Kondor, that's a name I haven't heard for a while. Good game.

W8 was a tougher game but I prefer MM games (6-8).

-You'll get the blaster skill (and another blaster) when you complete the quests for the four asvisors. Enough blasters are available for everyone to use one.

-The only Water Guild that can sell Lloyd's Beacon is the Paramount guild in Evenmorn. There's a chance of getting it from Make Item with high level ore, and it might show up for sale in the misc magic item shops in Celeste and The Pit. It is easiest to just get it from Evenmorn, though. You can save your game on the steps, check the guild's inventory, then reload if it isn't present.

-Yep, Stantley sends hobgoblins to take over Harmondale if you don't fulfill the favor. :)

-Use GM Protection From Magic to save a lot of frustration in the Titan Stronghold. Or Invisibility, if you don't feel like fighting.

And in The Maze, as well; it's harder to go around the Minotaurs and Hydras than the Titans and Dragons.

Using Rock Blast let's you do the TItan's Stronghold w/o Protection from Magic.
And taking out the Titans gives you some good loot along with those chests.

Oh, definitely. While I will often go get The Perfect Bow on Invisibility just to quickly complete the quest, I always clean out the Titan's Stronghold, for that very reason. I keep forgetting about Rock Blast, though (assuming I have it), which I need to remember because the Blood Titans are particularly good at just killing outright, and the Storm Titans' Sparks are annoying. I like taking them out with melee, of course, but whatever works...

When you "bounce" Rock Blast it will hit the Titans from far enough away that they can't "instant death" you.
Or you can angle shot it around corners. Both Minotaur and Titan need line of sight to zap you.

Titans need line of sight (more or less, since sparks might bounce into you if you are close enough and the walls align just right), but Minotaurs are pure melee in 7. No Finger of Death, though I think the Kings can insta-kill when they hit you in melee. Once you've got a foothold, The Maze is a lot easier than the Stronghold because Minotaurs have a lot less hp and armor, and they have to charge you to do anything.

I usually grab all the loot in chests and on the ground in the Stronghold, but at some point I get bored of whittling down the Titans and dragons and just leave. Their loot is great, but it can be a slog killing them to get it. I'll try to remember Rock Blast next time I play.

You're right of course, on the Finger of Death in 7.
As for the Titans. Like the Pit, I leave a couple Wisps in the place as a sign I cleared the place out.
Wisps become permanent residents if you transport out of an area (leaving them behind.).