Hi there,
I used to play MM6 back when I was 8-9, had no idea what I was doing so never really got far. Back then I just spammed the attack button, but clearly there is more to combat using the pause-technique and spells.

I really wanna try this game again, but I don't wanna go all "in-depth" on the different party setups, so what is the easiest "go-to" setup to play with, so that I can complete the game without too much "research"? I don't mind it being generic.

remember you need a cleric, also sorcerers are broken af so probably 3 of those, gonna be sluggish early game though.

I think the easiest party for a beginner would be Paladin, Archer, Cleric, Sorcerer. Good mix of weapon options, armor options, and each kind of magic can be used by at least two characters (Self - Paladin, Cleric; Elemental - Archer, Sorcerer; Light/Dark - Cleric, Sorcerer). The Paladin and Archer have lower mp but more hp than the Cleric or Sorcerer.

Alternatively, you can do something comparable with Knight, Druird, Cleric, Sorcerer. Knight has no magic, so all misc skills that only require one party member (ex. Repair Item or Disarm Trap) are handled by him, while Druid is a second character for both Self magic and Elemental magic. The Knight will have massively more hp than the other party members, so he can work as a sort of hp battery with the Shared Life spell, especially if you get him a weapon that drains hp.

Hi,

The quick-start (default) party is fun to play, can try just about everything, has answers to everything bad they will encounter during the course of the game, and is what the developers have challenged us to beat the game with. Use turn-based combat for the time being.

[EDIT this is Paladin, Archer, Cleric, Sorcerer as Bookwyrm627 recommends. The "Archer" is far more than the name suggests - to my mind, the main offensive weapon fighter while Paladin is the main defensive one]

First thing to do when we start in New Sorpigal is to collect money from the evil agent. Next thing to do, some people say, is to rush off to Castle Ironfist, present the evidence at the castle itself, then use the reward to get everybody using bows. With "optimal" custom parties this may be the way to go. The quick-start party doesn't need to - they can perfectly well stay in New Sorpigal doing everything in reach (i.e. on the mainland and in two dungeons).

New Sorpigal has a "secret" teleportal to somewhere we can pick up massive early boosts. I consider that to be tantamount to cheating, and won't use it - it is a short cut taking parts of the game out of play.

No, I kept playing New Sorpigal, then starting over to do it again, until I worked out exactly what I want to do there, in what order. How to make best use of the fountains, and of the spells people start with. What to spend money on, when to train and what to become expert at.

Thank you. I will try the "generic" auto-start one then. I did read a little bit about some spells, ie. beacon and how important it supposedly is (water spells in general). But I guess I'll learn all that along the way. :) I definitely want bows on everyone, but I'm not gonna rush to get it (don't even know where the castle is :D) - so I will just get what I can get and see what happens, thanks. :)

Air magic is very important for utility. Expert Air is always one of my first things to get, since it allows Wizard Eye to show items that are just laying on the ground.

Water magic is super important as well for the utility from Town Portal, Lloyd's Beacon, and Enchant Item.

I really like Torch Light as well for wandering around in dark places. There is no place in the New Sorpigal area (the first map area) to learn how to use Bows; the closest place is Ironfist, which can be easily accessed via the stable.

Bows are incredibly useful, especially early, as a way to deal damage at range without needing spell points. Get the skill, get a bow, and you can work on kiting groups of monsters that can't shoot.

I got the bows and cleared the tower/keep, so far so good. :)

But... Where in the world do I find a place to learn Disarm Trap and Leather for my sorcerer? And can I only level up using the trainer place that costs gold?

Both skills can be learned in New Sorpigal. You'll need to join the Blade's End guild for Leather, and join the Buccaneer's Lair guild for Disarm Trap. Look in the houses on the east side of town for the people selling memberships.

There are a trio of fountains in town. Look near the NE fountain to find the Blade's End guild, and the NW fountain to find the Buccaneer's Lair guild.

You can only level up at a Training Hall (most notable towns have one). The gold cost increases slightly per level, but after you've gotten off the ground (metaphorically speaking), gold ceases to be a problem. Be aware that most training halls have a limit on how high they can train you. For example, you can only train up to level 15 or so in New Sorpigal. There is one training hall that has no level limit, but you'll probably finish the game before reaching level 100, which means that Blackshire, Paradise Valley, and especially the Ironfist Castle training hall can cover your needs for the whole game.

Buy the Learning skill for each character and get an Instructor hireling when you can afford them for bonus XP. Even without investing any skill points in Learning, those two together are worth 25% extra XP. A Factor or (better) Banker hireling can help you get out of the initial gold crunch faster, then dismissed once you're no longer scraping for gold.

I would never ever pick a druid unless going for a druid-only party.

If you go 4 druids, focus on water magic. Get master air on 1 druid for fly, maybe expert fire magic on 1 for torch light, forget about earth magic, and just pour points into water magic and body magic on all druids.

Early game use poison spray, then evolve into acid burst and ice blast. Acid burst deals physical damage and is therefore useful throughout the entire game.

I only tried this combo in the MM8 merge mod (which allows for a 5 druid party, but has some mechanics that increase difficulty as well) and it absolutely kicked ass.

EDIT:
A 4 sorcerer party (or 3 sorcerer + 1 cleric) is simply better than this because of how overpowered shrapmetal is, but since shrapmetal is so mana intensive, I would argue that this combo requires way more knowledge about the game and way more planning.

Also, please don't listen to people telling you that fire magic is best for damage. Those people don't know that water lets you deal physical damage and why that's so good.

Whatever somebody says is the best spell to use, something somewhere is immune to it. I enjoy having a party who between them are pretty good at just about everything (except staff fighting), rather than maxed out in one form of attack. Even if I'll never get a world record score my way.

One tip, because nowhere is it explained, neither in the manual nor by NPCs' random remarks: horseshoes are useful. Not lucky, but useful. Having a horseshoe - they are typically found near stables, though sometimes in out-of-the-way places too - does nothing. Consuming a horseshoe, the way one drinks a potion (how extraordinary!) benefits a character, permanently, always the same way - see if you can spot what it does.

[EDIT] My other tip is, do not expect to do everything in an area on first visit. Monsters in dungeons may be higher level than those outside, and some dungeons will be more difficult than others. Especially those for story quests and for second stage promotions. My rule of thumb is, do not enter a dungeon until somebody has asked us to (and sometimes the somebody is in a different area entirely). Even then, be willing to back out if need be, and come back ten or twenty levels later. Though there are three or four dungeons in the game where the rule does not work, because we never get a quest to go in, only a random hint from a townsperson perhaps as to what sort of baddies live there.

Though not always out to get us (unfairly), the game does have a trick or two up its sleeve.

I absolutely agree with this...

...but not with this.

My counter suggestion is that when you are in an area, go ahead and try any dungeons you encounter. If you find you're getting wrecked, then feel free to leave and come back later.

If it's easy, then you can go ahead and clear it, getting whatever XP and loot is present. The loot probably isn't great if its easy, but sometimes something nice appears. The loot is only going to look worse if you come back later.

If it is challenging without being overwhelming, then you're probably getting loot that is about your level, which means maybe some upgrades.

If it is overwhelming, then now you know what to expect, and whatever you DO manage to clear is worth quite a bit.

I would always have a knight for hit points. The Druid for early Magic, Priest for healing, and the Sorcerer for late power.

No need to get bows if your druid gets swarm or similar spell, the Priest Harm, and the Sorcerer Fire Bolt. (Flame and Magic Arrow pretty worthless.) You may have limits on magic early, but those spells don't miss and arrows do.

And I would go to Misty Island. You can get bows there, easy experience outside, and useful quest inside (Corrupted Order of Knights).

And Misty Isles puts you on the road to Water Master which is very useful.

I only play the merge mod (where monsters have dark resistance), so I can't say for sure, but doesn't dark spells deal different kinds of damage? Physical for shrapmetal, fire for dragon breath, poison for toxic cloud and maybe magic damage for finger of death, moon ray and armageddon?

don't think that's the case, shrapnel is known as the golden dragon killer while they have very high magic and physical resistances against everything. finger of death is a funny spell though pretty sure its completely bugged or the description doesn't match the spell at all since at 20 points of dark mastery you should 1 shoot everything with it but anyone who's used it knows that's absolutely not the case.