Did a sub-4 hour speed run, 3 hours 42 minutes, using updated strategies after prior speed runs ended without a win around 5 hours. I’ve found some vastly superior farming routes, but overall I am still very inefficient. This run was not RNG heavy, meaning that it did not require a lot of lucky breaks. I had an avoidable full team wipe, a few partial wipes (also avoidable), and lost a lot of time to bad decision making. I think it should be easy to beat 3 hours, and a sub-2 hour run is plausible with some generous RNG breaks. Used the basic human speed run rules.
The party ended at:
Lvl 24 Dwarf Paladin
- Mithril Plate
- Pureblade
- Diamond Helm
- Adamantite Gloves
- Luckshield
- Shield Ring
- Silver Circle
Lvl 26/22 H-Orc Hunters
- Mithril Scale
- Shield Ring
- Adamantite Shield
- Crystal Sword / Kael’s Axe
- Adamantite Gloves
- Adamantite Helm
- Silver Square / Triangle
Lvl 9 Wizard (16-ish Conj – 13 Sorcerer)
- Mithril Gloves
- Bracers[6]
- Ali’s Carpet
- Luckshield
- Spectre Snare (obtained just before fight)
- Shieldring
2x – Lvl 13 Magicians (original classes, 67/72hp)
- Bracer[6] / nothing
- Shieldstaff
- Exorwand
- Luckshield
- Onyx Key / Ali’s Carpet
This particular approach was to level the dwarf Paladin solo until lvl 9 on Ogre Lords/Stone Giants. Then the Hunters, each solo, to lvl 7/8ish. Then take Paladin/Hunters/Conjurer and level Conjurer until WAST (probably should have solo leveled Conjurer to WAST or FLRE). Then off to Catacombs Lvl 1 farming near the entrance.
Farm up Catacombs until SHSP, then move to Harkyn’s Lvl 1 until APAR. Then “transition” (changing Conjurer to Sorcerer, among other things) to Harkyn’s Lvl 2 (autofights around the row of rooms in the middle). Gather -AC equipment for Pal/Hunter, as well as Luckshields and Exorwards.
Once WIDR then added 2x Lvl 1 Magicians to the party. Continued farming Harkyn 2 until Sorcerer is 13. Leave Magicians at level 1 until enough xp for lvl 10 (cheap resurrection). Then Crystal Sword, Silver Square and jump to K’s Tower. Blast through K’s tower, getting Triangle and Onyx key.
Bumped Sorcerer to Wizard, and immediately farm out Ghouls/Wraiths in Catacombs until Wizard is Lvl 9. Then off to Mangar Tower, APAR to silver circle, and then farm Mangar Tower a bit on Lvl 2/4. Ideally I’m looking for Diamond Helm, Wargloves, and Conjurer Staffs. Because the Paladin was so high level, I realized additional farm/eq wasn’t needed and that we could flee from essentially anything, so after getting an early Diamond helm the party healed up and ran straight for Mangar. Got the Thor statute along the way, and the Mangar fight was easy.
Targeted Demonlords with all 3 melee. REDE and 2x DEST on Vampire lords. Ignored Mangar. Thor got first strike killing a Demonlord, the other Demonlord summoned a greater demon and then was killed. I think Vampire lords or Mangar DEST’d a Hunter (or at least he died, not stoned). I think all the Vampire lords died 1st round. The second round was easy cleanup with the melee and wizard disposing of everything remaining. Magician restored mid-2nd round. Kylearan said hi and it was over.