Been a while since I came here and shared anything, but I just fired up Wizardry VI again, and hopefully going to go through all 3 games again.

I lucked out though, and made my team with good bonus rolls fairly quick without using MG's forge editor. I started everyone but the bard off with mage classes, that went Mage > Samurai (immediately entering the dungeon) Priest > Lord (same), Mage > Sam (same) Priest > Valkyrie (same), Alchemist (gained 1 level for required stats then) > Ninja, and a Bard that started as a bard so I'd get a lute (for sleeping enemies). Worked!

I sort of wish Japan would make a legit Wizardry IX, but give the task to people who really kind of understand the differences between VI - VIII and incorporate them into the new game. I have played some of the Japanese Wizardries and even played Elminage Original (pretty decent wizardry V clone maybe even a bit better in a way), but they always seems to go for the earlier wizardry style games instead of the VI VII or VIII style. VIII is even a little different than VI and VII really, but similar enough that even new comers to the series could get it's a Wizardry game without much messing around.

Any how, I always strayed away from taking Monk in my team, anyone got any input on that? Is it worth it to take one or grind for the rare staff in late game?

Haven't done any other class changes, I have actually had a pretty smooth run so far, I don't know if it's because I know to use buffs when I can or not, and that blinding flash is pretty powerful against heavy hitting enemies and you can get it early on. I think I very may well turn one of my members into a Monk before it's over with. Finishing up the mines and heading to Amazulu temple. I did grind a little though, just to get a few spell options opened up for my Priest spell book..
A spot that seems over looked for that grinding is the long hall way that leads to the River Styx under the Castle Basement. Xorphitus' lair is on there, and that room with the trap floors that if you fall down you fight a Serpent in there.
It's pretty good xp for very early in the game. Grinding totally unnecessary but I like having Cure Poison and Cure Paralysis because both of those suck to deal with, and you won't get them very early on with the elite classes like Lord and Valk.. Valkyrie will get it substantially quicker than Lord as they level up pretty quickly in comparison.

Overall, the biggest problem I've ran into is having gold to get the weapons to outfit my party, but L'Montes has the best buy back ratio of all the NPC's that are accessible at this point, (the amazulu merchant next to the queen I don't really count though > _ >). I sold him some of the swankier things I've been getting from chests that I really don't use, Crystal Wand and Amulet of Night etc.. I went back to Smitty in the Mines and got Vulcan Hammers for my Valkyrie and Lord, a No-Dachi for 1 of my sams, and a Naginata for the other and changed the line up to reflect that. Level ups have been kind of meh, I haven't really save scummed for any of that. Anybody else lurking around got any thing to share?

I stopped playing for a while and am back at it, but I seem to recall reading that it isn't necessary to return the hookah pipe to the caterpillar to ultimately beat the game.

I'd like to try this method, so I suppose I'll bang around and figure it out. Is it possible to "get stuck" using this method? I suppose I should quit being lazy and make a back up of my save file regardless. Oki, back to beating this game again.

That's awesome. I haven't played a proper RPG in a long time now, and I lately I've been really wanting to. So I played around with a few other games before deciding I should finally go back and play Wizardry 6-8. I started Wizardry 6 a long time ago, but got stuck in the mines and kind of forgot about it, but this time I am going to persevere!
Time to take an hour (hopefully not any longer), and create a fresh party!