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Dragon Quest 9 |OT| Last chance* to shine

Man God

Non-Canon Member
Weapons in this game end up being just like DQ VIII. They're all fine but there are one or two sub optimal options, and I'd agree that Knives and Hammers are the two.

At first I thought Bow was going to join them but then I found out it has much merit in magic restoration.
 
Aeana said:
Knives or hammers are probably my least favorite, yeah.
I see. I'm actually using both those weapons currently, though the knife is only temporary. (I'm going to eventually switch my Mage back to wands.) Knives don't seem really that great to me either, I'm just using the one with the instant KO potential for hunting Metal Medleys right now.

But I like using weird weapons though, my MA is specializing in fans and I'm going to have certain characters learn whips & boomerangs later. Unconventional is the name of the game for me, I guess.
 

Aeana

Member
Gunloc said:
I see. I'm actually using both those weapons currently, though the knife is only temporary. (I'm going to eventually switch my Mage back to staffs.) Knives don't seem really that great to me either, I'm just using the one with the instant KO potential for hunting Metal Medleys right now.

But I like using weird weapons though, my MA is specializing in fans and I'm going to have certain characters learn whips & boomerangs later. Unconventional is the name of the game for me, I guess.
The quest skill for fans is incredible, though, so it's totally worth using/maxing them. Fans also get another great skill that hits like 6-8 times or so. And I wouldn't call boomerangs or whips unconventional, since the secret to success in a DQ game is multi-hitting weapons! And whips get twin dragon lash, which is one of the most overpowered skills.
 

Grampasso

Member
Man God said:
Weapons in this game end up being just like DQ VIII. They're all fine but there are one or two sub optimal options, and I'd agree that Knives and Hammers are the two.

At first I thought Bow was going to join them but then I found out it has much merit in magic restoration.
What? It doesn't seem I can use it with any class atm... I suppose I'll unlock it with hunter or such. It just seems strange that I won't be able to use it with anyone until then.
 
Aeana said:
The quest skill for fans is incredible, though, so it's totally worth using/maxing them. Fans also get another great skill that hits like 6-8 times or so. And I wouldn't call boomerangs or whips unconventional, since the secret to success in a DQ game is multi-hitting weapons! And whips get twin dragon lash, which is one of the most overpowered skills.
Dragon Quest is pretty unique in it's focus on whips and boomerangs, most other RPGs that feature them only have them in mostly a novelty fashion. (I wish more series would use them more seriously.) That's probably why I still think on them as unconventional despite their prominence in the DQ series.

I kind of shied away from whips as I moved through the game because I felt I didn't really have a strong melee weapon user. (My MC was a Whip Minstrel originally.) But I think I'm going to revisit them again later with rather my MC or my Mage.

But I was totally on board with fans since I found out you could use them in this game, so it's good to know that it has a nice payoff.
 
Man God said:
Fans are also the best weapon for your tank character and with one of the very last fans the best metal killer.
I wonder why so many other place seem to write off fans so easily. Most other sites I've read seem to consider claws or bo staffs as the only viable choice for a Martial Artist.
 

Man God

Non-Canon Member
Fans are low damage in comparison, that's why.

However besides their awesome 75 hp to all heal skill, they also offer the chance for your tank to reflect breath weapons, which can be really amazing.
 
What's the quickest way to level up your MC after a class change? Thinking about going Gladiator but it seems kinda troublesome to grind him back to lvl 27.
 

Aeana

Member
Misterinenja said:
What's the quickest way to level up your MC after a class change? Thinking about going Gladiator but it seems kinda troublesome to grind him back to lvl 27.
Well, you can fight metal enemies. Metal slimes in the Quarantomb, or Metal Medleys in the cave north of Bloomingdale. But honestly, if you just switch and continue playing normally, you'll find that your character catches up very quickly anyway.
 

BooJoh

Member
The reward for this week's DLC Story quest is really cool, but
I can't see myself using her as I've grown pretty attached to my characters by now.
 

Oxx

Member
Is there any real point in maxing-out the sword skill considering that it's already compatible with a lot of classes?
 

Aeana

Member
Oxx said:
Is there any real point in maxing-out the sword skill considering that it's already compatible with a lot of classes?
Well, if you want to use swords with gladiator, you'll have to max it.
 

Oxx

Member
Aeana said:
Well, if you want to use swords with gladiator, you'll have to max it.

Gladiators have the ability to use swords already. At least mine did.

I'm probably better off using those skill points for something else. I can live without all the accolades.
 

Aeana

Member
Oxx said:
Gladiators have the ability to use swords already. At least mine did.

I'm probably better off using those skill points for something else. I can live without all the accolades.
Err, you're right, sorry.
The classes that can't use swords: priest, mage, monk, paladin, ranger, sage, luminary.

The only weapon I can really recommend maxing no matter your party makeup is boomerang, because it's only available on two classes (only one of which is possible to access in the main game). Whips would also be good so you can use them on a more offense-oriented class. Swords, I guess, can be taken or left, since most of the classes listed above can use a better weapon (spears!).
 

CoolS

Member
Aeana said:
Well, you can fight metal enemies. Metal slimes in the Quarantomb, or Metal Medleys in the cave north of Bloomingdale. But honestly, if you just switch and continue playing normally, you'll find that your character catches up very quickly anyway.

Stupid German version. Which city is Bloomingdale?
 

Fewr

Member
STG said:
set you DS to english, and the game is in english too
I did the same
I've been playing in English, my sister in Spanish. I think the spanish translation is slightly better.
 

YourMaster

Member
Oxx said:
Is there any real point in maxing-out the sword skill considering that it's already compatible with a lot of classes?
Maxing out a weapon skill gives you access to the quest to get the secret skill of that weapon.
 

Aeana

Member
Although the secret sword skill is kind of crappy since it costs 30 MP, and the classes you're likely to have it on won't have much to spare.
 

Echoes

Member
Thanks, I didn't reach there yet but I finished the place/story quest in my brother's story mode via MP.

My main character is currently an Armamentalist. My Sword Skill is 100, and I invested 25 in the Fource Skill. Should I continue; is it good?

I also don't know what Fire Fource, etc do exactly. What's the difference between them in, say, a boss fight?
 

Wichu

Member
Echoes said:
Thanks, I didn't reach there yet but I finished the place/story quest in my brother's story mode via MP.

My main character is currently an Armamentalist. My Sword Skill is 100, and I invested 25 in the Fource Skill. Should I continue; is it good?

I also don't know what Fire Fource, etc do exactly. What's the difference between them in, say, a boss fight?
I think the Fources are pretty much elemental enchantments (with a slight attack and defense boost). If the boss is weak to fire, using Fire Fource would help your damage.
I hear there's some way to get the Fource skills to affect your entire party (level 40 quest?); they're a lot more useful once you get that.
 

Echoes

Member
I really don't know what to do after maxing the Sword Skill. Any guidance? Everything now seems "well good but not that good". How about Shield or Courage?
 

botticus

Member
Echoes said:
I really don't know what to do after maxing the Sword Skill. Any guidance? Everything now seems "well good but not that good". How about Shield or Courage?
When in doubt, go for the class-specific skills since that's where you'll find all the nice permanent stat boosts.
 

GeekyDad

Member
Crazymoogle said:
I must be missing something. Made it to the Bowhole, but the boss critical hit rate is 80-90%. :-(

I don't remember him having any crit attacks, actually. I think he's the dude who has the ground-pound attack, which yeah, that can lop off some damage. If you've got buff (or something better) or other defense buffs, use 'em.

Bowhole's pretty far into the story, though, so if you're not leveled up enough, then...
 

Koomaster

Member
My tip for allocating skill points. Only invest up to a certain skill, then stop investing points till you have enough for the next skill.

For example, in the sword skill line...

13 - Metal Slash
22 - Critical Hit Rate Up with Sword

Invest up to 13 points to get metal slash, but if you don't have enough points to get the next skill, don't invest those points.

An hour or so from now you may think to yourself that you'd rather use whips/bow/spear/etc. instead. If you had invested all your points as soon as you got them, you might have 17 points invested in the skill tree which you don't plan to finish. At least 13 points are going to actual skills, but the other 4 have gone completely to waste.

This goes for any skill line. Early in the game I found myself changing my mind about weapons/skills I wanted my guys to have. Saving points gave me a head start in investing in their new line and I didn't feel any went to waste.
 
Some of the quest rewards are not worth the trouble sometimes.

Just did the quest with the lady who wanted platinum gear for her son and all I got for a reward was a Divine Dress(already had 1)

At least I got some sunglasses from DQVC today. Also hate the sidequests which force you to go to specific Grotto's.
 

Mejilan

Running off of Custom Firmware
Zigg's roundabout method for faking tags worked out quite well. As a bonus, I was even able to acquire that awesome Japanese treasure map with the ridiculous metal encounter rates. The method should also prove an effective means for proliferating the event-specific US maps that'll be available at certain Gamestops, Best Buys, etc. Thanks again Zigg!
 
Does the skill treasure eye land :)lol) only work on the red treasure chests? I've been using it in Grottoes, and it seems to only show me the location of the next floor (which is extremely useful).
 
Easystride said:
Does the skill treasure eye land :)lol) only work on the red treasure chests? I've been using it in Grottoes, and it seems to only show me the location of the next floor (which is extremely useful).

Yep red chest only.
 

Oxx

Member
What's the deal with the quest (number 99) that wants you to get some treasure off a Hunter Mech in the Bad Cave?

Do I have to just go around killing hundreds of them and hope they drop something, or am I missing something?
 

Mejilan

Running off of Custom Firmware
Use the thief's Half Inch skill to pinch the loot from a live baddy. I'm pretty sure it'll never work as a random drop, and must be stolen. Considering how you get the quest, that does make sense.
 
Oxx said:
What's the deal with the quest (number 99) that wants you to get some treasure off a Hunter Mech in the Bad Cave?

Do I have to just go around killing hundreds of them and hope they drop something, or am I missing something?

You need to steal it using half-inch.
 
Just beat
Gadrongo
and am making the looong journey to
Upover
:p He wasn't actually that tough, I levelled to 32/33 and beat him pretty easily. I've got around 20,000G but need more for some decent armour.
 
GeekyDad said:
I don't remember him having any crit attacks, actually. I think he's the dude who has the ground-pound attack, which yeah, that can lop off some damage. If you've got buff (or something better) or other defense buffs, use 'em.

Bowhole's pretty far into the story, though, so if you're not leveled up enough, then...
Everybody is lv30. His ground pound is weak - I can take 5-7 rounds of it. But his 1st, 3rd and 4th regular attacks were all 195dmg crits. :-(
 

Oxx

Member
It has been a few days since I did anything related to the main story. Lots of quests and skill grinding going on here.
 

Oxx

Member
Mejilan said:
Same here. Approaching 45 hours on the clock, and I haven't even started Bloomingdale yet!

Almost exactly the same time, but I'm a couple of towns ahead of you.

I don't know why I'm really bothering to grind metal slimes to mess around with the different vocations and skills. The game hadn't been particularly taxing until I went off on this tangent and I'm sure my standard party would have been okay to stick with.

But I guess getting more intimate with the job system will stand me in good stead for future DQ games... Or is DQ6 a lot different?
 
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