level 9 hunting grounds

[simblanco]

Hello everyone,
first of all, I want to say that I love this game. It's a fantastic dungeon crawler, and I am enjoying every bit. I'd like to have a combination of puzzles and hack and slash through mobs of monsters, though, and I found the combat too easy in normal mode. Too few monsters, dance a bit around them and you have done it. So I started the hard (and old school!) mode. My enjoyment of the game increased, I played a lot and then I got into the hunting grounds of level 9. I am stuck there.

I have a save few blocks away from the door, before opening it. I made many runs around the maze to draw a map (still incomplete) and to learn that I must forgot the scroll (lightning bolt?) hidden behind the iron door. If I understood correctly I must run to a lever situated in a room north of the entrance, then go south from there (opposite way of the section where the scroll is) where maybe I will find an open exit. Problem is I always got surrounded by ice lizards and I die miserably. Never seen the exit so far.

I want to pass through without cheating (I had to check only one hint so far, for the checkered room puzzle: I face palmed myself and sworn no more hints... hopefully), so I am asking just for some strategic advices. No spoilers, thanks

1) Is it possible to run to the exit without having to kill even one lizard? In hard mode they are too damn tough for my party. If you say no, you have to kill one or two, I will probably try to build a new stronger party or play in normal mode
2) Spawning. do you know if it starts when I open the door or when I start the level? if the latter I can retry the level and do the fastest run ever to that door.
3) Invisibility. I read monsters can still sense you, but maybe combined to the darkness spell and removing all the torches from the walls might be helpful. What do you think? Building a mage just to get that spell will then be useful in the last levels of the dungeon?

Thanks in advance to all strategic suggestions. I guess many people were able to finish the game in hard mode and I'd like to do the same.

[Dr.Disaster]

1) Is it possible to run to the exit without having to kill even one lizard? In hard mode they are too damn tough for my party. If you say no, you have to kill one or two, I will probably try to build a new stronger party or play in normal mode

When you are very nibble with controls you maybe succeed in reaching the end but on your way back out you'll prolly get eaten. Best try to fight them one-on-one with lot's of room to evade

2) Spawning. do you know if it starts when I open the door or when I start the level? if the latter I can retry the level and do the fastest run ever to that door.

There are hidden pressure plates that spawn more lizards when you enter and leave the hunting ground. Under no circumstances park behind the wooden entrance door; here you'll stand right on a hidden pressure plate that triggers spawns. Behind the double exit gates should be a better spot but don't nail me to my words here; it's been a while since i played the original dungeon.

3) Invisibility. I read monsters can still sense you, but maybe combined to the darkness spell and removing all the torches from the walls might be helpful. What do you think? Building a mage just to get that spell will then be useful in the last levels of the dungeon?

Invisibility reduces the monsters awareness so you can sneak up pretty close on them without being noticed. Yet the spell's duration is rather short so you can't just cast the spell and dally along.

[simblanco]

Thanks for the tips! I'll give it some more tries, then I'll build a more powerful party or restart as easy mode. Them lizards are too tough for me... I can kill one, but i need so much time that a second always and backstab me/block me in a corner...

[Dragoon]

I'm right now at that part too in hard mode. Maping of the area was indeed quite hard, until I got to the area with the grate doors. At this location you can kill them very easy. It possible to hit them with two attacks and immediately close the door again before they can retaliate.

I don't know what your party composition is but my party setup (all lvl 12) is a Lizard fighter with swords (25 armor, 25 swords & 54 evasion), Rogue (13 daggers, 40 Dodge & 73 Evasion) and 2 mages (fire/ice 32 magic, 18 spellcraft).
When I see a dino I retreat to 2x2 area and do the dance, but they are so fast, I usually can get off only one attack and then have sidestep again or they hit me. If there is only one dino I use only melee and throwing weapons. I want to save my mana in case a second shows up and I need to kill the first quickly. Then I use improved fireballs, which kills them really fast. If it's get hairy, I even use bombs with my ice mage.

I don't have hard data but my guts tell me Sword of Nex is better than the Dismantler. Because of the +10 accuracy bonus. I got 43 accuracy with Nex instead of only 33 with Dismantler. I think my overall damage is higher with Nex, as the I hit more often. The Dismantler random chance of extra lighting damage can't balance that off. However I wonder if the Dismantler requires energy for the lighting damage to trigger. If not it may be worth to switch swords during a prolong fight, since I won't do an special attacks anymore.