Etrian Odyssey 5 Beginner’s Guide: Secrets to Surviving the Labyrinth

The Labyrinth of Yggdrasil hides countless dangers in Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond the Myth. Heck, even the first group of monsters you encounter can and will kick your teeth in if you’re not prepared. That’s why, if you ever hope to survive the Labyrinth, you absolutely must have your wits about you at all times.

It’s far from easy, but thankfully, there are a few things you can do to improve not only your survivability but also your efficiency in the Labyrinth.

Etrian Odyssey 5 Beginner’s Guide

New Guilds should exercise extreme caution and cover all their bases when entering the Labyrinth. Be sure to put at least one of each race in your party, get all of the important overworld skills, frequently stock up at the marketplace, meticulously detail your map, peer up stairs when you find them, and avoid FOEs like the plague.

Make a Party with at Least One of Each Race

There are four character races to stuff into your party of 5, and you’ll need all of them in Etrian Odyssey 5. Each race has special Racial Skills that either utilize the Union Gauge in battle or otherwise boost your overall abilities.

For example, the Celestrians have access to the Detect Mana skill, which is necessary for interacting with the Magic Barrier on the 1st Stratum. Therians, on the other hand, gain access to the Brute Strength skill at level 5, and that can be used to move heavy objects out of the way later on. Having access to every Race Skill is absolutely paramount to exploring the Labyrinth and completing quests.

Spend Points on Important Overworld Skills Early On

Don’t make the same mistake I did and neglect your overworld skills early on. Overworld skills are essential for gathering new materials and reaching new areas of the Labyrinth. Just have one character spec into Fishing, get another to pick up Foraging, and let someone else learn Animal Care. Chopping and Mining are also pretty essential. Get these skills out of the way first so that you never need to worry about them again.

Frequently Stock Up at the Marketplace

There are two major things from the Marketplace that you’ll need to constantly keep stocked: Consumables and Equipment. You probably don’t want to be exploring the dungeon without any healing supplies, especially at a low level, so it’s a good idea to pick up a few Medicas. Once you unlock them, be sure to have at least 1 — if not 3 or 5 — Ariadne Thread on you at all times so you can escape the Labyrinth. Remember to stock up every time you stop by the Marketplace to sell materials.

The Marketplace’s stock of items will slowly grow as you continue to sell the materials you find. Since the Labyrinth doesn’t have much equipment hidden about, you’ll find you have to buy a lot of it in town. Just make sure that your party is appropriately geared before you advance to a new floor or you might find yourself struggling.

Fill in the Map with Meticulous Detail

You make the map in Etrian Odyssey, and it’s up to you how much detail you go into. However, I suggest marking absolutely everything to make navigating each floor as easy as it can be. You should already be marking things like floors, walls, doors, stairs, and various harvest points, but it’d be smart to expand to marking everything else, too.

Mark the treasure chests, even if you’ve already opened them. If you come across someone with a request in the Labyrinth, try marking that with an exclamation mark (or something that stands out). Suspicious tiles on the map are a good use of the question mark, too. Consider even painting in the water with shades of blue to make the floor layout easier to understand. Get creative with filling in your map — just make sure you can read it.

Peek Up the Stairs When You Discover Them

While mapping the floor, you’ll eventually stumble across the stairs leading up to the next level. When you do, be sure to head up the stairs to activate the next floor before heading back downstairs and carrying on. Doing this allows you to pick up the next floor’s quests from the Inn before you start properly exploring it.

Avoid FOEs Like the Plague on Your First Encounter

Formido Oppognatura Exsequens (FOEs) are powerful monsters that openly roam floors and should certainly be avoided the first time you meet them. While some FOEs are passive and walk in a pattern that’s relatively easy to avoid, others are aggressive and will hunt you down until you leave the area. When consistently cornered by aggressive FOEs, try studying your map to see if there might be another way to approach it.

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With these tips in mind, the Labyrinth should prove to be pretty manageable, though it still won’t be easy. Keep your eyes peeled right here on GameSkinny for more Etrian Odyssey 5 guides coming soon.