darkside

I think most of my second guessing has been about the points. I still have most of mine unused, because if you start putting them on sword or wand you will have to stick with that as your weapon the rest of the game. No idea if they can be changed later.

As with VIII I am obsessed with Alchemy. I'm 15 hours in, but I think I have spent most of that searching for ingredients and recipes. The sidequests from people were cool at first, but now it is starting to be all weird battle conditions nonsense I will never do so I think I am done with that aspect of the game at least.

pinata242

Exactly. I spent enough in sword to get Metal Slash, but the rest is unspent.

pinata242

Another thing I'm curious about. Did everyone start out as a Minstrel or is that random? Also, the first three companions you were offered, what were their classes? I have a Mage, Martial Artist, and Priest. I haven't bothered trying to mess with that stuff. I wonder if I go get rid of my level 15 Martial Artist for a Warrior or whatever, will he start out at level 1? Will the MA dude hang around the Inn forever if I want him back?

Noonan

I'm pretty sure mistral is the default since they're a good general class (can use swords but also gets decent magic, including heal).

You can have a character leave your party and they'll still be at the inn whenever you go back. Any new character you create will start at level 1. I can't remember what three were my default since I created 3 new ones first thing.

manicsounds

At first I hated the fact that the characters levels reset to level 1 when you change jobs, but eventually, I see the point. It is so easy to get to Level 99 in this game, that it creates infinite replay value. Especially if you get a treasure map with the Metal Kings only floors, then it's even easier.

pinata242

Do the other metal monsters flee as infrequently as the metal slimes do? When I first encountered them, I was shocked how easy it was to get into battles with them and for them to hang out for a round or two. My journal says I've beaten 12 and, if I'm not mistaken, only 1 fled before I could kill it.

dsa_shea

I have a problem with the metal slimes fleeing about half of the time. There is nothing as frustrating as almost having them killed to then seeing them escape.

pinata242

Some upcoming DQ9 events: http://www.destructoid.com/download-...s-180176.phtml

* July 31: Select GameStops will throw a DQ meet-up, while most stores will offer the "Zoma" map
* August 7: Select Best Buy locations will have the "Estark" map
* August 7 to September 19: Select malls will have the "Malroth" map and hold sampling events for the game

More details: http://dqnine.com/#/do-you-dq/events/

I'll drive within WiFi range of the GS and BB for those maps. I couldn't care less about "evolving my pokemans".

shumway

Didn't know about the 8/7 stuff. Thanks for that. BTW, your link for More Details just refers back to this thread.

pinata242

Fixed, thanks.

PrincessT

I want to go buy this game tonight Sounds like a lot of fun and I've had my nose stuck in MMORPGs for so long, I need to play something new, but not new, you know?

mhg83

Is the game still turn based?

shumway

Yes, still turn based but no longer random.

PixyJunket

Okay, so now that I have some open time, I'm falling in love with this game. It's like, such a pure gamey RPG, with little story bullshit. The quests and the treasure maps and the sexy job system which fuses the base job system with the EXCELLENT skill system from Dragon Quest VIII and the paper doll system and the little online item shop. So, so good.

I'm guessing the treasure maps from the Nintendo events will show up on DQVC later on. Malroth is probably my favorite Dragon Quest boss and there's no malls near me that are part of the chain hosting that series of events.

UncleGramps

Yeah, this game is awesome. Even as someone who fell "out of love" with JRPGs, I'm pretty hooked on DQ9. I love how the game is broken into a lot of smaller subplots. It keeps things moving quickly, and you never stick with a subplot so long that you start getting bored with it. Also, this game proves that RPGs should NEVER have random encounters. It's so much better when you can see monsters and choose whether to avoid or engage them.

Noonan

I really enjoyed this one. I finished up the story a few days ago and continued to play for for quite a few hours after. I ended at a bit over 50 hours total. I might go back to get some more treasure maps and legacy bosses done but, for now, I'm ready to start something new.

PixyJunket

Yeah, I think one's enjoyment of post-game content is key in just how much you'll get out of this one.

dsa_shea

I reached the final form of the last boss about a week ago and was never able to beat him. Since then I've put in more than 20 hours leveling up my characters and adding a few new ones. I've also done a few treasure hunts and alchemy but I haven't gone back yet to fight the final boss again. Any tips on which characters to use and what strategies to beat him? Thanks!

PixyJunket

Nothing specific, but primarily you'll probably only have one, maybe two characters focusing on doing damage. Support (healing, raising tension, buffing, debuffing, etc.) tends to be a wiser thing to focus on than going all out with tougher Dragon Quest battles. Pure power and level is usually a last resort, though it can work in some cases.

Noonan

You basically have to have a character with multiheal if you want any chance of surviving. And it's also a bit of luck. He has one attack in particular (I can't remember the name) which does ridiculous damage to your whole team. I was in the low to mid 40's when I fought him and that attack would kill my two weaker characters and leave the other two in yellow. The time I beat him, he didn't do that attack at all.

If you were already at him and put an extra 20 hours into leveling, I can't imagine you having much trouble at all.

dsa_shea

Thanks for these tips. I'm going to give him another shot shortly.

I hope so! I've gotten two of my four main characters to level 99 and another one to 93. My mage is a level 40 something and my priest is around a 30.

PixyJunket

Boy, I love the *little* things this game does, like having staves/wands absorb MP which makes downtime for mages far less useless.

Anyway, I think I'm going to try to tackle a few of the treasure maps I gathered last week tonight so I can not come empty-handed to the Best Buy event. Although I'm not really sure what the level of the map correlates to, the Lv. 1 map I got from the GameStop event had a monster that wiped out my whole party in two turns, heh.

pinata242

dsa_shea

I am a little disappointed in the grottos (treasure hunts) as they are very generic in my opinion. The only cool part is the boss fight after wandering around for a half hour or more looking for him.

PixyJunket

Well, it is what is is, basically. You can't have over a hundred extra dungeons in a game and have a great variety to them. They're basically there for those (like me) that love the pure game-like aspects of the genre.. so over-leveling several classes, collecting rare treasures, etc. If you're in it for the story, the treasure maps probably won't add much replay.

That being said, I've been stomped in every one I've entered, if not by the standard monsters, definitely the bosses.. I'm starting to think they're purely there for post-story play.. so anything you get from DQVC or from Tag Mode you just have to set aside until you've beaten the main game.