Conference rusure::nintendo

    Finally.....Dragon Warrior III has surfaced in N.H. Look for it soon.
    
    Mike

    Yesterday I received a flyer from Electronics Boutique. They had
    DW III listed. Well we got the last one.
    
    For those playing FF II on Super NES this will be a step down. For
    those who still haven't migrated to Super Nes enjoy.
    
    This game is a prequel to DW I and DW II.
    
    A new element has been introduced to DW III. Days flow into nights and
    certain stores are closed at night and people say different things at
    night.
    
    The game comes with a large foldout that includes maps and info on
    spells, weapons, magic, and monsters.
    
    There is a fairly thick instruction book that is also included.
    
    Mike_who_begins_his_quest_tonight
    

    I got the last copy of the game from Lechmere Sunday.  I've found it to
    be better than the previous DW games, but you still have to spend a lot
    of time gathering experience.
    
    Benjamin_who_needs_another_level_or_two_to_use_the_travel_gate

    I have noticed, after you visit a town, it gets added to the list of
    places you can RETURN to.  So far, on my list are Aliahan, Reeve,
    Romaly, Kanave, and Noaniels.  However, I then visited Assaram and
    left, but it was not on my list.  I returned to Romaly, but it still
    wasn't on my list.  Is five the maximux number of towns you can RETURN
    to?  Or will the game simply not let me RETURN to Assaram?
    Thanx ahead of time.
    
    Benjamin

    One nice feature of DW III is the vault in Aliahan. You can store items
    or gold there and pick them up (items for a price) later in the game.
    
    It is STRONGLY suggested in the instructions to take advantage of this 
    vault.
    
    Mike

    Well after playing this game for a week or so I guess I can give it a
    high rating and recommend it to all RPG fans....especially the DW fans.
    
    It is a step down (large step) from FF II but it is still quite
    challenging and enjoyable.
    
    Some aspects of the game worth mentioning:
    
      o The ability to save gold or items in a vault. It's easy and
        convenient.
    
      o The ability to go from one area of the game to another via spells
        or The Wing of Wyvern makes it reall easy to get things done.
    
      o Unlike FF during battles you have to choose which enemy you are 
        attacking.
    
      o Day turns into night and that makes for some interesting scenarios.
        I sense a lot of spoilers resulting from this.
    
      o The world of DW III is very deep and it really helps to have maps
        nearby.
    
    Mike

    The Mask of Noh is the strongest piece of armor a character can have.
    It increases your defensive power 225% (closest to this is 75%) but it
    is cursed.
    
    Once you equip your character with it your character can become
    confused and actually attack membrs of your party. You cannot un-equip
    it, transfer it, or sell it....it's stuck on you.
    
    There is a "workaround" this but it's probably a spoiler so I won't
    discuss it.
    
    Oh yeah....the mask is found in the Cave of Jipang.
    
    Mike

    I just found the mask today and discarded it (after trying it on my
    Wizard who became a loonatic).  How do you work your way around it?
    
    Benjamin

    How did you get rid of the mask Ben?
    
    Mike

    I copied my character.  Then, when the mask cursed my wizard, I deleted
    that character and threw the mask away on the other character.  I
    suppose I could have gone to a House of Healing, though.
    
    Benjamin

    Is anyone else besides Benjamin and me playing this game?
    
    If so has anyone used the Book of Satori to change a character into a
    Sage? Apparently you need to have a certain number of experience
    points.
    
    All my characters are at levels 30 or over yet I can't change them.
    
    Mike

    I have changed characters in to a Sage.  The character must have
    the Book of Satori on thier item list and be over level 20.
    
    By the way, Sages go up levels very slowly.

    Can you change anyone into a Sage? I tried to change my wizard (at
    level 30) and I couldn't.
    
    Mike

    It also wouldn't let me change my Hero into a Sage, I changed my
    Soldier into a Sage, then much later found out that was a mistake, so I
    changed my Pilgram to a Soldier, because my Sage has Pilgram powers.
    The advantage of changing my Pilgram to a Soldier later in the game is
    that he is a Soldier that has all the magic of a Pilgram. Two pointers,
    if you are going to change from someone who uses magic to some one who
    doesn't, once you change to a Soldier you gain no more magic points
    than you already had, and gain no more magic capabilities. Sooooooo if
    you are going to change, wait until later, when you have built up the
    maximum magic point, and magic. 
     As mentioned before it takes a fair amount of time to re-build levels
    on changed characters. Later in the game you can build up expierence
    points rapidly. One good way is by beating metal slimes, they usually
    run away, but using a wizards be-dragon spell, the wizard changes to a
    dragon and breaths fire on the metal slimes. I gained 14,000
    expierience points in one encounter this way.

    I am also playing this game but it does not seem I am quite as far
    along as the rest. I just recieved my boat from the king in Portoa and
    most of my characters are at level 20. I am really interested in the
    strategy to follow for changing characters professions. I have a Hero,
    a Soldier, a Merchant and a Wizzard. Only the hero and wizzard have
    magic power. Should I change any of them ...If so to what.

    re .16
      I never used a merchant, so I am not aware of his/her powers. You need
    the soldier and hero for their fighting powers later in the game. There
    are various places where no magic can be used, and you need the
    fighting power to get thru these. After stage 20 you can change any one
    character into another character but you must start at the level one
    again with the new character. When you do change you get to keep the
    magic that character has built up, and use it with the new character. A
    soldier can use no magic, but I changed a Pilgrim to a soldier, later
    in the game and my soldier now has many magic capabilities. 
      I am now using a Sage, Hero, Soldier, and Wizzard and all have magic
    capabilities. One thing you should know is that you need the book of
    Satori to change into a Sage. The Sage is an excellent character,
    because he/she has the capability to cast both Wizzard and Pilgrim
    spells, and can also build up moderate attack and defence points. As
    the directions say expierment, but copy your current quest so you can
    go back in you are not happy with the change. 
      When you get to the end of the upper world, and into the lower world
    you will receive in excess of ~1000 expierience points per fight, and
    need sometimes 40,000 expierience points gaind to go up a level.
    
     

    The merchant will have value at a certain point in the game. You will
    need the merchant to "invest" in a project which will pay off later in
    the game.
    
    You'll find use for the Merchant once you receive your ship and explore
    more of the world.
    
    Don't underestimate the powers of the Pilgrim. He is pretty important
    as he learns the Heal, Healmore, Vivify, and Healall spells.
    
    I just attained the sixth orb and am about to enter another phase in
    the game. Most of my characters are in the low 30's and I haven't
    made any class changes yet....I'm waiting for the point at which I feel
    I have enough magic powers and points before I do so.
    
    Mike
    

    Spells are pretty much attained by the time you are in the 40s are far
    as levels go. I would guess that's the time when you consider changing
    into a Sage.
    
    I took on Baramos for the first time this morning and I was within 100
    points of defeating him when he wiped me out.
    
    Mike

     One of the wizard spells that you learn later in the game comes in
    handy in fights. One of the spells you learn lets you change into
    another of your characters for that turn only. I have a Hero that has 
    most of the offensive capabilities available, and can mesh out 100, or
    more damage points each turn. When I change the wizard into a Hero I now
    have two fighters that can do much damage. The only draw back is that
    once you change to another character for that fighting round, you must
    stay in that characters role until the end of the fight.

    Sometimes, you don't receive a spell at the level the manual says you
    should receive it.  Also, sometimes, my sage has received a spell at
    the manual level and my wizard has waited until the next level, or vice
    versa.  Why is this?
    
    Benjamin_who_is_about_to_get_the_Shield_of_Heroes

    I changed a level 23 Wizzard into a Soldier, got back up to level 20
    with that character and changed him into a sage. Did I do something
    stupid? The character has lots of magic capability and does a great job
    at handling a weapon. He is balanced out with the Hero, Soldier and
    Merchant, all of whom are at mid 20 levels. I have 2 orbs, just having
    conqured the cave of Jipang and seem to progress easily thus far.
    
    Joel

     I defeated Zemos over the weekend, first time thru the castle. The
    "moving" floors take a little getting used to. I ended the game with a
    Sage, Soldier - changed from a Pilgrim, Hero, and Wizard. All
    characters were around level 40. The most important item, in my
    opinion, was the wizard's ring, which restores MP. I only found one
    place in the whole game where you could buy these. There are several
    places in the game that the rings were found in chests. You should only
    use them sparingly though, as they sometimes break into little pieces.
     All in all a good game, even though gaining levels took a great deal
    of time. On the final screen, after they scrolled all the programers,   
    it said to be continued.
    

    Two complaints:
    
           - In battling Baramos I kept a running count of his hit points
             and I came up with a total of 1090 of hit point damage I had
             done to him before he wiped me out.
    
             The chart listed his hit points as 900. What gives?
    
    
           - My wizard level is at 34 but he doesn't have the BEDRAGON
             spell as the chart indicates. What gives?
    
    Mike

    I didn't keep close watch of when I got the spells, as compared to when
    the chart says I was supposed to get them. But I did receive the
    be-dragon spell for my wizard. One thing I did notice about the way you
    got spells, they look to be out of place in the spell windows, that is
    they don't fall in the logical place you would expect them to be, if
    you just got them.
     On Baramos, the first couple if times I fought him he croaked me, I
    then built up my power some more, no higher than you are now, 30's, and I
    had an easy go of it the third time. The first two times, I lost characters
    quickly, before I could even heal them, the third time, I had plenty of
    time to heal and fight, and lost no characters. I don't remember
    fighting and healing any differently the third time, so it must be very
    random how it ends up. Bottom line looks like the directions leave a
    lot to be desired

    I've fought him about 10 times and at least two times I've dropped him
    for over 1000 hit points but still haven't defeated him.
    
    I use the BIKILL spell and HEALUS spell quite a bit but haven't had
    success.
    
    All characters are in the mid-30's except my sage who is in the
    mid-20's.
    
    Mike

    When I beat Baramos, all of my characters were in the low 30s, except
    for my Hero, Erdric, who was in the mid 30s.  I had Erdric and my
    Soldier attack, my Sage chant Increase when she wasn't needed to heal
    or revive, and my Wizard chanted Bikill.  I beat him on the first try.
    
    Benjamin

    There's my mistake...I've got a hero, wizard, pilgrim, and Sage. I
    changed my soldier into a sage because I wanted everyone to have magic.
    
    Oh well, I guess as soon as my sage has as much magic as either my
    pilgrim or my wizard I'll bring up a soldier.
    
    At this point in the game bringing someone along from level one to
    level 20 and up takes little time due to the experience points gained
    from defeating these heavy duty monsters.
    
    Mike