Sunday, April 8, 2012

Weird uses for items in gamebooks

Most items in gamebooks and RPGs have pretty straightforward uses.  However, some items can have all kinds of imaginative uses, so you can't discount anything in a gamebook, particularly one that Ian Livingstone has written.

I will only include mundane items and I will discount any items that are useful only because someone wants them or if they are used for trading such as the brass owl in Armies of Death and the brass telescope from Temple of Terror.
Why does the ironhog eat them?
They're a good source of vitamin C.

Iron Spikes in Legend of Zagor

Normally iron spikes are hammered into cliffs to climb up them or they are used to wedge doors shut.  However, in this gamebook, you come across a strange pig that eats your spikes and then becomes your friend.  It then follows you around and eats your opponents' metal armour.  Nice work, ironhog.




Portrait in Heroquest - Fellowship of Four

This portrait of Grim Dougland can turn a pretty dire situation to your advantage.  One of your party of four has just decided to look at a mirror but it turns out that a demon lives inside and has transported them to some prison.  Smashing the mirror does not set them free, but luckily for you, the demon is a bit short sighted.  If you approach it while holding the portrait of its master up, it actually thinks that you are Grim Dougland.  You then order it to return your friend(s) which it does and then you can also order it to create a magical weapon which can cause double damage against Grim Dougland.  This is definitely one thick demon.

Container of ball bearings - Space Assassin

As well as being used to make Cyrus's mecha a little unsteady at the end of the book, you can also pretend that the container is a bomb when you are confronted by two security guards.  You actually get away with it as well.

I'm not making this up.
Make up in Legend of Zagor

You use this make up to make yourself pass as a zombie.  This is useful when you walk into Thulu's throne room and come face to face with eight of his goons.  Thanks to your disguise, they don't pay you any attention and give you a chance to make the first strike.





Triangular amulet in Caverns of Kalte

It might look like some piece of Jewellery but it is actually a key.  And not just in Kalte either, but also in the desert regions in book 5.

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