Even with around 9985 or so HP, maxed stats, the best weapon/armour, and loads of Strange Coins, I'm still getting massacred.

The bit of fighting to get to her castle was one thing - tedious and horrible, but doable - but I just can't make it back and forth in that gods-damned castle! I might hit her 2 or 3 times before I've run outta HP and even with plenty of Boots, Cloaks, and other status-negating items, I'm constantly being put to sleep, paralyzed.. and frankly, nuked.

Even with the Negate effect, I get murdered trying to go by because they still attack. There are so many things wrong with Ultima 2 which can't be easily explained away by it's age, but this "final battle" certainly takes the cake. After spending the better part of two days playing it I can't just give up and walk away, or I'll have wasted all that time. But I'm also not certain I'll be able to beat this.

I read somewhere that the PC version requires nine effing hits before she croaks, too!

EDIT: Once again proving the old theory that if you go online to complain about a game, it tends to somehow sort itself out afterwards... No sooner had I made this post, than the very next time I try I do it without incident.

As if somehow the game was tracking my frustration, waited for me to go online and rant, and then ticked off a box which allowed me to finish whatever I'd been upset about. This isn't the first time that's happened, and nothing I did changed, either.

Also, Minax only took about 5 hits if I remember correctly. I did have maxed Strength, but I don't know if that's a factor when attacking her. Was really disappointed compared to how Ultima 1 ended, too. Oh well, on to ]|[.

Old games especially are like that. They're hard, but there's a method to the madness that often becomes clear if you backbrain them - leave them alone and focus on something else for some time.

I beat all of the first four Ultimas back in the 80s, so I applaud your dedication and/or your insanity.

Grats! Just in case anyone else has this trouble later though...

In the castle you don't want to fight anything but Minax. Some things in there can't be killed no matter what so don't even bother trying. It's been a while but I think Negate only works if you use it when enemies are on the screen. There's a route you can take where most of the enemies can't follow you as you backtrack between the two corners. Try staying in the north and west outer halls.

Oh yeah, there's an invincible Balron in the Northeast corner where you first find Minax, as well. Gods, I hadn't even realized there were unbeatable mobs until then - though in retrospect I should've realized sooner when I noticed some guards couldn't be killed, either.

That Balron got me killed twice. So throwing that out there for people to watch out for. I don't know what they were thinking with those invincible ones.

And thanks, Universal Wolf. I really wanted to go through the older Ultimas so I could see where they started and better appreciate the changes made in later games. I did the same with King's Quest back in the late 90s. I think it's always good to see what came before when getting into a "new" series. Especially one with so much history.

The only previous experience I'd had with the series was Exodus on the NES. Rented it as a kid, no idea what I was doing, didn't try it again. I sometimes wish I had, though, but better late than never.

Keep talking like that and you might just be worthy to tackle the masterpieces of Infocom.

Haha.. maybe someday. I've heard real horror stories about a number of them, especially Hitchhiker's.