Beginners Quickstart Guide

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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 // Basic Info

• 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 green, 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.

First Quest: Find a Zoomstone! (Level 1~10)

Your first quest involves recovering a Zoomstone. We’ll talk more about these later, but for now, that is your primary objective.

Before you leave your starting village, locate the Hat Clerk and Vehicle Clerk NPCs!

• The Hat Clerk grants you the Angel Slime Cap, which gives triple exp up to level 99 so long as you wear it. Put it on and get used to it, you won’t be unequipping it for a while. The more recent Vocations (in terms of release date) are unable to benefit from this, so be aware!

• The Vehicle Clerk gives you a Dolboard, which is DQX’s version of mounts. This is a rental, but you will eventually unlock one of your own. Dolboards can be summoned by holding the L1 button while in a field or dungeon, but not in cities or towns. You can engage or be engaged by monsters while riding a Dolboard, and upon exiting combat, you will immediately remount.

While you’re heading towards your quest objective, take out a few Slimes and gain some levels. You don’t need to go wild here, but try to get level 5. Now is a good time to talk about the Rookie Metal Slime Invasions.

Rookie Metal Slime Invasions

Every five hours, Rookie Metal Slimes will join all random encounters on servers 9 and 10. This event lasts 30 minutes. These Rookie Metal Slimes function like any other Metal Slime, in that they take zero spell damage, have 3 HP, and have high defense and evasion. They can run away, so focus them down immediately. They give approximately 1850 EXP per kill (with the Angel Slime Hat on), and is primarily how you will level alternate Vocations up to level 30.

If the Rookie Metal Slime Invasion is going on at any point during your playthrough, immediately drop what you are doing and go kill some Metal Slimes until your Vocation is level 30. You will receive a 10-minute warning prior to the event starting, and you can sign up for a reminder alert via the Dragon Quest X Worldwide Discord Server. If you do not wish to use Discord to track the timer, Hiroba has a schedule (scroll to the bottom.)

Treasure Chests and Items

While you murder Slimes with reckless abandon, or go off exploring the land, you may discover a Treasure Chest. If you are in a party, each party member will see their own Treasure Chest and can open it themselves, so there is no fighting over Chests.

There are several types of Treasure Chests, so familiarize yourself with their benefits below:

• Brown Treasure Chests drop from monsters periodically upon defeat. They often contain crafting materials, but these do not often sell for much Gold. Considered the “Common Drop” chest.
• Silver Treasure Chests drop from monsters periodically upon defeat. They contain upgraded gear — however, this gear cannot be sold or dismantled. You can, however, pick up the gear to add it to your Armor Encyclopedia, which can ultimately grant you a pose for filling it in. If you have the book icon for a piece of gear already, however, leave it or delete it from your inventory.
• Blue Treasure Chests appear randomly on the map in fields and dungeons, and will spawn and de-spawn over time in different locations. These often hold Mini Medals, Gold, useful items, or even can contain a Cannibox!
• Purple Treasure Chests drop from boss encounters. These are one-time drops and become sort of a weekly or daily reset reward from content like the Magic Maze or Book of Bosses.
• Red Treasure Chests are found in the environment in set places. These are opened once for loot.
• Jade Treasure Chests are found in the environment in set places. These require a Jade Key to open, and there are 25 Jade Keys total. Jade Keys can be found in a number of locations, such as the Mini Medal King, the Fish Trader, and the Casino. This is absolutely worth doing in your spare time, as finding all of the green chests will grant you a Zoomstone (more on this later.) Bear in mind that, in order to find all of the Jade Keys, you will need the Thief’s Key. You cannot meaningfully clear Jade Treasure Chests without clearing Version 2.
• Black Treasure Chests are found in the environment in set places. These require the Thief’s Key to open. (obtainable at level 40+ from completing Quest 37: The Keymaker’s Box.)
  • You can check the total Red, Green and Black Treasure Chests discovered via Main Menu > Records > Treasure List.

Your Item Bag can only hold 30 items to start, and your Equipment Bag can only hold 25 items to start. You can expand these later, but for now be aware that inventory space is at a premium. In general, sell materials or equipment you no longer need.

Skill Points

As you level up, you will gain Skill Points. These can be put into any skill for your Vocation to become more proficient in that skill — those who invest in Swords, for example, will find their attack power greatly increased while wielding a Sword.

For all Vocations, place your points into the bottom skill on the list. For example, Thieves’ bottom skill is “Acquisitiveness”, Warriors have “Courage”. The reason is that some passives in this tree (labeled like “Natural Agility”) grant bonuses to your entire character, not just your Vocation! This means that if you level this bottom skill up in every Vocation, whatever your main Vocation is will have greatly increased stats — enough to put you on par with a Version 3 character!

To stress how important this is, the extra stats you get from putting all skill points for all Vocations into the bottom skill are:

• 200 HP | 160 MP
• 140 Magical Might | 90 Magical Mending
• 80 Strength | 110 Resilience
• 230 Agility | 190 Deftness | 150 Charm

Starting out, your Skills will cap at 100 points per skill. Eventually, you will complete quests that will grant you baseline skill points, and you can invest your earned points into something else, up to 200. Until then, focus on that bottom skill!

Continue on your quest to find and acquire your first Zoomstone. Once you have obtained it, head to the Church and bind the Zoomstone to your starting village.

Zoomstones

Zoomstones function similar to a Hearthstone or Home Point from other MMOs, except there is no cooldown for teleporting using them. As such, it's very important to keep your Zoomstones bound to locations you visit often. Be aware that you cannot use Zoomstones in interior spaces, such as shops or dungeons — basically anywhere with a ceiling. It is funny to see you hit your head though!

Since you do not need to manually save your game like in other Dragon Quests, Churches serve primarily as home points to bind Zoomstones. You can also bind Zoomstones to Crystals in the wilds, and sometimes Priests will camp out near a field or dungeon, so if you know you’re going to be around an area for a while, bind your Zoomstone! You will eventually unlock multiple Zoomstones, but for now, keep your single one bound to the starting village.

The Intercontinental Train Pass, Mark of Adulthood, and Support Companions

Continue following the main quest until you reach the boss (you may wish to grind to around level 8 on the monsters just outside the boss fight.) Set the boss fight to “easy” when prompted (you will lose some experience but for these early levels, it doesn’t matter.) You have 20 Medicinal Herbs in your inventory, so don’t be afraid to heal when you need to.

Upon completion of the fight and cutscene, you will find yourself at or around level 10. Use your Zoomstone or Walkthrough Warp to head back to your village, and turn in the quest. You should end up with a new key item, the Intercontinental Train Pass! This is your primary way of traveling around the five islands, but you first have to reach a town that has a Train Station.

You will also receive the Mark of Adulthood, a key item that allows you to talk to “important people”, and three Support Companions.

Support Companions are computer-controlled allies that fight according to your orders, such as “Fight Wisely.” The ones you receive from completing your starting village are fine for now, but eventually you will want to replace them — in fact, almost immediately upon reaching your first city. Follow the in-game Adventure Guide to do so — when you arrive at your starting city (Orphea, Julet, Mount Gatara, Wind Town Azlan, or Glen Castle), get ready to do some serious side-quests.

Travel Instructions to First Major Cities

Remember, to progress the main quest, open your Main Menu, hit the Triangle or Y button, and accept the Walkthrough Warp if offered. If not, you will have to manually find your way — your starting city is not more than a few maps away from your starting village, however, so you shouldn’t get lost!

Once you reach one of these major cities, you will be able to travel by train to the other four.

• Ogres — To reach Glen Castle from Langao Village:
  • Langao Mountains > Lion Gate > Glen East > Glen Castle Town
• Weddies — To reach Julet Town from Lane Village:
  • Colt Region > Lenam Fields > Lower Jule Island > Muse Coast > Julet Town
• Dwarves — To reach Mount Gatara from Agrania Town:
  • Raniakka Fault Zone > Mogarim Highway > Gatara Fields > Mount Gatara
• Elves — To reach Wind Town Azlan from Tsusukul Village:
  • Tsusukul Plains > Kirika Steppe > Azlan Region > Wind Town Azlan
• Pukulipos — To reach Orphea from Pukulet Village:
  • Pukulet Region > Popola Region > Orphea Region East > Orphea

Checkpoint #1

This guide will utilize Checkpoints for you to verify your progress. Optional items will be marked in green text and labeled as optional, however, everything else listed is mandatory, and marked in red.

• Achieved ~Level 10
• One Zoomstone
• Mark of Adulthood and Train Pass
• Arrived at first major city