Spellbreaker

YOU become the hero …

Review and Opinion

At first, I thought Spellbreaker was very exciting. It starts off of with a fight right there on page 1, and has a Faith mechanic that can bring you blessings and discourage undead creatures. There’s gold, so there will be stuff to buy to keep it interesting. And there’s an herbalism crafting bit, with a dozen different herbs to discover and potions to make.

The writing is quite good too, very engaging it atmospheric. It’s a world where magic is real but religion and faith still exist too, and it feels it.

But after a dozen playthroughs and no hope of success, I have to admit that the shine has worn off.

Much of the game relies on mechanics that can only happen with a lucky roll (the pilgrim’s staff, the Blackmire), and on having collected random junk (three herbs to make a salamander potion), and on stuff you couldn’t possibly guess (no salamander potion, means you’re killed as a witch).

Still, the writing is quite good, such that I did enjoy the numerous failures. When you’re finally ready to win, just cheat and give yourself 12/24/12 and 20 gold, then pretend that you made that Faith roll at the inn,and enjoy the story.

Hints and Tips

There’s a whole herbalism system, but you won’t have a clue what ingredients are used for what.

Some other herbs are:

• Belladonna, required if you’re bitten by a werewolf
• Scarlet Lady, +2 bonus when praying at the Tomb of Enthus

Some potions are:

• Salamander
  • resist fire, pass the witch trial in Tallow
  • brewed by Sam, page 116
  • Skullsgrig, Drake Nettle, Phoenix Grass
• Boggart’s brew
  • healing potion after a fight
  • brewed by Sam, page 74
  • Madder, Glebe Balm, Mudcap
• Chillwarm
  • resist cold, ???
  • brewed by Sam, page 167
  • Frostflower, Toadwort, Driggen
• Aylmer’s Elixir
  • gain +2 Faith
  • brewed by Sam, page 239
  • Mistletoe (requires Golden Sickle), Sprite Weed, Scrallus
• Venom’s Bane
  • cure poison
  • brewed by Sam, page 331
  • Malague, Death’s Shroud, Mistletoe (requires Golden Sickle)
• Clearsee
  • see through illusions, e.g. wraith rider
  • brewed by Sam, page 385
  • Phoenix Grass, Eyebright, Spriteweed

The required Golden Sickle is had _________.

Errors

Maps

Publication

Written by Jonathan Green

Illustrated by Alan Langford

1993

Book 53 in the series

Other Playthroughs and Links

• Richard Cowen plays XXX
• Murray at Turn To 400 plays XXX
• Seven Fourteen Seven plays XXX
• Justin Parallax playthrough of XXX
• MALthus Dire reviews XXX
• Fighting Dantasy plays XXX
• Alison Cybe plays XXX
• Champskees shows the best route at FF Proboards