Monster Rancher DS (Misc. Q&A; Get Your Questions Answered)

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

That sounds like sour grapes to me. Far more hits are traded between you and your opponent than that. You're saying that like they aren't there. The misses are what also make the matches exciting, particularly for the people watching, since you usually can't tell as to whether or not you'll get hit 'till the end of the attack. Besides, you'd be crazy not to have at least one low-cost, high accuracy move on a monster. And in MR2, your monster keeps all of its moves, and there are always at least a few high-accuracy Hit techs. Also, 3-400 in every stat isn't very hard to get in MR2, especially if you routinely feed your monster Mint Leaves and Nuts Oils.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

When I am at the stage with 400 everything monsters I only have around 400 in one stat. That's is using only training in that specific stat.

I am not saying the game is bad, I adore the MR series, however the way you talk about fights you make it sound like Street Fighter or whatever. I never feel suspence when fighting against a computer I just want to get it over with. But that's how I am with all monster breeding games where you fight computer after boring computer. Especially because computer AI in MR rarely attack and just stock up on guts to max for no real reason.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

A monster with its highest stat at 400 is a C-Rank caliber monster. If you've just beaten the C Rank tourney and made it to B, that's when you really get busy with it, as it will be somewhere around its prime by then. It'll take a while before it gets strong enough to take it on effectively. To know as to whether your monster is ready for the next big tourney, compare its stat total to those of the other monsters in the rank.

I never said it was like a twitch-reflex fighting game. I specifically stated it was an action-oriented bar combat system. Moreover, the computer-controlled monsters don't just systematically go abouts that sort of behavior. Different computer opponents behave differently in battle. Every opposing monster has its own flavor, so to speak. Some are easy, while a few particular ones are hell in contrast. Some save up guts for multiple heavy hits towards the latter parts of the match, some are more reckless and use high-risk moves like it's going out of style. Some even try to smash you with an ultra-heavy hit as soon as the gong sounds at the start of the match (More common after A Rank).

In addition, even as the last few seconds tick away on the clock, a solid hit from the other side can turn the match completely around as soon as the time runs out. A desparation move at the very end can turn a one-sided match into a victory. It's really never is over 'till it's over. That is perhaps my favorite part of the battle system. How can there be no suspense in that?

With so much variety in the opponents and so much exciting tension with the matches always being down to the wire (unless you're way stronger than most of the guys for the rank, of course), I can hardly see why it wouldn't be suspenseful. If you find the matches to be so sluggish and uninteresting in spite of this, you're either getting your backside handed to you often due to inefficient raising (viable taking into account how you consider the monsters with around 3-400 in every stat to be "overpowered") or are ridiculously complacent.

[hitogoroshi]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Thank god for human opponents. Midare is so crazy-awesome when no one tries to avoid it's range. It's hard to feel the suspense when it takes about two hits to win. XD

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Obviously, an edge on the offensive side against more frail opponents, or even nominally-defensive opponents depending on how big the edge is, will lead to matches that end quickly and neatly. The suspense kicks in when both sides are of pretty much equal strength (similar stat totals) or when you're at a significant disadvantage. That will naturally happen more often a bit later in life as your monster's lifespan will make it hard for you to supercharge it above the power of the A, S and even Major 4 opponents. And of course, there's the Legend Cup.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

A monster with its highest stat at 400 is a C-Rank caliber monster. If you've just beaten the C Rank tourney and made it to B, that's when you really get busy with it, as it will be somewhere around its prime by then. It'll take a while before it gets strong enough to take it on effectively. To know as to whether your monster is ready for the next big tourney, compare its stat total to those of the other monsters in the rank.
(viable taking into account how you consider the monsters with around 3-400 in every stat to be "overpowered") or are ridiculously complacent.

Wait... It's been a while but, I was past the A-Rank (maybe S-Rank, I can't remember I know I was around the Final 4 or somthing) rating when I was having a hard time. What are the stats on those Monsters? I was sure that 3-400 were the stats.

Toruneys are kinda silly in my opinion. They might as well just make a rule saying if you win all battles you win the toruney, lose 1 you have to do a tiebreaker, 2 and you're in second, so-on and so forth. So in order to win you can only lose 1 battle, if you can't do that you have to start ALL OVER again.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

It's a bit tricky to narrow down the stats of all the monsters to a certain range because they all vary radically. However, you can more easily guage a monster's overall strength level, and thus the overall strength of a certain rank's monsters, by adding up all its stats to get its stat total. In Rank B, you'll find monsters with stat composites between about 1,611 and 1,944, the latter being the strongest Rank B monster, Epsilon. Assuming your monster had 400 in one stat and 250 in all the others, your total is about 1650. That should be acceptable for a B Rank challenge.

If you want to know if you're ready to take on a rank, make sure your monster's stat total is within that range or beyond it. Otherwise, it will have a very hard time.

In regards to the tourneys, that's the standard practical format for that and any sort of competition and sports event. It would be rather awkward to present it any other way. It's not a simple gauntlet of opponents you have to face to win. Everyone's trying to go for the gold. Also, in Rank C and above, you can still win if you lose two or three times. And in some cases, if you lose twice in a 6 monster round robin, you might still be able to get into a tiebreaker, though it's hardly common. Don't forget the elimination tourneys, either!

Also, not everyone resets when they don't win a tourney. Some people consider it better to play on in spite of it. You still get prize money for second and third place, you know.

Speaking of which, remember way back when I said MRDS would have only 217 monsters? Well, as it turns out, the book only lists the monsters you've gotten thus far, so the book in the screenshot may not have been complete. Thus, the number of monsters in MRDS is as of now unconfirmed.

Also, your monster appears on the top screen when you fire up the title screen. Very nifty!

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

I know I was past Rank B. Hmm... Whatever, doesn't matter. I just know that with only 1 stat up a huge level all my others where at base level. and almost all the opponents monsters had around my huge level in every stat. It's not like they have to raise it I was just complaining.

I'm sure because of the cartridge format the transitions between weeks will be faster...hopefully.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

It certainly was faster in the GBA games. You can expect a bit more long-term speed when raising your monsters.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

What is Long-Term speed?

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

You know when there a significant difference in the weekly transition between finishing up one thing in one game and doing the same in another, where one is faster, even by a little bit? That difference adds up in the long term, and in the end you will have accomplished quite a bit more than the other within the same time frame. The longer you play, the bigger the accomplishment gap between one game and the other.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

EDIT: Err nevermind, I understand now.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

You'd probably really like MRA2. Its mechanics are based on MR2, and refined significantly. Plus, there are tons and tons of amusing little mini-stories that occur during the game between you, Holly and the residents of Age Island. It also has the largest number of unlockable breeds since MR2, and even has MR1's crazy joke monster, Doodle!

Lisa Shock personally considers it to be arguably the best of the lot.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

One thing I like about MR battles is how even between battles you can't just sit there. You have to try to keep out of the range of your opponent's attacks. And since that changes you can't always just stay close or far away. Then when you can attack again you try to sneak in there without getting hit first.

[Jeroak Nelave]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

I love the Monster Rancher games...i'm pretty sure they were out before Pokemon(atleast in the US), and while for some reason i dont play them all that much, they are STILL my favorite between the monster raising games.

Any idea when MRS is coming to the US? Or is there any new console Monster Rancher news?