.-. .-~-. ^-^ ^._.^ .-~-. .-~-. ^._.^ .-. ^._.^ ^-^ .-. ^-^ .-. __..----..__ ^-^ _-^ ^-_ .-. .-~^ . . ^~-...__ __ _-~^-^^ .-. ^~^ ^} {^ ^-.___.-^ ^-^ _...--~^ ^~. .-. ___...--~~~^^ {~^ ^-^ ^.._ ^~-.___..---...____..--...} __ __ ___________ ____ ____ __ _____ ______ ____ ________ / |/ \/___/_ _/ \/ __ \/ __ \/ / /____/ / __/ / / \ Y /___/ \ / /| /| /_/_ / // ^ / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ _/_ _\ \/ /_/ ^ /) /_/_/ ^ / /_/ |/ |/___/ /_//_/|/_/_/_/_/_/_/___/____/ /___/___/_/|//_/___/_/\_\ _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ INTRODUCTION ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ Welcome to the Dragon Warrior III Metabble Slaying FAQ! First and foremost, BOW TO MY ASCII ART! That took me way too much time.. Author: Kevin A. Duffy (a.k.a. WanXe) KDuff19@hotmail.com Version: 1.0 _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ FAQ ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ 1. What is a Metabble? A Metabble is a monster in Dragon Warrior III (duh). It has about 6 HP, incredible defense, has a high chance of fleeing battle (about 60-70% of the time), has a high agility (enabling the a quick turn so it can run away quicker), it's high defense lowers all physical attacks to 1 HP of damage, and can dodge all attack and support magic. It resembles a Babble in shape, but has a metallic color to it (bet you couldn't figure that one out). 2. So why all the fuss? Metabbles also give 40,200 EXP per battle. Bow down to that. That's more than any other monster in the game gives (excepting maybe certain bosses, but you can't win a boss battle quite as quickly as you can with one of these monsters). 3. Why make an FAQ? Unfortunately, Metabbles are incredibly hard to kill, so I figured an FAQ on possible strategies would be useful. Also, I noticed that there were no other FAQs about this, and I have a lot of spare time. 4. Do you accept questions or suggestions? Yes, you can e-mail me at KDuff19@hotmail.com with any comments, questions, suggestions, spelling errors, what have you. Just try to keep the hate mail to a minimum, and try to spell a majority of your message right. If I use anything from an e-mail you send me, you will be given credit (most likely in a "thanks" section I will add). 5. If "STRATEGY #5" is so great, why don't you use it? I can't use this strategy because only Warriors and Hero can equip the Blade Armor, and my party consists of a Hero and three Sages at this point. 6. Then why don't you use "STRATEGY #4"? I don't have enough money at this time to buy even one Falcon Sword. Maybe next time I beat the game I'll save before wasting 10 levels and 100,000G. 7. You're an idiot! I don't want to follow your guide! First of all, that isn't a question. Secondly, feel free to use or not use my guide as you please, as long as it complies with the Legal stuff located below. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ LEGAL ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ This Guide was created on November 21, 2003 by WanXe. You may use this guide as long as no changes are made from how it appears on GameFAQS. You may put this guide on your website, as long as credit is given to both myself and GameFAQS, as long as it isn't generating profit for you, and as long as I give you advance written permission to do so (my e-mail address is listed in the introduction section). Sites the currently have permission to use this guide: http://www.gameFAQS.com http://www.neoseeker.com If you see any other site using this guide, please report it to me. Copyright (c) 2003 Kevin A. Duffy _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ THE METABBLE ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ Metabbles will cause you great frustration. Sometimes you might even yell at your Gameboy because all six of them ran away before you could kill ONE. All six?! C'MON! Just let me kill ONE! If you've assumed that this has happened to me, you're correct. And it's annoying. So, if you have no patience, it is a bad idea for you to try to go Metabble hunting, or own any kind of RPG in which training is an option. ;) The Metabble's stats are basically as follows: HP: 6 MP: 255 ATK: 55 DEF: 1023 AGL: 150 EXP: 40,200 GOLD: 10 ITEM: LUCK Shoes The Metabble can also cast Firebal, but you shouldn't really have to worry about that.. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ STRATEGY #1: BEDRAGON ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ BeDragon is by far the most effective way to kill a group of Metabbles. This strategy is fairly simple, and doesn't rely on too many variable factors. REQUIREMENTS: Mage/Sage* who has learned BeDragon (level 34+) Cleric/Sage* (preferably 2) who has learned SpeedUp (level 5+) Hero (because he/she has to be in your party) Starry Bracelet (found in Isis Castle basement) *Doesn't have to currently be a Mage/Cleric/Sage, as long as s/he has learned the required spell. Equip the Starry Bracelet on your Mage, so as to ensure that s/he gets a turn before your Clerics cast SpeedUp. As a dragon, the mage's stats are reset, therefore making the SpeedUp pointless, and allowing metabbles to run away with their 40,200 experience. STRATEGY A: You encounter only Metabbles. HERO: Attack (possible critical hit before they can run). MAGE: Cast BeDragon. CLERIC: Cast SpeedUp. Any others: Attack. Hopefully, your Mage will become a dragon before your cleric gets in the SpeedUp. If this works out, and at least one Metabble is left: HERO: Attack. MAGE: You no longer control the Mage. CLERIC: Attack. Any others: Attack. Your Mage will breathe flames on the remaining Metabbles, dealing around 90 damage to each, killing them. Everyone in your party should have around 255 Agility at this point, so in case the computer chip decides that the Metabbles go before your Mage, you should still be able to have the possibility of a critical hit before they run. STRATEGY B: You encounter Metabbles with other monsters. HERO: Cast Thordain if you can't kill them in one turn. MAGE: Cast BeDragon. CLERIC: Cast SpeedUp. Any others: Attack non-Metabbles. This should take care of the rest of the enemies, while still having a dragon next round. If your Hero has not yet learned Thordain, just attack. During the second round, just attack as normal. PROS: Allows you to kill all Metabbles in two rounds. CONS: Metabbles get a free chance to run during the first round, causing you to waste at least 30 MP. OVERALL: 4/5 - This is the strategy I use, and it works well. I've killed up to six Metabbles in one battle using this strategy. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ STRATEGY #2: FALCON SWORD ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ REQUIREMENTS: Thieves/Dealers/Sages Hero Falcon Sword for each (25,000G in Rimuldar) Falcon Swords allow each member carrying one to attack twice in one round, inflicting a maximum of 8 damage (total) instead of 4. STRATEGY: You encounter Metabbles only or with other monsters. HERO: Attack. THIEF/DEALER: Attack. SAGE: Cast SpeedUp or Attack. Any others: Attack. Hopefully, one Metabble will fall in the first round, before they all run away. Your Sages can either attack, to increase the chances of killing one metabble in the first round, or cast SpeedUp, to make characters faster than the metabble for the second round, if they all don't run away. During the second round, ust have everyone attack. PROS: Provided that all of the Metabbles don't run during the first round, you're almost guaranteed to kill one during the first round. CONS: You are not likely to kill more than two metabbles using this strategy, because the metabbles will flee before you can kill them all. OVERALL: 3.5/5 - Very good chance of killing at least one Metabble. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ STRATEGY #3: BLADE ARMOR ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ REQUIREMENTS: Warriors Hero Blade Armor for each (6,500G in Kol) Blade Armor will deal 1/2 of the damage a monster deals to you in a physical attack. STRATEGY: You encounter Metabbles or with other monsters. HERO: Enter EQP menu, remove defensive equipment except Blade Armor. Attack. WARRIOR: Enter EQP menu, remove defensive equipment except Armor. Attack. Any others: Attack. Removing the defensive equpiment allows the metabbles to do more damage to you, and in turn, more damage to them with your armor. All rounds will be the same with this strategy. PROS: If a Metabble uses a physical attack against you, you will kill it. CONS: Metabbles are more likely to run or cast fireball than to use physical attacks. If there are other monsters, their attacks can be fatal with no other equipment. OVERALL: 3/5 - Less reliable than Falcon Sword Strategy, though can be much more successful when it does work. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ STRATEGY #4: COMBINATION #1 ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ REQUIREMENTS: Sages (BeDragon level 34+, SpeedUp level 5+) Hero Falcon Sword for each This allows for more chances of critical hits, in case the BeDragon strategy fails. STRATEGY: Use the BeDragon Strategy. Instead of one chance for a critical per character, you get two. Not much of a bonus, but it can mean the difference of 40,200 experience. PROS: Increases chance of killing a metabble in case of failure of BeDragon strategy. CONS: You still can't kill a Metabble during the first round of combat, unless you get a critical. OVERALL: 4.5/5 - Adds to the BeDragon strategy. _..---~~~~^^^^^~~~~---.._ .-^ ^-. {^ STRATEGY #5: COMBINATION #2 ^} ^-. .-^ ^~--...____ ____...--~^ ^^^^^ REQUIREMENTS: Warriors who have been Sages (at least 2) (BeDragon level 34+) Hero Blade Armor for each This allows for you to kill Metabbles during the first round, as long as they attack. STRATEGY: Use the BeDragon Strategy. Hope that they don't run. :) PROS: Opens up the possibility of killing Metabbles during the first round, while still having the BeDragon strategy backing it up on the second round. Unlike the BeDragon/Falcon Sword strategy, these two complement eachother instead of hinering. CONS: If the Metabbles choose to run instead of attacking, you're still screwed. Also, only Hero and Warriors can equip Blade Armor. OVERALL: 5/5 - Supplements the BeDragon strategy very well, allowing the possibility of kills during the first round, and ensuring kills during the second.