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When it comes to Dragon Quest games, there are many ways to get an advantage in their huge worlds. Dragon Quest XI is no different, especially when it comes to building your characters, below are some Essential Tips to get you started.

• Save Regularly! Dragon Quest XI is a bit more lenient when it comes to punishing you for not saving as every time you transition into a new area, the game will auto save. Make use of saving at every church and if you find yourself out in the field grinding for materials or levels, pass through a screen transition to create an auto save.
• Only use Draconian Mode if you’re experienced! When you begin a new game, you’ll get the option to select modifiers to your game known as Draconian Mode. Some can be useful and add to the enjoyment of the game such as increasing the levels of the enemies across the board, however some like “No Armor” should be reserved for a second playthrough.
• Only buy what you need! It goes without saying that you’ll need lots of money to keep your party outfitted throughout your adventure. Early on, choose a playstyle for a character and only buy weapons that suits that style. It’s no good buying Shields for your Hero if you’re using Greatswords.
• Save your Pep Powers for when you need it! Once you have more than four characters in your party, you can save your Pep Powers until you really need them. If someone has entered the Pep state you can remove them from the party and they’ll remain in that state. This is useful for quests that may require four characters to be in a Pepped up state.
• Make a beeline for Hustle Dance! There’s a vast array of skills to unlock in Dragon Quest XI and a lot of choices but none more than unlocking Hustle Dance for Sylvando as soon as possible. You’ll find the skill in the Showmanship category and it’s your best source of healing for a long time.
• Make use of Crafting! Dragon Quest XI allows you to craft equipment from recipe books that you find throughout your adventure. Make use of this as it’s the best way to obtain equipment upgrades for your party, and actually helps you save money. Not only that, you can reforge weapons to higher levels increasing their effectiveness even more!
• Talk to everyone! Like always with Dragon Quest, all of the NPCs you’ll come across will have something useful to say. Take the time to speak to everyone you come across.