This is Out Of The Pit, the Fighting Fantasy monster manual:
It was first published in 1985, and contained the statistics and information on every monster that had appeared in any (non science fiction) Fighting Fantasy book at that time. I loved this book when it came out, and read it avidly cover to cover many times. I would stage mock battles between monsters, in an effort to see who was most powerful.
Back then I had the deluxe large format edition with colour pictures. Alas I no longer have this treasure, but I have two later printings, and still find the book a wonderful and nostalgic read.
Over the weekend I wrote this piece of code:
What does it do? Well, it fights 271 of the monsters in Out Of The Pit against each other and saves results. Monster data is input via a data file, which I typed up myself (it took about 2 hours). The code uses the full rules systems including special attacks (examine the code; you can see a large amount of special attacks, defenses and other conditions are included) and saves win-loss results per creature. Every monster fights every other monster once. I ran the code three times and collected the results to find who was strongest in a 3 match free-for-all.
But before I get to results, some caveats:
– Monsters don’t have luck scores. This means I never tested luck, or applied any conditions that required luck tests. Had I done so (and say, used Skill as starting luck), this would have made a small selection of monsters with luck-based attacks more powerful. However were I to implement luck tests, every monster would have likely been more powerful since they could have used luck in combat. I feel the results would have averaged out.
– The following nine monsters were omitted on the basis of their attacks being too unusual or difficult to model: Devlin, Ganjee, Hydra, Living Corpse, Giant Pitcher Plant, Mist Vampire, Poltergeist, Suma and Giant Venus Flytrap
In order, here are the five most powerful creatures in Out Of The Pit:
1) Earth Elemental
It’s not the 18 skill and 22 stamina that gave the Earth Elemental first place; it’s the fact it takes half damage and inflicts double damage. This guy would be virtually impossible for an average player character to defeat!
2) Adult Silver Dragon
Every 3 combat rounds, an Adult Silver Dragon inflicts an additional 4 damage from a breath weapon unless the opponent makes a skill check. Realistically, this results in average per-hit damage of 3.33 from a Silver Dragon, which is murder for most opponents.
3) Adult Gold Dragon
Skill 18, Stamina 40 and half damage from attacks? I expected this guy to take the top spot, and if I had implemented it’s luck-based breath attack it likely would have!
4) Night Demon
The relatively low Skill and Stamina (14,18) of this guy compared to the other top five was not a penalty since he has a once-per-combat special attack that does 2d6 damage and he does 3 points of stamina on a hit!
5) Young Silver Dragon
Like his dad at number 2, his breath weapon was the decider. Even though it isn’t as powerful (2 damage), it’s like a free hit every third round.
Interested in the full rankings? Well here they are:
| Name | Skill | Stamina | Win % |
| Earth Elemental | 18 | 22 | 99.7% |
| Silver Dragon (Adult) | 17 | 30 | 99.5% |
| Gold Dragon (Adult) | 18 | 40 | 99.2% |
| Night Demon | 14 | 18 | 98.8% |
| Silver Dragon (Young) | 15 | 22 | 98.1% |
| Gold Dragon (Young) | 16 | 25 | 98.0% |
| White Dragon (Adult) | 15 | 22 | 97.7% |
| Black Dragon (Adult) | 16 | 30 | 97.2% |
| Water Elemental | 16 | 21 | 97.1% |
| Green Dragon (Adult) | 15 | 26 | 97.0% |
| Snake Demon | 14 | 25 | 96.2% |
| Tyrannosaurus Rex (Adult) | 15 | 20 | 95.5% |
| Red Dragon (Adult) | 14 | 23 | 95.0% |
| Air Elemental | 15 | 20 | 94.8% |
| Black Dragon (Young) | 14 | 20 | 94.3% |
| Fire Elemental | 14 | 18 | 93.7% |
| Earth Demon | 12 | 15 | 93.2% |
| Green Dragon (Young) | 13 | 18 | 93.2% |
| Manticore | 12 | 18 | 92.2% |
| Hell Demon | 14 | 12 | 91.4% |
| Brontosaurus (Adult) | 12 | 25 | 91.2% |
| Death Spider | 14 | 9 | 91.1% |
| Nanka | 12 | 20 | 90.9% |
| White Dragon (Young) | 12 | 14 | 90.7% |
| Bloodbeast | 12 | 10 | 90.3% |
| Styracosaurus (Adult) | 12 | 18 | 89.8% |
| Life-Stealer | 12 | 18 | 89.7% |
| Genie | 12 | 20 | 89.5% |
| Pit Fiend | 12 | 15 | 89.2% |
| Giant Sandworm (Adult) | 10 | 20 | 88.5% |
| Banshee | 12 | 12 | 88.0% |
| Will-O’-The-Wisp | 10 | 6 | 87.7% |
| Pegasus | 12 | 12 | 86.9% |
| Metal Sentinel | 12 | 12 | 86.0% |
| Tyrannosaurus Rex (Young) | 12 | 12 | 85.8% |
| Giant Crab (Large) | 10 | 11 | 85.5% |
| Horned Demon | 12 | 9 | 84.8% |
| Crystal Warrior | 11 | 13 | 84.0% |
| Wrapper | 12 | 9 | 83.5% |
| Red Dragon (Young) | 11 | 14 | 83.2% |
| Slime Sucker | 10 | 9 | 83.2% |
| Marsh Giant | 10 | 17 | 82.0% |
| Black Lion | 11 | 11 | 81.9% |
| Sea Giant | 10 | 17 | 81.9% |
| Mammoth (Adult) | 10 | 16 | 81.1% |
| Mik | 12 | 7 | 80.3% |
| Fire Demon | 10 | 10 | 80% |
| Vampire | 10 | 15 | 79.2% |
| Gem Sentinel | 11 | 9 | 78.7% |
| Storm Giant | 10 | 15 | 78.7% |
| Styracosaurus (Young) | 11 | 10 | 78.7% |
| Tarator | 8 | 13 | 78.7% |
| Plesiosaurus | 9 | 22 | 78.2% |
| Strangleweed | 8 | 13 | 77.7% |
| Rock Demon | 10 | 13 | 77.4% |
| Gretch | 10 | 13 | 76.5% |
| Night Stalker | 11 | 8 | 76.0% |
| Serpent Queen | 9 | 7 | 76.0% |
| Yeti | 10 | 12 | 75.0% |
| Mountain Giant | 10 | 12 | 74.8% |
| Razorjaw (Adult) | 10 | 12 | 74.6% |
| Xoroa Warrior | 10 | 11 | 74.5% |
| Caarth (Adult Male) | 10 | 11 | 74.3% |
| Saber-Toothed Tiger | 11 | 8 | 73.8% |
| Giant Scorpion | 10 | 10 | 73.7% |
| Serpent Guard | 10 | 10 | 72.0% |
| Wyvern | 10 | 11 | 72.0% |
| Cyclops | 10 | 10 | 71.4% |
| Frost Giant | 10 | 10 | 71.3% |
| Mirror Demon | 10 | 10 | 71.1% |
| Centaur (Adult) | 10 | 10 | 70.8% |
| Ice Demon | 9 | 11 | 70.4% |
| Shapechanger | 10 | 10 | 70.4% |
| Clawbeast | 9 | 14 | 70.1% |
| Werebear | 9 | 13 | 70% |
| Brain Slayer | 10 | 10 | 69.8% |
| Dracon | 9 | 14 | 69.1% |
| Giant Centipede (Poisonous) | 9 | 7 | 68.5% |
| Fetch | 11 | 6 | 68.2% |
| Tree Man | 8 | 16 | 68.2% |
| Spider Man | 7 | 5 | 67.4% |
| Weretiger | 9 | 11 | 66.7% |
| Mummy | 9 | 12 | 66.2% |
| Nandibear | 9 | 11 | 66.2% |
| Sand Devil | 10 | 7 | 66.2% |
| Bird Man | 10 | 8 | 65.8% |
| Spirit Stalker | 10 | 8 | 65.6% |
| Hill Giant | 9 | 11 | 65.5% |
| Wight | 9 | 6 | 64.9% |
| Wyrm | 9 | 12 | 64.9% |
| Brontosaurus (Young) | 8 | 18 | 64.4% |
| Mutant Lizard Man | 9 | 9 | 63.5% |
| Giant Octopus | 9 | 10 | 63.3% |
| Death Dog | 9 | 10 | 63.2% |
| Forest Giant | 9 | 9 | 63.2% |
| Lizard King | 9 | 10 | 63.2% |
| Cave Giant | 9 | 10 | 62.7% |
| Cockatrice | 7 | 7 | 62.7% |
| Common Troll | 9 | 9 | 62.5% |
| Giant Crab (Small) | 7 | 9 | 62.5% |
| Hill Troll | 9 | 10 | 62.4% |
| Two-Headed Lizard Man | 9 | 10 | 62.4% |
| Minotaur | 9 | 9 | 62.3% |
| Gargoyle | 9 | 10 | 61.7% |
| Mucalytic | 8 | 9 | 61.6% |
| Doragar | 9 | 10 | 60.8% |
| Baddu-Beetle | 7 | 9 | 59.3% |
| Giant Slug | 7 | 15 | 59.3% |
| Giant Centipede | 9 | 7 | 58.2% |
| Death Wraith | 9 | 8 | 58.1% |
| Imitator | 9 | 8 | 58.0% |
| Stone Golem | 8 | 11 | 58.0% |
| Felinaur (Adult) | 9 | 8 | 57.7% |
| Fog Devil | 8 | 6 | 57.2% |
| Bhorket | 8 | 11 | 57.1% |
| Boulder Beast | 8 | 11 | 57.0% |
| Giant Snake | 7 | 11 | 57.0% |
| Great Ape | 8 | 11 | 56.9% |
| Bear Cub | 9 | 8 | 56.2% |
| Calacorm | 9 | 8 | 56.0% |
| Tentacled Thing | 8 | 10 | 55.4% |
| Sting Worm | 8 | 7 | 54.6% |
| Cave Troll | 8 | 9 | 53.5% |
| Howl Cat | 8 | 9 | 53.0% |
| Sea Troll | 8 | 9 | 53.0% |
| Caarth (Adult Female) | 8 | 9 | 52.8% |
| Ogre | 8 | 10 | 52.5% |
| Werewolf | 8 | 9 | 52.4% |
| Leprechaun | 10 | 4 | 52.3% |
| Lizardine | 8 | 8 | 51.2% |
| Rhino-Man | 8 | 9 | 50.6% |
| Skunkbear | 7 | 6 | 49.8% |
| Ghoul | 8 | 7 | 49.3% |
| Firefox | 7 | 6 | 49.1% |
| Crypt Stalker | 8 | 6 | 48.6% |
| Flesh Golem | 8 | 7 | 48.3% |
| Rock Grub | 7 | 11 | 48.2% |
| Giant Lizard (Adult) | 8 | 8 | 47.9% |
| Phantom | 12 | 2 | 47.7% |
| Ape Man | 8 | 7 | 47.6% |
| Flying Guardian | 8 | 8 | 47.6% |
| Gark | 7 | 11 | 47.6% |
| Snow Wolf | 8 | 8 | 47.5% |
| Flying Fish | 8 | 8 | 47.4% |
| Giant Eel | 8 | 8 | 47.2% |
| Slime Eater | 7 | 11 | 47.2% |
| Lizard Man | 8 | 8 | 47.1% |
| Giant Toad | 5 | 7 | 46.5% |
| Jaguar | 8 | 7 | 45.8% |
| Marsh Wraith | 7 | 5 | 44.0% |
| Pterodactyl | 7 | 9 | 44.0% |
| Champaque | 7 | 10 | 43.9% |
| Snattercat | 7 | 9 | 43.3% |
| Merman | 7 | 10 | 42.8% |
| Giant Sandworm (Young) | 7 | 9 | 42.2% |
| Giant Wasp | 6 | 6 | 41.2% |
| Mammoth (Young) | 7 | 10 | 41.2% |
| Dark Elf | 8 | 6 | 41.1% |
| Wererat | 8 | 6 | 40.8% |
| Krell | 8 | 5 | 40.3% |
| Skeleton Warrior | 8 | 6 | 40.1% |
| Giant Eagle | 6 | 11 | 39.3% |
| Wood Elf | 8 | 6 | 39.2% |
| Wood Golem | 8 | 6 | 38.6% |
| Aakor | 7 | 8 | 38.3% |
| Man-Orc (Adult) | 8 | 6 | 38.2% |
| Giant Aardwolf | 7 | 7 | 38.0% |
| Flayer | 6 | 7 | 37.9% |
| Cat People | 8 | 6 | 37.7% |
| Demon Bat | 7 | 8 | 37.7% |
| Neanderthal | 7 | 8 | 37.7% |
| Giant Spider | 7 | 8 | 37.2% |
| Caveman | 7 | 7 | 37.0% |
| Dwarf | 7 | 7 | 36.4% |
| Crocodile | 7 | 7 | 36.0% |
| Giant Common Fly | 7 | 8 | 35.9% |
| Wraith Ape | 7 | 7 | 35.5% |
| Hellhound | 7 | 6 | 34.3% |
| Shark | 7 | 6 | 33.4% |
| Toa-Suo | 6 | 10 | 33.3% |
| Harpy | 7 | 6 | 32.3% |
| Fiend | 6 | 8 | 32.2% |
| Decayer | 7 | 5 | 31.8% |
| Hamakei | 7 | 5 | 31.6% |
| Fire Sprite | 7 | 4 | 31.2% |
| Fish Man | 7 | 6 | 31.2% |
| Wolfhound | 7 | 6 | 31.2% |
| Messenger Of Death | 7 | 6 | 31.1% |
| Goldcrest Eagle | 7 | 6 | 30.9% |
| Tangleweed | 7 | 6 | 30.7% |
| Wolf Dog | 7 | 6 | 30.7% |
| Black Elf | 7 | 6 | 30.6% |
| Gnome | 7 | 5 | 30.6% |
| Head-Hunter | 7 | 6 | 30.6% |
| Great Orc | 7 | 6 | 30.3% |
| Mountain Elf | 7 | 6 | 30.3% |
| N’yadach | 6 | 8 | 30.1% |
| Wolf Dog | 7 | 6 | 30% |
| Harrun | 6 | 7 | 29.5% |
| Night Hawk | 7 | 5 | 29.3% |
| Xoroa Worker | 6 | 7 | 29.3% |
| Giant Dragonfly | 8 | 4 | 29.2% |
| Sewer Snake | 6 | 7 | 29.2% |
| Giant Owl | 6 | 7 | 25.8% |
| Wheelie | 6 | 6 | 24.9% |
| Stranglebush | 5 | 7 | 24.5% |
| Mantis Man | 6 | 5 | 24.0% |
| Slykk | 6 | 5 | 23.8% |
| Pygmy | 6 | 5 | 23.7% |
| Clone Warrior | 6 | 5 | 23.4% |
| Giant Needlefly | 6 | 6 | 23.4% |
| Common Orc | 6 | 5 | 23.0% |
| Zombie | 6 | 6 | 23.0% |
| Woodling | 6 | 5 | 22.9% |
| Demonspawn | 6 | 6 | 22.8% |
| Razorjaw (Young) | 6 | 5 | 22.8% |
| Centaur (Young) | 6 | 5 | 22.7% |
| Medusa | 6 | 5 | 22.7% |
| Hobgoblin | 6 | 6 | 22.5% |
| Giant Firefly | 5 | 5 | 22.4% |
| Skeleton | 6 | 5 | 22.2% |
| Marsh Goblin | 6 | 6 | 21.7% |
| Wild Hill Man | 6 | 5 | 21.6% |
| Giant Bat | 5 | 8 | 21.2% |
| Basilisk | 5 | 8 | 20.4% |
| Spit Toad | 5 | 6 | 20% |
| Bristle Beast | 5 | 7 | 19.8% |
| Skorn | 5 | 5 | 18.0% |
| Goblin | 5 | 5 | 16.9% |
| Red-Eye | 6 | 4 | 16.9% |
| Elvin | 6 | 4 | 16.4% |
| Pixie | 5 | 5 | 16.4% |
| Snapperfish | 6 | 2 | 16.4% |
| Bhorket (Young) | 5 | 5 | 16.1% |
| Giant Lizard (Young) | 5 | 5 | 16.0% |
| Electric Eel | 6 | 4 | 15.9% |
| Gonchong | 5 | 5 | 15.9% |
| Rat-Man | 5 | 6 | 15.9% |
| Sprite | 5 | 6 | 15.9% |
| Kokomokoa | 5 | 5 | 15.6% |
| Eye Stinger | 7 | 2 | 15.3% |
| Bear Cub | 5 | 6 | 15.0% |
| Felinaur (Young) | 5 | 5 | 15.0% |
| Leaf-Beast | 6 | 3 | 14.8% |
| Mermaid | 4 | 7 | 14.8% |
| Chestrap Beast | 5 | 6 | 13.5% |
| Vampire Bat | 5 | 4 | 12.8% |
| Caarth (Young) | 4 | 5 | 12.3% |
| Winged Gremlin | 5 | 4 | 12.3% |
| Giant Rat | 5 | 4 | 11.8% |
| Iron-Eater | 4 | 5 | 11.8% |
| Death Hawk | 4 | 5 | 11.4% |
| Troglodyte | 5 | 4 | 10.9% |
| Mungie | 5 | 4 | 10.8% |
| Mudclaw | 5 | 4 | 10.6% |
| Eagle | 4 | 5 | 10.2% |
| Blood Eel | 5 | 4 | 10% |
| Pirahna | 6 | 1 | 9.38% |
| Wild Dog | 4 | 4 | 9.01% |
| Grannit | 4 | 3 | 8.27% |
| Wingless Gremlin | 4 | 3 | 7.77% |
| Marsh Hopper | 4 | 4 | 7.28% |
| Common Bat | 4 | 4 | 6.41% |
| Man-Orc (Young) | 4 | 3 | 6.41% |
| Poisonous Snake | 5 | 2 | 5.55% |
| Dripper Plant | 0 | 10 | 3.20% |
| Flesh Grub | 1 | 1 | 1.23% |
| Giant Leech | 1 | 1 | 1.23% |
| Jib-Jib | 1 | 2 | 1.23% |
| Sleeping Grass | 0 | 2 | 0.86% |
| Clone Worker | 0 | 2 | 0.74% |
Two positions beg elucidation: the Tarator at #52 and Spider Man at 81. Both are unusually highly placed for their skill and stamina scores.
The Tarator, much like the Earth Elemental, does additional damage on a hit (3 total) and takes only 1 per hit received. So it fights like a much more robust creature.
The Spider Man is a terrible foe, for despite having dismal statistics, kills with no saving throw on any successful hit! It’s win ratio therefore is a measure of how often it won an attack roll 🙂
So now, 27 years later, I have finally answered to my satisfaction the ultimate question of what the strongest monster in Out Of The Pit is. Except for that pesky issue of luck…
Wow, Fighting Fantasy, mock battles and VB code all in one post? Are you trying to win some sort of nerd competition? 🙂
I’m not going to comment on your choice of programming language.
And I won’t comment on your code quality either, suffice it to say that I died a little inside when I saw those large blocks of duplicated code.
However I love this sort of thing. Email me your code and data file, I want to add luck to the battles. After converting it to a better programming language of course.
Oh ho ho! Someone just threw down a gauntlet…!
(fires up VB)