So yeah, I have obviously been gone for far too long.

I started playing MW a while ago but got stuck with the underground elemental/combo gates and just kinda stopped playing.
I am going to pick this back up and finish it, but I figure that others are going to get lost at some point as well.
This topic is for those joining me in the Land of the Lost Gamers as well as any rookies who stumble in.

If you are new, I hope this stuff helps.
Please post any questions you have here.
Any experienced players, please keep an eye on this and help me and any greenhorns out.

To kick this off here are some tips from beginners: (major thanks to CrimsonDagger for most of this)

Focus on using your spells. Physical attacks may let you get through zombies and maybe soldiers, but spells make it much easier to take anything down.
Focus on building up your Wisdom, Vitality, Spirit and Agility. This will increase your health, the number of spells you can cast before using a mana potion, and how fast you can cast spells.
Try killing the Segmendrada first. Once you've leveled up a bit, locate the throne room. A little to the north and west you will find some big, golem-like things that are great to kill. (1000xp=1 level, golems have 2000xp/kill)
Try to get as many artifacts as fast as possible. Compare the equipment you have with the artifacts and equip the best stuff. Dump any spare artifacts in the well for stat boosts and spell parts
Check out the Info for Rookies topic for some in depth stuff by CrimsonDagger
Check out Crimson's FAQ

I have a question for myself:
Can anyone help me out with the combination wheels and/or element gates?