I found it a total pest, especially in the Haunted House, to have the chests blowing up and damaging my party so that I had to keep healing and resting. It's easier later in the game when the party is tougher and can take the damage, but I still find it a nuisance.A knight cannot get above basic in Disarm, and so needs a lot of skill points and a good item to avoid most chests blowing up.
Thief obviously does well, Disarm being one of his core skills.
Monk on the Dark Path is also a good choice, because Ninja can Master the skill.
An archer, a Ranger or a Light Path Monk are just about adequate. They can all reach Expert Disarm although at least some need to be fully promoted, and so need an item to boost their skill, especially in the early stages.
I like Archers in this game, especially for a Light Path party. They eventually have access to all but the top level elemental magic spells, plus basic access to the Mirrored Paths, which on the Light Path gives them access to the invaluable combat spell Paralyze. They are just about adequate Disarmers. They are tougher than the primary spellcasters, and can use a much wider range of weapons, which gives a magic-heavy party a little bit of extra protection, important in the early stages of the game.
My reason for disliking druids was that their main skill was in the brewing of black potions, but once that is done, I found them a dead weight. Being unable to reach GM in any combat skill is a real drag — that's where damage really maximises — and they are lousy melée fighters with a very limited range of usable weapons.
MM7 is my least favourite of the later M&M games, so I don't assume that I know more than you do. I find the "best" Dark Path party for my style of play to be ACSS, but later on, combat gets very easy with that party, and the game becomes boring. ATCS actually gave me a more enjoyable game. My favourite party for the Light Path is APCS. So like I say, it all depends on your style of play — you may well get more fun out of a party quite different from the ones I like.
Whichever one you settle on, enjoy it!
