If you would not mind please feel free to answer my ultra-newb questions! ;)
#1 I currently have the relic of the saints, but I would like to trade up to the crucifix of blessing that I saw in the library from the L2 website. It is not available in the elven village, am I able to get it using the newbie trade in program when i get to a bigger town?
#2 As an elven mystic, is it better to chain the ice spell followed by wind? What is the best way to use my spells. Currently I am using shield (+pdef), ice, and wind.
#3 If you use a "book" as your primary mystic weapon, is it better to also have a shield for additional defense? If so, are there any disadvantages to doing this? Does it effect your spellcasting in any way?
#1 You shoudl be able to upgrade to a Crucifix or equal with any newbie town vendor.
#2 Try to find mobs you can one-shot, if you really have to two-shot with the ice thing.. do the ice thing first, because it slows the mobs down! However Find mobs you can barely one-shot or just two-shot for maximizing XP/MP usage.
#3 Always use a one-hander plus shield, no downside, except that for me as an archer has more trouble killing shield users >.<
If you can two shot the mobs it doesn't matter if they are slowed because they never reach you anyway but ice then wind makes more sense in case a spell fails, hopefully it'll land the slow too.