MM2 Guide through CRON

MM2 Guide through the perils of CRON strives to give you the info you need to explore and solve the game in conjunction with your own mapping process.

Creating Party

If you want guidance on creating a party, take a look at our MM2 Party Planning guide here and also the MM1 Party Planning guide here for more backstory.

Building Strength

There are many ways to build your strength and it is necessary in one form or another through hireling development, statistic boosting, repeating side quests, level grinding, etc. Check out the options here!

Getting Started

You start out your adventure in the town of Middlegate. Every time you check into the Inn you will Save your game and also Reset the static encounters in the town. If you close down the game without checking in at the Inn, upon return, you will start at the point where you last checked in to the Inn. Thus, if you have a bad encounter you have the option to close the game and reload from your last save.

Raising a Level is an important activity that you must do when you are able. It cost Gold to raise a level in the Training Hall and it is important to level up as soon as you can so that your power grows, allowing you to explore more regions.

When mapping, it helps to note tiles that have static encounters, so you can regularly avoid them or grind them. You will need to fight many encounters to earn Gold (g) and Experience (XP) so you can grow in strength. It is possible to explore too fast and find foes that you are not yet ready to face. Whether grinding or exploring, it is often safter to encroach encounters that have predictable foes and avoid the encounters that have random foes, at least until you are more powerful. Use Rope & Hook or Jump to skip encounters that don’t smell right. Later on, use Teleport and Etherealize to skip dungeon segments and avoid many encounters.

Questing on CRON

If you want to meet some NPCs and follow the main quest chain you can find the details listed in this table. You can follow the quests to the end but you will need to take some time to build your strength along the way. For each quest, click or tap on the row to get more details. You can reveal a Clue or the Spoiler for each quest.

Exploring CRON

If you prefer to just start exploring CRON and mapping out the surface and dungeons then refer to this table which lists details about each region. This table shows relative difficulty between the areas.

Quick Start Guide

Or.. if you prefer to follow more specific direction and mirror our playthrough use this Quick Start Guide. We will call out some key areas for grinding XP and building your strength along the way and walk through each required quest.

Middlegate part 1

Let’s get one thing straight. Level 1 is too low to be safe anywhere in Might and Magic Book Two. Get used to running and pick your battles wisely. Try to avoid the (RND) encounters that have random foes and try to target the encounters that have predictable and acceptable foes. I will do some extra hand holding for Middlegate and Middlegate Cavern, after that, I will keep all the spoiler details in the Expand. Click it if you wan to see those details or ignore it otherwise.

First Fight

First off all, remember to search after combat, rest often, don’t run out of food, and make sure to equip your equipment. Save after every fight and restore from save when it goes poorly.

We have three suggestions for the initial combat.

Option 1: Works best with a Robber/Cleric. Pick the door to 10,4 and use Turn Undead to quickly dispatch the 15 skeletons. I found this tactic was poor with a gold-broke level 1 ninja with no tools. The ninja simply had too much trouble with the door.

Option 2: Make 10 nobody characters and sell their starting weapon for 1 gold each, buy Rope’n’Hooks for the real party. Get Nordon’s quest. Go down below at 8,0. Stand at 12,9 facing W and use the Rope’n’Hooks to jump over the nasty RND encounter. Goblin(8) at 4,8 is an ideal first combat. Susceptible to Sleep. In fact, using Sleep liberally, you might even make it all the way to the Goblet at 0,7 on this initial excursion. On your way out, Run from that nasty RND encounter because your Rope’n’Hooks is now a UselessItem. If you make it out, your first excursion will be very lucrative.

Option 3: Works best if you take pride in running away. Save at the Inn, 4 steps to 8,2 for random encounter. Like 70% of the foes will be too hard so run. But if you get a few kobolds, sprites, goblins, beggars, or burglars you can do it. If you have to run, it works almost always, and drops you right in front of the Inn. Almost no walking in this plan but you might have to cycle a bit to get a decent encounter. Be sure to save it after every successful encounter!

The first grind for XP and Gold

Once you get to Level 3 it gets more interesting. Since you will be short on gold, be sure to train your Sorcerer to Level 3 first so you can get Jump. Don’t neglect the other characters, but Jump is key.

Once you get jump you can rack up XP and gold very quickly. Save at the Inn, Pick up Nordon’s Goblet quest at 10,2 and go down below at 8.0. Jump over the RND encounters at 11,9 and 11,7. The remaining 3 encounters 4,8–3,8–1,8 on the way to the Goblet at 0,7 are pretty straight forward. Do that and return the Goblet for excellent XP and gold reward.

Now Save at the Inn, then go grab Nordonna’s quest at Middlegate 1,2 and grab Nordon’s Goblet quest again, yes it’s repeatable, go down below. Again, jump over the RND encounters at 11,9 and 11,7. Go collect the Goblet once again but before you return it, the 3 encounters 5,15–3,15–1,15 on the way to save Drog and Sir Hyron at 0,15 are also quite easy. Save them. Now return to Middlegate and turn in both Nordon and Nordonna quests, hire both Hirelings at the Inn so they can get some XP.

Save at Inn, get Nordon’s Quest, go down below, jump over the RND encounters, dispatch all 6 of the encounters that you have defeated before, collect the orb.

Before you go back up, there is one more easy encounter to add to the loop. Jump over the RND encounter at 12,3 and then attack the Blood Sucker (60) at 14,6! Yes, there are 60 foes in this fight but only the first 4 or 5 can reach you. Use Sleep to keep the first 5 asleep while you dispatch the rest. Use (F)ight instead of (A)ttack so you can target just the foes that are awake. If you have Missiles, target J with those. Keep reapplying Sleep and in a few minutes you will be done and its worth 2250 XP!

Now go back to Middlegate, turn in the Goblet quest, SAVE AT THE INN, and then repeat. Repeat a bunch of times. The XP is great and so is the gold.

Exploring all 5 towns

We want to make a trip to all 5 towns, do some grinding and mapping along the way for XP and Gold, and eventually buy up training, spells, gear, and secondary skills for all your characters.

Middlegate 0,5  to Sandsobar  10 gold
Sandsobar  4,15 to Tundara    50 gold
Tundara    6,9  to Vulcania   50 gold
Vulcania   8,3  to Atlantium  100 gold
Atlantium  12,0 to Middlegate 25 gold

If you do this sensibly you can minimize the travel costs and pick up all your needs in one circuit. Don’t start teleporting just yet, there is more to wrap up here.

Middlegate part 2

If you haven’t already, finish mapping out Middlegate and down below. Buy any Secondary Skills and Spells you need from here and prepare for departure. The Green Key is here for when you need it. Use the teleport to Sandsobar for 10 gold. Remember what Nordonna told you after you saved Sir Hyron and Drog!

16,5   Mountaineering Trainer
1,9    Pathfinder Trainer
0,15   Cartography Trainer
1,12   Mage Guild membership vendor
Be sure to Donate at the Temple

Sandsobar

Start mapping out Sandsobar. Pick Pocket, Gambler, and Diplomacy are trained here. There is a Wizard Eye spell vendor to be found. There is some XP and gold to be had with encounters. When you have purchased what you need from Sandsobar, find the stairs to down below.

0,5   Pick Pocket trainer
3,0   Gambler trainer
3,4   Diplomacy trainer
7,4   Wizard Eye spell trainer
10,0  Stairs to down below
6,2   Yellow Key is 1000 gold
0,12  Mage Guild membership vendor
Be sure to Donate at the Temple

Tundara

Start mapping out Tundara. Crusader, Navigator, and Merchant are trained here. There is plenty of XP and gold to find here in town. Try to stay out of trouble with the guards. There is a sequence here to obtain a ring with great defensive properties but you will need to come back later when you are higher level. For a little grinding, there are 12 predictable encounters each isolated in 1 of 12 rooms in the southern area of map. You can explore down below if you like. Once you have what you need from Tundara either take the portal to Vulcania or a quick trip to B-2 for gold then to Vulcania.

2,14  Crusader trainer
5,13  Merchant trainer
8,13  Navigator trainer
7,6   Stairs to down below
9,7   Mage Guild membership vendor
15,8  Gertrude, Rat Fink and The Snowbeast  
Be sure to Donate at the Temple

Vulcania

Start mapping out Vulcania. Soldier, Arms Master, and Gladiator are trained here. There are quite a few encounter spots but they are random and unpredictable. You can meet Thund R. and Aeriel hirelings here. The Red Key is also available for purchase in town. Once you are ready for the next town, take the portal to Atlantium

0,3   Soldier trainer
15,3  Arms Master trainer
3,9   Gladiator trainer
10,0  Stairs to down below
3,7   Mage Guild membership vendor
0,8   Red Key vendor 
Be sure to Donate at the Temple

Atlantium

Map it out. Hero/Heroine, Athlete, and Linguist are trained here. A lot of rooms with predictable encounters, good for grinding. You can meet Big Bootay and Cleogotcha, a few hirelings. Black Key is sold here.

6,2   Athlete trainer
9,2   Hero/Heroine trainer
8,4   Linguist trainer
0,15  Stairs to down below
11,7  Mage Guild membership vendor
3,10  Black Key vendor
Be sure to Donate at the Temple Receive: Fe Farthing

Exploring more of CRON

Take the Portal back to Middlegate and flick your farthing to get a required item. Save at the Inn. You should have 2 characters with Pathfinding and Mountaineering so you can get around. Linguist will net you some quest rewards in addition to the INT. Crusader allows to take castle quests. You need a Navigator as well. At this point, you should have Fly, use it to get there quicker. Fly everywhere and finish mapping and exploring all the locations you have been to thus far. Let’s meet at Castle Pinehurst at Level 11.

You will acquire the Fe Farthing item once you Donate at all 5 Temples
In Middlegate, flick the Farthing at 15,15 to obtain the Castle Key

Fully outfit your party with spells, armor, weapons, skills, and a lot of XP. Use Fly to save some gold as you bounce around from town to town getting everything just right. The store inventories change day to day. If you use the Where are We? companion app on PC you have a view of all the town shop inventories in real-time. Further, the application reveals exactly what bonuses are to be expected on a given calendar day. Check it out.

If you do not feel strong enough for an area you may not be, circle back to the methods to Building Strength here.

Great Luxus Palace Royale – Queen Lamanda

The Queen is distraught and needs the assistance of a true hero. Speak with her to see how to become such a hero in her eyes.

Castle Pinehurst – Lord Peabody

Fly to A-2 and go into Pinehurst to visit with Lord Peabody to accept his quest to save his son. This is a required quest as you will need access to the way back machine.

Fly to B-4
10,1  Defeat Amazon (10)
Fly to Atlantium 
Put Sherman in your party
Return to Lord Peabody       

Triple Crown

Time to fight in the gladiatorial games. There are 4 ranks of difficulty: Green, Yellow, Red, Black, progressively more difficult in this order. You must win 3 venues for each color and then you may free the Bishop with the same color key. I was able to complete Green, Yellow, and Red at Level 11, but I am going to come back for Black after I level up more.

in Middlegate
4,4   Green Tickets: 10 gold
1,8   Green Key: 500 gold
13,2  Venue 1: Arena
in Altantium
7,9   Venue 2: Colosseum
in Sandsobar
13,8  Venue 3: Monster Bowl
in Castle Woodhaven
10,6  Free Green Bishop
2,11  Collect the Radicon

in Sandsobar
7,15  Yellow Ticket: 25 gold
6,2   Yellow Key: 1000 gold
in Middlegate
13,2  Venue 1: Arena
in Atlantium
7,9   Venue 2: Colosseum
in Sandsobar
13,8  Venue 3: Monster Bowl
in Castle Pinehurst
13,3  Free Yellow Bishop
7,6   Collect the Fluxer

In Vulcania
15,8  Red Tickets: 125 gold
0,8   Red Key: 25000 gold
in Middlegate
13,2  Venue 1: Arena
in Atlantium
7,9   Venue 2: Colosseum
in Sandsobar
13,8  Venue 3: Monster Bowl
in Castle Hillstone
11,4  Free Red Bishop
3,13  Grab the Capitor

in Atlantium
4,4   Black Tickets: 500 gold
3,10  Black Key: 50,000 gold
in Middlegate
13,2  Venue 1: Arena
in Atlantium
7,9   Venue 2: Colosseum
in Sandsobar
13,8  Venue 3: Monster Bowl
in Luxus Palace Royale
14,14 Free Black Bishop
0,6   Grab the Todilor

Earning your Plus – Class Quests

You will need to solve at least one of these to complete the game. For these quests your party will be restricted to characters with Class matching the quest you are doing. You will also be able to bring Robbers along. If you took the time to collect all the Hirelings then you have more party options for this section. If you did not collect all the Hirelings, consider reconsidering that decision. Details on Hireling acquisition is here.

I was able to collect all the Hirelings with a Level 15 party and decent gear. The Lich Lord took some beating on but ultimately it was just a matter of time. He would drop one of my party to Unconscious each round, but a quick heal would get them back up, meanwhile everyone else just beats on the Lich Lord.

Your standard party is going to get broken up for these quests and if you are doing all the class quests then you party will change up for each of the quests. The only common factor is that you can bring Robbers to all the class quests. This is a good excuse to outfit and try out all your various characters. I had no idea that No Name was such an accomplished spell caster until I pulled them into a party.

A few tips that can be helpful: Create 2 new Robbers that will accompany on all class quests. Give each nub Robber Mountaineer/Pathfinder and Herbal Patches. With this strategy, you will have a clear path to the primary target for each class quest through mountains and forests. All the class quests are a pretty short walk from Middlegate so that is a good base for Hireling swapping. The Herbal Patches (Cure Wounds) can be used to heal the Unconscious. Most of the fights have foes that will knock your characters unconscious one at a time, the Herbal Patches will counter their feeble tactic. Once you complete all the quests head back to Mt. Fairview.

Jouster's Way at B-3 5,14
Take out the Conjurer
Melee down the Dread Knight
Return to Middlegate to Save at the Inn
Prepare your next party

Brutal Bruno at C-4 0,15
Take out the Barbarians first
Melee down Brutal Bruno
Return to Middlegate to Save at the Inn
Prepare your next party

Baron Wilfrey at B-2 11,2
Take down Baron Wilfrey
No Name's Energy Blast is pretty effective
Return to Middlegate to Save at the Inn
Prepare your next party

Forbidden Forest Cavern at C-3 15,0
Defeat Frost Dragon at 8,8

They will breath first turn but they are slow and you are flush with Robbers. Also remember your Paladins have Bless and Heroism and Heals.

Fly to B-3 and Teleport to 4,4 
Enter Castle of Evil
4,10  Set Code 23
2,10  Set Code 46
3,10  Release Ybmug
Walk to B-4
4,10  Enter the Castle of Good
11,5  Set Code 64
13,5  Set Code 32
12m5  Release Yekop
Return to Middlegate to Save at the Inn
Prepare your next party

in D-4
3,7   Enter Dawn's Cavern
in Dawn's Cavern
2,14  Defeat Giant Ogre (2)
8,9   Defeat Dawn
             Enchantress(2)

This is a tough fight as all three of them can light up the whole party.  The way I did it after a few tries at Level 16 was to Temple Buff, which was 60% magic, very helpful.  Then I took out the Enchantresses first.  The magic resistance is what made it work, otherwise I was getting hit for 150 per character from each of them. 

With Real Party
in Sandsobar Cavern
0,0   Obtain Admit 8 Pass
in C-1
10,15 Obtain Corak's Soul

Switch to CLE/ROB Party
in C-2
5,11  Enter Corak's Cave
13,3  Address barriers
8,0   Defeat Crypt Fiend (8)

in D-2
7,0   Return to Mt. Fairview

Queen Lamanda

Check back with the Queen in Great Luxus Palace Royale now that you have completed the Triple Crown and got your Pluses!

Castle Xabran

Castle Xabran is near to Middlegate and the Square Lake but only 100 years ago. In the current era, 900, the castle is ruins. It is time to use the Way Back machine to explore past eras and collect long lost relics.

in A-2
1,1    Enter Castle Pinehurst

in Castle Pinehurst
2,5    Use the Way Back Machine
Set the Dial to 8
You arrive at C-4 14,4
Walk/Fly to C-2

in C-2
14,8   Enter Castle Xabran

in Castle Xabran
6,14   Collect the Fire Disc
15,15  Collect the Air Disc
15,0   Collect the Water Disc
6,2    Collect the Earth Disc
Return to Middlegate and Save

Elemental Planes

You will need to take each Disc into the correct Plane to find the Talon matching the element.

in A-1
8,8   Learn Air Transmutation
1,14  Learn Air Encasement spell
Cast Air Transmutation spell
0,15  Enter Plane of Air

in Elemental Plane
10,7  Defeat Element Hydra
             Air Elemental (3)
11,7  Collect the Air Talon
Rest, until pop back to Middlegate
Save at the Inn

In A-4
8,8    Learn Water Transmutation
1,1    Learn Water Encasement spell
Cast Water Transmutation spell
0,0    Enter Plane of Water

in Plane of Water
11,10  Defeat Element Hydra
              Water Elemental (3)
10,10  Collect the Water Talon
Rest, until pop back to Middlegate
Save at the Inn

in E-4
8,8    Learn Earth Transmutation
14,1   Learn Earth Encasement spell
Cast Earth Transmutation spell
15,0   Enter Plane of Earth
7,8    Defeat Element Hydra
              Earth Elemental (3)
8,8    Collect the Earth Talon
Rest, until pop back to Middlegate
Save at the Inn

in E-1
8,8    Learn Fire Transmutation
14,14  Learn Fire Encasement spell
Cast Fire Transmutation spell
15,15  Enter Plane of Fire
4,5    Defeat Element Hydra
              Fire Elemental (3)
              Pryo Hyrda (2)
8,8    Collect the Fire Talon
Rest, until pop back to Middlegate
Save at the Inn

Dawn’s Cavern – Element Orb

You will need to defeat the Orb Guardian in Dawn’s Cavern to obtain the Element Orb.

Make sure you have a Hireling along with you
in D-4
3,7    Enter Dawn's Cavern

in Dawns Cavern
2,14   Defeat Giant Ogre (2)
7,12   Defeat Greedy Snitch (200)
11,12  Defeat Orb Guardian (4)
Give the Element Orb to the Hireling
Dismiss the Hireling
Exit Dawn's Cavern

Deliver the Element Orb to Kalohn

You will need to deliver the Element Orb to Kalohn so that he can change the present.

Return to Castle Pinehurst to use the Way Back machine
Enter 8 on the dial
Step 1 North
Rest and return to 900

Talk to Kalohn

You need to seek out Kolohn back at Great Luxus Palace Royale

Final Sequence

Stock up on everything. Do any final level building and get some Potions. You have a series of non-trivial random encounters followed by a confrontation with Sheltem ahead of you. There is a puzzle to solve as well.

in C-2
10,7   Enter Square Lake Cave
Defeat 12 RND Encounters
11,14  Defeat Devil King (66)
0,15   Defeat Sheltem
              Water Elemental
              Air Elemental
              Fire Elemental
              Earth Elemental
Answer WAFE, as the King directed
Solve the Cryptogram

We, the people of Terra, in order to
form a more perfect union, establish
justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense...

the above text is encrypted on your screen with a substitution cypher

Enter "Preamble" and case matters

Attribution

• Official manual.
• Official clue book.

How to obtain a copy of this game:

eBay link – PC version (1988)
GOG link – Digital PC version (includes games 1-6)