"The level 1 hero ach wil be easier than you'd think."
Done.
3 ironman tries in total, with the successful one taking 6 minutes to complete. Go to town, ask brothel lady for gold and buy breast/reinforced/shorts, pay off the adventurer for the gem, then make a beeline for the witch and buy the cage of power. Keep an eye out for statue encounters to learn "Focus Energy" skill.
First 2 tries, i played without paralyze, taking heal instead, but for the succesful run, I nixed heal in favor of paralyze and judicious application of the defend skill
Also, it turns out that ironman versions of an ach dont unlock the normal one too.