Arkandian Legends Chapter 3: Explorer

Is there something I'm missing in re: the crafting/alchemy system? How can I learn recipes? Or am I supposed to randomly combine 24 items in 16 slots until I get lucky?

Does the achievement system in this game/last games really give you loot in the next game/this game?

Ah, I see. I'm a dope.

I played this game all weekend because I wanted to unlock the other races and at least take a gander at them, but I hit a wall in progression possibly because I chose to specialise in archery. I got to a point where I couldn't progress more than one or two fights into the two ever-changing dungeons that were available, and I couldn't get past the first fight in the one unchanging dungeon that was available. I threw myself at them until I very quickly ran out of money and was left with no option but to do the painfully dull and annoying tactical battles to get money - but these did nothing to help power up my own character, of course.

I was approaching 900 points in Archery (and approaching 1000 in Anatomy, whatever that means - there doesn't seem to be an explanation of skills in-game) and I had a terrible chance to hit most enemies - and I believe the skills max out at 1000. And the skill was only increasing by 1 point on the all-too-rare occasions that it would go up. I began to believe that I should've focused on Magic instead, but it was far too late to seriously consider doing that without starting over given that there were no lower level repeatable dungeons.

Joes Guide:

There are 2 modes, dungeoneering and squad combat. Its rather hard to get anywhere dungeoneering due to lack of gold, tiny backpack, no healing, expensive dungeon entry fees. (unless you can start as demon!)

Therefore I recommend stripping your dude and doing Squad combat instead, focusing on hiring all 6 slots and giving as good as a weapon as you can. Squad combat is FREE, no risk, and will give you a good amount of gold and items.

After 10 fights or so, you can afford a nice backpack, strip squad and equip your dude, then do way better. Get to the HEALING spell ASAP so your mana bar is useful as this basically doubles your longevity in dungeons.
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Prioritize LEARNING gear as skills >> any other low level gear bonuses. Keep a set of learning gear for later btw, esp the PRACTICE SWORD!
I recommend using MAGE weapon as it boosts your Mana Lore and Magical Attack which helps your SPELLS (even Heal!), but get bow/sword up to 500ish too since its easy to do so and you might find a particularly good specimin and switching over lategame from 0 is hard!

Equip red-chest items that give HIT CHANCE and DODGE which are the most important stats. Even with high skills you can miss tougher foes endgame.
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Once stuck in Dungeoneering, equip LEARNING gear, do Crafting, Experiment, hold shift, place 1 cheap reagent in grid, Combine. Repeat. Buy common reagent packs. Get ARTISTRY up to 1000 (and lots of scavenge too).
Then do BLACKSMITH repeatable and get some good wpn recipes. Crank out lots of crap to boost skill and then make Uber weapon for yourself and decent wpns for squad.
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Note: Equipping Learning gear when mass disenchanting is very helpful too obviously since its expensive to boost it due to paying for disenchant item and loss of sale of item. Keep 1 big disenchanter to remove excess items during longer dungeon runs that you'd lose anyways.
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Stuck in squad combat? Do the Rescue Dungeon until you are fighting DEMONS. Each rescue is an awesome 500 skill vampire. Ideally get 6 of these dudes, but even 1 as your Main Tank with Whirlwind is hugely beneficial.