The first time, I only completed 3 squares of level 1 to complete the requirements of Oria's chamber. Now, I'm stuck with those damn Iron Golems in the Monastery and I heard that if you complete rank 5 of the squares you get a reward. I went back and like someone here suggested, considered the pattern as:

123
456
789

and did 1,2,4,8,9,6,5 so that I could get rank5 in each square. Now, I'm done with it all and I've ended up with nothing except a star sapphire and some cash, bullets of sure striking and flame darts +5. Does the fact that I had to reload lots of times Have anything to do with the fact that I didnt get THE SHORT SWORD +5 or the Club +3?!! Heh. Sorry, Can anyone help me out with this? Do I have to do it again or what? And do you know of any other weapons that will help against Iron golems at this point that I can STILL go back and get?

I don't think you have to do it again. You just misunderstood all that needs to be done to complete a rank and get that rank's reward.

There are 10 ranks (10 levers).
To complete a rank, you must play the tic-tac-toe game 5 times in that rank. In any order, you must fight 3 monsters, 4 monsters, 5 monsters, 6 monsters and 7 monsters. I.e. you must fight 25 monsters to finish one rank and get the prize for that rank.

It seems you've done the 7 monster battles. Now you need to fight 18 other monsters for each rank (or the ranks you like).
To get the +5 short sword, you need to complete the most difficult rank, rank 10.

(If, like me, you think fighting 250 tough monsters alone, to get a couple nice gift, is a bit silly, remember Ctrl-Y :) ).

Note that the experience you get from doing the 250 fights is probably enough to get your party up by one level.

As for the Iron Golems in the monastery, you just need to use weapons with +3 enchantment or better. Lower weapons won't hurt them seriously. If you don't have such weapons, you can exit the area to the underdark and buy +3 weapons from the merchants there, then come back for the golems.

[ October 27, 2002, 04:20: Message edited by: Quint ]

Or you could just sumon some Elementals ... they work well agains Iron Golems.

I'v e got another battle square question: what do you get if you complete the entire thing? Has anyone even bothered?

If you complete all ten levels (all 50 ranks) I think you get bracers of icelandic fury and some gems and xp. It has been a while since I completed bsquares (only did it the first time through) but I am pretty sure that is what I received.

Edit: as for the golems, next time save the sure strike arrows you get from the Aurilites or the arrows of piercing you get from the Beastlord’s hunters. Both types of arrows will kick the golems butt... Use summoned creatures to tank for you and you will not take much damage.

[ October 28, 2002, 16:06: Message edited by: Grey Ghost ]

I didn't bother with the battle squares myself, at least not past getting the key I needed. As far as the Iron Golems go... There is the Keg Splitter Axe which destroys constructs w/one blow, available in Targos at the store there. First time I ran through the game, I got my butt squished by the golems.('cause I didn't buy the stupid axe!!) Then I reloaded, hasted my thief, positioned everybody else up by the exit, had the thief open the chest, grab the loot, drink a potion of invisbility, and ran like crazy for the door. Worked like a charm!!

Or use Improved Invisibility instead of a potion. Use it before you go in and you can open things and do almost anything without losing your Invisibility. :D

As far as battle squares goes, I didn't really know what to do, so I just did level one to five killing seven monsters per level, can I go back and complete them and still get all the XP?