Character creation[edit | edit source]
When you start the game, the first character is always the same. When this characetr dies and a new ones are generated, they will actually be random.
Attributes[edit | edit source]
Adventure attributes are use to check the outcome of different events.
- Intelligence quotient (IQ): check if you can read or interpret what you see.
- Luck: some events purely depend on it.
- Dexterity: check if you can do some action that requires coordination.
- Charisma: check how you interact with others.
Combat attributes are used only if you are attacked by an enemy.
- Strength: it determines which weapons and shields can be equipped.
- Constitution: whenever your character gets injured, he/she loses some consitution
Role-playing a class[edit | edit source]
The general rules of Tunnels & Trolls includes three classes, but The Black Sage includes none.
- If your character's highest attribute is strength, he/she can be considered a fighter.
- If your character's highest attribute is intelligence quotient, he/she can be considered a wizard.
- If your character's highest attribute is dexterity, he/she can be considered a thief.
You can imagine that your character is a thief who wants to rob the Black Sage's castle, or an adventurer on a trial to prove his/her worth.
Getting equipped[edit | edit source]
You start the game with 900 Gold Pieces to spend in equipment. You should better spend as much as you can: any unspent gold is ignored when the final score is calculated. That is, only the riches you actually found inside the castle contribute to your final score.
Magic spells[edit | edit source]
Once you learn a spell, you can cast it every time the game allows you, without using it up.
Letter | Name | Cost | Effect |
---|---|---|---|
B | What a Blast | 400 | A powerful attack spell. |
W | Where Art Thou[1] | 200 | Reveals the location of hidden objects. |
S | Seal Shut | 100 | Prevents some enemies from reaching you. |
D | Detect Magic | 100 | Reveals an illusion. |
- ↑ The game includes plenty of typos and grammar errors. "Where for" means "why", but the "Where(for) Art Thou" spell is used to locate things.
Weapons and armour[edit | edit source]
Most combats are the consequence of choosing the wrong action in a room. You can visit all the 36 castle rooms in one go without fighting any battle.
Default sorting is by minimum required strength, then by price.
Weapon | N. | Name | Dice | Add | Cost | Strength | Durability | Avg. dmg. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hafted | 1 | War hammer | 4 | 4 | 250 | 17 | 675 | 18 |
Sword | 1 | Bastard sword | 3 | 2 | 195 | 17 | 500 | 12,5 |
Hafted | 2 | Light flail | 4 | 1 | 225 | 15 | 500 | 15 |
Sword | 2 | Broad sword | 3 | 0 | 140 | 15 | 400 | 10,5 |
Hafted | 3 | Francisca | 3 | 4 | 150 | 13 | 500 | 14,5 |
Sword | 3 | Falchion | 2 | 3 | 125 | 13 | 350 | 10 |
Sword | 4 | Common sword | 2 | 1 | 110 | 12 | 310 | 8 |
Sword | 5 | Cutlass | 2 | 0 | 100 | 10 | 285 | 7 |
It is wise to purchase at least the cheapest armour: in case you are attacked, you can survive one round, and then run from combat with no penalty.
Armour | N. | Name | Hits | Cost | Strength | Durability |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shield | 1 | Tower shield | 4 | 300 | 14 | 100 |
Shield | 2 | Knight's shield | 3 | 225 | 12 | 85 |
Shield | 3 | Normal shield | 2 | 150 | 10 | 75 |
Armor | T | Total set | 3 | 140 | 0 | 75 |
Armor | G | Gambeson | 2 | 90 | 0 | 50 |