Enemies
In computer ports, enemies with different names but the same sprites are functionally identical.
The NES version features less "enemy names", but many more different sprites; enemies with different sprites also have slightly different attributes (e.g. ghouls are slightly more powerful than skeletons). "Lv." refers to the characters level at which the enemies start appearing in the NES port.
Land enemies
Sea enemies
Combat strategies
Battle strategy
Put your enemies in a square formation, so that characters with ranged weapons are in the back row. This way, two characters gang up against one enemy.
Fighting from pirate ship is not convenient: enemy spawning rate is lower, so you will spend much more food.
NES battle strategy
Put your characters in a vertical row and attack one enemy at a time with ranged weapons.
Capture a pirate ship, then fight the enemies along the coast: the water between the ship and the land will give you tactical advantage. In fact, enemies will queue on the plank, and attack you only one by one. Counter-attack with ranged weapons.
NES field strategy
The enemies are always leveled to your party experience level. In other words, gaining levels increases the characters HP only, but it also makes stronger enemies appear, and they have stronger overall attributes. In order to gain levels, characters have to gain experience and then talk to Lord British. You can choose to gain experience and wait before talking to the King.
At the beginning of the game, raise experience and gold using the rank A spells, that wipe out weak enemies, but don't raise level. Keep doing this until you collect enough money for all the following:
- Blowguns (PC: bows) from the weapons dealers;
- Enough gold to max out the WIS of your Cleric or the INT of your Wizard at the Shrines in Ambrosia;
- A certain amount of Gems and Powder.
When you collect all this, talk to Lord British and he'll raise your characters to Level 5. This means 500 HP more for your characters and pirate ships sailing the seas. Now you can travel to Ambrosia and raise your other attributes.
Gallery
The following images are scans from the manual.
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Orc, goblin, troll
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Skeleton, ghoul, zombie
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Giant, titan, golem
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Daemon, gargoyle, manes
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Pirates
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Sea serpent
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Man-o-war
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Pincher, snatches, bradles
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Dragon, wyvern, griffin
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Devil, balron, orcus