by changing the order i follow the main plotline (because boss levels are fixed) and using smaller parties (so we're higher levelled at any given point in the game), there actually arent any tough bosses anymore.

taking out the don at level 8-9 is tough. easy at 11-14.
nessie is a bitch at lvl 14, easy at 19.
the temple is suicide at lvl 14, easy at 18.
etc.

the toughest areas of the game for me?

the arnika road, lvl 6, when you first leave the monastary.
the rapax castle, lvl 12-13.

thats cool. i like to stay on the safe side and wait til i get to a high level before taking on these hard bosses/areas.

For me Nessieat lvl 12

IMO, I hate any kind of long range fighters or magic casters.

Seekers, centipeeds, spiders, plants, apus, etc. These really bug me. They usually come in large numbers or in groups together (ex. 7 seekers and 7 centipeeds). What really gets you is their speed. They (for the most part) hit first; as well as, hit more often.

Like I stated in another forum topic, magic casters always get the best of me (sprites of all kinds, sorcerers, etc). For some reason I can't take down magic users as easily as "melee" monsters. I mean if I would rather fight 50 Juggernauts then 1 Tree Sprite. Maybe it is just preference, but I have the hardest time shutting down casters. I don't know...

It's just, I never really cared for magic. I don't use it as often as a sword or axe. I know that magic is really important in wiz8 but I don't look to use it as often as my melee weapons. I would spend more time looking for the "light sword" then obtaining fireball or tsunami. This might be the reason why I "let" these magic users do so well against my parties.

ASG - if you're not going to develop magic, then it's highly recommended that you develop other ranged attacks (bow/throwing), so that your melee'rs can contribute after you (quickly) wipe out everything close. that can make those big groups of viper frogs in the swamp (for example) go much more quickly.

the hardest parties i've run have been all cursed/no magic. the cursed weapons are great when you close, and i've run up speed and senses to be able to do that quickly and go as far as possible when we do. but they spend a lot of time standing around taking damage after clearing nearby enemies.

nessie was easy for me at lv 14ish (but i used this cheat thing) when i fought her without it, it was pretty tough, but i got her in the end. she is the toughest so far.

What cheat thing?
Why that is cheating. That is not nice. I once killed Nessie on lvl 12 and it was hell, but later for a level 15 party she went down easily.

it does get easier to kill her the more times you beat the game.

Yes I find that that is why it is good to sometimes take the difficulty setting up a notch so that some fights don't become too much the same.

Actually a really tough random encounter that spawns occasionally
is the Sige/Geomancer with several Juggernauts.

They always seem to show up on the Arkina/Trynton road and this is a decent fight if you are in the early stages.

Like others have said though, the hardest single enemy for me was the Soul Eater.

Hardest group encounter is a toss up between the Sorceress Queen and the Rapax Prince + His Army.

Don Barlone can also be tough, but you can actually beat him with a low-mid level party if you use a canned elemental.

[ 10-24-2003, 07:11 PM: Message edited by: elkston ]