Welcome to my attempt at a guide to Monster Rancher 2. I will try to have this be as informative as I possibly can. I am still a newer player, though I have owned MR1 for around a year and then some. I still don't know everything, I haven't beaten the Big Four, heck I haven't even gotten to them yet. There are still a lot of things out there that I have trouble getting through, but this is my way to help newer players. If you don't find what you need here, I suggest looking around the web ring. I know the Monster Rancher Matrix has a killer training and raising guide. They can tell you how to max out a monster quick.

I on the other hand have a technique that I use and will take some more modification on my part, but I will soon have it down. I in no way encourage using the reset option, I do not consider this as an option, some do; I just don't. I believe this takes away from the randomness of the game, and destroys the actual concept of raising anything. If you raise a child you can't press the reset when they get their ABCs wrong, and I don't believe it should be done in this game either. If you can't handle the randomness that comes along with a game like this... maybe you shouldn't play it.

I am not here to offend anyone, just stating my point before we get into the guide!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This color denotes links on this page // This color denotes links off of this page
INTRODUCTION TO THE GAME
STATS TRAINING
ERRANTRIES AND
DRILLS
ITEMS
MY FAVORITE
MONSTER RANCHER
SITES
ITEM USE AND
SCHEDULE
MONSTER RANCHER 1
MONSTER LIST
MONSTER RANCHER 2
MONSTER LIST
DEX DRIVE
TOURNAMENTS
MY DEX DRIVE
MONSTER SHRINE
MY SPECIFIC MR2
CD LIST

As I had previously stated, Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2 are games of chance. They are meant to be played as such. If you find yourself reseting just to get a monster with higher stats, I personally consider you a cheater. I know many of the master players of this game, whose sites can be found on the MR web ring, do encourage reseting the game until your monster scores a great on drills. This is where my problem lies. I do not believe that is a fair way to play the game. It's OK once in a while, it is also why we all save before tournaments (in this fashion I have no problem). So now that we understand this part lets move on.

Your job in this game is to raise a monster capable of competing in and winning the big four, you wanna be a master.

DUH ^_^ !!!
The fun is in the vast number of monster which you have the ability to raise (over 400). Each monster has its own talents and attacks, and will get you only so far unless you are a true master.

You use drills and errantries to make your monster stronger and better than the next. When your monster reaches a certain age it is time to put them in deep freeze. When you freeze them you have the ability to combine them with others making a stronger monster from the start. This is a good move because your new monster may not start with great stats, but it will start with a great set of moves.

Use your monster to excell in rank after rank to become the greatest monster rancher of all time.

TOP

This is a touchy spot for most people, how much is too much? When do you send your monster on it's first errantry? Should I use hard drills? When should my monster be rested? These are all tough questions, a lot of it has to do with the responses you recieve from Colt. When she says that the monster "seems" well, then its time to rest it. Depending on how you answer the initial test questions will determine when she says this though, so you may end up working your monster entirely too hard, in which case you are shortening its life span.
My answer is rest after every third drill, wether you use hard drills or soft, the monster will need rest after about 3.

When it comes to errantries, I prefer to send my monster on its first errantry around the age of 6 months to 8 months. At this age I probably have placed (forced) my monster into the second stage of growth. Does your's look a little bit bigger, if so send it. It probably won't be able to make it through all 4 weeks but it will attain a new attack and you will see the stats growth jump at this point. When you force your monster into stage 2, you are also possibly shortening its life span, so keep that in mind.

Rule of thumb never send your monster on too many errantries. I recomend no more than 5, some people recomend no more than 4. I think 4 is too little and more than 6 is out of hand, so stick with between 4-6 errantries and your monster will still live a rather long time. Also never send your monster on errantries to gain stat points. It is a waste of time and your monster comes back more tired than if you had just run it through 4 hard drills anyway. Also only send your monster if you will gain a new attack, this is actually the only reason you should send your monster on errantries anyway. If the guy says "It might be difficult for your monster," don't send it, it won't get a new attack. Also just because you have one Special Attack (gained from the Def errantry) doesn't mean you can't get another. You just have to use the attack you already have a few times, most attacks work on chains. You have to perform a certain attack so many times before attaining a new attack.

Make sure you only send your monster on errantries during the first week of the month. By sending them at any other time, they will miss their meal at the beggining of the month and fatigue as well as weight loss will occur. I recomend feeding the monster a Tablet after every errantry to reduce stress and fatigue, followed by a nuts oil (week 1) and then a mint leaf (week 2), rest them during this period as well (2 weeks).

And finally, always try to find out what errantry will fill up that missing attack range. Here is how my newest monster Dastard a Selketo[Arrowhead/Joker] looked.

Far Range
Long Range
Mid Range
Close Range
CLAW ASSAULT
PUNCH
After his first errantry (by luck!!) he picked up a long-short attack, STING. this attack has filled up the missing space he need to fullfil all of those attack ranges in succesion, now I just have to send him for a Long Range and he will have all four ranges. By the way that attack is a SKL errantry, and also relies on INT to power it, thank god his third highest stat was INT. Check out some of the other MR sites and they will have a full low down of all of each monsters attacks. Once again I suggest the
MONSTER RANCHER MATRIX.
TOP
When training your monster always keep in mind, how fatigued and stressed it is, these will play a large part in how well your monster does in the training exercises. Here are my suggestions:

Train your monster in its top 3 stats first, train them up to around 200-250.

After that build the rest of the stats to around 100-150.

Now alternate between the Highest and weakest stats now, until your main stat is around 400-450, and work down. (2wks main stat, 1wk weakest stat, rest) With this setup you should be able to keep your monster at a decent level, hopefully by this point your monster has entered its peak, if not, YOU ARE EVEN LUCKIER!! Follow this technique as I will demonstrate through my Selketo:

Best
#1 DEF
Weakest
#6 SPD
#2 SKL
#5 POW
#3 INT
#4 LIF

After you have gained about 400 in each of the three main stats, your monster should be well into its prime. At this point begin to work the main stat only. Raise the main stat to around 800 or more and then work on your other stats. Believe that you really should work your monsters Speed and Defense, no matter which it is better at, a fast monster with good defense will prevail over anything (unless you have no power or intelligence). By following this guide, as I have said in the past, you might want to fine tune it to get the effects that you really need. My training techniques have gotten me First Generation Golems, Hoppers, Mocchi, and others up to A Class. I haven't gotten any 2nd Gens to work up really... so my technique may need some modifications on my part. But as a begining guide I think it works really well, and should get your monsters powered up and ready to take on some heavy hitters.
TOP

Standards
Drugs
Inventory
Combiners
Targets
  • Mango
  • Candy
  • Smoked Snake
  • Apple Cake
  • Mint Leaf
  • Powder
  • Sweet Jelly
  • Sour Jelly
  • Nuts Oil
  • Star Prune
  • Magic Bannana
  • Teromean
  • Nageel
  • Kasseitan
  • Troron
  • Paradoxine
  • Monseitan
  • Larox
  • Sculpture
  • Gemini's Pot
  • Lump of Ice
  • Dino's Tail
  • Hero Badge
  • Heel Badge
  • Fire Stone
  • Disc Chips
  • Mask
  • Undine Slate
  • Spear
  • Fire Feather
  • Stick
  • Crab's Claw
  • Old Sheath
  • Big Footstep
  • Taurus Horn
  • Dragon Tusk
  • Magic Pot
  • Big Boots
  • Double Edged Sword
  • Zilla Beard
  • Old Sheath
  • Big Footstep
There are many other items that you will come across in the game as well as these. Most of these items can be sold or given to your monster as a treat or punishment. The Gold /Silver Peaches are an example of an item that is difficult to come across but when you do, be careful of when you use it. The timing of this item must be perfect or it will do nothing. The item itself is supposed to increase the lifespan of your monster. Also many items can be sold just based on their name alone, do you really wanna give your monster something called an irritator, or a griever. Also sell any gold, silver or other precious metal bars you come across, this will really increase your wallet.

TOP


This is how I feel that you should use specific items throughout the course of your monster's life.  I have broken it down into a two month set up, all you have to do is repeat this process over and over throughout your monster's life and you should get great responses from your monster's abilities.
MONTH 1
MONTH 2
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4
NUTS OIL
NUTS OIL
NUTS OIL
MINT LEAF
By working with this schedule, your monster might possibly be able to go almost 6 weeks or so with out rest. The constant use of Nuts Oil, keeps revitalizing your monster so that you can work it in easy drills constantly. If you do not have the amount of money to run a scenario like this one, I recomend you get it, HAHA ^_^
Just kidding. Actually a great way to raise your money is to get the kind of monster that can basically KO others very quick. I recomend keeping a Golem with some nice stats in the freezer for a while. It doesn't matter what rank he is, though C or B class is best, and pull him out to compete every now and then while you are raising the other monster. When the golem wins the tournament, there is always the chance that he will gain some new ability points as well. Killing 2 Phoenix with one stone.
^_^
Make sure to feed your monster a Nuts oil after all errantries as well.

I recomend tweaking my method until you find what works best for you. But this is a great beginer method, I myself and always looking for ways to rework my own raising methods, and you should too.

TOP