BCNM drop rates for rare items largely depends on the quickness of how you defeat it, 25 mins in BCNM and out of all the runs 1 erase, rest was crap. Kill it under 15 mins for most loot so i seen, even if its random its more likely than not kinda thing. Which is why BCNM 40 for mandies work best with RNG RNG DRK BRD and either two RDM or WHMs.

Mary's Horn is NOT mandatory, it just increases sleep time and makes it easier, its not mandatory, but makes life easier.

I would not sugguest camping Leapin Lizzie, their drop rates are the most random and HORRIBLE than any NM i EVER seen. my friend = 0/27. Do not try it unless you want it that badly.

Investing in a craft will certainetly drain alot of money, at those lvls when i was poor i usually forgo armor making sure its only passable as a mage in order to get necessary spells until i can teleport taxi and didnt craft until lvl 50ish. Because every craft is a moneysink until a certain lvl where you can sell things for profit and its usually not very much, only to sustain yourself until lvl 90+s where you can craft the million dollar goods. I would say just farm like mad, my brother did that for dispel if you dont want to lvl BRD or craft. Once you hit 40 do some BCNMs for some standing capital, THEN go for crafts and luxury items like Phalanx.

EDIT: Dispel is based on the price of the NPC and BC30 drop rate not the inflation...>_> I have 450K