The Bard's Tale
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Bard's Tale Hints and Tips

Some day, this is going to be a FAQ. Until then...

Update for the Ultimate RPG Archives (tm)

We apologize for omitting the copy protection from the Bard's Tale Series in the Ultimate RPG Archives. This update will provide you with the missing maps. These maps will allow you to bypass the copy protection in The Bard's Tale I and II. A cracked executable has been created for The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate and is named Thief.exe. To use this new Thief.exe, copy it into the default folder c:\rpgpack\bt3 or into the directory where you have installed Bard's Tale III. If you are asked to overwrite an exisiting file, be sure to select 'yes'. This will allow you to press (Enter) to bypass any of the teleportation alignment codes that come up during game play. This will automatically enter the correct response and send you to the correct area of the game. We have provided you with the map and inside box panels for The Bard's Tale III as well. Once again we apologize for any difficulty this may have caused, and wish you well in your future adventures!

Note: With this update pack no longer being available from the Interplay website, I have made it available for download. Due to webhosting space limitations, I am unable to provide the maps in their original (and huge) BMP format. I have instead converted them to JPG. I have also broken the files up so that you only have to download the ones you need.

• BT1 map
• BT2 map
• BT3 map
• BT3 Cover 1
• BT3 Cover 2
• Cracked Thief Executable

Official Clue Books:

• BT1: Tales of the Unknown - TXT-30K (Thanks to Tom Greene)
• BT2: The Destiny Night - PDF-3.8M offline TXT-86K HTM-90K (Thanks to Chaney Engel)
• BT3: Thief of Fate - RTF 80K (Thanks to Johnathan White)

For those of you who can't remember they keypresses for certain actions (like me), here is the BT2 Command Summary Card for IBM Tandy. - TXT 4K (Thanks to Mike Shearer)

Back up your character disk regularly, and always before trying something you read about on a webpage!

Required Characters:

• I - Bard to sit on throne in Harkyn's Castle. This gains access to the area containing the Crystal Sword and first Silver item. (It is possible to teleport or phase door into this area.)
• II - Bard to finish starter dungeon. Archmage to forge the Scepter out of the Segments.
• III - Chronomancer to tranport between dimensions. Warrior or Paladin to activate Ferofist's Helm. High-level Rogue to back-stab Tarjan?

Review Board Advancement Quiz (I) (DOS only?)

• Q. "What street lies between Night Archer and Emerald?"
  A. "TEMPEST"
• Q. "What is the name of the central square?"
  A. "GRAN PLAZ"
• Q. "Name the street that faces north into Kylearan's Tower?"
  A. "HAWK SCABBARD"
• Q. "Identify the street that snakes through the city just north of the central square?"
  A. "SERPENT"
• Q. "What street cuts into Blue Highway west of Stonework?"
  A. "GREY KNIFE"

Unlimited time to solve Snares of Death: (II) (C64 only?)
Whenever the party is teleported to Snare of Death #2 (Fanskar's Castle) or Snare of Death #5 (Oscon's Fortress), if the party moves forward one square before doing anything else, they will bypass the square they land on, effectively preventing the countdown sequence from starting. That is, the party has unlimited time to solve the snare. (Thanks to Mike O!)

Helper character: (I)
While on the street, press "Z" to summon a stone elemental with up to 33 hit points. This only works in the MS-DOS and the Amiga(?) version.

Extra money/valuables: (I???)

1. Put valuables into the inventory of the character in slot 6.
2. Remove that character.
3. Enter the city.
4. Go to Garth's.
5. Have any character enter the sales window and press "6".

Duplicating rare items: (I, II)

1. Boot up Bard's Tale.
2. Load the character (A) who has the rare item or items.
3. Load the characters (B and so on) you want to give the items to.
4. Have (A) give items to (B).
5. Remove (B) and then add him back to the party. Do not remove (A)!
6. Have (B) give items to (C).
7. Remove (C) and then add him back to the party. Do not remove (B)!
8. Repeat as necessary for rest of characters.
9. When finished, turn off computer.

Duplicating gold and rare items: (II only?)

1. Boot up Bard's Tale II.
2. Load any monster.
3. Have characters give the monster the gold and items.
4. Remove monster and then add him back to the party.
5. Step outside the Guild.
6. Have the monster give the gold and items to a character.
7. Remove the monster from the party while still in the street.
8. Step back inside the Guild.
9. Load the monster.
10. Repeat as necessary.

Give Magic Users better armor: (I, II)
The different magic using classes can use different armor, gloves, shields, etc. However, if a magic user has a piece of armor equipped when he changes classe to one that can't use that armor, he still gets to use it until he trades or drops it. With a little planning, you can lower your magic user's armor class by several points.

Party full of high-level helpers: (II only?)

1. Find or buy a figurine. The Brother's Kringle Figurine (Brothers Fgn) is suggested.
2. Do the duplicating trick detailed above.
3. Give a bunch of figurines to one member of your party.
4. Remove all other members and monsters from the party.
5. Save game.
6. Equip and use the figurines.
7. You now have many monsters. If you don't like their stats, re-load the game and try again until you're satisfied.
8. Go to the Guild.
9. Remove one monster from your party.
10. Rename him.
11. Continue removing and renaming until all monsters are saved.

Ever wonder about the stables in Bard's Tale 1? I mean, there are never any horses in them, having been eaten by wandering monsters or having run away or whatever. And, while you were at it, did you ever wonder why the city had gates even though you were never allowed outside, even after Mangar's spell of eternal winter was lifted? Bill "Burger" Heineman ($mail:burger@contrabandent.com$) recently explained it like this:

Once upon a time, there was a plan for the party to leave Skara Brae and have adventures in neighboring towns. You'd go to the stables to hire a horse to take you there. Alas, things like deadlines and budgets only allowed for the entire game to take place in the land of Skara Brae. Sadly, no one mentioned to the marketing department at EA that the stables were removed from the game, so they drew a nice map with the stables shown.

Oops.

So, Mike added a "stables" at the area pointed out in the map and added the little prose that mentioned the end of eternal winter was ending soon. You will find however, that the winter will never end because we had to ship the game.

But then, I was a ruthless bastard and blew up Skara Brae at the prologue of Bard's Tale III. BWA HA HA!!

Bill Heineman
Killer of Skara Brae
Recorded Thu, 16 Oct 2003 15:20:55