hey man i just read your post...i also found the cave of ordeals difficult. but unlike you, i never used the magic armor but only my 2 potions...the gold one and the fairies potion. and it was a good thing you didnt go out and then back in the Cave of Ordeals because if you had, the first 2 darknuts that were alone would have been 3 and the 3 darknuts would have been 4. talk about hard...but it was easy once i figured out a strategy...i lured 1 of the darknuts toward my position and stayed as far away as possible of the other darknuts until i killed that 1, then i would continue on as so. and i feel you when you get to the end of it. i mean come on...you go through 50 levels of almost never-ending onslaught and all you get is a potion...kind of odd dont you think? well anyway, i just wanted to respond to your post and say good luck with the walkthrough!