So after a few trial and errors, I'm trying a magic damage party, composed of all humans (again, as they get the most stat points and are balanced). Human: Bard, Gadgeteer, Priest, Alchemist, Psionic, and Mage. The last 3 are squishy glass cannons, and the first 3 are standard at HP and fighting abilities. The Bard will be using the cursed Bloodlust and Shield (my tank). The Gadgeteer and Priest will take each flank (Sword and Shield and Mace and Shield, respectively). For range, they will take the Tripleshot Crossbow and Wrist Rocket eventually, respectively. They will all have magic (or pseudo-magic, in the case with the Bard and Gadgeteer.) The party will focus on mowing enemies down slowly with wave after wave of magic. I will have 4 casters capable of casting the Portal spells. It's been a little rough at first, having to take a lot of catnaps to regenerate SP (casters don't start with too many spells or SP.) The Bard is great for faster regeneration during camping. I'm near the King Crab at level 4, so I should waste him (he's only level 2). Let's hope that Priest Paralyze spell gets him. The Gadgeteer won't be using her Omnigun (I can't be the only one who hates the Blinding effect, as it makes the enemies run away, making combat last longer and denying me experience.)

Bard: Strength and Dexterity first, then Speed and Senses, then 2 points into the 3 remainders each at level up around level 30 (Intelligence, Piety, Vitality). Close Combat, Communication, Sword, Shield, Music. Bloodlust and Light Shield (cross fingers with Jan-Ette drop) for melee. No ranged, as Bloodlust is cursed, but the double damage and extra attack should equal it out. For magic, various musical Instruments.

Gadgeteer: Strength and Dexterity first, then Speed and Senses, then 2 each into the others, as mentioned above. Close Combat, Ranged Combat, Engineering, Sword, Shield, Bow, Locks and Traps. Light Sword or Fang and Light Shield for melee. For ranged, Tripleshot Crossbow and good Quarrels/Bolts. For magic, various Gadgets pieced together.

Priest: Intelligence and Speed first, then Piety and Senses, then 2 each into the other 3 (Strength, Dexterity, Vitality). Close Combat, Ranged Combat, Divinity, Realm Skills, Mace and Flail, Shield, Throwing and Sling. The Mauler or Diamond Eyes and Light Shield for melee. Wrist Rocket and good Stones for ranged. Priest spells for magic.

Alchemist: Same as Priest for attributes. Close Combat, Alchemy, Realm Skills, Staff and Wand. Cursed, extended ranged, 2 handed Staff of Doom (and an Amulet of Healing so he doesn't die, +1 HP regeneration) for melee. No ranged, as the staff is cursed, but the kill% and paralyze% and extended range and good damage make up for it. Alchemist spells for magic.

Psionic: Same as Priest for attributes. Ranged Combat, Mythology, Psionics, Realm Skills, Throwing and Sling. No melee (Staff of Doom taken by the Alchemist). Wrist Rocket and good Stones for ranged. Psionic spells for magic.

Mage: Same as Priest for attributes (I want all my casters with Powercast and Snakespeed early). Ranged Combat, Artifacts, Wizardry, Realm Skills, Throwing and Sling. No melee (Staff of Doom taken by the Alchemist). Wrist Rocket and good Stones for ranged. Mage spells for magic.

Wish me luck! I might need it in the beginning and on the way to Arnika.

Good luck!
I always very late will change the pure casters to hybrids so I can wear better armor.

Whatever makes you happy, I always find the early damage from magic to be painful to deal with.

Thanks. The lack of SP is killing me. Not to mention most are squishy.

I killed King Crab (level 2) pretty easily, though it took a while with a level 4 party using lower level magic to slowly whittle away at his massive HP. I had to keep using Web and Paralyze and Itching Skin and Insanity and Mind Stab and Acid Splash and Frost and Energy Blast and Shrill Sound and Make Wounds repeatedly. I hope Gregor (level 5) is as easy as that. I am at level 5 now, so at least I'm evenly matched. I better stop at Burz and repeatedly mix potions, camp, rinse and repeat until I've gotten all the best armor and weapons and potions I can get from him. I have a very squishy party, so I'm worried about his/her ranged spit attacks.

Gregor wasn't too hard. I'm now at level 6, ready to leave the Lower Monastery. I completely cleared it out, except for the Wheel Key/Cierdan's Tomb.

You sound like an expert at this game. I'm glad you did not leave the monastery at too low a level as that can trigger a bug. I always like to hear how people are doing in their games.

I know you already know how to avoid getting trapped, always look for corners, etc.

I have a lot of experience with W8, but I play on novice difficulty, because at the beginning especially, the going is tough. I'm at level 6 because that brings you to a new level sensor chest threshold, and because I noticed something with the drops from the Higardi Bandits. A while ago, in another game, I left the Lower Monastery at level 5 (just at Gregor's level-I try to match a set encounter's level before fighting them). When I zoned into the Upper Monastery, I was under-leveled for the level 6 set encounter Rabid Rats (and there were a lot of extra random spawn level 6 Rabid Rats too).
But the worst part was, when I reached the set encounter Higardi Bandits (in that enclosed room off to the side of the eastern bedchambers near the library in the northeast corner), I could not farm all the special Bard equipment that I wanted from them (Ariel's Slippers, Mercucio's Blade, Prospero's Cloak). I kept saving and reloading after whittling them down to 1 or 2 HPs, hoping for the drops, but I think at least one of them required me to be at the above level 6 treasure drop threshold.
In another game, I leveled my party to level 6 before zoning into the Upper Monastery, and, while it took a while, I got all three of them for my Bard. If you check Flamestryke's site, it mentions that level 6 puts you into a better chest and monster drop category.

I am glad to see that I'm not the only one who remember's Flamestryke.

Have you ever played around with any of the mods available?

No, I'm playing the vanilla experience, the way the developers intended the game to be played. The game is already so vast that me breaking from my normal routine (Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, Bard, Gadgeteer, Bishop) is like playing a whole new game with my all-magic party (Bard and Gadgeteer are now the tanks). I'm enjoying a new and different experience.
I hope the Arnika Road ultimate test won't be too grueling (I am on novice difficulty because the sheer number of enemies you have to fight seems to make it unfair in the beginning). Novice slightly tips the scales in my favor, especially since Burz doesn't sell Mana Stones or Magic Nectar to replenish mana.

actually the developers intended the game to be played after playing the game before and that is why there is an option to import your saves

I like your party from a role playing point of view because they are all one race... we disagree about humans having the best stats but thats not the point so have fun mate

I managed to farm 2 out of the 3 special Bard equipment pieces (Ariel's Slippers, Prospero's Cloak). Those 2 Raiders/Thieves/whatever seem to have the best drop rate (the ones in the shiny floor room in the NE corner of the Upper Monastery. I have to finish off the Upper Monastery later on. Once I get to the Arnika Road, that South fork (on the way to get the Piercing Pipes) has 2 Higardi Raiders that can be farmed for the last one (Mercucio's Blade).
I never said that Humans have the best stats. Other races have resistance bonuses/penalties, which can be easily offset with Magic Screen and Soul Shield and Element Shield from my casters with a high Speed Attribute. What I did say is that Humans have the most balanced stats (all start out with at least 45, and the 4 attributes that I raise first are higher). Also, if you add the TOTAL attribute points that humans get vs other races, you will find that, to counterbalance Humans' lack of resistances, humans indeed get the most points both to start and at the end. To each his own though.
I'm going for a "long run" party, where I'm going for finishing around level 35-40 or higher. Around level 30, I should have 4 attributes maxed for everyone, and 4 expert skills. Then I can put +2 each level into the 3 other remaining attributes. Once my least valued attribute hits 74, (Intelligence for Bard/Gadgeteer, Strength for the casters), I put 3 points each into the other two. In theory, this would mean that at level 50 (very unnecessary I know), I would have 6 attributes maxed and 6 expert skills, and the 7th one would be at 74 (with the +5 help to Intelligence from the Trynton Fountain). I know that my Autism/Aspergers/spectrum whatever-I-have is causing me to overthink this/be a perfectionist. It's just that this game is so good, and is a good game to min/max.

I got repulsed twice. Once was leaving the Upper Monastery, and I got ambushed by a group of 7 Level 7 Higardi Roustabouts (I kept my leveling to level 6.) I barely won, and retreated to the Upper Monastery to rest and reload.
The next time, I defeated a group of 11 mixed Hardshell and Venom Crabs. Ok fine. Then I got near the Piercing Pipes side road, and I was assaulted by a group of 3 Level 8 Crusher Crabs! I was only level 6. Needless to say, I barely survived. I retreated back to the Monastery before I could be finished off. I'm at the point where grinding in the Upper Monastery is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. I want my magic to be good. And this is at the Novice difficulty setting.
If I was at a higher difficulty, I would have had some deaths.

sounds like you need to find a nice cut in the road side to hide... or just run your ass off to town ;)

I want my magic realms to be like 40+. I figure that way, I will have enough mana. By the time I reach the gates of Arnika, I will be eligible for like level 9 or 10 lol. At least then, my magic skills will be enough to compensate for the tougher enemies in Arnika. I will be able to purchase Magic Nectars from He'Li or Braffit. It's no wonder I play on Novice difficulty. Until you reach Arnika, you're at the mercy of the game, with no way to regenerate magic besides resting (safely). I like the Upper Monastery because there are plenty of "safe rooms" to rest after your grinding. You can control the pace of the enemies.

I grinded (ground?) for a while, staying at level 6. I think there is a cap if you stay low level, in terms of how high of a power level you can cast at. I'm going take my hard earned level ups to 9 in the Upper Monastery.
My thinking is that, unlike MOST parties, level-ups actually help with casters, as they are not equipment dependent like Fighters are.
So I'm going to take all my level ups and hope for the best. With those extra caster levels, I should be able to use my spells (Fireball, Noxious Fumes, Insanity, etc.) at higher levels, and have more HP and SP.