Best monsters to up your combat level before you get to the Skull Caverns?

[NotSoSnarky]

I'm usually more of a fisher and forager than a mines person, but I was wanting to focus more on upping my combat level (it's so dang difficult to! Next to forage, I think combat might be the second worse to up in the levels).

I'm all the way at the bottom of the regular mines. There tends to be a lot of Dust Sprites down in the Frozen mines, but I was wondering if those were the best way to up my combat skill level? Or if I should alternate between certain monsters?

 

[Ereo]

Dust sprites are cool because they give a nice reward when you get enough for the valley protector goals, and they drop coal which is usually useful at that stage. They are also relatively harmless if you’re not that good at combat yet.

For xp, the shadow guys on the lower floors are better, but they do a lot of damage.

 

[Terdin]

Another good monster eradication goal to go for is the one for rock crabs (and those like them). Especially the lava crabs, as they're easier to spot and you'll get a fair amount of other high xp monsters while you look for them. The reward for that will help keep you alive.