Changes: The Fall of Blood Mountain: walkthrough

Revision as of 03:19, 2 September 2019

The Korlinium Chainmail Vest is the most important item you will find in this adventure. It adds 2 to your combat skill.

Similarly, two alternative weapons can be found in this adventure, the Sunderer axe and Andarin's Warhammer, each adding 5 to your Combat Skill. These items can be important in the next adventure, since your Kai weapon will take damage in that book.

You can also find a Drodarin Bag of Holding which lets you carry 5 more items in your backpack.

Walkthrough criteria

The gamebook can be completed in many different ways. This walkthrough is compiled according to the following criteria, in order of importance:

assume that this is the first gamebook played, except for some items;
collect and use as many items as possible;
avoid combat as much as possible, especially the strongest enemies;
see as many illustrations as possible.

Suggested disciplines

Assimilance
Grand Huntmastery
Grand Weaponmastery with bow and with your Kai weapon
Kai-surge immediate choice, since there's an 80% chance to fight a foe with 56 CS
Herbmastery (allows you to acquire some healing herbs)
Elementalism
Kai-alchemy
Kai-Screen
Grand Pathsmanship
Grand Nexus

Notes:

The suggested lineup is based on the new edition of the books where you start with five disciplines instead of four as seen in Book 21.
Kai-surge should be your immediate choice for your new discipline.

Useful items from previous gamebooks

1. Talisman of Defiance (adds 2 to your Combat Skill)

Notes

Since this adventure takes place underground, the bonus from the Kai Weapon Illuminatus always applies.
Your starting combat skill should be at least 32.

Walkthrough

The numbers between brackets refer to mandatory sections, also known as nodes.

The Mines

(254) - After your guide is killed, note the direction he mentioned before dying. Kai-Alchemy, Magi-Magic or an arrow shot can help you reach the shaft without EP loss.

(131) - Before heading, examine the door to get the bronze disc. It will be useful for a door you'll later encounter. You can choose either to head north or east. Go north as the east route is more dangerous, and there is a 30% chance you will be crushed to death by falling rocks (20% with Elementalism or Grand Huntmastery).

(67) - It's preferable to not release the prisoners. Doing so forces you into an otherwise-avoidable fight. You can pick up a Tinderbox this way, but it's not guaranteed and not worth it. Improved Assimilance will get you past without having to possibly fight. Once past them, you will come to a bronze door. If you got the bronze disc, you can open the door directly.

The Road to Andarin's Throne

(35) - You are now in the weapons laboratory. There's a strong chance that you will be spotted (reduced by Telenogsis, Assimilance, and Grand Huntmastery). Even if you are not spotted, you will need to create a diversion. If you can cast the Old Kingdom spell "Flameshaft", use a Bow and arrow; if not, Elementalism is the next-best option.

If you are spotted, you'll need to fight your way out. Kai Screen gives you enough time to try another diversion, in which case Elementalism or the Old Kingdom spell "Flameshaft" again gives you the best odds of avoiding a fight. If the diversion fails, you'll have to fight some Agarashi, after which you will have to fire the cannon to break through the portcullis blocking your escape path. A tinderbox and Grand Huntmastery help. If you fail, Kai Grand Guardian Kai Surge still helps you to avoid a fight. If you don't have that, you'll need to win a timed fight.

(300) - There's a 60% chance you can avoid a fight with the Shom'zaa lancers. If you do have to fight, killing the foe also gives you a Phosphor bomb. Afterwards, the Shom'zaa attempt to smoke you out. If you have Kai Grand Master Superior Elementalism, jump through the wall of fire. Alternatively, if you have Sun Knight Bardsmanship as well as a musical instrument, retreat and use your music to win the ensuing encounter.

If you have neither improved discipline you will have to pick your poison. Jumping through the wall will cost you two backpack items, your arrows, 3 EPs (unless you have Grand Nexus), and a normal weapon. This can be OK since you will be able to pick up an arrow as well as some meals later. Retreating risks a fight. If you have Kai Grand Guardian Assimilance or Kai Grand Defender Elementalism, you have a good chance of avoiding the fight entirely (slightly lower chance with Elementalism). Otherwise it will come to blows. If given the option to use Animal Mastery afterwards, do not use it to save some EP.

(73) - Investigate the farm house to get a jug of vinegar as well as some meals, Laumpspur and Bor Brew.

(283) - You are in the cinararium now. You can get Andarin's warhammer (+5 CS) by using Sun Knight Kai-Alchemy. Without the "Strength" spell, breaking the lid is difficult (CS/EP = 50/50).

(230) - A bloated creature with fiery fists will attack you. Do not try to fight or stall it; open the secret lever and run. Grand Pathsmanship helps you to identify a slab trap and gives you a 50% chance to jump past the trap without triggering it. If you fail the jump, or if you don't have Grand Pathsmanship, there is a strong chance you take some damage. In either case the trap resets and kills the creature as it pursues you.

(330) - You get a few interesting treasures like the Sunderer Battle-Axe (+5 CS), Bag of Holding and the Korlinium Chainmail Vest that gives you extra CS skill points.

(95) - Throw the jug of vinegar at the spider. You have an 80% chance of killing it instantly. If you miss, you will have to fight.

(285) - In the underground river, there's a 50% chance you lose a backpack item. Elementalism or Sun Knight Kai Alchemy helps you escape the river without EP loss. Afterwards, Herbmastery helps you find some Ashexa fungi you can use with the Laumspur you found in (73).

(221) - Sun Knight Grand Nexus helps you feign death to avoid fighting the horde. Another alternative is to run, which is best if you have Kai-alchemy, Elementalism or Magi-Magic. Otherwise try to hide. Assimilance gives you a bonus to avoid combat. Once it's over, then search the bodies for some items.

(250) - The phosphor bomb or Kai Grand Guardian Assimilance can help you reach the Throne of Andarin safely.

Shomzaa

(258) - Sun Knight Grand Pathsmanship will let you avoid fighting the Antah wasps.

(301/261/14) - No matter what you do you must test your luck on dodging the beetle's attack. Not having Grand Pathmanship gives you the best odds. You will lose arrows and backpack items as well as some EP.

(340/282/50) - You must fight the rock golem. If you use a bow or either of the magical disciplines, you will reduce the golem's endurance by 5 (but using Kai-Alchemy also inflicts some damage on you).

(74) - Try to throw the Sun-crystal at Shom'zaa. There are no consequences if you miss, but you have only a 20% chance of hitting (30% with EP > 30). If you don't throw the crystal or miss, you'll have to fight Shom'zaa.

(294) - Now you have to return to the Hub. Explore the south passage, but avoid the small passage as there's a pocket of Zaxx gas there.

(36) - At the hub, having Assimilance or Grand Huntmastery removes the chance of instant death.

(178) - You are now with the Dwarven thanes. There is a 50% chance for a frost bolt to be aimed at you, but aside from that instance your disciplines do not help and there are two unavoidable fights. Once the fight is over, Rywin's reinforcements will arrive and the quest is complete.

Appendices

Enemy roster

Only unavoidable enemies will be shown.

General note: Add 2 to your CS if you are carrying the Kai-Weapon Illuminatus for this adventure only.

Enemy	CS	EP	Section	Avoid	Notes
Shom'zaa Agarashi	40	32	119/348/208/45/111/25/293/196/342	If you have either: a) Kai Grand-Guardian Magi-Magic and your score is more than 6 or 7. b) If you have Elementalism and you throw a 0 to 3 c) If you have Kai-Alchemy and your score is 8 or more	You will be required to perform another action if you finish combat after 4 rounds or more.
Shom'zaa Agarashi Lancer	44	30	136	If the number you've selected is between 4 or more.	Can evade combat after 3 rounds
Tomb of Andarin	50	50	299/27	If you leave it untouched or if you have Sun-Knight ranked Kai-Alchemy	Andarin's Warhammer can be acquired if you open the tomb.
Giant Steam Spider	48	45	298/26	If you have a jug of vinegar and throw a 3 or more.	Immune to Mindblast
Shom'zaa Agarashi	42	44	109	(unavoidable)	Add 5 to CS as Leonin is assisting in combat.
Antah Wasps	40	30	33	If you have Sun-Knight level Grand Pathsmanship	Immune to all psychic attacks
Rock Golem	40	70	50/282/340	(unavoidable)	1. The Kai-Weapon Magnara will give you additional bonus. 2. If you use a bow or Magi-Magic, the Golem's EP is 65 at the start of combat 3. If you use Kai-alchemy, you need to dodge your attack first before fighting. 4. Immune to all psychic attacks.
Shom'zaa	56	50	24/91	If you decide to throw the Sun Crystal and score 8 or more; probability of success is only 20% (30% with EP > 30).	Immune to Mindblast.
Shom'zaa Horde	47	45	244/8/226/31/143/57/183	(unavoidable)
Shom'zaa Agarashi Assault Group	48	42	328	(unavoidable)	Immune to all psychic attacks.

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 (330) - You get a few interesting treasures like the Sunderer Battle-Axe (+5 CS), Bag of Holding and the Korlinium Chainmail Vest that gives you extra CS skill points.
-(95) - Throw the jug of vinegar at the spider. You have a 80% chance of killing it instantly. If you miss, you will have to fight.
+(95) - Throw the jug of vinegar at the spider. You have an 80% chance of killing it instantly. If you miss, you will have to fight.
 (285) - In the underground river, there's a 50% chance you lose a backpack item. Elementalism or Sun Knight Kai Alchemy helps you escape the river without EP loss. Afterwards, Herbmastery helps you find some Ashexa fungi you can use with the Laumspur you found in (73).