Hi Miffi,
I'm not that far into the game (I just got to Ishad N'ar) and it seems that the short answer to question is: There is no way afford any of the equiptment or traning short of cheating. To date, I've only been able to elevate one of the clerics to Warlock and one of the Fighters to Paladin ($2000 gold), Gain 2nd level in clerics guild (I should not have taken the quest, it cost $1000 to complete and gave no usualful benefit). I also added artifacts and lore to the Warlock ($1000) but it's a useless skill for right now as it only ID's items with mean ID cost ~$2. All the chars have robes and daggers/regulat swords and round shields. I can't afford any other equiptment.
At this point the game became un-fun as my pitiful 5th level chars kept dying as they could neiter hit anyone for apreciable damage nor withstand much damage. So I did what I generally don't: used a cheat. The arrow cheat seems the easiest and does not un balance the game. It seems to resotre balance. This is because the game is designed by the reverse of the monty-haul style: the mean old grinch DM.
The core problem is these:
1) The longer you wait to change classes, the longer you will need to wait to reach "parity" with the old level.
2) Also, the monsters are geting tougher but you are not. Ratlings offer you ~100 exp each and deal about 50HP in damage while taking about 25HP. Since my 2 wizards have ~25HP, the figheters have ~45HP and the two clerics ~35HP it's a loosing propsition and un-fun.
So if you are having fun, don't worry about the money. If you're no longer having fun, you either have to return this buggy game or cheat. The situation reminds me of Baldur's Gate: Constant crashes and lack of fun without cheating. Unlike BG, cheating with the money does not seem to ruin the game's balance or playability.
HTH,
Sam, smyling
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