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…
