[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I figure, now that it's been all day and no-one's mentioned it, that a "spread" Mystic (the 3 ?s not matching) is not as useless as Blitz says. It just takes longer. Consider:
1. Find a duo of Mystics, one with AAA, one with AEE (this takes luck, I admit-- a 1 in 64 and a 3 in 64-- but with so many places to make them it won't take as long)
2. Race to Construction 4-- the first Mystic makes Bag of Winds, Winged Helmet, gives them to the second, who has put together some Earth Boots for himself, moving him to 3A3E...
(A tougher line requires a 3F, a 3W, and a WFF and doesn't come into play until Const6 for the Water Bracelet. If you get both combos use them equally.)
3. Now at Construction 6-- Staff of Elemental Mastery time! Pass these on to what had been just "magically worthless" 1-1-1s and turn them into 2-2-2s, and with the right items, 3-3-3-3s (yes, four threes, with Crystal Coins). If you're swimming in gems empower them into the missing element and... five threes is a distinct possibility... (SEM+ Flame Helmet +Bag of Winds +Earthboots + Robe of the Sea + Crystal Coin). Add Power of the Spheres... yoicks! He's his own magical orchestra, just give him six of each gem before battles and watch him have at it!
(And he can lead, what, 75 magic beings after all that?)
So I'd amend the Mystic plan with this in mind: Have the "triples" gather in one place for path-boosting items when the time comes. Have the "doubles" on standby for the elemental-remote-searching spells (or go all-out for Const 4 with lower gem income, have one of each "triple" forge the boost item for themselves, and match them up with an Astrologer with a 4th S to clean up in all five disciplines). An Astrologer with D for Dark Knowledge, a Druid or Jade Sorceress for Haruspex and you'll have the gems (and summoners) to hit with so many different summoned thingies that the enemy won't be able to adapt to all the... stuff coming their way. Especially since what works for one set of things is completely backward for what's coming up next.
(Admittedly I haven't gone deep enough into an actual game myself to make this maneuver work. I guess I'm more into theory.)