Zelda 2 All-keys experience/kill/drop data

AK Route XP research by Myask
Key: [] means not-taken dependent on non-player actions, () means not usually taken. Neither of these are counted in the XP totals given.

==To Palace 1==
-Magic Container Cave
Lowder x2
Octorok x3
Lowder (kill on return trip): small 6.
Totals: 36 xp + 1 small. Counts 0,0
-tunnel to Parapa
Lowder
-Heart Container Coast
Goriya, orange
totals: 59 xp, 1 small. counts 2,0
-Enter Palace 1
[luck-based: botx2]
stalfos, red (2,1)
[luck-based: botx2]
stalfos, redx2 (2,3)
bot
stalfos, red (3,4)
bot
gooma
bot
bot (drop, 5)
entering Bridge room: 235 xp, 2 smalls; count 0,5
Botx2 (2, 5)
p-bag 50
Botx2 (4,5)
Gooma (4,drop)
Ironknuckle, orange (4,1)
Botx2 (drop,1)
botx2 (2,1)
Bot
Ironknuckle, orange (3,2)
Stalfos, red x2 (3,4)
Gooma (3,5)
Ironknuckle, orange (3, drop)
-Total entering horsehead: 511 xp, 3 small drops (4 if you add 3 bots from first keyroom that jump down), 2 large.
-Total going to crystal: 561 xp, """"

So, as people know, getting a 200 and a 50 gets you the needed XP to get 4-1-1, and two 200s lets you get 4-1-2 (xp required to go up a level needs the next level as well to not have the crystal stop there, and 50+150 happens to be 200). So, you have 11 xp extra, for a kobold hit or removing bots. (A newer thing is to jump over the two Stalfos between elevators until post-Candle, to make the six-count drop be on them instead, giving 20 more XP for only cancelling a 30 instead of a 50.)

==to Palace 2== (now Large drop-counts 1L, 2L) [small, large, XP total, each BEFORE this point, not summarizing the location]
-Trophy Cave
Lowder (4)
Ache (5)
Octorokx2(1, drop)
Goriya-R(2)
(ache, on way out)
Exiting trophy-cave: [2,0, 36 xp]
-Jump cave
Octorokx4: (drop)
Goriya-R (1)
Lowderx4 (5)
Goriya-R (drop)
Achex2 (2)
Acheman (3)
-Bridge to Saria, north
(Bago-bagos)
=Death Mountain=
-cave 1 [3,0, 114]
Botx2 (5)
Moblin-R (drop)
Bot (1)
Moblin-R (2)
Botx2 (4)
[4,0, 144]
-cave 2
Octorokx3 (drop+1)
Goriya-B (1L)
Octorokx3 (4)
-cave 3
Bot (5)
Achex3 (2,drop)
Bot (3)
Daira-O (2L)
-cave 4 [3,2,304]
(Bago-bagos)
-cave 5
Botx2 (5)
Daira-R (3L)
Bot (drop)
-cave 6
Goriya-B (4L)
Achex3 (3)
Daira-O (5L)
Ache (4)
-cave 7 [4,5,520]
Bitx2 (drop)
Daira-O (drop-L)
Bitx2 (2)
Daira-O (1)
Bit (3)
-cave 8 [3,1,598]
Bot (4)
Daira-O (2L)
Botx2 (drop)
Daira-O (3L)
Bot (1)
-Hammer Cave [1,3,744]
Daira-R (4L)
Lowderx2 (3)
Achemanx2 (5)
Megmetx3 (drop+2)
Daira-O (5L)
Daira-R (drop-L)
(Myu)
Daira-O (1L)
Daira-R (2L)
[here you get hammer] [2,2,1120]
(Myu)
Achemanx2 (4)
[magic container]
-Back exit from Death Mountain
Octorokx4 (drop+2)
-Bridge from back exit
Moblin-R (3)
Moblin-B (4)
Lowder (5)
Daira-R (3L)
-Medicine Cave [5,3,1313]
(Bago-bagos)
(Lowdersx4)
Daira-O (4L)
Daira-Rx2 (drop-L)
-boulder-blocked Heart Container cave [5,0,1483]
Myu (drop)
Lowderx2 (2)
Goriya-B (1L)
Myu (3)
--Death Mountain and sundries to Palace 2 entry subtotal: [3,1,1522; with 12 small drops and 2 large.] Palace 2 was totaled separately.
-Enter Palace 2 [3,1,0]
Botx4 (drop+1)
Goomax2 (3L)
Botx5 (drop)
Arnel-Bx3 (3)
Bot) (4)
Stalfos-Bx2 (5L)
(Bot)
Stalfos-B (drop-L)
Botx4 (drop+2)
Rax2
Botx4 (drop)
(bot-generator)
(bot-generator)
IK-Ox2 (2L)
Stalfos-B (3L)
Arnel-B (1)
P-bag 50xp
(Bot-generator)
IK-Rx2 (5L)
Moa-O (drop-L)
IK-Ox2 (2L)
Stalfos-Bx3 (5L)
(bot-generator)
Bot (2) [2,5,1000]
Gooma (drop-L)
Botx2 (4)
Gooma (1L)
P-bag 100
IK-R (2L)
Stalfos-B(3L)
IK-O (4L)
IK-R (5L)
Helmethead [4,5,1654]
-P2 subtotal: 3,4, 1654, with 4 small and 3 large drops
-DM+sundry+P2 total: 16 small, 5 large, 3176 xp. Exit count: (4,5)
==To Palace 3==
-Graveyard passage
Lowderx4 (drop+2)
Myu
Lowderx2 (5)
Goriya-B (drop-L) [5,0,18]
-Enter Palace 3
Doomknocker
Myu (drop)
Paltamu-B (1L)
(Myux7)
Doomknocker
P-bag 100 [388]
(Myux2)
IK-R (2L)
Paltamu-R (3L)
Bot (1) [possibly difficult, lava-room bots]
(Mau generator, ~1 kill expected)
Bot) (2) [difficult, lava-room bots]
IK-R (4L)
Bot) (3) [difficult, lava-room bots]
IK-R (5L)
IK-B   [894]
Botx3)  (drop) [difficult, lava-room bots]
[I missed one. Add one to small six-count.]
(Mau generator- expect 4 kills)
Botx2 (2)
IK-Rx2 (drop-L +1L) [1002]
(Mau generator- expect 4 kills)
Paltamu-R (2L)
Doomknocker
IK-R (3L, 1252)
Rebonack [1553] (Yes, he gives 301 exp rather than the 300 expected.)
-P3 total: 3 small drops, 2 large drops, 1553 experience. Exit count: (2,3)
==to Palace 4== [this is where I started keeping track of room separations, which shall be indicated by --. However, multiple room transitions without kills are not additionally marked.]
-Cave From Island
Lowder (3)
Goriya-B (4L)
Lowder (4)
Myu (5)
--
Lowderx4(drop+3)
[get Fire in Nabooru]
-Cave north of Nabooru [3,4,48]
Achemanx2 (drop)
(basilisk)
-Kid Cave [0,4,68]
Geru-O (5L)
-Pass to Darunia
Octorok-Bx6 (drop)
--
Octorok-Bx4 (4)
[get Upthrust, Reflect in Darunia]
Octorok-Bx4 (drop+2)
--
Octorok-Bx6 (drop+2)
[get Maze Island Magic Container]
-Maze Island forced encounter [2,5,558]
Bot (3)
(basiliskx2)
(tektite)
-Enter Palace 4 [3,5,560]
Moa-O (drop-L)
--
(wizzrobes)
--
(Paltamu-Bx2)
(P-bag 100)
--
Paltamu-R (1L) [610]
--
Kobold [worthless, why did I note this one]
Doomknocker [710]
--
Doomknocker [810]
--
Doomknocker [910]
--
Paltamu-B (2L)
Paltamu-R (3L)
IK-B [1180]
--
Doomknocker [1280]
Paltamu-R (4L)
--
(Ra generator)
--
(wizzrobes)
Botx3 (drop)
--
(Mau generator)
--
Botx2 (2)
-up to and right half of Palace 2 subtotal (left half not separately totaled): 6 small drops, 1 large drop, 1338 experience. Count is (2,4).
(Moa-O if you exit and return)
--
(wizzrobes)
--
IK-R (5L)
--
Doomknocker [1538]
--
Doomknocker [1638]
(P-bag 200) (buried under blocks)
--
(wizzrobes)
--
(Ra generator) [Lava key room. Dangerous.]
--
Myux2 (4)
--
(Paltamu-B)
Paltamu-B (drop-L)
(p-bag 100) [requires Jump, right before Carock who requires Reflect, so no]
--
IK-Rx2 (2L) [1848]
--
Carock [2149] (like Rebonack, is worth 301)
-Right half subtotal: 0 small drops, 1 large, 811 xp
-P4 total: 6 small drops, 2 large, 2149 experience. Count is (4,2)
==to Palace 5==
[get ocean heart container]
-Enter Palace 5...which is hell to count, simply because the Magos are so random. So, I killed what I came across naturally, but counted every room they appeared that I did not.)
Arnel-Bx4 (drop+2)
--
(Ra generator)
P-bag 200 [260]
--
IK-R (3L)
(bot generator)
--
(Magos x ~1)
--
(Moa-O generator) [jump / falling blocks key room. Good for farming!]
--
IK-Ox3 (drop-L +1L)
--
Botx2 (4)
(Magos x ~0) [764]
--
(Botgen) (5) [whoops, killed one]
--
IK-R (2L)
-- [should this be after the Magos?]
(Magos x ~1) [1066]
(IK-B) [next to fakewall]
--
(Magos x ~1)
--
Stalfos-Bx3 (5L) [1416]
--
(Magos x ~1)
--
(Maus x ~3)
(Magos x ~0) [1631]
--
IK-O (drop-L)
IK-B [1781]
[get flute]
--
(Mau x ~3)
(Magos x ~0)
--
(Magos x ~0)
--
(Magos x ~0)
--
(gooma)
--
(Magos x ~2) [2196]
--
IK-O (1L)
(IK-R)
IK-B [2396]
--
(p-bag 50)
(Magos x ~0)
--
IK-O (2L)
(IK-B)
IK-R (3L) [2546]
--
Boss Gooma [3046]
-P5 totals: 1 small drop, 2 large drops, and 3046 XP. Exit total: (4,3)...
-That's with me killing 6 Magos out of the 11 rooms one passes through with them. One can potentially kill up to about 3, but it's not really up to you whether you're going to be able to in a timely fashion.
==to Palace 6==
-The Pass to SE Hyrule
Geru-O (4L) [this encounter may be skipped]
--
(basilisk)
--
Geru-O (5L)
-Cave to New Kasuto
(tektitex3)
--
Geru-O (drop-L)
Geru-R [400]
-[get Spell, Magic Key, Magic Container in New Kasuto]
-Cave from New Kasuto
Geru-R [500]
Geru-O (1L)
--
(tektitex3)
-P-bag forest henge
Geru-R [750]
P-bag 500 [1250]
[beach heart container]
-Enter Palace 6 [4,1,1250]
(wizzrobes)
Doomknocker [1350]
--
IK-B [1500]
--
(wizzrobes)
--
(wizzrobes)
(Moa-O)
--
Rebonack [1801]
--
(wizzrobes)
--
(wizzrobes)
IK-B [1951] (return trip, you passed this guy)
(IK-B)
--
(Ra generator) [Lava room!]
(Myux4) [Lava room! good luck killing them all...]
--
(wizzrobes)
IK-R (2L) [2051]
--
Paltamu-B (3L) [2121]
Myu (5)
--
Rebonack [2427]
--
Barba [3127]
-P6 total: 0 drops, 3127 experience. Exit count (5,3)
==To Great Palace==
-Bridge to Old Kasuto (Who doesn't fairy over all of these bridges now?)
(bago-bagos)
(basilisk)
-Old Kasuto
Moa-P (+1 small, 30)
-and on the way out
Moa-P (+1 small, 60)
-bridge back
(bago-bagos)
(basilisk)
-bridge over the river
(bago-bagos)
(basilisk)
-Path of Fire/Valley of Death entry [~1, 60]
[get red jar to right]
Each small encounter yields 100 xp (120 if you get a kill on the red, blinking eye Gilbock [Girubokku]), either 2 or 3 smallcount. Large encounters yield 100 xp as you'll not kill the blue Geru that replaces them. You use two encounters for skips, and are likely to get a third. Most speedrunners use Spell to deal with the blue Moas of the encounters here.
(p-bag 500)
-first VoD cave
(Moa-B x ?)
(Gilbock x ?)
--
(Aru-lowder) [the scorpion]
Geru-B [+200]
--
Another encounter to skip the fixed one. If you're not careful/lucky, an encounter before that.
-cave to great Palace
Geru-B [+200]
Geru-R [+100]
-Enter Great Palace [1-2 small drops, ~980 xp if you kill everything normally rather than Spelling it]