Beginners Quickstart Guide
Introduction
Welcome to the wonderful world of Dragon Quest X! If you’re new, you’re in the right place. Dragon Quest X is an MMORPG, or massively multiplayer online role-playing game, not unlike Final Fantasy XIV or RuneScape. However, the difference is that DQX is very much a Dragon Quest title with online components, instead of an online game that happens to be Dragon Quest. You will be navigating through the story, saving the world and unlocking greater power as you progress, just like in any other Dragon Quest title.
For MMO veterans: DQX uses a “turn-based” command system, where commands can be selected approximately every five seconds, with a higher Agility granting faster turns. There are no hotkeys for spells, so get used to memorizing where certain abilities are! You can remove unnecessary spells and skills from your battle menu, or reorganize it entirely. (Main Menu > Misc > Settings > Character > Battle Commands)
For Dragon Quest veterans: In DQX, you can move on the battlefield during combat, so positioning is important. Furthermore, you can shove enemies (and this is a genuine combat mechanic) to keep them from assaulting your backline. Larger enemies require more people or a specific Vocation to shove properly.
Below we’ve got a route to take to get you set up for success in DQX. This is not the only route, and you may do things out of order if you wish, but this route is optimized for those looking to hit all of the key points on their way through the game.
Getting Started
First and foremost, if you have not registered an account or downloaded the game, do that first. DQXAbbey has a very good, very precise guide that you need to follow to get setup. If you do not speak/read Japanese, it is highly recommended that you install DQXClarity as well for live translation.
This guide assumes that you have bought the game and are no longer a trial player. If you are a Trial player, you can still follow this guide, but be aware that you will be unable to progress or participate in certain quests or objectives.
Second, be aware that DQXClarity uses DeepL to live-translate the game, and machine translators are inherently kind of bad at translating Japanese to English. While there are some excellent hand-translated pieces courtesy of the DQXClarity team (primarily story quests, menu items, and phrases like “This quest has been transgressed with finesse!”), some parts of the game will lack the standard polish you’d find in a normal Dragon Quest release. This is not the developers fault, nor is it DQXClarity’s fault either — translation and localization are difficult and AI cannot do it at the level actual human translators can, so always keep a wiki tab open if you get lost.
Useful Links
The wiki websites you should be aware of, aside from Ethene, include:
- Dorakue10 — A Japanese wiki. This has pretty much any and all info you could ask for…in Japanese. If you cannot read Japanese, you will need an addon for your browser that translates Japanese to English.
- Draquex — A Dragon Quest X database. Use this for finding weapons, armor, and which monsters drop what.
- DQJP Ten — Another Japanese wiki. This one was recommended specifically for questing, as the guides on it tend to be more precise than others.
- DQ10 IKE — Another Japanese wiki. This one has more pictures and images if that’s more your speed, but also can be outdated.
Finally, be aware that as this is a Japanese online MMO, some things will be expected of you as an overseas player — never forget that you are a guest, as this game is not intended for overseas audiences. Do not spam local chat or party chat with English phrases — in fact, it’s probably better not to speak English in public at all. There are dedicated English “Teams” (guilds, free companies, etc.) that have no problem with English in Team Chat, but other JP players may find you annoying if you cannot communicate in Japanese.
Thankfully, there is a nifty text injection tool called “SendToChat” that you can use to cover the most basic of phrases, such as “Good luck” and “Thank you!” if you get invited to JP groups. This tool is also handy for clearing a few quests that require you to type out a phrase in-game, so it’s recommended you grab it.
If SendToChat is too much, you can also edit your common phrases using Hiroba, which is Dragon Quest X’s version of a Mogstation. Specifically, their Emote Preferences page (requires log-in.) Again, you’ll need a translation tool to navigate around, but once here you can edit things to your liking. Ask in the Discords for a list of common phrases to add.
With all of that said, let’s get into it! Your journey awaits!
Tutorial: The Hidden Village of Ethene
If you’ve never played Dragon Quest X before, we highly recommend completing the intro tutorial. It sets the stage for the rest of the game’s story, and also teaches you the basics of navigation, battle, and so on. It will run you approximately one hour to complete, and gives you an excellent feel for what the rest of the game will be like.
When you create your character, you must spell your name in Japanese. We recommend running your screen name through a Japanese tool and then selecting the appropriate kana — if you mess this up, you will have to pay 1100 yen to change your name via a paid service. If in doubt, ask in the Discords — someone may be willing to help!
Do not worry about grinding levels in this tutorial — your level will be reset at the end of it, and you will lose items you acquired (they’re all beginner items anyways, so no loss.) You only need to be around level 8 to 10 to clear the final encounter.
Version 1: Tale of the Five Awakened Races
How To Use This Guide
- If a section header is in red, that means that the section is important and/or mandatory. You should read the section carefully for more information on what you should be doing.
- If a section header is in blue, that means that the section is optional at this stage of the game. It’s still recommended you read through the information and decide if it’s something you are interested in.
Race/Vocation Selection
After you complete the tutorial, you will be asked to select your chosen race from a list of five: Ogres, Weddies, Elves, Pukulipos, and Dwarves. This racial choice is final, but your choice ultimately matters little. Pick whichever race you like the most.
If you like Human the most, you will regain access to that form in short order, so don’t worry.
Once you’ve customized your race’s appearance, it will prompt you to select one of six Vocations (classes, jobs) — Warrior, Priest, Mage, Martial Artist, Thief, and Minstrel. These are the starting six Vocations, but you will eventually unlock the other 16 as you play.
You will be playing all of these Vocations at one point or another to level them up. This means that your initial selection matters little, so pick whichever one you like most — except Priest. Priests in particular have a rough time starting things off due to low offensive options — and in particular will struggle with enemies that have high Defense.
If you are looking for an easy way into the game, Thief, Minstrel or Warrior are solid first picks. Thief and Minstrel are good all-rounders, both having access to Heal, while Warrior has enough bulk to not eat dirt when fighting bosses (and also allows you to really give the shove mechanic a go.) Again, however, this matters extremely little, so pick whichever you like except Priest.
For those who are more endgame-minded, most Vocations, including the starting six, can be used in endgame content. As with most MMOs, this is not equal and some are clearly more prized than others, but generally speaking you will find a place in the party for your main Vocation (unless you are a Gadabout or Thief).
Server Selection, Tutorial Village
Once you have finalized your appearance, you will be booted back to the main menu. Select your character — the game will prompt you to select a server as well. Select either server 9 or 10, the ones marked New/Returning Players. Playing on either server 9 or 10 allows you to participate in Rookie Metal Slime Invasions, which are an excellent source of exp for alternate Vocations (more on this later.)
Upon entering the game and watching the opening cutscene, you will find yourself in your starting race’s village. Paths between the five races will converge soon enough, so for now explore your starting village at your leisure. Let’s take this time to get familiar with some core concepts of the game.
First off, NPCs with a pink name offer important information for you, while NPCs with a purple name offer a quest (these also appear on your map as an exclamation mark.) Be aware that sometimes NPCs with white names can still be important for quests. NPCs with a yellow name offer an important game mechanic, and talking with them will reward a mini medal the first time you talk to them.
Second, take a look at your map, and you should see some symbols. Get familiar with these symbols, as they highlight important shops and businesses in towns. This directory below will label them for you.
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Main Story Quest and Progression
When you have had your fill of exploration, bring up your Main Menu (Square/X on controller, V on keyboard) — at the bottom of your menu, you should see a window that says “Walkthrough”:
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This is your primary story (Main Story Quest) and will be how you progress through the Episodes. With your Main Menu open, press the Triangle/Y button on controller, and this will show you your next destination on the map. If you are not currently on the same map as your objective, it will ask you if you wish to warp nearby — you can do this even if you haven’t visited the area yet. This will be known from now on as a Walkthrough Warp.
Be aware that as you progress further through the game, you will stop being offered warps if you haven’t been there yet and must navigate there on your own, so get used to reading the map and charting a course.
