the bard's tale guide

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The Bard’s Tale ™

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B ar d ’ s T al e


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Contents

The M anual 18

A Q uick O verview 19

C haracters 21

Places 27

The C om bat System 29

The M agic System 32

C onjurer Spells 35

M agician Spells 37

Sorcerer Spells 40

W izard Spells 42B ard Songs 44

Spell K ey G lossary 45

T ips from the U nderground 46

Item s 47

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CO NJ URER S PELLS

KEY

CODE, Pt . Cost, Range, Du ration

SPELL NAME Description

CONJURER SPELLS

Level 1M A FL, 2, V iew , M edium

M A G E FLA M E a sm all, m obile "torch" will appear, and float above the spell

caster as he travels.

A R FI, 3, 1 Foe, ---

A R C FIR E A fan of blue flam es w ill shoot from the caster's fingers, doing hits

of dam age to a select opponent, tim es caster's level.

SO SH , 3, Self, C om bat

SO R C ER ER SH IELD The m age is protected by an invisible "shield" of m agic,

that turns aside m any blow s that w ould otherwise hit him .

TR ZP, 2, 30 feet, ---

TR A P ZA P This spell w ill disarm any trap w ithin 30 feet, in the direction the

party is facing. It w ill also disarm traps on chests.

Level 2

FR FO , 3, G roup, C om bat

FR EEZE FO ES This spell binds your enem ies with m agical force, slow ing there

m ovem ents and m aking them easier to hit.

M A C O , 3, ---, M edium

K IEL 'S M A G IC C O M PA SS a com pass of shim m ering m agelight appears above

the party, telling the direction they face.

B A SK , 4, C haracter, C om bat

B ATTLESK ILL This spell increases one of your party m em ber's skill w ith

w eapons, increasing the accuracy and ferocity of his attacks.

W O H L, 4, C haracter, ---

W O R D O F H EA LIN G W ith the utterance of a single w ord the spell caster can

cure a party m em ber of m inor w ounds, healing 2-8 points of dam age.

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A sorcerer, w ith the aid of his art, can also perceive certain special things

hidden from view .

WIZARDRY

W izardry deals w ith the sum m oning and control of supernatural creatures.

The w izard has few er spells than the other three classes, but his are by far the

m ost potent.

The creatures he can sum m on com e from another plane of existence,

called the N egative plane. They join the special slot in the party, and w ill fight

until defeated.

The w izard has som e ability to trap and control norm al m onsters, as w ell.

M ages w ho have learned at least 3 spell levels in an art m ay elect tochange to another m age class at any tim e. Thus, a level 5 conjurer could

choose to becom e a level 1 m agician. H is experience points w ould be reset to

0, but he w ould retain his previous attributes, hit points, spell points, and all

know ledge of his conjurer spells, how ever; once a m age leaves a m agic art, he

cannot return to it.

A m age can becom e a conjurer, m agician, or sorcerer as a second class. A

m age can becom e a conjurer, m agician, sorcerer, or wizard as a third class. A

m age w ho has know ledge of all 7 levels of spells in all 4 classes is called an

A rchm age, and is one of the m ost pow erful personages in the w orld of The

B ard's Tale.

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Level 2

LESU , 8, Special, ---

LESSER SU M M O N IN G This spell w ill gate into our universe a low er pow er

elem ental or dem on, w ho w ill (under protest) join the party.D EB A , 8, 1 Foe, ---

D EM O N B A N E This spell w ill do 3 2 to 128 points of dam age to a single

dem on. The pow er to sum m on is the pow er to destroy.

Level 3

SU PH , 10, Special, ---

SU M M O N PH A N TO M This spell w ill bring a m edium level undead creature

into the party.D ISP, 10, C haracter, ---

D ISPO SSESS This spell w ill m ake any possessed party m em ber to his norm al

state.

Level 4

PR SU , 12, Special, ---

PR IM E SU M M O N IN G This spell gates in a m edium level elem ental or dem on,

to fight w ith the party.

A N D E, 11, C haracter, ---

A N IM ATE D EA D G ives a dead character undead strength, m aking him attack

your enem ies as though he w ere truly alive.

Level 5

SPB I, 14, 1 Foe, ---

B AY LO R 'S SPELL B IN D This spell if successful possesses the m ind of any

enem y, forcing him to join your party and fight in itsdefense.

D M ST, 14, G roup, ---

D EM O N STR IK E This spell w orks like D em on B ane, but it w ill affect an entire

group of dem ons.

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any new illusions created later in the com bat. It w ill also point out any

dopplegangers in the party.

M IB L, 8, A ll Foes, ---

M A N G A R 'S M IN D B LA D E A sharp explosion of psychic energy that inflicts

10-40 hits to each and every enem y you face.

Level 6

W ID R , 10, Special, ---

W IN D D R A G O N This incantation w ill create an illusionary red dragon to fight

w ith your party.

M IW P, 9, C haracter, ---

M IN D W A R P This spell w ill m ake a m em ber of your party go totally insane.

U seful for possessions.

Level 7

W IG I, 12, Special, ---

W IN D G IA N T This spell w ill create an illusionary storm giant, to join w ith, and

fight for, your party.

SO SI, 11, 30 Feet, Indefinite

SO R C ER ER SIG H T This spell functions the sam e as the "second sight", but it

w ill last indefinitely.

WIZARD SPELLS

KEY

CODE, Pt. Cost, Range, Duration

SPELL NAME Description

Level 1SU D E, 6, Special, ---

SU M M O N D EA D This w ill gate into our universe a zom bie or skeleton to fight

for the party.

R ED E, 4, G roup, ---

R EPEL D EA D This spell w ill do 16 to 8 0 points of dam age to a group of

undead creatures.

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SPELL KEY GLOSSARY

Range Terms

View spell affects line of sight

1 Foe spell affects a single m onster, regardless of how m any

you face.

Gr o u p spell affects 1 of 4 m onster groups

Se l f spell affects spellcaster only

30 Feet 3 squares in the direction you face

Cha ra c t e r one of 6 party m em bers or specialPa r t y spell affects all 6 party m em bers

Spec i a l spell affects "S" slot only; sum m oned creature enters

com bat next round

Duration Terms

Comba t spell lasts until all m onsters or all party m em bers are

killed, or until party runs aw ay.Sho r t spell lasts only a few m inutes

Med i um spell lasts a little longer

L o n g spell lasts tw ice as long as "Short"

I n d e f i n i t e spell lasts until party enters the A dventurer's G uild or

an anti-m agic zone

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Level 6

SPSP, 15, Special, ---

SPELL SPIR IT This spell w ill gate in a higher-level undead creature to fight for

the party.B ED E, 18, C haracter, ---

B EY O N D D EATH This spell w ill restore life and one hit point to a character.

Level 7

G R SU , 22, Special, ---

G R EA TER SU M M O N IN G This spell w ill gate a greater dem on into our

universe and bind him to the party.

BARD SONGS

1. FA LK EN TY N E'S FU RY

Th is tune increases th e damage your part y will do in combat, by

dr iving th em int o a berserker rage.

2. TH E SEEK ER 'S B A LLA D

This song will produce light when explor ing, and during combat it wil l

increase the part y's chance of hit ti ng a foe wit h a weapon.

3. W AYLAN D 'S W ATCH

Th is song wil l sooth e your savage foes, makin g them do l ess damage in

combat.

4. B A D H 'R K ILN FEST

Th is is an ancient Elven melody, which wil l heal th e Bard's wounds

durin g tr aveling, and heal t he party's wounds durin g combat.

5. TH E TR AV ELLER'S TU N EThis melody m akes the members of your party m ore dexterous and

agile, and t hus more difficult t o hit.

6. LU C KLA RA N

Th is song sets up a part ial "ant i-magic" fi eld, which gives part y

members some increased prot ecti on against spell casti ng.

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Gaun t l e t s m etal gloves

Man d o l i n ,

H a r p , F l u t e m usical instrum ents for use by B ards

Item Abbreviations

FGN is an abbreviation for Figurine, a m agical statuette w hich

can com e to life.

MTH R is an abbreviation for M ithril, an elven m etal w ith m agical

qualities.

A DM T is an abbreviation for A dam ant, another m agical m etal.

DMND is an abbreviation for D iam ond, one of the hardestsubstances know n to m an or m onster.

Tips From the Underground: I tems

1. G enerally, the m ore expensive the item is, the better it w orks. A lm ost

like real life.

2. There are no cursed or bad item s, unlike real life.

3. D on't be stingy. Equip your fighters w ith the best arm or, w eapon, shield,

helm et and gauntlets m oney can buy. A fter all, he can't take it

w ith him .

4. Experim ent w ith all item s you find to determ ine their capabilities.

M agical item s are key to success. R em em ber that an item m ay only be

m agical for certain characters and classes, so trade item s around if you

have to.

5. M ake sure som e of your characters carry less than 8 item s, or else theparty w ill never be able to pick up new m agical item s in the dungeons.

6. W henever your party captures an especially interesting or pow erful

m agic item , save the party as soon as possible. That w ay, even if

disaster strikes, you w ill never lose that pow erful arm or, w eapon,

talism an or w hatever.

7. This m anual is not protected by m agic shields or air arm or. D on't let

your dog eat it.

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