NUB about to run out! Need advice... enquire within. (in General)

So, here is my dilemma. My NUB is almost up and I am about to face CB without any supports. However I do have a few things going for me. I have a strat that I am kinda happy with and about 1,000,000 exp on each of my minions. My questions for the community are:
1. Is this character doomed? should I just give up, sell everything, and go on to my NCB character?
2. How should I spend this glut of exp? Just power up the strat I already have going? or try something new?
3. What, if any, eq changes do you think my characters need (I do have a few mil to throw around)?
4. I have always been interested in forging, does this character have a high enough MPR to effectively forge?

My character is Ikijang Score/PR/MPR: 1,230,110/615,543/422,097


As a quick reference, here is the stats of my minions:
Twitchy-Hug
HP: 199,289 AMF: 249,534 Protection: 150,000
Leather Boots [2] +9
Leather Gauntlets [2] +9
Hard Leather Cap [2] +8
Buckler [11] +19

Zot
AS: 77,833
Leather Boots [2] +9
Leather Gauntlets [2] +5
Cabasset [3] +6
Buckler [11] +19
Not a Fire Familiar (named FF) lvl 726,020

Choo-Choo
HP: 263,212 FB: 353,511 DM: 6,046
Misery (named MCM) [28] +39
DB [6] +7
Leather Gauntlets [2] +8
Cabasset [3] +9

This is a major turning point for me and will most likely guide my future on CB so please give any advice you have.

Strategy with NUB is the same as strategy without NUB.

Only go NCB if your funds can support it.

I don't believe forging is worth it unless you find you can't beat people with a score above your pr, you will make more fighting than forging.

If you actually like forging after you try it (which you likely will), use that couple mil you have and buy a high MPR char when it comes up for sale, they are way cheaper than making an NCB char (the BA cost is the same as nub, with much lower cash), and have enough forging abiliity to make good money.

Your character looks good to me.

However, most using the strat you are have more success using DM instead of AMF.

If you start a NCB, you will likely not get to be higher MPR than you are, unless you plan on playing a lot more.

As per equipment:
You can use:
COI, AG for your mage
Corn for each enchanter.

The cheapest of them all is a COI so that might be a good bet for your first item.

As per the xp you have:

First minion: AMF or DM (I personally prefer DM), your level of protection is quite nice.

Second minion: AS.

Third minion: All FB since you have AS to boost your HP. I think most FB mages with AS keep their FB at 2x their HP. Unlearn your DM on that minion and pump your FB.

And, there is no point in saving up xp. Some think it lowers your rewards as the program takes your unlearned xp and gives you a higher VPR than you would have if you had learned. Now remember rewards are primarily based on your VPR (MPR + unlearned xp) vs their score. So if unlearned xp elevates your VPR higher than normal your losing xp.

Wow, thanks for all of the great tips! If you see anything else, keep it coming!

you could always forge for months in prep for your NCB.