Ultima III Walkthrough
This walkthrough is taken from an excellent old adventure guide, The Book of Adventure Games (Arrays, Inc. ISBN 0-912003-08-1). The only other walkthrough I've seen for Ultima III is from the "Mines of Moria", an old Apple II pirate BBS — it's basically a chopped up version of this edition, with various stupidity and inaccuracies added in. This version had some inaccuracies also, but I corrected the more glaring mistakes; I've also changed references that didn't make sense for the Mac version. Since the book is no longer available (and mainly talks about games that are no longer available either), I doubt there's anyone that would mind me putting it up.Obviously, this walkthrough contains SPOILERS, so don't read it unless you either don't want to enjoy the game or you are hopelessly stuck.
-Leon
Ultima III
There is no set solution to this game. It's long, even with these gold and time saving clues. Try forming a party and transferring all food and weapons to one member. This is best done within the Castle, avoiding monsters with which you can't cope. Leave the town to save the game, quit out of the game and then relaunch it, delete the empty character shells, and create three more. Go to town and buy your front line men bows; these have the major advantage of hitting targets from a distance. Consider using a Cleric with 25 Wisdom points, as you'll need all the healing power he can muster.
You'll be able to get to a maximum of 550 hit points, initially, by (T)ransacting with the King, provided you have enough experience. With your 550 points, go to the dungeon in the northeast corner of the island, in the blackened area. You'll recognize it by its waterway. In the first level you should find two "plates," one of which you should touch. They yield the Mark of the King. With the Mark of the King, you can now get up to 2,550 hit points, again provided that you have enough experience.
When you leave the Castle, go west 8 steps and south 34. When the moons are in 0,0 conjunction, the town of Dawn will appear below you. In it you'll be able to buy better armor and weapons, as well as the keys, powders which negate time, and gems which permit a screen display of the local area. More important, in the lower right corner are three guys, each with important clues about Exotic weapons. After leaving, try to find a ship if you don't already have one. Be careful approaching a ship, as the current owners would like to keep it! Once you've secured your own ship, try digging ([O]ther Command, type "DIG") on the two-square island near the island town of Fawn.
Make your way to the town on the island east of the Mainland. You'll recognize it by the bribable guard standing before a locked gate. You can save the 100 gold bribe fee and a key by entering the maze south of the main entrance. Go north at the first place you can, then straight east as far as you can, and then north to inside the gate. Peer at a Gem, and sketch the town, using the sketch to get into the town. Go east to the locked gate. This one requires using a key. Go south to the entry on the left side of the screen. Go west to the first north possibility, west to the next south possibility, and west again. This should put you next to a guard. Bribe him (unless you are strong enough to kill off all the guards, not bloody likely!) To the west lies a treasure area, good for about 1,100 gold (about 2,000 if you have the Mark of Force). It's good to have a Thief who can grab the chests, and a Cleric who can heal him. Repeat this process until you've got quite a load of gold, say 13,000 or so.Loaded with your gold and at least four keys, jump in your ship, find a whirlpool storm and enter it. You'll be cast on the shore of another island where there are four shrines. Here you can buy capability points at 100 gold a pop. Peer at a Gem to get the lay of the land, and make a rough sketch. The Shrine of Strength is in the west, reached through the mountain entry way in the northwest corner. Work your way south from there. You're on the right track if you encounter two sets of wild horses. Keep going south from there. Be sure to search ([O]ther Command, type "SEARCH") at each shrine.
The Shrine of Intelligence lies behind three locked gates in the north-central area. Don't bother opening up the cages. Capture the ship that's waiting for you and sail west to where you can disembark. The Shrine lies behind the third gate. You reach the Shrine of Wisdom by going north from the entry gate of the Shrine of Intelligence. Track around to another locked gate. After the initial north and east travel, work your way south and slightly east. Ignore the next locked gate you see. The Shrine of Dexterity is in the southeast area. After entering the dark area (to the right and north of your landing point), work your way northeast.Near the initial entry into this area you'll be able to go south. Following that track gets you to the south shore of the Island, where you must capture a Pirate ship. Using yet another key, sail through the locked gate to the west and into the awaiting Whirlpool in order to get back to the point at which you initially entered the Whirlpool. There's also a complicated route in the west that will get you to another ship and back to the waiting whirlpool without using a key, if you're willing. Several trips between Death Gulch and Shipwreck Island [Ambrosia] should bring your attributes up to a fairly impressive level, and will certainly make your life easier.
By now you should have at least one Mark and all four Cards. You'll find the Mark of the Snake on the eighth level of the dungeon on the large island east of the Mainland. You'll find the Marks of Force and Fire on level 8 of the dungeon surrounded by lava in the dark mountain area at far south of Lord British's castle. Lastly, if you want to find the Lord of Time, look in the northwest corner of level 8 in the dungeon locked in by mountains (which you can only reach via the Moon Portals).Once you have 2,550 hit points and all eight Marks and Cards, you're ready for Exodus. "Ready" all of your party with Exotic weapons and "Wear" Exotic armour and sail up to the Snake in the center of the island on the southwest corner of the Mainland. [Y]ell EVOCARE. It would be wise to make a backup copy of the Roster file before entering the castle, as things can get rough in there. Go as far to the west (or east) as you can, walking through the Force Fields and Fire. Then head north, all the way up. As you go along you'll have several fairly tough battles. Note that you can't use powder to negate time in Exodus Castle.
In the upper central part you'll hit three sets of invisible enemies (Floors), each of whom hit pretty hard. Use your Wizard's "P" spell or your Cleric's "O" spell. To get the rest, line your men up abreast and march up the room, attacking forward and to the sides. Each Floor panel will only take one hit to kill when you find them. Watch which of your guys is getting hit: he's the one nearest your foe.
Now the time has come. Move below, to the left of the machine that is Exodus. [I]nsert Love, move right, [I]nsert Sol, move right, [I]nsert Moons, right again and [I]nsert Death. That should do it, only to whom should you "Report Thy Feat"???David Joerg dsjoerg@deshaw.com writes:
I don't know why I remember this, but way way back when I won Ultima III I saw that message. Somehow (I think it was included in the game package) I had a phone number that you were supposed to call when you won. I called the number and gave Origin the message, and they mailed me a really nice certificate!
Ultima III Prophecies
| Gold | Oracle Response |
| 100 | You'll learn of marks and playing cards and hidden holy shrines. |
| 200 | Of marks there are but four - Fire, Force, Snake, King. |
| 300 | Learn their use in Devil Guard or death you'll surely bring. |
| 400 | Shrines there are but four to which you go and pray. |
| 500 | Their uses are innumberable and clues throughout I say. |
| 600 | Suits do number four, called Sol, Moons, Death, and Love. |
| 700 | Unto the Montors thou must go for guidance from above. |
| 800 | To aid thee in thy cryptic search, to dungeons thou must fare. |
| 900 | There seek out the Lord of Time to help you if he cares. |
Bartender Tips
| Gold | Bartender Response |
| 7-9 | Thank you kindly. |
| 10 | Ambrosia, ever hear of it? |
| 20 | Dawn, the city of myths & magic. |
| 30 | The conjunction of the moons finds link. |
| 40 | Nasty creatures, nasty dark, sure thee ready before thee embark. |
| 50 | None return or so I'm told from the pool dark and cold. |
| 60 | Shrines of knowledge, shrines of strength, are all but lost into the brink. |
| 70 | Fountains fair and fountains foul all are found in dungeons bowel. |
| 80 | Exodus: Ultima III which is next? Now could be. |
| 90 | Seek ye out the Lord of Time and the one way is a sure find! |
Village Rumors & Misty Writings
| Cards are useful. | <Search> for Shrines. |
| The King favors a Mark. | <Search> the Cards. |
| Seek ye the Mark of Kings. | <Dig> carefully. |
| You need a Mark to pass. | <Dig> up Exotics. |
| Marks gained in Dungeons | <Dig> on Islands. |
| Hot metal leaves a Mark. | Baby Bob: Bring me bucks. |
| Marks are useful. | Seek the Jester in Castle Fire. |
| A Mark helps invoke the snake. | Jester says: West-8 South-35 and await the dawn. |
| Invoke the Silver Snake. | Lord of Time says: Love, Sol, Moons, Death. All else fails. |
| conjunctions of moon finds link. | Circle of Light: <Yell> EVOCARE. |
| Only Exotics will protect you from great evil. | Exodus is four as one. |
| Seek the Shrines of Truth. | <Insert> Cards into Exodus. |
| Seek ye the Dungeon of Fire. | Beware the Fires of Hell. |
| <Pray> for the invocation. | <Pray> in the Circle of Light. |
| Dawn lasts but a Moment. |
Price Lists
| WEAPONS Dagger Mace Sling Axe Bow Sword 2-Handed Sword+2 Axe +2 Bow +2 Sword Gloves +4 Axe +4 Bow +4 Sword Exotic | 5 30 60 125 350 200 250 400 1050 800 1200 2600 6550 4550 free | B C D E F G H I* J* K* L* M* N* O* P | ARMOUR Cloth Leather Chain Plate +2 Chain +2 Plate Exotic | 75 195 575 2500 6130 8250 free | B C D E F* G* H | OBJECTS Keys Torches Powders Gems SACRAMENTS Curing Healing Resurrection Recalling MISC Horses Attributes | 50 5/30 90 75 100 200 500 900 4/800 1/100 |
Moon Gate Destinations
| Conjunction | From Moongate | To Moongate |
0,1 0,2 | NE Corner NE Corner NE Corner | NE Corner Cave Island 3 square area |
1,4 1,5 | Cave Island Cave Island Cave Island | South Coast 3 square area Castle |
2,7 2,0 | 3 square area 3 square area 3 square area | Devil Guard Dungeon NE Corner |
3,2 3,3 | South Coast South Coast South Coast | Cave Island 3 square area South Coast |
4,5 4,6 | 3 square area 3 square area 3 square area | 3 square area Castle Devil Guard |
5,0 5,1 | Castle Castle Castle | Dungeon NE Corner Cave Island |
6,3 6,4 | Devil Guard Devil Guard Devil Guard | 3 square area South Coast 3 square area |
7,6 7,7 | Dungeon Dungeon Dungeon | Castle Devil Guard Dungeon |