The Bard's Tale Trilogy

The Bard's Tale Trilogy

102 ratings
One stop Bard's Tale 1 helpful links guide
By huffadopolis
This remaster is very well done but lacking in documentation so I'm here to help you out!

Here are the best links that I've found and used for my playthroughs of both the emulated original versions and now the remastered version. Please note that I did not create anything at these links and am not taking credit for ANY of it. Lots of people put in lots of time at these links :)

Please be aware that the information presented at these links is for the original versions of the game, which even themselves varied slightly between computer versions in some ways. This is not all exactly the same in the remaster either so do not be alarmed if a piece of armor actually gives 1 ac instead of 2 or whatever.
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general links
What do I do, what is the point why is it so hard what do i do where am i going so lost uggggghhh
--> https://bardstale.brotherhood.de/talefiles/1/docs/BT1-Walkthrough.pdf
Read the first three paragraphs, past that is the actual walkthrough if you desire

What characters should I make what do these points do, are they important?
You generally want 4 melee characters and 2 spellcasters, optional in remaster to have a 7th party member
In the remaster Monks/Paladins/Warriors gain extra attacks at levels 5, 9, 13, etc.
--> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/library/characters

What HP/spells/abilities do all these monsters I'm fighting have?
--> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/library/bestiary

What does this item do? What items can drop? Where do they drop at?
--> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/library/items
Note that weapons in the remaster you can hover mouse for damage and some items have information on hover too

What magic spells do what, when do I get them, what class casts them?
Note that spells you know you can hover mouse over the spell name for information about the spell
--> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/library/spells

Bard Songs, same thing need a list!
Well ok then here! you can hover ingame too
First a helpful hint: You can have one travelling bard song going outside of combat which will give you the combat effect once combat starts, you can then ALSO during combat use your bard songs and they do not overwrite the travelling song they add effects which last until the end of combat only, then the travelling song continues
--> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/library/songs
maps
Maps I need maps where are my maps
holy moly check out all these maps they are awesome
the grid numbers on these maps are for use with the APAR (edit: APport ARcane) spell if you choose to teleport around you will need these grid references

Skara Brae --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/skara-brae

Wine Cellar --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/cellar_1
(hint: go to the SE inn in skara brae and order a Wine)
Sewers Level 1 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/sewers_1
Sewers Level 2 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/sewers_2
Sewers Level 3 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/sewers_3

Catacombs Level 1 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/catacombs_1
(hint: go to temple of the mad god and speak the name of the mad god tarjan)
Catacombs Level 2 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/catacombs_2
Catacombs Level 3 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/catacombs_3

Harkyn's Castle Level 1 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/harkyn_1
(non-spoiler spoiler in case you don't want the hint direct access from Skara Brae, northwest corner)
Harkyn's Castle Level 2 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/harkyn_2
Harkyn's Castle Level 3 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/harkyn_3

Kylearan's Amber Tower --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/kylearan_1
(hint: accessed via Harkyn's Castle Level 3)

Mangar's Tower Level 1 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/mangar_1
(hint: accessed via sewers level 3)
Mangar's Tower Level 2 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/mangar_2
Mangar's Tower Level 3 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/mangar_3
Mangar's Tower Level 4 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/mangar_4
Mangar's Tower Level 5 --> https://bardstaleonline.com/bt1/maps/mangar_5

I hope this helps you like it helped me!
19 Comments
BrickWall_WaterFall 20 Dec, 2022 @ 8:32pm 
Good Stuff
Lawdog77777 22 Jul, 2021 @ 5:32pm 
Huffadopolis, you are awesome! LOL Let me go ahead and send you this award!
huffadopolis  [author] 21 Jul, 2021 @ 3:53pm 
computer games in the 1990s were brutal
huffadopolis  [author] 21 Jul, 2021 @ 3:52pm 
You have to answer a magic mouth riddle at the spot marked "M2" on that map, before it will appear
Lawdog77777 21 Jul, 2021 @ 11:01am 
Kylearan's Tower, 6,1 you show a door where there isn't one. Now I'm stuck wandering in the darkness forever lost.
The Dullahan 11 Jan, 2021 @ 10:53am 
Bard's Tale (Steam)
Can someone tell me why my magical instruments disappear from Garth's, I sell them save game and exit, when I come back those items are missing... My light-wands(3) are missing all my horns are missing 3 fire and 1 frost, 3 shield-rings. Do I have some settings turned on or something? Legacy Mode
BrickWall_WaterFall 5 Aug, 2020 @ 8:11pm 
All good stuff. I just recently purchased this game again. Brings back alot of good memories and thanks for posting all the links and gameplays
DM Leon 29 Oct, 2018 @ 6:47am 
For the classic games' manuals and clue books, you can check out this webpage and related pages: http://bardstale.brotherhood.de/talefiles/1/docs/index.html
huffadopolis  [author] 29 Sep, 2018 @ 9:44am 
No remaster manual that I am aware of. I remember buying Bard's Tale 2 at a "Software, Etc." store in the mall around xmas one year as a kid. The manual was amazing, and the cluebook was double amazing because it was a narrative about a previous party's trip through the dungeons. Something really cool about that, it let my brain fill in gaps in their story, and create my own narrative for my runthrough. Surely I can follow in their footsteps!?
ironside31 29 Sep, 2018 @ 8:17am 
Is there an actual manual to the remaster? I have an OLD one from the original game, just wasnt sure if thie game changed at all