Crypt of the Sorcerer (Fighting Fantasy: Reissues 1, #6) by Ian Livingstone

Crypt of the Sorcerer (Fighting Fantasy: Reissues 1, #6) Reviews

• 
  David Sarkies

  Evil sorcerers just don't stay dead
  (3 September 2012)
  
  Once again we return to one of Ian Livingstone's adventures and I reckon, no, I know, that I have played this one once before. It is a little more difficult, and frustrating, than some of the others that I have played, but it was a lot easier than some of Steve Jackson's gamebooks. In this one an ancient evil in the form of a sorcerer is awakening. Basically a hundred years ago he was rampaging across Allansia and the only way to kill him was by using his own sword. A mighty warrior found the sword and slew him, but discovered too late that the sword had a curse, namely it turned him into an undead fiend. The sorcerer was buried and forgotten about, however for him to remain dead he had to be left undisturbed for a hundred and ten years, but surprise surprise, ten years before the time was up, his coffin was opened and out he comes.
  This book runs more like Island of the Lizard King than some of the others in that most of the journey is linear, however there are a couple of places that if you turn the wrong way you miss some very important parts. Further, there are a number of pieces of information that you need to collect which don't become relevant until right at the end where you are given a number of questions. Once again Livingstone uses numbers hidden in the text to make the answers to these questions difficult. However the problem that I found with the linear nature of this book was that there were some things that I could not find that were important in finishing the book.
  Early in the adventure you discover a silver rod with a number on it, but it is only half of the rod meaning that I had no idea where the other half was located. Fortunately, when you come to use the rod the number that was on it had little meaning and you can easily bluff your way through by trying each of the options on the page. The second thing that stumped me was that one of the questions involved knowing the number that was tattooed on the sorcerer's zombies, however I do not know where I was to actually locate these zombies to learn what the number was. Once again I was able to bluff myself through this part of the adventure.
  When you get to the end the options that are put to you end up being a choice between life and death, and in many cases there are no hints as to which choice is the correct choice. Fortunately when you die, if you keep detailed notes (or keep your finger in the previous section) you can return and try the other section. Also, some of the numbers are hidden in the text meaning that whenever you actually come across a number you should make a note of it. Such include knowing the record of the number of ears shoved into a troll's mouth, and the price of a battleaxe in Port Blacksand. You may have come across the answer, but you will not make a note of it until you realise that you actually need it.
  In this adventure you also pick up a couple of companions who travel with you for fair way, and they come with you right up to the entrance to the last dungeon. However there is a catch, if you go with them into the dungeon you land up at a spot where every choice you make ends with death, which means that you need to find a way to ditch them before you can complete the game. In the end, this was enjoyable, however it was not of the high standard of some of the earlier ones. Rather it is simply going back to what they were like in the early days of the series.
• 
  Geoff

  With a couple of notable exceptions (Master of Chaos) the quality of the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks went downhill after Trial of Champions (#21 in the original series), and Crypt of the Sorcerer continues the trend. The story here is a rehash of Forest of Doom and Temple of Terror that finds you journeying through the dangerous wilds of Allansia to acquire the only artifacts that can save the world from a bad guy who, of course, is the baddest bad guy in the history of bad guys. (The idea that a "villain" may be a complex character with some justifiable motives doesn't enter the picture here, as it does in better fantasy stories, including some of the other Fighting Fantasy books.) A couple of familiar characters like Borri the Dwarf and Yaztromo the Wizard make appearances as well, but they too might as well have "I am a plot device" tattooed on their foreheads.
  
  Ian Livingstone apparently realized that the proceedings here weren't too inspired, and he tried to compensate by ratcheting up the difficulty level. At one point you battle a Godzilla-like beast that's virtually unkillable unless you hit on the right sequence of events to find the magic weapon to destroy it, and, as in a number of other FF gamebooks, if you don't begin with a skill level of 11 or 12 your odds of winning without cheating are effectively nil. By the end it seems like every other option you're offered leads to a grisly death; but these outcomes, too, are generic fantasy tropes, like when you turn into a werewolf or die hemorrhaging from poison gas or get pincushioned in a spiked pit trap. Finally I gave up any pretense of following the rules and just thumbed through the book until I found the right path. Starting over every time you die from an unforeseen trap or unlucky dice roll would take hours, and by that point I was thinking, man, I have better things to do with my life.
• 
  Alexander Curran

  Do you dare to travel the wastes and forests of Allansia, and ultimately to battle Razaak in his lair?
  
  The 26th puffin edition of Crypt of the Sorcerer by Ian Livingstone brought back a lot of memories which I played years ago with friends. It is linear in its design and route, and it is very difficult due to dice rolls yet retains a very epic fantastical feel. Despite the frustration from dying a few times, and upon replaying I missed an item called a Crystal of Sanity which meant I had to start again... Going the wrong way and missing clues and items you need can be a major headache. The A to B formula of the adventure also means there aren't many extras to find or hidden pathways yet once you complete it means a feeling of accomplished relief. Rolling the dice for instant can be a heart wrenching task as it can lead to certain doom. An example ir two is a clay golem which comes to life and if you roll a 1 means death or even Razaak himself with stats of skill 12 and stamina 20 is very difficult to defeat, not to mention if he wins two rounds in succession you lose...
  The harboon flies at the beginning by the river was also up to the roll of a die 5 and 6 meaning death shows this adventure is a tricky affair. 3 and 4 meaning loss of skill and stamina.
  I memorised the correct path after a few attempts, recording my choices, but even that means you can still lose thanks to these excruciatingly painful dice rolls. It is possible and the luck of the dice can prove favourable eventually. Certainly tests your patience.
  
  
  Colour map by Leo Hartas
  
  Crypt of the Sorcerer is winnable and maximum stats are definitely required to achieve this goal... There are some very tough encounters and formidable creatures as briefly mentioned.
  The fantasy world is brought to life by memorable characters who help you on your quest such as the grouchy wizard Yaztromo, the hunter Symm, and the dwarf warrior Borri…
  Whether it is riding in a hot air balloon and being pursued by a red dragon, or fighting a legendary creature called a Gargantis whom is huge, or fighting undead foes animated by Razaak Crypt of the Sorcerer proves to be full of action and suspense especially when played for the first few times.
  An interrogation by a skeleton lord tests your knowledge from the adventure via collected clues vital towards letting you past into the crypt... Knowing the number code to the granite door is required as well... Then there are certain artefacts that must be collected to keep you from harm when Razaak uses his arsenal of spells against you. Razaak must be one of the hardest bosses in the fighting fantasy series plus surviving to escape is nerve racking. Do I have enough stamina after such a hard fight? Hopefully after getting through all that. Not impossible but blooming hard.
  
  
  Illustrations by John Sibbick
  
  Overall, Crypt of the Sorcerer tests your wits and your dice rolling... I suppose if I wanted to suggest anything to add it would be multiple pathways and a few different endings. The linear approach reminded me of the Island of the Lizard King as it follows a certain route that has been set. The high stats of enemies also means any low stats like 7,8 or 9 for skill mean you more than likely won't be able to win. That goes for low stamina too in your stats.
  Trekking through the moonstone hills to find Razaak's sword the only weapon that can harm him, rescuing Yaztromo from a hellish creature, journeying to acquire the Gargantis horn, then getting to the crypt itself shows Crypt of the Sorcerer has a lot to offer and an imaginative, action-packed adventure. It can be dark and deadly in places, humour in others especially from your companions Symm and Borri whom provide some comic relief at times.
  Very enjoyable overall to revisit this gamebook from childhood.
  
  
  
  Page 1 + 2 of my solution
  
  My solution and route
  Warning answers/spoilers ahead
  My stats(High stats recommended/required): Skill: 12 Stamina: 20 Luck: 11
  
  1) Follow river north up into hills, 146
  146) North, 249
  249) Watch out Harpoon flies! Roll one dice, rolled 3, 388
  388) - 6 Stamina, - 2 Skill, - 1 Yaztromo healing potion tot, 185
  185) Look at cave, 97
  97) Enter cave, 310
  310) Try lifting lid, 45
  45) Fight the Rad-Hulks, 143
  143) Fight first RAD-HULK sk10 st5 second RAD-HULK sk10 st6, win, 87
  87) Break crate open, 295
  295) Try on chainmail suit, 328
  328) + 1 skill (Skill: 11), 235
  235) 284
  284) See what is causing the smoke, 33
  33) See if he is still alive, 52
  52) + 1 stamina, note gold nugget worth 10gp, knife, holy water, put chain around neck, 352
  352) Now wearing Crystal of Sanity, 137
  137) Roll two dice, rolled 1+2=3, less than skill score, 39
  39) 239
  239) On horse-back +2 attack strength, first CHAMELEONITE sk7 st7 second CHAMELEONITE sk6 st6 third CHAMELEONITE sk7 st6, win, 356
  356) Dab some Chameleonite blood on body, 124
  124) Roll one dice, rolled 3, 361
  361) +1 luck, 180
  180) Approach, 70
  70) Attack him, 134
  134) Fight BONEKEEPER sk5 st6, win, -3 luck, 287
  287) Try on moon ring, 10
  10) Try on skull ring, 265
  265) Ride east, 369
  369) Examine words, 306
  306) Note granite door = 184, ride on, 324
  324) Allow horse to drink, 376
  376) + 1 stamina, 391
  391) Attack, 60
  60) Fight first GOBLIN sk5 st5, second GOBLIN sk5 st6, third GOBLIN sk6 st5, fourth GOBLIN sk6 st6, win, 116
  116) +2gp, cracked mirror, eat cheese, 140
  140) + 2 stamina, 292
  292) Ride towards the wood, 203
  203) 365
  365) Rolled two dice, rolled 1+1=2, less than skill, 232
  232) Fight WOOD DEMON sk9 st10, win, 89
  89) Find the demon's lair, 319
  319) Examine silver rod, 360
  360) Open backpack, 175
  175) Open scroll and read, 268
  268) Clue about Gargantis + horn, (Western Flatlands) return to horse, 221
  221) 168
  168) Ride around, 302
  302) 194
  194) 252
  252) Fight WEREWOLF sk8 st9, win, not bitten, 36
  36) 178
  178) Fight GRIFFIN sk10 st10, win, 230
  230) Investigate, 358
  358) Take the shield, 131
  131) Note shield "defender", defends against cast lightning bolts, +1 skill (Skill: 12) +1 luck, 29
  29) Open the box, 205
  205) Take the doll, 299
  299) Fight CLAY GOLEM sk8 st9, didn't roll 1, win, 362
  362) Put ring on finger, 102
  102) Note ring with jewel, 339
  339) Note Razaak's sword, 165
  165) Fight CENTAUR sk10 st10, win, 289
  289) Ride off without taklisman, 304
  304) Ride to knoll, 127
  127) Cut her down, 258
  258) Swallow some powder, 48
  48) Roll one dice, rolled 5+2=7, + 7 stamina recovered, warning about boulder beasts, 382
  382) Attack, 118
  118) Roll one dice, rolled 5, 173
  173) Fight HILL GIANT sk9 st10, win, 282
  282) +1gp, search for giant's cave, 241
  241) Break the globe, 367
  367) Note smoke grants immunity to fire attacks, +1 luck, open chest, 80
  80) Still wish to lift lid, 25
  25) Yes wearing armour, 192
  192) 211
  211) Note old parchment 66, leave the cave, 386
  386) 67
  67) Ride over to fire, 183
  183) Reply 'lawful', 308
  308) Trust the man and agree, 103
  103) + 2 stamina, fight the hill men, 196
  196) Fight WILD HILL MAN sk6 st5, win, 200
  200) 148
  148) Stop to investigate, 237
  237) Note "Suma 11", ride north, 377
  377) Fight DEMONSPAWN sk6 st6, win, 278
  278) Set off now, 157
  157) + 2 stamina, healing potion back to 5 tots, investigate, 244
  244) - 1 tot, +1 luck, yes wearing skull ring, 139
  139) Fight first SKELETON sk6 st5, second SKELETON sk6 st6, third SKELETON sk5 st6, win, 290
  290) Note age of Tamal, Razaak's father, 108 years, pull rod out of the grave, 389
  389) Test luck, rolled 5+4=9, lucky, 121
  121) 300
  300) Note rod 13, yes I have other half, add together: 37+13=50
  50) Note Rod of Paralysis, +1 luck, 234
  234) Ride into Stonebridge, 316
  316) + 2 stamina, 353
  353) Reply Western Flatlands, 135
  135) Test luck, rolled 2+6=8, lucky, 59
  59) Turn right, 90
  90) Fight first DORAGAR sk9 st9, second DORAGAR sk9 st10, win, 144
  144) Note bronze key, continue along tunnel, 398
  398) Investigate, 214
  214) Walk up to the zombies, 256
  256) Note figure 5 on zombie arms, 338
  338) Try other passage, 222
  222) Roll one dice, rolled 6, 166
  166) 151
  151) Keep walking, 281
  281) Test luck, rolled 1+3=4, lucky, 392
  392) 79
  79) Fight CAVE TROLL sk8 st9, Symm (Skill:10) Borri (Skill:9) three attacks, win, 19
  19) Open box, 188
  188) Roll 2 dice, rolled 3+1=4, less than skill, 204
  204) Tip up the cart, 366
  366) Open the large box, 104
  104) Rest and let Borri read the book, 266
  266) Note troll record: 119 hobbit ears, 40
  40) Go right, 315
  315) Roll 2 dice X 3, rolled 6+5=11, less, rolled 2+1=3, less, rolled 5+6=11, less, all three less than skill, 72
  72) 245
  245) Pass between statues, 56
  56) Daubed with chameleonite blood, yes, 24
  24) I'm wearing a crystal around neck on gold chain, 193
  193) Crystal of Sanity protects me, try something else, 375
  375) Try silver rod, 128
  128) I believe it is a Rod of Paralysis, 38
  38) A rabbit, 311
  311) Note down Gargantis horn, test luck, rolled 3+2=5, lucky, 54
  54) 279
  279) Roll two dice, 4+5=9, less than skill, 253
  253) Hobgoblin misses, 226
  226) Roll one dice, rolled 2, roll die twice, 2 and 5, both arrows miss, alive, 294
  294) Continue conversation, 198
  198) Note Warhammer costs thirty-five Gold Pieces in Port Blacksand, 152
  152) Call the Suma, turn to 11
  11) Walk to edge of hills and sleep, 28
  28) + 2 stamina, wait to meet whoever, 167
  167) Talk to him, 96
  96) Reply you intend to slay Razaak, 179
  179) Yes I have piece of parchment with strange writing, 336
  336) Note word "Hamakei" and call out 66 if attacked by conjured animals or insects, 313
  313) Investigate, 7
  7) Help, 44
  44) Fight WILD ELF sk7 st6, win, 212
  212) Note escape from crypt immediately after slaying Razaak, 162
  162) Wait for a servant of Razaak to appear, 81
  81) Fight DEMONIC SERVANT sk8 st7, won 2 rounds, defeated, 93
  93) Press on, 181
  181) Squeeze through crack, 396
  396) Walk down narrow tunnel, 297
  297) Walk through archway into tunnel beyond, 264
  264) Go left, 156
  156) Wait, 191
  191) Attack zombie, 101
  101) Yes I have phial of holy water, 41
  41) Roll one dice, rolled 5, 373
  373) Fight (Deduct 5 stamina) ZOMBIE sk6 st6-5=1, win, 74
  74) Note copper identity tag with number tag 283, go back, 199
  199) Sit in the chair, 26
  26) I have identity tag = 283
  283) I have bronze key, 189
  189) Answer I've been in Port Blacksand to buy weapons and persuade Lord Azzur to join Razaak in conquering Allansia, 364
  364) Answer: Cost of Warhammer is 35gp, 35
  35) Answer: 119 hobbit ears, 119
  119) Answer: Zombies tattooed with number 5 in tunnels, 5
  5) Answer: Razaak's father's age was 108 years when he died, 108
  108) Numbers for granite door = 184
  184) I'm not wearing talisman, 276
  276) I'm wearing gold ring set with an iridescent jewel, 326
  326) I've inhaled smoke from inside a smashed globe, 351
  351) I have Hamakei parchment = 66
  66) I'm carrying defender, 271
  271) Fight RAZAAK sk12 st20, tested luck three times(3+1)(4+1)(4+1) 6 damage altogether, he didn't get 2 consecutive rounds, win, 84
  84) Leave crypt as quickly as possible, 233
  233) Stamina is 6 or higher, yes, (Stamina:11), 400
  400) COMPLETED/THE END. Saved Allansia. Celebration time. :)
• 
  Juho Pohjalainen

  Take Creature of Havoc, remove the great story and the new gameplay elements, crank the frustrating difficulty and absolutely linear path up to eleven, add a whole lot of Ian's nonsensical number memorization quiz tests, and you have Crypt of the Sorcerer.
  
  Illustrations are still pretty good, though. But even that's not saying much, as illustrations in just about all Fighting Fantasy books are top-notch. The writing is also fine, good even, barring the bits where it throws those number quizes at you.
  
  But overall, there's not a whole lot to see here. You may as well give this one a skip.
• 
  Ripple

  More of a game than a book, but it was fun TILL I TURNED INTO A WEREWOLF.
• 
  Rita

  I finally tried one of these books properly, with the calculations for the battles and no cheating on luck or anything! That meant I died twice and ended up having to leave the book behind without finishing it. Still, it was great fun and definitely made me want to revisit more of the collection that has been gathering dust in my parents' attic.
• 
  D.

  Crypt of the Sorcerer (Fighting Fantasy) by Ian Livingstone (2002)
• 
  Ángel Javier

  Ridículamente difícil, esta aventura de la popular serie «Fighting Fantasy» encapsula todo lo que tienen de bueno y de malo los librojuegos escritos por Sir Ian Livingstone. En primer lugar, las virtudes:
  
  1) La trama funciona. No es el colmo de la complejidad, pero funciona. Hay que hacer una heroicidad suicida, pues se hace y ya está. Punto.
  2) Es entretenido. Tienes un montón de criaturas, algunas buenas y la mayoría malas. Hay tortazos. Hay monstruos potentes y otros del montón. Hay trampas y acertijos. Ok.
  3) Es coherente. Su lore no contradice en nada lo que ya sabemos del mundo de Titán y aparecen viejos conocidos, como el mago Yaztromo, y referencias a malos míticos, como Lord Azzur. Mola.
  4) ¡Amiguetes! Y no son el típico compañero inútil que palma a las dos páginas, tan recurrentes en la serie. No, estos hacen cosas, como los catalanes. Pegan leches. Te llevan en globo por ahí. Y tienen diálogos absurdos entre ellos, que parecen salidos de una peli mala de esas de polis colegas. Funciona estupendamente.
  
  Y aquí acaba lo bueno. Ahora, lo malo:
  
  1) Acumulas miles de objetos, y, a priori, es imposible saber lo que va a servir de algo y lo que es, básicamente, un montón de basura. Classic Livingstone, vamos.
  2) Ahondando en lo anterior, hay una infinidad de objetos malditos que hacen la puñeta pero bien, y ni la más mínima indicación de qué objetos van a ser imprescindibles para cargarse al malvado hechicero del título, y cuáles van a resultar desastrosos para nuestra integridad.
  3) Instadeaths a manta y por cualquier motivo. Otro clásico de Sir Ian que acaba alcanzando proporciones ridículas en el último tramo de la aventura, sobre todo en el enfrentamiento con el malo maloso final. Sinceramente, no creo que a nadie, a esas alturas, se le ocurra volver al principio si lo matan (que seguro que lo matan), lo que se carga gran parte del fuste del librojuego. Acabe antes con mi sufrimiento, Sir Ian, please.
  4) Tener que apuntar cualquier tipo de dato ridículo que te van contando (como el record guinness comiendo orejas de mediano que ostenta orgullosamente un troll... no me lo estoy inventando, esto pasa en el libro). Acabas loco. Pero, la verdad, esta chorrada tiene su encanto, como cuando tienes que gritar «¡cachondo!» (en la edición inglesa, ¿eh? No existe edición española de ese libro, que yo sepa) en «Return to Firetop Mountain» para activar los objetos mágicos al final. El cachondo es usted, Sir Ian.
  
  Bueno, pues al final, lo comido por lo servido. La extraordinaria dificultad queda más o menos compensada por lo simpático de la aventura, por los guiños al seguidor fiel de la saga de librojuegos y porque está escrita por Ian Livingstone, coñe, un mito viviente que todavía sigue escribiendo Fighting Fantasies with a little help from his friends. Venga, a jugarlo y a morir. Once veces me he muerto yo y, por lo que he leído por ahí, todavía he tenido suerte...
• 
  Ben

  Ian Livingstone’s ninth solo entry in the Fighting Fantasy series is a truly epic-feeling adventure, consisting of three distinct mini-quests: finding a magical sword, finding a magical horn, and finding and killing an evil sorcerer (that old chestnut).
  
  Famously difficult, I decided to ditch the dice and just read it as a story, relishing the fantastic writing and the artwork.
  
  I ticked off the first two quests but didn’t get very far into Razaak’s crypt, having failed to find a certain key among the profusion of items that Livingstone’s entries tend to be littered with.
  
  It was a nice bit of nostalgia to enter again the Forest of Doom, and it was fun to see our wonderfully informative old friend Yaztromo in a compromising position there, for once.
  
  The artwork, by John Sibbick, is variable in quality, but some of it is really special, in particular the hot air balloon (353), the ice ghosts (315), the Gargantis (56) and the red dragon (106). I thought the clay golem (299), on the other hand, looks like it’s high on ecstasy and raving at a nightclub. These encounters and moments, along with others, are quite memorable - the book is rich in nice ideas.
  
  I’d rank this one quite highly among its peers.
• 
  Chris Dw i

  Crypt of the Sorcerer is some good stuff!
  
  You've been tasked with slaying Razaak, the undead necromancer, after some miners had accidentally released him from his tomb and it's urgent.
  
  There's a fair challenge to the book as you need to collect many items and remember many references but it's done well enough so that you're given a chance to actually stumble across said items and references.
  
  The encounters you have during the adventure are good and memorable and Razaak himself is a fun character.
  
  This one's good. It's tough but fair and it feels like you get a lot done during your adventure compared to, say, Citadel of Chaos where you just sort of climb a few stairs, slay Dire and leave.
• 
  J.D. Mitchell

  None of the gamebooks to date have felt so much like a good D&D adventure. Riding through the hills, hidden lakes, orcs, trolls, the undead, a dragon, dwarves, archers, a hot air balloon ride, and a plethora of fun cursed and magic items make exploration just plain fun. The illustrations are great, the writing solid, and the sense of progression satisfying. Sadly, the endless do-or-die checks and nigh-impossible end boss fight seriously hamper this adventure. What could easily have been a 5-star book quickly erodes to only 3.5 in the last quarter. Worth playing, but forget playing fairly.
• 
  Flame Hawk

  Good book. Memorable adventure. The companions were nice and did not die in like the first few pages.. Very linear though. Also every route has some clue like a key so if you miss it, you'll be stuck later on..
  
  
  **(SPOILER: I really liked the trick razaak did with fooling us into thinking its yaztromo)**
• 
  Theo Josafá

  Amei conhecer a história desse livro e viver um pouco as aventuras do guerreiro, entre monstros, sequestros, grifos e orcs, me entreter muito. Não cheguei até o fim pois fui morto pelo anão que comeu frutinhas envenenadas kkkkkkkk
  
  A dinâmica é fácil para as lutas e as escolhas, amei amei, pra quem gosta de livro de rpg esse é uma ótima indicação para se sentir o propio indiana Jones.
• 
  Noura Navali

  I never gate enough of this series of games. I play it often