Food

Food has been an important resource since the earliest Ultima installments, although its exact level of importance and role in each individual game has varied widely throughout the series. This article will attempt to document these differences.

Ultima I
Food levels go from 1 to 9,999 and decline quickly, so it is wise to keep your food level above 100 at all times by purchasing often when in a town. Reaching 0 food means instant death (but reincarnation is allowed). Rations are cheap, but go fast when on the surface world.

While in the various dungeons, food levels do NOT decrease; however, be wary of the gremlins, who can take HALF your food each turn they spend adjacent to you!

Food consumption changes depending on your mode of transportation:

Ultima II
Food functions much the same as in Ultima I (1-9,999; 0 Food = instant death), but your mode of transportation does not affect your rate of consumption, and your food levels WILL decline while in dungeons. Gremlins still pose a serious threat to rations, but steal only 100 units of your food each turn.

Obtaining a frigate is highly important in Ultima II because you DO NOT eat food while aboard, unless you "Pass Time" (SPACE). You also do not consume food while piloting a Bi-Plane or Rocket Ship.

Ultima III
As Ultima III first introduced the multi-character party, it also introduced individual food totals. Unless you are playing a modernized version of Ultima III, you need to purchase food separately for each party member, or otherwise have one character buy all the food and then Hand it to the others in increments of 1-99. The overall rate of food consumption is 1 food per 10 steps taken (40 steps when in towns, dungeons, or Ambrosia) -- less than in previous Ultima installments, but still relatively fast, so food remains an important part of resource management in this game.

Gremlins exist in Ultima III but are discovered only in fixed locations throughout the dungeons, and never actually seen -- they are "sprung" much like a trap.

Once a character reaches 0 Food, that member begins losing 5 Hit Points per step the party takes, until more Food is added to the starving character's total.

Side note: Exactly which "step" a given party member consumes 1 unit of food on can quickly become out of sync with the other party members from various factors, including death and subsequent resurrection. This usually isn't a problem if high food levels are maintained.

Ultima IV
Ultima IV simplifies party food management by giving a single Food total for the entire party; however, the rate of consumption changes depending on how many party members you have. The on-screen food total ranges from 0-9999, but for display purposes in this game, the last 2 digits of the party's food total are truncated, so the actual maximum is really 999,999. From this total, each move subtracts an actual amount of food equal to the number of characters in your party. When purchasing food, each pack of 25 rations is actually equal to 2,500 food in the Ultima IV save file.

Food consumption is relatively slow in this game, but is still necessary to upkeep. Starvation is slower, affecting party members' Hit Points much as poison does. Gremlins return in Ultima IV as a dungeon-based enemy that can be fought, and do not automatically steal rations every turn, but will attempt to steal a random amount every so often, while adjacent to ANY party member (much in the way rogues attempt to steal gold).

Side Note: Food is not a factor in the NES Port of Ultima IV.

Ultima V
Beginning with Ultima V, in addition to grocery stores, taverns also sell food. It can also be found quite regularly upon looting the belongings of slain monsters. Gremlins function much as in Ultima IV but can occasionally be encountered while camping out.

A spell invented by Lord Stuart the Hungry, Create Food ("IN MANI YLEM"), can often save the party from starvation, but is usually only a temporary solution.

Ultima VI
Starvation is no longer an issue in Ultima VI, but characters must eat food in order to regain Hit Points when resting.

Savage Empire
Food can be found growing in the wild, and must sometimes be worked further to be edible. Certain creatures (and their eggs) can be killed and cooked as well. There are no gremlins in the valley of Eodon.

Martian Dreams
Characters are not required to eat, and no food (other than the martian berries) is available. Gremlins do not exist.

Ultima Underworld
Starvation is not an issue, but you recover less Vitality and Mana if you sleep on an empty stomach.

Ultima VII
Beginning in Ultima VII, new sources of food, such as slaughterhouses and the Farmer's Market appear.

Also, how much a character is satiated depends greatly upon the type of food eaten. For more information on this, see Food Values in Ultima VII.

Ultima Underworld II
Starvation is not an issue, but you recover less Vitality and Mana if you sleep on an empty stomach.

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle
A group of offshoot gremlins on Serpent Isle are purple, can use magic, and leave their bodies behind, and the occasional black pearl.