How to prepare for Dragon Quest XI S

Dragon Quest XI S is heading to the Nintendo Switch! People will be able to have an absolutely massive JRPG and can play it anywhere they want. It’ll be the definitive version with a 2D mode, extra story segments and other new content. It’s so massive that you may not know what would be best to do to prepare for it.

You should play the demo.

The first thing you should do, if you are considering getting Dragon Quest XI S, is pick up the free demo. It’s a huge demo that can easily last 10 hours or more, because it doesn’t just cover the introduction. People can actually go through the first two regions, which are the Heliodor are and places around Hotto Steppe. It cuts off before the third major area, Gallopolis. That means you get to travel with four people and get a real feel for the game.

The Dragon Quest XI S demo also puts players in a good place for the full game. You can create a save file that could be used in it. Also, if you played the demo, you unlock a skill seed for the full game for your efforts. This can be used to increase a stat by one.

Try playing in 2D.

One of the more notable features in the Nintendo Switch version of Dragon Quest XI S is getting access to the 2D version of the game originally only available on the 3DS in Japan. But, you may worry about being locked into this. If you choose 2D right away, can you go to 3D? Can you switch back if you try 3D and want to try the alternative? This might leave people puzzled, especially since the demo only offered the 3D viewpoint.

Well, it is possible to swap between the two perspectives. You just can’t do it at any time. To switch your point of view in Dragon Quest XI S, you need to find a goddess statue or church. (The former will show up at any camp on the map, while the latter will be in towns.) You can change the look there, allowing yourself a little more freedom as you play.

Think about character builds ahead of time.

In Dragon Quest XI S, there aren’t traditional classes like in past games. (Or a class system, like in the wonderful Dragon Quest IX.) Instead, everyone has a Character Builder page with a skill board. As you level up, you will earn points that will let you determine what specialties a character might have. This means you will decide the character’s weapon and most likely skills.

Each character essentially has two “paths.” The Luminary can use swords or greatswords, with certain skills for each, as well as learn Luminary spells. Focus on a weapon first and let the twins handle magic for a while. Erik is the “thief” who could use boomerangs or daggers and swords. Dual-wielding is in the dagger area of his skill tree, so go through it until you earn that, then make a decision about his path. Serena is your healer. She can become a hybrid class along the lines of Dragon Quest IV‘s Kiryl and wield a lance, or you could give her a wand to make her more of a pure healer. Veronica is your mage, and can have a wand to make her a better mage or a whip that lets her hits all enemies in a group or add status effects. Sylvando could go with whips or blades. Rab could be a healer or mage if you need one, while also being able to use claws or wands. Jade could have the double-attacking claws or lances.

I’m not saying you need to know right away every skill you want for each character before you start playing. Still, it would be a good idea to think about directions. Do you want certain people to be pure mages? Which weapon do you think you might like best? Just think about things first before jumping in.