I spent a lot of time (2 hrs. to be exact) answering one person's question because I like it. So I decided to do it again for anyone else with FF1 problems. Hope it helps!

To start off, I'll give you the run-off of the character stats.

The Fighter is obviously the best fighter (but only until about level 15-20) At the end he can cast white magic and he uses Excalibur.

The Black Belt is a wimp at the beginning, but toward the end he is by far the most powerful fighter. My BBelt is at level 33 and does an average of 8 hits and 700 DMG. With FAST he'll do about 14 hits.

The Theif isn't a good choice. while he can use a little black magic, and can run from virtually anything, he has about as much Power as a Black Mage.

The Red Mage is an average in all skills, but he can't run at all. He can use both magic types, only up to level 7 magic.

The White mage is needed for Healing. Enough Said.

The Black mage is weak, can't run and he can't use any good weapons either.

THE OPTIMUM TEAM: Fighter (for use of Excalibur), Black Belt (for attacks!), White mage, and Red Mage (to replace the B Mage).

Getting Started:

Go to town and buy Armor and weapons, buy healing magic for W. Mage (magic isn't necessary, but helpful). Go north to battle Garland and return to the castle. Buy more magic and travel across the bridge, then East to Pravoka. Battle the Pirates, get the ship, but don't go to Elfland until you are high in levels (6 is good) do this because there is a secret place I've found to build up levels and gold. From pravoka, go out and walk South East through the mountains (be prepared to lose health) You'll find enemies like Green Ogres that give a lot of Exp. When you're powered up, go to elfland and buy a silver sword for your Fighter and Red Mage (4,000 GP each) Then walk west, then Northwest around the mountains and south along the Coast. Toward the Southernmost tip on the West Coast, you'll find the Marsh Cave. Enter and go to the very bottom of the cave, into the stairs, and then to the bottom right hand corner of that room. Enter the other set of stairs, and go one building to the right and two buildings dow n. Inside you'll find one treasure chest, guarding it are the wizards, use LIT2. Get the Crown from the chest, and go North to the "NorthWest Castle".

Find Astos and kill him, take the crystal and go in your ship back to Coneria Castle and walk across the bridge and go straight North to Matoya's cave. Talk to her, and she'll give you the Herb. Take it to the elf castle and talk to the prince's Maid, she'll wake up the prince so you can take the key from him. Then go to Coneria Castle. Look in the treasure chests at the rear of the castle and find the TNT give that to the dwarves in the Cave to the West of Coneria Castle. (To get there, get in your boat at Coneria, and follow the coast to the left until you reach a docking area. Go to the SouthWest from there and you'll find the Dwarf Cave.) After you give the TNT to the dwarf you'll be able to go through a passageway in the Ocean just to the south of the dwarf cave. Follow the Islands on the other side of the passageway, and you'll find Melmond. Raise enough money to buy Steel Armor, this is a necessity! Then follow the south coast until you find the Earth Cave on a big Triangle shaped Island. In the Ear th Cave, follow the path that goes to the right until you find your first set of stairs. then follow these directions for the easiest way through the maze: Down, Up, Down, Down, Down, Right, Down-Right, Up, Stairs. Then go: Up, Up, Up, Up, Left, Up, Up, Up, Down, Left, Down, Down, Down, Right, Down, Into the door.

Fight the Vampire, FIR3 is a good choice. Get the Chest and return to Melmond. Then follow the South coast until you see 2 Mountains side by side. They will be right before the Earth Cave's Island. Go through the mountains and into the cave. Talk to the green guy and he'll take the ruby and let you through. Exit the cave and go south to Sarda's Cave. He'll give you the Rod, which you take back to the room behind the vampire. Inside, after going through an eaiser maze, you'll find Lich. FIR3 is a must this time. After defeating Lich, you can go to Crescent Lake (go westward in the ocean from melmond until you hit another continent and search that coast for a docking area on a peninsula that almost looks like a nose. Go to the left and find the city. Talk to the Sages (walk in between the 2 magic shops to find them) and they'll give you the canoe. follow the river behind crescent lake, and find the volcano. go in and get all the goodies. You'll have to make a couple of trips. when you've cleaned it out, find Kary. She's tough, but if you use FAST on your fighter, and have W. Mage use AFIR and INV2, then she isn't that bad. After she's dead, go to Crescent Lake and get in your boat. Follow the Coast North and pass the "Lagoon"-looking thing. Go until you reach the to of the continent and go left about 50-100 spaces. Then go North until you reach land. Search the coast until you see a desert on the other side of some mountains Continue West along the coast until you see a Castle (Castle of Ordeals). Above the castle, you'll find a river. Go into the river, and it'll put you in the canoe. Now you can get out of the canoe onto the land. Go into the castle (make sure you have a few HOUSES). Go into the castle and follow the maze like this: go on the pillar: onto the next pillar: onto the bottom pillar: bottom pillar: Right pillar: Bottom Pillar: and the top Pillar. Go in the stairs, and follow the hall until you get to the end. Just before the Seat that takes you out, you'll have to fight the Zombie Dragon. Use FIR3, HRM3 and fight. Go back to Crescent lake and North to the "Lagoon" I mentioned Earlier. Follow the river inside that will lead to the Ice Cave. Inside, you'll find the Floater. Use this just South of Crescent Lake in the desert. You'll get the Airship. Now land on the Island To the west of the Castle of Ordeals on the Island with the islands with the holes in them, Cardia Islands. Inside, you'll find Bahamut, who'll make you Big and Powerful. Find the city of Gaia, to the North of the desert with the castle in it. Gaia is in the middle of a lot of mountains. Inside Gaia, you'll find a lot of good things, including the Catclaw for B. Mage and the Gold Ring (the best armor for All three Mages and the Black Belt. Also the Pro Ring is for sale, (it takes the place of gloves and protects against rub spells. Buy Magic here too, and take note of the Magic spring in the NorthEast part of town.

Now leave, fly straight west of the Castle of Ordeals until you see a smaller desert with a tiny desert above it. In the tiny desert, you'll find the caravan. Buy a bottle for 50,000 GP. It's worth it. Take the bottle to the spring in Gaia, East of the Clinic, and the fairy will give you Oxyale. Once you have Oxyale, go to the city East of the Caravan, (you'll have to park your airship southwest of the city, and ride the river up to it. Onrac is another town that you won't see much of. Buy the best magic spells here, and go to the right of the town. You'll find a guy who will mention something about mermaids and dissapear. Go into the Sub behind him and into the Sea shrine. At the top of the first room there is a stairway on the left and one on the right. Go to the one on the right. Find the mermaids and get the treasure chests. You'll have to walk through the wall at the very top left hand corner of the mermaids' room to get the SLAB. Then EXIT and go to the door on the left in the first room. At the end you'll find Kraken. He's real hard, he does something like 9 hits. Use LIT3 and FAST.

When he's dead, go back to Onrac, and continue up the River to the Waterfall. Inside you'll find the CUBE and Defense Sword. The sword is best for R. Mage. Take the SLAB to Dr. Unne in the top right part of Melmond, and he'll teach you to speak Leifenish. Now you can go to Leifen. Remeber the Desert with the Castle? there is a green spot to the right of the castle where you have to land your ship. On the other side of the Mountains there is another green spot in the woods, next to the Lake. Land there and walk South-East to find Leifen. Inside you'll get the chime, and you need it to get into the Castle in the desert. Land on the green spot in the desert and walk to the castle. Go in, and get all the items and lots of experience. Find the Adamant and the wind Fiend, Tiamat. On the bridge before you reach Tiamat, you might run into Warmech. If you do, you're dead (unless you're at level 25 or higher - I beat him on level 21, but only my fighter was left.) After the Mirage Tower (desert) and the Sky Castle ( from the Mirage Tower), go to the Dwarf Cave and talk to the guy who asked for Adamant, he'll make Excalibur. Now you can go to the first castle you visited in the game. Talk to the bats and the Black Orb, you will go back in time 2000 years. If you want to leave the final castle, you need to use EXIT. On the floor after you defeat Kraken in this castle, you need to go to the very bottom right hand corner of the floor and find the narrow passage. at the other end, you'll find the MASMUNE!!! Equip it on your R.Mage (if you have one) or your Theif (if you Have one). If you have more than one fighter, give it to one of them. Or, if you have to, give it to one of your Wizards. On the next floor, you have to fight Chaos, He uses all magic spells, so don't waste your time using defensives, use AFIR, AICE, ALIT, and ARUB (WALL and FADE are especially nice). Also use FAST on Fighter and BBelt, and use LOK2 and then NUKE.

Here is a list of the final Armor you should have equipped on your characters.

Fighter/Knight: Excalibur - Opal Armor, Opal Guantlet, Opal Helm, and Aegis Shield.

Black Belt/Master: No Weapon - Gold Bracelet, Pro Ring, Ribbon, White Shirt (unequipped to cast INV2)

Theif/Ninja: Katana - Gold Bracelet, Power Guantlet, Heal Helm, Silver Shield,

R.Mage/R.Wzrd: Defense - Gold Bracelet, Zeus Guantlet, Ribbon, Black Shirt (unequipped to cast ICE2)

W.Mage/W.Wzrd: Thor Hammer - Gold Bracelet, Pro Ring, Ribbon, Pro Cape

B.Mage/B.Wzrd: Cat Claw - Gold Bracelet, Pro Ring, Ribbon, Pro Cape

And of course, once you get Masmune, you can give it to any party Member.