Challenges¶

Tips¶

There’s barely time for a breather when you’re an Expert.

Luckily, the basic ingredients–Goat Fleece, Golden Sheep Fleece and Black Goat Fleece–can all be purchased from the Al Maajik cloth shop, but you will need the Desert Shopping+ Bliss Bonus for the latter two.

If you don’t have that bonus for whatever reason (get it quick!), you can grind on the Killer Horn in the Desertward Ravine, just before the Al Maajik Outskirts. As it happens, it’s one of the few “boss” monsters that respawns each time you exit the area.

Many of the ingredients are ones you’ve already come across, so check out the same shops you visited in Al Maajik or Port Puerto or refer to the previous ranks for the details.

Yellowbells are new, but easily picked up from the Al Maajik Outskirts and Drysand Desert (by the south-eastern oasis). Similarly, you might not have seen a Sandstone before; these are sold by the ore merchant in Al Maajik.

Emeralds and other gems are sold by the same ore merchant, although Desert Shopping+ is required to buy them. Alternatively you can try your luck looking for the rare Gemzards in the Desertward Ravine and hoping one drops from them.

If you need Magic Powder and Demonic Powder , seek the Shady Shop, although the Bliss Bonus is again required for the latter. No bonus? Slay the Desert Spook on your way to the Ancient Ruins, towards the north-east of the desert.

Starry Thread requires a trip to Cacto Cove, accessible via the ferry along the south bank of the Al Maajik Outskirts (after recruiting Magnificus). You can loot it from the Starry Catterpillo at night or buy it straight from the salesplush at the very top.

The Caterpillo may drop a Star Cluster instead, which you need anyway for the Grinning Hat; this elusive item is also dropped by the Fairy Dragons in the Napdragon’s Nest, atop Mt. Snowpeak (past the Silverfang).

Moon Clusters , meanwhile, cannot be bought (unless you’ve completed the game), but they often drop from the Electro Jellyfish (night-only) and Turtanic in Tortuga Archipelago, the Hootwink in the Elderwood at night or the Glaciowls on Mt. Snowpeak Summit.

While you’re at Cacto Cove, you can also rarely pick up Rainbow Shells , needed to make Castele Heels, from the seashells on the beach.

Monster Hide for the Grotto Armour occasionally drops from the Killer Bear in Deep Elderwood or you can save time by seeking the Al Maajik wood and leather stall with the Bliss Bonus.

Where the elements are concerned, you can buy Fire Mana , Water Mana and Wind Mana (and more) from the teacher in Esmerelda’s Academy of Magic. Note that must speak to him face-on or he’ll rant to you instead of selling you his wares.

Cave Mushrooms can be picked up from inside the Deepsea Cave (to the south of Tortuga Archipelago) or Subterranean Lake (to the south of Drysand Desert) or you can ask the granny in Cocina Rica’s kitchen.

Oddly, Red Gels are not found in the wild, only sold from Professor Snooze’s Lab on the west side of the Sandtown.

Finally… when it’s time to make the Shark Hat, you can get a Swordfish Fin by fishing the blue Swordfish in the middle of Tortuga Archipelago and a Strong Fang by beating up the Fanged Ape before the entrance to the Mt. Snowpeak Summit.