The Sorcerer's Cave

The Sorcerer's Cave is a fantasy board/card game designed by Terence Peter Donnelly and first published in 1978. Though greatly simplified, it was inspired by the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.[1] Unlike D&D, however, Sorcerer's Cave does not require "Dungeon Master" or referee. One of its strengths is that it can be played solo or competitively, as well as cooperatively. Another is the diplomatic aspect of interactions between players with changing agendas. In general, player(s) gather and control a party (or parties) of adventurers who explore a multi-level dungeon that is randomly generated by drawing area cards from a deck. Encounters include special rooms, traps, monsters, allies, magical items and treasures.

The Sorcerer's Cave
A game of exploration, magic, and adventure
Designer(s)Terence Donelly
Publisher(s)Ariel, Philmar, Gibson
Players1–4
Setup time1–5 minutes
Playing time1–3 hours
Random chanceModerate
Skill(s) requiredStrategy, Luck

Playing

Player(s) start by creating a party from the various character types found in the game. Characters are differentiated by Fighting Strength, Magic Power and various unique abilities. All explorers start on the central "Gateway" tile, and progress by drawing area tiles (tunnel, chamber, or various special chambers). If the tile is a chamber, the player then draws a number of smaller 'encounter' cards (one card plus one for each deeper level up to four), and must deal with the characters and objects drawn. Encounter cards represent valuables, magical items and characters. If a chamber is occupied by non-player characters, the player must either withdraw, attack or approach – in which case a die roll determines whether characters are neutral (indifferent), friendly (joining your party), or hostile (prepare for combat).

The winning player is the one who escapes the cave with the most treasure. Rules for both solo play and competitive play are given, with several variations on victory conditions offered.

Inspiration and assessment

Donnelly wrote that, after trying Dungeons & Dragons, "while I had enjoyed being a participant in a fantasy role-playing adventure, I wasn't ready to do the work needed to set one up... if only the concept could be translated into a format that would require no laborious set-up and no referee — a game that could be taken out of the box and played instantly, yet be different every time."[1]

Ian Livingstone said of The Sorcerer's Cave: "As a family game, for the hour or two playing with the kids type market The Sorcerer's Cave works, and works well, but real Fantasy buffs will be disappointed by its simplicity when compared to D&D and the like."[2]

Other versions and expansions

An expansion set called The Sorcerer's Cave Extension Kit, containing 30 extra cave tiles and additional cards, was published in 1980. Mystic Wood, another somewhat different randomly generated maze game designed by Donnelly, is a spiritual successor to Sorcerer's Cave set in a forest with each player having their own specific quest.[3]

Circa 1995, Donnelly created a version of The Sorcerer's Cave for Microsoft Windows computers;[4] as of 2020 it is distributed via his personal website.[5] The ZX Spectrum computer game Goblin Mountain, by Martin Page (from Sinclair User #63, June 1987), also has clear similarities (especially the Friendly/Indifferent/Hostile reactions by strangers).

gollark: If I did things with it you are more likely to detect it.
gollark: Why censor the hostname of your VPS anyway? It's not like I used it and an unknown vulnerability in the OVH management system to gain access and install potatOS on it.
gollark: It was just some people waving woggles around.
gollark: I assume it's one of those anomalous VPSes which literally cannot be halted.
gollark: (that is markdown support, yes)

References
  1. Terence Peter Donnelly (1980). "The Sorcerer's Cave and Its Sequel". Games & Puzzles (Autumn 1980). Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  2. Ian Livingstone (1978). "Open Box Review". White Dwarf (#7).
  3. Andy Davidson (1980). "Open Box Review". White Dwarf (#20).
  4. "Sorcerer's Cave: Peter Donnelly". archive.org. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  5. Terence Peter Donnelly. "Skookum". Retrieved 2020-01-20.
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