Phase 1 - Rescuing the Princess

Talk to the king. He'll give your mission. Get out of the Castle. Buy the Copper Sword from a merchant in town. Go outside and fight the slimes in the area. Don't go too far, you'll get killed. Buy the Leather Armor once you have enough cash.

At level 3, you learn Heal. There's an old man in Tantagel Castle who'll replenish your MP for free. Be an oppurtunist and have him replenish the MP you'll use to heal yourself with your newfound spell so you don't have to go to the inn.

Once you get a little stronger, go north into a cave surrounded by desert. In this cave (there are no enemies, so a torch could be useful, but I don't recommend it, just wander around a little) you will find Erdrick's Tablet.

When you are strong enough, go to Garinham (around Level 4) to the north-west of Tantegel Castle. Buy the Hand Axe (560 G) and Chain Mail (300 G) - or try to wait to buy better armor later depending on if you want to have to gain more cash later and ease your troubles for the present time. Buy the Iron Shield (800 G), the next one is very far away and very expensive.

****If your playing this with an emulator, go south. With a lot of luck and patience, gain levels in the near the ruined town of Haukness. The ennemies are tough and insanely tougher in the city so be careful. Make full use of sleep and stopspell outside the city (sleep for the knights especially). Now, here's the trick, use the save state and load state commands of Nesticle to save and load your game at good moments (i.e. after a fight and before you cast sleep in a fight). By saving before casting sleep, you can keep on re-loading until the spell works and you can finish off you opponent. Inside Haukness you'll meet some VERY powerful monsters like the Starwyverns. Do a lot of save and loads here, you're not strong enough to fight these monsters yet. In Haukness, you'll meet the Axe Knight (check the marsh in a dead end). After the battle, you'll receive Erdrick's Armor , which you aren't supposed to have for a long time. That fight, since you have to do it, will be very tough, so make sure you do a lot of level building before entering it.****

Once in the Eastern Continent, go north and you will reach the town of Kol. The Magic Flute is here. To find it take 5 steps south of the Fountain in town and search. Buy the Full Plate Armor (3000 G). You should be fine with the Full-Plate Armor and the Hand Axe.

Don't go south now because you'll meet Wolves, very strong, and Warlocks. You are going to need Stopspell against them.

If you try to travel to the Eastern Continent (across the bridge east of Tantegel Castle) you'll find Scorpions and Skeletons. Be at level 7 .

Gain levels before going in the Southern Continent (Rimuldar). Here you can buy Magic Keys. Don't go too far south. Continue fighting to gain enough to buy the Broad Sword (1500 G) and the Magic Armor (7700 G) if you haven't done the *Erdrick trick*. With the Magic Armor, every other step will give you 1 HP.

Its safe for you to explore the lands south of Garinham once you get healmore (leve 17). This is the Haukness region.

SEE PART WITH **** TO KNOW WHAT TO DO HERE (without the save and loads).

By now, you should be strong enough to go south-east, into Cantlin's region . There is a wall protecting Cantlin. In the entrance, you'll be attacked by Golem. He is very strong if you don't use music (Magic Flute to put him to sleep). Continue to use the Magic Flute to put him to sleep when he wakes up until you defeat him. In Cantlin, you'll find the Flame Sword (9800 G) and the Silver Shield (14800 G).

You should have little trouble rescuing the Princess now. She is located in the tunnel that takes you to the Southern Continent and Rimuldar, ie the Swamp Cave. You will need a Magic Key because she is locked up. She is also guarded by a Green Dragon. After you talk to her you will need to take her back to Tantegel Castle and talk to the King.

Phase 2 - Defeating Dragonlord

Talk to Gwaelin to receive Gwaelin's love . This will tell you she loves you and your coordinates to Tantegel Castle. Talk to an old man to learn that the coordinates of Erdrick's token are 70 south and 40 west. It's in the huge swamp near Cantlin.

Now it starts ... Go to Garinham with a Magic Key and unlock the door to find the silver harp . When you play it, it will summon enemies to you. Now go to a cave west of Kol to meet a man who will trade the harp for the Staff of Rain. Now, to find the Stones of Sunlight, go to Tantegel Castle with a key and walk south along the East wall and you will find a set of stairs. Go down the stairs and talk to another old man. He will give you the Stone of Sunlight.

With Erdrick's Token , the Staff of Rain and the Stones of Sunlight , go see the old man (too many old men...) in the cave south of Rimuldar who will now talk to you and trade you for the Rainbow Drop .

With the Rainbow Drop you can create the Rainbow Bridge to reach the Dragonlord's Castle to meet ... the Dragonlord .

To create the Rainbow Bridge go to the desert west of Rimuldar where there is a peninsula and use the Rainbow Drop, and the bridge will appear.

The two locked doors on the main level are just decoys and are just there to give you problems. You need to go directly behind the throne and search, you will find a secret stairway.

To get to Erdrick's Sword

Follow A -> B -> C -> F -> I -> J -> K -> L on the Dragonlord's Castle map.

To get to Dragonlord

A -> B -> C -> F -> G -> M -> N on the Dragonlord's Castle map. section.

The Dragonlord is not a problem, at the right levels (say around 30...the max). His first form will cast Hurtmore all the time. He can hit pretty hard in his second form, so heal often and be careful.