The Temple of Trials is the final dungeon in theDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, and by extension, contains some of the hardest challenges in the game. Only available in the postgame, unlocking the Temple of Trials requires you to have beaten the entirety of the main game, up to and includingthe final boss, Zoma. After that, you’ll have to tackle a unique set of postgame challenges to even set foot within the Temple of Trials, and the trouble only begins there.
Each different section/room of the Temple of Trials has unique rules and unique win conditions, often requiring quite a bit more than simple battle prowess. You’ll want to go into it fully prepared and amply (if not maximally) leveled up, with all the best weapons, armor, andVocations you’ve found along yourDragon Quest 3journey. Even then, you’ll find lots of deadly surprises lurking within.
How To Unlock The Temple Of Trials
Finding & Fighting Xenlon
The first step to unlocking the Temple of Trials is to beat the entirety of the main quest, after which you’ll want to head through the portal in the Castle of the Dragon Queen. This takes you through a sort of gauntlet in which you relive some of the main dungeons you’ve already passed through during the story -only this time, they’re much harder. Be prepared for tough fights in each one, but take your time; this is a great opportunity to level up your party members if they haven’t already hit the maximum.
The level cap inDragon Quest 3is 99.
At the end of it all, you’ll come face to face with the dragon Xenlon, who will challenge you to another battle. The trick is,you’ll have to defeat Xenlon in fewer than 35 turns to move onto the next phase. It’s important to use strategies and armor that protect against breath attacks here, as Xenlon has quite a few of them. Have the hero focus on using Omniheal while everyone else performs their most powerful attacks or cures status effects as needed.
Eventually, Xenlon will fall, and as a reward for defeating him,he’ll grant you a wish. The listed wishes are:
These are all obviously tempting, but you may have also noticed thatthere’s a blank space under the fifth option; you’ll have to choose this one to unlock the Temple of Trials. Don’t worry, you can still come back and receive some of the other rewards later; just keep in mind that the maximum number of turns you’ll have to defeat Xenlon goes down each successive time you challenge him.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake: Best Spells & Abilities (& How To Get Them)
There are many abilities and spells players can make use of in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, but they must first be unlocked by leveling Vocations.
At this point,the Temple of Trials will become available, and all you’ll have to do to get started is fly Ramia into the weird, glowing light that suddenly appears in the sky north of Aliahan. This will plop you down immediately inside the final postgame dungeon, where you’re free to begin exploring.
How To Complete The Temple Of Trials
Starting Area
As soon as you arrive in the Temple of Trials, look for the friendly Slime whom you can recruit nearby. There are also a few items scattered around the ground here. These include a Dragontail Whip, Dragon Shield, and Dragon Claws - but most importantly,make sure you pick up the War Drum. This item will double your entire party’s attack without spending any MP, and it’ll come in handy during the upcoming battles.
East: Unique Item Trial
Head east from the starting area and into the east-facing portal. Here, you’ll have to demonstrate just how much side content you’ve completed, and how many unique pieces of gear you’ve collected throughout the game. The table below lists all the gear required, along with an explanation of where to find it.
Auroral Helm
After meeting Robbin' ‘Ood, revisit the old man in Reeve who gave you the Wrecking Ball to get another one. Take it to Gaia’s Navel and place it in front of the Zenithium. Return to Robbin’ ‘Ood and his henchmen, who will tell you to bring it to a dwarf who lives north of Mur. Before doing so, get Ortega’s Helmet from Mur, by first listening to the shopkeeper’s story, then meeting Petya, and finally meeting the shopkeeper in the basement to receive the headpiece.Bring both helmet and Zenithium to the dwarfto receive the Auroral Helm.
Collect and turn in at least 105 Mini Medals.
Complete the Rank 9 challenge at the Monster Arena.
Sword of Kings
Follow theSword of Kings sidequest chain, beginning with the blacksmith in Kol.
Simply fork all these things over to pass your second trial. Don’t worry,you’ll get them back.
South: Monster Recruitment Trial
Here, you’ll meet an NPC who wants to know how many ofDQ3’s recruitable monsters you’ve found.You’ll need to have found all 110 in order to complete this trial; in case you haven’t, head back out to the world map, round up any you’ve yet to come across, and return to pass this trial with ease.
West: Money Trial
This is effectively a test of how much money you’ve accrued. It works just like the previous challenge: you’ll have to turn in a certain set of items, but this time, the items aren’t unique. Each of them is buyable from an in-game shop;the trick is knowing which one, and having enough money to buy extrasif you need them. Here’s what you’ll need and where to find it.
4 Staff of Sentencing
TOTAL
1,210,200
Of course,that total price assumes you don’t have any of these items on hand already, which, if you’ve been upgrading your armor and accessories regularly, you probably do. In case you don’t, though, you’ll need to have at least 1,210,200 G in your inventory to buy everything you need.
Northwest: Claw & Boomerang Trial
This is the first of two combat trials. The special rule here is thatyour characters can only use claw- and boomerang-type weapons during this trial. If they use anything else, they’ll be functionally useless in battle, and die as soon as they’re hit. You’ll want to fill your party with Martial Artists, Thieves, Mages, Merchants, and/or Gadabouts to survive this part.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake: Every Weapon With Unique Effects & What They Do
you’re able to find tons of different weapons in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, but only some have unique effects that can change the course of battles.
Do take care in opening chests here, as most of them are Pandora’s Boxes. In several rooms near the end, you’ll also encounter orange arrows similar to the ones you may have seen in Zoma’s Citadel. Remember thatthe orange arrow always represents the directional control you’ll have to press to head north; the other controls are rotated accordingly. The final boss here is a group of Pandora’s Boxes, which you’ll want to use spells that remove enemies from battle entirely to counter their potent healing abilities. With that in mind, and the right party members, you should be able to finish this trial relatively easily.
Northeast: Axe & Staff Trial
This trial is not unlike the previous one, only this time,you’ll be limited to axes and staves instead of claws and boomerangs. Warriors, Martial Artists, Mages, Priests, and Sages work well here. Further on, you’ll encounter a pair of rock-pushing puzzles not unlike the one in Edina. to complete the first one:
On the right side of the room, there’s a slightly harder puzzle. To complete this one:
If you make a mistake and one of the rocks gets stuck,you may restart this room simply by walking out and back in again. Once you finish the puzzle, the doors at the northern end will swing open, and you’ll fight another group of Pandora’s Boxes. Use the same method to win here.
Final Trial: The Grand Dragon
With that, you’ll be able to take onthe final boss of the Temple of Trials, andDQ3’s toughest superboss: the Grand Dragon. The strategy here is similar to Xenlon: breath-reducing armor and lots of powerful attacks. Most of the strategy is in the preparation here, but in case you’re struggling, check out ourGrand Dragon boss guidefor more details on how to beat him. Keep in mind thatyou’ll need to beat the Grand Dragon in fewer than 20 turns to claim his prize, the Grand Medal. If you can’t do it the first time, you can try again until you get it.
The Grand Medal is basically useless, and only exists to give you bragging rights. But if nothing else, it’s a satisfying goal to achieve, and the ultimate goal for allDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakeplayers.
