Hello! So awhile back, I actually made a thread asking which Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game I should start with, and a lot of people said I should start with Explorers, so I decided to FINALLY give it a try! I'm completely new to Mystery Dungeon games, but I'm happy to learn lots about them! Does anyone have any tips that they would recommend for a first time player? I know the mechanics are very different from main series Pokémon games. I really appreciate input from the community here, since there seems to be lots of Pokémon fans here [emoji=aberration happy size=1]
Hello! So awhile back, I actually made a thread asking which Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game I should start with, and a lot of people said I should start with Explorers, so I decided to FINALLY give it a try! I'm completely new to Mystery Dungeon games, but I'm happy to learn lots about them! Does anyone have any tips that they would recommend for a first time player? I know the mechanics are very different from main series Pokémon games. I really appreciate input from the community here, since there seems to be lots of Pokémon fans here
PMD is technically a roguelike and every run will be different, but that's part of the fun. the best tips I have are:
- always bring apples and oran or sitrus berries. you can and will need them.
- similarly, if you have them, always bring two reviver seeds.
- throw items and blast seeds are better than you might think, especially in boss fights. keep an eye on what you pick up and use it wisely.
- your party is not smart. set them to follow your example, do NOT let them wander on their own. iirc the default setting is what you want basically all the time.
- also, idk if it's this way for Explorers, but in Rescue Team, you can turn off individual moves you don't want your party members to use.
- only opponents defeated by the team leader can be recruited. just something to keep in mind (and maybe a reason to turn off your team members' long ranged moves).
- during escort missions, keep an eye on the client, they tend to get themselves in trouble whenever they get an opportunity.
- you can sometimes go quite a while without getting a new plot mission. keep making progress, the plot will pick up again soon enough and you will need the extra levels and items you get in the meantime.
- similarly, if you can avoid progressing the plot for a little while, do so until you are comfortable with your levels and item stock. difficulty spikes aren't really a thing most of the time, but there sure are some big difficulty speed bumps.
PMD is technically a roguelike and every run will be different, but that's part of the fun. the best tips I have are:
- always bring apples and oran or sitrus berries. you can and will need them.
- similarly, if you have them, always bring two reviver seeds.
- throw items and blast seeds are better than you might think, especially in boss fights. keep an eye on what you pick up and use it wisely.
- your party is not smart. set them to follow your example, do NOT let them wander on their own. iirc the default setting is what you want basically all the time.
- also, idk if it's this way for Explorers, but in Rescue Team, you can turn off individual moves you don't want your party members to use.
- only opponents defeated by the team leader can be recruited. just something to keep in mind (and maybe a reason to turn off your team members' long ranged moves).
- during escort missions, keep an eye on the client, they tend to get themselves in trouble whenever they get an opportunity.
- you can sometimes go quite a while without getting a new plot mission. keep making progress, the plot will pick up again soon enough and you will need the extra levels and items you get in the meantime.
- similarly, if you can avoid progressing the plot for a little while, do so until you are comfortable with your levels and item stock. difficulty spikes aren't really a thing most of the time, but there sure are some big difficulty speed bumps.
Abilities in the main Pokemon series may work differently in PMD, and Pokemon with multiple abilities will have them both active at the same time
This is why you will come to fear Pokemon such as Bronzong and Drifblim
Abilities in the main Pokemon series may work differently in PMD, and Pokemon with multiple abilities will have them both active at the same time
This is why you will come to fear Pokemon such as Bronzong and Drifblim
[quote name="LouckyKoneko" date="2025-02-16 14:59:42" ]
PMD is technically a roguelike and every run will be different, but that's part of the fun. the best tips I have are:
- always bring apples and oran or sitrus berries. you can and will need them.
- similarly, if you have them, always bring two reviver seeds.
- throw items and blast seeds are better than you might think, especially in boss fights. keep an eye on what you pick up and use it wisely.
- your party is not smart. set them to follow your example, do NOT let them wander on their own. iirc the default setting is what you want basically all the time.
- also, idk if it's this way for Explorers, but in Rescue Team, you can turn off individual moves you don't want your party members to use.
- only opponents defeated by the team leader can be recruited. just something to keep in mind (and maybe a reason to turn off your team members' long ranged moves).
- during escort missions, keep an eye on the client, they tend to get themselves in trouble whenever they get an opportunity.
- you can sometimes go quite a while without getting a new plot mission. keep making progress, the plot will pick up again soon enough and you will need the extra levels and items you get in the meantime.
- similarly, if you can avoid progressing the plot for a little while, do so until you are comfortable with your levels and item stock. difficulty spikes aren't really a thing most of the time, but there sure are some big difficulty speed bumps.
[/quote]
Adding to this, orbs don't work in boss fights. Don't be afraid to use them when you're in the dungeon! They're great for a lot of late game shenanigans...
LouckyKoneko wrote on 2025-02-16 14:59:42:
PMD is technically a roguelike and every run will be different, but that's part of the fun. the best tips I have are:
- always bring apples and oran or sitrus berries. you can and will need them.
- similarly, if you have them, always bring two reviver seeds.
- throw items and blast seeds are better than you might think, especially in boss fights. keep an eye on what you pick up and use it wisely.
- your party is not smart. set them to follow your example, do NOT let them wander on their own. iirc the default setting is what you want basically all the time.
- also, idk if it's this way for Explorers, but in Rescue Team, you can turn off individual moves you don't want your party members to use.
- only opponents defeated by the team leader can be recruited. just something to keep in mind (and maybe a reason to turn off your team members' long ranged moves).
- during escort missions, keep an eye on the client, they tend to get themselves in trouble whenever they get an opportunity.
- you can sometimes go quite a while without getting a new plot mission. keep making progress, the plot will pick up again soon enough and you will need the extra levels and items you get in the meantime.
- similarly, if you can avoid progressing the plot for a little while, do so until you are comfortable with your levels and item stock. difficulty spikes aren't really a thing most of the time, but there sure are some big difficulty speed bumps.
Adding to this, orbs don't work in boss fights. Don't be afraid to use them when you're in the dungeon! They're great for a lot of late game shenanigans...
Don’t look up any story at all! Just don’t. I nearly ruined the game for myself, but it still made me cry. (in a good way.)
Don’t look up any story at all! Just don’t. I nearly ruined the game for myself, but it still made me cry. (in a good way.)
Adding to the tip above I always bring more than two reviver seeds(six or more in stock so that I make sure that I won’t fail a mission in the main game!)
Adding to the tip above I always bring more than two reviver seeds(six or more in stock so that I make sure that I won’t fail a mission in the main game!)
Hi.
- More so later into the game, but you're REALLY gonna want a Pokemon that can use a move that can hit all enemy Pokemon in a room. Discharge, Heat Wave, Powder Snow, Earth Power, Ominous Wind, and Silver Wind are the ones that I can remember off the top of my head. Ominous Wind and Silver Wind are particularly great moves because of the chance that they can raise all your stats at once. (That is, great when you're the one using it. Downright terrifying when it's an enemy Pokemon...)
- More on that note, Pikachu can learn Discharge by level-up, and Charizard can get Heat Wave through the game's move relearner NPC. So if you haven't picked your starters yet, you can take that into consideration. (Though you won't be able to evolve your starters for a very long time)
- Speaking of moves, some moves that aren't that good in the main series are much more useful in PMD. In particular, multi-hit moves such as Fury Attack and especially Bullet Seed (Since it's long-range) can be downright broken. Honestly, I would consider a move's utility, range, and power points more than I would its raw power.
- The type-chart is the same as it is for the main series (Gen IV's type-chart, at least. So Steel still resists Dark and Ghost) but one difference is that type match-ups that would have no effect in the main series (Such as Electric vs Ground or Fighting vs Ghost) do still deal damage in PMD, just even less than a not-very-effective move would.
- If you're playing Explorers of Sky, make use of Spinda's Cafe! Making your gummies into smoothies to feed to your Pokemon is rather tedious with all the text boxes you have to scroll through, but it's worth it since you're guaranteed at least a small stat boost - and sometimes a big one. It may not seem like much at first, but it adds up over time.
- If you really want to trivialize a boss fight, Violent and Vile Seeds are your best friends! The former maximizes stats while the latter minimizes them. (So you want to eat the Violent Seeds, and throw the Vile Seeds at the enemy)
- I'll try to be vague as to avoid spoilers, but there are a handful of times in the story when you are forced into dungeons -sometimes more than one in a row- without the ability to quit and go back into town to prepare or do other optional missions instead. One of these instances is telegraphed well ahead of time, but two of them are very sudden, so make sure to save often.
- On the subject of the story, the post-game is actually rather expansive and could really just be considered the second half of the story. So continue playing past the credits!
- More so later into the game, but you're REALLY gonna want a Pokemon that can use a move that can hit all enemy Pokemon in a room. Discharge, Heat Wave, Powder Snow, Earth Power, Ominous Wind, and Silver Wind are the ones that I can remember off the top of my head. Ominous Wind and Silver Wind are particularly great moves because of the chance that they can raise all your stats at once. (That is, great when you're the one using it. Downright terrifying when it's an enemy Pokemon...)
- More on that note, Pikachu can learn Discharge by level-up, and Charizard can get Heat Wave through the game's move relearner NPC. So if you haven't picked your starters yet, you can take that into consideration. (Though you won't be able to evolve your starters for a very long time)
- Speaking of moves, some moves that aren't that good in the main series are much more useful in PMD. In particular, multi-hit moves such as Fury Attack and especially Bullet Seed (Since it's long-range) can be downright broken. Honestly, I would consider a move's utility, range, and power points more than I would its raw power.
- The type-chart is the same as it is for the main series (Gen IV's type-chart, at least. So Steel still resists Dark and Ghost) but one difference is that type match-ups that would have no effect in the main series (Such as Electric vs Ground or Fighting vs Ghost) do still deal damage in PMD, just even less than a not-very-effective move would.
- If you're playing Explorers of Sky, make use of Spinda's Cafe! Making your gummies into smoothies to feed to your Pokemon is rather tedious with all the text boxes you have to scroll through, but it's worth it since you're guaranteed at least a small stat boost - and sometimes a big one. It may not seem like much at first, but it adds up over time.
- If you really want to trivialize a boss fight, Violent and Vile Seeds are your best friends! The former maximizes stats while the latter minimizes them. (So you want to eat the Violent Seeds, and throw the Vile Seeds at the enemy)
- I'll try to be vague as to avoid spoilers, but there are a handful of times in the story when you are forced into dungeons -sometimes more than one in a row- without the ability to quit and go back into town to prepare or do other optional missions instead. One of these instances is telegraphed well ahead of time, but two of them are very sudden, so make sure to save often.
- On the subject of the story, the post-game is actually rather expansive and could really just be considered the second half of the story. So continue playing past the credits!
Check the spelling of every item name. Don't let yourself get owned by Reviser Seeds.
Check the spelling of every item name. Don't let yourself get owned by Reviser Seeds.
Off the top of my head,
- When it comes to picking moves, range and multi-hit are the most significant factors. Attacking enemies from a distance is always safer than letting them get close (full-room-hitting moves can be very useful), and multi-hits do very high damage. Charge-turn and cooldown-turn moves ae also quite strong as one turn is a short time in MD.
I typically don't bother with buffs and debuffs- the former is cleared when changing floor and the latter when the enemy is defeated, so it's never really worth taking up a move slot seeing as some items can buff you instead. I can't remember for PMD2, but in some games Agility is the exception to this rule.
- Don't neglect your basic attack. It gets stronger over time, so you can save a good amount of move PP by using the basic attack to finish off weakened enemies.
- In terms of completing missions, you can save up multiple requests for one dungeon at once. It always feels better to me when I knock out 5 requests in a row than going for one at once- but that does mean longer missions, so you can just play it easy if you want.
- Random Pokemon you recruit in dungeons will join your team automatically, so even if they faint they'll still be available the next day.
- The Kecleon shops you'll see in dungeons are... complicated. He'll sell normal items which are somewhat overpriced and best avoided unless you're in a pinch, and rarely he can sell expensive rare items that aren't usually immediately useful.
You can sell to him by dropping items on the rug and leaving the shop. And you can steal from him by leaving with his items and refusing to pay. He's extremely dangerous to steal from, but if you've got the right kind of items- or if you'll starve without that Big Apple you can't afford- it could be worth a shot.
- Gummis are super useful. They raise IQ, which unlocks different passive abilities you can turn on and off. Each colour corresponds to a type- Pokemon get best bonuses from their own type, higher bonuses from types they're weak to, and lower bonuses from types they're strong against.
If you're playing Explorers of Sky, you'll have access to Spinda's Cafe which lets you turn food items into drinks. Gummi drinks are nigh broken, always increasing IQ while giving you a permanant stat boost. Do with that info what you will.
- You may never need this, but. If a ghost-type is hiding inside a wall, you can hit them by throwing Gravelrocks.
- If you're lategame and in a dungeon where the Doom Seed spawns, don't have any held items. Trust me on this one.
- Don't stress things too much. Sometimes you just get unlucky, sometimes the game's just unfair. There's no need to follow all the advice here to the letter or anything, just take it easy and enjoy it.
Off the top of my head,
- When it comes to picking moves, range and multi-hit are the most significant factors. Attacking enemies from a distance is always safer than letting them get close (full-room-hitting moves can be very useful), and multi-hits do very high damage. Charge-turn and cooldown-turn moves ae also quite strong as one turn is a short time in MD.
I typically don't bother with buffs and debuffs- the former is cleared when changing floor and the latter when the enemy is defeated, so it's never really worth taking up a move slot seeing as some items can buff you instead. I can't remember for PMD2, but in some games Agility is the exception to this rule.
- Don't neglect your basic attack. It gets stronger over time, so you can save a good amount of move PP by using the basic attack to finish off weakened enemies.
- In terms of completing missions, you can save up multiple requests for one dungeon at once. It always feels better to me when I knock out 5 requests in a row than going for one at once- but that does mean longer missions, so you can just play it easy if you want.
- Random Pokemon you recruit in dungeons will join your team automatically, so even if they faint they'll still be available the next day.
- The Kecleon shops you'll see in dungeons are... complicated. He'll sell normal items which are somewhat overpriced and best avoided unless you're in a pinch, and rarely he can sell expensive rare items that aren't usually immediately useful.
You can sell to him by dropping items on the rug and leaving the shop. And you can steal from him by leaving with his items and refusing to pay. He's extremely dangerous to steal from, but if you've got the right kind of items- or if you'll starve without that Big Apple you can't afford- it could be worth a shot.
- Gummis are super useful. They raise IQ, which unlocks different passive abilities you can turn on and off. Each colour corresponds to a type- Pokemon get best bonuses from their own type, higher bonuses from types they're weak to, and lower bonuses from types they're strong against.
If you're playing Explorers of Sky, you'll have access to Spinda's Cafe which lets you turn food items into drinks. Gummi drinks are nigh broken, always increasing IQ while giving you a permanant stat boost. Do with that info what you will.
- You may never need this, but. If a ghost-type is hiding inside a wall, you can hit them by throwing Gravelrocks.
- If you're lategame and in a dungeon where the Doom Seed spawns, don't have any held items. Trust me on this one.
- Don't stress things too much. Sometimes you just get unlucky, sometimes the game's just unfair. There's no need to follow all the advice here to the letter or anything, just take it easy and enjoy it.
- you can indeed turn off specific moves for specific party members (teammate AI loves spamming stat moves, for example, like growl/leer/etc. when enemies are nearby, which is great mechanically but also annoying when they do it 5 times in a row...)
- you can also turn off iq skills for them, for me one thing i do when i'm low on reviver seeds and/or expect to die a lot and don't strictly need my teammates is i'll go in their iq menus and turn off..."item master" i think it's called? and then they won't use reviver seeds (though this does mean that if they faint, they're gone for the rest of the trip). that's more advanced strategy though so don't worry about it right now
- avoid spoilers AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. this game is old and has an extremely devoted following, so the risk is very high and this is absolutely a game you need to play blind
- have fun!!!!!!!!! i played explorers of darkness as a kiddo and i still consider it foundational in terms of my taste in games and stories as an adult. the explorers games are just TOO GOOD
one more thing i forgot, if you or your partner are water or fire type, you can walk on water/lava respectively in dungeons! makes exploring a little easier and more exciting especially later in the game when new things start to pop up ;)
- you can indeed turn off specific moves for specific party members (teammate AI loves spamming stat moves, for example, like growl/leer/etc. when enemies are nearby, which is great mechanically but also annoying when they do it 5 times in a row...)
- you can also turn off iq skills for them, for me one thing i do when i'm low on reviver seeds and/or expect to die a lot and don't strictly need my teammates is i'll go in their iq menus and turn off..."item master" i think it's called? and then they won't use reviver seeds (though this does mean that if they faint, they're gone for the rest of the trip). that's more advanced strategy though so don't worry about it right now
- avoid spoilers AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. this game is old and has an extremely devoted following, so the risk is very high and this is absolutely a game you need to play blind
- have fun!!!!!!!!! i played explorers of darkness as a kiddo and i still consider it foundational in terms of my taste in games and stories as an adult. the explorers games are just TOO GOOD
one more thing i forgot, if you or your partner are water or fire type, you can walk on water/lava respectively in dungeons! makes exploring a little easier and more exciting especially later in the game when new things start to pop up ;)
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