tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post2234163105821281171..comments2024-03-04T09:12:37.072+00:00Comments on MALthus Dire's Fighting Fantasy Page: #21: Trial Of ChampionsMALthus Direhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15847555508305181801noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-18388491251885563072023-01-14T01:37:04.209+00:002023-01-14T01:37:04.209+00:00How can you follow-up a true classic? Well, many ...How can you follow-up a true classic? Well, many people would say you really can't. But "Trial of Champions" is enjoyable in its own right, and -- while lacking all the "instant deaths" of its predecessor (#6, not #20, you nit :) -- is an enjoyable adventure in and of itself. I really like the fact that you are just captured and forced to train as a gladiator, and have a sense of revenge built into you (hail, Spartacus!).<br /><br />Notable parts of this adventure are the "Skeleton King" (?) on horseback, the witch's powder (hey, you ain't no mage, son!) and the Xoroa. I always felt the latter should be given a backstory. Where did they come from? What is their purpose? Alignment? To the best of my knowledge no Xoroa were used in any other gamebook I've heard of, and that's a shame.<br /><br />Very good book. Not its prequel, but what is?Bosk of Port Karhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05382836168231297724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-66169210619073654952022-12-11T16:00:22.683+00:002022-12-11T16:00:22.683+00:00On the Fighting Fantazine forums, one sub-forum is...On the Fighting Fantazine forums, one sub-forum is for solutions of every Fighting Fantasy book. Each solution has a chart showing your chance of beating the book with various starting stats. If you start 'Trial of Champions' with maximum possible stats (ie 12/24/12), the chart gives a probability of beating the book at only 25.2%. Ouch. That's one incredibly hard book.Sabreman64https://www.blogger.com/profile/14744338360449851222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-35975189694971173432022-04-15T21:43:05.990+01:002022-04-15T21:43:05.990+01:00This was my first FF book and I loved it. Havin p...This was my first FF book and I loved it. Havin played this before I read Deathtrap Dungeon, I prefer it. I found the traps more interesting, but moreover the gladiator/ revenge plot of the beginning added more depth than DD had. I personally liked the illustrations, although I agree with the comments about them. But the illustration of zombies became a benchmark for me in how zombies should look, even the outfits are a bit scooby doo. The Eastern Idol and Bonecrusher monster pics are also standout, and the Siren picture captures the atmosphere of the cavern description well. Great cover too, if slightly Timelord influenced in the outfit design.Andy Nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17609963927512138745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-32368969814777132862021-12-04T00:08:48.258+00:002021-12-04T00:08:48.258+00:00Well, the original dungeon IS, in fact, well lived...Well, the original dungeon IS, in fact, well lived in, having existed for years, and probably dirty as well; I doubt whether anyone bothered to clean it. So the illustrations sound spot-on!Gaetano Abbondanzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06120152170360483533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-32264070936950047622021-07-03T21:17:27.307+01:002021-07-03T21:17:27.307+01:00Hated it.
But I do like how the illustrations mak...Hated it.<br /><br />But I do like how the illustrations make the dungeon look shiney and new, as opposed to the original looking dirty and lived-in. It's probably not deliberate.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05903993127360160864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-83996246877836664732019-12-03T16:35:26.104+00:002019-12-03T16:35:26.104+00:00Ok, look I know it is different from before but I ...Ok, look I know it is different from before but I still get the deja vu / PTSD of the trap-ridden Deathtrap Dungeon.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09420522338884025211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3640929554503965005.post-81842404821459232012016-06-10T21:53:12.004+01:002016-06-10T21:53:12.004+01:00I wonder what the third Deathtrap Dungeon is like....I wonder what the third Deathtrap Dungeon is like. It will have been totally redesigned and made more lethal still.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16599376350452866847noreply@blogger.com