Who Is Best in Dragon Quest XI (Tier List)

[@FiboSai]

I feel like it would be more precise to make a seperate tier list for each act, as the usefulness of each character varies quite a bit. You list is good for act 3, but some characters are better or worse in acts 1 and 2. Rab is much better in act 2, as he is your only dedicated magic user for most of it, while Sylvando has trouble keeping up as a healer and lacks ladies first until act 3. Serena is pretty bad in act 1, even on hard mode, as she is mostly outclassed by Sylvando as a healer and supporter. These only one who doesn't really change is the hero, mostly due to perfect availability.

[@chelronin7843]

yes i agree, like erik is pretty decent early, falls off when you get jade, but then becomes useful again when you get divide and some skills to utilize it. His boomerangs, however, are always useful in act 1 since its your teams only reliable all target option (other than bang from veronica and mc, although it’s terrible on mc early on) i agree with sylvando as well, hes the absolute best healer in the game for act 1 and 2 and his heal is actually just as good as multiheal for wayyy longer than people give credit for. His hustle dance scales pretty crazily with charm, and when you have his parade outfit at +3 (the one you get in act 2) it gives 250 charm. Add some other charm equipment in, and sylvando will do the same amount of healing as act 2 serena for less mp cost. rab, is usually always outclassed. He’s insane when you get him and right as rain is surprisingly always useful. he also obtains a pretty early 100% chance revive

[@ballroomscott]

Yeah, spitting it up by act would make it more accurate. I also just disagree with his ideas on Rab. Rab can actually be really powerful if used correctly.

[@nesoukkefka1741]

Rab is really strong in Act 1 and 2, suprisingly a Claws Build works wonder on him cause he get a ton of passive for Evasion and Critical Hit, in Act 1 he is basically Veronica + Serena combine lowering Defense while healing and with Hardclaw he surprinsingly deal decent damage, in act 2 when he join he is your most reliable debuffer for quite a while, Claw build also expand and gaves him even more Evasion and Critical, a powerfull attack in Wild Animal and can get rid of ennemies buff with Rake'n'break and he has a good AoE with Pearly Gates, I feel Act 3 is the only point of the game where he fall off a bit even tough he is still functionnal.

[@DylanZ1201]

@@chelronin7843 Rab is amazing early on, makes Sylvando and Serena awful in comparison. Rab only becomes useless late game.

[@thankyouverymochi]

yea, I rarely use serena in act 1. only use her when against boss for elemental defense. I'm on act 2 now and serena and veronica are the last to meet. for most healing duty I find rab to fill that gap. just got erik back but he's on an awkward phase where the hero shines more on single target dps with unbridled blade. on act 1, I rely on erik to dish big time damage from his persecutter or victimizer. act 2, it's an oomple from sylvando to hero and sap from rab to the boss, and then spam unbridled blade. I just think the game pace is too slow and stretched out too much, the soundtrack for fighting enemy is also only one song it gets boring. it's like dq11 is a mix between 50% idealistic fantasy world and 50% filling random things to make up of it

[@RealCFZ]

Everyone: No! You can’t just destroyed rare enemies in one turn! Erik: Haha, Divide + Critical Claim = BRRR!

[@camilovelez8851]

Erik is also the absolute best at killing metal slimes, given that he has the only attack with 100% crit chance that never misses (Jade's only hits 50% of the time). Another awesome thing about Jade, Sylvando and the Hero is thay they have a pep attack that summons metal slimes, which is the absolute best way to grind, by a landslide. It technically fails sometimes and simply summon some robots rather than the metal slimes, but you could always save Jade's and Sylvando's pep for when you can save the game and use the Hero's skill to get into pep on-demand

[@ignasia7230]

Jade's hits either 50 or 75% of the time, depending on whether you're using Thunder (50%) or Lightning Thrust (75%).

[@Asianine]

Lightning thrust iirc actually has a 2/3 chance of hitting, not 3/4 (which is a smaller chance unfortunately)

[@rodrigorosa4419]

Is it killer stab?(I hope that's the english name of the move)

[@ariemugisatriaji8928]

New player hete. Which skill Erik has that did 100% Crit Chance?

[@jonathanmckinley5115]

@@ariemugisatriaji8928 critical claim

[@whatdidyoujustcallme6242]

A note for [redacted] He has forbearance, an ability to take all coming damage. Combine that with a buff, some accessories to dwindle the damage , and he would basically let you win every boss. Sadly he doesn't get it until act3 but considering in act 2 you have only you and weaker characters joining until erik and jade rejoins, he never stops being useful.

[@nesoukkefka1741]

And even when Erik and Jade join he is stil usefull providing Kabuff and Magic Barrier (which by the way he is the only charater to have both in Act 3), and he is very heavy hitter himself and completly self-sufficent as he has an ability that gives him Oomphle (at cost of a defense debuff, which on a tanky character as him isn't so bad). In act 3 he is also one of the only 2 character to learn Kerplunk very usefull if the situation became really bad.

[@Elysian_Xeno]

See if you use him with 2 Shield Bearers, Drustan’s shield, and Drustan’s sword h can have him use hurt converter and have someone buff him and next turn he can use forbearance I only added the sword cuz it has a small parry chance however the max setup for him that I’ve done (even though it’s a little too extreme) was Defending Champion, Hurt Converter, Sword Stance, Immense Defense, Forbearance, and double magic barrier it basically makes him invincible without using yggdragon’s blessing or knight watch however the setup isn’t viable

[@jalalal8056]

Ya he is my go to for any boss battle. He just stops so much tomfoolery and rng bs just by being able to give you extra turns to get back on your feet by way of his immense tankiness and ability to completely block even desperate attack where are another character would be dead. Invaluable on stronger enemies

[@wannabestrega]

Hero, Erik, and the twin sisters were my main party in the endgame. They carried so hard.

[@Xelpherpolis]

Dragon Quest XI is one of those rare games where I loved every character so much I wanted to use them all and HATED only being able to have 4 in my party. So I did the FFX thing and switched characters out on the fly based on what was situationally advantageous, but I feel like that would only be viable on the standard difficulty setting 😅

[@maxspecs]

What do you lose by doing active swaps?

[@Xelpherpolis]

@@maxspecs I _think_ it takes up a turn.

[@Folutu]

My personal list would be: S Tier: Hero, Erik A Tier: Hendrik, Rab, Sylvando, Veronica, Serena B Tier: Jade Hero is your basic DQ Hero who can do everything from beginning to end. Gets a lot of spells and abilities (and useful ones at that) and a lot of good equipment which makes him really good for any situation. Pretty much anyone works well with Hero and he works well with everyone else in return. Erik, besides stealing (which is useful) is going to do one thing which is to set himself up for high damage (and get support from that from teammates). Fortunately, the pay off is really worth it in this case, and his weapon loadout and abilities help keep him at the top of damage dealing once you get him back and expand his skill tree in Act 2. Prior to that, he will have options for good single-target damage and decent multi-target damage through knives and boomerangs, though Jade will outclass him in damage dealing for the rest of Act 1 when she joins. Hendrik is quite simply the best at taking damage, due to a combination of abilities and equipment loadout (which includes heavy armor and greatshields). Swords and Axes with a shield is the usual way to go with him to ensure getting the best damage-to-tanking ratio with him, with swords having the most damage potential and axes being capable of slight debuff support. Many defensive strategies hinge upon this guy, and he also has Magic Barrier for some support capabilities and can cast Kazing as well, just in case. Rab is essentially a worse Hero. He can do everything from the point you get him to the end of the game. To that end, his abilities, spells, and the weapons he can equip are also useful to enable this versatility. Where he generally falters is in terms of armor equipment, as well as Claws sacrificing raw attack power for more critical hit chance, since crits is where most of Rab's damage output comes from, both physically and magically (since he exchanges the Frizz line for the Zam line of spells). That said, his spell list also contains a lot of useful spells such as Sap (and Kasap), Blunt, Insulatle, Defuddle, and Kasnooze + Healing spells and abilities such as Right as Rain, M-Pathy, Multiheal, and Kazing. Rab, much like Veronica, also packs a set of abilities that can boost his magic attacks and can also dispel an enemy's status buffs with Rake 'n' Break and Clear Your Mind which is not something to be overlooked. Generally, you get the most out of Rab by switching between his weapons to suit the situation: When he needs to physically attack, switch to claws, when he needs to cast spells, switch to Heavy Wands. Generally, Rab ends up getting a permanent spot on my team more often than not because he is a worse Hero for all intents and purposes, and that includes being able to work well with any other member in the party. The only time he really ends up being forced to stay on the bench is when you have Act 2 Serena. As a side note: For anyone who cares about seeding; Rab is the biggest beneficiary of seeds after Erik; due to how the calculations on abilities that use Attack works, Rab with claws ends up becoming the 2nd highest damage dealer when seeds are taken into account, surpassing Hendrik. Sylvando starts off as being capable in most things; but by the end he ends up being mostly a support character. Having Oomphle and Acceleratle in his spell list however definitely makes a case for him to be an excellent support, and his expanded skill tree certainly makes this aspect of him better. Ladies First lets him give up his own turn to any potential female party member (and being allowed to consistently cheat the turn economy like that in a turn-based RPG like Dragon Quest is always a good thing no matter the limitations of such an ability), and Whipping Boy can direct physical attacks against a chosen party member towards him, which can also be buffed to allow Sylvando to counterattack and take less damage from the attack as well. As for most of the game before endgame, Hustle Dance is your best multi-heal tool for most of the game, Sobering Slap is excellent to remove confusion, sleep, paralysis, and beguilement on a party member, and then Pink Pirouette, Gold Rush, Have A Ball and his knife & whip skills will give him excellent offensive abilities for multi- and single-target damage + status infliction during the part of the game where Sylvando's damage capabilities actually matter. Veronica as a character ends up being an on-and-off the bench for most of the game, ending up as a potential main member by the end. Generally speaking, it's because of her nature as the premier offensive mage and her spell list and when she learns those spells; she'll get a new offensive tools which makes her your primary damage dealer for a while, before it starts getting outclassed by other abilities belonging to other characters, then ends up getting a new offensive tool or an upgraded version of her now weaker tool, during which the process repeats. That said, having access to abilities that boost her magic might helps her hold up for a while until she needs the new tools. She's also absent during the entirety of Act 2 with Serena inheriting her skill tree, spell list, and weapon types for that Act, shortly after you get her back. Once you get her back in Act 3, expand the rest of her skill tree, and get access to Magic Burst, she can get out a lot of big burst damage with it before being swapped out (or given an Elfin Elixir to Magic Burst again). She also gains access to better Whip skills which make her a much more competent physical attacker; Veronica thus doesn't need to be a Magic Burst one-trick pony in order to stay useful to the party. It's also worth to note that Sylvando will be able to give up his own turn to give Veronica a second turn which is always a plus. She also does get some spells to act as a capable supporter as well; Blunt, Sap and Kasap, Oomph and Oomphle, and Magic Barrier are all good spells that does not depend on needing Veronica to be a damage dealer. Serena by the end will be an unparalleled healer and a great supporting character. For the rest of Act 2, a short while after you get her back, she will also be an excellent offensive spellcaster due to gaining Veronica's skill tree alongside her own for that Act. She's generally useful throughout the entire game when you have her since healing is important and her Hymns (generally the Fire and Ice ones) can blunt a lot of the damage that enemies dish out to you. She is also the only other character that has Omniheal which will save your bacon against especially tough enemies, and Divine Intervention is a good buff in Act 3 to keep someone from dying while you're focused on someone else's survival. She unfortunately does not have a lot of good damage dealing options when you don't need her support stuff; her damage can be decent with a spear or with Divine Restitution, but you often do feel like it's lacking the oomph that someone else can do. Still, being the specialized healer with a lot of good support is an excellent role that can justify a spot on your permanent team, and as one of the female party members she can make use of Sylvando to cheat the turn economy. Jade deals consistent damage of all kinds, has access to consistent damage of all kinds regardless of weapon type, has a way to self-buff to deal even more damage if needed, and... that's pretty much it. She has a choice of claws and spears and she does the latter better than your only other spear user. When you first get her in Act 1, she will be your primary damage dealer, and she is excellent at it, but as the game goes on, Jade ends up getting passed by the others. Erik outclasses her in sheer damage potential (and he can steal), Hero, Veronica, and Rab outclass her by virtue of having spell lists packed with useful spells for damage dealing and support, and Hendrik takes hits better than she does and can use better weapon types and equipment. Sylvando and Serena packs a boatload of useful support abilities as well, which generally make them better picks for a main party slot than Jade's hyperfocus on damage-dealing as well. As such, I think Jade ends up being the worst character of the lot and she generally sees the bench once Erik unlocks his expanded skill tree unless I just want to use her for a time. Still, there's enough good stuff among her skills and abilities and every playable character ends up overtuned compared to the opposition that she still doesn't end up a bad character; just bad compared to the others. If you insist on having Jade in your main party, have Sylvando around as well; After You to cheat the turn economy is something Jade can take advantage off as the third and last female party member.

[@_WOR]

This might be the greatest thing I’ve read on KZbin recently. This game rocks.

[@farisanwari777]

Question, does endgame Jade with allure build not hold up that well? I understand the falloff with spear and fisticuffs, but wouldn't allure attacks benefit from penetrating def/mme and chance to beguile? I'm in act 2 now and would be sad to see her fall off

[@Folutu]

@@farisanwari777 Allure builds tend to be outclassed by characters with actual offensive magic spells IMO, but it does give Jade additional multi-target attack options because most of her other offensive skills are generally single-target. Beguiling is... alright, I think. Generally though, Dragon Quest XI is not a game that punishes you for using your favorite party member. You can have Jade from the moment you get her (and when you get her again) and she will still have advantages (consistent, easy damage dealing with little need for set-up) that can help you throughout the latter stages of the game.

[@dragonwaz]

Yeah Rab gets kind of a bad rap in this video. I wanted to use Hendrick and Erik which left only one slot for magic and healing support. That is Rab on my party. Cast right as rain to top the party off and heal every other turn with Hendricks defense buffs. I will probably go Hero Serena Erik Hendrick for the harder difficulties. It really sucks the Hero is a jack of all trades but doesn't recieve any shield skills. I love tanks and shields but I can only play like that optimally late game with Hendrick apparently.

[@nekohanten]

For leveling up: Luminary + Jade + Sylvando + Erik For damage output: Luminary + Erik + Veronica + Healer (Serera/Sylvando)

[@shadwghst9998]

me i use hero - Jade - serena - sylvando and i wipe all bosses out

[@TheSilverPhoenix100]

For grinding I use Hero, Erik, Jade, and rotate out Rab, Sylvando and the twins. Hero, Erik, and Jade all get reliable crowd killing moves in helichoper, Eriks Boomerangs, and Jades Pink tornado, and Jade/Erik are amazing at killing metal slimes. From there you can rotate out who you need as everyone gets pretty good nuke abilities.

[@archangeltyrael3369]

You really should have mentioned how getting Jades exclusive accessory Bell's Bow and fully upgrading it can make most of her abilities practically cost free in the early game all the way up to the end game when she starts unlocking her strongest moves and you start getting to boss fights where status immune accessories are a must

[@Raytheman581]

Yeah that was an oversight and it makes her way better cause you don't have to waste turns giving back mp.

[@blazinglotas5646]

How do you get bells bow I’m only just finding out about it

[@archangeltyrael3369]

@@blazinglotas5646 Really easy side quest in the Academy. Just have Jade in your party and talk to the quest giver in the inn/shop area then find a glowing spot in the flowerbed in the courtyard and turn it in. Frankly for how good the item is and it having significance in the lore you'd think it'd be harder to get but no

[@billy8649]

Serena with the full Powers of Veronika was a really beast.....

[@HenshinFanatic]

Y'all sleeping on Rab's use as an MP Battery to feed everyone the MP they need for their most potent abilities while his own MP regen is quite good despite not having a Sage Breath equivalent.

[@jalalal8056]

I'd rather use an item that can potentially fully restore all my mp than dedicate an entire slot to a character whose portion of his usefulness can be much better done by an item that anyone can carry

[@gamerbreaker0409]

Nah he is just a naughty grand pops.

[@krish_Jain1443]

@@jalalal8056bruh what about his krackle damage with his spell buffing ability ? guy does 1000 damage aoe without any restriction of group type

[@andreastancanelli4433]

As many have said, the usefulness of certain characters varies depending on which act you're playing. Also, as someone who has 100% completed the game with "Stronger Monsters" On, I can't stress enough how useful [Redacted] was to winning some of the toughest battles. This is just to add that, other than looking at the act of the game, difficulty settings are also a big factor in determining who the best character is.

[@Raytheman581]

The top 2 characters are the best no matter the difficulty for act 3, everyone else is a toss up.

[@pedrojackson8416]

I defeated Calasmos with a last resort magic burst from Veronica while all my party were frozen in time, it was the perfect ending!!!!

[@civilwildman]

In my case, it was a Cobra Strike to set up for Victimizer. I just didn’t realize how much of the final boss’s health I had whittled away by that point.

[@stratecaster547]

That is honestly such a narratively satisfying and cathartic way to beat the final boss

[@indumatipngtuber2790]

I actually gave Serena a bunch of agility seeds to make her fast enough to keep up with healing. Also snap, crackle, poof has some uses against certain bad guys that love status effects. Also, Erik is indeed god tier, and another reason is he has Critical Claim, which is a 100% critical hit chance on metal slimes, which is essential to power leveling.

[@farisanwari777]

Critical claim can't miss? Daym

[@indumatipngtuber2790]

@@farisanwari777 Critical hits in general cannot miss, and they pierce defense. Which makes Critical Claim the best when slime hunting. The only reason why it's not good for bosses is because it's pretty expensive on MP and Erik has combos that are cheaper that do way more overall damage.

[@noahhobson4521]

I'm sorry. Sylvando's best outfit is his The Don outfit. Other than that, this list turned out pretty much how I expected it to. My choice for endgame party is usually the Hero, Jade, Sylvando, and Erik.

[@locloudanerpg]

Damn I’m a failure

[@firenze6478]

The don outfit is perfection

[@xyro3633]

I have to disagree with Slyvando's assessment, I think he becomes *way* more useful in the lategame. He has a gargantuan selection of unique support abilities, and "Ladies First" is honestly OP when paired with Serena. I also think Hendrik has more credit to him, his ability to buff defense, deal great damage, and tank practically anything should not be understated. I found him more useful than Hero is some regards

[@smug8135]

Now we know why Erik was removed for most of act 2: Balancing issues, which still don’t work cuz you can trivialize half the bosses with sleeper hit/ snooze, sap, oomph and persecutter

[@bongchoof]

Sylvando is the second best character in the game after the Hero. This cannot be argued. His healing is unparalleled in Act 1 until mid Act 2. He can cure a variety of status ailments. He can cast Oomphle. He has Ladies First, which is great for Act 3. He gains a good tanking ability in Act 3 as well. He can hit a full group of enemies with unmitigated damage by paying a small amount of gold. It is good the whole game. And he is by far the best person to apply status effects to enemies. If you want to make Erik as strong as you say he is, you really need Sylvando to do it. Because Erik can't do it on Hard at least. There simply isn't enough time to spend that many turns on one attack. If you give him some Yggdrasil Leaves and Dew, his set is complete. Hero is in first because you have him in all main parts of the game. He does the 2nd highest damage in the game after Erik. Hero does the most for a long time though. Hero gets Kazing and Omniheal. This is so important in late game Hard mode. It's why Serena is 3rd or 4th. She gets Omniheal, Kazing and best of all, Kerplunk! Kerplunk is a complete game changer and can and does save fights. It's why Hero and Serena pair so well together. She can Kerplunk and he can rez her to full hp. Then everyone is ready to go again in just 2 actions. Amazing. (Spoiler) is in whatever spot Serena is in because he can lower enemy defense while attacking AND he has Kerplunk. He does passable damage as well when set up. He is very bulky so he can often be the last one standing. Kerplunk baby.

[@veteran0121]

Oh really? Last I checked Veronica also has the Oomphle spell. And Magic Burst. And Twin Dragon Lash. Sylvando only has one of those. Yggdrasil Dews are also very easily farmable which late game makes his healing redundant and useless. So...actually Sylvando...while not terrible is actually the least useful and least powerful of any of the other characters end-game.

[@bongchoof]

@@veteran0121 Sylvando isn't meant to do damage. He is meant to help others do damage. The point of Hustle Dance is that it is available nearly as soon as you get him. He can give Veronica 2 turns. He can poison enemies VERY reliably so Eric can use Victimizer. The fact that he can heal, buff and remove ailments all contributes to him being the ultimate support unit. People always undervalue support in games because they want big number. Well, Sylvando gives you many more big numbers. His AoE damage is just a bonus, something he can do. Comparing Magic Burst to Gold Rush or whatever is completely pointless because they serve completely different purposes. So different they are in different dimensions. Also, Veronica needs strength seeds if she wants to remain competitive with TDL.

[@Buglin_Burger7878]

@@bongchoof The problem with that is most of the time that stuff doesn't matter. Against random enemies it won't help. Against bosses you have better tools. Set up power while nice takes more time and resources.

[@rngsomeone1003]

I did some theory crafting and found that Rab actually has some insane low-setup offense potential. At 900+ MMi, Kazammle hits for ~500 normally, which isn't impressive. However, when it crits, it deals 1000-1300 damage, which is amazing. Ring of Ruin increases the crit rate on Zam-line spells by a whopping 80%, and combined with Rab's equipment and possibly a pep boost, Kazammle will crit over 95% of the time, if not 100% of the time. Rab doesn't even have to set Ring of Ruin himself because Veronica (and Serenica) also has it, and while Rab lacks Channel Anger to get away with low MMi stats, Caster Sugar is usually enough to patch it up. This is excellent, right? No more than 2 actions of setup, one of which can come from another party member, to deal out reliable damage? Here's the problem. Mordegon, Mordragon, Mordragon's Tail and Calasmos *all have 50% Zam resistance*, making aggro Rab not work. In Calasmos' case, Zam is the only offensive element he resists at all! Timewyrm also has 50% Zam resistance, but at least he resists a lot of other elements.

[@gemodemplay415]

Dude, Hendrick joins? Holy sh*t! Awesome! I am currently still in Arboria so I did not know that. Also, great list, been looking for smth like this for a while, glad I found it.

[@locloudanerpg]

You’re welcome!

[@That1PlaceBehindTheBush]

I really like this list, nice job putting it together! I figure I should mention, assuming you haven't considered it: check out some of the mods that exist for the game. One is Serena Act 2.5, which allows her to keep her "sage" skill tree later in the game. Another is Adult Veronica. There are dozens of others (level 200 mod, act 4 mod, etc, etc, etc) which add more and more layers of possible gameplay onto the original experience.

[@gamerbreaker0409]

Cut it man no one playing mod here just the og, the game is a masterpiece already no need to modify imo.

[@GiveMePopperz]

I personally would bump up Jade to the top tier but apart from that we agree on pretty much everything haha

[@fd5934]

I have very similar feeling towards this game, which makes me even happier to have found this channel. Also I agree with most of that bonus list!

[@winterrain1947]

5:05 Yeah, I agree that the hero doesn't get the best look in this game. He is so ordinary that its extraordinary how average he appears to be. But his averageness is why I think he is perfect.

[@daehan8227]

Makes me wonder how dark DQ12 will be. I remembered hearing an interesting interview from the DQ12 team about that

[@smug8135]

I’d put Serena at high tier, cuz of a pep power you can get early-mid game which enables an ability that, in battle, heals every party member to full, restore all their mp, and revives all dead party members without committing de-exist, and no mme(magical mending/hp restored with healing spells) do not matter on this ability, but other than that, her magic might is mid, her offensive skill tree is a watered down version of Jade’s and she is kinda soft in the hp area, only thing good about her weapons is her high mp leeching from endgame stats and wand skill tree

[@berserkersam9118]

I actually used Rab for late game he was surprisingly good with claws and his better bulk had me feeling better. Serana is the better healer but you have to hope she doesn't get hit. Overall this was a fun watch

[@locloudanerpg]

Thanks!

[@unidime3217]

My team end game was Hero Erik Serena Sylvando By using a flask hypertonik i could put erik in wild state. I killed the last boss in 2-3 turns.

[@RhythmOSauce]

Started playing Dragon Quest 11 a few weeks ago out of pure curiosity in the lore behind Luminary aka Hero (who was featured in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate), Looking for a unique and classic rpg experience, and in memory of Akira Toriyama. Currently I'm in act 3 after forging some heavily spoiler gears and trying to have a rematch against a snow beast. But yea, Erik in my personal opinion has one of my favorite abilities in terms of offensive capabilities which requires what I like to call "I'm not going to sugarcoat it" (Oomple -> Divide -> Critical Claim).

[@RKDriver]

Same here. Just popped up on PS Plus and I was looking for a well received RPG plus I was getting tired of all the demon souls type RPG's. Needed something different and this game hits the mark.

[@karlispovisils5297]

For the ideal parties, you can't forget about the level grinding party: Start out with Luminary, Sylvando, Jade, and one other party member (Erik is ideal). When Sylvando, Jade, or the Luminary get pepped up, bench them immediately. Keep in mind that the Luminary can get himself pepped up on his own too with an ability. Once all 3 are pepped up, bring them all back to the battle and use Electro Light to turn all the enemies into Metal Slimes and then slay them with all the same characters. Erik has Critical Claim, Jade has a lot of multi-hit moves, and Sylvando can whip multiple enemies.

[@ezkling4525]

as someone who hasn't played hard mode yet, the game is honestly mostly well balanced when playing throughout, every character feels like they have a role and they can always be useful. I was able to swap and experiment with tons of team setups because they all have at least one great thing about them.

[@Asianine]

1. Jade has her absolutely broken outfit when you beat a certain boss in Act 3 in the definitive edition. If you're playing this version, Jade is always going to be the best character there. 2. Veronica, although she loses all her MP, has the most damage output with the least amount of set-up. Erik just takes too long to deal that sweet 30k damage to only one target, so in terms of general AoE Veronica always wins there (especially with a ton elfin elixirs). Erik's still my favorite character though, nothing to stop that, and his boomerangs are ALSO broken (and set up for his persecutter/victimiser combo) with another huge AoE Just a couple notes I thought I'd share, but overall I agreed with your tier list almost perfectly, I'm definitely not biased at all towards how hot Erik is KEKW

[@locloudanerpg]

You don’t simp over the hero? Weird. He’s so attractive….

[@Sethzenjion]

Played through on hard twice my list: S tier: Eric/Jade/Act2 Serena/act 1 whip Veronica A tier: Veronica/act2 Rab/ Sylvando B tier: Hero/Serena/8th C tier: act 1 Eric/ act 1/3 Rab F tier: spear Serena Most should be obvious. I rank Jade as high as Eric because she does better dps when unsupported which makes her more flexible. Plus crit build claw jade is just as good as a metal slime hunter as Eric. Act 1 whip Veronica is at s tier because twin dragon lash as overpowered.

[@bongchoof]

How do you have Hero so low? Also, Spear Serena lets her actually contribute more than you think during the first act. You can reset so using it is no big deal. Try it. It at least gives her something do to when no one needs healing.

[@DylanZ1201]

I used Jade and Rab for a few hours, but as soon as you unlock Boom with Veronica and Swoosh and Moreheal with Serena I swapped them back out again. I find Jade pretty useless because you can easily down metal slimes with Hero dual wielding and using Falcon Slash for 3 damage if all of it hits, and his critical hits are high chance anyway. Erik can dual wield for 2 damage, Serena can dual wield wands for 2 damage etc.

[@bullsteak3468]

Also, twin magic burst is absolutely busted, but only if you have a way to reasonably support it with no items and pep pop 😂. It is great for cheesing the super boss though.

[@nightwish1453]

tho it's a set up some like me don't like, I think recently someone has managed to beat the superboss with erik though it requires using party switching as your shield

[@bullsteak3468]

@@nightwish1453 you could also just use the max revive ability thing Serena and Hendrix have to just keep on switching party’s indefinitely, it’s how I beat the super boss my first time

[@nightwish1453]

@@bullsteak3468 I mean the tactic I saw they just kept 4 characters alive and kept a 5th one for the sub party and that was rab

[@eriklarson7023]

While I like DQVIII, this game very quickly catapulted itself toward the top of my RPG list; it’s seriously the most fun I’ve had with an RPG in 20+ years. Anyway, I don’t play on super-duper god-level difficulty so I can’t speak to that, but I usually had a “regular” lineup to get through normal battles quickly (Hero, Jade, Rab, Veronica) and a “boss” lineup (Hero, [redacted], Sylvando, Serena). Honestly didn’t use Erik much…maybe I need to give him another look.

[@bongchoof]

Erik is unnecessary if you aren't playing on Stronger Monsters. He has useful traits even in a normal game but his high damage is hallmark and that only really comes into play maybe very late Act 3 on normal.

[@leonaydissnap1727]

If u keep jade revamped and spam multifeet andcrushed ice only if the enemy looks weak to ice Multifeet with revamp will more than likely crit a few times and revamp is a full stat boost which is owesome

[@dynastygirl2912]

I would argue Sylvando is top tier for his versatility. He's saved my ass from some of the post game bosses. And if you give him every bit of pretty Betsy you get his damage output can match Erik

[@ancientautumn9987]

Great video! I would consider moving Veronica to God tier because she trivializes most normal encounters with her boom and frizz spells. Other than that I agree👍.

[@LRRoblox]

I always like to have Erik on stage during boss fights due to the fact that he has powerful attacks and the ability to attack multiple enemies as well.

[@jethiliusavalar6449]

Before I clicked on this video, I said to myself "not matter what happens, I like Rab" lmao

[@locloudanerpg]

Rab is the man. He's like a fat master roshi. Tier List be damned, you be you. haha

[@jethiliusavalar6449]

@@locloudanerpg I never saw him as fat; I saw him as stocky. Anyway, yeah, I remember hearing that people think he's kinda obsolete, but I grinded for like 100 strength seed cuz watching him use claws is amazing

[@davidmccormick550]

My team tier: Crap tier: Rabb, barring certain skills. Needs a buff. Base tier: Veronica is better than Raab, but she Needs Serena Sylvando: Good at any point, being a good healer when Serena’s not available. He’s strong, but he also tops out faster than any other party member save Raab, though his moves are far better. Eight: Fills in a direly needed party role, but doesn’t stand out. Awesome Tier: Jade: Jade is one of your strongest members, and she is your best pure fighter. Do wish she learned at least a healing move,but her “wild side” makes up quick once you get it. Wish it came with the Zam line of spells to add versatility. Waifu choice for me. Erik: Jade’s Thief counterpart. He is one of the best, and his Divide is Game Breaker. Second party member, and a reliable one. Serena: Main White mage and buffer. Mainstay of the party. God Tier: Serena(Sage) Sage Serena is simply your best non-protagonist party member, and is second only to the hero in sheer versatility. Wish you had the option to keep her in this state throughout the rest of the game, but… Hero. Meet the master of All. Granted, near endgame+, but he has it all, including special skills found nowhere else.

[@TheManaPrism]

I read that [redacted] was extremely useful in hard mode. I like Sylv, his regular healing spells and buffs, plus his ability to deal damage that Serena greatly lacks, but she has access to a great range of defensive spells that perfectly complete Veronica

[@Raytheman581]

His tier is kinda based off of hard mode if you've been listining. Even then I got by just fine without him.

[@red_dll]

After your DQVIII tier list, I hope the bonus list contains of Jade. Edit: Eeeh not quite what I was hoping for but close enough. Serena is fine, too.

[@GaNopper]

I really miss Act 2 serena

[@wkim22]

Jade is my favorite and my must have especially in the boss fights with her pure offensive skills (multi thrust). Sylvando is my second most favorite in terms of his offensive and defensive skills.

[@twocent1611]

Nostalgia did hit as soon as I turned on the game. I will agree that it doesn't beat DQ8. I tend to think of characters standing on their own when ranking them but coming from the viewpoint of characters being supported by others, I agree with this list. Keep up the good work!

[@RocketSlime]

11s cast is more developed than 8s thought?, it's level design especially town designs are much better and interesting, it's actual world while segmented are much more thought out than the flat empty world design of 8. The gameplay is MUCH better than 8s and 11s story is pretty great overall (alot of people who bitch about the third act don't often understand the themes and message the game is trying to send)

[@survivorofthecurse717]

I'm a bit late to the party, but there's a few bones to pick. Hendrick and Rab does require a bit of support from allies, but can also can dish out plenty of support while doing so One team that I used for act 3 is Hendrick with Drustan's sword, Sylv with sw and sh, Rab and Veronica with staffs. While I fully agree with Sylv and Veronica being where they are at, they are also very strong together. Hendrick can use the sword to have enemies target him more often for a small protection for Veronica From there, each can support the team through a lot of ways. Hendrick can cast Kabuff, Magic barrier, Forbearance, or even Double Up for another damage outlet. Sylvando can also use a few moves like Oomphle, Hustle Dance, Ladies First, or even Whipping Boy for protection for either of the magic users if they need help (Hustle Dance is also super helpful for Act 1 and 2 because it has great healing thanks to Charm and is 12 MP compared to Multiheal's 32. Not to mention if there's still some status effects to worry about, Sylv learns Cock a Doodle Doo and Tingle for Paralysis and Sleep) Rab is the last one I need to explain because he gives a good chunk of offense and defense support. His chemistry with Veronica does show a decent bit because while Veronica uses Channel Anger and Ring of Ruin in one turn, Rab can follow suit with Infinite Wisdom, letting you deal dazzling amounts of dark and fire damage constantly thanks to Zam's innate double crit rate which turns into almost guaranteed crits with Ring of Ruin. And to top all of it off, he can provide moderate healing with Right as Rain or large amounts with Multiheal (late/end game is about 500 each with Infinite Wisdom) The only drawback to this is fighting bosses that can disrupt buffs, but that's both very few and ill advised for the team anyways

[@locloudanerpg]

Late but always welcome! Love the feedback

[@survivorofthecurse717]

@@locloudanerpg To be honest, I do agree with the people in needing to divide the tiers into acts because even though he is top tier late game, he struggles everywhere else because a of his great attributes (boat loads of damage, Divide, Double Down, etc) aren't available then. Likewise, Sylvando has a great place in boss fights for act 1 and halfway through act 2 just from Hustle Dance, Have a Ball, and versatility overall. And the final piece of the experience is that Serena does have her place, even on normal difficulty thanks to her support capabilities. Snap, Crackle, Poof protects a pivotal part of the team from getting a major status ailment, Divine Restitution for a blend of AoE and self healing overtime, Grace of the Goddess for if bad turns to worse (and a Jerry rigged way to remove ailments or debuffs), and even for acts 1 and 2 thanks to her Hymns buffs, which I felt was quintessential against Act 1 Krystalinda and Act 3 Malicious Jorg

[@locloudanerpg]

@@survivorofthecurse717 I've played around with the idea of redoing this tier using that idea. I'm just not sure if there is an appetite among my subscribers. Perhaps I'll do a poll.

[@alkristopher]

With Valkyrie Elysium only a few months away, I'd really like to see a Tier list for the original Valkyrie Profile. And Silmeria. And Covenant of the Plume.

[@locloudanerpg]

Sounds good! I’ll see what I can do.

[@normanderi]

it hurts my soul seeing jade not on top, but i admit erik is so fucking good, he is god. aoe? boomerang. combo single damage? daggers. comfy and still tons of dmg? swords. metal slimes? 100% crit chance... god is just able to do everything... im kinda meming kinda not...

[@veejonesify]

I think Serena belongs in the high tier.

[@LordangeloxD]

When I discover Erik special attack with teh clones, I was amazed to one shot 2 bosses early.

[@big_red01027]

If you farm strength seeds, Veronica is easily God Tier. I prefer sticking with the same party configuration that I use in DQ3: Hero/Soldier/Fighter/Priest (thus, Luminary/Hendrik/Jade/Serena).

[@veteran0121]

Veronica is God Tier ahead of Erik anyways because even if you don't farm strength seeds Twin Dragon Lash/Whipcrackle is still respectable physical damage that compliments her spellcasting which Erik clearly sucks at. Like most RPG lists like this they almost always get it wrong by putting Erik ahead of Veronica. It should never happen.

[@big_red01027]

@@veteran0121 To be fair, if I hadn't watched your LP, I'd have no idea either.

[@lefterismplanas4977]

I also felt that 8 Had more personality

[@RockLucena]

I don't know about Rab. Yes, as a mage he doesn't hold a candle to Veronica, as a healer he doesn't compare to Serena, but I'm using him as a monk and the amount of crits he delivers is insane. There maybe better builds with other characters, I want each one to feel different from one another, so I use Sylvando with whips. Maybe that's why Rab doesn't feel so bad in comparison.

[@daehan8227]

In retrospect it makes me wonder who would be stronger. Eald'narche from FF11 or Veronica. Both are way older but have the appearance of a child due to circumstances. One is the main villain of Rise of the Zilart and then we have a hero ofc. Just realized some similarities

[@sophiejane2303]

Hot take, I love Hero's hair and it fits his personality

[@michaelclifton9498]

Yeah , DQ11 hero is also my least favorite design wise , with DQ4's hero being my actual favorite

[@ski9392]

Great video!!! I am on my first play through and usually have The Hero, Veronica, Serena, and Sylvando. But now I think it's time for Erik to be dubbed back in! Also, can you make a video on where/how to get all these outfits?

[@Rugend]

I would love if dragon quest 12 have something like dragon quest monster joker , i mean: in monster joker you could fusion your monsters and basically you could put evry move you want in a single charachter / monster , i know thath in the main series of dq you don't have monster But I would like thath you could choose / change / combine abilities and making the best party ever

[@locloudanerpg]

Can’t agree more. Monster captured in DQVIII should be a series staple. Instead we got…pip.

[@nightwish1453]

@@locloudanerpg old comment but I feel like if you want monsters to play a big part in DQ you will probably end up with something like V, which is a good game mind you but it would mean the amount of playable characters and when they join is limited and the narrative would have to have some awareness in it, it can be cool to have once in a while but not in every entry moving forward. 8 is a side gimmick more less which is fine but kind of whatever. VI also had monster hunting in the original version like V but it was removed in the DS in favor of having slime monsters recruited through normal means by just finding them in towns etc, this was probably changed because of how skippable the monster recruitment system was and it actually wastes time because most of the human characters like the first 5 characters will be ahead in vocation experience and can handle the game's entirety so there is very little need for monsters other than one in the arena which is like viii but even less of having an impact because why would you use a less experienced monster when you can use a more experienced human in anything else. the healslime and slimeknight in DS are the only notable slime recruits but for very niche minor things like omniheal for wagon healing and the slime arena

[@buf8fy]

..this list makes me sad, because #8 is my all time favorite character and i absolutely refuse to remove him from my party lol

[@Volcannon]

Tis a shame that Jade's last costume is only obtained in a section that makes it completely moot, otherwise it would make her virtually unkillable.

[@greybush6939]

Serena and Veronica are BY FAR my favorite characters. Princess Jade really deserved more attention in the story! When Veronica dies... No! 🥺They wouldn't! 😢 NOOO!!! 😭😭😭😭Why couldn't it have been Sylvando?😡 Why the 🤬 couldn't it have been Sylvando???😡😡😡😭😭😭😭

[@sagepirotess6312]

I love Henrick! Tank or duel wielding is just fun.

[@quezcatol]

100% it on steam, switch and ps4/ps5 (DQ11s) for me the best character was Hendrik since I play with draconia settings on.

[@moondustmix1682]

Very cool and informative!

[@firenze6478]

Everything up to end of time can be trivialized by hendrick tank with catholicon rings.

[@shayonmitra8337]

If you're not playing on the hardest difficulty then spamming attack buffs and victimizer will erase most bosses. Erik is dummy broken with support

[@NeptuneMyst]

My current set up is hero, Erik, sylvando and Veronica (I’m replaying it on the switch)

[@ScootsLounge]

Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of your statements on character placement. Wish Rab had more use, but fr. With how good Sylv and Serena are at healing, and with how much better physical damage is over magical, it's kinda hard to recommend him for any boss when you have other options. You'll get by no problem, but there are better options. At least he has a good enough combo with Ring of Ruin and Zam. Zam gets an 80% Crit boost under Magic Crit Up.

[@jasonreardon8477]

Veronica should be with erik. Magic burst is insane and can wipe calasmos much faster than with erik. Reat is pretty spot on i suppose.

[@Elikha]

Tis a crime not to mention Erik's "The Stone-Cold Killer" outfit haha The list is essentially what I expected and I do agree, though I think Rab deserves a point or two for being able to be an MP battery, quite useful during long boss fights, though I'd still place him lowest regardless. My favourite team is Hero, Erik, Veronica and Serena :))

[@smug8135]

That and wolf wear, I can’t get wolf wear for some reason, but yes, the assassins gear, and the spiky swindler(not king) are my favorite of Erik’s outfits

[@forgotten_lumis5595]

​@@smug8135Im not sure if you figured it out yet but just in case... Did you download the DLC for the outfit? If so you have to actually claim the outfit in settings. "Open your menu (X), go to Misc., then System Settings, then Claim Special Rewards, then Claim Rewards and on that screen that will appear just claim all of the stuff you'll get" (Got these instructions from a reddit post) The outfit doenst just appear in your outfits, it's kinda random but I hope this helps if you still havent figured it out yet.

[@firenze6478]

Erik. No contest. Veronica needs elixers just to compete with eriks massive multi and single target damage

[@veteran0121]

Erik needs extra turns for divide, other characters to give him oomph/oomphle, and he needs enemies to miss/ignore him until his second turn where he hopes to attack. Veronica can cast the most powerful spells in the game, gets Magic Burst, AND if you decide to give her strength seeds to boost her strength she can deal insane damage with Whipcrackle and Twin Dragon Lash and she can buff herself which is something Erik cannot do. Erik is powerful, but Veronica is more powerful if used correctly and she's a better caster than Erik by a country mile.

[@firenze6478]

@@veteran0121 divide is stronger than a oomph, and alone, erik can use divide double down without needing to consume a ton of elfin elixers. Plus fatal flash only requires divide. Veronica requires just as much settup, but you also need to take into account how fragile she is, also erik has a 100% crit skill. Veronica is definitely top tier, I’d even say more useful for timewyrm, but for most bosses, erik can get better times. ( I play on harder monsters, so im assuming without that, Veronica doesn’t have to worry about dying so easily.) Because defence seed grinding sucks

[@kazuyazynoha8661]

My postgame party: Hero, Hendrik, Rabb and Sylvando. Should i be emberessed or proud of myself?

[@blackchappel6376]

I’m sorry but I thought Erik was the main character… I think they coded the character models wrong………

[@locloudanerpg]

Amen

[@jfreak888]

He’s so much the main character that he’s getting his own game lol

[@taipan9604]

You hit the nail right on the head with this list! I agree with every position you chose, I should know because I have played through this game from start to finish several times. Erik just rocks! You can farm items to max out his strength and he is stupidly powerful.

[@tsuneTheSlime]

jade with claws is goated though, always been using her even on hard mode xd

[@C1audin]

erik. thanks for watching.

[@nightwish1453]

I disagree with syvl here, he is a nice utility character he can help setup Erik's knife build and has some decent healing and buffs to boot, Serena not counting that temporary buff she gets it is kind of eh in act 1 she is kind of frail and in act 3 she gets mostly outclassed by the hero, I disagree with rab slightly yeah he is pretty pointless in the end but in act 1 and part of 2 he is pretty good thanks to his slightly better bulk compared to the twins in the early game. It does become noticeable how characters in act 1 end up getting a 180 in usefulness in a later act like Erik gets really good in acts 2 and 3 but struggles a lot in act 1

[@locloudanerpg]

Thanks for the feedback! Just so I understand, are you saying Sylv should be higher or lower?

[@nightwish1453]

@@locloudanerpg higher, he is pretty good in most acts amongst the cast at being consistently good unlike some who might be pretty eh in one of the acts

[@locloudanerpg]

@@nightwish1453 good point. I suppose I could have put him above Jade. Like I said in the video, he’s a hard one to place for sure.

[@its_magic9516]

Eric ❤️❤️ I thought him also the best

[@lefterismplanas4977]

To be honest. I liked 8 more than this. I wanted this game to be over by the end of it. Didn't even do the post game cause I wasn't liking the game enough. in contrast, I've played dq8 multiple times and have done the post game and loved it

[@locloudanerpg]

I was the same way, though I forced myself through the 3rd act.

[@lefterismplanas4977]

@@locloudanerpg I might do it at some point sence Veronica returns. I will see. Having even one person I care for isn't be enough for me to finish this xD I'm not mad at the cast of dq11. I'm just not invested enough in them for some reason. I could honestly play dq8 even if you took out half the cast out randomly. I like everyone in there. But not in 11

[@locloudanerpg]

@@lefterismplanas4977 yeah it’s a shame since the 3rd act is where it getaways really good. Too little too late though

[@lefterismplanas4977]

@@locloudanerpg because or you4 video I returned to play the third act. And I think I know why it feels worse than dq8 Dq11 refuses to take of the training wheels. It just refuses to let you play the game and 8nsted it just sends you from point a to point b like it's a chore. It makes you feel like a train or tracks and no, the side quests don't help too much

[@unidime3217]

Your final team you should swap veronica with serena, high survivability + access to eric wild state (busted, end every boss in 2-3 turn)

[@corvus2735]

I appreciate that you prevented some spoiler-y stuff by warning about [redacted], but shortly later showing the true final boss on screen wih their name included? Not the best to hide spoilers ;)

[@ldragondeity]

With good set up, Erik practically one shots bosses

[@KevX36]

Rab, I would say, is only bad in boss fights. Late game he is just better at normal battles. Both serena and sylvando can't do good multi target damage, and there aren't any other good healers because I'm using hero for damage. In Boss Fight, serena's better because I use omniheal and kabuff at lot, but rab still gets used as a second healer when I need him.

[@SupremeCaptainHWD]

Sylvando should be higher than the 3 girls by default on account of Ladies First effectively making him that character who he gives his turn to. He's effectively 4 characters at once. Himself, Veronica, Serena and Jade. There's no way Sylvando is never at the peak of high tier.

[@kyledinsmore9984]

So after the world falls apart, I didn’t follow the story and instead completeted most of the second half of the game with only half of my party, so now there is a 20 level difference between half of my party and it bothers me because why would I use the healers when I can just power through with my stronger characters, only pulling the healers out in a pinch,😭

[@Oggre]

Just got the game so thanks a lot !

[@chloeliddell8601]

Act 2 Serena is amazing

[@Karnage420698238]

my list would go like this SSSS+ tier act 2 serena after the spoiler mainly because of the below SSS+ tier SSS+ tier veronica magic burst need i say more lol SS+ tier erik and hero erik for damage while lower then what veronica can dish out while also needing more setup than her is pretty great and hero for his pep powers invincibility is just too good lol S tier sylvando and act1&3 serena B ter spoiler 8th character D tier jade outside grinding pep powers shes pretty useless imo F- tier rab utterly useless in every regard never once did i use rab unless i was forced too

[@RPGs]

Im still LP this game. sylvando is my favorite. hes hilarious. but hes good support character. i dont use him a lot once i get serena and veronica.

[@Tesko91]

Um.. don't you get them before Sylvando?

[@RPGs]

@@Tesko91 yea you do. Worded that wrong lol

[@Aeglos15]

"Keep it respectful in the comments." Man, that video didn't keep it respectful. The Dookie Tier character isn't bad by any means (there are just characters that fill niches better than they do; there is a difference between being objectively a bad character and not being the best at filling a niche), the time stamp still spoiled the final character that joins the party (and the character is fantastic to boot so being in Low Tier is wild). And I think Erik might be better at killing Metal Slimes than Jade but that could just be me.

[@gamblerc8602]

Y is my gramps rab on syt tier my man is on the main party on act late - end game dudes a beast support

[@buf8fy]

my absolute favorite party build (and pretty much the only one i use) is: Hero, Serena, Veronica, and #8 that’s it. thats the tea. sometimes SOMETIMES i’ll switch in Jade. I literally never use Erik 😳 (or Rab really) and Sylvando just depends on my mood

[@JonCom3dy]

At this point I'm level 99 so I auto battle and "show no mercy" everyone lol so my party is whoever I feel like

[@Goulragus]

Well tbh Smash Bros pretty much stayed Faithful to the First Game , it Just got more modern, bigger and nicer looking, Just Like Dragon Quest

[@nicksmith5400]

I played the game wrong! I went with hero, rab, jade, and hendrix. Finished with Serena rab jade and hero because i was getting 2 deaths every round at the end lol

[@RomonicaDiGregory]

Best dressed and the cat costume makes the list?? I don't think

[@locloudanerpg]

You obviously don’t understand fashion

[@Barlee420]

You're not in the minority, 8 is one of the best games ever made. Hoping for a 1:1 remake.

[@locloudanerpg]

@@Barlee420 I want a remake with the 3ds content!

[@ObliviouzRomantic]

Oh hell yes my favorite character got the god tier!!