I've never hired a scholar. I usually get identify for my merchant and work it up to master after I've gotten to master in merchant. Other than that, my priorities are similar early on - air, water, disarm. As far as NPC's I generally have a gate master and merchant (or duper) until I have a master in water, with the same interruption for the cleric promotion. As early as I can I'll go to instructor/teacher but then for a while I'll swap the teacher for a merchant when I'm buying, selling and training. I also aim for master in repair for all 4 characters as I get to the mobs that break things.
This game has been a little different in that the archer had to master all 4 magics which left her well behind in other things for a while.
Still wondering about putting points above 7 into learning; I think it works out better in the long run but just wondering what others thought.
