Topic: Dragon Quest IX - Release Date 7/11 - U.S.

[TJ Spyke]

That is my problem with RPGs in general, I am always afraid to sell anything (especially if I don't know how I can get more).

[DAaaMan64]

If your grinding for money, go to Gleeba and just fight those big Gold guys. They are worth a lot.

That is my problem with RPGs in general, I am always afraid to sell anything (especially if I don't know how I can get more).

The risk/reward system is there to do that on purpose, thats the complications of getting the best armor. To be the best and JRPGs are all about that ****.  Grinding is the other thing you have to do, and there is nothing about risk/reward there, you just the same thing over and over.

[TheFleece]

No matter what I do Stella reminds me of Lil' Kim

[greybrick]

So today is the first day of me grinding up my new party layout.

Right now I've got

• Paladin with high strength from a soldier background
• Paladin with priest skills/spells
• Mage
• Martial Artist

The big picture is to shift the Mage to Sage and the Martial Artist to Gladiator. I figure the first paladin can shell out some damage, and the second can take care of most healing. The advantage of having two paladins is that turtling bosses becomes a cinch, and I can usually wear them down without coming close to losing characters.

[SixthAngel]

The high area near Angel Falls is excellent for levelling characters after you beat the main story.  So many liquid slimes and no one to chase you.

I'm not sure if I like the no random encounters thing everywhere but it is excellent for killing slimes.  In the two previous DQ games I never tried to level my characters because of all the worthless battles between slimes, now it is much easier and less frustrating.

Screw some of these weapon master quests.  I've got to go all the way around the world and kill enemies they don't even fully explain in different parts in the hope that this time they drop this super rare item.  If you give quests like this you can't make me fight 30 freaking guys before they drop one item and then make me repeat it somewhere else.  Its not even like its difficult because I'm killing the easy monsters.

[Halbred]

I just went through about 50 Hocus Chimaeras (maybe more) to get 3 Hocus Chimaera feathers for a quest. I forget what the reward was. It wasn't fantastic. I think it was an accessory that will only be useful for Alchemy later. I'm actually at the final dungeon of the game, but I'm plodding around doing quests and fighting monsters to level up all my characters to 40 before I even walk in there.

I also have to grind for cash so I can buy better equipment in Upover. Gold Golems in Gleeba drop 505 gold per kill, so that ain't bad. Very few quests have given me really worthwhile items, though. One exception was giving a prisoner at the bottom of the Coffinwell well a pair of Hammer Handrills. It was a tough decision because once I alchemized them, they turned out to be better claws than my Martial Artist had! So I saved my game in case the reward was crappy. However, it turned out to be a pretty fair trade: he gave me an Unhappy Hat, which is the best hat I've got, even better than the Dragon Warrior Helm.

[greybrick]

For some reason I assumed that if I learned spells as a Priest and then switched to Paladin - a class that also learns healing magic- I would be able to just carry those spells over. This really pissed me off.

[Sundoulos]

I guess I'm still fairly early on in the game.  I've gotten past the point where you can change classes, but I haven't chosen to do so. 

Do some abilities carry over while others don't?   What's the advantage of actually switching the class?

One reason I'm progressing so slow is that I really find that I'm having a harder time getting into this game than I thought I would.  It's the generic character complaint.  I just don't care about them as much, and I don't find the story to be all that engaging.  I much preferred DQ VIII, and I hope X, whatever platform it's on, continues in the vein of VIII moreso than IX.

[Halbred]

I'd rather just make a new character than reset a current character's class. If I need a Thief, I'll just create a new ally at Lv. 1 and take them to the Bowhole so I can grind Liquid Metal Slimes and bump them up to a high level relatively quickly.

[greybrick]

I'd rather just make a new character than reset a current character's class. If I need a Thief, I'll just create a new ally at Lv. 1 and take them to the Bowhole so I can grind Liquid Metal Slimes and bump them up to a high level relatively quickly.

I don't see the advantage in this, since every time you start a new class you are effectively bumped to level one.

In my case, I was specifically trying to use the strengths of the previous class to augment the new. I feel like the class-to-class transition should be more similar to Final Fantasy 5 or FF Tactics. I can occupy myself for hours trying to create the perfect hybrid.

[SixthAngel]

For some reason I assumed that if I learned spells as a Priest and then switched to Paladin - a class that also learns healing magic- I would be able to just carry those spells over. This really pissed me off.

Only abilities.  Look on the bright side the priests passive abilities of magic and magical mending will make your paladin much better.

I'd rather just make a new character than reset a current character's class. If I need a Thief, I'll just create a new ally at Lv. 1 and take them to the Bowhole so I can grind Liquid Metal Slimes and bump them up to a high level relatively quickly.

No, no, no, very bad move.  The passives and abilities that carry over can be very important.  My thief has all the dexterity from the ranger and thief class now as well as some agility and psych up from the martial artist.  My armamentalists fource abilities can be cast no matter if I change classes and has the knights whipping boy skill and strength bonuses.  My sage has a lot of mage and priest magic bonuses.  It really adds up.

Also some classes can use the same weapons so the skills carry over and if you max one weapon skill out it allows you to use it no matter what class your character is.

[Halbred]

Ah, I see. So if were to max out my Minstrel, then turn her into a Thief, she'd keep all of her abilities and stat bonuses?

[TJ Spyke]

and I hope X, whatever platform it's on, continues in the vein of VIII moreso than IX.

What does that mean? It was confirmed long ago that X will be on Wii.

[NWR_insanolord]

There has been a lot of talk lately that it may be moved to 3DS. Square Enix hasn't said anything, but since we haven't seen anything at all about the game, and given Japan's love of handhelds, it's a rumor that makes a lot of sense.

[greybrick]

There has been a lot of talk lately that it may be moved to 3DS. Square Enix hasn't said anything, but since we haven't seen anything at all about the game, and given Japan's love of handhelds, it's a rumor that makes a lot of sense.

What would be interesting is if they pulled a reverse Ni No Kuni on us.

[TJ Spyke]

Square Enix always puts the Dragon Quest games on the largest install base (while they use graphics to decide on Final Fantasy). There is no chance that X will be on 3DS unless they intend to wait another three or four years before releasing it since the Wii has a 75 million+ install base and 3DS will need at least one year to even reach 10 million.

[SixthAngel]

Ah, I see. So if were to max out my Minstrel, then turn her into a Thief, she'd keep all of her abilities and stat bonuses?

Yes, only abilities and the stat bonuses abilities give you.

If you have a martial artist with 50 points in his category and change to a priest you keep his abilities such as psych up (which is an excellent, excellent ability) and the passive agility/hp increases he gets.
If you have a paladin the soldiers abilities should be excellent.  You get whipping boy which lets you protect a dying partner and you get strength and health bonuses.

Also if you upgraded swords with the minstril it carries to the thief because they can use swords too.  This gets more important late game because a maxed out weapon stat lets you equip any job with it making changing jobs much easier.

I assume you aren't using any unlockable classes because most of them need, or are much easier to get with,  abilities from at least two classes. (armamentalist - low level mage to get wizard ward and then a sword wielding class so he has metal slash to kill the slimes)

[SixthAngel]

The thief's coup de gras is amazing.  I just fought Baramos for the first time and her coup activates giving me his awesome boots.

How does giving him experience work?  Does it just make him more difficult?  Will he drop a map if I give him my experience?

[greybrick]

So I just beat Corvus, and naturally there is another form you have to go find and beat. I am really hoping my current party will pull me through:

• Paladin: 35
• Mage: 39
• Martial Artist: 40
• Priest: 26

I haven't had any problems with the later bosses so far, most of the time I come out with full hp or close to it- it is that Forbearance Paladin ability mixed with mirror armour. Only the paladin takes damage, but most physical attacks only do 1-10 damage, and most spells get reflected.

added: Okay, I managed to take   Barbarus down first try with the same build, really hoping I can beat Corvus without grinding!

added # 2: That's a no. Third turn of the battle he uses an attack that did around 150 to each party member, then he puts us to sleep, meditates to regenerate his mp, and does another devastating attack.

[Sundoulos]

Ah, I see. So if were to max out my Minstrel, then turn her into a Thief, she'd keep all of her abilities and stat bonuses?

Yes, only abilities and the stat bonuses abilities give you.

If you have a martial artist with 50 points in his category and change to a priest you keep his abilities such as psych up (which is an excellent, excellent ability) and the passive agility/hp increases he gets.
If you have a paladin the soldiers abilities should be excellent.  You get whipping boy which lets you protect a dying partner and you get strength and health bonuses.

Also if you upgraded swords with the minstril it carries to the thief because they can use swords too.  This gets more important late game because a maxed out weapon stat lets you equip any job with it making changing jobs much easier.

I assume you aren't using any unlockable classes because most of them need, or are much easier to get with,  abilities from at least two classes. (armamentalist - low level mage to get wizard ward and then a sword wielding class so he has metal slash to kill the slimes)

Thanks for posting this discussion.  I've been using my playtime this weekend to boost earn some class abilities that will be useful.  It does open up a nice, new facet of gameplay; and I do find that it helps me to get a little more invested in my characters b/c you can use this to tailor something that is unique.

[Halbred]

God, Goresby-Purrvis sucks so hard! I'm battling him for the second time, in the Realm of the Mighty, and he's abusing that "slashes like a demon" move that basically KOs your characters.

[TheFleece]

God, Goresby-Purrvis sucks so hard! I'm battling him for the second time, in the Realm of the Mighty, and he's abusing that "slashes like a demon" move that basically KOs your characters.

Are you fighting him again for XP or do you get specific goodies? I hated that fight, but really he's the weakest DQ boss I've ever faced.

[greybrick]

God, Goresby-Purrvis sucks so hard! I'm battling him for the second time, in the Realm of the Mighty, and he's abusing that "slashes like a demon" move that basically KOs your characters.

Are you fighting him again for XP or do you get specific goodies? I hated that fight, but really he's the weakest DQ boss I've ever faced.

You have to fight him twice in the game, and he can be tough if you don't manage your party properly.

Zach, try buffing up your paladin (if you have one) and having him use forbearance.

[Halbred]

I've got a Priest, not a Paladin. Should I grind up a Paladin? I'm so close to the end!

[greybrick]

I've got a Priest, not a Paladin. Should I grind up a Paladin? I'm so close to the end!

You've got a few tough bosses to go, and I can say that my Paladin made a huge difference when fighting the last bosses- but it would take forever to grind up a paladin with his resilience bonus maxed.

 Of course there are probably alternative setups you can make it through with. What party are you using?