If you can handle the first 2 levels of the Mines fairly easily, these mobs should be a good alternative.

Mob Cabal Location XP Notes
Fairy Nargolia Nargol Tower 1,000,000
toggle long dirs / reverse dirs
From Heart: 5n, cross bridge, 3n, 3u, n, u, 4n, kill spectral knights, yank, n, d, 2n, yank, 4n, w
From Heart: n; n; n; n; n; cross bridge; n; n; n; u; u; u; n; u; n; n; n; n; kill spectral knights; yank; n; d; n; n; yank; n; n; n; n; w


If you can kill this, you can probably kill Basil - the guy that has the Red Disciple armor.