the door and enter, greeting the old man courteously.
- Look around the room for another means of attack or defence.
- Test Luck.
        o If successful:
                o Fight Sk 7 St 12 Warlock.
        o If fail:
                o Search your backpack for a weapon to use.
                o Use the Potion of Invisibility.
                o Fight Sk 11 St 18 Warlock.
                        • +2 Attack Strength for duration of combat.
                        • You deal 3 Damage per hit.
                        • If enemy hits you, Roll D6.
                                o 2 or 4 = only 1 Damage taken.
                                o 6 = no Damage taken.
- You have at least two keys & open the door.
- Search through your backpack to see if you can find keys to fit.
- Use keys (111+111+66 = 288). Turn to Para 288.
- At least a thousand Gold Pieces, diamonds, jewellery, rubies and pearls are in the chest. You also find the Warlock’s spell book. With this book, unlimited power is yours and the safety of your return to the village is ensured. Or you could remain as master of Firetop Mountain...

[champskees]

Sept 5, 2015 5:35:08 GMT 10 johnbrawn1972 said:
I am not very good with technology. Can you try 7/42/7 for Warlock against the Iron Cyclops with skill 10 and stamina 10? I am wondering if you guzzle down two potions of stamina is it possible to complete it with 7/14/7 stats. I am guessing with the +2 to initial skill sword you can make it passed the Barbarian?

This is outstanding! I don't know how I didn't see it before but you can use the Potions AT ANY TIME??? This may mean i'll need to revise some of the earlier solutions...

Using Jamus' probability calculator for combats, a 7/42/7 character stands ~43% of defeating the Cyclops, still much better than the ~3% for a 7/14/7.

However, a 8/42/7 character will win ~83% of the time. This is before the additional help of the 6+ shield save.

The only problem with this is that after the Cyclops, you must face the four zombies, escape from the barbarian (2 Damage) and kill the minotaur with only one opportunity to eat a meal in between.

I think this is closer to the optimal solution though. With Sk 9 St 14 L 7 you stand an excellent chance of winning & this is clearly superior to my previous solution.

I love it when there is an unorthodox solution to a FF book.

[kieran]

I think Warlock is the only book where you can drink potions in the middle of a battle.

[champskees]

Sept 5, 2015 7:26:57 GMT kieran said:

I think Warlock is the only book where you can drink potions in the middle of a battle.

Yeah, they must've picked it up before book 3.

[Noah]

Thank you, my 7 year old son was frustrated at not completing this book and really enjoyed following your walk through! Good work!

[arekkusu]

champskees, johnbrawn1972:

The introduction "How to fight creatures of the underworld" states that you have a sword ***and a shield*** in your possession.
Therefore, the obvious item to leave behind when taking the crescent shield is the inferior shield that you start with. There is no need to obtain the Giver of Sleep.

[marblefigure]

The first in the fighting fantasy series is quite quirky, I think - the player character is a literal villain. There's nothing to admire in what they do. Chadda Darkmane would despise them for their villainy, and he's not the nicest guy himself. He is however very reluctant to steal anything, no matter the circumstances.

[johnbrawn1972]

I think Champskees should delete his turn around and take one damage option because even if you are pathologically unlucky you will reach the swim option with 7/7/7 which is a crushing advantage against the Piranhas. There is no tactical advantage to be gained by taking 1 damage.

[Akharis]

Does anyone know what the purpose of the piece of cheese (in the Goblin torture chamber, before the river) is?

[daredevil123]

Aug 19, 2019 15:01:17 GMT Akharis said:

Does anyone know what the purpose of the piece of cheese (in the Goblin torture chamber, before the river) is?

You can distract some Dire Rats with it. There's also an option to attack the Warlock with it (I'm serious).

[bloodbeasthandler]

That option of lobbing a lump of cheese at the Warlock must be an early example of Steve's or Ian's sense of humour.

[stoneshaman]

I've just mapped this book myself, and have a few comments to make about the solution presented here:

• If your Skill is 12, you may as well use 1 Luck point against the drunk Orcs, because you can definitely gain it back by freeing the old man.
• Though extremely unlikely, it's possible to get into a cycle against the Piranhas (if they hit you twice per fight) where all you're doing is losing Provisions. I haven't done the numbers, so I don't know if you should really stop once you've only got 1 Provision, or if continuing until you're at 0 is more worth it (intuitively, it seems to make more sense to keep going to 0, because you'll gain more eating here than you will with the Dwarves), but I have something to say in both cases:
• You'll have a minimum of 5 Stamina when you first try the raft, but it's possible the Piranhas will take that away from you also. As long as you reach the shore with at least 3, the stated solution is still the correct one. However, with 1 or 2 (in the case of 1, you can't use the raft, and you'll have to take the bridge fighting the Crocodile if necessary), you now don't have enough to take the damage pre-fighting the Zombies. You'll have to fight the Dog and Werewolf instead.
• If you win, and you have 1 Provision, you can eat it. It's now more sensible to go through the Zombies, because even if it's possible to go through the Boat House without any combat, you still want the Steel Sword for the Minotaur.
• However, if you have no Provisions, you don't gain any until after the chance to eat. In that case, you'll have to go through the Boat House (fighting Skeletons as necessary). Pick up the chisel (it's possible the Wight can knock you low enough that you can't Escape, and you'll need to be able to kill it), then deal with the Wight. After that, the solution continues as normal (though you don't have the Steel Sword for the Minotaur).

It's entirely possible I've missed something in my analysis here - feel free to point out if so. I also recognise that this circumstance is ridiculously implausible - however, I wanted to add it, as it makes the solution feel more complete.

[johnbrawn1972]

Nov 21, 2019 0:46:50 GMT stoneshaman said:

I've just mapped this book myself, and have a few comments to make about the solution presented here:

• If your Skill is 12, you may as well use 1 Luck point against the drunk Orcs, because you can definitely gain it back by freeing the old man.
• Though extremely unlikely, it's possible to get into a cycle against the Piranhas (if they hit you twice per fight) where all you're doing is losing Provisions. I haven't done the numbers, so I don't know if you should really stop once you've only got 1 Provision, or if continuing until you're at 0 is more worth it (intuitively, it seems to make more sense to keep going to 0, because you'll gain more eating here than you will with the Dwarves), but I have something to say in both cases:
• You'll have a minimum of 5 Stamina when you first try the raft, but it's possible the Piranhas will take that away from you also. As long as you reach the shore with at least 3, the stated solution is still the correct one. However, with 1 or 2 (in the case of 1, you can't use the raft, and you'll have to take the bridge fighting the Crocodile if necessary), you now don't have enough to take the damage pre-fighting the Zombies. You'll have to fight the Dog and Werewolf instead.
• If you win, and you have 1 Provision, you can eat it. It's now more sensible to go through the Zombies, because even if it's possible to go through the Boat House without any combat, you still want the Steel Sword for the Minotaur.
• However, if you have no Provisions, you don't gain any until after the chance to eat. In that case, you'll have to go through the Boat House (fighting Skeletons as necessary). Pick up the chisel (it's possible the Wight can knock you low enough that you can't Escape, and you'll need to be able to kill it), then deal with the Wight. After that, the solution continues as normal (though you don't have the Steel Sword for the Minotaur).

It's entirely possible I've missed something in my analysis here - feel free to point out if so. I also recognise that this circumstance is ridiculously implausible - however, I wanted to add it, as it makes the solution feel more complete.

Not sure about this as even with my parsimonious system you reach the river with 7/7/7 as an absolute minimum. If your stamina is low then you are likely to turn back to shore and have a meal. Once you have to encounter the Piranhas the +2 attack strength advantage is crushing.

Your idea about use of provisions is very interesting and I had not thought about this but what you are saying, prima facie, seems plausible.

[Akharis]

There are six keys in the mountain (9,66,99,111,111,125) of which three are needed to open the treasure chest. The possible three key combinations are thus twenty in all, but because two of the keys are duplicates (111), the actual non-repetitive combinations are only 14. However, for some reason reference 192 is connected to opening the treasure chest too! As it's impossible to make 192 out of the six keys, I assume it's an odd reference number that had to be used up and was never expected to be seen! Check it out! :-)

[greenspine]

But you can get 192 if you borrow key 27 from House of Hell and add keys 99 and 66.

[schlendrian]

I'm sure the inhabitants of the House of Hell would be delighted if you dropped by to borrow a key

[babbagefart]

Jan 15, 2020 12:41:38 GMT Akharis said:

There are six keys in the mountain (9,66,99,111,111,125) of which three are needed to open the treasure chest. The possible three key combinations are thus twenty in all, but because two of the keys are duplicates (111), the actual non-repetitive combinations are only 14. However, for some reason reference 192 is connected to opening the treasure chest too! As it's impossible to make 192 out of the six keys, I assume it's an odd reference number that had to be used up and was never expected to be seen! Check it out! :-)

I read an interview with Ian Livingstone a while ago that explained that, yeah, they added this reference at the end to make up a total of 400 references. With it being the first book they weren't really keeping track and it came to 399. 

[dragonwarrior8]

What would have been wrong with just leaving it at 399 sections I wonder?

[babbagefart]

Jan 20, 2020 14:17:48 GMT dragonwarrior8 said:

What would have been wrong with just leaving it at 399 sections I wonder?

Who knows!? At the time they likely couldn't have predicted that the series would go on and become all that it did and so probably didn't think anyone would ever notice. There was no internet back then.

The thought of people discussing this mystery reference on an online forum nearly 40 years after the book was published would have been brain-melting to them at the time... 

[kieran]

It's interesting that the 400 sections thing was pretty arbitrary - without trying they got 399 sections and just decided to round up. And yet it became the series standard that no other author could deviate from (until Howl of the Werewolf as least).

[dragonwarrior8]

A standard that was already broken by themselves by book #4. lol. "Do as I say not as I do" I guess?

And yes it is pretty incredible that even still today there are people going over the minutiae of every section after almost 4 decades!

[vagsancho]

Jan 20, 2020 14:17:48 GMT dragonwarrior8 said:

What would have been wrong with just leaving it at 399 sections I wonder?

Sacrilege!

[greenspine]

How do you feel about Eye of the Dragon having 407 sections, then? Do you wish Ian had cut out a few of the opportunities to drink poison to bring it down to 400?

[kieran]

Jan 21, 2020 19:55:49 GMT greenspine said:

How do you feel about Eye of the Dragon having 407 sections, then? Do you wish Ian had cut out a few of the opportunities to drink poison to bring it down to 400?

It's funny that there are few books in the series that would be easier to trim down than Eye of the Dragon. Like the reference for searching the hut at the start where you find an axe head that's never mentioned again - completely pointless.

[Akharis]

Have any of you ever noticed that the orc chieftain's right hand in the warlook of firetop mountain is drawn as a left hand? Reference #168; the whip hand is drawn backwards. Check it out! :-)

[tyrion]

Jan 24, 2020 14:27:27 GMT Akharis said:

Have any of you ever noticed that the orc chieftain's right hand in the warlook of firetop mountain is drawn as a left hand? Reference #168; the whip hand is drawn backwards. Check it out! :-)

Just another example of Russ Nicholson's genius!

Why is eye of the Dragon 407 sections? Could Ian not even be bothered to trim 7 sections?

[philsadler]

Jan 24, 2020 16:09:31 GMT tyrion said:

Jan 24, 2020 14:27:27 GMT Akharis said:

Have any of you ever noticed that the orc chieftain's right hand in the warlook of firetop mountain is drawn as a left hand? Reference #168; the whip hand is drawn backwards. Check it out! :-)

Just another example of Russ Nicholson's genius!

Why is eye of the Dragon 407 sections? Could Ian not even be bothered to trim 7 sections?

You can't polish a turd! Especially one that's been left out in the sun.

[Lotus]

Apr 2, 2018 1:25:23 GMT arekkusu said:

champskees, johnbrawn1972:

The introduction "How to fight creatures of the underworld" states that you have a sword ***and a shield*** in your possession.
Therefore, the obvious item to leave behind when taking the crescent shield is the inferior shield that you start with. There is no need to obtain the Giver of Sleep.

In the german version you don't start with a shield!

[Peter]

Apr 22, 2020 8:47:21 GMT Lotus said:

Apr 2, 2018 1:25:23 GMT arekkusu said:

champskees , johnbrawn1972 :

The introduction "How to fight creatures of the underworld" states that you have a sword ***and a shield*** in your possession.
Therefore, the obvious item to leave behind when taking the crescent shield is the inferior shield that you start with. There is no need to obtain the Giver of Sleep.

In the german version you don't start with a shield!

Even in the English version, it only mentions the shield in the introductory paragraph on the first page.  Under the Equipment and Potions section, it says "you are armed with a sword and are dressed in leather armour".  It makes me think they wrote a scene-setting introduction first ("Welcome to gamebooks, you are an adventurer, you've got a sword and shield and stuff like that, you've been training and so on..."), then forgot what they had written as they began fleshing out the story.  I get the feeling that the shield you can find in the adventure was intended as a bonus combat item, to be added to your starting equipment if you are lucky enough to find it.

The shield as a starting item is not mentioned anywhere else, in the rules or in the story.  I think there is a place where it asks if you have a shield, suggesting you could have either found one or not found one.

If you disregard the opening sentence of the book, everything fits the idea that you don't start with a shield.  In short, I think it is an oversight.