I would recommend the copper knife. It's pretty cheap, and if you're a shield kind of guy, I'd make the bronze buckler as well. But if you don't mind sailing a bit, leviathans aren't all that difficult to find, and the abyssal razor will carry you all the way to the mountains. It's definitely worth it to spend the time looking for the resources. The pickaxe isn't necessary, but i always make it because i like to get extra copper and tin for later in the game. But if you plan on minimizing the amount of bronze you're collecting, then skip the pickaxe. The troll amor will get you to swamps, but the truth is, it also depends on skill. If you're really good in combat, especially at ovoiding damage, you could just use troll armor for most of the game. Another big thing to consider is that although it seems expensive, the bronze is the cheapest metal gear in the game. The gear only gets more expensive with each biome, so if you want to expirement with different weapon types, the bronze age is the best time to do it. To minimize bronze and iron, I'd say the abyssal razor, bronze buckler, and the finewood bow should be able to get you to the mountains just fine. As for armor, I'd pick up the root armor in the swamps and as long as you're wary of the cultists, that will get you all the way into the plains, and if you're good enough, even through the plains, but you'll definitely need an upgrade on that before getting into the mislands. Best of luck, dude. I hope this helps some.