This is one I have thought about, rethought, etcetc
I really dont know if there is an optimal plan you can do without maybe doing like 10-15 previous runs. Which I didnt feel like doing. :)
Things I was considering doing:
I was thinking of Mage as well, but in the Abyss there are many fights that are necessary to do, would squish + other spells end the fight faster say then A fighter (or paladin/etc) with a reasonable ranged weapon? Seeing as he'll have 99 MP anyways and can also cast squish. .Or do you get enough golf to save up for the Wand? Then Squish+Wand would kick ass in the abyss. (wand is also a ranged weapon). Maybe Druid + some bow + Squish is a better idea? (or even the Ranger, but ranger starts in Skara, which is a useless town). Druid would have enough starting MP for blink (if random encountes cant be manipulated, that I dont know).
You should verify what squish does, if it takes out enough that a sling shot can kill them the next round, then it should leave no doubt that you can use the Mage. If squish leaves the monsters with more HP, then I think its the druid?
Combat with lots of monsters could possibly be killed faster with Squish, then Quick, then slinging them to death? Maybe save for the Abyss fights. (unless they can be blinked away? I cant remember)
Seeing as Squish is probably going to be used a lot, I assume a lot of the gold money would be used to buying manroot in Buc. Den.? This makes me wonder if Gate is worth getting then? OR by the time youre able to cast it, you have basically everything anyways, and it might be useless.
AAAhhhhh, its so damn complex eh.. so many variables.............
Interesting things I have found:
* Waiting on a bridge will always get you a fight with trolls/orcs. Useful? Maybe not, but its still interesting. :)
* I believe the prisoner in the Castle Brit. is the best for raising virtues.
* Dieing could probably be abused. You get 200 (or is it 400? I cant remember) gold after you die. You keep your items if you die. Buy 400 worth of armor/weapons, die, repeat. Then when finish, you can resell them. Worth using? Again, probably not, but maybe something to consider.
* Theres the invislble whirpool east of Paws. Again, no idea if its useful, but its there.
Misc things that plagued my mind:
Is donating blood only way to raise Sacrifice? Mage would come in handy here, donate, heal, donate, heal, etc.
Is it worth ripping off herb sellers early in the game? I would think so. Especially if you start in Moonglow. The small loss of virtue is probably worth it?
Is it worth ripping off manroot seller in Buc Den? Im not sure how much virtue is lost, but again, its probably worth it if squish is going to be a valuable spell. (at this point, most of your virtues should be pretty high)
What resets the "im too tired to pray"? Is it staying at an inn? Is it walking around X number of steps?
I would assume level 4 is going to be the max level of your char? Just enough to get the ship and thats it. After that, blink would be used in all battles that couldnt be avoided. Of course thats if Valour is partial avatarhood at that point. Or unless you can manipulate random encounters.
If I were to pick up companions, pick up the Druid? and maybe the Paladin? for their MP and sell starting equipment? (so they can just be used as backup healers for donating blood, backup squish, backup blink, etc). Maybe just give them slings if Squish works they way I think it does.
Aahhhhhhhhhhhhh just boggles the mind on how complex a run will be. and how many times you will rethink it and start over.
There is more I want to type, but then I rethink and dont know if thats the right way. etc. heh.
Please let me know how it goes, and maybe I can be of some help... :)
edit:
Im assuming youve looked over fceus debugger and know the values for vritue levels, etc. If not, I have those basic values.
Curious if youve figured out if random encounters can be manipulated?
And how did you figure out the gold can be manipulated?