So, not in terms of game time (you spend a few days to get stealth) but simply the most direct route to the Cosmic Circle, leaving out every unnecessary bit and travelling the least distance. If you have improvements, obviously, post them, please.

1. Recommended party of three or four, with at least 2 casters for Portals (Pures if a party of 4). My fave for this is 2 hybrids and an Alchemist or a Bishop. You can do this without PP, but you can't do it without some practicing. I do not account for side trips to obtain weapons, your party will tailor this to suit, eg, needing DE's or not. Larger parties may want to avoid fewer fights, just to be able to cast Portals sooner.
2. I'm leaving out a lot of how-to-details (eg how-to stealth train). Those are in other threads already.
3. I start this at leaving the Monastery, where i will assume you've practised a little, and got Stealth.

Go to the North first, all the way to the Ump camp. Enlist, go to Kunar, get Umpani Flag and Kunar's Key. Take Kunar's rug bug to Marten's Bluff (MB), walk to Swamp for Eau d'Rapax and the Fake AD. Return to MB and enter the Catapult, get the arm, wires, and Raven's head. Go down the T'rangavator & get Mook Letter. Shop at Sadok if you want. Combat run past the guards to the T'rangaporter side, Set a Portal if you can and T'Port yourself to Arnika-Trynnton Road (ATR) and continue to Arnika. PRACTISE. Return to the T'rangaporter. Swamp, Trynnton. Get the AD. Return to T'rangaporter, T'port to Rapax rift. Loot the MW if you want. Get to the Castle. Set a Portal either at the Queen's Mirror or by the Mirror to the Peak. Place the AD and set a Portal in the CM temple. This is why 2 casters are good--you can still Return to the castle, non? Disarm the Tower, and exit into Arnika to get the CM, Return to the Castle and place the CM, Set the CM Portal in the DD temple. Wend your tortuous way to the Sea Caves and Portal the DD to its Temple and place it. Restore or Sane yourselves and Ascend.

Kunar's rug bug? Please tell.
I like your trick with avoiding the whole helm of serenity thing, although I always get it as I always need Diamondeyes.

Kunar's Key opens his back door, and under the rug in there is a "spider" on the floor, which TP's you to MB, accross the bridge from the fortress. (where the T'rangaporter goes on the 4th setting)

What about for getting the idol you get to the Bluff from the mine tunnels? (there would be no need to go to the Umpani areas then).

You need the Umpani Flag to get the T'rang-Mook Letter. This way is much shorter than getting the Umpani-Mook Letter. (one of which you need for the CM)

The Mine Tunnels are totally unnecessary. You can get to that side of LMB by combat-running past the guards and going through the ghost section. Much shorter.

Oops. Sorry. Forgot that you needed the flag from Umpani areas.

If you are not squemish, you can skip getting the fake and just murder all of the Mook. You will also have to kill Don Barlone, because he won't sell unless you've seen the fake.

If you knock off Z'ant you can skip the quest business leading to a mook letter (assuming you can pulse pick the body). Might be easier getting it from Balbrak though (at the point of a sword) but I don't remember if he has it.

Yes I am despicable! (prefer to skip Pickpocket and send Kunar pushing up daisies, too!)

I suppose if you go for the fake and perfume, getting to cut Crock down is a bonus.

Edited original response....i knew something was wrong from the start---Killing Z'ant takes many more levels than i usually have by the time i'm done in MB, which makes getting the perfume more direct than wandering around getting XP. To buy the AD you can be much lower level than to kill the Don, same as with Z'ant.

[ 05-11-2004, 07:24 PM: Message edited by: Scatter ]

I've killed the Don with 4 character parties at level 9-10. You can't be much lower when you reach him. And i was far from the necessary money to buy it(well, but i spend some money on haste and superman potions)

Bump Spam for walkthrough requestor...