Getting Started!

From the moment that you first start up the game you are plagued with questions. First, what is the best team to enter the labyrinth with. What are some things that you should keep in mind. First, it mostly depends on your own style of play. While we offer a more detailed list elsewhere on the site, this is a few key descriptions of all the classes. Note: Please keep in mind this is a guide for getting started. Some suggestions you will find may not hold up as you progress into the game.

Protector - While this character will be one of the harder hitting characters in terms of physical power, he is not the best in the game. And while he has some potential for healing, many feel that it is a waste of time for this character. A lot of players find that this character's real strength lies in his skills: F. Guard, B. Guard, and ultimately Defender. His skill Smite is also recommended once you start meeting powerful FOEs.

Landsknecht - This is your main fighter in the game. No matter what skill you decide to work on for this one, it usually comes out decent for you. When starting, it is recommended you focus just a little on sword skills since these are the least expensive, but as you progress, you should really consider switching over to axes.

Medic - The all-essential medic. This game DEMANDS that you have a medic in your team when you start out. This character will be doing loads of healing and using insane amounts of TP. Which is probably why you should at first concentrate on TP upgrades and maybe advancing the potentancy of cure. As you progress, it then becomes a question of where to put this character in your party. If you've played a Final Fantasy game, everyone will immediately recognize the sheer patheticness of a White Mage when in combat. However, Etrian Odyssey is NOT Final Fantasy, and a Medic is NOT a white mage. While this character will never have the physical power of the others, you should really consider turning him/her into a Combat Medic in the front row. Medics can take the hits! And even they have turned a few battles for me.

Alchemist - When I started the game I only had one Alchemist and one Survivalist in the back row. When I met my first FOE, I lost the Survivalist and made a second Alchemist. Do NOT play Etrian Odyssey thinking you will get away with brute strength alone. Especially at the beginning! Magic does WONDERS during the first three floors. One of the most frequently asked questions is which spell to start with: Fire, Ice, or Volt. Fire. Next, the usefullness of TP Regen: not until it's got about 4 skill points behind it, and during pre-game when you are leaving the labyrinth frequently anyway - it should be low on your list of priorities. Still, this skill definitely pays off in the later floors as your time in the maze begins to lengthen.

Survivalist - Whether or not you put this guy in your party, you should make one... or two... or five... Especially when you are starting out you NEED money. The only way to get money is by selling items. This guy's skills - Chop, Mine, Take - are invaluable. Make a few dummies and put their skills on Chop. There is a Chop Item Point within ten paces of the Labyrinth's entrance. Take this faux-party in, chop your wits out, sell them at the store, go to the inn and sleep, repeat. ...Oh, but.. what about their fighting prowess? I traded mine for another Alchemist but there is no denying that he was one of my stronger hitters. You wouldn't be too bad off AT ALL, if you continued to use this guy.

Dark Hunter - There are people that swear by this character. A lot of sealing techniques. However, in the beginning of the game, I found him useless and my opinion hasn't changed much. However, yet again let me emphasize: people LOVE this class. I'm just not one of them. I didn't use him and there's not much else I can say.

Troubador - I wish I had given this character more of a chance when I started out. I think I missed out on a wonder. Their talent lies in increasing or decreasing stats of your party or the enemy's. But, at the same time, looking at the skill points needed... I'm not sure how good this character is when starting out. Still, there is no denying that when I added one to my party later on in the game, I've totally fallen in love with it.

Remember, these are just my points of view as I played the game. It always just depends on your own unique style of playing. My starting team was composed as such:

But on the second floor I did this:

------------------

Tips for Beginners

Warp Wire Rule - ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS double check that you have a warp wire before you go into the labyrinth. I don't care what level your guys are at, how deep you are in the labyrinth, or what spells your characters know. You will be using Warp Wires right up until you defeat the last boss. My suggestion - always keep three with you at any one time.

Best Builds - Quite honestly, I've always felt that the "best build" suggestions by others while with some merit, is generally overrated. There's a few "pathetic" spells, but honestly, you know how you play, if it will make your life easier - then build your character up that way. Do not get so caught up in this. I never looked at any best build guide and there's only one character that I made rest to reset his skill points. But, it's your choice and we will be happy to provide you with best build information.

Earning Gold - It's hard at first. Remember, the only way to make money is to sell items. That's the only thing you can do with a lot of monster drops anyway. But selling items to Shilleka also does other things such as opens up goods in her weapon store or gives you better potions in the Apothecary. Item Points are crucial! Always investigate them! And, here's a must-know beginner's strategy that I listed above already: Make a faux party of all Survivalists and give their skill points to Chop. On the first floor, if you've completed it, there will be an Item Point Chop just a little ways away from the right of the entrance that can be reached through a warp if you opened it from the other side. Go in, dodge enemies (you shouldn't be attacked at all really), get chop items, sell them, go to sleep, repeat. You get a decent amount of gold like this and is essential when you need to purchase new equipment and things when you start heading down to lower levels of that floor.

Notes about leveling up - Some people report having a hard time leveling up and frequently spend hours level hammering. My question to them is, how are they playing the game? First: make sure you are mapping by hitting every square on your map. This makes you encounter a number of monsters! Next, NEVER run from a battle UNLESS you are about to die - why are you playing the game, then? Third: You ARE visiting Valerie to check up on new quests, right? There's only a few times that I had to actually stop and level hammer since I was VERY consistent with these rules.

Mapping! - There is no wrong or right way to do it. However, the key is to keep this up to date AT ALL TIMES! Hey, you can even work on your map while you are in the middle of a fight. There is no reason NOT to keep your map current. Also, be sure to note what you received in chests and such - so if you die, you can determine whether or not it's worth your time to go back and get it just yet. -Oh AND make sure that you mark whether or not you got it since you died.