Sup guys, picking this game up again after a lot of updates. Anyone can recommend a good starting strategy to get going? I've done Fina's waterfall quest but I'm getting my ass handed to me by almost every encounter in Eric's hunt that is not against slimes or fairies. Should I focus on farming/studying on desk the first couple weeks to get some xp going?
Studying brings in small change, xp wise. It's main use is to learn new spells when they become available.
OTOH, maintaining your herb garden is very useful. It gives you xp in the gardening profession and brings in money. The better your gardening, the more money it gives you. Plant as much seeds as you can. With the money you get from gardening you can buy potions from Rose which can give you an edge in combat.
Also, better gardening gives you better chance at harvesting ingredients.
For XP, concentrate on quests.
Also, helping out certain characters on daily chores brings in XP. Not as much as quests, but they are without risk and will give a boost in relationship points and sometimes cooking profession.
Save your game often.