DRAGONQUEST VIII
T H E J O U R N E Y O F T H E C U R S E D K I N G
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Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King Boss FAQ
Author: Derek Anderson
Last Updated: July 12 2007
Platform: Sony Playstation 2
Genre: RPG
Developer: Square-Enix
File Version: Final
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01) INTRODUCTION - G0100
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This FAQ is an independent publication, offered free of charge by the author.
It may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private
use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly
without advance written permission by the author.
If you wish to use this document on your website, you may do so under one
condition - you must e-mail me first for permission. If I choose to grant you
permission, you cannot change a single character of this document without
further consideration.
Readers are encouraged to submit any information they believe may improve the
accuracy or quality of this FAQ. All contributed content will be credited to
those responsible. Contact information may be found below.
Copyright (c) 2006-2007 Derek Anderson. All rights reserved.
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02) TABLE OF CONTENTS - G0200
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01) Introduction.....................................................G0100
02) Table Of Contents................................................G0200
03) Boss Strategies..................................................G0300
a. Geyser........................................................G0301
b. Khalamari.....................................................G0302
c. Tortured Soul.................................................G0303
d. Trap Box......................................................G0304
e. Don Mole......................................................G0305
f. Great Argon Lizard............................................G0306
g. Dark Ruins Boss (First Form)..................................G0307
h. Dark Ruins Boss (Second Form).................................G0308
i. Evil Sorceress................................................G0309
j. Captain Crow..................................................G0310
k. Empyrea.......................................................G0311
l. Gemon.........................................................G0312
m. Evil Sir Leopold..............................................G0313
n. Holy Isle Of Neos Boss........................................G0314
o. Black Citadel Boss............................................G0315
p. Servant Of Darkness...........................................G0316
q. The Statues...................................................G0317
r. Megalodon.....................................................G0318
s. Ruin..........................................................G0319
t. Final Boss (Phase One)........................................G0320
u. Final Boss (Phase Two)........................................G0321
04) Optional Bosses..................................................G0400
a. Red Horn & Blue Fang..........................................G0401
b. Boss Trolls...................................................G0402
05) Tips & Tricks....................................................G0500
a. FAQ...........................................................G0501
b. Skill Sets....................................................G0502
c. Gaining Experience............................................G0503
d. Acquiring Gold................................................G0504
e. Monster Teams.................................................G0505
f. End-Game Equipment............................................G0506
06) Contact Info.....................................................G0600
07) Version History..................................................G0700
08) Credits..........................................................G0800
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03) BOSS STRATEGIES - G0300
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It should be noted that most of these strategies were written while I focused
on Swords with Hero, Axes with Yangus, Whips/Staves with Jessica, and Swords
with Angelo. Any of the skill-specific strategies I've used here should be
replaced accordingly with whichever skill set you are using. For example, if
you're using Spears with Hero instead of Swords, replace every instance of
"Falcon Slash" with either a normal attack or a powerful, low-cost ability.
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a) GEYSER - G0301
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
173 | 20 | 107 | 108 | 43 | 14 | 9 | 12 | Seed of Strength
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1. Normal Attack: 20~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Sizz: 10~ Damage (ALL)
3. Cursed Mist: Curses your party (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 5 or 6 before approaching this battle. Be sure
to buy the Wayfarer's Clothes for Yangus and the Leather Armour for Hero in
Farebury. You can find one Leather Shield in Farebury's well, so you only
need one more. Get a Leather Hat for Yangus as well. Stock up on medicinal
herbs, antidotal herbs, and chimaera wings (more so for the cave than for
Geyser). Both Hero and Yangus should have at least three or four medicinal
herbs in their inventories. If Yangus reaches level 6 before making it to the
boss, he has the chance to learn Heal (if you put all 10 of his skill points
into Humanity). In the cave, make sure to grab the Copper Sword and another
Leather Hat for Hero, then heal just before you grab the crystal ball and
start the fight.
STRATEGY
Have Yangus begin the battle by psyching up and let Hero simply attack. From
then on, have Hero trade off using Heal/medicinal herbs with attacking while
Yangus raises his tension up to 50 and attacks. Repeat this process until
Geyser is finished. If you reached level 6 with Yangus and had him learn
Heal, you could give him most of the medicinal herbs and allow Hero to psych
up instead (but only if you found the Copper Sword in the cave and have Hero
equip it).
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b) KHALAMARI - G0302
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
360 | 255 | 311 | 230 | 63 | 16 | 17 | 16 | Gold Bracer
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1. Normal Attack: 25~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Mow Down: 15~ Damage (ALL)
3. Flame Breath: ~35 Damage (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 11 or 12 before approaching this battle. I hope
you didn't go too spending-crazy in Alexandria, because you're going to need
some gold to buy a few things in Port Prospect. For Hero, make sure that he
has the Scale Armour and Scale Shield. If you're up for fighting quite a few
extra battles, try to get the Iron Lance as well. Yangus needs to have either
the Stone Axe or the Farmer's Scythe by now (I used the Axe, because it was
much cheaper, plus I got a +5 attack bonus while using Axes). A Scale Shield
and Leather Kilt are also recommended for Yangus (at least one Scale Shield
can be found in the Tower of Alexandria). Rest and save before heading on the
boat.
STRATEGY
Start off by having Hero attack and Yangus use Helm Splitter (or psych up, if
you don't have that ability at your disposal). No matter which attack
Khalamari hits you with first, you're going to have to be ready to heal on
your second turn. From then on, Yangus should be doing nothing but raising
his tension to 50 and attacking while Hero casts Heal every turn. Your
biggest problem in this battle is Khalamari's Flame Breath attack. Since it
hits both Hero and Yangus for around 35 damage each, it can be very deadly if
they aren't fully healed. But luckily for us, Khalamari ALWAYS follows an
exact attack pattern, and it goes something like this: Flame Breath, Normal
Attack, Mow Down, Normal Attack, Mow Down, Normal Attack, Flame Breath.
Repeat. When it's time for him to use Flame Breath, defend with both of your
characters and the attack should only do around 15-20 damage instead of 35
(or less, if your tension was high while you were defending). Then go back to
having Hero heal and Yangus psych up until it's time to defend again. Rinse
and repeat until Khalamari is finished.
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c) TORTURED SOUL - G0303
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
425 | 255 | 680 | 200 | 66 | 35 | 36 | 20 | Gold Rosary
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1. Normal Attack: 20~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Sizzle: 20~ Damage (ALL)
3. Call for Back-Up: Calls Walking Corpse + Skeleton (SELF)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 14 or 15 before approaching this battle. As far
as equipment goes, you'll want to get the Pointy Hat for Yangus in Peregrin
Quay and a Turban for Hero in Simpleton (two traders on the second floor of
the bar). The Chain Mail in Simpleton wouldn't hurt to have, either, if
you've got enough gold. The ol' Stone Axe and Copper Sword should still be
okay for Yangus and Hero, but Jessica's going to need a Thorn Whip from
Peregrin Quay if you want her to be of any help in the Abbey. You might want
to give her one of your old shields as well, because she doesn't come
equipped with one. Also, make sure you've put at least three skill points
into Staves for Jessica, because she'll learn Acceleratle (a.k.a. Haste),
which works wonders in almost every boss battle from now until the end of the
game. If you're feeling REALLY crazy, you could run all the way to Ascantha,
which is far southwest of Simpleton (follow the path leading south from the
Abbey and you should be fine). It's a tough run, especially before you get
Angelo, but the equipment is much better there than it is in Simpleton. Make
sure you have at least two medicinal herbs in every character's inventory
and maybe an extra antidotal herb. Heal before you approach the boss.
STRATEGY
In my opinion, making it through the Abbey itself without wasting too much MP
is actually more challenging than fighting this boss. Nevertheless, this guy
poses quite a threat to an under-leveled party. Begin by having Hero attack,
Yangus psych up, and Jessica cast Acceleratle. For the next two turns, have
Jessica cast Sap to lower the boss's defense while Yangus psychs up and Hero
attacks and/or heals the party. If she knows Snooze by now, use that as well.
Only use Crack if you didn't get the Thorn Whip. Otherwise, it's a waste of
MP. Yangus should focus his attacks on the Tortured Soul, and Hero should
take out only one of the monsters he calls into battle (preferably, the
Walking Corpse). If you kill both of them, he'll just call for back-up again.
The Walking Corpse can poison one of your characters when it attacks, so be
ready to use Squelch or an antidotal herb. Remember that once you've killed
the boss, you still have to take out whatever monsters he summoned before the
battle is over. Keep everyone's HP as high as possible throughout the entire
battle and you should be fine.
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d) TRAP BOX - G0304
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1100 | 255 | 1020 | 660 | 92 | 60 | 50 | 23 | Venus' Tear
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1. Normal Attack: 25~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Desperate Attack: 80~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Crackle: 30~ Damage (ALL)
4. Fuddle: Confuses a member of your party (SINGLE)
5. Snooze: Puts your party to sleep (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 18 or 19 before approaching this battle (he
learns Midheal at 18). There are a lot of great items in Pickham, but the
things that I HIGHLY recommend you buy are as follows: For Hero, pick up a
Steel Broadsword (or the next best weapon of your choice, depending on where
you've been placing your skill points) and an Iron Shield. Grab an Iron
Shield for Yangus as well, a Dancer's Costume for Jess, and an Iron Helmet
for our friend, Angelo. These are the absolute minimum if you want to make it
through the Labyrinth without too much trouble. If you need more money,
Goodybags net you around 106 gold every time you defeat one, and they're
quite common in the Labyrinth. If you do pick up some extra gold, I'd suggest
getting an Iron Helmet for Hero as well, and maybe the Bronze Armour. The
Iron Axe is a great weapon to have, especially when Yangus is psyched up, but
it was too expensive for my taste. Don't forget to give one of your old
shields to Angelo for protection, seeing as how the Templars never supplied
him with one. Conserve MP in the Labyrinth by having Hero and Yangus heal
instead of Angelo. Heal before you approach the chest with the Tear to begin
the battle.
STRATEGY
Oh no, it's a TRAP! A trap BOX! We'll show him a thing or two about keeping
us from our treasure once we've made it this far. Start off by having Hero
and Yangus psych up while Jessica casts Acceleratle and Angelo casts Kabuff.
Sap doesn't seem to work, so don't bother with that. Trap Box loves to use
spells that mess with your party, such as Snooze and Fuddle. This makes it
very hard to strategize past the first turn, because you never know what
state your characters will be in next. If you start psyching up with Hero and
Yangus and they get hit with Fuddle, they could attack Jessica or Angelo next
turn, potentially killing them. However, without psyching up, this battle is
going to drag on for a long time, due to Trap Box's HP. So you're going to
have to think on your feet and be ready for whatever it throws at you. If
you're having a lot of trouble with his desperate attacks, don't psych up as
much (psyching up seems to trigger his desperate attack). And once Jessica
has used Acceleratle, she's free to attack normally. Since most of her spells
are worthless at this point, the Twin Dragon Lash ability is going to be your
best friend (assuming that you've spent a few skill points on Whips). With
Jessica psyched up to 50, it has the potential to deal more damage than
either Hero or Yangus's psyched up attacks. Angelo should be busy casting
Midheal throughout the entire battle or Kabuff if no one's hurt. Don't cast
it if you don't need it, though; MP is a precious commodity in most early
boss battles.
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e) DON MOLE - G0305
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1280 | 0 | 1160 | 360 | 132 | 76 | 64 | 18 | Moonshadow Harp
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1. Normal Attack: 45~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Shake the Ground: 45~ Damage (ALL)
3. The Performance Begins: Confuses your party/Soul Moles (ALL)
4. Call for Back-Up: Calls Soul Moles into battle (SELF)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 22 before approaching this battle. We can
finally put together a Monster Team to use against a boss! For my explanation
of the Monster Arena and suggestions for what your team should be, scroll
ahead to the Monster Teams section in Tips & Tricks. Of course, you have to
clear Rank E to learn the Call Team ability, but that's not very difficult (I
was able to clear Rank D before I even finished Trodain Castle!). Plus,
you'll grab a few very nice items along the way. If you haven't bought the
Iron Axe for Yangus yet, now's the time to do so (Pickham, 2,600 gold). A
lil' alchemy never hurt anyone, so let's make some Bunny Ears for Jessica
(all it takes is a Bunny Tail and a Hairband). If you have a Ring of Clarity,
you could equip this with one of your characters to prevent them from
becoming confused, but the Ring won't protect them 100% of the time, so it
may not be worth it. Let Hero and Yangus do most of the healing before you
reach the boss, because you'll want Angelo to have as much MP as possible
during the battle.
STRATEGY
With a decent Monster Team, this battle should be a piece of cake. Hell, even
without a Team, this Mole doesn't pose too much of a threat. Don Mole likes
to start off the battle by using an ability that confuses and paralyzes
everyone in your party. This also affects his Soul Mole sidekicks, which
means that they can (and probably will) become confused and attack Don Mole
for you (they attacked him at least five times in my first battle). To combat
this from affecting your party, call your Monster Team into battle right from
the start. If you don't have a Monster Team, don't worry, because the effects
of the ability will wear off in a few turns (or sooner, if Don Mole or one of
the Soul Moles attacks a confused characters and brings them to their
senses). Just keep everyone healed until they're back to normal and you can
resume your attacks. Once your Monster Team has gone through its three turns,
have Jessica and Angelo cast Acceleratle and Kabuff (respectively) while Hero
and Yangus psych up. If you've learned Falcon Slash, use that instead of your
normal attack with Hero. Sap doesn't seem to affect Don Mole, so don't waste
your time casting it. Jessica should cast Oomph on Hero, Yangus, and herself,
then attack with Twin Dragon Lash. Angelo's going to be occupied casting
Midheal and Kabuff throughout the entire battle, so there's no use in casting
Oomph on him. The Soul Moles have 88 HP and usually deal around 35 damage,
but they like to psych up a lot too. If you kill one, Don Mole will call for
back-up and bring another into the battle, so don't attack them until Don
Mole is finished.
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f) GREAT ARGON LIZARD - G0306
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1390 | 0 | 2830 | 520 | 195 | 160 | 54 | 35 | Great Big Argon Heart
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1. Normal Attack: 70~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Leap Into the Air: 90~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Mow Down: 40~ Damage (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 25 before approaching this battle. If you ever
need to rest your party, just use Evac and talk to the lady in the house
outside of the Hunting Grounds. In regards to your equipment, you'll probably
want to upgrade a little in Argonia, but don't spend TOO much while you're
there. By the time you're finished with the Royal Hunting Grounds, the bazaar
will have begun, and you'll definitely need to pick up some things there
before you head to the Dark Ruins. I WOULD suggest that you buy the Silver
Mail for Hero and two Light Shields for Jessica and Angelo before this
battle, though. In Neos, you'll find a pair of Scholar's Specs that you
should give to Jessica, and if you've found 35 mini medals by now, Princess
Minnie will give you the Posh Waistcoat for Angelo to wear (if you haven't
found 35 mini medals, buy the Magic Garment in Argonia for Angelo instead).
And, of course, check the Monster Teams section to see what your team
could/should be for this boss battle.
STRATEGY
If you've got a good Monster Team, you won't even need to fight against the
normal Argon Lizards. Just call your team into battle and it should all be
over in three turns. The "Great" Argon Lizard is hardly more difficult. It's
got more HP and hits harder, but other than that, there's nothing to worry
about here. Start off by calling your Monster Team and let them absorb some
damage while they knock its health down a little. Once they're done, it's
time to land the finishing blow(s). Have Hero and Yangus psych up to 100
(odds are that your characters have the ability to do this by now). Have
Angelo use Kabuff, then begin casting Fullheal (or Midheal) on whoever's
damaged the most. Jessica's strategy is very specific. First, have her cast
Acceleratle. Next, she casts Oomph on Hero, then Sap twice on the Lizard. If
all goes to plan, Yangus probably won't even have a chance to use his psyched
up attack. Once Hero is completely psyched up and Oomphed, have him use
Dragon Slash. By all means, the Lizard should be completely destroyed. I
mean, I dealt more damage with this one attack than the Great Argon Lizard's
max HP! If, by some chance, the Lizard is still standing, have Yangus unleash
his attack. And if it's STILL there, just use normal attacks and Falcon
Slashes until it's finished.
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g) DHOULMAGUS (FIRST FORM) - G0307
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1880 | 255 | 4300 | 0 | 202 | 128 | 78 | 18 | None
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1. Opens Both Hands: Splits into three Dhoulmaguses (SELF)
2. Normal Attack: 50~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Wind Sickles: 70~ Damage (SINGLE)
4. Throws Debris: 80~ Damage (HITS 2 RANDOM -or- 1 TWICE)
5. Eyes Gleem Eerily: Puts one character to sleep (SINGLE)
6. Thousands of Whips: 40~ Damage (ALL)
7. Thin Air Attack: 40~ Damage (ALL)
8. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
9. Multiheal: Restores 80~ HP (SELF/ALL)
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DHOULMAGUS CLONES
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
570 | 255 | 450 | 0 | 176 | 128 | 86 | 20 | None
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 29 or (preferably) 30 before approaching this
battle. And no, that is not a typo. If you want to be able to beat Dhoulmagus
without tearing your hair out, you're going to need Hero to be at least level
30. But more important than Hero's level is Angelo's. Once he hits level 30,
he learns Multiheal, which is INCREDIBLY helpful in this fight. Thankfully,
now that you have the boat, there are a few places you can hunt for metal
slimes. Check the Gaining Experience section of this FAQ for help. Another
great place to level up is the area just before you reach Dhoulmagus in the
Dark Ruins. There's a spring there that you can use to completely heal your
party. Whistle, call your Monster Team, heal, repeat. You'll be leveling up
in no time. Put most of your money in a bank, because there's a good chance
that you won't make it past Dhoulmagus the first time you fight him. But
don't fret! If you beat Dhoulmagus's first form and die fighting his second,
you can go back to the Dark Ruins and you'll only have to fight his second
form again. With the Dragon Scale that can be found in the Dark Ruins, plus
the one in from the Royal Hunting Grounds, you can now make a Dragontail Whip
for Jessica, which is a BIG upgrade. Just mix the two Dragon Scales with a
Snakeskin Whip (Leather Whip + Scale Shield). The best sword for Hero at this
point in the game is Zombie Slayer. To make this, you must first buy a
Zombiesbane at the bazaar in Argonia, then mix it with a Holy Talisman (Tough
Guy Tattoo + Holy Water + Gold Rosary). Voila, instant badass weapon! This
sword also works great against most of the enemies in the Dark Ruins. As far
as the rest of your equipment goes, I'd suggest picking up the best of
everything in the bazaar, ESPECIALLY the armour and shields that absorb magic
damage. For example, the Magic Vestment is weaker than a Silk Bustier, but
the magic resistance definitely makes up for it. Also in the bazaar is a
little girl who's selling Yggdrasil leaves. These are great, because they
always revive a character when used (unlike Zing, which only works half of
the time). However, the girl will only sell you a leaf if you don't already
have one, so once she gives you your first, she'll stop selling them to you.
You can get around this by "hiding" one of your leaves in the alchemy pot.
Put a Yggdrasil leaf and some Magic Water into the pot, then buy another leaf
from the girl. Immediately cancel the alchemy pot, and now you've got two
Yggdrasil leaves. If you've done the Chateau Felix sidequest, there's a less
costly method of doing this. While helping Felix, you encounter a tree that
appears only at dawn. Here you will find a Yggdrasil Leaf if you currently
have none in your inventory. If you already have one, use the aforementioned
alchemy pot trick to "hide" the first and pick up the second, then interrupt
the pot to regain the first. Make sure to put at least one or two Magic
Waters into Jessica and/or Yangus's inventory, because there's a good chance
that you'll need to use them on Angelo if you're trying to make it through
both of Dhoulmagus's forms in one run (especially if you're casting Multiheal
almost every turn, or even if you don't have Multiheal at all).
STRATEGY
Believe it or not, but this is the easy half of our epic battle with
Dhoulmagus. He always starts off by splitting himself into three entities.
The real Dhoulmagus is in the center; the two flanking him are clones. They
only attack once per turn, but they can deal almost as much damage as the
real Dhoulmagus, so you'll want to take them out first. Thankfully, they only
have 570 HP, so they'll go down quick, plus Dhoulmagus won't regenerate them
once they're gone. In this battle, you really only have two priorities;
attacking and healing. Hero and Yangus should be attacking almost every turn,
unless Hero needs to cast Fullheal to help Angelo out. Make sure that Hero is
using Falcon Slash, too, as it's much more effective than his normal attack.
Jessica casts Oomph on those two, then attacks every turn with Twin Dragon
Lash until Dhoulmagus uses his Wave of Ice ability or the Oomph runs out. Sap
rarely, if ever, works here, so I wouldn't suggest that you bother with that.
You also don't want to psych up or use any stat buffs other than Oomph,
because you'll only end up wasting turns once Dhoulmagus wipes them all out
with his Wave of Ice. In the beginning, Angelo should attack with Falcon
Slash, but once Dhoulmagus starts attacking, he needs to be kept busy casting
either Multiheal or Fullheal until Dhoulmagus is finished. The moves you want
to look out for are when he throws debris at one of your characters, plus any
of the attacks that damage everyone in your party (specifically, Thin Air and
Thousands of Whips). This is why it's suggested that you have Angelo learn
Multiheal before this battle, but you can make it just fine without. Whenever
Dhoulmagus puts someone to sleep, don't bother having Angelo use Tingle on
them, because one of his next attacks is sure to wake them up. You can call
your Monster Team at any time during the battle, but I'd suggest waiting
until the clones have been taken out first so that they can focus their
attacks on the real Dhoulmagus.
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h) DHOULMAGUS (SECOND FORM) - G0308
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
2640 | 255 | 12000 | 0 | 210 | 135 | 74 | 15 | None
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1. Normal Attack: 70~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Combo Attack: 25~ Damage x 5 [125~ Damage] (SINGLE)
3. Kasizzle: 40~ Damage (ALL)
4. Kacrackle: 40~ Damage (ALL)
5. Blazing Fire: 60~ Damage (ALL)
6. Feather Arrows: 80~ Damage (ALL)
7. Intimidating Scream: Knocks out a character for one turn (ALL)
8. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 30 or 31 before approaching this battle. See
the Preparations section for Dhoulamgus' first form. If you manage to beat
his first form, but die fighting his second, you can go back to the Dark
Ruins and you'll only have to fight his second form again.
STRATEGY
Oh, here's where things start to get nasty. Once again, Dhoulmagus will be
able to attack twice per turn, nullify all of your stat buffs, and attack all
of your characters at once for big damage (especially once his HP starts
running low). If you have Multiheal, good for you. If not, you'd better have
Hero and Angelo be ready to cast Fullheal almost every turn. If there's one
character that desperately needs to be healed, make sure to have Angelo cast
Fullheal on them instead of Hero, because there's a greater chance that he'll
be able to use it before Dhoulmagus attacks again. Have Jessica focus on
casting Oomph on Hero and Yangus, then attack with Twin Dragon Lash.
Dhoulmagus loves to cast Kasizzle and Kacrackle, so it may be in your best
interest to use Insulate or Magic Barrier as well during this battle. Once
again, though, only these two spells and Oomph should be used as stat buffs.
If one of your characters dies, I'd suggest using a Yggdrasil leaf instead of
Zing, because it'll save you from a lot of frustration if Zing fails. Nearly
every turn, Yangus should be using his normal attack. Only have Hero use
Falcon Slash, and that's only when no more than one person really needs to be
healed. Again, Jessica's casting Oomph, Insulate/Magic Barrier, and Twin
Dragon Lash while Angelo constantly uses Multiheal and Fullheal. Don't let
anyone's HP drop too far down; play conservatively and you won't have too
much to worry about. Dhoulmagus' combo attack is capable of taking out any
one of your characters if their HP is too low, and the combination of his
fire/ice spells and the feather arrows attack can be just as deadly. Feel
free to call your Monster Team into battle again at any time, and let them
absorb some damage while they deal their own. This battle can be ridiculously
challenging, but keep trying! Like they say, don't give up before you LEVEL
up!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
i) EVIL JESSICA - G0309
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1970 | 255 | 7800 | 0 | 180 | 138 | 82 | 40 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 35~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Kafrizzle: 70~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Kasizzle: 40~ Damage (ALL)
4. Kacrackle: 40~ Damage (ALL)
5. Kasnooze: Puts your party to sleep (ALL)
6. Tears the Dimension: Calls 3 Shadows into battle (SELF)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 32 before approaching this battle. If you
picked up the best of everything at the bazaar in Argonia, you shouldn't need
anything in Arcadia. If you didn't, feel free to upgrade whatever you like.
For many, the Magic Bikini is a "must-have," but I found that it was phased
out fairly quickly by better equipment, making its 13,800 gold price tag a
big mistake. If you just CAN'T live without it, go ahead and buy it, but
don't say that I didn't warn you. Dominico will heal your party before this
battle.
STRATEGY
After that hellacious duel with Dhoulmagus, poor Jessica doesn't pose much of
a threat anymore. And since she's obviously not in your party at the moment,
this strategy is going to be much more straight-forward than the last couple
of boss battles. Evil Jessica doesn't have any spells that can nullify your
stat buffs, so have Angelo cast Kabuff a couple of times at the beginning of
the battle. Her only annoying spell is Kasnooze, which has the ability to put
all three of your characters to sleep. However, her other favorite ability
(calling Shadows from another dimension into battle) actually works in your
favor. Since these Shadows only deal around 5 damage with their normal
attacks, and roughly 15 with their one ability (Cool Breath), it's in your
best interest not to waste your time killing them. When Jessica puts your
characters to sleep, the Shadows will attack them, usually waking everyone
up. If you just can't stand having the Shadows around, have Hero cast Zap or
Kasizzle. Other than that, she'll use a couple of spells that hit everyone in
your party, plus her normal attack and Kafrizzle (which deals around 70
damage to whoever it hits). Hero should be preoccupied with attacking every
turn. There's no reason to have him psych up, because you'll need to be able
to cast his spells whenever you want to get rid of Jessica's Shadows. Yangus,
on the other hand, is free to psych up as much as possible until he's ready
to attack. Have Angelo cast Kabuff when he's not busy using Multiheal,
Fullheal, or attacking with Falcon Slash. As always, your Monster Team works
wonderfully in this battle. Just make sure not to call them into battle until
right after you've taken out all of the Shadows.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
j) CAPTAIN CROW - G0310
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
3680 | 255 | 9750 | 2675 | 256 | 152 | 90 | 12 | Pirate's Hat
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 80~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Thin Air Attack: 40-50~ Damage (ALL)
3. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 35 before approaching this battle. In Orkutsk,
buy a King Axe for Yangus. If you're a tight wad like I am, this'll be a HUGE
upgrade for him. At this point in the game, you can get two very powerful
weapons for Hero. The first is the Miracle Sword, given to you by Princess
Minnie in exchange for 68 mini medals. The other is the Hero Spear, which is
the prize for clearing Rank A of the Monster Arena. The best weapon for you
is dependent on which skill set you've been focusing on. You may also want to
invest in some of the armour that is available in Orkutsk, though there will
be better armour in the next two towns that you visit. Captain Crow's attacks
are much more physical than magical, which means that the defense rating on
your equipment is more important than any secondary magic-resistant effects
it may have. Also, if, for some reason, you haven't gone through the Monster
Arena and put together a good Monster Team yet, NOW is the time to do so.
Check the Monster Teams section of this FAQ for more details.
STRATEGY
This is one of those bosses that you expect to be fairly easy, but turns out
to be quite difficult. That's right; this ol' Cap'n can still give you one
hell of a fight. He loves to psych up. A lot. And by "a lot," I mean that he
likes to psych up all the way to 100. Needless to say, when he hits you with
one of his high-tension attacks, it's going to hurt. A lot. Oh, and did I
mention that he has two moves every turn? That's right, he can go to 100 in
two turns. But don't fret; with the right combination of Sap, Call Team, and
abilities like Puff Puff and Underpants Dance, Crow isn't nearly as dangerous
as he seems. Start off the battle by having Hero and Yangus psych up while
Jessica casts Sap and Angelo either attacks or uses Kabuff. Now, these first
few turns are going to be the only time that you should psych up this entire
battle, due to Crow's Wave of Ice ability and the unpredictable times that
you'll need to defend against his big attacks. Once Jessica's cast Sap once
or twice, try to have her use Oomph on Hero or Yangus before they attack.
They should only be psyching up to around 50, because you're running the risk
of having your tension negated by the Wave of Ice if you try to go to 100.
Have Hero and Angelo attack with Miracle Slash when they're damaged and
Falcon Slash when they're not. If you've got a Monster Team or two, don't
call them into battle until Crow's ready to unleash his high-tension attack.
Remember that Call Team will always be used before anything else the turn
that you use it, so don't worry about Crow attacking before you call your
team into battle. If Crow hits one of your characters with a normal attack
when his tension is 100, it's almost guaranteed to kill that character,
regardless of who it is. If he uses his Thin Air attack when he's fully
psyched up, it will seriously damage your entire party, potentially taking
out Jessica and/or Angelo at the same time. If you've learned Jessica's Puff
Puff ability or Angelo's Sarcastic S******, use them to knock Crow's tension
down and buy yourself some time for healing or attacking. Even better than
Sarcastic S****** is Yangus' Warcry and Underpants Dance abilities, as they
could, in theory, keep Crow knocked out the entire time (granted, these
probably won't work every time, but they'll work enough to make the battle
MUCH easier). You may also want to cast Kabuff once or twice before he
attacks and hope that he doesn't use Wave of Ice. Once he's either psyched up
to 100 or is set to psych up and then attack next turn, call your Monster
Team immediately, or have everyone defend except for Hero, who should use
Defending Champion if he has it. Once the damage has been dealt, have Hero
and Angelo use Fullheal and Multiheal while Yangus attacks and Jessica uses
Twin Dragon Lash or her most powerful spell (or Sap, if Crow's defense has
returned to normal by now).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
k) EMPYREA - G0311
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1785 | 255 | 10150 | 0 | 386 | 308 | 101 | 42 | Seed of Magic
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 150~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Zap: 70~ Damage (ALL)
3. Body Flashes Brightly: Dazzles your party (ALL)
4. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
5. Midheal: Restores 75~ HP (SELF)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 36 or 37 before approaching this battle. For
many, this battle will come as a complete surprise, meaning that any sort
preparation is going to be out of the question (the first time you fight her,
at least). That is, of course, unless you're reading this in advance, in
which case, I congratulate you. Anyway, whether or not you're reading this
before you fight Empyrea or after she's whipped you, there are a few things
you can do to make sure that this Godbird doesn't ruffle your feather
(*cough*). First of all, stock up on some good equipment in Empycchu. If you
haven't opened the casino in Baccarat yet, I'd suggest that you take the time
to do that (see: Acquiring Gold section of this FAQ). In the casino, you
can make an unlimited amount of cash and/or win some great items (a Gringham
Whip, Falcon Blades, Liquid Metal Armours, and some Saint's Ashes for the
alchemy pot). Make sure that Angelo has the best possible equipment you can
give him, because you don't want him to die at any point during this battle.
Don't forget to cash in your mini medals, too.
STRATEGY
And you thought Captain Crow was tough. Empyrea attacks twice per turn, hits
for around 150 damage with her normal attack, uses the Wave of Ice ability to
nullify your stat buffs, dazzles your party to make physical attacks useless,
and heals herself all the time. Oh boy. If she hits one of your weaker
characters twice in a row, expect to be using Fullheal or Kazing the next
turn. And regardless of which attacks she uses, Multiheal is going to be very
useful. Start off by calling your Monster Team(s). If you have two, call your
weakest one first and hope that she only dazzles that team. Once they've used
up their three turns, the real battle begins. Have Hero and Yangus attack
while Jessica casts Oomph on both of them and attacks with a powerful spell
(Twin Dragon Lash doesn't seem to work very well against Empyrea, so use
Kafrizzle or something similar instead, especially when Jessica's dazzled).
Angelo can cast Kabuff in the beginning or when no one is damaged, but for
the most party, he should be preoccupied casting Fullheal and Multiheal. If
you've learned Divine Intervention with him, cast that as well to increase
the damage caused by your spells. When Empyrea's body flashes brightly,
she'll dazzle most of your party, causing most of your physical attacks to do
no damage to her. While your characters are dazzled, have them either use an
offensive spell (Zap or Kafrizzle) or psych up. If Angelo becomes dazzled,
that won't affect his job as healer, so don't worry about him. This battle
can drag on for a while, due to Empyrea's high defense and her ability to
cast Midheal. Stick to healing and attacking, and avoid using any stat buffs
outside of Oomph and Kabuff. Even though her defense is high, she's doesn't
have very much HP, so even your weakest attacks will add up over time.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
l) GEMON - G0312
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
3960 | 8 | 8600 | 0 | 328 | 152 | 99 | 42 | Seed of Skill
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 100-150~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Desperate Attack: 300~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Belches Blazing Fire: 50~ Damage (ALL)
4. Call for Back-Up: Calls a Dark Condor and Dark Turkey (SELF)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 37 before approaching this battle. Check the
Preparations section for the battle with Empyrea. Remember to heal before
engaging Gemon.
STRATEGY
After that nasty fight with Empyrea, this battle is nothing. He can still
attack twice per turn for a decent amount of damage, but the most important
thing to note is that he DOES NOT have the Wave of Ice ability. This means
that you can use any stat buffs you like and never have to worry about him
nullifying them. Psych up, Kabuff, Acceleratle, Oomph, etc. Use 'em all. You
can also have Jessica use Sap on Gemon at least twice. Have Hero and Yangus
psych up to 50 or 100 right from the start. Jessica casts Acceleratle, Oomph
on both of them, then Sap on Gemon. Angelo can start by casting Kabuff, but
after that, he should be occupied with Multiheals and the occasional
Fullheal. Gemon starts off with two allies: a Dark Turkey and a Dark Condor.
The Dark Turkey hits for around 40 damage with its normal attack and 100 with
Wind Sickles. It also has the ability to intimidate your party and cast
Kasap. The Dark Condor is less versatile; usually, it will only attack you
for around 50 damage. But if you call your monster team into battle, the Dark
Condor can force them to leave with one of its ability. However, your monster
team is usually faster than your opponents, which means that they will most
likely kill the Dark Condor before it even has the chance to attack (no
guarantees, though). Once you've attacked with your psyched up and Oomphed
Hero and Yangus, continue to psych up or hit Gemon with your best attacks.
Since you've got Oomph and Sap on your side, even your normal attacks will
hit hard. When Jessica runs out of things to do, have her either attack Gemon
with Twin Dragon Lash or use a spell like Kaboom to hit all of your enemies.
If you kill both the Condor and the Turkey, Gemon will call for back-up and
bring in two new ones. However, if you only kill one, he won't bother, so
it's in your best interest to only take out the Dark Turkey.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
m) EVIL SIR LEOPOLD - G0313
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
4260 | 0 | 10200 | 0 | 299 | 152 | 94 | 45 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 80~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Cold Breath: 100~ Damage (ALL)
3. Intimidating Scream: Knocks out a character for one turn (ALL)
4. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 38 before approaching this battle. Now that you
can fly, there are plenty of places for you to explore and new equipment to
find. Yangus's best axe is located at the bottom of Howlind Hill, a tall
plateau north of Rydon's Tower. Land there and follow the paths leading
downward until you reach the chest with the axe. His best scythe can now be
purchased in Tryan Gully, where you were given the Darktree Leaf. At the
south end of the desert, there's a ledge with an Orge Shield. If you're too
lazy to win the Gringham Whip for Jessica in Baccarat Casino, you can mix
some Saint's Ashes with a Demon Whip (Godbird's Eyrie, Dark World) to create
Jessica's second best whip, the Scourge Whip. There are too many good recipes
to list here, so you can either find the rest out for yourself or check
another FAQ. And don't forget about all of the great items that are now
available in Tryan Gully, including Power Shields, Great Helms, Thinking
Caps, Gigant Armour (great for Yangus), and Magic Waters. Plus, you can buy a
Great Bow to mix with an Eros' Bow (Hunter's Bow + Garter Belt) and a
Cheiron's Bow (Eros' Bow + Power Shield) to create Odin's Bow, Angelo's best
bow. If you need to gain some more experience, check the Gaining Experience
section for info on new places that you can level up with the Soulstone.
STRATEGY
We meet again, Sir Leopold. Only this time, we actually get to fight.
Leopold's nothing special. He attacks twice per turn and uses the Wave of Ice
ability, but other than that, there's nothing to worry about. His strongest
attack is Cold Breath, which hits all of your characters for roughly 100
damage each, but that's what Multiheal is for, right? Leopold always starts
off by using his Intimidating Scream. You can combat this by calling one of
your Monster Teams in the first turn. Once they're finished, have Hero and
Yangus attack and Jessica cast Sap at least once. From then on, Jessica
should be attacking and/or using Oomph on Hero and Yangus. Twin Dragon Lash
works GREAT in this battle, so use that whenever you get the chance. As
always, Angelo can start out using Kabuff, but he'll need to be ready to cast
Multiheal the rest of the time. Leopold has a surprisingly low agility
rating, which means that you'll often have your entire party take their turn
before he does. For the most part, you should be attacking and healing,
nothing else. After the first turn, the only stat buff you should ever
consider using is Oomph, and possibly Insulate or Magic Barrier if you'd like
to cut down on the damage caused by Cold Breath. Keep chipping away at
Leopold's HP and he'll go down in no time.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
n) MARCELLO - G0314
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
3120 | 255 | 11020 | 0 | 320 | 178 | 108 | 42 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 100~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Wind Sickles: 100~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Kafrizzle: 110~ Damage (SINGLE)
4. Pray to the Heavens: 130~ Damage (ALL)
5. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
6. Midheal: Restores 75~ HP (SELF)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 39 before approaching this battle. Check the
Preparations section for Evil Sir Leopold. Heal, save, etc. And don't forget
to cash in those mini medals!
STRATEGY
Oh, so Marcello thinks that he can just sic his guards on you and let THEM
handle the dirty work? Not quite. This battle is no more difficult than the
last boss battle. He'll attack twice per turn, but none of his attacks have
the ability to wipe out one of your characters (or your party, for that
matter). Hero and Yangus should be non-stop attacking, only pausing if Hero
needs to help Angelo by casting Fullheal. Marcello is susceptible to Sap, so
have Jessica cast that when she's got nothing better to do (especially before
Hero and Yangus use their high tension attacks). He does, in fact, have the
ability to cast Wave of Ice, though, so try not to psych up past 50 or use
any stat buffs outside of the basics (Oomph and Kabuff). If you have the
Timbrel of Tension, let Jessica use it at the beginning of the battle. If
not, have her cast Acceleratle instead, followed by Oomph for Hero and
Yangus. Those two should psych up while Angelo casts Kabuff and whichever
healing spells are necessary. If Marcello uses his "pray to the heavens"
attack, be sure to have Angelo cast Multiheal the following turn. I also
noticed that he uses Midheal even when he's not damaged, so that could mean
that his attacks follow some sort of pattern. If you figure it out, you may
want to defend before the prayer attack comes (unless, of course, you've been
psyching up, in which case you should just continue to psych up or attack).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
o) RAPTHORNE - G0315
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
4850 | 255 | 0 | 0 | 346 | 186 | 115 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 100~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Desperate Attack: 300~ Damage (SINGLE)
3. Kafrizzle: 100~ (SINGLE)
4. Kaboom: 50~ Damage (ALL)
5. Cold Breath: 100~ Damage (ALL)
6. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
7. Dazzle: Causes physical attacks to do no damage (ALL)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 40 before approaching this battle. The Black
Citadel. Rapthorne is so close. Before you fly up to that castle in the sky
though, you've got to be prepared. If you want to see a list of equipment
and items that I had before I decided to take him on, hit Ctrl+F and type
"G0506" to jump to the End-Game Equipment section of this FAQ. I also had 31
Magic Waters stashed away in my bag, along with the ones I put in every
character's inventory. There's absolutely no need for that many Magic Waters,
I just didn't have anything else to spend my gold on at that point (thanks to
the copious amount I had made on Prayer Rings in the casino). I do, however,
highly recommend that you pick up at least 15 or so Magic Waters before going
into the Citadel, just to be on the safe side. Essentially, your party is
only going to be as good as you make it. If you spend some extra time
crafting better equipment and leveling up, then you're not going to have any
trouble with Rapthorne. Also, don't forget to put that Sage's Stone you pick
up in the Citadel into Yangus or Jessica's inventory (preferably Jessica's,
because we want Yangus attacking or psyching up as often as possible).
STRATEGY
Is there anyone sillier looking than Rapthorne? Honestly, the guy looks like
a giant grapefruit floating on top of a gumdrop. Nevertheless, he's still a
force to be reckoned with. In fact, he's probably the hardest boss since
Dhoulmagus, which is only fitting. Is he harder than Dhoulmagus? No. But he
DOES attack twice, use the "Wave of Ice" ability that nullifies your stat
buffs, and have a large range of attacks at his disposal. He won't, however,
change into a second form, nor will he heal himself. What you have to look
out for in this battle is his desperate attack. Out of nowhere, he'll land
around 300 damage on any one of your characters, which is why you need to
keep your HP high at all times and be properly equipped. Hopefully, you've
learned Kazing with Jessica by now (Staves 100), so you won't have to worry
too much about someone getting knocked out. First thing's first. Hero and
Yangus psych up, Jessica uses the Timbrel of Tension (you DO have that by
now, right?), and Angelo casts Kabuff. Early in the battle is the best time
to psych up, as the odds of Rapthorne using the "Wave of Ice" ability are at
their lowest. Don't push your luck, though. Once you hit 50, it's time to
send out your first attacks. Hero should be using Gigaslash, Falcon Slash, or
Miracle Slash when he's psyched up and only Falcon Slash and Miracle Slash
when he's not. Have Yangus hit Rapthorne with normal attacks the entire time.
Jessica should be using her standard array of moves (Acceleratle, Oomph, and
the occasional offensive spell). She can also use the Sage's Stone every once
in a while, letting Angelo cast Kabuff again or attack instead of having to
use Multiheal. I used Sap three times and only had it work once, so it's up
to you whether or not you want to take that chance. Insulate and Magic
Barrier are both good choices against Rapthorne, based on the fact that he
loves to cast Kaboom and Cold Breath far more than any other spell or
ability. And, if you feel like taking a chance, you can cast Bounce and try
to reflect most of his spells back at him. However, that also means that you
won't be able to use most of your healing spells without having them reflect
back on the caster (the Sage's Stone can still get around this, because it's
technically an item). Call your monster teams and let them chip away at him
if you want. Remember that if one of your monsters dies, it won't be able to
fight for you in any of the upcoming battles, so be wise and call them back
if they're in danger.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
p) SERVANT OF DARKNESS - G0316
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
432 | 255 | 1600 | 301 | 369 | 237 | 156 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STRATEGY
Incredibly simple mini-boss. All you need to do is call your Monster Team and
let them handle the Servant. If you don't have a Monster Team, just attack
with everything you've got. Falcon Slashes, Twin Dragon Lashes, etc. This
battle should be over in 30 seconds, tops.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
q) HERO STATUE - G0317
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
545 | 50 | 800 | 0 | 242 | 177 | 110 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
YANGUS STATUE
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
505 | 50 | 730 | 0 | 256 | 166 | 105 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
JESSICA STATUE
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
385 | 100 | 460 | 0 | 163 | 179 | 130 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ANGELO STATUE
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
385 | 100 | 460 | 0 | 163 | 179 | 130 | 55 | None
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STRATEGY
Again, these statues hardly even qualify as bosses. Same as above, all you
need to do is call your Monster Team and let them handle everything. If you
don't have a Monster Team, just attack with everything you've got. Falcon
Slashes, Twin Dragon Lashes, etc. This battle should be over in 30 seconds,
tops.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
r) MEGALODON - G0318
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
528 | 32 | 1350 | 301 | 288 | 145 | 115 | 55 | Yggdrasil Dew
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STRATEGY
One more mini-boss before we make it out of the Citadel and get to fight a
real boss again. Same as above, all you need to do is call your Monster Team
and let them handle everything. If you don't have a Monster Team, just attack
with everything you've got. Falcon Slashes, Twin Dragon Lashes, etc. This
battle should be over in 30 seconds, tops.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
s) RUIN - G0319
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
3800 | 0 | 2480 | 0 | 513 | 120 | 100 | 57 | Orichalcum
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Normal Attack: 200~ Damage (SINGLE)
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 40 before approaching this battle. Make sure to
touch that red jewel at the bottom of the stairs before you leave the
circular town area (it restores your party's HP and MP).
STRATEGY
This battle is very straightforward. Ruin will only attack once per turn, and
every attack hits one of your characters for somewhere between 200 and 250
damage. This makes for a very simple formula. Ruin attacks, Angelo casts
Fullheal. Rinse and repeat. You can start out by casting Kabuff and
Acceleratle, then attack, attack, attack. Sap works well here, so use that to
speed up the process. If you want to call your monster team, feel free to do
so, as this is the last battle you'll have to fight before you can save and
see Morrie again.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
t) RAPTHORNE (PHASE ONE) - G0320
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 60 | None
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1. Kafrizzle: 100~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Kaboom: 70~ Damage (ALL)
3. Anger of the Gods: 70~ Damage (HITS 4X ON RANDOM CHARACTERS)
4. Flings Ball From Staff: 130~ Damage (HITS 2 RANDOM CHARACTERS)
5. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
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PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 41 or 42 before approaching this battle. If you
want to see a list of equipment and items that I had before I decided to take
him on, hit Ctrl+F and type "G0506" to jump to the End-Game Equipment section
of this FAQ. You don't have to rest at an inn before this final battle,
because Empyrea will heal your entire party for you. Don't forget to save,
though. Also, I would suggest that you throw some Yggdrasil Dew into at LEAST
one your characters' inventories. It will come in handy during Phase Two of
this battle.
STRATEGY
Ready to fight the final boss? That's too bad, because first, you've got to
take down his ORB OF INVINCIBILITY! I hope you were paying attention while
Empyrea explained how to do so. If not, this is what you're supposed to do.
Empyrea gave your entire party the ability to Pray to the Godbird Sceptre.
All you have to do is go into everyone's inventory during the fight and
choose the Sceptre (doesn't matter if your inventory was full before she gave
it to you, it's still going to be there). Have all four members of your party
Pray to the Sceptre in one turn, and you'll awaken a Sage who will fuse with
one of the orbs you found. If only two or three of your characters try to
Pray while the others do something else, you won't be able to summon a Sage,
so don't even bother (Praying doesn't carry over from turn to turn). Once
your entire party has Prayed to the Sceptre seven times (i.e. seven turns of
nothing but Praying), you'll be finished with the first phase of this final
battle. Sounds easy, right? For the most part, it is, but Rapthorne isn't
going to sit back and let you fly around him while you try to destroy his
barrier. Every turn, he has two opportunities to lay the hurt down on your
party, which is why you can't Pray seven times in a row and be done with it.
Of course, he may choose to "laugh defiantly" at your party, in which case,
you should probably heal and be thankful. Between Praying, Angelo should be
casting Multiheal when needed. Now is also a good time for Jessica to use the
Sage's Stone and for Hero to cast Fullheal on whoever's in the worst shape.
Since poor Yangus is useless when it comes to healing, have him psych up
instead. This'll give Rapthorne a reason to use his Wave of Ice ability
instead of another attack, which is always nice. Don't hold back on casting
healing spells, because once you've completed this first phase, the Sages
will heal your party's HP and MP for you.
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u) RAPTHORNE (PHASE TWO) - G0321
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
5640 | 255 | 0 | 0 | 428 | 161 | 115 | 60 | None
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1. Kafrizzle: 75~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Eyes Glow Eerily: Puts a character to sleep (SINGLE)
3. Blazing Fire: 75~ Damage (ALL)
4. Cold Breath: 130~ Damage (ALL)
5. Chants for Meteors: 100~ Damage (ALL)
6. Smashes Party with Arm: 120~ Damage (ALL)
7. Flings Ball From Staff: 130~ Damage (HITS 2 RANDOM CHARACTERS)
8. All Magical Energy: 250~ Damage (ALL)
9. Wave of Ice: Nullifies stat buffs on your party (ALL)
10. Meditate: Restores 500 HP (SELF)
11. Malevolent Prayer: Restores ??? MP (SELF)
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PREPARATIONS
Check the Preparations section for the first phase of this fight (above). The
Sages will heal you before the battle.
STRATEGY
And you thought Dhoulmagus had a lot of moves! Check out that Attack list!
Yes, this battle's going to be a doozy. You have to approach this fight the
same way you did with Dhoulmagus. Apart from the beginning of the battle, you
should never waste your time (or turns) with any stat buffs unless you have
absolutely nothing else to do (which is a very rare occurrence). Having
Jessica cast Oomph on Hero and Yangus is the one exception to the rule. Other
than that, it should be nothing but pure physical attacks and healing spells.
Right from the start, Hero has to come out swinging with either Falcon Slash
or Miracle Slash. I chose Falcon Slash, but you can use Miracle Slash if you
desperately need some HP. Yangus can use Helm Splitter to lower Rapthorne's
defense, but since Jessica has Sap at her disposal, you might as well just
use normal attacks (or uber-powerful moves such as Big Banga, if you have
them at your disposal). As I mentioned, Jessica has a variety of moves in her
arsenal that can be helpful in this battle. Your first priority is always
making sure that everyone's HP is high. Besides that, she should be casting
Oomph on at least your strongest character. When your health is high and Hero
and Yangus are Oomphed, cast Sap to help out your attackers. As always,
Angelo will be preoccupied with casting Multiheal and Fullheal when
necessary. An alternate strategy involves using Jessica as an attacker
instead Yangus. This only works if you've got the Gringham Whip for Jessica
and have spent a fair amount of your skill points on Whips. If all goes to
plan, Jessica should be able to deal more damage than Yangus. Put the Sage's
Stone and Timbrel of Tension into Yangus' inventory (also, make sure once
again that he's equipped with the Meteorite Bracer). Once you've begun the
battle, have him use the Timbrel and make Jessica cast Oomph on Hero and
herself. Hero uses Falcon Slash every turn, while Jessica uses her Twin
Dragon Lash ability. Have Yangus help Angelo with healing, just as you would
if it were Jessica who had the Sage's Stone. If he's got a free turn, let him
join Hero and Jessica in their assault. If (and when) Rapthorne uses his
ability to focus all of his "magical energy" into one attack, I suggest that
you have Angelo use the Yggdrasil Dew immediately. In my experience, he only
had the opportunity to cast that spell once, but it seriously damaged my
party when he did. He always seems to use Meditate, his only healing move,
right before this spell, so if you see him use Meditate on his second turn,
get ready to heal a LOT the next round. He also has an ability that can put
one of your characters to sleep. When this happens, don't bother casting
Tingle, because his next attack is almost guaranteed to wake them up.
Basically, what you need to focus on are the attacks that hit your entire
party for big damage. Always keep your HP levels high, and don't be afraid to
let Hero cast Fullheal if necessary. And since this is the final battle, it's
time to let your monster team(s) run wild on Rapthorne. Both of my teams were
attack-based, and they dealt at least 1,500 damage to him while absorbing all
of his attacks, so there's absolutely no downside to letting them come into
battle.
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04) OPTIONAL BOSSES - G0400
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=============================================================================
In Dragon Quest VIII, there are only two optional boss battles, not counting
the post-game enemies in the Heavenly Dais. One of these battles can be quite
difficult; the other is a walk in the park. Here are my strategies for both.
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a) RED HORN - G0401
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
3100 | 0 | 4200 | 1500 | 278 | 144 | 93 | 40 | Strong Medicine
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BLUE FANG
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
2630 | 16 | 3990 | 1200 | 243 | 173 | 97 | 40 | Strong Antidote
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1. Join Forces: 180~ Damage (SINGLE) [Red & Blue]
2. Normal Attack: 100~ Damage (SINGLE) [Red or Blue]
3. Desperate Attack: 250~ Damage (SINGLE) [Red]
4. Kasap: Drains your party's defense (ALL) [Blue]
5. Kabuff: Raises Red & Blue's defense (SELF) [Blue]
6. Intimidating Scream: Characters lose 1 turn (ALL) [Blue]
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DESCRIPTION
As soon as Jessica rejoins your party in Arcadia, you have the option to head
back to Baccarat and help either Cash or Carrie in their way to reach the end
of the Dragon Graveyard. Before you finish, you must defeat both Red Horn and
Blue Fang in one battle. Once you've beaten them, the Casino in Baccarat will
reopen. (NOTE: The casino will eventually open on its own if you choose not
to complete this quest.)
PREPARATIONS
Recommended level for Hero is 34 before approaching this battle. Depending on
when you attempt this optional quest, the best weapons and armour available
to you may vary. Basically, I'd suggest buying the best of everything from
the last town you were in (probably Orkutsk). You may also want to pick up a
Yggdrasil leaf or two in Argonia if Angelo hasn't learned Kazing yet (and
even if he has, it's smart to have one leaf in Hero's inventory if Angelo
falls).
STRATEGY
As if helping Cash and Carrie make it to the end of the Graveyard wasn't
annoying enough, now you've got to face these two. If they join forces and
attack one of your characters, it could easily take out someone like Angelo
or Jessica, even if they're fully healed (Red Horn has a bad habit of
psyching up the turn before they use this ability, too). Only focus on one of
these two at a time. Once you've taken one down, this battle becomes MUCH
easier. Red Horn loves to psych up, especially if you kill Blue Horn first.
This gives you time to heal between attacks, but just like their tag-team
attack, Red's high tension attack can easily take down Angelo or Jessica in
one shot. Therefore, it is in your best interest to finish off Red Horn first
in this battle. Start the battle by either calling your Monster Team(s) or
having Hero and Yangus attack while Jessica casts Acceleratle and Angelo uses
Kabuff. After this, have Jessica cast Oomph on Hero and Yangus, then use Sap
on whichever foe you're focusing your attacks on. Sap works on both of these
enemies, but not 100% of the time. Beyond that, feel free to have Jessica
cast Oomph on herself and use Twin Dragon Lash (though don't expect that
Oomph to last too long, because she could be knocked out at any time).
Angelo's greatest task will be using Fullheal and Zing when necessary. If
Hero's got a Yggdrasil leaf, use that on Angelo instead of Zing, because one
or two failed Zings could lead to Hero's (and the party's) demise. I wouldn't
recommend that you psych up with anyone until Blue Fang has been taken care
of, because his Intimidating Scream could easily destroy all of the tension
you've been building. And if you've got any skills like Jessica's Puff-Puff
or Angelo's Sarcastic S******, use them on Red Horn once he's psyched up more
than once to try and bring his tension down.
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b) BOSS TROLLS - G0402
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HP | MP | EXP | GOLD | ATK | DEF | AGI | LVL | ITEM
1580 | 0 | 981 | 230 | 286 | 32 | 82 | 41 | Medicinal Herb
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1. Normal Attack: 100~ Damage (SINGLE)
2. Desperate Attack: 200~ Damage (SINGLE)
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DESCRIPTION
Once the bazaar in Argonia has moved inside the building between the Church
and the Castle, this optional dungeon will become available. In Argonia, go
to the second floor of the Chancellor's house at night and examine the
glowing mirror. You'll be instantly transported to Troll's Maze, a small
dungeon with some nice treasure and a couple of trolls who hardly qualify as
bosses.
STRATEGY
Recommended level for Hero is 38 or 39 before approaching this battle. Easy
battle here. Both of the trolls are essentially the same as any other Boss
Troll, only with more HP. Their only two moves are a normal attack that deals
around 100 damage and a desperate attack that can deal upwards of 200. If
you've got a Monster Team, you can let them do most of the work for you. If
not, you can either go completely agro on them and have everyone in your
party attack, or go for the finesse victory (Hero and Yangus psych up,
Jessica casts Acceleratle and Oomph, and Angelo uses Kabuff on everyone).
Either way, you shouldn't have any trouble with these two.
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05) TIPS & TRICKS - G0500
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=============================================================================
If you're having trouble with more than just the bosses in this game, these
tips will help you learn how to prepare yourself more effectively.
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a) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - G0501
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The following is a list of questions and answers, all gathered from months of
experience both in the game and on various DQVIII message boards. I highly
recommend that you read this section, as it could save you a lot of time and
effort later on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GENERAL INFORMATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. What's the relationship between this game and the Dragon Warrior series?
A. When the original Dragon Quest game was set to be released in North
America, Enix was forced to change the name of the game to Dragon Warrior
due to a trademark conflict with the role-playing game DragonQuest. Up
until Dragon Quest VIII, every DQ title released in America used the
Dragon Warrior moniker. In 2003, Square Enix registered the Dragon Quest
trademark in the US, signaling the end of the "Dragon Warrior" titles.
Q. How long is this game?
A. As with any game, this depends on a number of different things, such as
your style of play and experience with RPGs (especially old-school RPGs).
Some people have finished the game in under 50 hours, while others have
played the game upward of 100. On average, 60-80 hours seems to be the
best estimate of total playtime, not including post-game play. This is not
a game you'll beat in a weekend.
Q. Why does this game look like Dragon Ball Z?
A. Akira Toriyama, the creator of DBZ, drew most of the character and monster
designs for Dragon Quest VIII. He has also been responsible for the art
design in many other Dragon Quest games.
Q. Why didn't my copy of Dragon Quest VIII come with the Final Fantasy XII
demo?
A. If you bought the European release of DQVIII, your game will not come with
FFXII demo. Sorry, blame Square Enix for this. Additionally, the Greatest
Hits copy of this game may no longer be packaged with the demo, since
FFXII has already been released.
Q. Once I finish the game, can I continue to explore the world, level up,
etc. with my characters? Is there a New Game Plus feature?
A. After beating the final boss, you will be able to continue playing. What
the game does is it gives you a new save just before you fight the final
boss, so you can never technically play after beating him. However, there
will be a new dungeon and town open for you to explore. Additionally,
there is no New Game Plus feature in this game. When you start a new game,
none of your skills points, items, or anything will transfer over. And
contrary to popular belief, you will not have increased drop or steal
rates. This is nothing but wishful thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BASIC QUESTIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. Help, I don't know where to go next!
A. 95% of the time, you can figure out where to go by doing one of these
three things: 1) Talk to the people in town. 2) Talk to your party (press
Start). 3) Talk to Kalderasha (Farebury) or Brains (Pickham). If you still
don't know what to do, consult a full FAQ/Walkthrough.
Q. What's the best place to level up/earn some gold before [INSERT AREA]?
A. I've devoted two sections to leveling up and finding gold in this FAQ.
If this is all you care to know, skip ahead to the Acquiring Gold section.
Q. Why can't I Zoom anywhere past the Ruined Abbey?!
A. You can. Press right or left on the d-pad when you're in the Zoom menu.
Q. What happened to the Bazaar in Argonia? Will it ever come back?
A. The bazaar never leaves. Check the tall building between the church and
castle.
Q. Crap, I equipped a cursed item! How do I take it off?
A. Go to a church and ask the Priest for a Benediction. For future reference,
any time an item's description mentions something about an "air of
danger," it's cursed. You need to mix the item with some Saint's Ashes
and, occasionally, another item to remove the curse. Many of the cursed
items in game can be turned into excellent items with the alchemy pot, so
don't disregard them just because you can't initially equip them.
Q. What's up with the monsters walking around on the overworld?
A. Those are referred to as the Infamous Monsters. They're like mini-bosses
that you can fight anytime. However, once you find the Monster Arena, you
can have these monsters fight for you as part of your Monster Team.
Q. What happens if I kill an Infamous Monster before I start the Monster
Arena side quest?
A. Nothing. The monster will respawn once you've left the area.
Q. If I accidentally let a monster go free, can I find it again?
A. Yes. Go back to the area where you found it and it should be there once
again.
Q. What's the use of Monster Coins?
A. You can either sell them or hold on to them to keep track off how many
Infamous Monsters you've defeated. Other than that, they serve no purpose.
Q. What are the prizes for giving mini medals to Princess Minnie?
A. Here is a complete list of prizes, courtesy of Red Scarlet's FAQ.
28 Medals: Fishnet Stockings
36 Medals: Posh Waistcoat
45 Medals: Staff of Divine Wrath
52 Medals: Gold Nugget
60 Medals: Meteorite Bracer
68 Medals: Miracle Sword
75 Medals: Sacred Armour
83 Medals: Orichalcum
90 Medals: Metal King Helm
99 Medals: Dangerous Bustier
110 Medals: Flail of Destruction
Also, it’s important to note that these numbers are in reference to the
total amount of medals you must give to Princess Minnie. This means that
if you want the Posh Waistcoat, you only need to give her 36 medals total,
not 28 for the Stockings and another 36 for the Waistcoat.
Q. How can I get my characters to raise their tension to 100?
A. After a heated debate on this message board, it's been decided that
reaching the fourth level of tension for the first time is actually a
random occurrence, which is why some have done it on their first attempt
while others couldn't do it until much later in the game. Keep Psyching Up
to 50 in battle and eventually, you'll be able to go to 100. You could
raise your tension over and over again as soon as you've left Farebury for
the first time, and eventually, you will reach 100.
Q. Why doesn't it show that cool animation anymore when I Psych Up to 100?
A. After the first time that you Psych Up to 100, the game will only show the
animation during boss battles.
Q. What do I do with this Lady's Ring?
A. The Lady's Ring is an item you find in the well in Ascantha. Give it to
the man walking around outside of the church in Farebury. If he's not
there, check the inn. You will receive a Seed of Wisdom for returning the
ring to him.
Q. How do I open that purple door near Argonia?
A. You need the Ultimate Key, which opens every door and chest in the game.
It's given to you during the main quest (around 3/4ths of the way into the
game), so don't worry about finding it.
Q. When does the casino in Baccarat open?
A. You can open it yourself as soon as the events in Arcadia are complete.
Head back to Baccarat and go into Golding's Mansion. From there, talk to
Cash and Carrie, then complete their little quest in the Dragon Graveyard.
Once that's finished, the Casino is open again, and you'll be rewarded
with 600 tokens. If you go far enough past Arcadia in the main quest, the
casino will eventually open on its own and the Dragon Graveyard sidequest
will no longer be available.
Q. What are the Dragovian Trials? What level should I reach before attempting
them?
A. The Dragovian Trials are, as the name suggests, a set of trials that
become available for you to complete once you've defeated the final boss.
To reach them, you must use the Godbird's Soulstone to fly northwest of
Argonia (or southeast of Baccarat). There will be a dome-shaped structure
on a raised plateau for you to land on. Examine the structure and continue
your quest. The levels of your characters are not as important as their
equipment in the Trials, but it is generally agreed upon that Hero should
be at least LV45 when you first begin. To defeat every boss in the Trials,
it is recommended that you reach LV50 with most of your party. For more
information, read AkaMajeh's Dragovian Trials Guide on GameFAQs.
Q. What is Dragon Soul?
A. Dragon Soul is an ability that Hero automatically learns when he reaches
LV65. It is an incredibly powerful attack that can be made even more
powerful using tension, plus it ignores the target's defense rating, so it
will cause the same large amount of damage on any enemy that you use it on
(bosses included).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADVANCED QUESTIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. Is there any way to increase drop/steal rates?
A. Unfortunately, no. The only way to steal an item from a monster is to use
Yangus' Steal Sickle ability, and the odds of successfully stealing
anything with that are incredibly low. You COULD equip Yangus with the
Skull Helm, which is a cursed item that makes it impossible to inflict any
physical damage. Usually, this is a bad thing, but if you want to attempt
to steal from a monster multiple times without accidentally killing it,
this is your best bet. Drop rates are also painfully low, and the only way
to increase your odds of getting a drop is to Intimidate the same type of
monster over and over again. This doesn't actually increase the odds of a
monster dropping an item, though; it simply gives you more opportunities,
since Intimidating a group of monsters is faster than battling them (and
enemies will still drop items, whether you've killed or intimidated them).
Q. What's the best sword in the game?
A. Many players automatically assume that the correct answer to this question
is the Liquid Metal Sword (or a certain sword which can only be obtained
by mixing the LMS with another sword that is found in the post-game
dungeon). However, most players ALSO assume that higher attack power means
higher damage. This is not always the case. The Uber Falcon Blade, made by
mixing a Falcon Blade with a Meteorite Bracer, has less attack power than
the Liquid Metal Sword, but it allows you to attack twice per turn,
meaning that if you use Falcon Slash, you have a chance of hitting four
times! It has been proven, more or less, that the Uber Falcon Sword will
cause a significant amount more damage than the LMS in almost every
situation. The only time that the LMS would do more damage than the Uber
Falcon Blade is if it were used much earlier in the game, when the power
of the weapon has more influence on the amount of damage caused. However,
since you can only acquire/create these swords late in the game, this is
not an issue.
Q. What’s this I’ve heard about being able to Psych Up to 50 in one turn? Is
this possible?
A. This is a rumor that was brought to light by an early promotional video on
the official DQVIII website. The video showed Hero Psyching Up to 50 in
only one turn. It is not possible to do this in the final version of the
game without using a cheat device such as a GameShark. It IS, however,
possible to use different items, such as the Timbrel of Tension and Highly
Strung Cheese, to increase your party’s tension to its max in one turn.
Unfortunately, you will not be able to make or find these items until much
later in the game, so for the most part, you will be stuck Psyching Up the
old fashioned way if you want to reach 50 or 100.
Q. Why do some people refer to the highest level of tension as 175 instead of
100 (or vice versa)?
A. Turn on the game and Psych Up once with, let's say, Yangus. What does the
message say? "Yangus's tension increases by 5!" Notice how it says "by" 5
instead of "to" 5. It is a common misconception that when a character
raises his or her tension, they are raising it to the level shown on the
screen. This is incorrect. The first time you Psych Up, you raise your
tension by 5. The second time, you raise it by 20 (25 total). The third
time, it goes up by 50 (75). And the fourth and final time, it raises your
tension by 100 (175).
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b) SKILL SETS - G0502
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One of the most daunting aspects of DQVIII is the skill system. If you're
worried about where to place those points, you've come to the right place.
NOTE: For every character except Hero, I would suggest that you basically
ignore Fisticuffs. In my opinion, the only skill worth learning is Defending
Champion, and even that isn't essential (except for the post-game dungeon).
Unless you truly want to devote many of your skill points to Fisticuffs,
there's not enough of an incentive to bother.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HERO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Swords or Spears, that is the question. Why no love for the Boomerang?
Because not only does it become sadly underpowered as you progress throughout
the game, but the skills you learn aren't nearly as useful as the skills
learned from leveling Swords and/or Spears. Opinions are often divided on
this subject, but a consensus has been reached on a few points. For the most
part, Spears are going to be more powerful than Swords throughout the first
half of the game. Not only this, but there is at least one Spear skill that's
great for metal slime hunting (Thunder Thrust).
If you take the Sword route, you'll learn some VERY useful skills, including
Falcon Slash and Miracle Slash. If you put 100 points into Swords, Hero
learns Gigagash, which is a powerful, but costly, attack. In my opinion,
it's not worth it to put that many points into Swords. Of course, if you max
out both Swords AND Courage, Hero learns Gigaslash, which is even MORE
powerful, but comes at a higher cost (in terms of both MP and skill points).
This brings me to my next point: Courage. Regardless of whether you go with
Swords or Spears, you must spend some time boosting up your Courage. By the
time you reach 100, you'll have learned Zoom, Holy Protection, Omniheal, the
best healing spell in the game. So, in summary, your three most important
skills for Hero are going to be Swords, Spears, and Courage. I prefer to
focus on Courage first (until I've at least learned Zoom), then Swords (or
Spears).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YANGUS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since you're ignoring Boomerangs with Hero, you might as well disregard Clubs
for Yangus as well. The skills learned from leveling Clubs are pathetic, plus
to make the strongest Club, you've got to throw the best Axe in the game
(Conqueror Axe) into the alchemy pot. Trust me, it's not worth it. Besides,
if you plan on metal slime hunting (which you should), you're going to need
the most important Axe skill, Executioner. If you want, you can choose to
level Scythes instead of Axes, but my personal opinion is that you should
work on Axes first, then Humanity, and then Scythes.
Humanity is quite useful for the first two skills you learn from it. Heal's
nice to have early on when all you've got is Hero and Yangus, and Whistle can
save a lot of time if you just want to fight some battles rather than run
around and wait for enemies to attack you. After that, there are a few other
decent skills learned from Humanity (Nose for Treasure, Kabuff, and even
Kerplunk), which is why it's better to focus on that instead of another
weapon set.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JESSICA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In my opinion, the two main points of interest for Jessica should always be
Whips and Staves. There's a sizable gap between the second important Staff
skill and the third. A 69-point gap, to be exact. So, this leads one to
believe that the most effective way to allocate Jessica's skills points would
be to focus on Whips first (until you've at least learned Twin Dragon Lash),
or split the points semi-equally between both Whips and Staves as you
progress.
Which ever way you choose, make sure to get Acceleratle (3 Staves) as soon as
possible, as it is invaluable in most boss battles. From there, you're left
with Knives and Sex Appeal. Between the two, Sex Appeal is going to give you
the better skill set, plus there's no reason to level Knives if you're
focusing on Whips. The only thing notable about Knives is that if you put
enough skill points into them, you'll be able to use Swords with Jessica. So
there you go; your call.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ANGELO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh Angelo, why must you give us another split skill choice? I am referring,
of course, to Swords and Bows. Much like Yangus's Axe/Scythe situation, this
a choice between skills/metal slime hunting potential and overall power. By
the end of the game, Angelo's strongest "exclusive" weapon will be a Bow.
However, Swords are no slouch in the attack department, and the skills are
much more useful than the Bows'. In fact, with a weapon like the Uber Falcon
Blade and a skill like Falcon Slash, Angelo will do far more even more damage
than he would have with even Odin's Bow.
In my game, I started off by focusing on Swords until they were maxed, then
moved onto Staves and Bows. The skills learned from Staves are essentially
useless, but the MP boosts he gains while using a Staff can quite helpful
late in the game. Overall, the most useful spells you'll learn with Angelo
are learned automatically, so it's best if you focus on his physical skills
instead.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
c) GAINING EXPERIENCE - G0503
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
As you already know, this is an RPG, and RPGs require you to level up. If you
aren't willing to put some time into leveling up, you're going to have
trouble with many of the enemies in this game (especially the bosses). So
here are some tips on how to maximize your efforts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OLD-FASHIONED LEVEL GRINDING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First of all, here's a good rule of thumb: If you’ve just arrived in a new
area of the map, chances are high that the new enemies will be stronger than
the enemies in the previous area, and will therefore give you more experience
points. So it benefits you to spend a little time running around outside of
town before attempting to advance the plot.
Fighting these new enemies until you can make it through multiple random
battles without having too much trouble is always a good plan. Not only will
you be ready for whatever dungeon or boss is ahead of you, but you will have
also gained a substantial amount of gold in the process. In fact, if you make
it your goal to buy the best of everything in town, you're almost guaranteed
to have enough experience for whatever the game throws at you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE DINGALING METHOD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside of Perequin Quay, your party can encounter bell-shaped Dingalings.
Among their abilities, they can call for back-up, bringing a Jargon monster
into the battle. First, eliminate all but one Dingalong to prevent being
overwhelmed. It may also help to Fizzle or use Drain Magic to keep the
Dingaling from casting KaBuff. As you wait for the Dingaling to call for
back-up, Psyche Up or buff your party. When the Jargon arrives, take him
down. Wait for the Dingaling to call for back-up once again, repeat.
When you've gotten tired of this or if your party is in critical condition,
end the battle by killing the Dingaling and then knocking out the Jargon. For
every Jargon you knock down, you earn 64 exp and 32 gold - and perhaps some
Fresh Milk/Rennet Powder. It does take some strength to do this effectively
- optimally, you'll want to be LV13 or 14, but it's slightly easier than
chasing down metal slimes and hoping to defeat them, which will be explained
in the next section.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HUNTING METAL SLIMES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, at some point, you may come to realize that you need to level up more
than before, and FAST. Because who wants to be stuck on the Dark Ruins for
another 5 hours? If this is the case, then it sounds like it's time to begin
hunting metal slimes. At some point in this game, you are bound to run across
a metal slime, maybe even a large pack of them. And odds are that they ran
away before you killed them (maybe even before you had a chance to attack!).
If you DID manage to kill one, then you may have been surprised to find that
one metal slime nets you over 1,000 EXP points alone. As if that weren't
enough, Liquid Metal Slimes are worth over 10,000 EXP, and Metal King Slimes
are worth over 30,000 EXP! Let's take a deeper look at this, shall we?
Metal Slimes have 4 HP, Liquid Metal Slimes have 8 HP, and Metal King Slimes
have 20 HP. If you're looking at those amounts and laughing, you haven't
fought a metal slime yet. They have such an incredibly high defense rate that
your regular attacks will do no more than 1 point of damage, and that's if
they don't miss completely (which they probably will). How do you get around
this? First, learning Metal Slash with both Hero and Angelo can be very
helpful. When fighting metal slimes, this ability has a higher chance of
hitting than your normal attacks, and it usually does 2 damage rather than 1.
In battle, both of them should use this attack while Yangus and Jessica swing
away with normal attacks and hope for the best. This will work well for your
standard Metal Slimes and the MAYBE occasional Liquid Metal Slime encounter,
but not for Metal King Slimes. For them, you'll need a combination of luck
and patience, because you're bound to become frustrated.
LOCATIONS
BEFORE THE SHIP
-Ruined Abbey
-Riverbank Leading to Wisher's Peak (Near the Riverside Chapel)
AFTER THE SHIP
-Trodain Castle
-West of the Royal Hunting Grounds (Grassy area by the waterfall)
-Dragon Graveyard
-Uncharted Southwest Island
-Small Island North of Farebury
AFTER THE GODBIRD
-Hill Near the Mystical Spring
-Northern Plateau on Neos
-Howlwind Hill (Tall plateau north of Rydon's Tower, aka "Slime Hill")
-Tryan Gully (Day only)
-Ledge by the Godbird's Eyrie (Light World only)
-Black Citadel
-Heavenly Dais (Post-Game Dungeon)
Note: All of the locations listed as being available once you've attained the
Godbird are easily spotted by a large cloud formation hovering over them.
PREPARATIONS
Here's the lowdown on Metal King Slimes (and most LMS as well). They WILL run
away before you have the chance to chip away at their HP with normal attacks
and Metal Slash. Many different theories have been made to combat this from
happening, but none have been proven successful thus far. And so, we must use
what we are given to work with. This method requires Hero to equip a Spear
and Yangus to equip an Axe. If possible, both of them should also equip
Meteorite Bracers (one is given to you by Princess Minnie in exchange for 60
mini medals). This is optional, but highly recommended. If you only have one,
give it to Yangus.
It is VERY important for you to have learned Thunder Thrust and Executioner
with Hero and Yangus (respectively). Jessica should be equipped with her best
whip or staff. As for Angelo, his best option is to equip a Falcon Blade
(purchased in the Baccarat Casino for 10,000 tokens) and psych up from the
beginning of the battle. Now, the odds of an MKS (or LMS) staying long enough
for Angelo to be able to kill it with a high-tension attack are slim to none,
but there's really nothing left for Angelo to do. If you're fighting a Liquid
Metal Slime, you can try to work its HP down with Metal Slash, but your
attempts will most likely be futile. Our focus is on Hero and Yangus, anyway,
so don't worry too much about Angelo.
BATTLE STRATEGY
Now, as soon as you enter a battle with an MKS (or LMS), have Hero use
Thunder Thrust, Yangus use Executioner, Jessica use Acceleratle, and Angelo
psych up. God willing, the MKS won't run before Jessica raises the party's
agility, and the Meteorite Bracers should give Hero and Yangus a chance to
get at least one attack in. Here's where Lady Luck comes into play. Both
Thunder Thrust and Executioner are capable of taking out an MKS (or any other
metal slime) in one turn, but neither of these attacks are very reliable.
Once you've cast Acceleratle with Jessica, use the Timbrel of Tension (Sun
Crown + Magic Beast Hide + Tough Guy Tattoo) every turn to speed up Angelo's
psyching.
If, by some stroke of luck, the MKS has stayed long enough for Angelo's
tension level to reach 50 or 100, and both Hero and Yangus have failed to
kill it by then, use Metal Slash to finish it off. Overall, you have maybe a
30-50% chance of taking down a Metal King Slime with this method, so prepare
to be disappointed quite frequently. You could, potentially, spend thirty
minutes waiting for metal slimes to show up, only to watch them flee in the
first turn. Patience is the key to hunting metal slimes and leveling up in
general.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
d) ACQUIRING GOLD - G0504
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Want to buy that kickass sword, but you're running short on funds? No
problem. Take a look at the options below and find one that suits your
current situation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HERBS AND EARLY ENEMIES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before you acquire your ship, there aren't many effective ways to rack up the
gold. You could mix medicinal herbs together in the alchemy pot and sell
those for a great profit margin, but that is a painfully slow process. Once
you reach the Swordsman's Labyrinth, the Goodybags inside net you 106 gold
every time you defeat one. This is a decent way to accumulate enough gold to
buy a lot of the better weapons and equipment in Pickham. Other than this,
your only option is to fight any enemy you can find until you’ve accumulated
enough gold. It ain’t pretty, and it ain’t fun, but it’s all we’ve got.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE GOLD GOLEM METHOD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once you've acquired the Ancient Ship, you have access to the Holy Isle of
Neos. Why is this important? Well, there's an enemy called the Gold Golem on
Neos that gives you 726 gold every time you defeat one! Regardless of where
you look for them, they're only going to appear in the daytime, so keep that
in mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PRAYER RINGS IN BACCARAT CASINO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond Gold Golems, there are a few other options later in the game. The most
successful and widely accepted choice is the famous Prayer Ring method. Our
first step toward acquiring these Prayer Rings is reopening the casino in
Baccarat. This can be done as soon as the events in Arcadia are complete.
Head back to Baccarat and go into Golding's Mansion. From there, talk to Cash
and Carrie, then complete their little quest in the Dragon Graveyard. Once
that's finished, the Casino is open again, and you've been rewarded with 600
tokens, which we will now turn into a fortune. Always save before heading
into the casino. In the casino, talk to the man standing in front of one of
the 10-token slot machines and agree to pay him 5 tokens to move elsewhere.
Anytime you come into the casino, the slot machine that he is standing in
front of will give you the best odds for winning, so always pay him off. Just
keep betting 50 tokens every time and you should come out on top eventually.
If you hit a bad streak and start to lose a lot of tokens, restart the game
and try again. When you win big, save. Play the slots until you've
accumulated around 5,000 tokens, then move onto the red 100-token slot
machine. Here's where things really start to roll. Once you've won around
20,000 tokens, it's time to test your luck on the roulette table. Save, then
place a 15,500 token bet by completely filling one of the three 3x3 grids (I
have the most luck with the 1-9 set). Save if you win, re-load if you lose.
You should have over 100,000 tokens in no time. Cash in as many tokens as you
like for Prayer Rings (just keep at least 15,500 so you can play roulette
later) and sell them off to the nearest merchant. You'll never have to worry
about money in this game again.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
e) MONSTER TEAMS - G0505
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Once you reach Ascantha (or Pickham), you've made it far enough to begin
working on your monster team. South of Ascantha and southeast of Pickham,
you'll find a colorfully-decorated building alongside one of the trails. The
door is locked, but if you run alongside the building, you'll find a walkway
leading to the roof. On top of this building stands Morrie, the eccentric,
quasi-Italian owner of the Monster Arena. At first, he'll be vague about what
he wants you to do for him. He gives you three memos and asks you to find and
return the monsters described in them.
Now, at some point in the game, you're sure to have seen at least one monster
walking around in the overworld. If you were curious enough to have fought
the monster, then you know that they are far from ordinary. These things are
called Infamous Monsters, and they are much more challenging than any
creature you'll run across in a random battle (they're sort of like mini-
bosses that you can fight anytime).
Up until now, defeating them only netted you a "monster coin" that you could
sell for some gold. But once you've sent the three creatures on the memos
back to Morrie, you'll be able to recruit these monsters to fight alongside
you as part of your Monster Team. Morrie will open the Monster Arena and give
you the opportunity to fight for prizes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TEAMS FOR THE ARENA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First of all, I must remind you that the best source of information on the
Monster Arena is BNii's Monster Arena FAQ here on GameFAQs. He's got
information on every Infamous Monster in the game, as well as how to beat
each Rank in the Arena. Now, if you want my opinion on the matter, here are a
few teams that will help anyone trying to beat their respective Ranks.
RANKS G-C
-Potbelly (Peninsula southwest of Trodain)
-Hackzilla (Behind/West of Farebury)
-Snap Case (Southwest of Trodain Castle) or Capers (Path to Wisher's Peak
[Night only]: Must clear Rank F)
Once you've cleared Rank F, immediately Zoom back to the Riverside Chapel and
find Capers on the path to Wisher's Peak at night. He's a much stronger ally
who dodges attacks quite often. He's also great in the field until you have
access to stronger monsters.
RANK B
-Talos (Outside of Neos)
-Cybot (West of Orkutsk)
-Capers (Path to Wisher's Peak [Night only])
Talos can be tough to take down if your party is at a low-level, but he's
definitely worth obtaining as soon you're strong enough.
RANKS A-S
With Ranks A and S, you've got a few options. A lot of people like to try and
just power their way through it with My Three Golems, which is...
-Brickman (Southeast of Peregrin Quay)
-Goldman (Outside of Neos)
-Stoneman (Outside of the Dark Ruins: Requires Godbird)
However, this is NOT what I would recommend. You have a much better chance of
clearing these Ranks, especially Rank S, if you use a more balanced team with
a healer and a monster who can use desperate attacks.
-Talos (Outside of Neos) or Steropes (West side of Princess Minnie's Castle)
-Skeledoid (Outside of the Dark Ruins)
-Curer (North of Arcadia) or Octurion (South of Argonia Castle)
I've always preferred Curer over Octurion, because he seems to cast Fullheal
much more often, whereas Octurion gets in the habit of attacking rather than
healing when you need him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TEAMS FOR THE FIELD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once you clear Rank E in the Arena, Morrie rewards you with the Call Team
ability. This allows you to use your Monster Team in battles outside of the
Arena. Your team in the field is going to be different than the team you use
in the Arena. For one thing, you hardly need to worry about strategy in the
field. Most of the teams you piece together will only be able to stay in
battle for three turns at the most. This means that in the beginning, all you
need to focus on is what three monsters will deal the most damage in a short
amount of time. Once you gain a second team from Morrie, you can have one
team be your attack force and the other be a pure healing squad (if your
monsters heal themselves in battle, it will also heal your party, whereas
damage dealt to your team won't affect your party at all).
Remember, you don't have any control over what your team does in battle, so
ALWAYS test them out before you call them into a boss battle. You could
easily end up wasting 10MP while you watch your team do all sorts of silly
things that you never anticipated. The following is a list of recommendations
for teams to use in the field.
BEFORE THE SHIP
-Potbelly (Peninsula southwest of Trodain)
-Hackzilla (Behind/West of Farebury)
-Capers (Path to Wisher's Peak [Night only]: Must clear Rank F)
After you acquire the Ancient Ship and clear Rank D, find Talos outside of
Neos and have him take Potbelly's place on the team. Also, once you reach
Orkutsk, find Cybot west of town and have him replace Hackzilla. His ability
to attack twice per turn makes him a great addition to any offensive team.
AFTER YOU CLEAR RANK B
-Talos (Outside of Neos)
-Skeledoid (Outside of the Dark Ruins)
-Cybot (West of Orkutsk)
"My Three Golems" (Attack Team)
-Brickman (Southeast of Peregrin Quay)
-Goldman (Outside of Neos)
-Stoneman (Outside of the Dark Ruins: Requires Godbird)
"Wizards o' Z" (Healing Team)
-Metabble (Multiple locations, consult the Monster Arena FAQ)
-Curer (North of Arcadia)
-Healer (Between the Tower of Alexandria and Port Prospect)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
f) END-GAME EQUIPMENT - G0506
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The following are recommended sets of equipment for each character, meant to
be used as a guideline for equipment to acquire and use by the end of the
game. This list should not be read as the ultimate set-up. It worked for me,
and it has a lot of very good items, but it's not perfect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HERO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapon: Liquid Metal Sword
Armor: Liquid Metal Armor (Baccarat Casino, 50k Tokens)
Shield: Ogre Shield (Desert)
Helmet: Great Helm (Tryan Gully)
Accessory: Mighty Armlet (Monster Arena)
Inventory: Hero Spear, Magic Water
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YANGUS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapon: Conqueror's Axe (Howlwind Hill)
Armor: Gigant Armor (Tryan Gully)
Shield: Power Shield (Tryan Gully)
Helmet: Great Helm (Tryan Gully
Accessory: Meteorite Bracer (Princess Minnie)
Inventory: Magic Water
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JESSICA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapon: Gringham Whip (Baccarat Casino, 200k Tokens)
Armor: Dragon Robe (Princess Minnie)
Shield: Light Shield (Argonia)
Helmet: Thinking Cap (Tryan Gully)
Accessory: Scholar's Specs (Holy Isle of Neos)
Inventory: Timbrel of Tension, Magic Water
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ANGELO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapon: Shamshir of Light
Armor: Liquid Metal Armor (Baccarat Casino, 50k Tokens)
Shield: Power Shield (Tryan Gully)
Helmet: Thinking Cap (Tryan Gully)
Accessory: Agility Ring (Monster Arena)
Inventory: Odin's Bow, Magic Water
To make a Liquid Metal Sword, mix the Rusty Old Sword (Trodain Castle) with a
Slime Crown (Hilltop Hut) and a piece of Orichalcum. The Timbrel of Tension
is created by mixing a Sun Crown (Skull Helm + Saint's Ashes), a Magic Beast
Hide, and a Tough Guy Tattoo. And to make the Shamshir of Light, mix a Rune
Staff (Pickham Casino), a Light Shield (Argonia), and a Shimmering Dress
(Gold Bracer + Ruby of Protection + Spangled Dress).
As stated above, this list should NOT be read as the ultimate equipment set-
up. In fact, it's fairly skill set-specific, so the ideal weapons for your
party will most likely vary. Like I said, this set-up worked for me, and it
has a lot of very good items, but it's not perfect. For example, you'll note
that I chose to use the Liquid Metal Sword with Hero instead of something
else. Why is that a problem? Well, it's not. The Liquid Metal Sword is a very
powerful weapon. But another excellent sword I could have created is the Uber
Falcon Blade, which is made by mixing a Falcon Blade (Baccarat Casino) with a
Meteorite Bracer (Princess Minnie). This sword has less attack power than the
Liquid Metal Sword, but it allows you to attack twice per turn, meaning that
if you use Falcon Slash, you have a chance of hitting four times! If you
connect with all four hits, you'll easily do more damage than you would have
with the Liquid Metal Sword.
=============================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
06) CONTACT INFO - G0600
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=============================================================================
If you really need help with something and this FAQ just isn't enough, feel
free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns. Also, if you have a unique
(and USEFUL) strategy, tip, or omission that you think would be a good
addition to this FAQ, drop me a line. And, of course, positive feedback is
always appreciated. If this FAQ was helpful to you in any way, I would love
to hear about it.
You may reach me at: ander1dw[at]gmail[dot]com
For faster access, try messaging me on AIM: ander1dw
I have only ONE request for if you wish to send me an e-mail or IM; please
put the name of the game somewhere in the title of the e-mail or the first
line of your IM, so that I know which FAQ you are talking to me about. Mail
without the title of the game will most likely be mistakenly deleted as spam
and instant messages without any indication may be ignored.
And please, check GameFAQs to verify that you're reading the latest version
of this guide. The URL for my contributor page is below:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/64544.html
Give me at least a few days to respond before you send another urgent e-mail
(believe it or not, but filling up my inbox isn't going to help me help you
any sooner!). More often than not, I will reply within 24 hours, but if this
isn't the case with your message, please be patient. I will always respond if
you are polite and your message can be deciphered, so don't fret. Please
don't waste my time with any questions that have nothing to do with me or
this FAQ, though. Remember, ALWAYS read the FAQ before sending me an e-mail
or IM. If your question isn't related to anything written here, odds are I
won't have a good answer.
=============================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
07) VERSION HISTORY - G0700
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=============================================================================
Version Final - July 9-12 2007
- Final formatting update
- Content errors fixed
- Metal slime locations added to Experience section
- Contact information updated
Version 1.5 - January 6-14 2007
- Total formatting overhaul
- Copyright updated
Version 1.4 - October 27 2006
- Final major update
- Tweaked and expanded the Table of Contents
- Fixed minor errors strewn about the FAQ
- Added a few sites to the authorized host list
Version 1.3 - September 21 2006
- Questions added to the FAQ section
- Fixed my e-mail address in the Contact section
Version 1.2 - September 7 2006
- Version History section moved to the bottom of the FAQ
- One more Q&A added to the FAQ section
Version 1.1 - September 4 2006
- Minor tweaks made to the layout
- Spelling errors fixed
- Strategies (and FAQ in general) expanded upon
Version 1.0 - August 8 2006
- Initial release
- All storyline bosses finished
- Optional bosses also completed
Version 0.7 - July 21 2006
- Finished through the Dark Ruins
- The final boss and a few other bosses completed
Version 0.0 - July 3 2006
- FAQ started
=============================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
08) CREDITS - G0800
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=============================================================================
-Carlos Eduardo Cruz Cunha, who reminded me that reaching the fourth level of
tension is a random occurrence.
-CJayC and the rest of the crew at GameFAQs, who have kept this guide and
many others posted for years.
-The Eternal Evil, who created an amazing Low-Level Challenge topic on the
DQVIII message board that gave me some great insight into a few boss
battles.
-Adam G. (Hug Daddy), author of the DQVIII Side Quest FAQ, who submitted a
less-costly method for acquiring Yggdrasil Leaves.
-Kotetsu534, who helped with the Monster Arena section while I was working on
an (ill-fated) FAQ for the message board.
-moomoomashoo, who supplied me with statistics from the DQVIII Piggyback
Guide.
-Praiser of Itacgi, who revealed the effectiveness of Yangus's Warcry &
Underpants Dance in the battle with Captain Crow.
-Rising2Fenix, who supplied info on the Lady's Ring sidequest for the Board
FAQ.
-Calvin Spealman, who reminded me to mention the "wave of ice" attack in
Marcello's strategy section.
-Split Infinity, whose excellent formatting style I cribbed and modified.
In general, the DQVIII message board on GameFAQs has been incredibly helpful
and informative, as well as a great source of entertainment. Thanks to
everyone there, and thanks to anyone and everyone who read this FAQ. Later!
Explore the galaxy in the franchise's first open-world game.
