Bards Tale 3

The Bard’s Tale III: Thief of Fate - the 1988 role-playing game for
Commodore 64 from Electronic Arts.

Rally survivors in a refugee camp, recruit a new party or import veterans,
and cross dimensions to topple Tarjan and save what’s left of Skara Brae.

Core loop
- form a six-hero party, then quest across themed realms
- map labyrinths, fight turn-based battles, and solve realm-specific puzzles
- level up and unlock late-game classes to reach the endgame towers

Systems and items
- new classes - chronomancer (realm travel) and geomancer (terrain magic)
- bard songs - step-based buffs and situational combat effects
- automap - built-in mapping aids long dungeons
- transfers - import characters from BT1/BT2 and some other RPGs
- copy protection - code wheel prompts on disk versions

Level design and feel
Seven realms with unique hazards and resistances, plus animated monster
portraits on C64 disk. Larger, less uniform dungeon shapes than the
classic 22x22 grids.

Why it is notable
- C64 programming by Rebecca Ann Heineman with music by Kurt Heiden
- adds automap and new classes, capping the original trilogy

Tips
- grab a chronomancer early; realm-hopping speeds progress
- keep a bard for SP regen and extra attacks via songs
- conserve SP in dungeons and retreat when you’re at a quarter tank

At a glance
Year - 1988
Developer - Interplay Productions
Design and programming - Rebecca Ann Heineman - Michael A. Stackpole
Graphics - Todd J. Camasta
Music - Kurt Heiden
Publisher - Electronic Arts
Genre - Role-playing
Players - 1
Controls - Keyboard only