Go play spacechem !
Sorry I can't help you neither, it has been a long time since i played the game. You'll have more luck on specialised sites or at gamefaqs.
Anyway i'll add my 2 cents :
-At the beginning of your run why dont you run on the path, i always thought you'll get less encouters there (maybe because the random monsters are of a lower level on it?)
-there is the "falling through the map glitch", i dont know if it can be used for a speedrun :
useless spot but easy to learn how to do it : Outside Red's den near the fence and a rock
another spot : Near the seaview church, run "into" your boat gangway , i wanted to use this to go past arcadia to hire the slime curer for my monster team. I never managed to do it, but i've read somewhere on a google translated japanese site that it might be possible .....
in arcadia city: dont have a video to show, but you can easily reproduce the glitch on the left statue near the stairs in town. From my failing memories you can acces a sculpter room for wathever quest or also go to a shop that is guarded somehow.
Anyway i'll add my 2 cents :
-At the beginning of your run why dont you run on the path, i always thought you'll get less encouters there (maybe because the random monsters are of a lower level on it?)
-there is the "falling through the map glitch", i dont know if it can be used for a speedrun :
useless spot but easy to learn how to do it : Outside Red's den near the fence and a rock
another spot : Near the seaview church, run "into" your boat gangway , i wanted to use this to go past arcadia to hire the slime curer for my monster team. I never managed to do it, but i've read somewhere on a google translated japanese site that it might be possible .....
in arcadia city: dont have a video to show, but you can easily reproduce the glitch on the left statue near the stairs in town. From my failing memories you can acces a sculpter room for wathever quest or also go to a shop that is guarded somehow.