I just finished another run through of wizardry 8, so more or less on a whim decided to purchase M&M 7, 8 & 9...


... My question is which one would people recommend as best for a noob starting out?

Of 7, 8 and 9?
Definitely 7.

M&M 7 has a more welcoming graphics and isn't too hard if you micromanage your party right, although you may struggle in the beginning because of the sheer number of enemies that overwhelm you if you don't kite them. If you don't mind older 2D graphics, I'd recommend the World of Xeen (M&M 4 and 5). It's easy enough for a comfortable first playthrough, and the game mechanic is also very simple. Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong, just stay away from the first few games (too difficult) and the last two ones (incomplete and not too popular with the fans).

out of those definitely start from MM7 for the kindest welcome. I urge you to pick up the MM1-6 collection too though, they are too great to pass on :)

If you can afford it, I'd grab MM6 before playing MM7. They are closely linked.

If you want to play some seriously old-school games, start at MM1.

Also, if you want more story, HoMM 1-3 are closely related to MM6 and 7 (their stories happen before and between the 2 games).

Out of the 3, I'd play MM7 and 8 and just not even play MM9.

Note: HoMM = Heroes of Might and Magic (you said you were a noob, so I wanted to be ultra clear :D)

Thanks every one for the tips.

I started M&M7 last night and after much uming and aring I finally picked my party;

1. Dwarf Paladin named Daniel, 30 might, 20 personality, 30 endurance, shield and repair item.
2. Elf Druid named Joeseph, 30 intellect, 12 personality, body magic & meditation.
3. Elf Ranger named Angela, 30 accuracy, bow & disarm trap.
4. Elf Sorcerer named Alexis, 30 intellect, leather & air magic.

Now I can actually start playing tonight. I’ll probably get smeared but this gives me a tank, part time thief and lots of magic so they should hopefully give a good account of themselves.

Have fun !
It looks like a balanced party. Maybe not "the best one" on a powergamer point of view, but for a first playthrough who cares ? And all casters is a really cool thing to have, especially after a while (as often in RPG, mage start weak ^^).

And honestly, the MM serie is more forgiving than the Wizardry one (not played Wiz 8 for long though, only 6-7). You should be alright :).

Really nice! Sounds like you're giving yourself a cool challenge, but as a Wizardry vet you shouldn't have too much problems! Good luck and Happy gaming!

PS: It would be really cool if you'd try to down a particularly heavy mob in the beginning of the game (that wasn't really meant to die) on your first run :D

The way I see it, spellcasters make a difference in the first half of the game by buffing your party and damaging enemies from afar, but in the latter half of the game I could rely exclusively on the brute force of my fighters (particularly the Knight and Thief) – I would just run up to mobs in real time combat and mash spacebar until they were all dead. Except in more difficult encounters, where I used a more tactical turn-based approach.

The Knight-Thief-Cleric-Sorcerer configuration is easy because it gives you two dedicated casters for the first half and two strong fighters for the second half, but yours will work too, as long as you pay attention to the right skills at the right time.

Update I have 5 of the 6 items needed for the scavenger hunt... ran away from the Dragon (after grabbing the bow).

P.s. Just a yes or no please...
Q Does my Dwarf Paladin need to learn leather before he can learn plate?

No, just take Plate right off the bat. It may be difficult to find that armor at first, but it soon becomes plentiful. Be warned, though, that Paladins can't reach Grandmaster skill in Plate, unlike Knights.

MM7 is a great game, the first Might & Magic game I played. I would recommend you pick up the MM1-6 bundle as well.

Update and questions;

I’ve rescued the hippy Dwarves (stoned) & returned to my newly repaired castle as a level nine party with mostly expert skills...
I will start the class quests next with an order of Sorcerer, Ranger & Druid.

Q at what character level should the first Pally quest be started i.e. kill the dragon?

Main quest line... low spoilers please.

The Humans and Elves both want my help now and have sent diplomats to my castle with what appear to be conflicting quests...

Q is there draw backs to siding with the Elves over the Humans?

Not sure about this one... You can try and see if it's doable. I did it at level 12-15 and it was kind of easy. Dragons aren't difficult to fight because of their slow projectiles that can be dodged easily.

Not really, but for maximum rewards and minimum hassle, you can doublecross both. ;) When the Queen gives you her quest, talk to the Elven leader and vice versa, you'll see new dialogue options.

The Dragon can be tricky, but if your not sure, I'd suggest trying him out with all your cash and valuables safely stashed in a bank, try and find a nasty wand for your sorcerer and druid so they can do extra heavy damage from afar.

Keep us posted, I really like these status reports you're giving on your first ever run :)