> > > The party is now all class 13, although my Rock Elf Sorceror, Moonrock, will soon be class 14. Is this a sufficient level to face level 8? What about levels 9 and 10?
> >
> > First of all, you might want to try basing your expedition out of Kaliti. Resurrection is cheaper there, and I've found Lyesis to be in a somewhat inconvenient location. However, while you're in Lyesis, why not search for some treasure nearby? There are riches to be found on every level, and every once in a while Sam even tells you where to find them.
>
> I don't want to be based on Kaliti to try to find the Bronze Key. The path from Kaliti to the Bronze key includes level 6, which has too many Wraiths and Evil Eyestalks for my liking. Using Lyesis instead avoids this, although there still are Wraiths and Evil Eyestalks.
>
You'll eventually have to learn to cope with Wraiths and Evil Eyestalks. There are much worse enemies on lower levels. May as well have fun killing them.

Personally I've always wondered how an Evil Eyestalk goes aboot attacking its enemies. I can't help thinking of the Black Knight in Holy Grail, with no arms and one leg, sort of lunging at Arthur.

I'm also still waiting to encounter this combination of enemies:

1. 1 Snow Wight
2. 7 ?Dwarves?

> > If you get slaughtered going for the Bronze Key, chances are you don't belong lower down just yet. However, as soon as you can kill a bunch of monsters without healing during the fight, that's a reasonable indication that you can venture lower down and try your luck. Remember, the lower you go, the faster you'll level. Just always kill yourself a clear path back to the stairs/elevator.
>
> Kill myself a clear path? No! I simply use the HOME spell or a Homing Stone. Works like a charm.
>
Fine, have it your way. I prefer killing. Killing gives experience and possible treasure. Killing equals good. Also, when I had fewer SP I would often use them all up in battle, and not have enough left to cast HOME. The high-end spells can get expensive.

> > I think I had a level 15-ish party do rather well on level 8, but by that time they had all accumulated lots of HP, having been retrained three times each, and most of them knew every spell. You might want to have a level 17 Sorcerer and Wizard (i.e. one who knows all the spells) in your party before you venture too far into level 8.
>
> Thanks, I will try to level up my Sorcerors and my Wizard to at least level 16 before I try to explore level 8 for real.

You can always just confront the first bunch of monsters on level 8, and see how you fare. I did that once, with a party that could barely handle level 5, and it was a humbling (and later resurrecting) experience.

^v^:)^v^
FB