[Ziggurat]

Getting to Arnika is one of the first goals of the game because the game gets so much more "friendly" to fighting and moving up the ladder after that. I am talking relatively, here. The game is always tough in certain areas. You can hang around Arnika and get your guys and gals up to a reasonable level and build up skills. But up to then, the outlook looks iffy. It is a test of the party.

I tried something new with my party of four (Mon, Sam, Nin and Bis). I wasn't sure they would survive the Monastery. But I didn't lev up past level 2 until they got to those gates. It worked!! (normally I go for levs 3-5 to get there) I don't recommend it to everyone, especially starting out, because you have to know what is coming next (like lev 4 rats and lev 6 wasps). I did use things like the landscape to make them attack one at a time, when I could.

Gregor was a pain, as always. The Sam and Nin bought it and I had to Res them. I was surprised I survived the battle at all. Ms. Monk knocked him out for three rounds, that definately helped. I also did not do a beeline to get out, I cleaned out the Monastery.

FYI, I took no great pains to develop this party in the Monastery like some have. I did a double circuit before seeing Gregor, to get a Res potion at the waterfall, and opened the safe to get Resurrect potions for the 2nd dead one after they were dead. You lose about 4500 units of money by using these potions instead of selling them: I just wanted to see if you can get to Arnika at level 2. It is answered. Some of it may have been luck. I wonder if anyone has got to Arnika at lev 1 without alot of tricks or tactics to buff the chars?