Overview

To win the game you have to shut down Exodus (and in the NES version, escape the Castle).

To get into the Castle you need the Mark of Snake for one party member and the Mantra (Silver Horn in the NES version).

To get through the Castle you need the Marks of Fire and Force for all party members you want to survive to the floors, the ability to get through/past wandering high level encounters, and to defeat two Floor encounters.

To shut down Exodus you need the cards.

To get the Cards you need PRAY and the Ship.

To get the Mantra/Silver Horn you need PRAY.

To get the Ship you need one character at Level 5.

Barring any new skips, these are the essentials of the Any% Route.

NES Version Route

1. Create a party of 1 Druid (in front), and 3 Wizards. All four characters should have 25 STR, 0 DEX, 25 INT, 0 WIS.
2. Go to the town of Gray as fast as possible. Be willing to fight, since you need the XP anyway, but skip all chests.
3. In Gray, gather all gold to the Druid. Buy 2-3 Gems. Spend all remaining gold on Food. Share food.
4. Go to the Cave of Sol, again fighting monsters on the way to gain XP for the Druid.
5. In Sol, DESCEND to Level 8. Use a Gem to see your location. Head to the Marks of Fire and Snake. Give your Druid Snake. Give all party members Fire. ASCEND out.
6. Go to the Cave of Fool, fighting monsters on the way to gain XP for the Druid.
7. In Fool, DESCEND to Level 8. Use a Gem to see your location. Head to the Mark of Force, and give it to your whole party. ASCEND out.
8. Go to Yew, again fighting monsters on the way if your Druid doesn't yet have 400 XP.
9. In Yew, talk to the cleric in the back of the church to get PRAY. Go south from him to the center of the lake and PRAY for the Silver Horn.
10. Leave Yew and grind wandering monsters until the Druid has 400 XP, heading toward Lord British's Castle.
11. Go to Lord British's Castle, and talk to Lord British to advance the Druid to Level 5.
12. Save the game
13. Manipulate RNG to get a ship and whirlpool quickly.
14. FIGHT the ship.
15. Find and Sail into the whirlpool.
16. Navigate Ambrosia to PRAY at the shrines of Wisdom, Intelligence, and, Strength to gain the cards.
17. Manipulate RNG to get another fast pirate battle.
18. Go to the Shrine of Dexterity and PRAY for the final card.
19. Sail into the whirlpool.
20. Sail to the Isle of Exodus, drive the Snake away, and enter the Castle.
21. Navigate to the Floor battles in front of Exodus, defeat them.
22. PRAY in front of Exodus, and insert the cards in the order of LOVE SUN MOON DEATH.
23. Run out of the castle, hoping you don't get walled in by volcanos