8) Scorpion Swamp Solution

[johnbrawn1972]

Selator 7/14/7
-Politely explain that you are determined
-If you agree with him
-If you want to interrupt him to say that you will serve only good
- +2 initial luck
-If you tell him about your ring
-Luck(+4 luck)Fire x2. Ice. Friendship. Bless
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. West
-Cast a spell
-Friendship
-If you follow him and talk to him
-If you go north
-Use the Ice spell
-If you go north
-If you want to try a magic spell
-Fire(cast luck spell)
9L
-Sword Trees sk9 st12(use 3 luck for extra damage 6L)(if stamina=2 use 1 luck to reduce damage 5L)
14st-1st 5L
-seeds
-North
-Cast a spell
-Bless
-Friendship Gem, Luck Gem(+4 luck)
-West
- -1 skill. Try to run past the flowers
6S
- -1 skill
5S
-If you want to go north
-Ask to meet its mistress
-Selator(restore stamina to initial)
1st-14st
-West
-If you leave the clearing while the monster feasts on the Dwarf
-If you go north
-East
-Try a magical spell
-Friendship
-Selator
-North
-If not
-If you know a secret word taught to you by the Master of Wolves
-Pick the berry and save it
-If you are serving Selator
-If you did not kill him
-West
-South
-If you have been here before
-If you go east
-If you did not fight the Eagle
-If you would rather leave
-South
-If you go on to the bridge
-If you would rather go south(cast luck spell) 9L
- 2d6 <=luck=Leap over them to safety 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-3 stamina >luck=-1d6 stamina
14st-8st 8L
-East
-East
-Drink from the pool
- +3 stamina
8st-11st
-South
-If you do not have it
- -1 skill. Run for your life
4S
-West
-If you attack it with your sword
-If you Escape -2 stamina
11st-9st
-South
-Cast a magic spell
-Fire
- -3 stamina
9st-6st
-If you go south
-Leave the clearing immediately
-West
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. South
3S
-If you are ready to return and report the outcome of your quest
-Selator
-If you have got the purple berry of the Antherica plant

[johnbrawn1972]

Poomchukker 7/14/7 so hard? I will presume you lose the first hit first fight
-Politely explain that you are determined
-If you agree with him agree
-If you want to hear him out
-Take your chances with the mysterious Poomchukker
-If you simply smile and say you are a skilled fighter
-Stamina +7 x2. Fire. Ice x2
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. West
-Obey and leave
-If you go north
-Use the Ice spell
-If you go north
-If you want to try a magic gem
-Fire
-Sword Trees sk9 st12(use 3 luck for extra damage)
14st-2st 4L
-Seeds(if stamina <9 cast Stamina Spell)
2st-9st
-North
-Fight it
-Unicorn sk11 st4 for two rounds then Escape -2 stamina
9st-3st
-East
-If you examine the clearing to see what you can find
-Golden Magnet
-West
-If you have been here before
-West
- -1 skill. Try to run past the flowers
6S
- -1 skill
5S
-If you want to go north
-Ask to meet its mistress
-Poomchukker
-West
-If you leave the clearing while the monster feasts on the Dwarf
-If you go east
-If you did not fight the eagle
-If you would like to climb up and examine it
- 2d6 <=luck=Gold Chain >luck=-2 stamina. Gold Chain
3st-1st 3L
-If you have been here before
-If you go north
-West
-Ignore it and go south
-Use a magic spell
-Ice
-If you go west
-Step out confidently and greet them
-If you agree to this plan
-Brigand Leader sk9 I hit=ok he hits=give Stamina Gem
-North
-The Bent Spear
- +2 stamina. If you visit the wizard
1st-3st
-trade Gold Chain and Golden Magnet for Fire Gem and Stamina Gem
-If you parted from them in friendship
-East
-If you killed it
-If you go north
-Ignore it and go east
-South
-If you have been here before
-If you go east
-If you did not fight the Eagle
-If you would rather leave
-South
-If you go on to the bridge
-If you would rather go south(if stamina <9 cast Stamina Spell)
3st-10st
- 2d6 <=luck=Leap over them to safety 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-3 stamina >luck=-1d6 stamina
10st-4st 2L
-East
-Drink from the pool
- +3 stamina
4st-7st
-South
-If you do not have it
- -1 skill. Run for your life
4S
-West
-If you attack it with your sword
-If you Escape -2 stamina
7st-5st
-South
-Cast a magic spell
-Fire
- -3 stamina
5st-2st
-If you go south
-Leave the clearing immediately
-West
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. South
3S
-If you are ready to return and report the outcome of your quest
-Poomchukker
-If you reached Willowbend in your travels

[johnbrawn1972]

Grimslade is 7/14/7. One amulet.
-Politely explain that you are determined
-If you agree with him agree
-If you want to hear him out
-Risk aiding the forces of evil if the profit is right, and visit the sinister Grimslade
-If you go on up to the door
-Smile and say that you fear nothing
-If you choose to fight the statue
-Goblin Statue sk7 st6(if stamina=10 use 1 luck to reduce damage 6L)
14st-9st 6L
- 0 damage=sword +1 skill, restore luck. <6 stamina=restore all initial. >5 stamina=Remind him that he was the one who wanted to stage a battle in his parlour in the first place Grimslade sk9 st10
9st-14st 7L
-Stamina +7. Fire. Fear. Wither x3
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. West
-Obey and leave
-If you go north
-Use the Wither spell
-If you go north
-If you want to try a magic spell
-Wither
-Seeds
-North
-Cast a spell
-Fear
-West
- -1 skill. Try to run past the flowers
6S
- -1 skill
5S
-If you want to go north
-Ask to meet its mistress
-Grimslade
-Ask if she will give you the Amulet
-If you left them alive, you know that you need to run quickly to get past them without being consumed by terror
- -1 skill
4S
-If you want to go east
-East
-If you decide to leave as quickly as possible
-East
-If you want to use magic
-Wither
-South
-Cast a magic spell
-Fire
- -3 stamina
14st-11st
-If you go south(use Stamina spell)
11st-14st
-Leave the clearing immediately
-West
-If you would rather just jump over the soft part
- 2d6 <=stamina=ok >stamina=-1 skill. South
-If you are ready to return and report the outcome of your quest
-Grimslade
-One or two Amulets
-If you remind him that he had promised you more

[scouserob]

Here are some run throughs of the Scorpion Swamp solutions for each quest in video format.

Here is a run through of the Selator Quest.




Here is a run through of the Poomchukker Quest.




Here is a run through of the Greedy Grimslade 5 Amulet Quest.

[CharlesX]

Definitely something damn satisfying about maxing out on the Grimslade quest with 5 amulets!

[marblefigure]

It's an option to keep revisiting the eagle clearing to collect more gold chains, isn't it? That's if you have the luck and stamina to spare collecting them. It's something to consider storytelling wise for the Selator quest since the only possible profit is what can be found in the swamp.

[scouserob]

May 9, 2023 9:41:49 GMT marblefigure said:

It's an option to keep revisiting the eagle clearing to collect more gold chains, isn't it? That's if you have the luck and stamina to spare collecting them. It's something to consider storytelling wise for the Selator quest since the only possible profit is what can be found in the swamp.

By the letter of the law: Yes it is an loop that can be exploited as you say for multiple Gold Chains. 📿📿📿

By the spirit of the law: I've always just assumed that there is only the one Gold Chain up there rather than a whole stash of them that you can only spot one of each climb.
(Or that the Eagle keeps popping off on a mission of its own to replace any taken Gold Chain between your visits.)

In any case surely the restoration of Antherica to the forces of good is its own reward.  😉
Poomchukker and Grimslade offer quests for adventurers whose motivations are based more on profit.  💰💰💰💰💰

It is a shame American Steve Jackson and his editors missed this loop as generally the mechanic of revisiting locations is handled brilliantly.

[marblefigure]

An eagle with magpie like tendencies is less fantastical than the Sword Trees that instantly regenerate.

I'm thinking that I would pick Poomchukker's mission... Although I hope he really does make a profit. The player's profit is sharing in the profit Poomchukker makes.
What's his caravan going to do about the Sword Trees and any surviving evil wizards (the Mistress of Birds seemed to think that the Master of Spiders was not the only evil one)?

[scouserob]

May 9, 2023 12:45:40 GMT marblefigure said:

I'm thinking that I would pick Poomchukker's mission... Although I hope he really does make a profit. The player's profit is sharing in the profit Poomchukker makes.
What's his caravan going to do about the Sword Trees and any surviving evil wizards (the Mistress of Birds seemed to think that the Master of Spiders was not the only evil one)?

For Poomchukker:
Well you do get a nice big Emerald at least.

I agree, if you took on the Sword Trees in both directions then things may be problematic for his caravans.
(A supply of Wither Gems required? ) 

If you only passed them once then the Master of Spiders will have been disposed of and Poomchukker's caravans can take that route.
The Master of Spiders is the only one of the five masters for whom your Brass Ring warns you of evil so I can't see any of the other four bothering his caravans without provocation.

There really doesn't seem to be much more for the caravan to be that worried about on the main path you've mapped.
I imagine that swamp orcs, crab grass, scorpion hordes and the like would provide minor inconveniences for a well guarded caravan.
The bandits at Willowbend would probably be a nuisance whether you pass through the swamp or not. Though they seem to be the sort with whom a deal could be struck for safe passage.
I guess there is also a bit of an engineering challenge to allow the caravans to travel through the excessively boggy sections (such as at the entrance).

Still, if Poomchukker who seems to be a successful merchant, believes that overcoming those troubles provides a significant cost saving in comparison to taking the long way around the swamp, across the nearest bridge, then I don't see any reason to doubt him.

[CharlesX]

May 9, 2023 13:26:12 GMT scouserob said:

May 9, 2023 12:45:40 GMT marblefigure said:

I'm thinking that I would pick Poomchukker's mission... Although I hope he really does make a profit. The player's profit is sharing in the profit Poomchukker makes.
What's his caravan going to do about the Sword Trees and any surviving evil wizards (the Mistress of Birds seemed to think that the Master of Spiders was not the only evil one)?

For Poomchukker:
Well you do get a nice big Emerald at least.

I agree, if you took on the Sword Trees in both directions then things may be problematic for his caravans.
(A supply of Wither Gems required? ) 

If you only passed them once then the Master of Spiders will have been disposed of and Poomchukker's caravans can take that route.
The Master of Spiders is the only one of the five masters for whom your Brass Ring warns you of evil so I can't see any of the other four bothering his caravans without provocation.

There really doesn't seem to be much more for the caravan to be that worried about on the main path you've mapped.
I imagine that swamp orcs, crab grass, scorpion hordes and the like would provide minor inconveniences for a well guarded caravan.
The bandits at Willowbend would probably be a nuisance whether you pass through the swamp or not and seem to be the sort with which a deal could be struck for safe passage.
I guess there is also a bit of a engineering challenge to allow the caravans to travel through the excessively boggy sections (such as at the entrance).

Still, if Poomchukker who seems to be a successful merchant, believes that overcoming those troubles provides a significant cost saving in comparison to taking the long way around the swamp, across the nearest bridge, then I don't see any reason to doubt him.

Perhaps an adventurer with higher stats could have to map every area of the swamp before seeing Poomchucker as a challenge?

[scouserob]

Taking my cue from CharlesX in the solution thread for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain:
I get the percentage chance of winning Scorpion Swamp, pre-rolling for your Initial Skill, Stamina and Luck, to be:
Selator Quest: 91.0%
Poomchukker Quest: 87.2%
Greedy Grimslade, 5 Amulets Quest: 27.6% (4 Amulets are allowed if you fail to get the Frog Amulet)
[Edited to account for the non-uniform Initial Stamina Distribution]

[CharlesX]

Sept 24, 2022 11:34:19 GMT scouserob said:

Greedy Grimslade – The 5 Amulets Path
Because those amulets are worth 500 gold pieces each, so you better believe I want all five of them!

I couldn't find a five amulet solution so I thought I'd give it a try In the style of Champskees. 

It has been pointed out that the Magic Sword on/off +1 Skill Bonus, working only in battles, may not be an entirely legitimate way to play.
If you are playing with no Skill Bonus allowed from the Magic Sword then just assume you don't have it for the decision points of the solution below.

Fenmarge (Visit 1)
Explain you are determined.
Agree with him.
Hear him out.
Risk aiding the forces of evil and visit the sinister Grimslade.
Go on up to the door.
Smile and say you fear nothing.
Fight the Statue.
Goblin Statue SK7 ST6 {Use Luck whilst it is ≥ 7.}
If you were not wounded in the fight:
    Get Magic Sword.
    Gain 1 Skill whenever you use the Magic Sword. {Only in battle when your Skill is below its initial value.}
    Restore Luck to Initial Level.
Else If you were wounded, but lost 5 or less stamina:
    Restore Skill to Initial Value.
    Restore Stamina to Initial Value.
    Restore Luck to Initial Value.
Else If you lost more than 5 stamina:
    You have failed the 5 Amulet Quest.
Get Illusion Gem.
Get Wither Gem.
Get 2 Curse Gems.
Get 2 Stamina Gems.
{Stamina Gem Strategy 1: Use if Stamina ≤ ⌊Initial ST/2⌋-3.}
{Luck Strategy: Don’t use Luck in battle unless specified.}

Clearing 1 (Visit 1)
Just jump over the soft part. {Automatically pass Stamina Test.}
Travel East.

Clearing 12 (Visit 1)
Leave the Clearing Immediately.
Travel East.

Clearing 25
Attack with your sword.
Pool Beast SK8 ST10
Get Violet Jewel.

I'm wondering whether it's always worth going for the Pool Beast fight as it is entirely optional and not exactly a cakewalk, OTOH I suspect an adventurer who couldn't handle it probably wouldn't have strong enough stats for this route anyway. Guess it isn't dissimilar to certain permutations where it might make more sense to get the 'cursed' Gold Magnet before being shot by arrows, which makes you lose several Stamina instead of a single Skill.

[scouserob]

Hi Charles

My thinking at the time, thank goodness I wrote it down, was:

The Pool Beast:
Each Stamina Gem is worth between 7 and 12 Stamina points.
I think if you have Skill 10 then Pool Beast will inflict 3.6 points of damage on average.

Getting the Jewel means you will have at least two items to trade for gems in Willowbend whilst allowing you to miss the Unicorn fight (which would be a nightmare for below 9 Skill).
You’d even have three items if you win the duel against the Brigand Leader.

I don’t think I ever coded it up to check the odds though…