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TheEtrian Odyssey Origins Collectionis a great way to get into the series. Each entry follows the same core gameplay loop of exploring a labyrinth and returning to a town in order to stock up and rest. This foundation makes it safe for you to start with whichever game you prefer.
Related:Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection: Best Party Builds For Each Game
Once you get your party assembled, you’re thrown into the labyrinth. Each game’s labyrinth is full of traps and powerful monsters that can wipe out your party in just a few turns. Here we’ve got tips lined up for those intimidated by the labyrinths' seemingly endless floors.
Experiment With Your Classes
There are a lot of classes to choose from at the start of any Etrian Odyssey game you choose to start with. To complicate things even further, each classcomes with their own skill treefull of abilities. These skills and various stats in the skill tree can be leveled up to increase their effects. It’s important that you take some time toexperiment with the abilitiesyou think sound most interesting.
Every time you level up, you gain skill points that can be used in exchange for skills. It’s okay if you end up investing in a skill or stat that doesn’t benefit your party. You canreset a party member’s skill pointsat the Explorers Guild by selecting “Rest.”
Choosing to let a party member rest will cause them tolose five levels.
Update Your Map
The Etrian Odyssey series handles tasks you with creating your own map while exploring the labyrinth. You should beconstantly updating your mapto stay on track. Mark everything,even if something seems mundaneor irrelevant. For example, you may come across a spring that’s acknowledged by the protagonist but nothing happens. Then you may find out later that there’s a quest that asks you to return to that spring and retrieve some of its water.
Use your map to mark FOE locations as well. Some FOEswalk in a distinct patternand can be avoided if you know their route. Having their location and route marked on a map will allow for safer traversal through the labyrinth.
Press thestart buttonfor more options to mark your map. This includes treasure chest icons and locked door icons.
Always Buy Ariadne Threads
Before leaving town always purchase a fewAriadne Threads. These items allow you toinstantly escapefrom the labyrinth. These items won’t become available until youfulfill your first mission. In all three games this involves creating a map of the first floor.
After completing this mission, report it as completed, and you will receive an item from the person who gave you the mission. Go to the shop and thenspeak with the shopkeeperto report your success. After this, the shop will sell Ariadne Threads. These threads are theonly way to escapefrom the labyrinth in Etrian Odyssey 1 and 2.
Stay away from Squirrels in Etrian Odyssey 2. They will steal your Ariadne Threads.
Hunt Monsters For Resources
Upon defeating enemies, they will drop items that can earn a lot of ental. Selling these items alsohelps the shopkeeperdevelop more items. This is how you obtain better armor, weapons, and accessories. The description for an item will show which materials you will need for the item to be fully developed. However,better items require rare materialsthat either have a low chance of dropping or come from rare monsters.
By reporting your discoveries at the building where you receive missions, you can fill out theMonstrous Codex. The Codex reveals information regarding the monster’sname, skills, weaknesses, and the items they drop. Use this resource to figure out which monsters you need to hunt for items. Some monsters only come out at various times of the day, so you will need to return to the dungeon all throughout the day to see every monster.
Make use of theInn’s nap feature to skip the dayif you’re looking for monsters that only come out at night.
Use Buffing Skills
Buffs often go ignored in JRPGs due to the minor boost they offer or their high MP costs. In Etrian Odyssey, buffs allow your party to fight enemies that would normallyone-shot your party members. The Protector’s defensive skills are vital tokeep your party alive in fightswith FOEs. Level up theFront Guard and Rear Guard skillsto boost the defense gained from using them.
TheTroubadourandSovereignclasses are great for keeping your party buffed as well. Using the Troubadour’sShelter Skill raises defense, making them great to pair with Protectors. The Troubadour and Sovereign also have skills that can imbue a party member’s attacks with elemental attacks, allowing them to target enemy weaknesses.
Invest In Exploration Skills
In labyrinths, you will come acrossspots where you can gather materials. You will need theChop, Mine, or Take skillsto do this depending on the materials being gathered. The items gained from gathering help create better weapons and armor.
TheSurvivalist and Farmer classesare great for gathering materials. Survivalists can learn Chop, Mine, and Take skills while the Farmer’s Harvestry skill combines all three skills into one. Takinga team of Survivalists or Farmersinto the labyrinth is a great way to gather a ton of resources quickly.
Don’t Try To Upgrade Every Skill
Every time you level up youearn one skill pointto be used to obtain or level up skills. This means you would have to do a lot of grinding to level up and obtain every skill. Instead of trying to get every skill,focus on the ones that wouldbest benefit your playstyle.
For example, If you’re planning on using a Protector or a Hoplite to boost defense, you won’t need to focus on skills that offer attacks. Don’t forget that you canlevel up stats like Attack and Defenseon the skill tree. This is vital for creating powerhouses that can wipe out enemies without relying on skills the whole battle.
Take Down FOEs
While FOEs should be ignored when you first encounter them, it’s a good idea tofight them aftersignificantly leveling up. FOEs often dropvaluable materialsfor creating strong pieces of armor and equipment.
When battling an FOE, you should beusing your strongest skillsright away. Usede-buffs and status ailmentsif you have a party member that can cast them. Throwing everything you have against an FOE is key to defeating them. If you find that you’re still too weak to defeat an FOE,running is always an option.
